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Advantages of it to themselves, under a new Turn of Affairs.

When that happened, New Occafions alfo of ferving the Church offered themfelves to Your Lordfhip, which You as readily embraced. The Fatherly Vigilance, and Exemplary Firmnefs, you then fhewed, in fruftrating the Methods made Ufe of to perpetuate Schifm, by unauthorized Schools and Seminaries, were observed with Pleasure, and owned with Thanks by All that wifhed well to our Eftablishment. Nor could they, who wifhed ill to it, justly blame an Endeavour of fecuring to the Ordinary that Power, which he always enjoyed, and of which he is not yet divefted; and of confining a Legal Indulgence within the Bounds prefcribed by that Law, which gave Birth to it.

Shall

Shall I take notice here, of the Seasonable and Liberal Encouragements You reached out to a Worthy Prefbyter of this Church, who repreffed the bold Attempts of Sectaries by his Learned and Accurate Writings? It may, I think, become me to mention even this particular Act of Your Bounty, fince it had a General Aim and Influence, and was not terminated in the Perfon, how deferving foever, but in the Righteous Caufe which he espoused; and which as Your LORDSHIP'S fixed Judgment leads You, by all Lawful Means to fupport, so your Temper inclines You rather to promote by Rewards than Punishments.

The Fears of Popery were scarce removed, when Herefy began to diffufe its Venom; and the facred Myfteries of our Faith were, after a dar

a daring and petulant manner, expofed to public Scorn, even in one of thofe famous Seats of Knowledge, which then were, and ftill are, the chief Bulwarks of true Religion. It pleafed God, that You were now poffeffed of a See, which gave You Power to Vifit and Correct fuch Enormities; and You exerted that Power with Zeal and Vigour; driving out from the Schools of Learning a Difciple of Arius, who had all the Craft and Obftinacy of his Master, and the Good-luck, for fome time, to be as well Supported. The Profecuting of this Caufse was attended with fo many Difficulties, as would have fhaken a Refolution lefs firm than Your LORDSHIP'S. But the Discharge of Your great Truft, and the Maintenance of God's Truft, were the Springs which had fet You on work;

and

and They who act upon fuch Principles, can never be discouraged.

The Iffue of that memorable Struggle, as it was of great Advantage to the Church, and the Universities, in Other Respects, fo particularly in This, that it fixed the Power of Vifitors (not till then acknowledged Final) upon the fure Foundation of a Judgment in Parliament; and by that means, made fo effectual a Provifion for the future Quiet of those Learned Bodies, as may be reckoned equal to the greatest Benefactions.

This, and another Parliamentary Decifion, which Your LORDSHIP, not long after, with equal Difficulty, obtained; and by which the Bishops fole Right to judge of the Qualifications of Perfons applying for Inftitution, was unalterably confirmed; are fuch Instances of Your Mag

Magnanimity, and Public Spirit, as will remain in Memory, while the Church or the Law of England lafts. For they were not Temporary Services, to be made ufe of, and talked of for a while, and then forgotten; but (as the Hiftorian truly faid of his own Writings) Perpetual Acquifitions, laid up for the Benefit of fucceeding Ages. And He who contends for Common Rights, with Lower Aims than these, means not the Conftitution, but Himfelf; and deferves not the Applause even of his Own Times, when he is not difinterested enough to look beyond them.

It was the Sense of these Important Services, already done by Your LORDSHIP, that occafioned a general Joy among good Men, when they heard of Your intended Tranflation to the See of Winchefter.

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