Basil tells us that the primitive Church did 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 receive no Minister but with a great deal of Examination The main things enquired into were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a mans Faith Learning and Life and the law was strict in all As to Faith to be sure no Heretick could be Ordained as to Learning the statute was this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or as Justinian otherwise words it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a man that is void of all learning shall not have the least sacred Office in the Church of God But as to the Life and Conversation the Law if possible was sticter yet 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. saith the Emperour we command all the Bishops of the Empire to Ordain no man whatsoever till they have first enquired and that strictly too into his manners This law was made to confirm the Canons of several Councils among which this was one 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 As with us the names of persons to be married so with them the names of persons to be ordained were solemnly publish'd in the Congregation that so whosoever could might object against them That this was the only reason of that practice may be concluded from that of Justinian 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Whosoever can and will object against any person to be Ordained hath his liberty Well suppose any crime were objected and proved what then why thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 let not that man be Ordained let him not be admitted into the Clergy so say the Apostles Canons Again suppose the person himself did confess the guilt of such and such crimes but withal testified his repentance how sped he then why 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Canon admits them not so the Council of Nice 'T is that which the first Council of Toledo thus confirms placuit ut poenitentes non admittantur ad Clerum And this Pope Siricius Si probabiliter vixerit si vitae integritas sit approbata c. If a mans life be plausible and well approved he is so far in a capacity of holy Orders but suppose a man hath been a great sinner and now repents what then why his decree runs thus nec post poenitudinem c. such a man notwithstanding all the repentance that he can profess shall not be made a Minister Nay more a man might be refused in this case for the scandalous lives of his relations 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 If the wife be an Adulteress the husband though never so chast shall be no minister so saith the Council of Neocaesarea And certainly all these Laws and Canons made purposely to prevent the Ordination of Debauched persons are so many evidences how greatly the Church of God doth abhorr Scandal in its Clergy But Secondly It hath been the great care of the Christian Church to prevent in all persons that have been ordained not only the foul and grosser acts but even all occasions jealousses and suspicions of Scandal What was the practice of the Church in former ages as to this may be seen in these Four instances First To prevent the least suspicion of uncleanness in the Minister the Council of Nice forbids him to receive into his house 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 mulieres extraneas ascititias or as others nearer to the Greek subintroductas any woman except a mother a sister an aunt or some such person in whom there could not be as the Council words it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 any the least suspicion It seems that there were in that Age certain women entertained in Christian Families 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Epiphanius 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith St. Chrysostom they were not Wives nor Concubines they were not used for the Procreation of children nor the satisfaction of Lust no 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Gregory Nyssene this cohabitation they stiled the Brotherhood and Sisterhood and they had 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 many reasons and pretences for it as St. Chrysostom tells us But yet notwithstanding this must not serve the Ministers turn the Law excludes all such women from his house and the reason alledged was this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it did occasion no small suspicion and ground of reproach And as to that other sort of women who were stiled 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Deaconesses whose business was in some cases to attend the Minister and serve the Church to prevent all suspicion of levity and wantonness the Council of Chalcedon decreed that no such woman should be Ordained 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 before she were at least Fourty years of age And lest this Canon should not be enough to prevent all jealousie Theodosius made a Law that no such woman should be employed except she were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 above Sixty years old so great was their age that the Council of Laodicea expresly calls them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and accordingly St. Hierom Anus Ecclesiae the Elder or Ancient women of the Church whatever their employment was there was no Young woman admitted to it for fear of Scandal But Secondly To prevent the suspicion of covetousness the sin that is so usually objected against the Clergy the Council of Nice doth severely forbid the Minister 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to take any use for the money he lends no not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not so much as one in the hundred and that as Pope Leo afterward decreed nomine aut suo aut alieno either in his own name or any mans else The design of this Canon was to prevent 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all suspicion of filthy Lucre in the Clergy so Justellus And perhaps the Council of Chalcedon might have some respect to this which forbids the Minister 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or as the Council of Carthage otherwise words it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be a Taker a Renter a Farmer of Lands To the like end seems that law of Justinian 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 't is bad Greek but it seems the Emperour thought the constitution was good and this it was We forbid all Clergy-men to play at Tables and 't is probable enough that the reason was to prevent the suspicion of Covetousness Thirdly To prevent the suspicion of rioting gluttony and drunkenness in the minister the Council of Laodicea doth strictly charge him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not so much once as to enter into a Tavern Inn or Ale-house The same thing did the Council of Carthage enjoyn only with this exception 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we forbid all Ministers to enter such Publick houses unless the necessity of travail oblige them to it And as the Canons of these Councils forbid the Minister all publick Houses so did the Synod of Laodicea restrain all Clergy-men from all private revellings and merry meetings 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
〈◊〉 't is not for Clergy-men to joyn their money and club for wine and junkets as other men do Once more Fourthly To prevent the suspicion of voluptuousness and the love of worldly delights and pastimes in the Ministers the law forbad them not only 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to play at dice themselves but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be standers by and lookers on whilst others play To the same purpose the Sixth Council in Trullo at Constantinople forbids the Minister 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be present at horse-races and the Council of Tours called by Charles the Great forbad all Clergy-men to hawk hunt c. Perhaps some of these Canons may be too severe forbidding the Minister such recreations as being innocent in themselves may by some circumstances be rendred as necessary for him if not as food yet at least as physick but yet they prove that which I bring them for namely the care of the Church to prevent all suspicion of scandal in the Clergy But Thirdly It hath been the constant practice of the Christian Church where it could not by the Authority of all its Sanctions prevent Scandal there by the Severity of its laws to punish it There are two sorts of Persons in whom the sin is and the punishment should be greater than in other men the Magistrate and the Minister As to the Magistrate Laertius tells us that amongst the laws of Solon this was one 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 If a Magistrate should be found drunk let him die for it Indeed as to the Minister the Laws of the Church are not sanguinary but they have been somewhat severe the censures which the Church passed were proportionable to those crimes which any Clergy-man committed in some lesser cases the sentence was only this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or as 't is otherwise worded 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in our dialect and according to our discipline let him be suspended for three years time But in other cases thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 let him be excommunicated upon some miscarriages thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 let him be degraded upon other crimes it rose higher 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 let him be deposed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 let him be thrust out of the Ministery or which is all one 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 let him be turned out amongst the Laicks And if once this were done there was no place left for repentance in this respect the Church dealt more severely with the Clergy than they did with the Laity what crime soever a Lay-man had committed yet after he had been so much time amongst the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so much time amongst the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and so much time amongst the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 after he endured the discipline of the Church and manifested his repentance he was readmitted 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to stand and pray with the Congregation he was in the Council of Laodicea's language a man thought fit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be received into the Communion of the Church again and the Participation of all its priviledges as if he had never so highly sinned But if a Clergy-man for some notorious and scandalous crime was once degraded deposed and turned out of his office if once he became as the Apostles Canons word it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 unhallowed if once he were made as the Nicene Bishops express it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and again 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to cease from his Ministery such a person what repentance soever he might profess was seldom restored to be sure he did 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 perform no holy office any more for ever so much doth the Council of Ancyra inform us And now methinks all this practice of the Christian Church in its several ages is enough to convince us that Scandal in a Minister is by no means to be endured Vses FIrst Consider how much to blame those persons needs must be who charge those Ministers with Scandal who deserve it not The truth is in some mens mouths we are all grown scandalous we are scandalous eo nomine because we are Ministers for a Minister to be ordained as Timothy and Titus certainly were for a Minister to comply with the lawful Commands of Authority as St. Paul himself doth strictly require 't is grown little less than to be a Priest of Baal Nay more there are some amongst us who would be reputed Ministers themselves such I mean as formerly received their own ordination as we still do from the Bishop and yet now do not only take but snatch and create occasions to declaim against their sacred function acting too much like those unthankful clouds which darken the Sun that raised them But besides these there are many amongst us who do most narrowly watch for all our haltings who rejoyce to see us trip hoping that every stumble will tend toward our final fall I am perswaded that those very humane infirmities of ours which are the subject of our own daily sorrow are grown the matter of their triumph they will not allow us to be the Ministers of God because they see in us the imperfections of men Nor is it enough with these barely to report our miscarriages but they must advance them too 't is not more usual than easie through the poison of their virulent tongues to make our mole-hills swell into mountains and every mote to become a beam To withdraw the people from our Ministery their art is to vilifie our persons and the surest way to do that is to aggravate our failings and make them crimes there is not the least Gnat that we swallow but represented through their perspective appears like a Camel and carrieth a Bunch on his back The great sin that is commonly charged against most of us is that of covetousness they cannot say that we are dumb dogs but something they will say and that must be this we are greedy dogs since they must grant that we bark they are concerned to affirm that we bite and that more hard than becomes us Well here is their Indictment but what 's their Evidence How is this sore Article proved against us Why thus the Minister who perhaps hath nothing else but his Tithes to live on makes bold to demand what God and man have made his due we would fain have something and that something is our own too to enable us to those acts of Hospitality and Charity which God requires and these very men who grudg at our Tithes do themselves expect we would have something also to maintain our families to furnish our studies to find us books that we may preach and bread that we may live Yea hinc illae lachrymae this is it that makes us covetous 't is because we would not lose that which every man else is allowed to demand I mean our own we are therefore covetous because we are not willing to
starve or which is almost as bad to beg or live on alms If there be any person in this assembly that doth either raise or spread such false reports against the Ministers of God let him consider what sin he commits and what danger he runneth And here I might as easily foretel you what such false accusers are like to suffer in the next world as to inform you what they have already suffered in this I remember Tully tells us aliud est maledicere aliud accusare 't is one thing to reproach another thing to accuse accusatio crimen desiderat so he And so Thucydides 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an accusation doth suppose and require some crime but if there be none what then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 let the accuser suffer what punishment he well deserves and what that is the same Justinian that made this law doth elsewhere specifie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an everlasting or at least a very long excommunication The Law of England that very Magna Charta to which we appeal in our other concerns as a refuge that is Sacred and Inviolable hath long since provided that whosoever shall dare to slander any Peer of the Kingdom or Prelate of the Church shall suffer Imprisonment but if not if you make some shift to escape mans Gaol yet you are concerned to take heed of Gods Sure it is scandal in a Minister whether it be real or but reputed only is ever attended with dreadful circumstances and events if the Minister be certainly either proved or believed to be wicked presently his person is contemned his doctrine is slighted and upon that score 't is too too probable that the Souls under his charge may perish Now past all peradventure that man who raiseth or spreadeth those false reports of the Minister that prove so destructive to his Parish is justly chargeable with all the sad consequences of those forged Calumnies the result whereof is nothing less than the damnation of Souls Remember Sirs when you revile such and such worthy Ministers of God you revile those very persons who make it their business in Publick to Pray and in Private to Weep for such as you when you basely reproach Christs pious and Learned Servants you cast dirt upon the Chariots of our Israel the Fathers of our Church and the Embassadors of Heaven Remember yet once more when you raise false Aspersions against the Minister of such and such a Parish you do what in you lieth to render his Person odious his Labours vain and his Flock undone to eternity and if so 't is at your hands that God will require the blood of so many Souls But Secondly Consider how much to blame those Parishes are that content themselves with a scandalous Minister if perhaps there be any one such person yet found amongst us That amongst those eight or nine thousand Ministers that are in our Church there may be here and there a man that is Scandalous is a thing neither new nor strange at all In the Church of the Jews that was nothing so numerous as ours we find a wicked Saul amongst the Prophets a scandalous Hophni and Phineas among the Priests and in the New Testament when the Ministery set but aside the Seventy Disciples was confined within Christs own family we find but amongst Twelve Apostles a weak Peter that denied his Lord and a wicked Judas that betrayed him Nay more in the Church Triumphant in Heaven there was a proud Lucifer and many Apostate Spirits amongst the Angels those more Immediate Ministers of God And certainly whilst the Church below is like the Moon subject to Eclipses Alterations and Changes it will not be without her Spots And methinks the presence of some few untoward Ministers which hath been the constant and general unhappiness of all Churches and Ages should not be urged as the peculiar crime of ours Indeed that scandalous Ministers are justly decried and ought to be severely censured there is no good man but grants all the question is where lieth the blame upon whom shall we fix it why thus one man blames the Bishop that Ordains a second blames the Patron that Presents a third blames the Diocesan that giveth Institution and commands Induction But notwithstanding all this what if I tell you and that upon very good reason that the main fault lieth somewhere else As to the Patron that presents he is commonly some Noble person at least some man that is Rich and since he is so let him fee his Lawyer or answer for himself but as to the Bishops of England they are our Fathers and their just honour by the Law of our God are we bound to vindicate and for them who Ordain and Collate all Ministers we have enough to reply 'T is well known that the Bishops of England do not pretend as the Bishop of Rome doth to be infallible after their strictest enquiry into the lives of persons to be Ordained or Collated 't is possible that the wisest of them being but men though stiled Angels may be mistaken 'T is impossible that the Bishop who is neither omnipresent nor omniscient should certainly and personally know the conversations of all nor the hearts of any that come to be Ordained or Collated But yet whoever doth so doth present himself to the Bishop as a pretender to Religion and Holiness and to justifie that pretence of his he brings along with him fair Testimonials Certificals and Subscriptions from some eminent persons who upon their own knowledge bear witness to the Integrity of his Conversation It is true what our Learning is what Intellectuals we have the Bishop himself may sift and easily know but as for our Morals there is a necessity that he must rely upon that Testimony Character and Credential Letters that are given by others And as it is impossible that the Bishop who is but a man should discover the present hypocrisie of any mans heart so is it equally impossible that he should foresee the future miscarriages of any mans life There may be after our Ordination Quinquennium Neronis I mean we may carry our selves very fair for a while and yet break out at last But what then is the Bishop to blame for this tell me is it possible that the Governours of our Church should fly as Cherubims is it possible that our Bishops who are clogg'd with flesh should move in an instant like so many Intelligences from parish to parish from Church to Church that so they may see and hear how the Minister preacheth upon the Sunday and how he liveth all the week after No 't is absolutely necessary that the Bishop though he be the great Watch-man of Israel and the Seer of the Church must notwithstanding see with other mens eyes and hear with other mens ears he must be informed of those misdemeanours in the Diocess which 't is impossible that he should otherwise know himself and that is the design of our
Ambrosius did never read the Scriptures no not in his old age but nudo capite flexis genibus with a bare head and a bended knee And methinks that which the Turks are said to write upon their Alcoran may with better reason be written upon our Bibles nemo immundus me tangat let no unclean person touch me God himself hath discovered his mind in this particular unto the wicked saith God what hast thou to do to declare my Statutes 't is such a Text as once stopp'd Origens mouth and if our lives be wicked may justly stop ours too Sure it is if the Scriptures be thus holy and if these holy Scriptures be as Saint Ambrose was wont to call them libri sacerdotales the Priests Books so ours as no mans else we are concerned that our persons and our lives be what these Books not only are but require too Righteous Just and Holy Secondly We have to do in an especial manner with that solemn duty of Prayer so the Prophet Let the Priests the Ministers of the Lord say spare thy people O Lord c. the Minister is Gods mouth to man and mans mouth to God from God we bring Commands from man we carry Petitions And how this must be done Saint Paul tells us I will that men pray lifting up 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 holy hands 't is not manus lotas washt hands but manus innocuas innocent hands so Tertullian Certainly that tongue that begs a mercy that eye which expects a kindness that hand which would fain receive some boon from God must be as Calvin words it puri cordis indices signes of a pure heart and a spotless Soul Thirdly We have to do in an especial manner with the holy Sacraments those 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 those dreadful and sacred mysteries of the Gospel Saint Bernard tells us that the administration of Sacraments is munus plùs quà m Angelicum such a service as Angels never had to do with It 's true Angels have been Preachers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Behold I bring you good tidings c. An Angel hath the honour to be the very first Preacher of our new born Jesus but as to the Administration of Sacraments 't is the Minister alone that hath to do with this And certainly upon this score is the Minister highly obliged to be holy thus Saint Chrysostom 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it behoveth the Minister when he stands at Gods Table to be as holy as if he now stood in Heaven in the midst of Angels We must not be like those whom Saint Bernard thus complains of non sicut Sacerdotes in Altari sed sicut carnifices in Macello they behaved themselves not like Priests at the Altar but like Butchers in the Shambles We must remember 't is such a Service that requires as Thomas Theodidactus expresseth it Mundas manus purum os immaculatum cor clean hands a pure mouth and an unspotted Soul But Fourthly The holiness of our lives is that to which the malice of our enemies doth oblige us Sophocles tells us what an imprudent thing it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to give an enemy great occasion to laugh and jeer us and surely that counsel which Demosthenes gave the Athenians in this matter concerns us this day 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we are obliged to take heed that we give not our enemies just ground to rejoyce against us That the Church of England hath store of enemies we are too sure the Papist the Heretick the Sectary the Atheist all these are the professed enemies of our Church Now if Ministers prove scandalous what then May I not say Hoc Ithacus velit magno mercentur Atridae 'T is impossible to name that thing whereby we can gratifie our enemies more than by being scandalous 'T is sure that the Papist who magnifieth his own good works will magnifie our bad ones too 't is sure that the Fanatick who glorieth in the strictness of his own life will take advantage from the looseness of ours and as for the Atheist who owns no God we shall but confirm and comfort him in that monstrous opinion if we who profess to serve a God do walk as if there were none Well since we have such store of enemies let us make the best use of them that we can from the consideration of their malice let us learn to be so much the more innocent let us be as sure to avoid crimes as they are to censure them If a Sectary shall object that we are Gluttons or Drunkards let our constant Sobriety and Temperance confute them if Fanaticks shall say as commonly they do that we are covetous muckworms let us give them the lie not by uncivil language not by evil words but by good works And perhaps this may be the design of Heaven in letting loose these Beasts upon us perhaps God designs by the worst of men to make us so much the better I remember Plutarch tells us the opinion of Diogenes that whosoever would lead a vertuous life doth stand in need either 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of right and plain dealing friends or else 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of incensed and inraged enemies and the reason he gives is this As for our cordial friends it will be their endeavour to preserve us from vice 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by their admonitions but if these fail 't is possible that our bitter enemies may better effect it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by their reproaches And O that this might be the blessed event of our enemies accursed malice If we will not be stricter in our lives to comply with the Commands of an Holy God yet let us be so to escape the Calumnies of wicked men Would we but make this advantage of our enemies how might we say with Ovid aliquisque malo fuit usus in illo What cause should we have not only as our Saviour bids us to bless our enemies themselves but also to bless God for them as being though not proper and Physical means yet happy occasions to make us wiser But however the way for us to confute their objections is not to dispute like Scholars but to live like Christians to cleanse our own hands is the surest course to stop their mouths and were but this once effectually done our establishment would be the firmer the Motto of our Church would be like that of Venice Nec flatu nec fluctu moveor all the storms and tempests that men or Devils could raise against us would never shake us But Fifthly The Holiness of our lives is that to which the Church of God doth much oblige us what hath been and still is the Practice of the Church as to this we may see in three particulars First It hath been the constant care of the Primitive Church and still is the care of ours that no scandalous person be received into holy Orders To prevent this Saint