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A50759 A discourse of licenses to preach occasioned by a question propounded, viz., why many officers of the Church of England in the episcopal visitations urge the incumbents to take licenses to preach / replied to by Ja. Metford in a letter to the proposer ; published for the consideration of the clergy to whom it is of no small importance. Metford, James. 1698 (1698) Wing M1937; ESTC R27111 28,133 37

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Man 3. And the Practise of Latitudinarans in the Church that can explain the Mystery of the Trinity into Tritheism And shew us that we may worship Gods in a greater and Gods in a lesser Sence without believing themselves oblidged to the Contrary by these Licenses 4. And that the proper Legal Subjects of Ecclesiastical Power are swept away namely the High Commission for punishing Heresie and the Star Chamber for punishing Seditious Preaching and Conventicling to disturb the State Would they shackle the Clergy while the Sects cuff out their Eyes 5. After such Recorded Subscriptions and solemn Promises as Incumbents have made what need they fear their Preaching Heresies and Schisms unless they believe them Knaves especially seeing they are the only Banks left to stop the Inundation of Errors that threaten to drown'd all before it 6. Were Men sincere in their Zeal against Errors one would think the most probable way to stop them were to Intercede with the Government to shut the Floud-Gates which they have opened to Libertines 'T is no small ground of Suspition that the stopping Errors is not the Thing designed while men pretend to stop Errors that are possible only when they attacque not them that are flaming amongst us 'T is certain the Clergy at present have no Liberty to doat upon Questions having work enough to secure their Parishioners Consciences from the Infection of such Errors as the Sects broach among them and to confute their pernicious Pamphlets If the matter aimed at be a Power to out any Incumbent of his Cure under Pretence of Preaching Error or Sedition We may say the Bishops of the Church have power enough to deprive for Heresy and Schism for Disobedience and Incorrigibleness as Mr. Nash can tell you in his Case And for contumelious words of the Book of Common Prayer as Mr. Robert Cawdry can shew in his Case Mr. Parkers Case also can shew that a man may be deprived for Drunkenness v. Repert Can. c. 27. Pars. Law c. 17 18. Pars. Counsel lib. 1. c. 9. if he refuse to Reform after Admonition And in truth if our Authors deceive us not any Crime may deprive a Man if the Criminal stand Forty days Contumacious after Excommunication so it be a Crime of Ecclesiastical Cognizance and deprivation be its Punishment Canonical and that the Canon be not contrary to the known Law of England And the Fact be not discharged bv some general Act of Pardon But still if the Party so deprived will bring his Action for Tythes against his Parishioner the Validity of the Bishops Sentence will come into Question and must take its Fortune As it was said in Burtons Case where the Parson was deprived for Adultery but a general pardon intervening He was Restored without the Ecclesiastical Court Hab. searle and Williams case f. 293. because the Judgment of Pardons belong to the Common Law And so it will be if the Bishop deprive any after Revolt from Subscription and License according to the direction of the 38 Canon However if an Occasion of deprivation be the design the Clergy ought to be the more wary of admitting such an Innovation seeing it hath so sharp Teeth As to that Part of the Objection that referrs to Preaching Sedition we may say 1 Subscription to the three Articles Secures that too Seeing the First of the three vindicates the Royal Rights 2 Oaths of Allegiance are much stronger than these imagined Ties 3. There are Laws enough to suppress such Preaching and Punish them 4. Licenses to Preach are not proper Instruments to hinder Preaching in any kind 5 Many in 1640. did under these Licenses Preach Sedition We find therefore upon the whole matter these Licenses to Preach are expedient for nothing more than to bring in Fees which yet if they must be continued ought to be given Gratis Obj. 4 However Incumbents must take Licenses to Preach any where but in their own Cures seeing Institution can Authorise them no farther than to their own Parishoners Answ We may see by this Objection that close fisted Avarice will hold fast its Prey whilst any tho' never so weak Pretence can be made But we may knock off its Fingers by shewing that whoever is Ordained a Priest hath power to Preach in any part of the Catholick Church wherever He is lawfully called to it And who can doubt but a Bishop may have Lawfull Power to call a Man to Preach at a Visitation or to the Lord Mayor of London or before the King Or any Minister to have power to call any to help him in his own Cure 'T was never yet denied but an Incumbent's Authority is sufficient to inable him to perform by another what Sickness Necessary Absence or any other Lawful Impediment makes him unable to do in his own Person 2. Doth not the 46 Canon Authorise and command him to call in a Preaching Minister once a Month at least If he cannot do it himself Men use not to Preach in any Neighbours Church but at their Request or in case of vacancy by a License to serve the Cure 3. If it be necessary to take a License to Preach in another Parish is it not necessary also to take another Institution or License to celebrate Divine Service or Sacraments there Or if not may not the Incumbents Intreaty be as sufficient for Preaching as for Celebration of the Service and Sacraments Any thing but Avarice would blush at such trifling Objections In truth he that Preaches and he that Officiates in any other place but his own Cure doth it not by his own immediat Authority but by the Right of Him that calls him to his assistance But 4 Let it be supposed that Titius hath no Right to Preach any where but in his own Cure will the Bishop grant him a License to Preach in Sempronius's Cure will not Sempronius think that injury to himself and Usurpation in the Bishop will not such a License introduce all the Confusion complained of For in many so Licensed which of them can command the Pulpit which ought the People to hear seeing all are alike Licensed to Preach Otho const t. 12. cum sit Ars Const 13. ut 5 would not the Patron also think himself wronged by such an Intrusion yea the Constitutions Provincial forbid it Exigit namque Ars nostra Catholica ut unicus in una Ecclesia sit Sacerdos such also is that of Stephen Langton in the Council at Oxford Anno. 1222. Nec de caetero plures vicarij in eadem Ecclesia constituantur The Canonists indeed say The Pope may Preach in all the world The Bishop in any place of his Diocess and the Incumbent in his own Cure But none say the Bishop may Authorize two or more in the same Cure which yet must be upon this supposition And 't is very improbable any man would take a License to Preach where he hath no particular Intention to Preach no more than he would take out