themselves Much More, in Proportion, than the Laity. They paid Tenths oftner than the Laity paid Fifteenths. Which made Char. V. fay of Hen. VIII. When he feiz'd the Lands of the Church, That he had Kill'd the Pul let which laid the Golden Egg.

VI. Money is the Blood of the Kingdom. And the Circulation of it Diffufes Life and Vigour to Every Part. Now, if according to what has been faid in this Essay, ther were a Perpetual Circulation of the Tenths of the Kingdom, from the People to the Priests; from the Priests to the Bifhops; And back again from the Bishops to the Poor, I fubmit it to Confideration, whether this wou'd not Prove a Greater Advantage to the Nation, than any that our State Projectors have yet found out? God requires Nothing but for our Good. And his folly is wifer than Men,

Let me lastly Obviate a Prejudice I fore-fee may be taken against my Própofal: For Prejudices must be Answer'd as well as Arguments; and often Sway Men More.

It may be thought by fome who have no Good-will to the Church or Religion, That this wou'd make the Clergy too Great and Rich. And they bear no thought with more Indignation than this. They had rather the Nation fhou'd Perish, than be Sav'd by the Church. It is not to Gratifie fuch Men as these ; But to fatisfie others, and Guard them against their Clamours, that I offer the following Confiderations.

I. That the Number of our Clergy is too Few. They are not able to Attend fuch vaft Charges as they ought. Efpecially in London and other Great Towns, where it is impoffible for fome Minifters, if they fhou'd do nothing elfe, to Vifit all the Families, Much lefs every particular Person who is under their Cure; and the like in Many Country Parishes. This is one Great Cause of the Encrease of Diffenters amongst us, of all forts.

Then our Bishopricks are too Large. And the Bishops Infpection wou'd be Much more Effectual, if he had no More Priests under him than he cou'd be Perfonally Acquainted with, both as

to

to their Learning and Conversation. But thefe Defects cannot, As things now ftand, be Amended, while ther are, as I am inform'd, above 2000 Parishes in England not worth above Twenty Pounds a Year. And Many not worth Ten. This makes Pluralities Neceffary. And Reduces the Poor, Clergy to fuch Contempt, as to Render their Labours Wholly Ineffectual, Unless to those very Few, who can Diftinguish their Character from their Circumftances. And withal betrays them Unavoidably to fuch Ignorance, having Neither Time to Study, nor Money to Buy a Book, unless a Dutch Syftem; Nor opportunity for Good Converfation; That Nothing Lefs than the Power of Miracles, as the Apofiles had, can Reconcile Refpect to them, or Authority to their Doctrine.

Then the Bishopricks are fo Stript, that except 5 or 6, thér must be the Greatest Husbandry in the world to make our Bishops Live in any fort Proportionable to their Character; befides Leaving their Children to the Parish when they Dye,

But if the Church were Reftor'd to her Right, then might ther be 20 times as many Clergy as we have: And their Curss brought within a Manageable Compafs. Which wou'd keep them from the Danger of being overgrown with Wealth.

Befides that if the Poor were laid upon the Clergy, as we have been fpeaking, it wou'd take some years before they wou'd have much to fpare; before the Number of the Poor wou'd be fo Leffen'd, by the Methods before Mention'd, as to Allow them to Augment the Number of the Clergy.

Ther were in the fmall Kingdom of Ifrael, at one time, 38000 Levites above the Age of 30. 1 Chr. xxiij. 3. England wou'd Require Many More, to Perform their Function as they ought, to the Profit of the People, And all the Patrimony that ever the Church had in England wou'd not overdo it, to be Divided among fo Many as wou'd be needful of the Clergy; and for Maintaining the Poor befides; together with the Building and Repairs of Churches, Schools, Colleges, Libraries, and many other Charges profitable to the Nation,

Add

If

Add another Confideration. ther were fuch a Number of the Clergy, ther wou'd be More Provifion for Many of our Sons, whom we cannot Now Difpofe of, at least not so well. And ther wou'd not be Danger of weakning the Strength or Wealth of the Nation, as in Spain, by fo Many Idle Monks, as live upon the Labours of others, and Contribute Nothing to the Support of the Government. That Objection cannot Lie against Se cular Clergy, and where ther are None other. None that are Lock'd up from the World, and Must be Maintained only to Think. None but who are Labourers in the Harvest, and therefor Worthy of their Hire. And whofe Hire go's not into a Bed of Sand, like what is given to the Regulars, and Never returns: But it Circulates, like any other Money of the Nation, and do's as much Good.

And our Clergy are, or may be, as Useful as any others in Parliament, in Council, and other Great Affairs of the Nation. And thofe of Lower Rank, as Justices of the Peace, and other Of fices for the Diftribution of Justice.