such a hearty application and such plain Reproofs even in the very language of the letters became so necessary that hee could not in good Conscience have wav'd them And therefore he conceiv's that people have the lesse reason to be disturbed thereby Thirdly after the authour had made a considerable progress in printing the letters and other discourses he was forced to undertake a hazardous Journey into England Feb. 1689 whereby hee got a small suply of money to subsist a while abroad without defiling himselfe with any Oath of fidelity to the Prince of Orange tho with much trouble and Danger occasion'd him by an impertinent and malitious Postmaster who discover'd him in Canterbury Which voyage made it absolutely necessary to lay aside till his returne his designe of publishing the papers he had penn'd at his first Coming over unless he would willfully and unavoidably have run his neck into a halter Which all know was the Fate lately of a right honest and loyall man. THIRDLY all sorts of Readers may hereby be informed that these papers are at this time the more hastily published without polishing because the authour hath had this summer after a long intervall some returne of those infirmities that he brought out of England which being seasonable memento's of the mortality of his condition and uncertainty of his life have caused him without any more ado or longer delay thus plainly and honestly to deliver his soule the comfort of which doth to him abundantly ballance the uneasiness of any obloquy which may accrew from the provoked friends of the new government in England where he desires to appeare no more unless it please God to restore his Soveraign as all may be perswaded easily to beleive by his present manner of proceeding Fourthly All those who shall blame the Dean's undertaking may in a word satisfy themselves that hee had never thus exposed himselfe to their censure if hee had beleived that a a Dignified Divine in his circumstances being the onely one here abroad out of the Reach of England and whose Conscience would not permit him to swallow any new dispensatory oathes or distinctions could without the just censure of all right Church of England-men and loyall subjects to King James 2. have remained silent Since hee hath not now those prudentiall considerations that others have to stop his mouth or stay his pen His own person being secure his Revenue lost Whereas honest Divines men in England where hee hopes there be many that never bovved the knee to Baal tho hee be ignorant who they are cannot attempt what hee does without the hazard of their lives or ruine of their familyes And therefore concludes that a weak and bad performance as this of so good spirituall a designe the more incumbent on him would be better than none at all and be gratiously accepted through JESUS-CHRIST by that ALMIGHTY GOD who can make the poorest enterprises in his name successefull to accomplish his will. Fiftly lastly the Dean's innate indignation to many former late preposterous unaccountable procedures in the Subjects of England to wit First the Non-conformity or rather Semi-conformity of the Clergy who did with zeale more than enough sometimes too bitterly inveigh against nonconformists which ingendred that Brood which are the authours of our Misery Secondly their Forvvardness to dispense throughout the Nation with the Church-Discipline as they pleas'd where when there appear'd no necessity nay with the very Rubricks of the Liturgy whereto they had all since the late review given a solemne Assent Consent sadly presaging that in time of distress they would as they have done dispense with the very Doctrine tho they would not allow his Majesty in extraordinary cases à less dispensing Power Thirdly the Pragmaticallness of most Common-Lavvyeâ—s whose duty and intrest it was as well as of the Ecclesiasticks to joyne in the support of the crown of their Soveraign the Fountaine whence all their Law did proceed in endeavouring industriously by all manner of quirks to diminish the King's Prerogative Authority even coining wicked distinctions taking up obsolete lawes to dethrone him when there were enough of such which they would not willingly have reviv'd against the People or themselves nay flying to the Reign of an Usurper for Acts of Paâ—iament to justify and colour over their fullsome proceedings as if a Dispensing power in the People was like to be found more tollerable than in the King or that such a kind of supremacy as the multitude contended for and which must be either in Prince or subject is less liable to Tyranny and other abuses when it is in the subject than in the Soveraign These and the like perversions of Law and Religion did cause the authour professeth is desirous to proclaime so much disgust in his Soule as hurried him over all the difficulties and dangers that he met with in his way to this publication in such a degree that the consideration of his book 's reflecting on the new Government which was designed to edify the people within his own province hath push'd him on instead of deterring him to send it forth into the light committing it and his reputation to the mercy of a Gratious God amidst a crooked and perverse Generation which hee is willing may learne thus much by his boldness or fool-hardiness as it will be possibly termed to wit that God hath given him among a multitude of infirmities the Grace not to be afraid or ashamed to do his duty or discharge his offices faithfully who ever may be rebuked by the doing thereof and that hee is sure hee had done neither if hee had not as hee hath done deliver'd his soule without mincing in such plaine and intelligible language at such a juncture as to allot every thing its right epithet appellation giving the very names of REBELLION USURPATION to what hee was perswaded in his conscience deserv'd such denominations and that are so even REBELLION USURPATION if ever there were such things in the World. Yea such a REBELLION USURPATION that no good Christian can hee is also satisfied in his Conscience joyne in the first or uphold the later and consequently that no body can receive the communion without injury to his soule in the use of those prayers which pray for the maintaining of both since hee that receives the blessed Supper of the Lord in the office of any Church sets his seale to all the corruptions that are crept into that Church and doth in a higher manner profane Gods sacred name by using that holy ordinance to so impious an end as to beg of God by vertue of his saviours body and blood the distruction of his lawfull Prince than hee that barely swears allegiance to an Usurper Which yet by the way who ever does let him understand doth in a manner Abjure his lawfull Soveraign Which is a Case of Conscience that the Authour will in Gods name now venture here publickly to decide as hee hath long since don to some in private and put his name to the decision what ever comes of it since no body else hath done so for the sake of those many thousands of soules under his authority in the Jurisdictons belonging to the Archdeacon Deane of Durham whereof none can deny but that hee hath a Call from God to take care And consequently to undertake this difficult province since no body else doâ—â— Who if they are not satisfied with his Judgement in this particular which as poor as they may esteeme it will yet hee trusts in reference hereto be found Orthodox ought to consult as it concernes them some abler Casuist without being scared as heretofore in some other cases with frightfull consequences administred by the Universality of the DEFECTION such like considerations to wit Empty Churches thin Altars For if it be a wholesom truth which is recomended by the Authour to their thoughts it cannot he is sure in the conclusion produce ill effects to be repented of And he begs pardon if he cannot prevaile with himselfe to judge the last recited effects to be ill as matters go things stand For hee makes no doubt but that the Churches in England must become Empty the Altars thin c. before his Soveraign is like to return to Whitehall Introduction Fidelis vox est non desperati non eiulautis Luther Plangiâ— affectus sed fides exultat id Natural Quest l. 2. c. 37. Cum crescerit Gratiae time â—uÌ„ abierit time eum revertetur time S. Bern. Lib. Cur bonis viris mala accidunt c. 4. Ps 66. v. 12. Applicaâ—ion A cessation granted in order to treat * Nâ— Dec. 11. 1688. * Gandelop Introduction D B. Dr. Hen. Hamond * The crovvn offer'd to the Prince of Orange on Ashvvensday * Cromvell declar'd Protector on Ashvvensday 16â—3 * Prince of Orange's Declaration * Preachers in the Cathedrall Church of Durham as vvel as elsevvhere began to Caution their hearers against implicite Obedience vvhereby they did at that time meane all Complianâ—s vvith K. I. Iames. 2. * Bishop Cosins * Bp. Gunning Bp. Cosins * Cornvval * Kilkhampton * The-Granvilles * Sedgefield * Note That the Dearn's injoyning here in some other places things vvhich vvere before expressly commanded by the Church vvas to declare that the judged them of such moment as that he vvould never dispense vvith the non performance of them in his ovvn Parishes hovvever others did too frèqnently elsvvhere * As people grevv more fond to hear Sermons than to amend their lives Homilies vvere morâ— frequent * This practice changed into a monthly Sacrament at the Combustions in the yeare 1679. * Mr. Ashton
vvhich could not refrain from the highest of Affronts stabbing in Effigie Judging him unvvorthy of the respect due to a Kings Brother tho a Turk or Pagan not remembring him for a vvhile somuch as in their Prayers or Cups Which spleen Contempt of his sacred person increased to so high a Pitch I then observed that many of all degrees Quallities setting themselves against him vvould bee satisfied vvith nothing lesse than à barbarous Exclusion of him from the Imperiall Crovvne vvhereto Allmighty God in spite of Men Divells has brought him vvith great Honour to our Comfort God in vvhose Governance are the Hearts of Kings putting it into his Royall mind to dispell the Fears Jealousies of his people by the first Act hee did in Councell before hee had vviped the Tears from his Eyes for his beloved Brother And aftervvards making him a Blessed Instrument of suppressing that first Dutch Rebellion vvhich I dare so to stile since it vvas formed in Holland the Comon Receptacle of Christendom for Rebells Traytors and so successefull a Forge for Treasonable practices that tvvo proscribed Ministers fitter to be Smiths than Divines have there hammer'd out a second more Divellish Conspiracy Such Goodness of God to our Royall Family not leaving it destitute of a Prince of the right line but settling upon the Throne so accomplish'd an one in all respects that if hee had been of our Ovvn Religion vvee should have thought our selves loaded vvith more Happiness than vvee had been able to beare This Mercy Isay in raising a Gratious Princs tho of a different Faith to be the Defender of ours in crushing a Rebellion like a Cockatrice in the shell which aimed more at the destruction of the Church than the Crowne is so unparallell'd a Blessing as deservs Everlasting Praise and an eternall obligation to conforme our lives to the Will Commands of our Earthly as vvell as our Heavenly King. Which vvee cannot do give mee leave on such occasions allvvaies to be your monitor till nee do approve our selves truly Genuine obedient sons of the Church as vvell as Dutifull Complying subjects I knovv no difference in those tvvo Epithets of Obedient Complying tho the last hath been turn'd into a reproach in all things vvhich are not Contrary to the Clear Word of God. But I vvill for a vvhile stop such inlargements as vvell as set a Period to my promised repetition of the most important Heads of the first of my four Visitation-Discourses propounded to be brought to your Vievv Which I have inlarged by unavoidable digressions Occasion'd by the present vvicked and treacherous Invasion I shall sooner passe through the Heads of the second remaining ones without such additionary Reflections and bring all I trust with in the compasse of lesse time than what is allowed for both Sermon and speech at a Visitation SPEECH II. THe cheife points of my second discourse which I shall lay before you are as followeth First our present Kings further Expression of his Gratious Good nesse and Condescension in the seasonable happy Renevvall of those vvholesome Ecexllent Directions to Preachers vvhich vvere publish'd by his martyr'd Father and set forth a second time by his Royall Brother K. Charles the 2. in the yeare 1662. Injoining such a Regulation of the Pulpit out of which have issued our former and our present Flames ready to devour us such Exact conformity to our Rubrick such frequent Publication in all parochiall Churchs of the Doctine and discipline of our Church such respect to the Lords day and cheifly such a Training up of the Youth Catechising them in the Book of Common Prayer as was the most likely meanes valuable infinitely beyond all our Disputes Harangues from Either Pulpit or Presse to preserve the Church of England And which wee Clergy had greedily embraced God forgive us that fatall Error of Neglecting them had wee not laboured under some kind of Infatuation Secondly that bitter Invectives a gainst the Pope of Rome vvhilst vvee live under a Prince of the Roman Communion omitting the more sure vvayes to preserve our Religion allovved by this and the last Good King as vvell as biting declamations against the non-Conformists in the late Kings Reign by those vvho vvere themselves but semi-Conformists vvere an Effect of very blameable dangerous Zeale and had mightily increased our schisme and vveakened our Church It being not Satyricall Harangues in the dayes of K. Ch. the 2. as I then told you still thinke seasonable to repeat against the Fanatiks which did without a Compleat Conformity to our Rules signalize a Right Church-of-England-Divine No more than furious Railing or hot Disputing against the Pope or Church of Rome in the present Reign of K. James 2. Can give an undeniable Demonstration that wee are Good Subjects or firme Protestants Neither of which can evidence us God knowes to be the legitimate Jssue of that Church vvhich vvas never guilty of Boisterous and unmannerly Zeale but allvvayes profest and taught not only a deep veneration for Majesty but Christ like Meeknesse and Moderation Exhorting her Children to Honour the King as vvel as Feare God and to be just to all even to the vvorst most implacable of her Enimies or Impugners Thirdly I shevv'd the indispensable Duty of every one of us to betake our selves to a more indubitable Course than the former of maintaining our Religion by those lavvfull meanes and much more effectuall than the other vvbich vvere allovved by the King as vvell as our Church to save our soules that is by living according to our Doctrine rather than by Talking for it most particularly by studying and practising our Common Prayer Book not Spending our Povvder Ball in needlesse and impertinent pickarings but laying up a store of Ammunition furnishing our selves by the foresaid prescribed Courses vvith Courage Magnanimity against a Day of Battell The fourth last Point recommended to your Considetation then at that Juncture of Affaires and is still vvorthy to be thought of vvas vvhether that Subtile Malicious spirit vvho often transforms himselfe into an Angell of Light effecting his vvorst Designs under the disguise of Holiness dot not vse pretended Zeale against as vvell as Fears Iealousies of Popery as the most likely and successe full strategem to bring it in I vvas then and am still of that Opinion And for Gods sake do not despise this honest Caution SPEECH III. THUS having dispatch'd the things most vvorthy of notice contained in my second discourse as vvell as the first I shall attempt to bring to your vievv the most significant Heads of the third And here Waving sundry Arguments then laid before you to submit to your Soveraigns Will and Pleasure even in the most uninntelligible of all his Acts of Mercy J meane that Including the Fanaticks in his Declaration for Liberty of Conscience Excess of Favour liberty granted to his ovvn as vvell as our Churches
enimies as allso passing over the Characters of a right Loyall and unalterably Obedient Subject to the King and of a true right bred son of our Church together vvith that Man of Indifference that pretends to be both yet is neither vvhich I did then very largely set before you as vvell as the motives to become the tvvo first that is Good subjects Good Christians Waving I say these and some other matters that time vvill not permitt mee to reflect on I shall only exercise your ears at present vvith hearing four Cautions or Directions vhich I recommended to my Auditory in the Conclusion of that Charge to the Clergy to vvit First that that just reasonable and moderate Ground of Feare vvhich every VVise man ought to have in our Circumstances might drive uâ— more close home to the Throne of Grace and Gods Altar and make us all acquaint our selves better than ever heretofore vvith our Hearts Consciences taking such care of the internall exercise of Grace vertue in the soule vvherein cheifly is the Kingdom of God living in such Obedience both to God the King as become the best Christians Subjects least that our Mercifull God Gratious Prince on vvhose Grace fâ—avour our Felicity did then greatly depend should for our past or future provocations be incensed and deprive us of the Liberty vvee injoyed in the Exercise of our Establish'd Religion The second Direction vvas to take care of the young Generation and never to suffer any Youth to depart from the parishes or families or approach to the LORDS SVPPER vvith out due Instruction and a sufficient degree of knovvledge and Devotion Hic labor hoc opus est And if you vvere for any vvorks of supererogation I prayed you to practise them in this course permitted to us Blessed be GOD his VICE-GERENT nay required of us by his Majestie in his pious DIRECTIONS to PREACHERS as before mention'd vvhereto vvee all ought as I then Caution'd you to keep close and the neglect vvhereof hath much contributed vvithout dispute to our present misery A Third Advice vvas to bevvare least a Vulgar notion of Loyalty obedience to your Superiours in Church State might debauch y ur Vnderstanding and make you more suspitious of your Governours Inchroaement on the Peoples priviledges than of the Peoples Sacrilegious Invasion on the Prerogative of GODS VICE GERENT When vvee cannot discover in England espetially in the family of the Stuarts any One Instance of the fâ—irst but may every day find out lamentable Examples of the latter And that you vvould remember be assured that the Religion of your Soveraign did not one jot either lessen or somuch as restrain the Authority or Povver vvhich hee received from GOD and not from his subjects as also be more afraid of and averse to Popular Tiranny than the Abuses of Government in a Monarch vvho may be supposed to have as vvell as his subjects knovledge Grace Conscience of Duty to his Soveraign in Heaven to restrain him from an extravagant exercise of his Povver and to informe him that his Account to God vvill be more heavy than that of his subjects in case of Male-Administration My fourth last Counsell vvas to be just to all men both to the Romanist and Dissenter That your Aversion to the Doctrine of any Party tho never so Contrary to your ovvn should not in any manner exceed your Love Concerne for the Religion you profess'd and tempt you to encourage barefaced Violations of Truth Justice vvhen it is in the Concerne of an Enimy or Adversary to your Opinions SPEECH IV. THERE remaines novv only the last of my foure Addresses to be brought to your vievv before I ingage in my Conclusive Reflections vvhich consisted of three heads vvherein I spoke by vvay of Caution I desire you to remember rather than accusation Three things I did advise and beseech you in a particular manner to take heed and be vvare of And so I shall in the name of God as long as I have the Honour to be your Archdeacon Things vvhich really portend much vvotfe than most grounds usually assigned in this suspitious Age for Fears Jealousies The first vvas A preposterous zeale against our Adversaries accompained too often vvith a spirit of Contradiction And vvhich distills more aversion into us and disgust against our Adversaries Person than Principles Inclining us to Oppose confute him right or vvrong Concluding all to bee evill in our Antagonists tho oftentimes very Commendable and fondly Over-vveening all to be Good tho some times very unchristian in our selves and others of our Persvvasion A mallady vvhich hath been long the Disease of our Nation Our Poor Church ever since the Puritan Faction began labouring under the same in such degree that a Spirit of Contradiction hath been Commonly made the Cheife standard measure of many mens Religion Devotion and the distance they kept from the vvays Sentiments of their Opposers look'd on as an infallible Mark of the vertue of their ovvn Persons and Truth of their profession Which Opinion and Judgement of matters tho never so popular are very false Weights Measures By reason at this rate the vvorst men must allvvayes be the greatest saints since in them dvvdls most Hatred animosity bitter Aversion to all that is not their ovvne Horrid vices are usually the Parents of this spirit vvhich I set before you desire you may all Loathe The second thing I caution'd you against vvas mens Declining in Loyalty Love to their Prince on account of his Religion Which doth not in any manner dissolve or abate the Bonds of Duty Respect in the subject But on the Contrary Favours received from such a Prince such as vve have received as I shevved then more largely oblige subjects to some more officious respects than are to be paid to a kind Prince of our ovvn Persvvasion The third thing vvhereof I told you that vvee ought to bevvare vvas Ingratitude to both God the King for those spetiall Mercies and Acts of Grace vvhich vvee receive from one and the Other even during our Murmurrings and Complaints Ingratitude to the King I then informed you vvas inseparable from Ingratitude to God A Good Gratious Prince being a Choice Gift of Heaven one of the greatest blessings vvhich a Nation can enjoy And hee that vvill not from the Bottome of his Heart returne his thanks Praise for so inestimable a Jevvel is a mounster of Unthankfullness to the Common Governour of the Universe the Greatest of Benefactors Reflections on some of the points repeated the circumstances of the Nation at the time of the delivery of this speech in reference to the Invasion AND novv Reverend Brethren I have by the assistance of God finish'd the Task vvhich I propos'd to vvit of Refreshing your memory vvith the recitall of the most important matters vvhich I recommended to your
of the yeare 88 that Annu◠Mirabilis vvhich vvholy imployed the Head Hearts of all men And since that time my Roling Posture Change of measures Resolutions occasioned by the uncertainty Change of Affaires Persons at the Helme together vvith the crosse Accidents vvhich I have by Land sea met vvith all through vvhich God hath of his mercy vvell carryd mee vvould not permit mee to salute you vvith that formality as became mee vvherefore I have hitherto continued silent But being novv mor◠fix'd and Easy and got vvhere I have been aiming Ever since I left my station on the 11. of Dec. I cannot so farre forget my selfe as longer to deferre the presentation of my humble Duty Service give you some Account of my behaviour and motions last Winter together vvith my present State Condition both as to Body Mind I have retained that honour Duty for you that I have given lesse credit than any other to vvhat I have met vvith concerning you either in vvritten or Printed Nevves vvherein I have met vvith many things vvhich have troubled mee and I hope you vvill bee pleased to have the Goodness to afford small regard to any Reports or discourses concerning mee vvhich may have 〈◊〉 to your Eares Contrary to the Tenour of vvhat I vvrite A bout the End of sept last on the first Intelligence of the Dutch Invasion I retired to my Cures in the Country First to sedgefeild then to Easington using my utmost zeale discretion in my private discourses as vvell as publick Sermons to establish my people in so sad a Day of temptation when some stars of the first magnitude fell from Heaven in the Essentiall Duties of subjection Allegiance to their Soveraign shevving that subjects vvere upon noe Consideration whatsoever nether of Religion Liberty nor life to Resist or Desert their Lavvfull Soveraigne tho hee vvere no better than such an One as S. Paul lived under vvhen hee vvrit the Epistle to the Rom. not only a Heathen but a Cruell Persecutour A Nero A Caligula or A Dioclesian And that Subjects to a Christian Prince and to a Prince soe Mercifull Gratious as ours by consequence vvould bee infinitely more Guilty if they should Rebell against or Resist him merely because hee profess'ed a Different Religion After I had endeavoured thus to approve my selfe a faithfull shepherd in taking Care of my Country Flocks I repaired to my Deanery at Durham vvith the honest Designe of demonstrating my fidelity to my Soveraigne my Mother the Ch◠of England being persvvaded that their Inttests could never bee separated Wherefore I summon'd my Brethren the Prebendaries together into Our Chapter-House vvhere I propounded to them the Assisting of the King in so sad an Exigent vvith their Purses as vvell as their Prayers vvith vvhich motion all present complied giving readily their Consent vvith their voices as all absent saving one did by their letters vvhich occasion'd an Act of Chapter to the Effect follovving tovvit that the Deane should advance an hundred pound Every Prebend fifty for his Majesties Service tovvards the raising of Horse Men if occasion should require to bee disposed of to the aforesaid Ends Purposes in such manner as our Bp. should appoint And this I did not thinking it any very considerable Service to the King to give him 700 to vvhich summe it vvould amount but that this Act of ours might bee an Occasion of setting the vvheele a going and at that time t'vvas not too late through the Kingdom Conceiving it no sin in such an Extraordinary Juncture to lead the van in Point of Loyalty to my Prince since the Diocesse Archdeaconry of Durham in Particular none can deny had been all along during the Time of Bishop Consins ever since a notable Example to the vvhole Nation of Conformity to the Lavves dutyfull regard to his Majesties Honour and Intrest In the next place Remembring that I bore another Ecclesiastick Office Dignity in the Church of Durham about the beginning of Nov. I summond all the Clergy of my Archdeaconry together vvho met on the 15. labouring in the Absence of my Superiour the Bp. vvho vvas gone up to London to give them right measures in point of Church of England Loyalty Religion laying before them the Indispensable Necessity of their personall Assistance of their Soveraign as far as any vvere Obliged and Exerting their zeale to secure their Flocks that they might not be seduced from their Allegiance by the Canting Sophistry Distinctions of the Age. And tho the zeale I there Evidenced in my Visitaction Speech hath had since as formely small effect as is too visible by the Clergyes generall Compliance vvith their nevv Gevernours Government renouncing their old yet it vvill serve at all times to proclame that their Archdeacon did on that Occasion as hee had done before faithfully deliver his soule Fourthly Beleiving it might bee some Service to his Majestie for both Clergy Layity to shevv their ABHORRENCE of that unnaturall Invasion vvhich vvas then ffeared I moved first my Brethren of the Chapter aftervvards my Brethren of the Bench to Joyne vvith mee in an Addresse of that Nature to his Majestie but the first Refusing and the last all but tvvo vvaving the same I thought my selfe the most publick person in the Bishops Absence obliged to give A demonstraction of my ovvne Loyalty vvhich I vvas not afraid to do tho the Prince of Orange vvas at that tyme advanced as far as Salisbury and accordingly on Nov. 27. sent to his Majestie by the Post an Assurance thereof in an Address vvhich vvas intercepted by the Lord Danby Lord Lumly other Lords at Yorke Whereof I desire your Lordships permission to annex a true Copy to this letter to prevent the Abuses vvhich may bee occasion'd by that Paper 's falling into the hands of my Enimies Moreover Considering my selfe once more in the Capacity of a Civill Magistrate as vvell as Ecclesiasticall I did a fevv dayes after desire my Brethren Justices Deputy Lieutenants to give mee a Meeting to consult about Serving his Majestie to the Utmost of our Povvers Hearing as yet nothing from our Bishop and more particularly hovv to defend our selves against the Lords Gentlemen vvho had Seized on Yorke for the Prince of Orange vvere some of them advancing northvvards to sécure Durham and Nevvcastle But this honest Zeale of mine vvas by their shunning this Opportunity of Meeting likevvise renderd fruitless and the Lord Lumly on Wensday the fifth of Dec Surprized us enterd Durham whiles J vvas preaching in the. Pulpit of the Cathedrall in my Course it being the first Wensday in Advent with 50 Horse or thereabouts sundry Gentry of that the County of Yorkshire immediately afters his Arrivall Sending one Capt Ireton vvith ten Troopers up to my Door to seize on my Armes Horses vvhich I refusing to deliver or
to proceed in imitation of their Loyalty and according to their examples in all times of Warre Trouble heretofore to stick close to the Crown Not one of them that I could ever Read or heare of having been in the least manner dipt in Rebellion or sided with any Usurper Indeed their Fidelity to their Soueraigne for which your House God bee Praised hath been ever noted none Sir hath better copied out then your selfe whose Name is on that account already Recorded in our English Chronicle The Secrecy Successefulnesse of that Negotiation of yours in your Master the late Kings behalfe with General Monk will not easily bee forgotten among loyall men And I must confesse to all the world that that notable Example Pattern which you have set all your House by your services endeavours in the Worst of Tymes for King Charles the 2. hath had great force on mee been mighty prevalent in inspiring mee with some more than ordinary Resolution for his Royall Brother his lawfull successour and our vndoubted Soueraigne at my first Entrance on my Deanery which did oblige mee to Appeare Act in à more Pnblick Poste than before And doth still animate mee wherefore whatever measures you are pleased to take at present I hope Sir you will not blame mee in my present zeale endeavours Since which time I can say it without Boasting tho if I did Boast a litle this Conjuncture my Circustances would Beare it that I have never strayed in my affection from his Majestie nor failed in paying him all the Honour Duty Respect which I should have renderd to my deceased Master of ever Blessed Memory had the Naiion been longer blest with his Reigne But instead thereof I do not Blush to let all the world know that I have been somewhat more Officious and thought it Every ones Duty so to be in his Service than I had been in his Brothers in consideration of a Roman Catholick Kings Grace Goodness towards us of the Church of England in reference to the free exercise of our Religion Hee granting us the liberty of A Religion contrary to his ovn and making it his Care at his first Appearence in Councell to secure to his Protestant Subjects of the Ch. of England so unvaluable à Blessing neither of which if hee had done could wee have told how to helpe our selves or been absolved from our Obedience which my litle Divinity hath euer told mee I hope euer will is as due to à Roman Cath. Soueraigne as to a Protestant one The Consideration where of hath by the Blessing of God kept mee Vntainted Vnstained throughout the whole transactions of the last 5. yeares I meane from the 6. of Feb. 84. when his Majestie mounted the Throne to the 10. of Dec. 88. when the same Sacred Majestie was disgracefully Driven to the Everlasting Reproach of the English Nation from his own Palace of Whitehall No Feares or Iealousies of Religion Liberties or Lavves dîd ever tempt mee I Blesse God to any undue courses of Resistance Opposition or somuch as Unseemly Capitulation with Gods Vicegerent to preserve them Tho I love them all soe well Dearely that I can bee contented to dye for them in any Place or Manner vnlesse it bee with à sword in my hand lifted vp against my Prince And I dare Challenge not only my Censurers but all the World a state of Hostility will admit of such language to discover any One Act of mine whereby I have sided with or abetted their Enimies in any Endeavours to destroy or Weaken them that I have I say ever either in the capacity of a Private Minister or Publick Magistrate Ecclesiasticall or Civill in the West my first or North of England my last station ceased to practise and Exact a strict Conformity to the Rules of our Religion or to promote an Impartiall Execution of law as long as the lawes were in Force both against Recusant Dissenter Or that lastly I did ever Countenance such Omission of Duty in Others Clergy or layety under my Authority All Places wherein I have Resided will I make no question testifye for mee that I have been how weake unsuccessefull soever zealous diligent faithfull in these particulars And did never in any Revolution Put on the Vizard of A TRIMMER having had allwayes from my Cradle a certaine Antipathy against such Indifferency Hyppocrisy Neutrality as doe constitute that Amphibious Creature which by the assistance of Neighbours which it is hard to tell whether they live more vpon the land or in the water hath given a kind of Mortall Wound to the Church Monarehy of England By such Principles Practices I have God bee thanked demonstrated my selfe A legitimate son of my ever Honoured Deare Father Sir Bevill Granville whom I may I hope in à letter to à Brother bee permitted for my Consolation in so melancholyck a state of Affaires a litle to Glory in sinee his Valour Loyalty sealed at Lansdown with his Bloud is set aboue the spleen censure of the most Malitious Tongues Forasmuch as the University of Oxford one of the most famous Universityes in the VVorld hath vouchsafed to celebrate them whith an Epicedium of their choicest VVits A respect which hath not as the Ingenious Reprinter of the late Edition of those Poems doth in his dedicatory Epistle well note been vsually paid to any but the Royal Family And in the same Temper much heightned strengthend by the serious frequent pervsall of those Iugenious Verses which bring dayly to my consideration my loyall Fathers Example which I carry constantly about mee both to inspire conduct mee I hope by Gods Grace to Breathe out my soule without making any difference in Matter of Obedience betwixt à Papist a Protestant Prince A Christian or à Heathen I am without any scruple assured so is all the World that my Soueraigne King Iames the 2. is a lawfull King hath an undoubted Title which is all a good subject ought to enquire into If soe I am as much assured that noe Power vpon Earth can absolve mee from my sworne Obedience to him what ever wee are told to the contrary in certaine Enquiries into the Measures of Submission to Supreme Authority the Grounds vpon vvhich it may bee lavvfull or necessary as ◠the Title phraseth it for subjects to defend their Religion liberties lavves I wish the Doctor had been pleased to speake out plainly according to his thoughts and I am perswaded hee would haue sayd The Grounds vvhereon it is Lavvfull to Rebell But I shall give you noe more Trouble by way of Information concerning my selfe I shall rather crave liberty to convey to my Younger Relations since they are numerous by your favour and meanes is you please some wholesome Advice for their Edification to establish those who are not Tainted and to restore those who are with the false
respects odious infamous had not the boldness to seize on the Crown nor the People of England at that time thô plunged over head ears in Rebellion the Timidity nor Stupidity to offer it to him who without all dispute might then with less sin with more prudence have put it on his Head it having for a while before been deposited and unimploy'd than some body since snatch'd it from the Head of his own Uncle nay Father This is Gentlemen the true real cause of my withdrawing And if You please to be mind full of the criticall time vvhen the manner hovv the cause vvherefore being also so just to your Dean as not to looke barely on his going away but consider it as circumstantiated and allowing me so much Charity who have alwayes exercis'd greater towards my Dependants as to beleive I did at least mean well then and do speak true at present I am willing to beare all other ccnsures you can load me with for this late hazardous undertaking which however it may be mis-understood in England over which as of late there seemes still to hang some notorious cloud mist which strangely obscures mens understanding and deem'd an act of Fear or Folly yet I am God be prais'd fully perswaded that it was the most honest the most couragious thc vvisest Act of my whose Life And do incessantly praise his name that he was pleas'd to endow me with his grace passing by many more capable to do him service at that very time and in such manner as I did to Beare vvittness to the Truth 1 For my Flock had I whose notion both of Religion Loyalty had caus'd me all a long to act at an other rate fail'd by a sordid truely mean compliance I had certainly done them irreparable wrong by thwarting my past Doctrine destroying the example of my whole Life 2. As for my Revenue thô I possess'd the best Deanery and possibly the best Archdeaconry one of the best Livings in England A Faithfull Christian ought not so highly to value them as to put them into the scales with his Conscience And besides I do not forget that I both receiv'd held my Deanery by the King's favour do resolve that without his favour I will never keep it These two particulars granted I leave all men to judge whether it was an unwise act of mine all things consider'd to withdraw vvhen in such manner as I did I do well assure my selfe that it will be esteem'd otherwise by all those that do not deny the truth of this undoubted maxime that Honesty is the best Policy And I do comfort my selfe that my poor exploded Notions of Honesty Religion Loyalty to my King obedience to the Precepts Rules of the Church will yet come in vogue before I leave the World tho I have too much reason to apprehend that unless the change of air preserve me I shall not be a long liv'd man however they be run down rejected in this intoxicated Age which hath in a manner captivated men's Senses as well as their Understandings I that am the Lord be thanked happily deliver'd for a while from the Foggs of my own Country which were sadly increas'd since it's late Alliance Communication with Holland do no more doubt than I cease to pray for the King 's glorious blessed Restauration That joyfull Day in spight of Men Devils will come as soon as the Church and Kingdome are by a profound Humiliation sincere Repentance prepared for so choice a blessing And when it doth come or is nigh approaching it will infallibly open men's eyes cause them clearly to discerne their past egregious folly facility in suffering themselves to be so soon overcome by such deplorable Delusion as not to distinguish betwixt the felicity of living under an undisputable lawfull gratious Prince of the most mercifull and eligible Race and Qualifications bearing the Yoke of an Usurper whose Crown must necessarily be maintain'd as it is gotten by the Sword. And whose Reigne tho it begins in nomine Domini is usher'd in by a shevv of Religion seeming love of Liberty Lavves soon becomes greivous his little finger felt much heavier than the Lawfull Predecessour's Loyns It will not be needfull to pretend to the Spirit of Prophecy for this Discovery the last eight or nine Month's experience doth powerfully evince the Truth of what I affirme There doth seem already to be eyes enough open if their hands were at Liberty and good swords in them in Scotland England too as well as Ireland to deliver those miserable Kingdomes from reall Tyranny Presbitery which are not like to be found much more tollerable for the late injustifiable as well as unintelligible method of Exclusion of Popery pretended Arbitrary Povver All those who were come to could exercise their Understandings from the year 41 to the year 60 cannot forget the unsufferable Slavery which the three Kingdomes underwent upon the unhappy Conjunction of those foremention'd unseparable Twins The horrid Rebellion of those dayes was less odious than the present one which is accompanied with the highest Aggravations less odious I say or at least less unnaturall than that under which the best Subjects Christians in England at present groan in sundry respects had not the former been deeply dyed in the blood of King Charles the Martyr And yet all the Religion great ostentation of Purity of the Gospell wherewith it was introduced at last after a floud of Loyall blood submitted to by an infatuated Generation ended at length in down right Enthusiasme which by breaking of Fences tearing up Foundations let in a Deluge of all kind of Prophaneness The Priviledges Properties as well as the Liberty of the Subject were got into the hands of such miserable Keepers as kept them all to themselves in such sort as scarce any Person You do well remember could be Master of them or meet with them but at Wallingford House In a word after inexpressible violence Injustice Cutting off sundry Pillars of Church State most those well fix'd Church of England-men Clergy or Layicks who had the valour to withstand the Usurpers of those dayes all matters at last run into Anarchy Confusion And the Babell which had been twenty years in building after a short tottering at the Death of their Cheif Upholder fell crush'd it's selfe with it's own weight and cover'd all their Antimonarchicall machinations with it's Ruines The serious sober review of all past Transactions from the begining of the long great Rebellion home to the Dutch Invasion to witt of the first stupendious wickedness of the Enimies of the King Church of England The wonderfull long suffering of a justly Incens'd God His unconceivable Goodness and Compassion at length in a reall delivery of the Nation our Church from not only the most Arbitrary
faile to commend unto God in my constant prayers to whom besides my devotions I have nothing to bequeathe but vvholsome counsell a good example And since I have no way left to convey unto them the first but by writing that with great difficulty too not to deprive them of the latter is become a duty of higher obligation Example is often more prevalent than precept Whether the wise God will render mine so unto my people He alone knows it depends on his good pleasure Sure I am that when I departed from my Cures with a sorrowfull heart I did conceive it the best way left me to preach unto them by putting into actual practice that peculiar sort of Religion Loyalty to use the very phrase of some of my censurers which I had ever taught to others wherein I did incessantly labour to establish you as before rehears'd against the then fashionable upstart Divinity Allegiance of the Age Whereto I should not give this nor the former epithet in the beginning of this letter my religion loyalty let men call them what they please being no other I bless God than the naturall Result of the pure uncorrupted Doctrine of the right Genuine Church of England had they not been you know to my reproach often so stiled by that Generation of Semi-conformists Loyalists who could then but halfe comply with the reasonnable demands of a Lawfull Prince but can now wholy conforme to the will of an Usurper I recommend you both with all my sheep to Almighty God's mercy direction praying with all fervency to our Heavenly Father in the Churche's Littany part of my dayly devotions as I suppose it likewise is of the small number of Othodox Clergy men in the nation That it may please God to strengthen such as do stand to comfort helpe the vveak-hearted to raise up them that fall finally to beat dovvn Satan under our feet Applying it more especially to the case of you my Substitutes who are unhappyly divided to my unspeakable trouble in your principles practices which renders this my present way of application very difficult to me since it is not easy in one joyntaddress at the same time to praise dispraise according to the designe of this paper you to whom I write You then to conclude who have continued faithfull in your Trusts discharg'd your Conscience I do as the best reward you can for aâ—hile expect Praise pray for earnestly beseeching God to strengthen you dayly to carry you through the remaining difficulties you shall meet witthall And must Blame tho I pitty you that are fallen conjuring you to reflect on what you have done and desiring you to be assur'd that I can never have any complacency in your services till you bring forth undeniable fruits of Repentance Hoping that my censures of one as well as praises of the other will have that kindly operation on your soules which I designe I do with much christian charity compassion subscribe my selfe Roüen Oct the â— 1691. Your very lov Brother in CHRIST JESUS DENIS GRANVILLE FINIS COPY of a Paper mention'd in the foregoing pag. 38. and penn'd at Durham by the Authour Aug. 27 1688 by vvay of reflection on the then Dismal Prognostiks of the Times Things vvhich portend very fatally to the Government and Church of England 1. AN Vniversall Aptitude in men to receive multiply and magnify Fears and Iealousies of the King. 2. The generality of the subjects of England contrary to the Rule of Charity putting the vvorst Construction on the Designs and Actings of their SOVERAIGNE 3. Mens discovering by their preposterous courses tho hey dare not speak it vvith their mouthes that they think their Allegiance to the King because of a different Religion not the same that it vvould be to a Protestant Prince 4. An industrious endeavour for a long time throughout the land to alienate the subjects Affection from their Soveraigne 5. The Spirit of Popularity at present so universally reigning as to overthrovv many Honest Good men vvho seem afraid any longer to do their Duty to the King and act according to their Principles for fear of the Mobile 6. An extraordinary forvvardness both in Clergy as vvell as Gentry to dispute and rudely to contend vvith their Prince nay insoleutly to insult over him upon the least success made too apparent by the Issue of the late Triall of the Bishops in VVestmunster Hall. 7. The itch of disputation infinitely prevailing in this age above the spirit of Divine Charity true Devotion men relying too much on their Arguments too little on their Prayers 8. Men being novv agitated more than ever by an intemperate zeale against Popery as heretofore against Fanaticisme shevving much more Aversion to their Adversary's than love to their ovvn Religion 9. Most men even Divines manefesting an excessive fear that Popery vvill come in and yet all the vvhile neglect to betake themselves to the most assured means to keep it out to vvit Amendment of life and exact conformity to the CHURCHES RULES and training up the young Generation by the due exercise of Catechisme 10. Too many flying to unjustifiable means to preserve their Keligion and proclaiming by their actions that they are resolved to Rebell rather than let it go 11. Peaple using their strength and number to bring their Soveraigne to Terms and endeavouring by all means possible ta Hough band him if I may be permitted to speak in the Northern phrase I meane not to leave it in his Rovver to hurt them either in their Religion Lawes Lives or Estates vvhich is in plain English to Unking him Durham Aug. 27. 1688. COPY of another Paper mention'd p. 39. that the Authour publishes to shew how the Singularity for which he was censured by some as before related and despised by Others for hee knows himselfe guilty of no other was for practising this very following Method himselfe when present and imposing it on his Curates when he was absent to be by them also used in his Parishes Or for other such-like unfashionable observation of the Churche's Rules performance of his Duty Which upon strict Enquiry into the Authour's Discharge of his Offices since his first settlement in the North of England will be found to be true and may serve to evince that as hee hath had the hard Fate to be Deposed for following his Soveraign into France sticking to the Crovvne so hath hee had as hard a Fate heretofore for cleaving to his Mother regarding more than Others the Precepts of the Church even to be oftentimes unjustly Opposed and sometimes reproached by his Brethren Citty Country-Clergy merely for his Over doing as they have usually term'd it That is in plaine English because his Conscience would not give him leave to omit those Duties which they and the generality of the Clergy in the nation I will may now take more liberty than ever