en they like their
Minister; for that he may have any Favour of them that he in Reason may
desire.

The Payment of the Surplus Fees also wants a Regulation; for when
Tobacco is dear, some will pay them in Money, but when cheap they will
pay Tobacco, which does not seem equitable; so that in my Opinion these
Payments should always be made at certain appointed Times and in proper
Methods, either in one or the other, and not left to the Humor or
Discretion of the Debtor, since sometimes there is half in half
Difference.

A Settlement of these Things should be made, either for the Advantage of
the Clergy or People, or else a middle Expedient should be found out;
since the Consequences of Disputes and Variance between Ministers and
their Congregations are generally very pernicious to the Welfare,
Happiness, and Tranquility of both Parties; wherefore Remedies should
be applied in Time, especially in such Cases where Delays encrease the
Danger; when ill Customs in Time pleading Prescription are established
as firm as _Median_ Laws, and propagate such ill Habits in the
Constitution, as are most difficult to be extirpated.

As for the Establishment of Episcopacy in _Virginia_, it would be of
excellent Service, if Caution was taken not to transplant with it the
corrupt Abuses of Spiritual Courts, which the People dread almost as
much as an Inquisition; but these their Fears would soon be dissipated,
when by blessed Experience they might feel the happy Influence of that
holy Order among them, free from the terrible Notions that
Misrepresentations of regular Church Government have made them conceive.

I have often heard that there have been Intentions of this Kind; and
that the main Obstacle was the Difficulty of raising a Salary sufficient
to support the Dignity, and recompense the Labours of a Bishop. But this
Impediment may (I presume) with good Contrivance be easily removed; for
I don't at all question that the superior Clergy and Collegians in the
Universities would refuse to contribute half a Crown a Year for this
glorious Undertaking, or that the Inferiors would join their Shillings.
This might be collected into the Treasury _gratis_, by the Officers of
the Taxes, and might be taken off in a few Years, when upon Tryal the
Usefulness of a Bishop upon the Continent of _North America_ was
confirmed by Experience; for then a Maintenance might be contrived by
other Means very easily, there being spare Land enough to be
appro