Clergie Truely I much bemoan the distemper that is hereby notified this our evil eye argues strongly our evil heart that causes us to decline for no Age or Nation of the world ever was so much in the dark as not to have and nourish those that attend their Religion saith Cardinal Pool and H. 8. lib. 1. Many covet earnestly the Clergies Maintenance their Support but not their sweat not their labour They have a nearer way to the Wood as the Proverb is then by Arts they cry up the Spirit and cry down the Prophets to whom the spirit of Prophecie is peculiar and after a kind subject and thus unawares I hope not of maliciousness wickedness that 's in the design of Satan and his Instruments they destroy the Church and Religion too for that was wicked Maximinus his charge to his Officers Not to put any to death but onely the Rulers and Pastors of the Church as the only props and propagators of the Gospel as Eusebius records it And here I humbly begge the Pardon and Charitie of my Countrymen while I write a little modestly and with all submission in behalfe of the ancient and venerable order of Episcopacie not to raise up any Divel of division or to cast any Odium upon the Government under which I live I defie the uncivil and impudent Practises of those whose Language is Master call for fire from heaven of whom that cannot be said that the Apostle saies of Michael the Arch-Angel who in his contest gave not a Railing accusation my words shall be soft and few considering that in multitude of words there is vanity It is a Government ancient used and continued in the Church ever since the Apostles times a government which God hath honoured with success to all spiritual and holy purposes under this the Church of God throve and from this came forth eminent Champions to defend the Truth against both Paganism and Heresie and to settle the mindes of Christians in it by their dying for it In the times of the Heathen Emperours to be a Bishop and a Martyr were terms convertible Martyrdom being annexed to that Office none going to Pot but the Bishops which many understood to be the meaning of S. Paul He that desires a Bishoprick desires a good work that is Martyrdom and those that entred upon the charge of Presiding were sure to be called to account nay ordinarily to dye for their Zeal There are sundrie instances in Eusebius of Symeon Ignatius Polycarpus Pothenus Alexander Philaeus Anthimus Tyrannion both the Sylvanus's Peleus and Nilus Peter of Alexandria Phileas Hesychius Pacuvius and Theodor and multitudes of Bishops more as well as Presbyters and other holy men that suffered shortly after the Apostles times besides those since in all places which to rehearse would be infinite And therefore though the Passion of many of the Vulgar be such that they think Primitive Episcopacie conserved and continued much in our late but now Discontinued Church-Government and the Roman Papal Hierarchy to be under the same condemnation and both Antichristian yet the learned and moderate of the Reformed Churches abhor the foppery of such conceits and confess our Politie to be productive of more Energical and Powerfull Preachers more consciencious and holy Professors and Believers then any Church in Europe under any Government had or hath and have to that purpose both sent their Novices hither to learn the Method of Preaching and Literature in our Universities and also received our advice in the Weightiest Matters of Doctrine as Oracular and such as ought to be stood by And therefore they of the Separation who decry our Ministry as Antichristian because it is of Episcopal constitution and the Orders conveyed by those hands Antichristian had need resolve defiance to Reason and Conformity to other Churcheâ—… and their Doctors or else they must stand single in their Antipathy to us while we keep close to our Original Episcopacie and strayed not from the Rules of Purer times for Calvin justifies the Primitive Bishops and their Canons and Councels and speaking of the Popish Bishops says If they were true Bishops I would yield them authority in this thing he means not true in regard of Ordination but true in order to their Conversation did they live and preach after the holy example of Primitive Bishops as you shall see after lib. 4. cap. 5. where he describes the Popish Bishops The like respect did the Gallican Church declare in An. 1562. Martin Bucer and the German Protestants in Anno 1541. So Iunius in his Exercitations upon Bellarmines Book of the Clergie but most largely and with incomparable ingenuitie the Learned Zanchy in his Commentarie upon the Fourth Commandement where largely he asserts Episcopacie to be the most Ancient Church Government to be not contrary to the Holy Scriptures but Contributive to Order and Peace and to Edification of the Church And as much doth the Learned Bochartus confess in his late Epistle to D. Morley and therefore when any of the Learned Reformists speak against Episcopacie it must be taken as against that of Papacie where the Bishops for the most part are wilde and ignorant being children not yet taken from Nurse nor instructed in the first Rudiments of the Faith or if they be more learned which he saith is rare and unusuall then think they the Office to import nothing but a Title of Greatness and Splendor where no greater care is had to see that the Pastors of the Church feed the Flock over which they are set then a Taylor doth of the season in which t is fit to plough The Learned then agree in a pure Evangelick Primitive Episcopacie which arrogated not Domination over the Lords Heritage but served to ends of Order and Piety and such an Episcopacy as to the Main I hope I may without offence to the People of God say ours was and this I Infinuate not onely to prevent the Advantages that our Adversaries will take hold of to our Reproach but also to justifie those many holy Martyrs Bishops and Presbyters who ever since our Reformation yea in the Bloody daies of Queen Mary lived and dyed in the Approbation and Justification of it and did not Abjure it or their Orders from it I do not nay I cannot defend the Encroachments and Illegal Innovations of some late Men and Times whose forwardness to Transcend the Bounds of Policie and sober Pietie by Rigid Exaction of Obedience in things not Warranted nor agreed to in the Councels of the Church and State hath brought such a Rent amongst us that it hath left no room for Charitie nay it hath made all Government in the Church almost Execrable But I pray Favor for the Constitution and the worthy Officers in it that It and They may not be Traduced lest the Reproach of them fall upon Christ and the Religion which hath by it been preserved and propagated and by them
of the North parts VVilliam Longchamp Bishop of Ely Chancellour In Henry the second 's time Thomas a Becket Chancellour Sylvester Giraldus Bishop of Saint Davids and Daniel Eccles of his Privy Counsell Gilbert Foliot Bishop of London Baldwin Arch-Bishop of Canterburie and Hugh Bishop of Durham Ambassadours into France and the Bishops of Ely VVinchester and Norwich principal Justices of his Courts In King Iohn's dayes Gray first Bishop of Norwich then Arch-Bishop of Canterburie and Lord President of the Councell also Peter Bishop of VVinchester after Governour to Henry the third Temps Henry the third Gray Lord Deputy of Ireland Stephen Langton Arch-Bishop of Canterburie and Iohn Derlington of the Privie Councell Temps Edward the first Hugh Manchester and VValter Winterbourn the one Ambassadour into France the other the Kings Confessor Temps Edward the third Iefferie Hardebie and Iohn Grandison of the Privie-Councell Iohn Hilton his Ambassadour to the Pope and Thorsby Arch-Bishop of York Chancellour Temps Richard the second William Wickham Bishop of VVinchester Chancellour VValtham Bishop of Salisburie Treasurer Thomas Cardinall the Kings Confessor and Richard Lavenham and Richard Waldeby his Favourites Temps Henry the fourth Iohn Colton Arch-Bishop of Dublin Stanburie Bishop of Bangor and Dr. VValter Hunt Temps Henry the fifth Thomas Arundel Bishop of Yorke Chancellour Stephen Portington Thomas Crawley Arch-Bishop of Dublin and Lord Deputy of Ireland Robert Mascall the Kings Confessor and an Ambassadour abroad VVilliam Linwood Dr. of both Lawes and Divinitie Ambassadour to Spain and Thomas VValden Ambassadour to Poland and Delegate to the Councell of Constance Temps Henry the sixth VVilliam VVainfleet Bishop of VVinchester Chancellour and Iohn Love Bishop of Rochester both of his Councell Temps Henry the seventh Prudent honest faithfull Morton amicus certus in re incerta Arch-Bishop of Canterburie and Chancellour one worthy of whatever his Majestie had to give for he loved much Fox Bishop of Exon Ambassador in Scotland Fisher Bishop of Rochester Alcock Bishop of Ely and Dr. Henry Hornby all in great esteem Temps Henry the eighth this was the squint-eyed time when a stranger coming over hither cryed out Bone Deus qualis religio in Angliâ hîc suspenduntur Papistae illic comburuntur Antipapistae Even in this time many Bishops and Clergy-men were in high place Fox Bishop of Hereford Longland Bishop of Lincoln the Kings Almoner Aldridge Bishop of Carlisle Leigh Arch-Bishop of York VVest Bishop of Ely VVarham Arch-Bishop of Canterburie and Chancellour Ruthall Bishop of Durham all or most of these of the privy Councell Gardiner Bishop of VVinchester Ambassadour into France and Dr. Pace Dean of Pauls Ambassadour to most Princes in Christendome I say nothing of the five last reigns as pregnant of favours to the Church as any preceding them our memories excuse their recitall here and so long as the book of Gods remembrance is kept their kindness will be had in mention before God That which is the most pertinent conclusion to this I shall borrow from that very worthy and judicious Knight Sir Henry Spelman That amongst the many Chancellours of England there hath been no lesse then 160. Clergy-men amongst the Treasurers 80. almost all the Keepers of the Privy Seal all the Masters of the Rols till 26. Hen. 8. all the Itinerant Justices and Judges of the Courts till Edw. 3. time Clergy men Now God forbid the Clergy and faithfull Minsterie should in these big looking times of reformation grow contemptible who have in all times hitherto whether of peace or warre born away a very great share of worship and valuations but if the dayes of visitation are come and the dayes of recompence are come wherein the Prophet is counted a fool and the spiritual man mad as the phrase is Hosea cap. 9. v. 7. If the Messengers of God are with the holy Apostles made a gazing stock both by reproaches and afflictions Heb. c. 10. v. 33. Then may they safely crie with the woman in the siege of Samaria Help O King of Saints and with the Kingly Prophet David My God make hast for my help Psal. 71. v. 12. and in those cries assuredly they will be heard and the time will come when that promise shall be fulfilled to them All they that are incensed against thee shall be ashamed and confounded they shall be as nothing and they which strive with thee shall perish 41. Isa. v. 11. Let no man condemn this humble interposition either as unnecessarie or unseasonable for truly it highly becomes any Gentleman who hath had his breeding from a Clergy man as most persons of any quality in this Nation have had Tutors in Universities and great houses being for the most part of this Tribe and who knows what the use and pleasure of Learning is to imploy his utmost interest in mediation for them as the great instruments of literature and instituting youth for there is no Parent that in generation doth so much to the Childs felicity as doth the Tutor in his cultivation and nurtriture the Fathers of our bodies may leave us honours and riches but they cannot make us pious wise valiant civil intelligent eloquent these next the blessing of God grow from institution conversation and example of our Instructors 'T was wel said of Diony sius to Helidore Caesar can give thee honours and wealth but he cannot make thee an Oratour Experience of this made all ages eye with gratitude and veneration their Philosophers and religious men as eminent benefactors and devote themselves and theirs to their service and acCommodation Philip of Macedon gave more thanks to the Gods for Aristotle in whose dayes his renowned Sonne Alexander was born then for his Sonne and heire then born because he hoped that by his education under so renowned a Tutor he would become so learned that he might be worthy to be his Sonne and to succeed to his Commands Pericles the great Athenian Prince so doted on his Master Anaxagoras that being sick he went to him and prayed him to be carefull of his life if not for his own yet for Pericles sake and the better to counsell him how to rule wisely Did not Dionysius the Tyrant send for his Master Plato in a royall vessel riding to the Sea-side to meet him in his triumphing Chariot bringing him into the City not like a Philosoper but a Conquerour Did not Alexander honour Phocion and doe all by his advice when he was present with him Was not that the best time of Nero wherein his Master Seneca and Burrus Captain of the Pretorian bands were as powerfull so most wise and learned Had not Octavian his Mecoenas and Agrippa by whom he was guided and counselled Had not Trajan his Plutarch whom he loved as his other self Did not Scipio Africanus honour his Master Panaetius and give to Polybius the title of his Companion at home and abroad what think you Had Domitian good regard to Quintilian the
them To be nourishers of his Church for then do they come up to the frame of Antique Piety when they are a Sanctuary as it were to whatever is Gods then deserve they to be honoured when they honour him who hath honoured them and expects they should be profitable to others since they have places and opportunites to do good to more then themselves Herein shall ye O Powers do worthily if ye take off heavy buthens if ye let the oppressed go free if ye deal out your bread to the hungry if ye hide not your selves from your own flesh if ye put to death Barabbas and quit Jesus if you dethrone Self and crown him who is the desire of Nations the Wisedom of the Father the Doctor and Saviour of his body the Church I will not flatter you there are too many such pests about Grandees Perniciosa adulatio perpetuum malum regum quorum opes saepius assentatio quà m hostis evertit was Curtius his Note and Seneca tells us That friends never lesse abound then when they are most wanted and where best deserved Nor dare I be so bold to counsel you there is danger in being too venterous Armato nudum congredi dementia est non temeritas I have no plea but a Suplicat Celsitudini vestrae and I hope your own ingenuities will as Masters of Requests help this Petition to a seasonable and effectual answer Where ever says Guevara Government is mild there can be no obstruction to Prayers especially when they are for things honourable to your selves and safe to the people Praeclude I beseech you your ears not against humble and honest Petitioners they will desire moderate things and moderately but against all rash rude irrational innovating importuners for as grave Claudius said in the Roman Senate They are not ruled by Iudgement but Passion Phocion gave a notable answer to the tumultuous Quaeries of the Athenians who would know a Reason of his Government O saith he keep your old Laws and Orders and when I see you obey them you shall know the motives upon which I made them noting that they were unfitting to be answered any other ways who desired to dispute rather then obey Government for the conservation of which laws were made I know additions may be prudent where commendable Traditions are first adhered to and Abolitions in some cases as Politick as Retentions Law-givers are not ever tyed up to humour Antiquity where evils by such Symbolizing are notorious and unavoidable New mischiefs must have medicines new like themselves but t is not safe to put too far from the shoar in a Cock-boat to be tampering with Physick when Constitutions are sound the stomack good colour fresh and blood vigorous and pure the Divine Philosopher tells us the danger of changes in lesser things Musick had a great influence on Government heretofore therefore he says The change of that is as dangerous as a shipwrack at Sea because the Methods of that are never changed without great changes also in civil affairs and Casidore says It is a piece of piety as well as policy to crush evils in their infancy that they grow not too stubborn to be dealt with If ever you hope to keep things from Anarchy within the smooth channels of Order keep up I beseech you learning and encourage learned men they may be your Confessors to teach you the good way wherein you shall finde rest to your souls your Physicians to direct for your healths your Law-givers to settle your fortunes your Judges to keep your peace your Historians to pen your Transactions your Ambassadours to treat with forraigners in a word your every thing that is honest and of good report And therefore ye have good reason to suspect those of the truest Malignancy and disaffection to you who do not provoke you to do good while ye have time For nothing saith Tertullian is so malignant as that which denies to do the good it can but instead of commending learning to your care and her Professors to your affectionate Respect labour to keen you against them as if they were the Moles that did mischief invisibly Spots in your Feasts Hushai's in your Armies Ionathans in your Families faithful to nothing but your Ruines and ill successes But O Powers turn I beseech you a deaf ear to these accusers be not overcome of evil but overcome evil with your goodnesse say unto these suggestors ye are offences to us and command them rather to be good themselves then to accuse others or to smite them with the fist of wickednesse whom the Lord hdth smitten be ye ever of that noble Generals mind who said That love and hatred was not determinable by looks and names but by acts of amity and hostility these fruits shew the trees these effects the natures of their causes and if any of the learned have been faulty as no doubt some have perhaps are thought more guilty then they are let them answer for themselves they are of age but let not learning suffer because som learned men may transgresse nor all learned men be blamed stand in the Baildock amongst condemned persons they know themselves too wel to be fellowed with the Dogs of the flock in any sense but to keep Wolves from preying on sheep that good office they are ready to do and refuse no Companions that study to preserve the good and the like do they expect from others while they are in need of Protection for that do they pay Tribute and Subjection and while they carry themselves worthily if they have not at least protection they will not hold themselves well requited Consider they are the noblest friends most dangerous enemies imaginable courtesies they receive gratefully and pay the Donors with the Marble Statues of their Wits which erect and inscribe with notable zeal and acumination their Memorials in every mind they meet with and give them Monuments in their Books and writings omitting nothing which may add to the fames of their Benefactors the consideration of which made Alexander that great Conquerour when he saw the Sepulchre of Achilles cry out O fortunate young man who hadst Homer the Herald of thy praises For surely next to a blisful state in heaven to leave a good name which like a precious oyntment shal trickle from the head to the foot of a family and to be blessed for deeds well done and a good heart in doing them is the greatest happinesse Optimum quemque niti contendere decet ut post se quoque reipublicae profit moderationis scilicet justitiaeque monumentis There is no man but hath some twiches and titillations of Ambition and would fain be remembred to have lived a life of lustre and use great Actions have their Roots in great mindes where Virtues are great there are expected Returns not unlike he said well Si non pro fama pro nihilo
bird of Paradise in it is precious I look upon distinctions and ways of Separation as things of humane intercourse if not Diabolick Inventions Christiani esse desierunt qui Christi nomine amisso humana externa vocabula induerunt Lactant. l. 4. Guev p. 90. especially when they come in the whirlwind of an Enthusiasme and not in the fresh and gentle gale of an Evangelical simplicity and an humble submission but are poynted to pierce through by force what they upon lesse turbulent terms cannot work upon aut invenire sequacem aut facere to cut the Gordian knot if they cannot untye it like wilde Empericks who rescind that ligament which they cannot force against nature to their pleasures I can entercommon with any who hold Essentials and are not rapsodously confused though I do to al the world profess my double portion of veneration due to my Mother the holy Church of England and her Gospel-Government truely so called I am not ashamed to own her though among the Pots because yet shall she be as the wings of a Dove covered with silver and her feathers with yellow gold Yet I confesse I do not so admire her as to exclude all other Churches of Christ a Christian and dutifull Respect I know though she may be the most beautiful and best beloved of her Father yet is she not the Isaac that only must inherite God hath his Churches in other Angles and parts of the World tender to him as the apple of his eye and those must share in the inheritance of his care custody blessing and encrease I honour therefore their Customs and Rights giving them the Right hand of fellowship and I thank God I have seen some of them to my comfort and partaken here with others Presbyterians in hearing Sermons and receiving Sacraments and from sundry Congregationists or Independents heard Sermons of Piety and Comfort for which I blesse God and them and I wish there were lesse Animosity amongst them because I really judge many of both ways precious and amongst Gods jewels though I have kept close to my Conviction â—…s to the main conceiving Antiquity and the Practice of the Church not contrary to Piety or divine Precept warrant enough hereto therefore take heed ye Saints of what opinion soever for Government how ye censure one another It was a witty speech of Henry 8. That the Charity of Christians was lost in some mens being too stiff in their old Mumpsimus others too busie and curious in their new Sumpsimus me thinks we should all joyntly honour assemblies of Piety and Order in places and times convenient be the persons convening of what form or way soever so long as Christ is in the Church the glory is not departed from Israel while he makes no difference of Rich and Poor Bond and free Iew Gentile I see no warrant for any exception my prayer shal be to be found worthy my Calling and to judge none before the time because God hath reserved judgmeÌ„t for his peculiar and he will execute judgement saith Irenaeus upon all those who make divisions who are wild and have not the Charity of God in them considering more their own profit then the Churches Unity and who for little and light differences rend apieces and divide the great and glorious body of Christ yea as far as they are able kill the body of Christ speaking peace and intending nothing lesse straning at Gnats and passing by Camels I wish the Church of England had not cause to complain of her Children once so and I hope yet for the most part so as holy S. Bernard did of the Christians of his time Pax à paganis pax ab haereticis non pax à filiis Our late divisions have more advantaged our adversaries then all our Books confuted them they can laugh and grin when they see us turn our swords into one anothers bowels and every man as it were massacre his Neighbour when the difference is but for a Rite and a Humour which ought not to stand in competition with Charity Let me alter S. Ieroms words but not his sense Iungat amicitia quos jungit Sacerdotium immo non dividant verba quos Christi nectit amor Do men of Episcopal and Presbyterian or Independent judgement differ in Essentials I trow no. I am sure they did not differ but onely in Rituals the legal maintenance of which til somwhat in place thereof had been orderly introduced might have under favour kept the Church both pure and peaceable and the overturning of which by an over-sudden gust of popular Zeal hath made it what it is a By-word and what it may be feared to become a Chaos for as the Moralist says well in ruinam prona sunt quae sine fundamentis creverunt Tell me O ye Sons of Levi why since ye have one Father God and come from one common Mother the Church there is such contention amongst you are ye not Brethren Tell me why you speak such different dialects Is it not because ye have forsaken the Rules of Gospel-discourse which should not contaminate but minister grace to the hearer Why are ye so evil-eyed one to another that you cannot look upon the Cups of gold in your brethrens sacks mouths but ye must arraign them of falshood and Spiritual theft and make each other offenders for words Did Christ give you the Precept or President of Envying Reviling aggravating injuries Did he deny to do good to his enemies to pray for his Persecutors yea to sacrifice himself for the world and command you to follow his example in love holiness meeknesse patience and can you hope to have acceptance from him whose Dictates you disobey and contrapractise I know not what the matter is that Paul and Barnabas Ierom and Ruffinus Calvin and Melancthon the Episcopal Presbyterian and godly Congregationists may not agree against that adversary and accuser of the brethren yea I shrowdly suspect the this many years make-bate the Iesuite and the pragmatick Roman Priest I think the world is not to seek what the judgments of sober Episcopal men are as to things Religious their books and practices freely resolve all doubt if any there be but yet I hold it reasonable to give a short Character of such Principles as I my self and many others walk by and from which as I shall not warp without Conviction so to them or any of them shall I not adhere out of obstinacy First and above all we acknowledge the Unity in Trinity and Trinity in Unity the Father God the Son God the holy Ghost God and yet not three Gods but one God whom to know is life Eternal and whom to glorifie is the end of our Creation Next we desire to adore and worship with holy Reverence Fear our Lord Jesus the King Head Priest and Prophet of the Church and to prostrate â—…ll we have and are at his most sacred feet who hath we trust