176 The LIFE of the Y, I B. I, Prop. ;. Let divers ofchef¢ Claffes meet once or twice a Tear in a ProvincialAffemblÿ, and let thefitted Man in the Province be their(bandingPrefident. Anftìw. ;.This Courfe bathbeen by Law and Pra&ice already ufed in our Church in the Archidiaeonal Vifitations and Synods, which may be more quickened and actuatedby fit Canons for their Dire&ion ; what and who the Prefident mutt he may be provided for by Canons, and his Station continued ; and that Presbyters having Cureof Souls thould not be accountedmeer Preachers but Church-Guides, and as theyare already acknowledged Re&ors of Churches. Prop. 4. Let it be left toevery Man's Confcience, Whether the Prefident be called by the Name of Bithop, Prefident, Superintendent, Moderator,&c. teeing that a Name is no meet Reafort ofa Breach, &c. Anfw. 4. If byPrefident you underhand him that mutt moderate the Half-year or yearly Synods under the Infpe&ion of the Diocefan, as his Order may be new- ly framed, fo his Name may be newly impofed ; but that the Primitive Name of Bifhop thould be turnedinto a newName, is, as you fay, no meet Reafon for a Breach ; and we feePresbyters affame that Name to themfelves, and to put anew Name upon anold Inftitution is, asAuguftine fpeaks in the like Cafe, Indotti.. (Crum fallaciam dotíis facere injuriam. Prop. ç. Lei no Man beforced to Expreßbu yudgment deJure, Whether the Prefident have a Negative Voice in Ordination or Excommunication ; or whether be be diflintt ne Order or Degree, teeing it is not the unanimous and right Belief of thefe things that is pf Necefftty (for then they muff bave been in our Creed) but the unanimous and right Praia ; but let them all agree that they will conftantlyjoyn in theft Clafcal and Provincial Affem- blies, and then only Ordain ; and that they will not Ordain but when the Prefident is one; unleß in Cafe Oat Neceffity, which is never like to befall us if this may be taken. Anjw. ç. If by Prefident you underftand the Diocefan, then that the Bithop Mould be deprivedof bib Negative Voice in Ordination or Excommunication, and fo I conceive in other Cenfures and Ails of Government, is, to make him a meet Shadowwithout any Authority,like our Scrutatorsin our Univerfity, to propound Graces, and colle&Suffrages, and pronounce Sentence : Surely St. Paul invefted Timothy and Teaswith more Power and Authority, bothfor Ordinationand Cen- lures; but then to remedy the Inconveniencies ofa wilful Negative, it's fit that an Appeal may be made to a Provincial Synod, that may examine, and if need be, re&ifiewhat was amifs in the Negative. That ChurchBufineffes were Ordered by the Concurrence of more Presbyters betides the Bifhop in Cyprian's time, was fit at that time ; when the Government of Church Affairs was Arbitrary, andnot Regulated byLaw ; in which.Cafe it was fafefi for the Bifhop to havetheContent of others with him : This is not our Cafe, we have exprefsCanons and Laws laiduponBi(hops, beyond which theycannot go, and fo may well be intrufted with the Execution of the Sentence of the Law, the Sentenceof the Judge beingonly Declarative e). Executiva, and if hetranfgrefsthofe Rules prefixed, he is liable to Cenfure. In our Church plurimum legi, minimumE- 'pifcopo relinjuitur, as wefee in Civil Matters, one Juftice of Peace halto the Pow- er ofExecuting the Sentence of a Law or Statute, but no Arbitrary Power grant- e,¢ to him. That the Bifhopbedillinde from the Presbyter, whether online or grades , is the Schoolmens Debate, and I conceive may have fach accord as may not ingender !trite. That Ordination be by the Afiïftance of Presbyters is already required in our Form of Ordination, and if it be fixed to the Times of Synods it may be eafily granted, and Pure that Blame that hath been laid upon our Bi(hops for Ordainingof infufficient Men is molt what an undue Charge : the Law of the Land bath fet that lownefs of (efficiency in Men to be ordained and inftituted, that if a Bithop refufeth to give Orders or Inftitution to a Man prefented by the Patron, he is pu- nifhableby the Judges: As I have heard , Archbilhop Abbot was fined an Hun- dred poundsin cafe hedid not admit a Clark fo meanly qualified as the Law re- quires. Some
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