Of the Dignity of Sacred Imployments and the Names and Defignations gi ven to them in Scripture. Page 1. Of the Rules fet down in Scripture for thofe that minifter in Holy Things, An Account of fome Canons in divers Ages of the Church relating to the Т.НЕ PREFACE. HIS Subject, how important foever in it felf, yet has been fo little treated of, and will feem fo fevere in many Parts of it, that if I had not judged this a neceffary Service to the Church, which did more decently come from one, who, how undeferving foever he is, yet is raifed to a Poft that may juftify the Writing on fo tender a Head; I fhould never have undertaken it. But my Zeal for the true Interefts of Religion, and of this Church, determined me to fet about it: Yet fince my Defign is to correct Things for the future, rather than to reproach any for what is past, I have refolved to caft it rather into Advices and Rules, into plain and fhort Directions, than into long and laboured Difcourfes, fupported by the Shews of Learning, and Citations from Fathers, and Hiftorical Obfervations; this being the more profitable, and the lefs invidious Way of Handling the Subject. It ought to be no Imputation on a Church, if too many of those that are dedicated to her Service, have not all the Characters that are here fet forth, and that are to be defired in Clergymen. Even in the Apostles Days there were falfe Apofles, and falfe Teachers; as one of the Twelve was a Traytor, and had a Devil. Some loved the Pre-eminence; others loved this prefent World to a fcandalous Degree. Some of thofe that preached Chrift, 1 Phil. 16. did it not fincerely, but out of Contention: they vied with the Apoftles, and hoped to have carried away the Efteem from them, even while they were fuffering for the Faith: For envying their Credit, they defigned to raife their own Authority, by Leffening the Apostles, and fo hoped to have added Affiction to their Bonds. In the firft and pureft Ages of the Church we find great Com plaints of the Neglects and Disorders of the Clergy of all Ranks. Many became the Stewards and Bailiffs of other Peoples Eftates; and while they looked too diligently after thofe Cares which did not belong to them, they even in thofe Times of Trial, grew very remifs in the most impor-. tant of all Cares, which was their proper Bufinefs. As foon as the Empire became Chriftian," the Authority, the Immunity, and the other Advantages, which by the Bounty of Princes followed the Sacred Functions, made them to be generally much defired; and the Elections being then for the moft Part popular, (though in fome of the greater Cities, the Magiftracy took them into their Hands, and the Bishops of the Province were the Judges both of the Fitnefs of the Perfon, and of the Regularity of the Election); these were managed with much Faction and Violence, which often ended in Blood, and that to fo great an Excefs, that if we had not Witneffes to many Inftances of this among the beft Men in thofe Ages, it would look like an uncharitable Imputation on thofe Times, to think them capable of fuch Enormities. Indeed the Disorders, the Animofities, the going fo oft backwards and forwards in the Matters of Faith, as the Emperors happened to be of different Sides, are but too ample a Proof of the Corruptions that had then got into the Church. And what can we think of the Breach made in the Churches of Africk by Donatus and his Followers, upon fo inconfiderable a Point, as whether Cecilian and his Ordainers had denied the Faith in the laft Perfecution, or not? which grew to that Height, that almoft in every Town of Africk there were divided Affemblies, and feparating Bifhops, upon that |