their parts but with as hearty good will all that the 〈…〉 boast of as he did â— more counties than one might probably have been alarum d into so Deep a sense of their duty and condition that our present low Country Cavaliers who have mounted us shewn themselves already so ill riders as to have sput galled us might have been driven away with shame before they had gotten into or fixt themselves in 〈…〉 So desireable an end the Authour conceived may certainly authorise some smartness of stile and Apologize for him in any nationall or 〈…〉 reflections his honest zeale transported him into which as he spake he 〈…〉 that if any perceive some vinegar in his ink he is perswaded they wil discover â—o gâ—wle A â—peech made by the Archdeacon to the Clergy of the Archdeaconry of Durham in the Church of St. Mary le Bovv on the 15. of Nov. 1688. vvith a Repetition of some cheife Matters contained in former speeches since his present Majesties Accession to the Crovvn REVEREND WORTHY BRETHREN It is a Custome in the University of Oxford once in the yeare in the University-Church to have a Repetition Sermon This as wellas other her Customs I make no doubt is supported with Substantiall Reason An Auditory of Schollars and Learned men Doctors Divines have not as she supposes allwayes such faithfull Memoryes but that they need a monitor It is no affront therefore Brethren to thinke that the Gravest Clergy at the most Solemne Visitation may bee men of the like Infirmities Were I not then Convinced by the language of your Actions Whereby you Speak as plainly as by your tongues that you have either forgotten many things of moment said unto you or have done much worse that is in plaine termes undervalued rejected them I your Unworthy Archdeacon might have cause enough once in my life to imitate this laudable University-Patterne in making you a Repetion-Speech which tho long will go downe with you the better at a time when as at present you have no Visitation-Sermon And here it will not be amisse to mind you that Repetition-Taske there in the Church at Oxford is the most difficult Imployment of the whole yeare So that you will have Small reason to imagine that I do betake my selfe to the like course so much for mine ovvn ease as for your Edification And as I shall imitate my Mother the University in one respect so shall I in an other Shee doth not exercise the Patience of her Auditory so far as to bring to their view the substance of many or any Sermons of the whole yeare but of the foure last imediately preceding Low-Sunday viz. the Sermons preached on Good-Friday Easter-Day with those on the two following Feastivalls No more shall I disturb you with Hearing the Heads of any of my past Addresses saving the four last I meane those which I have made since the Death of our Late Gratious Soveraign Tho I might invite you to look farther back being not conscious to my selfe God be praised that I did ever with zeale presse any thing upon you but what was well worth your Hearing and consonant to the known Rules of the Church of England So without any more ado praying for Gods Assistance I enter on my proposed imployment REPETITION OF THE SVBSTANCE OF FORMER SPEECHES SPEECH I. THE former of these four Discourses I made you in the Church of S. Nicholas the three last in this where in wee are at present assembled I shall according to our Oxford-Method entertaine you with the Cheif Most important Points in the same order which I spoke them First in that after a considerable absence a great Change I did Judge it meet to bring to your vievv The Greatnesse of our Affliction our greater sins vvhich provoked God at that time in that manner to punish us vvith the losse of a Meek mercifull Father of our Country A Prince of so condescending a Race that hee was like his never enough to be admired and good natured Father more concerned for the Ease Property of his subjects than for the security of his own Person Prerogatives A Prince of such Exemplary long-suffering bearing with such innumerable intollerable Affronts of his Authority that hee did evince to all the world that it was scarce possible for a Stuart ever to be a Tyrant A Prince what ever might be his own personall Infirmities that had not one of those grosse Flavves in a Monarch which do border upon Injustice Cruelty to his People A Prince that did so abound in Acts of Grace to a stubborn ungratefull Generation that an Excessive Clemency had like to have proved his own as it did his Fathers Ruine Lastly a Prince under whom God forgive our unreasonable complaints wee might have been if wâ—e were not one of the Happiest Nations in the World. The next thing which I offer'd to your consideration was The Gratious Goodness of the present King in not only continuing but Protecting our Religion VVhereby hee did in an unexpected Blessed manner defeat the bitter Calumnies of his Malitious Enimies vvho for seaven yeares before had most seditiously hammer'd into the Spirits of the vulgar most Dismall Dreadfull Apprehensions of a Popish successour Hee thereby proving all those God be thanked false Prophets who had insinuated into the Peoples minds to the scaring them almost out of their senses that as soon as the Duke of Yorke came to the Crovvne vvee should have Masse said in all she Cathedralls in England To vvhich Act of mercy in the King it vvas but an unsuitable unseasonable Returne I could not omit the notice to grudge his Majesty and those of his Persvvasion the Exercise of their ovvn Religion vvith impunity from the severity of the Lavves vvhilst God kept us under the Government of a Prince of the Roman Communion Witnesse the Untimely heat of some turbulent Spirits in the House of Commons vvhich assembled on the 19 of may after his Coming to the Crovvne who flung a bone among that August assembly vvhich vvas like to have brokn all their Teeth furiously pushing on the then present immediate Revivall of the Penal Lavves vvithout any exception of the Roman Catholicks vvho had undeniable pretences considering their Loyalty and services in the Great Rebellion to some respite during the Reign of a Prince of their ovvn Religion But the Major part of that Loyall Parliament vvisely foresavv vvhereto such a preposterous proceeding did tend and like faithfull Patriots did readily oppose soon Quench the flame of that ill-timed Zeal resolving vvithout any more adoe Would God none had ever changed their minds firmely to rely on the vvord of their Gratious Prince for the security of their Religion Lavves dutifully expressing their just Indignation against those rash as vvell as horrid Rebels vvho did at that time insolently make a desperate attempt to overthrovv our Antient Monarchy The Parliament
to proceed in imitation of their Loyalty and according to their examples in all times of Warre Trouble heretofore to stick close to the Crown Not one of them that I could ever Read or heare of having been in the least manner dipt in Rebellion or sided with any Usurper Indeed their Fidelity to their Soueraigne for which your House God bee Praised hath been ever noted none Sir hath better copied out then your selfe whose Name is on that account already Recorded in our English Chronicle The Secrecy Successefulnesse of that Negotiation of yours in your Master the late Kings behalfe with General Monk will not easily bee forgotten among loyall men And I must confesse to all the world that that notable Example Pattern which you have set all your House by your services endeavours in the Worst of Tymes for King Charles the 2. hath had great force on mee been mighty prevalent in inspiring mee with some more than ordinary Resolution for his Royall Brother his lawfull successour and our vndoubted Soueraigne at my first Entrance on my Deanery which did oblige mee to Appeare Act in à more Pnblick Poste than before And doth still animate mee wherefore whatever measures you are pleased to take at present I hope Sir you will not blame mee in my present zeale endeavours Since which time I can say it without Boasting tho if I did Boast a litle this Conjuncture my Circustances would Beare it that I have never strayed in my affection from his Majestie nor failed in paying him all the Honour Duty Respect which I should have renderd to my deceased Master of ever Blessed Memory had the Naiion been longer blest with his Reigne But instead thereof I do not Blush to let all the world know that I have been somewhat more Officious and thought it Every ones Duty so to be in his Service than I had been in his Brothers in consideration of a Roman Catholick Kings Grace Goodness towards us of the Church of England in reference to the free exercise of our Religion Hee granting us the liberty of A Religion contrary to his ovn and making it his Care at his first Appearence in Councell to secure to his Protestant Subjects of the Ch. of England so unvaluable à Blessing neither of which if hee had done could wee have told how to helpe our selves or been absolved from our Obedience which my litle Divinity hath euer told mee I hope euer will is as due to à Roman Cath. Soueraigne as to a Protestant one The Consideration where of hath by the Blessing of God kept mee Vntainted Vnstained throughout the whole transactions of the last 5. yeares I meane from the 6. of Feb. 84. when his Majestie mounted the Throne to the 10. of Dec. 88. when the same Sacred Majestie was disgracefully Driven to the Everlasting Reproach of the English Nation from his own Palace of Whitehall No Feares or Iealousies of Religion Liberties or Lavves dîd ever tempt mee I Blesse God to any undue courses of Resistance Opposition or somuch as Unseemly Capitulation with Gods Vicegerent to preserve them Tho I love them all soe well Dearely that I can bee contented to dye for them in any Place or Manner vnlesse it bee with à sword in my hand lifted vp against my Prince And I dare Challenge not only my Censurers but all the World a state of Hostility will admit of such language to discover any One Act of mine whereby I have sided with or abetted their Enimies in any Endeavours to destroy or Weaken them that I have I say ever either in the capacity of a Private Minister or Publick Magistrate Ecclesiasticall or Civill in the West my first or North of England my last station ceased to practise and Exact a strict Conformity to the Rules of our Religion or to promote an Impartiall Execution of law as long as the lawes were in Force both against Recusant Dissenter Or that lastly I did ever Countenance such Omission of Duty in Others Clergy or layety under my Authority All Places wherein I have Resided will I make no question testifye for mee that I have been how weake unsuccessefull soever zealous diligent faithfull in these particulars And did never in any Revolution Put on the Vizard of A TRIMMER having had allwayes from my Cradle a certaine Antipathy against such Indifferency Hyppocrisy Neutrality as doe constitute that Amphibious Creature which by the assistance of Neighbours which it is hard to tell whether they live more vpon the land or in the water hath given a kind of Mortall Wound to the Church Monarehy of England By such Principles Practices I have God bee thanked demonstrated my selfe A legitimate son of my ever Honoured Deare Father Sir Bevill Granville whom I may I hope in à letter to à Brother bee permitted for my Consolation in so melancholyck a state of Affaires a litle to Glory in sinee his Valour Loyalty sealed at Lansdown with his Bloud is set aboue the spleen censure of the most Malitious Tongues Forasmuch as the University of Oxford one of the most famous Universityes in the VVorld hath vouchsafed to celebrate them whith an Epicedium of their choicest VVits A respect which hath not as the Ingenious Reprinter of the late Edition of those Poems doth in his dedicatory Epistle well note been vsually paid to any but the Royal Family And in the same Temper much heightned strengthend by the serious frequent pervsall of those Iugenious Verses which bring dayly to my consideration my loyall Fathers Example which I carry constantly about mee both to inspire conduct mee I hope by Gods Grace to Breathe out my soule without making any difference in Matter of Obedience betwixt à Papist a Protestant Prince A Christian or à Heathen I am without any scruple assured so is all the World that my Soueraigne King Iames the 2. is a lawfull King hath an undoubted Title which is all a good subject ought to enquire into If soe I am as much assured that noe Power vpon Earth can absolve mee from my sworne Obedience to him what ever wee are told to the contrary in certaine Enquiries into the Measures of Submission to Supreme Authority the Grounds vpon vvhich it may bee lavvfull or necessary as ◠the Title phraseth it for subjects to defend their Religion liberties lavves I wish the Doctor had been pleased to speake out plainly according to his thoughts and I am perswaded hee would haue sayd The Grounds vvhereon it is Lavvfull to Rebell But I shall give you noe more Trouble by way of Information concerning my selfe I shall rather crave liberty to convey to my Younger Relations since they are numerous by your favour and meanes is you please some wholesome Advice for their Edification to establish those who are not Tainted and to restore those who are with the false
to infuse into all persons committed to his Charge and also that he is not asham'd to proclaim to all the world in spight of the Censures he mett with all that he did doth hold the following Queres in the affirmative being of opinion that to hold them otherwise is to place some of the King's Supremacy in the People An ADDRESS vvhich the Dean of Durham sent to his Majestie speedily after the Prince of Orange landed upon his Brethen their Refusall to joyne vvith him because the Superiour Clergy had not Addtess'd before to shevv his Abhorrance of that Unnaturall Invasion vvhich Address vvas intercepted by the Lord Lumley other Lords vvho had seiz'd on York as mention'd page 3. To the King 's most excellent Majestie The Hearty Humble Addresse of your Majestie 's ever loyall and faithfull Subject Servant the Dean of Durham MAY it please your Sacred Majestie In time of an Invasion as in a common Inundation or Calamity by fire VVhen every body is bound in duty to preserve the House Citty or Country vvhereof he is a member vvithout usuall ceremony or compliment to Superior or Equalls I do judge it an Indispensable Duty of every Faithfull right Loyall subject to hasten to assist his Soveraigne vvith his purse as vvell as his prayers to the utmost of his povver ability therefore not daring to stay till all my Betters have given me example in Addressing before me or all my inferiour Brethren have agreed on a forme to Address vvith me I do heartily offer to your Majesty all that I have to spare for your present service thinking nothing mine ovvn in such a time of danger but vvhat is sufficient to suffice nature Assuring you vvithall that I do not only from the very bottome of my soule Abhorre Detest this Treacherous Vnnaturall Invasion of the Prince of Orange together vvith all the other VVicked Rebellious Bloody Designes of his Adherents vvhether Enemies at home or abroad and more particularly of those among us vvho have lately revolted from their Allegiance but do vvith great Indignation Renounce all manner of Violence Force Contempt of Authority offer'd to your Sacred Person or Government either by the Rabble the very dregâ—â— of the Mobile in the Citty as vvell as Rebells in the Field Conceiving gs a great sin to use any Compulsive Arguments to Constreine or Terrify Gods Vice-gerent into a Compliance vvith the VVill Desires of his subjects be they never so much for the good of himselfe Church or Kingdome having learnt in the Communion of my Mother the Church of England vvherein I am firmly resolv'd to live dye other principles than to teach my Supreme or any of my Superiours vvhat He or They ought to do vvith a svvord in my hand or compell a Soveraigne Monarch vvhether he vvill or no to do his duty gratifie his people sooner than he is inclin'd or his ovvn Necessity vvhereof he is the best Iudge vvill permit Satisfying myselfe most thank fully vvith the repeated assurance vvhich yeur Majesty hath already given of our Religion Lavvs Libertiesâ— together vvith all your past present Gratious Condescentions to remove the Fears Iealousie of your people Resolving to stay your leasure for the Calling of a Parliament all other means methods vvhich are in your Majesties ovvn choice for the securing your ovvn Royall Person or Establishment of your Government in Church or State. Nov. 27. 88. DENIS GRAINVILLE Dean of Durham QVERES Put by the Dean of Durham to some Young Clergy men to ansvver privately in his ovvn Study near about the time his Majesty sent forth an order to read his Declaration for liberty of Conscience vvhich being treacherously stolen avvay or falsely transcrib'd upon the interception of a letter to a Friend vvere dispers'd canvass'd up and dovvn the Coffee-Houses of London other parts of England as mention'd pag. 7. and are for that reason printed 1. Whether a Subject is not bound to comply vvith his Prince in every Command or Reasonable Intimation of his pleasure vvherein he is not in Conscience bound to the contrary 2 Whether a Subject is not bound to comply vvith his Prince in some things vvhich he conceives not only inexpedient but such as may tend to the Prejudice of the Flourishing condition of the Church provided the Being of the Church be secure if a lavvfull Prince of a Different Religion doth absolutely command them vvill not be satisfied vvithout Compliance vvith such Command 3. Whether the Church of England vvas not an establish'd Church before the enacting of the Penall Lavvs If so vvhether it is not better to comply vvith his Majesty in consenting to take avvay those Penall Lavvs vvhich his Majesty desires to be abrogated than hazard the Being of our Church by provoking the King on vvhose Favour vvee depend FINIS TO THE BISHOP OF DURHAM MY LORD So Suddain and violent a separation betwixt a Bishop and his Dean as hath been occasion'd betwixt your Lordship my selfe by our late stupendiouâ— Revolution is a matter of too great importance to be pass'd over in silence by one who was driven from his station by the impetuosity of that dreadfull storm which lately fell on and overthrew our Church and State. I conceive it therefore my duty to informe your Lordship not only where but what I am in this age of mutability which hath produced I think almost all kind of changes among men of every Quality Degree Calling but that which Doctour B. speaks of in his letters concerning his travells into Italy I mean the change of sex I need not my Lord give You any particular account of my behaviour or usage in England after your Lordship was call'd up to London about Michaelmass last or of the manner of my Escape since your Lordship was certified by letters from my selfe in the months of Oct and Nov last of most matters of moment relating to the Church and County of Durham tho I had the honour satisfaction of receiving an answer to few of them and may come to the knowledge of other things by the relation of my deportment which I have publish'd in my printed letter to my Brother the Earle of Bathe whereto I crave leave to refert your Lordship all who are inquisitive after me I shall only embrace this occasion solemnely publickly to assure your Lordship in generall that I did faithfully and with as much punctuallity as I was able discharge those Trusts which were committed to me in every one of the places and offices which I had the honour to beare under your Lordship maintain'd my Poste in your Absence not withstanding mighty discouragements till it was not possible for me any longer to strive against that Torrent which had hurried all matters in that other parts of the Nation into great disorder confusion When I saw there was no possible means left for me but to
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
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
which I had given at severall Visitations to your view in one Address as before mention'd which I have printed for your farther edification my own justification And in the next place I knew of nothing better that I could do than to preach to you by my example in leaving my Station my Revenue when I could not be permitted longer to discharge a good conscience rather than involve my selfe in the guilt of an usurpation Which act of mine how grealy soever it may have been censur'd I esteem as the best sermon I ever preach'd in my life the reflection on which affords much comfort to my soule since thereby I clear'd my selfe from the guilt of renouncing my Allegiance as the generality have done which will prove an eternall blot to the Nation not excepting the Clergy of the Church of England T is too late now to give you Cautions against Perjury or to sett before your eyes how much more heinous it is in a Priest than in a Lay man because the greatest part of you allready have swallow'd a new oath to an Usurper And to informe you in the obligation that lyes on you to repent of rather than keep the oath you have taken is to conclude you what I ought not to do not only bad Christians but very weak Divines There is no man that understands any thing of Religion but knows that a rash oath only obliges to Repentance whereof that there might be some MEET AND WORTHY FRUITS brought forth among the Clergy of my Jurisdiction would prove to me great matter of Consolation if it were done very speedily it would be a great extenuation of their crime afford good ground to hope they were overborne with the Boisterousness of a Violent Sorme rather than did willfully plunge themselves in so horrid a guilt Let not the fear of loosing your possessions which I thank God has not prevail'd on me tempt you to lye one moment under so insupportable a load The enjoyments of your Livings will be sadly purchas'd by the increase of so enormous an Impiety And there will be a lamentable Precedent left to your flocks if You the Pastours have not sufficient sincerity to make a speedy Confession of your sin courage enough publickly to owne the same by giving glory to God taking shame unto yourselves There can be no more effectuall way to redeem your own honour than by restoring Gods. Nothing contributed so much to the glory of St. Augustin as his Confessions Retractations consequently nothing can be more to your's than to betake your selves to this Essential part of Repentance I mean the Confession of your Crime whereby you have scandaliz'd your flocks You that have taken an unlawfull oath to save your Benefices have thereby put your selves under a greater necessity of parting with them or retaining your guilt For nothing lefs than so seems to be a sufficient evidence ofâ— your sincerity God hath so ordered it by his divine providence that a sinner alwayes misses of his aim Those that betake themselves to unlawfull courses to save their lives or estates must necessarily forsake them enter on such as are diametrically contrary to the former or loose their soules which are infinitely more valuable than both Repentance ought to be esteem'd by every ordinary Christian a Returning from sin yea such a Returning as requires the treading out the very stepps which the sinner made in order to the commission of it And surely then what soever is binding in the Disciple must be much more obligatory in the spirituall Guide But I shall not dive too far into particulars chalk out the exact method manner hovv you shall make reparation for the wrong which You have done by submitting to an Usurper both to the King Church of England I have reason to beleive that all of you know your duty well enough many I am sure better than I can instruct you since the Prerogative of the King Passive-obedtence Non-resistance were preach'd up with more zeal by you in the Bishoprick of Durham than they were by others in any Diocess in England Where Conformity to the orders of the Church Execution of other Laws of the Land were so well practis'd tho not as they ought to have been that the BISHOPRICK which anciently was stil'd the Land of Preists was generaly reputed the Seat of thorough-Conformists You on the place of acting must see more clearly than I can at this distance tho your eyes have been in a great measure blinded by the smoak of a Rebellion the fittest manner opportunities of making satisfaction for your egregious Apostacy I shall therefore rather than prescribe the means mind you of your indispensable obligation to do the thing so redeem your honour redress the scandall you have given to the increase of your own sin the unspeakable greife of my soule who did faithfully labour to make every one committed to my charge such as God hath given me grace to approve my selfe even an unalterable Loyall Subject to King Iames the second as well as so legitimate a son of the Church of England as can never be perswaded that it can be for her Intrest to contradict her Doctrine Which as I have hitherto profest held fast amidst all the blasts of Temptation from what ever point of the Compass they have blowne I am resolv'd by the Divine assistance to practise unto the end in spight of the most prevalent examples or malicious censures used now as arguments or engins to overthrow mee That such a Generall neglect of Church-Order among the Clergy through the Nation as I long and loudly complain'd of and warn'd you against should be attended on by so fatall an Yssue as an Vniversall Defection should not be a thing perfectly new to You to whom I address my selfe since you yourselves can be my wittnesses that I have often faithfully foretold that an Universall Semi-conformity would end in as Universall Semi-Allegiance would God we had not found by lamentable experience that it had done much more by producing that degenerate offspring who have not only imbrew'd their hands in so horrid a crime as the dethroning their lavvfull Soveraigne but like Vipers have in a manner eaten out their very Mother's Bovvells I do not doubt but that Almighty God hath by this time brought to your memory some of those seasonable cautions memento's which I have plainly lay'd before You in the publick discharge of my Archidiaconall office with some greater force effect on your spirits than they had at their first delivery I cannot have such prejudiciall thoughts of you as to imagine otherwise since Divine Providence led me often to such suitable Topicks as might have prevented by God's blessing had they been generally insisted on by all those who had Ecclesiasticall Jurisdiction and not been rejected by the people much of our present misery the ill effects of which are like to be