so beaten a Road as the Topiek of adversity nor yet by your favour conclude my discourse There is nothing which can bee more plaine obvious to a Christian than the Benefitt of Affliction a truth Conspicuous out of the writings of the very Heathens I commend unto your Review at this Instant Plutarchs excellent treatise to that purpose I shall therefore have regard to the Times as well as my text consider some of those very afflictions hanging over our heads which must exercise these our Resignations which will prove christianly submitted unto thus beneficiall to us That it is our Duty faithfully chearefully to submitt unto Gods vvill in all times of Adversity with Faith Feare and that all truly Christian submissions will in the end bee highly Advantagious hath been the subject of my two last discourses in this Pulpit IF the Dayes of Adversity Affliction Brethren be such a hopefull seeds-time wee in our present Circumstances are like if wee sovv in pious Teares to have a plentifull crop Many a Heavy Judgement are allready fallen upon us for our past fins against God and in a more particular manner wee have too just reason to suspect for our secure carnall Confidence our Trusting in the Arme of Flesh as well as our unpardonable Disobedience to vile contempt of Gods Vice-Gerent the King. And many greater for our stupid impenitency will fall wee have also too Just cause to feare God hath moved the Land Divided it and if his Allmighty most Mercifull hand doth not prevent it must shake nay totter into Ruine Destruction The SWORD is drawn in the Midst of the Nation God grant it may not bee too soon sheathed in one anothers bowells nor VVhet by the present Cessation Insomuch that what party soever gaine the victory both must certainly some way or other in the Conclusion bee Considerable Loosers It is a sad thing that subjects to the same Prince should in Words many times profess pretend the same thing and yet all the while fight against one another to Destruction One Party among other matters declares for the Protestant Religion in generall another for the Church of England as by Lavv Establisht This cannot bee other with honest meaning than the very same cause for the Church of England is undoubtedly a Protestant Church and the best Protestant Religion notwithstanding all aspersions is professed in that Church yet in all probability here is in the Nation a Quarrel begun God forgive the Authours which is not like to bee determined without the Shedding of much Christian Bloud Or else againe One Party declares for the King also as the Lords at York as well as the Protestant Religion together with the Liberties and Properties of the Subject Another for the King Antient Lavves Governement in the Church State. This likewise without mentall reservation is no other than the former yet both Parties you see enter into a dismall bloudy War to decide the Controversy T is certaine that our antient Lavves Government so much depending on Monarchy cannot be preserved by the Destruction of the Prince and true Liberty Property can never be secured by the Destruct on of the Antient Governement no more can the right Protestant Religion Come BRETHREN let us all be well-advised before wee imbrue our hands deeply in one anothers Bloud such like Pretences Beginnings had once no better consequence Behold I say two Parties of the Kings subjects making the same Protestation and yet all the while fight with one another so that one of them cannot bee sincere If two Persons declare for the King yet fall to Blows one of them pretend what hee will must certainly be a Rebell in fighting against the King. I would in Charity thinke that you all conclude Rebellion a most odious thing and that few will I am sure no good man would dip themselves in so hainous a crime knowingly and willfully The danger is that many worthy Honest Gentlemen as heretofore and now in our Present Iuncture may be insnared before they are aware into this foule Offence so farre that they cannot tell how to gett back againe or if they do themselves cannot hinder ill men from proceeding on effecting their ends by vertue of the Reputation which they have given to an ill cause I will therefore cease to contend in this place who is the best subject or veriest Rebell Whether I that declare my selfe for the King the Protestant Religion or hee that declares himselfe for the Protestant Religion the King is the most Loyal the best Protestant I have here openly frequently enough discoverd my Principles concerning Subjection I am Brethren of the same minde I ever was so resolved by Gods Grace to live dye Instead of such disputes I 'le endeavour to paint sett before your Eyes this abominable sin that neither party wil owne And without telling you any more who are Rebbells I 'le plainly shew you what is Rebellion and what it is to be Rebellious In prosecution whereof I 'le keep precisely as well as I am able to the very Termes Wordes of the Church of England in her Printed Sermons or Homilies Published by Royall authourity Rebellion then you must know is there esteemd by the Church of England whereever it is found either among Papists or Protestants either on the 5 of Nov. or on the 30. of Jan. the worst as it was the first of sins In the first of her Homilies against Rebellion it is stiled the Root of all vices the Mother of all Mischeifs and in the second part the vvorst of all vices the Greatest of all Mischeifs at the Breaking in vvhereof all sins Miseries did flovv in over-vvhelme the vvorld The Authour of that accursed sin of Disobedience vvhich brings in all other at its heeles being no other than LUCIFER himselfe vvho of the Brightest most Glorious Angell for this very sin of Disobedience Rebellion against his King became the Blackest foulest Fiend and from the Height of Heaven fell into the Bottome of Hell. As our Church expresseth it in the afore said Homily Rebellion in another place speedily after is stiled the Foulest of all sins being as it vvere the Source Originall of all other and inseparable from the Highest Pride Contempt of God. Hee that nameth Rebellion saith our Church nameth not a single or one onely sin as is Theft Murder Robbery such like but to speake in the old language of the Homily the vvhole Puddle Sinke of all sins against God man against his Prince his Country his Countrymen his Parents his Children his Kinsfolkes his Freinds against all men universally All sins saith the very same Homily nameth hee that nameth Rebellion every Comandement being violated thereby pag. 360. Yea that all the seaven deadly sins are contained in Rebellion you will finde asserted
their Function having allvvayes made it mine That the Curate shall consider frequently at least once a quarter vvhat Rubricks or Canons be most neglected contemn'd by the parishoners and that he doth besides the ordinary explanation of the service once a year in obedience to his Majestie 's Directions to Prearchers read at convenient times the said Rubricks to the people that is to say betvveen the frist service Litany or betvven Litany second Service or before or after sermon omitting if occasion require the psalm then usually sung that he shall Zealously but mildly stirr up the people to the better observation of the same that vvhen he discovers these publick admonitions ineffectuall that he make it part of his labour in private vvith personnall applications to reforme such irregularitys And that he shall as frequently as he can vvhen presentments are to be made make such applications publick private as shall appear most convenient to the offenders in order to the prevention of their shame expence vvhich I desire alvvayes may be done vvithout further prosecution unless the thing cannot othervvise be reform'd That such discourses as he makes about the Rubricks Constitutions may be usually out of the Desk or if occasion require in the pulpit after the sermon vvhich I vvould not have burthen'd often vvith these smaller matters relating only to good order but reserv'd for more substantial essential truths as the Doctrins of Faith Repentance Love Obedience Temperance c. That he doth not take notice of the People's breach of Rubricks or such disorders in publick vvhen he can reforme the same easily in private unless they are notorious scandalous in vvhich case he is sometimes to give particular persons even publick reproofs in the very Congregation That vvhen there is ground of suspition that the Church-VVardens vvill not faithfully do their dutys in searching the Alehouses c that he go out of the Church sometimes vvith them for the more effectual prevention of disorder That hee cause the Clarck to inquire vvhen notice is given of Baptisme vvhether the vvitnesses have all receiv'd the Sacrament also to informe the Parson if the Church-vvardens do not vvhen any excommunicat'd persons enter the Church or Church-yard to vvhich end purpose there shall be a list kept in the Vestry of all persons excommunicated DENIS GRANVILLE IN REFERENCE TO THE FORE-GOING DIRECTIONS Letters Discourses the Reader is desired to note those matters follovving FIRST that here were intermingled with the abovesaid Directions for the Curates sundry advices for the Church-wardens Parish-Clarks not judged so necessary to be printed These being sufficient to accomplish the fore-mentioned end of their printing p. 39. and convince those Clergy and others who would not allow the authour to bee worthy of his station when he was admitted into his Deanery that he did notwithsstanding the great power of their evill example whose semiconformity first poison'd the nation at least endeavour to be what hee all along cheifly aimed at that is to say a Diligent COUNTRY-PARSON if not good Archdeacon He taking effectuall Care and with no ill success that these his Rules should be as they were better obser'd by his Curates then the Church-Cannons or Rubricks were by them the generality of the Clergy of the nation and consequently in due time might have become a tollerable Deane by Gods blessing if the CITTY-REBELS Joyning with the Invaders had not driven him with his master out of England SECONDLY the Reader is desird to take further notice that this last â—etter to wit to his Curates was not printed when the others were as first intended and mentioned in the Title-Page in the yeare 1689 but was for certain reasons underwritten deferr'd to be put into the Press till the month yeare mark'd in the conclusion of the said letter to wit Oct 1691 some months after the Dean's Deprivation Which delay among other things hinder'd the more speedy Publication of all the other papers and was occasiond upon the three ensuing accounts 〈…〉 First the Deane imagined on second thoughts 〈…〉 that so plaine a Rebuke as the faithfull discharge of his 〈…〉 Conscience in the delivery of the Discourses hee hath printed the penning of the fore-going letters hee hath publish'd in his own name did by reflection cast on many considerable Spirituall Temporall Supporters of the Usurped Authority in Churcâ— State was an Underaking too mighty for him who never delighted to expose or reproach his Superiours in any manner nor should have dared thus to have done it at this time had not too many of them manefestly departed from and contradicted the very Doctrine of the Church of England which they as well as hee had sworne to maintaine Secondly He long expected that some eminent person in England better qualified would have saved him the labour of such an application as he hath here in print made to the people under his authority by publishing ere this some substantiall work that should have strenuously asserted the Cause of King James the 2 that Church of England whereof he is supreme Governour by unmasking the wickedness injustice and ingratitude nay unnaturallness of Dethroning their lawfull Soveraign and under a religious pretence usurp his Crowne The afore-said Person not sticking to set his name thereto tho it might have cost him his life to proclaime undeniably to the World that what hee writ hee beleived to be such truth of God as hee did dare seale with his Bloud Which desireable peice of Charity to the soules of the poor people who were unhappily drawn into Perjury by the powerfull Example of their leaders the authour hath not yet discover'd to be done by any tho he thinks ought to have been performed long ago what ever had been the issue to have given right measures to the People of the Land while they were staggerring not quite fallen into the abominable sins of Perjury and Renouncing their Allegiance Which Christian work if it had been acted in due season would among other good effects have edified also the Dean's Flocks and render'd unnecessary what hee hath said to keep those steddy who stand to restore those who are fallen for want of timely under-propping The authour's earnest longing and waiting with great impaâ—ience to have seen such desireable fruit of Primitive zeale did detaine him a while from plunging himselfe over head ears tho hee made many offers so to do into that Deluge which did over-spred the land thinking himselfe a bad swinmer in such Troubled waters moreover like Elihu Job 32. 4. being very unwilling to speake out thus boldly shame the silence of his Elders till hee had given them all sufficient opportunity to speak and write Tho his boldness zeale as may be observ'd by the way is before noted was not levell'd directly to any but those under his own Charge Care or nearly related to him to whom
accuse mee over rigidly for not doing that for vvhich I am not so vvell as others quallified either by nature or education It hath been my fate to have suck'd in other Principles to have been trained up under better Tutours nay possibly in my vvhole Make to be so contrived and composed that it is not in the Povver of man to nevv-mould mee into that sort of Animal vvhich can blovv Hot Cold vvith the same Breath and is able to save his stake vvhat ever Card turnes up trump To these vvho shall condemne it in mee as a deplorable piece of Madness or folly to talk or vvrite avvay such a Considerable Revenue as Providence my Kind Patrons have bestovved on mee vvhich I am like to do by setting my name to vvhat I print I must declare that I am one of those Fooles S. Paul speakes of vvho that I may bee vvise am vvilling in the sight of the vvorld to become a Foole valuing my Innocency Quiet of Conscience more than I do the best Deanery or Bishoprick in Christendom And as nothing yet hath tempted mee I thank God to Compliment avvay my Religion tho I have been by some so reproached upon Gods raising setting over us a Prince of a different Communion So no Consideration vvhatsoever I rely on Gods Grace shall be able to prevaile vvith mee to prostitute it by falling dovvne to adore the multitude or any Image tho it be of Gold that shall be set up by the People Those therefore that attack mee by arguments or Threats in letters to seduce mee back and dravv mee into a Compliance vvith the nevv Government that I might set my hand to she raising up the Babell vvhich they are building in England may save their labour ink For till they have confuted the Doctrine vvhich they have preached as vvell as the sound Divinity of their Mother vvhich they have forsaken they may cease from offerring mee other arguments to convince mee And till they persvvade mee to set a higher value upon my money than I do on the Grace of God prize my temporall intrest more than mine Integrity vvhich no magick I have yet met vvith all hath been able to effect so as to fill my pockets they may also forbeare to affright mee vvith Deprivation I have long considered studied the point of Allegiance vvhich I ovve to my only Leige Lord Soveraigne King Iames 2 and to no other and am firmely vvithout doubt or scrupule satisfied that my Religion vvill not permitt mee to svveare fidelity to any besides him That the greatest part of my Brethren notvvithstanding the faithfull frequent endeavours I have used to establish them in Conformity Loyalty should forsake Gods Vice-Gerent to do Homage to the Peoples is an unexpressible greife to my soule To prevent the Incurring such guilt and the lamentable scandall of such Apostacy I did in due time as may appeare from the date of the ensuing Address expose my selfe to much censure by delivering my mind to an Auditory vvhich seem'd ready to run themselves as they have done into that Yoke servitude vvhich I vvho had greater temptations than others vvas resolved to run out of the Kingdom from my preferment rather than submit to And to demonstrate that I am after great thought fullness much prayer to God to direct mee of the very same mind here in France on Nov. 15. 1689 that I vvas in England on the same day of the month 1688 as vvell as desirous to expresse my vvillingness to do all that in mee lyes to avvaken those out of their sin vvhich I could not confirme in their Duty I am as vvilling to commit to the Presse the discourse I then made Tho I vvell knovv that I shall in so doing in case these Papers get into England and considering mens present Genius Actings there be exposed to the danger of running as it vvere the Gantlet through the Nation D. G. Trom my study in Roüen Nov. 15. 1689. ADVERTISEMENT IF this or the former Piece have the good fortune to find the way back to Durham and fall into the hands of those Persons that were present when they were spoken for whose sake they were first deliver'd and since Printed they may chance to take notice in the perusall if their memories do not faile them that the Authour is more sparing than heretofore or ever used to be in his Commendation of the Constitútion of the Church of England and more particularly in the Praise of its well compiled Liturgy which he was wont upon all occasions very highly to extoll In which case they are desired to understand and consider that these Papers have been Printed in a R. Catholick Country where they could not be permitted to pass the press without the perusal approbation of R. Catholicks and that it was a great mark of favour and an espetiall token of their present forwardness to concurre with and encourage Loyalty to suffer Sermons and A speech spoken by a Divine of the Church of England to be printed here at all notwithstanding the castigations which have been made by the retrenchment of sundry expressions omitting all Comparisons which did carry with them any Reflections And therefore the aforesaid people have no just cause given them to conceit that the Authour hath in any respect Changed his sentiments of the Religion of the Church of England which he hath ever professed where in he desires and resolues by gods Grace to live and Dye If the aboue mentioned Auditors who discouer too apparently that there is among them at home what ever is in the Authour abroad a lamentable Change or any other sort of Readers of our own or of any Forreigne Nation fancy him guilty of too much sharpness of expression they are intreated to remember or to be informed that what ever he hath utterr'd in a tyme of great Heat Hurry hath been spoken against such as did invade his own Native County with unexpressible injustice unnaturallness as well as many heightning aggravations for want gratitude and that it was a speciall Duty in every one of his Character his station at that time to expose as much as they were able an invasion which was beyond all precedent without paralell In so much that if a satyricall Invective of which the Authour was never a great louer be at any time allowable in the writings of a Divine it cannot be denied surely but that it may passe here in this Instance espetially Considering that he did very seasonably shew such his indignation even before the Forces that Landed had rowled to so great a number but that they might have been Opposed nay suppressed by any one County of England which would have shewed it selfe right valiant faithful and unanimous And if some 〈…〉 with 〈…〉 during the Reign of in raiâ—ing subjects 〈…〉 in the 〈…〉 of Doctor â— to dethrone their lawfull Soveraigne had done
awhile here at Roüen I did presume to informe his Majestie by a Packet I sent into Ireland to my Lord Melford of my Arrivall in France the manner of my escape with an Assurance of my unalterable Loyalty and that I should espouse his service with the same zeale during his Exile adversity as when hee was on the Throne I did also according to the Duty of a Loyall subject pay to the Queen Prince all those respects which I could at a Distance informing her also by the assistance of my Lord Waldegrave of my Arrival with assurances that I should never faile to render her Majestie the Prince all the duties which were incumbent on a subject of the King of England And that since I had not the felicity which I came for of being neare his Majestie I was in the next place desirous to bee neare herâ— and accordingly would hasten to St. Germaines as soon as the indisposition of my Body would permit Taking a great Delight to bee nigh the Royall Famliy when I cannot Otherwise serve them never thinking my selfe any wayes absolved from the observance I owed my Soveraigne her Majestie all the bloud Royall by the difference of Religion HAving Sr thus given you the Trouble of so particular an account of my selfe deportment from the time that wee were first allarumm'd with the news of the wicked intentions of the Dutch to invade vs home to this present day I thinke my selfe no lesse obliged to give you some Information Concerning my present Temper of mind future Intentions And which I am the more willing to embrace this Opportunity of doing by Reason my infirmities of Body do in such sort increase that I have small reason to immagine that I shall bee a long lived man they administring to mee too many Grounds of Feare if I were to undergo no other hazard that I may scarce live to see my Freinds in England any more unlesse the air of France motion bee by Gods Blessing a meanes of my Recouery Cure of that disease which I have contracted by à sedentary life since my Installation into the Deanery of Durham And here I do in the first place declare with all sincerity that I am resolued by Gods Grace to live dye a true son of the Church of England Whereof King Charles was King Iames 2. not the Prince of Orange is under God supream Head Governour beleiving her to bee for the Purity of her Doctrine the decent Regularity of her worship the wholesomnesse of her Discipline well executed the best and most Approaching to the Primitive Times of any Church in Reformed Christiendome And I do openly affirme to all the World that however her children or rather those who have pretended to bee soe have behaved themselves Either heretofore or of late to the scandall of the world Reproach of her Constitution I am assured she will bee found upon thorough and serious Examination A Church which doth not Countenance Rebellion or indeed any sin or wickednesse whatsoever I have given no just reason I thanke God to any to thinke mee of another Opinion And if some men have been soe uncharitable as to Censure mee for ever deviating from her it hath been only for such Carriage of mine as may best demonstrate that I am A right Genuine thorough paced tho very feeble Member of Her I meane for my Exact Conformity to constant Observation of the Excellent Rules of her Incomparable Liturgy without any variation and my Constant zeale in asserting the Kings Prerogative and her Excellent Doctrine of non-Resistance Subjection to Authority in both which perohance I have been thought sometimes a litle singular But if I have been soe I am sorry for it I meane that I should want company in so laudable Christian a Cause Practice For I must still affirme that the first is the Indispensable Duty of Every Church man and best meanes to preserve her the last which way soever it fled at the Prince of Oranges Invading England the very Flour and Glory of our Ch which neither losse of Estate nor life shall by the assistance of the Almighty cause mee to Renounce I do therefore humbly intreat your selfe and all my Relations no wise to suspect mee as if Wavering from my Obedience to my Mother the Church for my immoveable Adherence to the cause interest of the Father of our Country and my innate Abhorrence of Disputing Contesting or rudely Capitulating with my Prince even-then when hee commanded things very contrary to my sentiments which I did Judge not only inexpedient but prejudiciall to the Flourishing condition of our Church Had I fail'd as too many did in that Iuncture or in paying the very same duties ef Allegiance Honour to my Present Soueraigne When hee came to the Crowne as I had performed to the late King his Royall Brother my Gratious Master of Blessed memory because his present Majestie declared himselfe of the R. Cath. Religion I might indeed have been lyable to Censure for that was a bad mark of a son of the Church of England But God having enabled mee to Resist this Temptation which hath so mightily prevailed in the Nation I would not have you Feare that I shall bee Ouerthrowne by any other I am I confesse fled out of the Nation to assert the Cause of a R. Cath. Prince I live at present in à R. Cath. Country But sure I am that the right-right-Church of England Religion doth not only injoyne mee to do the first but considering the circumstances of England the neighbouring Protestant Countries at present to do the later And why I other loyall subjects should choose France rather than any other Nation to Reside in may quickly bee put out of dispute if our Censurers would bee pleased to consider how kindly the most Christian King received his Majesty of England and doth still entertaine those who have Evidenced their Fidelity to him as also reflect on the innate Civilily Hospitality of the French Nation towards strangers never more Visible than in this time of Distress when all are Wellcome espetially English men unlesse they are conceived to bee Spyes or Creatures of the Prince of Orange or other their Enimies As for my own particular Common Justice doth Oblige mee to acknowledge that I meet whith as much Curtisy now in France among the R. Catholicks as I have done heretofore among the Protestants And am permitted to live as quietly and securely tho I do no wayes diâ—oâ—ne my Religion as any of their own Nation THis breif declaration I have made will suffice I hope to assure all my Freinds in England of my stedfastnesse in the Excellent Religion of my Fore-Fathers The next duty incumbent on mee will be to give my Family you our Cheif some fresh assurance that I am by the Grace of God Resolued to endeavour for the future as I have begun
more 〈◊〉 Regard would had been had to the Penning Composure But since I am reduced to such hard circumstances whereto in conformity to my own Doctrine I Heartily submit that the ensuing Discourses how sleight soever little worth in themselves are abundantly sufficient to demonstrate that both my Religion Loyaâ—â—y are not of the New Cutt but of the old Royall stamp carry whith them I trust the true Touch of the Tower Providence invites me to exposes them to publick view being ambitious of nothing in â—â—e world more than to approve my selfe in this Day of Rebuke to my Soveraigne his rigth Loyal subjects for one who thinks that hee obliged to be as Faithfull to a Roman-Catholick as a Protestant Prince as true to him in Adversity as Prosperity As far any Censures of vanity arising from my Title-Page as if I did there set forth my selfe à Patterne of humility Loyalty they ought not to sway with me so farre as to stop me in my Endeavours to be so or to perswade others to become such since thereto Heaven at this tyme loudly summons all the Nation This I can truly say without Pride or Boasting that I have labour'd to practise what I have preached to others that I was never more than at this very instant aspiring towards those Excellent but rare vertues mentionned in the following discourses which I commend to Gods Blessing the Candid Readers Charity desiring all persons in England who have labour'd either by Kind Invitations or Threats of deprivation to prevaile with mâ— to returne submit to the new Government to receive this as my finall Ansver TO WIT If I be DEPRIVED I am DEPRIVED or to approach a little neaver to the Phrase of Good Father Jacob. IF I BE BEREAVED OF MY PREFERMENT I AM BEREAVED D. G. From my study in Roüen Nov. 15. 1689. ADVERTISEMENT THE Authour having been necessitated for the discharge of his Conscience and his own Justification hastily to print these pieces as before mention'd in a Forreign Country where the Printer did not understand the language and was very little acquainted with the character all persons must understand that it was not possible to avoid a multitude of faults in the Orthography Pointing as wel as sundry rules observed by Printers in England thoâ— possibly upon perusall they wil finde the Errours so inconsiderable little hindring the sense that they will rather wonder as doth the Authour how the Printer should all things considered so well succeed in his Undertaking ERRATA SERMONS PAGE 1. Line 2. requisire for requisite p. 2. l. 14. out for our p. 4. l. 5. Hovever for Hovvever l. 21. libetis for liberis l. 22 Englist for English. l. 26. perisch for perish p. 5. l. 5. theve for there l. 36. exptession for expression l. 37. pieus for pious p. 6. l. penult knavv for gnavv p. 7. l. 19. effectts for effects p. 8. l. 21. botomo for botomme p. 9. l. 11. Savioar for Saviour p. 11. l. 27. necessatily for necessarily p. 13. l. 5. familiarily for familiarity l. 16. meâ— for men p. 15. l. ult vvberedome for vvhoredome p. 19. l. 9. svvee for svveet p. 26. l. 30. armed for aimed VISITATION-SPEECH PAge 8. Line 7. that repetition for that that repetition p. 11. l. 27. Stateholder for Stadthouder p. 13. l. 10. danger for dangers l. ult princs for prince p. 14. l. 7. nee for vve l. 18. second remaining for second remaining p. 16. l. 5. dot for doth l. 17. Conscience Excess for Conscience Eccss p. 17. l. 22. Incroacment for Incrochâ—ment p. 18. l. ult dvvdls for dvvels p. 19. l. 2. Horrid vices are usually for Horrid vices usually p. 21. l. 20. Cerent for Count. p. 22. l. 29. vvhich among for among p. 23. l. 12. hardhearted Ievves for hard-hearted Ievves LETTERS IN the Advertisement Page 1. Line 26. 〈◊〉 together for together p. 2. l. 27. on all times for in all places p. 3. l. 2. n 88. for in 88. l. 3. it for is The Date to wit Rouen Nov. 27. 1689. wanting in the conclusion TO THE EARLE OF BATHE PAGE 3. l. 2. 700 for 700 lib. ster p. 4. l. 15. thd for the. l. 16. entere for entred p. 5. l. 34. right So for right so p. 6. l. â—4 vvith in for vvith his Grace in l. 32. hâ—vve for have p. 10. l. â—4 40. for 40. lib. ster l. 35. 40. for 40. sh. p. 29. l. 5. gs for it TO THE BISHOP OF DURHAM c. PAGE 2. l. 18. vvhith for vvith p. 6. l. 16. vvas for vvere p. 14. l. 16. tovvn had for tovvn that had l. 29. so for to p. 31. l. 3. risdiction for Iurisdiction p. 43. l. 1. forgoing pag. 38. for foregoing letter pag. 38. l. 12. bey for they p. 46. marginal note l. 3. Dearn's for Dean's l. 18. the for he The smaller faults vvith may occur they Reader may easily correct in reading FINIS TO THE QUEEN OF ENGLAND MAY IT PLEASE YOUR MAJESTY ALLMIGHTY GOD having enabled mee by his grace to resist those temptations which have overcome the greatest number of the members of my own Church and Country and being now incapacitated here a bread to render my Soveraigne and your Majesty better service than to owne your Righteous Cause I think my selfe obliged to give the world a more than ordinary Testimony of my sincere Loyalty and Resolution in all times and Changes to adhere unalterably to the Crowne Having therefore allready sacrificed my Revenue by quitting the Nation rather than submit to the Vsurpation and exposed my selfe to Censure and Obloquy in that part of England wherein I have Lived by Refusing to Head or Ioine with those my dependants there Ecclesiasticall and Secular who have departed from their Allegiance I know of no better and more Convincing Instance yet remaining to bee given by mee of my stedfastness to stick to and serve the Royall familie than to proclame that I dare speake truth here a broad from the Presse as well as from the Pulpit at home tho every one must fore-know that such an honest Boldness will unavoidably render mee uncapable of the favour and good opinion of all those persons in the Nation High and Low Spirituall and Temporal who have Shipwrackt their Faith and Consciences by ceasing to yeild after often swearing Allegiance and Fidelity to their Soveraigne And it is easy to fore-see that the Printing these and some other Papers at this time in mine ovvn name will thus render mee obnoxious as I am Contented to bee to all those Builders who imploy themselves in Erecting a New Monarchy and Church in England But the Aspersions of them that forsake their Religion as far as they desert their Lavvfull Liege Lord as I hope the follovving sheets will evidence vvill bee no intolerable Load to mee who desire no greater Honour and satisfaction than to share with my King Queen and hope-full young Prince
Wait on his Lordhip hee in his Lords name confined mee to my House during his stay in that Citty On Thursday follovving the Lord Lumly vvithout any Opposition read the Prince of Oranges declaration at the Castle in the Presence of most of the Deputy Lieutenants Justices Gentry vvho flock'd into his Lordship and by their Compliance encouraged him to send to the Magistrates of Nevvcastle to demand Reception there but being refused Admittance the Saturday after hastily vvith some precipitation returned hee and his Company to Yorke after having read Publickly at the Market Crosse the Prince of Oranges declaration attended on by a great Number of Gentry the Country Troop but I thanke God there were no horses nor men of mine tho the Deane at other times sent four to encrease the number honour that Cerimony vvhich hinderd severall of the Clergy at that tyme to send in theirs to the lessenning of the Appearance Hereupon I did Judge it meet the next day after being sunday to Preach againe tho I had done it lately in my ovvne Proper Person in the Cathedrall Pulpit à seasonable Loyall Sermon sutable to my past life and Actions in that Country to persvvade the members of that Church all the Auditory to stand firme to their Allegiance in that day of Temptation never to Joyne in the least vvayes vvith that Horrid Rebellion vvhich vvas at that tyme Set on foot in the Nation Which Sermons I have Printed to Justifye mee to all the vvorld if the publication of these do not do it from being accessary to the Defection vvhich then began to the Intollerable vexation of my mind in that Conformable County vvhich had till the Summer past by it 's forvvard Obedience Dutifull Respects stuck so close to the Crovvne that his late Majestie vvas vvont to stile it his Loyall County of Durham Thus was God pleased to assist a Poor vveak inconsiderable member Exalted beyond his merit to a high Station of the Church of England vvith fidelity Courage to maintaine his Post against the Abettors of that unnaturall Invasion vvhich it vvas Easy to foresee vvould bee as it hath been attended on by an intollerable Usurpation of the Crovvne violation of the Lavves and finally if God should not of his Mercy by some kind of miracle Prevent by the utter Ruine of the Church of England and consequently of those vvho had at first invited the svvord into the Land betook themselves to a desperate Remedy a thousand times vvorse than the Disease Complained off And here before I proceed in my intended Relation of some other passages I desire permission to insert a fevv lines to Obviate some censures vvhich I Expect to meet vvith To such there fore as shall endeavour to destroy the Reputation of my sincerity zeale in sticking to the Cause of a Roman Catholick Soveraigne by the Greatness of the Example of those who have deserted it in complying with the Prince of Orange alledging that it is not likely that the single Deane of Durham should bee in the right so many Eminent Persons of Greater Learning Wisdome Piety in the Wrong who have given notable Testimonies of their Loyalty by their Sufferings Confessions in the Great Rebellion of England During the Banishment of King Ch. 2. To such I declare that I have nothing to say for my selfe but must returne with a non nobis Domine all the Glory to God who is some times pleased to make use of the vveake things of the vvorld to confound the Things vvhich are Mighty to Revcale unto Babes vvhat hee hidâ—s from the VVise Prudent assisting with in Tymes of Persecution poor Illiterate Men Women when many Great Phylosophers mighty Clerks have quitted a Righteous Cause and shamefully deserted the Truth I do with all humility acknoledge it to be purely the Grace of God the wind of whose Spirit Bloâ—eth where it listeth which hath supported and carryed mee through all those Blasts of temptation which have Thrown downe divers strong Pillars of the Temple Preserving mee from the Contagion of the Age the Spirit of Popularity Republicanisme Whereby Sathan transforming himselfe into an Angell of Light hath tainted the Generality of the English nation of all sorts Degrées which hath in the Upshot as is too visible to all the World proved their Overthrow the Fall never enough to bee lamented of many Noble Personages who had as well as their Ancestors suck'd in Loyalty with their Milk shed their Bloud to uphold the Monarchy seemed to bee the surest supporters of the crowne And thus much I have been obliged to insert here tho I could more willingly have left it unsaid if it had not been forced from mee by the Malitious Objections of my Enimies Common Justice to my selfe the cause I maintaine It being impossible for mee to persevere in the Kings Quarrell which I have espowsed without holding fast with great Resolution my Integrity Bearing witness to the Truth Besides I am not ashamed nay thinke it my Duty to owne that I am firmely strongly perswaded without doubt or scruple that my present Principles Practices of Loyalty to my Soveraigne Past Obedience to the Church of Englands Rules how singular soever by some menit may howe been termed thought are sound Orthodox being founded upon so cleare Scripture Reason as sets a man in this particular aboue any Example upon Earth Nay I am not afraid to proclame to all the World that I Dare Rebuke by my Actions tho not other wise the Greatest Man alive who Dares transgress those plaine precepts of God which I shall ever deeme à great sin to separate to wit. FEARE GOD HONOUR the KING Tho I have so great veneration Respect for hundreds of Eminent Persons spirituall temporall who have to the admiration of all men lately been imposed on by what kind of Magick it is hard to understand to Court Complement their owne Misery that in Dubious matters I am not so bold as to Resist the Power of their Examples which in such things I ackowledge a conductor safe enough to guide their inferiours who ought to suspect their own Judgements sentiments when they have no cleare lightto lead them rather than those of their Governous in Church state whom they owne to bee Wiser Better men But to stick close to the service Interest of my Lawfull Soveraigne who is a Soveraigne never the lesse lawfull for his Afflictions or for his Religion and to OBEY him too as I am resolved in all things which are not Malum in se if hee absolutely requires it what ever may bee the Consequences is a POINT wherein I am so wel satisfied that I am ambitious to be instrumental in Convincing all who depend on mee or my Jurisdictions if I cannot Others of a Truth so necessary seasonable for the consideration of Subjects in a
cannot reflect on so unpardonable a Breach of Trust tho never so much varnish'd over with the false paint now vented in the Kingdome without sore indignation nor cease to charge the guilt of so great a sin upon you my Representative in my Parish of Sedgefield to whom I now singly speak who have committed the same with many high Aggravations as the following particulars will make appeare First you being a Person that was happyly train'd up not only in a hitherto ever loyall County more particularly in a Parish where there had been much seed sown which ought to have brought forth other grain but under a Family whose Loyalty till the fatall month of Nov. 1688 was never blemish'd with the least staine In the next place after a loyall Education in the University the happyness to escape by God's blessing those dangerous rocks on which youth there most commonly split to witt Corruption in principles or moralls were seasonably transplanted into the Curacy of a very considerable Parish in Worstershier where the Rector kept up exactly the Order of the Church of England the strickt practice whereof however things have fallen out was the most likely means to have kept Clergy-men steddy in such a day of tryall temptation as our present miserable generation have liv'd to see Thirdly were with much affection honest intention singl'd out pitcht on by me I having a great opinion of your Loyalty to be my Co-adjutour in one of the most considerable Country Parishes of England the burthen of which trust as well as my great concern for the spirituall wellfare of that my flock you ought to have learn'd from the extraordinary zealous applications which I us'd at first coming to set you all along after to keep you right in my honest Particular notions of obedience to the orders of the Church of subjection to all sorts of lawfull Authority Which notions I am not ashamed to stile now particular since the issuë of things proclaimes them to be right as well as the opposers of them notoriously in the wrong must be so acknowledg'd by all persons who are not unhappyly besmear'd with the present religious Rebellion of England or blinded by the mist or fumes of an unsupportable Usurpation Lastly had more reason than others to have resisted those temptations which overthrew the generality of the Clergy of the Diocess since you had in one person your Rector's Dean's Archdeacon's continuall example in your eye to the very last minute to uphold you Nay moreover had a pathetick letter written joyntly to your selfe your Brother directed to the Curates of Easington Sedgefield from the Deanery the very night of my Departure which carrying with it my last best advice sentiments immediately before I lanch'd forth into a kind of sea of trouble likely to attend that persecuted righteous Cause whereto I was resolv'd to adhere ought to have had as much force at Sedgefield as it had at Easington in inspiring one as it did the other to withstand the Shock which hath furiously overturn'd so many of the elder stronger Clergy both in the Cathedrall Diocess scar'd them out of their Allegiance unto their Lawfull Prince into submission to a Forrain Usurper The last words of a Dying man are usually very powerfull with all his Relations And surely the last exhortations of a Departing Visitor in such a manner for such a cause should have had the like effect If my late example as well as zeal express'd in my address to the Clergy in my conclusive Visitation in the Church of St. Mary-le-Bow Nov. the 15 1688 proved unsuccessfull ineffectuall to perswade the Rectors of the Parishes of my Jurisdiction to espouse the Cause of an oppress'd Prince imitate an honest Leader faithfull Servant to the Crown who was resolv'd to sacrifice all rather than desert his Soveraigne in misery Yet it ought not to be so contemptible with either of you my own Cutates as to be rejected but should have stopp'd you in your Carreer had you been bent to run with never so much eagerness into slavery under a Belgick yoke nay ought to have been esteem'd so forcible to such immediate Dependants as you to whom I now speak that it should have been hardly possible for either of you to resist it And that either of you should date thus to rebuke me by your practice abandon all hopes expectations of kindness from me by betraying me it deserves no milder expression I look on as a high act of contempt receive with all those resentmens of Displeasure that are allowable in a Christian I did not expect that both or either of you should have immitated me so far then as to have deserted your Stations tho I am perswaded that my doing so was the best wisest action of my whole life but if both of you rather than renounce your sworn fidelity to King Iames swear Allegiance to an ambitious Prince his son in law Nephew who had by fraud force depos'd his Uncle nay Father had been forced so to do desert the Nation as I did as well a my Floks committed to your Care it would have been a thing very edifying gratefull unto me oblig'd mee to have taken care of you allow'd you a share of whatsoever I had to support me not suffering you to want bread as long as I had it which yee had no reason to suspect that God's Providence a gracious Master's kindness would deny me in the deepest adversity abroad I am sure that yee two who have not only been long resident in my house family but often admitted into my closet sometimes into my very bosome ought to have conceiv'd such an opinion should have taken it for granted by great experience of me without any farther Declaration Tho you had not such particular positive assurances thereof as I seasonably gave a certaine Divine I much valued to deliver him out of those temptations whereinto hee being unhappily Metamorphosed in another Region did however willfully run himselfe to the Injury of his Conscience and dishonour of himselfe freinds You therefore my lapsed Assistant whom I had drawn away from my native soile hoping that as you have breathed the same air you would always profess the same principles to be my comfort support in a remote part of the Nation for the remainder of my life do strangely disappoint my hopes are so much the more blame-worthy since God Almighty did assist me poor weak unworthy Labourer in his Vinyard with such a happy fore-sight of matters relating to the late unfortunate change in government that I was instrumeâ—tall in the bringing to the view of all those who related to me such a Prospect of the things that did at that time portend ill as well as future 〈…〉 might render a person stupid who should