Selected quad for the lemma: glory_n
Text snippets containing the quad
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A45300
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A letter lately sent by a reverend bishop from the tovver, to a private friend and by him thought fit to be published.
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Hall, Joseph, 1574-1656.; H. S.
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1642
(1642)
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Wing H390; ESTC R3796
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5,105
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15
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it but I never care never yeelde to emjoy it It were too great a shame for a Philosopher a Christian a Divine a Bishop to have his thoughts groveling here upon earth for mine they scorn the imployment and look upon all these sublunary distractions as upon this mans false censure with no other eyes then contempt And now Sir since I cannot how secretly faulty soever guesse at my owne publique exorbitances I beseech you where you heare my name traduced learne of mine accusers whose Lyncean eyes would seeme to see farther into me then my owne what singular offence I have committed If perhaps my calling be my crime It is no other then the most holy Fathers of the Church in the Primitive and succeeding Ages ever since the Apostles many of them also blessed Martyrs have been guilty of It is no other then all the holy Doctors of the Church in all generations ever since have celebrated as most reverend sacred inviolable It is no other then all the whole Christian world excepting one small handfull of our neighbours whose condition denyed them the oportunity of this government is known to enjoy without contradiction How safe is it erring in such company If my offence be in my pen which hath as it could undertaken the defence of that Apostolicall institution though with all modesty and faire respects to the Churches differing from us I cannot deprecate a truth and such I know this to bee which is since so cleared by better hands that I well hope the better-informed world cannot but sit downe convinced Neither doubt I but that as metals receive the more lustre with often rubbing this truth the more agitation it undergoes shall appeare every day more glorious Onely may the good spirit of the Almighty speedily dispell all those duskie prejudices from the mindes of men which may hinder them from discerning so cleare a light Shortly then knowing nothing by my selfe whereby I have deserved to alienate any good heart from me I shall resolve to rest securely upon the acquiting testimony of a good conscience and the secret approbation of my gracious God who shall one day cause mine innocence to breake forth as the morning light and shall give me beauty for bonds and for a light and momentany affliction an eternall weight of glory To shut up all and to surcease your trouble I write not this as one that would pumpe for favour and reputation from the disaffected multitude for I charge you that what passes privately betwixt us may not fall under common eyes but onely with this desire and intention to give you true grounds where you shall heare my name mentioned with a causelesse offence to yeeld mee a just and charitable vindication Go you on still to doe the office of a true friend yea the duty of a just man in speaking in the cause of the dumb in righting the innocent in rectifying the mis-guided and lastly the service of a faithfull and Christian Patriot in helping the times with the best aid of your prayers which is the daily task of From the Tower Ian. 24. 1641. Your much devoted and thankfull friend JO NORVIC TO MY RIGHT Reverend good Lord JOSEPH Lord Bishop of NORWICH My very good Lord I Received after much entreaty your meeke and modest Vindication of your selfe I pretended want of satisfaction concerning some late actions of your Lordships but now I must tell you and the world together I was fully convinced of your desert and integrity before and this my request was but to draw from your Lordship such a declaration of your selfe as might convince others by my divulging it abroad But of this you have now sent me I must say as not more a friend to you then truth you have not done your selfe right you have not followed your cause halfe throughly and therefore give me leave for I will take it a little more to betray you to the eyes of men and more openly to unvaile your bashfull innocence I cannot without a vocall compassion behold your injured vertue the most remarkable example of the malignity of our times which when I looked it should receive its crowne from God and men quite contrary to my expectation I finde cast downe and trampled in the dust It is not full two yeares agoe when in that innovating age you suffered under storms and threats from over-busie instruments every step waited on by intrapping spyes and informers and brought so far into the mouth of danger that that Accuser Kilvert durst openly threaten you to be the next man designed for his Inquisition How often have you stood as a shield betweene those men and danger who can now complain you are a Bishop when if you had not been so where had they been at this houre How many of those Antiprelaticall men even the most rigid of them have we heard blessing God for such a Diocesan by whose provision and government great hath been the company of Preachers and acknowledging the Sun of the Gospel with your approach setting in your Western Sea or rather rising there in more perfect lustre when the world justly complained it went downe in some other parts of the Kingdome What prayers what praises what wishes were then on all sides poured out for you I should be accounted your flatterer should I but mention them Whereas now in these dayes of Reformation when you might justly expect a reward of your former sufferings as deserving let me confidently speak it the greatest share I see you as much driven at one the other side by an ignorant fury of those you defend and smarting as an enemy to that truth the maintaining of which hath raised against you so many dangerous adversaries I find you still the same man you were before and yet what is strange groaning under the same burthen of censure and worse from quite contrary hands even from those whose duty it is to promote and vindicate you and yet who think they doe that very truth you maintaine good service in punishing you its defender A miserably misguided zeale Father forgive them for they know not what they doe In the meane time what have they to answer for who when they can finde no reall blemish upon you dare like the Romish Imagers in Q. Maries dayes paint fiends and faults upon your coat as those cunningly-cruell men in the Primitive times cloathing the harmlesse Christian Martyrs with the skins of salvage Bears and Bulls that they might be baited and torne by the deceived Mastiffes which would have fawned upon them had they appeared in their owne shapes But I forbeare Onely this my Lord if you thus sink and suffer under evill and killing tongues happy thrice happy are you you know one hath said it that will make it good I shall not I seriously professe pity but envy you for having this eternall honour to expire among scoffes and unjust ignominy with our great Master And therefore now rouze up those drooping spirits which age and restlesse labours have left you fixe your eyes stedfastly with blessed Stephen upon heaven and rest your thoughts there as no doubt you doe with a calme and smiling confidence and know every stone is throwne at you shall turn a precious one to deck your crowne of glory Into the bosome of our gracious God whom we have thus long served and enjoyed together I securely commend you And till I meet you in another world however this world judge of you shall continue a constant lover of your tryed goodnesse Jan. 29 1641. H. S.