FOR Non residents except it be iust of necessary absence, it seemeth to be an abuse drawne out of couetousnesse and sloath; for that men should liue of the flocke that they doe not feede, or at the Altar at which they doe not serue, is a thing that can hardly receiue just defence, And to exercise the office of a Pastor in matter of word and doctrine by deputy, is a thing not warranted as hath beene touched before. The question vpon this poynt doth chiefely arise vpon the cases of exception, and excusation, which shall be thought reasonable and sufficient, & which not, for the case of Chaplaines, let me speake that with your Majesties pardon, and with due reuerence towards oother Peeres and graue persons, which are by Statutes priuiledged, I should thinke that the attendance which Chaplaines giue to your Majesties Court, and in the Houses and Families of their Lords, were a juster reason why they should haue no Benifice, then why they should bee qualified to haue two, for as it standeth with Christian policie, that such attendance be in no wise neglected; because that good which ensueth thereof to the Church of God, may excced or counteruaile that which may sollow of their labours in any, though neuer so large a congregation, so it were reasonable that their maintainance should liberally proceed thence whence their labours bee employed. Neither are there wanting in the Church, Dignities and preferments not joyned with any exact cure of soules, by which and by the hope of which such attendants in ordinary who ought to be as for the most part they are of the best gifts and sort, may bee further encouraged and rewardeds And as for extraordinary attendants they may very well retaine the grace and countenance of their places and duties at times incident therunto without discontinuance or non-residence in their pastorall charges.
Next, for the case of Intending studies in the Vniuersities, it will now easily receiue an Answer, for studies doe but serue and tend to the practise of those studies; And theref ore by that which most principall and finall to be left vndone, for the attending of those which is subseruient and subministrant, seemeth to bee against proportion of reason. Neither do I see but that they proceed Rightwell in all knowledge which do couple studie with their practise, and do not first study altogether and then practise altogether. And therefore they may very well study at their benefice. Thirdly, for the case of extraordinary seruice of the Church, as if some Pastor be sent to a generall Counsell, or here to a Conuocation, and likewise for the case of necessity, as in the particular of infirmity of body and the like, no man will contradict, but there may be some substitution for such a time. But the generall case of necessity, is the case of Pluralities, the want of Pastors and insufficiency of Liuings considered. Posilo, that a man doth faithfully and incessantly diuide his labours betweene two Cures, which kinde of necessity I come now to speake of, in the handling of Pluralities.
For Pluralities, in case the number of able Ministers were sufficient, and the value of the Benefices were sufficient, then Pluralities were in no sort tollerable. But wee must take heed we desire not contraries; For to desire that euery parish should bee furnished with a sufficient Preacher, and to desire that Pluralities bee forthwith taken away, is to desire things contrary, considering de facto, there are not sufficient Preachers for euery Parish; wherto adde likewise, that there is not sufficient liuing and maintenance in many parishes to maintaine a Preacher, and it makes the impossibilitie yet much the greater. The remedies in rerum natura are but three, Vnion, Permutation, and Supply. Vnion, of such Benefices as haue the Liuing too small, & the parish not too great, and are adiacent. Permutation, to make Benefices more compatible men bee ouer-ruled to some losse in changing a better for a neerer. Supply, by stipendarie Preachers to bee rewarded with some liberall stipends to supply as they may, such places which are vnfurnished of sufficient Pastors, as Queene Elizabeth amongst other her Christian acts, did erect certaine of them in Lancashire, towards which persons, I see no reason but reading Ministers if they haue rich Benefices should bee charged.
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