But, Secondly, there are other Rubrics, which, from the causes already stated, are more generally disregarded. When a Clergyman is in doubt respecting the meaning of a Rubric, the Church refers him to the Ordinary, whose decision is the law in that particular case. The Bishop may refer the matter to the Archbishop: but the decision of either, possessing the force of a Rubric, is binding. It is not in the power of a Bishop to dispense with any Rubric: he may recommend a Clergyman not to revive a practice, which, though enjoined, has been long discontinued, and the Diocesan's wish would not be likely to be disregarded: but still he cannot interfere so as to prevent compliance with anything positively enjoined, though it may have fallen into disuse. There is no power to dispense with disused Rubrics, should a Clergyman revive them, though a Bishop may not himself see it necessary to enforce them.[1] It seems necessary to notice this distinction in the present day:
- ↑ "I must observe to you in general," says Archdeacon Sharp, "that no custom, however confirmed, can take place against them: (the Rubrics) that we cannot transfer our breaches of them into the list of approved practices, nor justify our neglect of them, by pleading the connivance, or, if you will, the approbation of our superiors. It is true, the Ordinary may forbear to blame, and he may neglect to reform, any customable deviations from, or any open defiances of, express and positive Rubrics. But as he hath no power to alter them, or to dispense with alterations made in them, so he cannot excuse or discharge us from our obligations to conform ourselves to them." Sharp on the Rubric, 97.
an eluder of his engagements to the Church." Sharp, pp. 8, 9. Such persons are very expert in charging others with a want of spiritual knowledge: but I cannot admit, that men, who make no conscience of vows and pledges, can either be considered as being spiritually minded themselves, or as judges of their brethren. The more spiritually minded a man is, the more anxious will he be to keep his pledges.
