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A42593 Gemitus ecclesiae Cambro-Britannicae, or, The candlesticks removed by the ejectment of the ministers of Wales under the power of the late act for the propagation of the Gospell there being a declaration to all Christian people and more especially the reverend ministers of England, expressing the sad condition of the severall parishes 2nd ejected ministers in that countrey. 1654 (1654) Wing G483; ESTC R25456 9,125 15

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Gemitus Ecclesiae Cambro-Britannicae OR THE CANDLE-STICKS REMOVED By the Ejectment of the Ministers of WALES under the power of the late Act for the Propagation of the Gospell there Being a Declaration to All Christian People and more especially the Reverend Ministers of ENGLAND Expressing the sad Condition of the severall Parishes and Ejected Ministers in that Countrey LAM 1.12 Behold and see if there be any Sorrow like unto my Sorrow which is done unto me LONDON Printed in the yeare 1654. TO ALL CHRISTIAN PEOPLE and more especially to the * Dr. Jo. Owen Dr. Tho. Goodwin Reverend Ministers of the Gospell and other Commissioners appointed for the approbation of publick Preachers withitn this Common-wealth of England Grace and Peace be multiplied from the Authour thereof Christ Jesus our Saviour THE poore Ejected Ministers of Wales who have long borne their Griefes in silence and powred out their complaints in secret before the All seeing and All-knowing God committing their sad condition to him alone who searcheth the Heart and Reynes and will judge their Cause in the ballance of his Mercy and Compassion Have taken the boldnesse with the Power of his Blessed Spirit to publish to your Christian Soules both theirs and the sufferings of their severall Congregations who have often called upon them and to present the same unto your publique view That the whole Nation of England and more especially their deare Breathren and Fellow-labourers in the Truth and purity of Christs Gospell intrusted with the settlement of his Church-government may take notice of the Reformation in Wales and learne by the abuse and miscariages of persons impowred in that great Worke to discover Truth and walke according to the Rule of Gods Spirit discerning betweene the true Ministers of the Gospell the true people of God and Saint-like Impostors who have masked the foulest intentions under the fairest pretences 1. The Midwifry of the Act for Propagation of the Gospell in Wales In the yeare 1649. There was an Act passed by the Parliament Intituled An Act for the Propagation of the Gospell in Wales A specious Title But how farre cunning Heads and bold Informers may impose upon a Parliament and abuse a wise Councell This one Act may be a sufficient evidence teaching others to be more circumspect and cautelous hereafter For some men of their own Nation driving more at selfe ends and interests then the Glory of God or the Propagation of Christs Gospell as the issue of their Actions hath now fully discovered their Aymes did represent to the Honourable House of Parliament the condition of Wales as most sad and deplorable overspread with Ignorance and Profannesse as the words Run in the said Act I As though Wales were still a Land of Darknesse the poore Inhabitants thereof out of Christendome sitting in the Region and shadow of Death Which Information though a frontlesse untruth in it selfe and a shamelesse Aspersion upon the whole Nation as we shall shew anon yet served to bring their ends about who framed it The Inhabitants thereof having few Representatives to make known the true state of their Country For the Parliament in their Charity to the Countrey and care of the publick good Did take this Land of Darknesse into Consideration And did put the Act above mentioned upon the Anvill to be framed and filed for the Worke pretended and desired This was the Midwifry of this Act and the manner of bringing it to the Birth Now for the Munagery thereof and how it was executed we intend herein to declare with all Plainnesse Sincerity and Candor and with as much Charity towards the Actors as the truth of the Relation will permit 2. Concerning the ignorance and profanenesse cast upon the Nation But wee will first speake something to the Ignorance Heathenisme and Profanenesse cast upon the Nation by those that did owe better Offices to their Countrey and then proceede what we chiefly intend in this Narration And wee say first and speake it to Gods Glory and not our own That not onely our Nation was converted to Christianity as soone almost as our Saviour suffered But also the Countries of Wales are by the blessing of God and the light of the Gospell of Christ Jesus civilized in a very good measure 1. A vindication of the Laity and in an equall degree to diverse places of England The Gentry are Men of Knowledge Religion and Breeding most of them having had their Education in the best Schooles and Universities of this Land And the Commonalty generally carefull to bring up their Children in Private Schooles So that they are farre from that wild Heathenisme and brutish Ignorance which these Men have injuriously aspersed th●m with 2. Of the Minist●ry And in the second place for the Ministery To passe by many Apostolicall Martyrs and Planters of Religion here among us We say That the Ministers of these Countries were not so few nor so illiterate nor so idle in their Function and Ministery That any should feare the people committed to their charge were in a perishing state Some of our owne Nation for a mans worst foes are of his owne Household Have Preached and also Printed it for a preparative to the said Act and to bring this Trojan horse into their Countrey That there were not thirteene painfull Preachers in the thirteene Counties of Wales God is mercifull and may pardon Pulpit-slanders and untruths which are delivered openly in the face of Divine Majesty But how great an untruth this is we could soon evince if we were pleased not speaking of divers most painefull and Reverend Ministers therein of former times and in our memory To give here a List of the Doctors Batchelours of Divinity Masters of Acts and other able men of Inferiour degree in the Universities that were lately planted in these parts whose Doctrine dropt as the Raine and made the Mountaines of Gilboah fruitfull A great noise was made about the scandalous and illiterate Ministers of Wales We do confesse as in the neatest Gardens there are some weeders so there might be such in the Countrey for there is and ever will be in all Professions some that are scandalous to their Profession yet there were fewer of these then the Report made them But there were scandalous Livings too in these Countries as well as scandalous Ministers and those produced these There were Vicaridges of twenty Markes a yeare and under that There were Impropriators that would have Curats of the cheapest rate they could get and every Parish was ambitious to have a Peculiar Minister For Pluralities of Benefices was not long since as great a sinne as Pluralities of Wives though now an Itinerant may supply twenty So these small meanes could have Men but of small Abilities But those Benefices that were Presensative and were endowad with competent maintenance They were filled with able Teachers whose lips did preserve knowledge and whose Lives were consonant to their Doctrine If the Gentlemen of the Ecclesiasticall