PHI LOS 0 P H Y . - Classic Works of Apologetics Online

Oath against Sim1n)'. 14-9
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:nan j rom pi!!~na')ng ti:e perpetuIty ot a patronage~
more than any otntr per~n; but purchasing the perpetuity,
and forthwith st!Eng it again, with a res40
~r\·atioIl of the next tum, 4lIld \vith no other design
:!lan to possess himself of the cext turn, is in frGudcnl
legiJ, a:ld inc(},nsi ,tent with the oath.
( s. The procuring of a piece of preferment, by
'..:eding to the patron any right..~ or probable rights~
belonging to it. Thi:; is simony of the worst kind ;
for it is not only buying prefe:ment, b3t robbing
the succes~ion tu pay for iL)
_
(4. Promises to the patron of a portion of the
profit, of a remission of tythes and dul!S, or other
2.d\~tage out of the produce of the benE-fice: J
which kind of compact is a pernicious candesc~sion
in the clergy, inrlepe1i~ent cf the oath; for it tends
to introduce a practice which may very soon become
general, of giving the revenue of churches to
the lay patrons, and supplying the duty by indigent
stipendiarie~.
I :.. General bo!1d~ of resignation, that is, bonds to
resign Up-:>il demand.)
I-doubt not out that the oath aga.;!lst ~imonv is
uinJing upon the consciences of those
~'
who take it,
~
though I question much the expediency of requiring
it. It is \~ery fit to debar publi~ patrons, such as th~
kin~, the iora c~)ancejlor, bi~I)QPs~ ecclcsiasticd1 corporaiion~,
an~i the like~ from ihis kind of traffic; because!
from then! may he expected some regard to the quali­
£ications of the persons u·hom Ihe~T promote.
But the
oath Jays a snare for the integrity of the c!ergy:
and I dl; not percch-c, that the requiring of ir't iu
C3S{"£ of private patronage, produces any good effect,
suffidcnt to compensate for this danger.
'Vhere ad\'o\V~ons are holden along with manor~~
or other principal estates, it would be an easy regulation
io forbid that they shoulJ (-ver hereafter be
.~eparated; and would, at least, ket·p church prefer­
IiJent out of the hJnds of broker~.