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in the next Reign: For Minifters, not licenfe to Preach, by the 49th Canon then made, a not permitted to expound any Text of Scriptur but only to read the Homilies: even in the own Cures; but the occafion of thofe Cano being now taken away, our Bishops do wholly and justly forbear to put that Canon in exec tion: and every Prieft is permitted to preach at leaft in his own Cure, as he may, and ough to do by the old Canon Law, by the Charge g ven him at his Ordination, and by the very n ture of his Office. For wholly to forbid an Clergyman to preach to thofe, the Cure c whofe Souls is committed to him, is a moft e ceffive Strain of Authority; and fuch as th Popish Prelates never thought fit to make ufe of when they were in the height of their Fury, gainst what they falfly called Herefy. Indeed fo gentle is the prefent Government in th Church, that even Deacons are, by connivance generally allow'd to preach without License.

For the Encouragement of Preaching Mini fters, it was enacted, by a Claufe in the 1: Eliz. 12. that No one fhall be admitted to a Be nefice, with Cure of Souls, of above 30 1. pe An. in the Queen's Books; unless he be Batche lor of Divinity, or a Preacher lawfully allov'a by fome Bifhop, or one of the Universities; and this is yet in force.

He that is ordained Priest, and is Doctor of Divinity, is qualify'd for any Dignity in the Church, under that of a Bishoprick. The Lo cal Statutes of the Cathedrals, and other Eccle fiaftical Corporations, do generally make that Degree, either in Divinity or fome other Facul

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ty, neceffary for their greater Dignities; and no one can hold two Benefices, that is not Mafter of Arts, Can. 41. And farther, the Incum bents of all Churches, united by 17 Car. II. c. 3. muft be Graduates in one of the Univerfities. See alfo the Chapter of Pluralities.

The Qualifications for Deacon's Orders, are, in the main, the fame that are required for Priefts but in this they differ, that a Man can not be difpenfed with for receiving Prieft's Or-: ders before he be full Twenty Four: but a Fa culty or Difpenfation is exprefly allow'd for him that is ordain'd Deacon, before he be Twenty Three. See Preface to the Ordination Service. And indeed, by the old Form of Ordination, a Deacon was not requir❜d to be more than Twen ty One. It feems now to be left to the Archbi fhop's Difcretion, at what Age to admit one to be a Deacon. And 'tis not unufual for Diocefan Bishops to admit Men to Deacon's Orders under Age, without any Difpenfation.

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Farther, A Man ought regularly to be a Dea con a whole Year before he be ordained Priest; but the Bishop may ordain him fooner if he pleafe. Rubrick to Ordination Service. it were much to be with'd, that this Rule were ftrictly obferved. For one main Ufe and End of Deaconship in the Church, is, to be a Time of Probation, that it may upon Trial appear whether he be a Perfon fit to have the Cure of Souls committed to him; and this would in a great measure prevent the Practice of fuch, as san in Ten Days Time, from being Beaus, be-come Dignitaries, or Incumbents; and who are moved by nothing but Profit, to take on them D 4

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The Holy Order; for if they were to stay a whole Year in the Order of Deaconfhip, Lapfe might incur, and their fecular Ends be defeated.

The Deacon's Office, with us, confifts in Reading Divine Service and Homilies, Catechifing the Youth, Baptizing Infants in the Priest's Ab fence, Burying, Marrying. See Watf. c. 14. p. 103) and to be Affiftant in the Care of the Poor; which laft Part of his Office is almoft fet afide, 'by that generous Provifion for the Poor, made by feveral Statutes in, and fince the Reign of Queen Elizabeth, not to be parallel'd in any other Nation.

The Form of Ordaining Deacons exprefly fays, that 'tis the Office of a Deacon to affift the Prieft in the diftribution of the Holy Communion; and fuch, I fuppofe, has always been the practice: but Dr. Watfon moves a Scruple, Whether the Deacon, by diftributing the Cup, do not incur the 100l. Penalty laid by that Act, (which ra tifies the Ordination-Office) viz. 14 Car. II. 4. on thofe who adminifter the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper without being ordain'd Priefts. But fure this might have been fpared; for to adminifter the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper, does often fignify the whole Action, or Solemnity of the Communion; and he that performs one Part, and that which is affign'd him by the Law and Canon, does not do the whole; nor does any one call the Cup alone, the Sacrament of the Lords Supper: But that it may appear that this Law was not intended for a Snare, let it be obferved how cautiously 'tis worded, viz. that no Perfon fhall presume to

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Confecrate, and (not or, as Dr. Watson reads it) adminifter the Sacraments, &c.

A Deacon, before this Act of Uniformity, was capable of being Incumbent in a Church with Cure, and a Layman in a Prebend, or other Sine Cure; but now a Deacon can only be a Chaplain, or affift in ferving a Cure, or at moft preach a Lecture: For he may preach, if he be thereunto licenfed by the Bishop; and a Licenfe granted by any one Bishop, or by either of the Univerfities, qualifies a Man to preach any where elfe. Watf. c. 15. p. 104.

Our Church allows no Orders to be good, but what are conferr'd by Bifhops; nor does it ap pear, that any Church did ever approve of Or dination perform'd without a Bishop,till a contrary Practice began of late in France and Ger many; but the Primitive Church was the Pattern by which ours was reformed.

If any object a Crime against a Perfon to bet Ordained, the Bishop is to forbear, till the Party be found clear of that Crime. Rubr. Ord.. Service.

He that is born Illegitimate, cannot be admit ted into Holy Orders, without a Difpenfation from the King or Archbishop; and if he take a Benefice, he may be depriv'd of it, till fuch Difpenfation be obtain'd. Watf.c. 14. p. 102.. Let the Clergyman fee his Name, and Ordinati on enter'd in the Bishop's Regifter. For if he chance to lofe his Letter of Orders, or if that be fufpected through fome Fault of the Secre tary, as it often happens, then the Bishop's Regifter is the only remaining Evidence of his Ordination; unless, by chance, fome Perfons D. 5

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that were prefent at his Ordination can be found. The Bishop, if he thinks fit, may Ordain on any Sunday or Holy-day; but the Times mention'd in the Canon, and referr❜d to in the Ru. brick, are the Sundays next after the Emberdays; which, in the Laws of King Alfred, c. 39. are call'd ymb-pyne bazar, and in thofe of Canute, c. 16. ymb-ren færten, i.e. the cir cular Days or Fafts: The firft of thefe Weeks is in Spring or Lent, when Corn and other Seeds are fown; the fecond at bitfuntide, when they are growing; the third in September, when they are gather'd and imbarn'd; the fourth in December, when they are marketed and ufed; on which four Seafons the Circle of the Year turns.. Mr. Somner therefore thinks that thefe Fafts were firft inftituted, to beg God's Bleffing on the Fruits of the Earth, and on ourselves in the ufe of them, and not only on account of Ordination. The Canonifts call thefe Ember-Weeks (as we now corruptly write them) Quatuor Anni Tempora, by which very Words they denote likewife the Four Quarters of the Year. See Lyndwood, in Gloff. L. 1. T. 11. Quatuor in Anno.

CHAP VIII

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of Deans and Chapters, Archdeacons and Rural Deans.

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HE Bifhops, in ancient Times, had their Clergy refiding with them in their Cathe Arals, to be affifting to them in the Performance of Divine Office, and adminiftring the Govern

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