A defence of the vindication of the deprived bishops wherein the case of Abiathar is particularly considered, and the invalidity of lay-deprivations is further proved, from the doctrine received under the Old Testament, continued in the first ages of christianity, and from our own fundamental laws, in a reply to Dr. Hody and another author : to which is annexed, the doctrine of the church of England, concerning the independency of the clergy on the lay-power, as to those rights of theirs which are purely spiritual, reconciled with our oath of supremancy, and the lay-deprivations of the popish bishops in the beginning of the reformation / by the author of the Vindication of the deprived bishops.

§ XXVIII. We decline his Topick of Facts, rather because it is undecisive than because we think it disad∣vantageous to Us. (Book 28)

Considering the difficulties of our Case, how hard it is even to get small Discourses printed, it concerns Us to endeavor all prudent Arts of contracting the Question into as narrow a compass as we can, and by no means to suffer our selves to be distracted to impertinent Argu∣ments, till what we have to say on pertinent ones be first satisfied. This will be sufficient, perhaps more than so, to fill up what can be allowed, whilst the Intruders have the power of the Press. We shall not envy the Doctor the pleasure of seeing his Challenges and Gant∣lets refus'd, if he will not be pleas'd to confine them to more useful Subjects. He has already seen a Specimen of what might have been answer'd to all the Facts he has or can produce, in what the Vindicator has said to the Facts insisted on in his Baroccian M. S. The Ages he deals in, were very degenerous from the Piety and Skill of their Pri∣mitive Ancestors, to whose Judgments we appeal. Yet I do not think any of them so far debased, as that they either did, or would have insisted on the Doctor's Plea, that Lay Deprivations were sufficient to

discharge them from their Duty to their Spiritual Superiors. He that is so forward to make Challenges, would do well to shew us one single In∣stance wherein this Doctrine was directly defended, I do not say by the Ecclesiasticks only, whom I take for the most competent Judges of Ec∣clesiastical Doctrines, but even by the Parasites of the Lay Power. For my part, I remember not one single one. The Emperors themselves who acted so precipitantly as to deprive without Synods, did however after use their uttermost endeavours to get a Synodical ratification of what they had done before by violence and indirect artifices. So far even they were sensible how little what they did of that kind, would be regarded in relation to Conscience. This is sufficient to let the Doctor see that our declining this Topick, is not for want of sufficient advantage against him in it, if the Press had been as free for Us, as it is for him; but because it is impertinent and unsatisfactory.