_Church_; to avoid giving Offence, through
Custom, or else to prevent Absurdities and Inconsistencies. Thus
_Surplices_, disused there for a long Time in most Churches, by bad
Examples, Carelesness and Indulgence, are now beginning to be brought in
Fashion, not without Difficulty; and in some Parishes where the People
have been used to receive the Communion in their Seats (a Custom
introduced for Opportunity for such as are inclined to _Presbytery_ to
receive the _Sacrament_ sitting) it is not an easy Matter to bring them
to the _Lord's Table_ decently upon their Knees.

The last Injunction in the Form of _Publick Baptism_ is most properly
omitted there, wherein the _Godfathers_ and _Godmothers_ are ordered to
take Care that the Child be brought to the _Bishop_ to be _confirmed_,
which for the most Part would prove impracticable.

It would be improper for the _Chaplain of the Honourable the Assembly_
and others, to use the Prayers for the High Court of Parliament
_verbatim_, for they cannot know whether the Parliament sits in
_England_ then; and their Intent is to pray for the _Assembly_ and the
King's Dominions; so that the Prayer must be altered in several
Respects.

'Tis Pity but the Prayer was altered, and allowed for the _Assembly,
Governor and Council_; of which we have an Instance in _Irish Common
Prayer Books_.

Every Minister is a kind of _Independent_ in his own Parish, in Respect
of some little particular Circumstances and Customs, to which they are
often occasionally obliged; but this Liberty without Restraint may prove
of bad Consequence hereafter; when the bad Tenets and Discipline of any
_heterodox_, _libertine_, or _fantastical_ Persons may plead
_Prescription_ for their Establishment, and be difficult to be
eradicated.

In most Parishes are _Schools_ (little Houses being built on Purpose)
where are taught _English_ and _Writing_; but to prevent the sowing the
Seeds of Dissention and Faction, it is to be wished that the _Masters_
or _Mistresses_ should be such as are approved or licensed by the
Minister, and Vestry of the Parish, or Justices of the County; the
Clerks of the Parishes being generally most proper for this Purpose; or
(in Case of their Incapacity or Refusal) such others as can best be
procured.

As for _baptizing Indians and Negroes_, several of the People disapprove
of it; because they say it often makes them proud, and not so good
Servants: But these, and such Objections, are easil