readily renounce this Skeleton of an old Popish Immunity, for any real Privilege that fhall become Men of their Profeffion.

Dr. Chamberlain, in his Prefent State of England, 1694. p. 363. afferts, that "The "Glebe, and Spiritual Revenues of the Clergy, are by an unpublish'd Statute, 8 Hen. IV. fill "in force, exprefly exempted from arraying or "muftring Men or Horfes for the War. If the Doctor could have proved that this Act was not fet afide by the Statutes in the Reign of Charles the Second, concerning the Militia, he had done the Clergy a fubftantial Service. And yet we know, that in cafe of any common Dan

as upon Apprehenfion of an Invafion, the Bilhops tax'd their Clergy with Arms, in pro portion to their Benefices. See Somner's Lives of the Archbishops of Canterbury.

And in the ancient Charters, before the Conqueft, Lands granted to the Church, as they are generally granted with an Exemption from all other Burdens, fo they are exprefly declar'd liable to be charg'd in three Cafes, viz. Expeditione, Pontis, Arcifve Constructione vel Reparatione.

But by the old Laws of England, a Diftinction was always made between the Spiritual and Temporal Revenues of the Church. The Spi ritual Revenue was whatever arofe from the Exercife of Jurifdiction, or the Ufe of the Keys, together with the Tythes, Offerings, and anci ent Glebes. Thefe were ever exempt from all Secular Impofitions, till the Pope took upon him to demand Taxes from them, and gave leave to Kings to do the fame, tho' not without the

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the Clergy's Confent in their Chapters or Convocations. The Temporal Revenues were, the Manors, Lands, and other Real Eftates given by Men of Generofity. Thefe were indeed fubject to the three Taxations aforefaid.

CAH P. XVI.

of Synods, Convocations, and other Publick and Authoritative Affemblies of the Clergy.

GEneral, or Ecumenical Councils, or Synods,

are Affemblies of Bishops from all Parts of the Church, to determine fome weighty Con troverfies of Faith and Difcipline. Thefe were firft called by the Emperors, afterwards by Chriftian Princes, till; in the latter Ages, the Pope ufurped to himfelf the greatest fhare in the calling of them, and, by his Legates, prefided in them, when call'd. The first General Council was that of Nice, Anno Dom. 325. The fecond at Conftantinople 381. The third at Ephefus, 431. The fourth at Chalcedon, 451.

A National Synod, confifts of all the Archbi fhops, and Bishops within one Nation, Affembled together to determine any Point of DoArine or Difcipline. The firft of this fort, which we read of here in England, was that of Herudford (now Hertford) Anno Dom. 673. the laft was that held by Cardinal Pool, 1555

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Provincial Synods, confift of the Metropoli tan, and the Bishops fubject to him, which by the Canons of the Council of Nice, were to meet twice in the Year.

*Diocefan Synods, are the Affemblies of the Bishop and his Prefbyters, to enforce and put in execution Canons made by General Councils, or National and Provincial Synods, and to confult and agree upon Rules of Difcipline for themfelves. See Prov. L. 1. T. 2. L. 2. T. 7% Gloff and thefe were frequently held while the Bishop and Clergy liv'd together in a Community, and were not wholly laid afide, till by the A&t of Submiffion (25 H., VIII. c. 12.) it was made unlawful for any Synod to meet, but by Royal Authority.

And fince the great Divifions of Chriftendom,. efpecially in the Weftern-Church, a free Univerfal Synod is fcarce to be hop'd for.

Tho' National Synods are laid afide, yet up-on any great Emergency, the Synods of our two Provinces of Canterbury and York, do act by

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mu

*The Reader ought to observe the different ufe of the Word Paræcia and Diœcefis in the ancient and prefent Church. In the ancient Church Paracia denoted that Territory which belonged to any one particular Bishop, which we now call a Diocefe. And of old, the Word Dioecefis denoted all thofe Provinces or Districts which were subject to one Patriarch or Archbishop, fuch as be of Alexandria, who tho' ftiled Archbishop only, had the Power of a Patriarch. And a Synod called by fuch Patriarch or Archbishop, was called, of old,. e Diocefan Synod.

mutual Correfpondence, and joint Confent, or by having Commiflioners from the Province of York prefent in that of Canterbury.

And as often as a new Parliament is called, which is now, at fartheft, once in feven Years, fo often the Archbishops of the two Provinces, have each of them a Writ from the Crown to call a Provincial Synod; the first to meet at London, the other at York: From the Year 1661, to 1710, neither Synod hath pafs'd any Synodical Act; and from that time till 1700, for the most part, they were only called, and very rarely did fo much as come together, in a full Body, and with the ufual Solemnity. 'Tis true, that during the Remainder of King Charles the Second's Reign, when the Office of Prolocutor was void by Death, or Promotion, fo many of the Lower-Houfe came together, as were thought fufficient to chufe a new one; and thofe Members that were about Town, commonly met, during Parliament, once a Week,had Prayers read, and were formally continued, till the Parliament was Diffolv'd, and the Convocation together with it. And even in King James the Second's Time, for ought I can learn, the Writs iffued out of Courfe, but the Members did not meet. Anno Dom. 1689, after King William and Queen Mary's Acceffion to the Throne, a Convocation was not only called, but began to fit in due Form, the Bishop of London prefiding, by reafon that Archbishop Sancroft, and feveral other of the Bishops, were under a legal Incapacity of fitting in it: but the Event of that Meeting did not answer the Expectations conceiv'd of it, the Majority of

the

he Lower Houfe not relishing the Business on which they were call'd to confult; from that time till the Year 1700, they were only called,. never met: But in that Year His Grace of Canterbury took a great Step toward restoring the antient Ufe of Convocations, for then, and ever fince, at the Meeting of the Parliament, the Convocation of the Clergy has likewife been. Solemnly open'd, and the Lower-Clergy have been permitted to form themselves into a Houfe, and to chufe their Prolocutor; nor have they been finally difmifs'd fo foon as that Solemnity was over, but continued from time to time, till the Parliament has broke up, or been diffolved.. And now it feems to be granted on all Hands, that They are of Right to be affembled concurrently with Parliaments, and may come 'to many Preparatory Refolutions without a Royal Licenfe, as the late Bifhop Beveridge expreffes it. See Prefent State of Convoc.

It is the peculiar Privilege of English Prefby ters, that they have a Right to fit in Provincial Synods; I mean to fit as conftituent Members, and fo as to have a Right to vote in deciding Matters of Doctrine and Difcipline, and whatever elfe comes before them; and are allow'd, in all conclufive Acts, to have a Negative on the Bishops: And 'tis the more reasonable they fhould have this Negative now, fince Diocefan Synods, in which alone they were of old allow'd' to vote, are wholly difufed in England.

In Convocation thofe who are abfent by Leave or Connivance, are allow'd to vote by Proxy: And the Bishops who hold leffer Digni ties in Commendam, can conftitute any Perfon H 5

that