CHAP. XVI.
I Well know how hard a work it is for the best and wi∣sest of men to stop the leakes of Religion, to repaire a broken Church, or to buoy up a sunk and lapsed Clergy, when once they are either overwhelmed with the corrupt Doctrines and licentious manners of Preachers and Professors, or split with intestine Schismes and Di∣visions, or debased with vulgar usurpations and presumptions, or oppressed with the secular policies and sacrilegious injuries of violent and unreasonable men; who are alwaies afraid lest the renewed light and restored vigor of true Religion, with the due Authority of its Ministry in the Church, should give any stop or check to their extravagant lusts and enormous actions. To which purpose such pragmaticks will be sure either utterly to hinder all good meanes that may effectually recover the true interests of Religion and its Ministry, or else they labour impertinently to apply such onely as they know will render them more uncurable, and set them next doore to an impossibility.
Which will be the State of the Church of England, if the Re∣covery of Religion, as to its visible Beauty, Order, Unity and Poli∣ty, be either managed by Lay-mens Counsels and activities onely, excluding all Ministers from all publick, equall and impartiall con∣sultations; or if, on the other side, Church-affaires be wholly left to the various heads, divided hands and partiall designes of such as are now called Preachers, and pretend to be Ministers; among whom (commonly) the weakest heads have the most pragmatick hands, and men of least abilities are greatest sticklers, though it be but more to puzzle, confound and destroy themselves and others. On the other side, such Clergy-men as have most of solid Learning, sober Piety, sacred Authority, and real Sufficiencies for such a work, will be either afraid or ashamed to act or assist in it, if they have not some publick Commission with equall and impartiall incou∣ragement from those in power. For certaine, meer mechanick and illiterate preachers, (such as some people now most affect) will never be able, if willing, to do any good in so great and good a work, no more than wasps are like to make honey: Ignorance and disorder, faction and confusion being for their interest, as muddy places are best for Eeles. Other Ministers, though never so willing and able, yet, as tooles that are blunt and have no edge set on them, can ne∣ver carry on such a work handsomely, unlesse their late rust and dis∣spiriting,