whole Christian World which either is or would be governed by Bishops as the most Apostolick Primitive and Universal Way Would you have me disown the right succession of the power Ministerial conferred by Episcopal hands unto this day Shall the Jewish Church have the Heads of their Tribes as Bishops and Rulers over their Brethren the Priests and Levites and the Christian Church in imitation of them as in other particulars so in this have their Apostles Evangelists their Pastors and Teachers without reproach and may not I O it is certain that what is once well done in a regular publick way is ever after done as to the permanency of that vertue that is always in a great and good example Shall I lay aside Primitive and right Episcopacy which hath such grounds from Scripture both as to the divine wisdom so ordering his Church among the Jews as also by the example Precept and Direction evident from our Lord Jesus Christ and the holy Apostles in the New Testament who preferred worthy persons for their Piety Zeal and holy Gravity to exercise a Christian authority over Ministers and people for their souls good which might consist with charity and humility for the preservation of the Churches peace and purity in the best and primitive times such grave persons as for their Age were Fathers for their innocency Saints for their industry Labourers for constancy Confessors for zeal Martyrs for charity Brethren for their light Angels and venerable for all Excellencies And I own no other Bishops but such in whom are remarkable the vertues of the most ancient and imitable Bishops the Industry of St. Austin the Courage of St. Ambrose the Devotion of St. Gregory the Learning of Nazianzen the Eloquence of St. Chrysostome the Mildness of St. Cyprian the Love of St. Ignatius the Constancy of St. Polycarp the Nobleness of St. Basil and those come nearest the Apostolical pattern and resemble the most of any Christians or Ministers the Grace and Glory of our Lord Jesus Christ I endeavour that my Bishops may be among Christians the most faithful among Men the most civil among Preachers the most painful among Orators the most perswasive among Governours the most moderate among pious Men the most fervent among Professors the most forward among severe Men the most exact among Sufferers the most patient among Perseverants the most constant the most compleat every way and perfect unto every good work These I take care should be duely chosen should be esteemed with honour and reverenced with love My Rule to them is That they should over-rule with vigilance should rule with joynt counsel neither levelled with younger Preachers and Novices nor exalted too much above the grave and Elder I allow these men an honourable competencie with eminency wherewith they may exercise a large heart and liberal hand which may conciliate a general respect and deserve the common Love. My direction to them is that their vertue and piety may preserve the Authority of their places and this is the order peace and dignity of the Church that they may be the Touchstone of Truth the Loadstone of Love the Standard of Faith the Pattern of Holiness the Pillars of Stability and the Centres of Vnity such as the Erroneous may hate the Factious envy good men may love and bad men may Fear 2. Can ye blame my Doctrine approved by the Reformed and agreeable with the Primitive Church a doctrine according to godliness teaching all men that denying all ungodliness and worldly lust they should live righteously soberly and godly in this present world 3. Do you find fault with my Devotion in the publick worship of God by Confession prayers praises Psalms and other holy Oblations of a Rational and Evangelical service offered up to our God by the joint piety of all my children the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Communi Oratio where nothing is expressed as my mind which I thought not agreeable with the mind of Gods spirit in the Scripture nor do I know any part of it to which a judicious Christian might not in Faith say Amen taking the expressions of it in that pious and benign sense which the Church intended and the words may well bear Indeed the whole composure of my Liturgy is in my judgement so wholesome so holy so compleat so discreet so devout so useful so savoury so well-advised that I find nothing in the eighteen Liturgies composed in the Eastern and Western Church that is excellent but is in this of mine and many things which are less clear or necessary in them are better expressed or wisely omitted here the whole being so ordered as might best inform all peoples understandings stir up their affections and quicken their devotions in a wholesome form of sound words such as Moses David the Prophets and the Lord Jesus left behind them solemnly recorded in the Scriptures So that according to the primitive care I first laid down Scripture grounds in the Creeds and Confessions and then I enlarged and fixed my Liturgies and devotions as near as I could to the majesty solemnity and exactness unanimity and fulness of publick Prayers upon all holy publick occasions so plainly that the devout soul knows well what it should desire of God and so affectionately that it earnestly desires in it what it knoweth God alloweth and so uniformly that it peaceably goeth along with the Congregation with one mind and one heart in the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace 4. Is it the Rites and Ceremonies I impose that displease you Alas I find the God of Heaven which we worship in England enjoyning more Ceremonies on his own people and forbidding no holy custom to any Christians in order to advance the decency and order of his service or Christians mutual edification and joint devotion under the Gospel Our blessed Saviour hath by his spirit guiding the pens and practises of the Apostles sufficiently manifested the Power and Liberty given the Church and the Governours of it for the choice and use of such decent customs Rites and Ceremonies not as divine institutions upon the consciences butashumane injunctions upon the practises as agree with godly manners and the truth of the Gospel and may best serve for order decency peace solemnity and mutual edification of Christians agreed upon by publick consent in which every ones vote is personally or vertually included It 's true as the Liturgy so the Ceremonies have something of Rome in them for to deal plainly I did freely and justly assert to my own use and Gods glory whatever upon due tryal I found to have the stamp of Gods truth and grace or the Churches wisdom and charity upon it I would not refuse any good I found amongst them because it was mixed with some evil but trying all things I held fast that which was good being intent upon the great ends of piety devotion and charity It 's true I enjoyn my
discouraged they divert their studies another way I know your Grace heareth not of these matters and I hope God will work in your gracious heart some remedies against them for otherwise the Schools will be forsaken the Church desolate the People wild and dismayed the Gospel discredited and this noble Realm which ever was famous for the name of Learning likely to come to such ignorance and barbary as hath not been heard of many memory before our time Poor souls are destitute without a Guide the afflicted in conscience have none to quiet them they grow wild and savage as a people that hath no God they are commanded to change their Religion and for lack of instruction they know not whither to turn them Oh if the Kingdom of God be not worthy to be promoted yet the Kingdom of Satan is worthy to be overthrown Oh our Posterity shall rue that ever such Fathers went before them and Chronicles will report this miscarriage they shall leave it written in whose time and in whose reign this was done Or if we grow so barbarous that we consider not this or be not able to draw it into Chronicle yet forreign Nations will not spare to write this and publish it to our everlasting reproach and shame By these means forreign power which by Gods mercy this Realm is delivered from shall be brought upon us the truth of God shall be taken away the holy Scripture burnt and consumed in fire a marvellous darkness and calamity must néeds ensue Oh that your Grace might behold the miserable disorder of Gods Church or that you might see the calamities that will ensue It is a part of your Kingdom and such a part as is a prop and stay to the rest I will say to your Majesty as Cyrillus sometimes said to the godly Emperours Theodorus and Valentinian Ab ea quae erg◠Deum est pietate reip vestrae status pendet You are our Governour you are the Nurse of Gods Church We must open this grief before you and God knoweth whether it may be redressed it is let grown so long it is gone so far but if it may be redressed there is no other but your Highness that can redress it The Definition of Simonie SYmonie is an intentive desire or purpose to buy or sell a spiritual Living or any Corporal thing annexed to the Church Grat. dist 1. p. 2. 91. Zanch. de inter cultu Concil compl Sect. 43. dec cont Nic. can 8. 96. CHAP. V. The Church of Englands Complaint against Encroaching Pluralities IS your portion oh my Sons in this life or is it in another Is the satisfaction your immortal souls look for in the emptie vain low and perishing contents of this world or in the full high and everlasting enjoyments of the other world If in this life you have hope only you are of all men the most miserable the most contemptible and most deceitful if in another why so many Imperial Laws so many Ecclesiastical Canons so many Decrees of Councils so mans severe Reproofs from Fathers and Casuists so many Complaints and Reproaches so many Laws and Injunctions so many Attempts and Endeavours in Parliament these sixtie years against your Monopolie of Livings and Pluralities of Benefices Why do you heap upon your selves this envie why do you provoke these Reproaches I provided for you liberally I checked those that opposed your maintenance seasonablie I encouraged your Industrie and Merit carefully beyond any reformed Church in the world I restored you to your Rights handsomly I secured your Rights legallie will not this satisfie you will not this content you 1. It 's but lately that you were thought uncapable of one Living and now three four five cannot suffice you It 's not long since you wanted necessaries and do you now heap up superfluities Lately you could not provide for your Families Wants and do you now provide for their Excess and Pride have you forgot how lately you grasped all and you lost all Alas Alas 2. And will you eat bread out of your Brethrens mouths and will you starve your fellow-servants Are you Ministers so are they Are you Orthodox so are they Are you Loyal so are they Have you been constant so have they Are you serviceable to the Church they more in labours more abundant Oh how many excellent men who out-lived the late miseries Articles Committees Sequestrations Protestations Covenants Engagements lingring out their lives laden and almost oppressed worn out and quite tired with the burthen of years cares fears labours necessities and afflictions are now fain to die in obscurity want and contempt as if the Sons of the Church of England wanted only this to make up the measure of their sufferings That they should be undone when the Church is restored How many hundreds sober and able men are laid aside and contemned by some as Orthodox and despised by others as poor whom the people would relieve but that they are faithful to me whom I would relieve but that I am swallowed up by you When you look big with your abundance and superfluity and glory in your preferments how many hundred able and sober men are ashamed of their Order and Function are wrapped up in poverty and discontent and lost in poor employments whose faithful labours I want whose sober conversations might honour me whose diligence and care might restore me whose reason and learning might uphold me whose powerful preaching might establish me whose self-denial and devotedness to publick good might save me Alas Sirs let none of you think of himself more highly then he ought to think but to think soberly according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith for as you have many members in one body and all members have not the same Office so I being made of many am one body in Christ and every one in me is a member one of another You my Sons having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given you whether Prophesie c. why shall not they that prophesie be encouraged according to the proportion of Faith or Ministrie why should not all be encouraged that wait on the Ministrie or they that teach on teaching or they that exhort on exhortation The body is not one member but many now hath God set the members in the bodie as it pleaseth him and if they were all one member where were the bodie the eye cannot say to the head I have no need of thee nor again the head to the feet I have no need of you Nay much more those members of the body which seem to be more feeble are necessarie and those less honourable upon these we ought to bestow more abundant honour And our uncomely parts have a more abundant comeliness for our comely parts have no need but God hath tempered the body together having given more abundant honour to that part which lacked that there should be no schism in the body but that the members should have the
of their Brethren Where shall they stand or what will they say when he shall bid them make a strait account this is the practice of Satan he useth all means to snare us and withdraw us from that blessed hope sometimes he letteth the encrease of the Gospel by raising up tumults and disquieting the Church of God and stirring the heart of such as are in Authority to persecute by all means the teachers of the Gospel of Christ Again when God gives peace and quietness to his Church he leadeth the Overseers of the people to a forgetfulness of their duty to seek the pleasures and delight of this life and to have no regard of the work of the Lord such occasion the Devil seeketh to hinder our salvation and to withstand the truth and glory of God. CHAP. VI. The Church of England's resentment of Non-residence OH my Sons I have no pleasure in exposing you yet have I no power to excuse you you know that I have charity for you that suffereth long that is kind that is not easily provoked thinketh no evil beareth all things believeth all things hopeth all things endureth all things Alas what shall I do now my people complain my adversaries reproach my Soveraign is displeased my Nobility and Gentry are incensed and where-ever I turn my self Complaints are made Petitions are drawn up Jealousies are whispered and Fears are murmured If I should hold my peace I should be thought altogether such a one as you are if I should speak my tongue fails me I am in a great strait yet you had better hear your miscarriages faithfully reproved by me to your reformation then maliciously aggravated by others to your destruction My words may be smart yet they are wholsome severe they may be yet kind you hear me with sorrow but not with more then I speak to you with 1. It 's sad that after so many Councils Decrees as Carth. 6. Tol. 6. Chalc. 7. Nic. 15. Sardic 14. after so many Fathers charge as Hier. com 2. p. 111. Aug. 7. 4. in B. 16. Athan. in Jo. 7. Naz. apol p. 16. Cy. Ep. 8. Greg. de cura pastorali passim after so many provisions of Parliaments as 30 H. 8. 4. 32. El. 6. so many complaints from friends and foes as 31 Q. El. 3 K. J. 12. K. Ch. a sin so dishonourable to your profession so dangerous to Church and State so clearly repugnant to your Callings as Nonresidence is should yet be named amongst you As 1. Do you read that in Act. 20. 25. Take heed to your selves and to all the flock over which the holy Ghost hath made you overseers to feed the Church of God which he hath purchased with his own bloud c. Take heed be not absent neglect not Do you consider where you are what you have taken upon you Over which the holy Ghost hath the holy Ghost set you over your flocks and do you forsake them hath Heaven intrusted them to you and do you neglect them Overseers and yet come not neer your flock Bishops and never visit them To feed the Church of God that Church for whose sake the world is upheld Oh what a charge have you undertaken will you be unfaithful to this charge are you Stewards of Gods own Family Oh it 's required of a Steward that he be found faithful 1 Cor. 4. 2. Have you the conduct of those Saints that must live for ever with God in glory and will you neglect them Are the souls of men thought meet to see his face in Glory and are they not worthy of your utmost care and pains Oh if you keep beasts you might say they are scarce worth looking after but do you think so of the souls of men of the Church of God the peculiar people the holy Nation Which he hath purchased with his blood God the Son hath purchased the Church with his bloud and will not you look to it What Sirs will ye dispise the bloud of Christ Shall the price of his bloud be lost Hath Christ died for souls and shall I not sweat Are my people they which Christ came from Heaven to save and shall not I go from the City from the Court c. to save them Oh what do I hear may you say when it may be one of my poor flock perisheth for whom Christ died After my departing saith the Text grievous Wolves shall enter in among you not sparing the flock Oh Sirs do you not know that the Jesuite is busie that the Seducers are many Why do you forsake the flocks are you resolved to ruine me First you displease the people then you leave them open to any seditious or factious persons that will improve their prejudice discontents and weakness to their own advantage It 's true you substitute your Curates but alas poor men they are hardly able to live much less to dispute they are hardly able to furnish themselves for Sermons much less for Controversies besides that they are so contemptible that I may here very pertinently alledge that of Eccles 9. 13. Oh that you should betray his Majesties interest and my cause and leave his subjects and my people to the temptations of those men who with good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple with feigned words making merchandize of them Can you stay in Court or City and leave poor Neighbours perverted honest men deluded good subjects debauched and a Kingdom almost overturned As Augustus said to Quint. Varus Quintili Vare redde Legiones so his Majesty so I if yet you will hear me say unto you Oh restore us the many souls which by your neglect we have lost Oh restore that peace which by your carelesness we want Oh restore us that purity of Doctrine and Worship which by publick and private diligence you might have secured while you are asleep the enemy soweth his tares while you sleep your ruine slumbers not while you ride to and fro seeking that preferment your ambition may pitch upon your adversary the Devil and his Emissaries goes to fro seeking whom he may devour You compass Sea and Land for Wealth your adversaries compass Sea and Land for Proselites And did not the late times slander you and are you Hirelings indeed He that is an Hireling and not the shepherd whose own the sheep are not seeth the wolf coming and leaveth the sheep and fleeth and the wolf catcheth them and scattereth the sheep The Hireling fleeth because he is an Hireling and careth not for the sheep Joh. 10. Oh of your own selves do men arise speaking perverse things to draw away Disciples after them Therefore watch and remember that in the Primitive times for the space of many years the Ministers ceased not to warne every one night and day with tears and they could say to their Congregations We take you to record that we are pure from the blood of all men for we have not shunned to declare unto you the whole counsel of
Lacrymae Ecclesiae ANGLICANAE OR A serious and Passionate ADDRESS of the Church of England To her SONS especially those of the CLERGY Printed in the Year 1689. TO THE READER THe Church of England ever since its Recovery from the Darkness of Popish ignorance and Superstition has been no less the envy of Rome then the Honour and Glory of all other Reformed Churches for its Constitutions are Holy and Primitive its Liturgy pious and devout all her Doctrines consonant and agreeable to the word of God. She retains the Ancient Creeds She Rejects all novel and superstitious Doctrines that are neither to be found in nor warranted by the Word of God She retains the two Sacraments instituted by our Saviour and rightly and duely administers them and that whole and entire according to Primitive Institution and that too neither Superstitiously advancing them above the nature of Sacraments nor yet prophanely or irreverently detracting from the Greatness and Holiness of their Mystical and invisible significance Marvel not therefore Brethren if the World hate you for even our dear Redeemer was hated and scorned and shamefully put to Death and shall the Disciple be above his Master 'T is what our Saviour himself foretold they hate me they will hate you also Now altho' it may be objected that there are several scandalous and loose Livers among the Clergy of the Church of England what then does not the Church reprove such Does it not correct such And if they prove obstinate and incorrigible does she not disown such And 't is no wonder that among such a numerous Clergy there should be some ill persons Our Saviour when present upon Earth in his humanity was not withcut a Judas among twelve and no doubt it will be so in all numerous Assemblies while the world endures But this is matter of Compassion not of scorn they are Personal Blots but does not injure the Constitutions or Doctrines of the Church All these things are more amply and fully handled in the following Book which was first Printed in 1663. and then humbly Dedicated to the King and his great Council the Parliament of England and it having fallen into my hands of late after a careful and delightful perusal of it I thought it not improper to Reprint in these times and therefore recommended it to the Bookseller as a useful piece and so I do to thee Reader Farewel Lacrymae Ecclesiae ANGLICANAE CHAP. I. O All you that pass by me stand and see if there be any sorrow like unto my sorrow if it hath been done to any Reformed or Protestant Church under Heaven as it is done unto me O now my wounds were ready to be closed my Ruines to be repaired my Desolations and Wastes to be finished when the Barbarous was checked the Licentious was restrained the usurpers were removed the professed Enemies of different Interests and Religion which persecuted me were subdued and I ready to settle upon the Eternal Foundations of sound Doctrine of Primitive Government of an holy and pure Worship of a decent and comely order to the amazement of the World to the honour of Religion to the glory of God to the peace of the whole Earth and for good will among men behold my Children are discontent my Government is complained of my Ordinances are neglected my Ministers are despised my peace is disturbed and my safety endangered Hear O Heavens and give ear O Earth What could I have done that I have not done Have I not taught the truth of God sincerelie giving Milk to babes and stronger meat to them that were able to bear it and the Oracles of God to all in a Language they best understood Have I concealed any part of Gods sacred Counsel from you Have I not set forth with all plainness and freedom the blessed fulness and excellencies of my Lord Jesus Christ in such a manner and measure as I received from the Word and Spirit Have I not administred all the Ordinances of God faithfully have I not enjoyned and taught all vertue and all grace carefully recommending to my Children whatsoever things are good whatsoever things are true whatsoever things are honest whatsoever things are just whatsoever things are pure whatsoever things are lovely whatsoever things are of good report every holy Duty every necessary Rule and every imitable Example with all the Advantages of sound Knowledge powerful Preaching which at once was able to inform the weak to reclaim the most erroneous to reform the most debauched to satisfie the most curious and to silence the most refractory Have I not prepared with much study and industry with many prayers and tears with long education and diligent care Reverend Bishops Orderly Presbyters able Ministers workmen that need not be ashamed duly ordained and called after an uninterrupted and Catholick succession through all Ages agreeable to that original institution which was from Jesus Christ the great High Priest the true Prophet the soveraign King of the Church the chief preacher of righteousnesse and Bishop of our Souls Have I not I say taken an holy care of a succession of Ministers about holy things who might divide the Word aright by solid preaching might wait upon God solemnly by a devout and discreet Praying might convince Gain-sayers by acute Disputing might instruct the world by exact Writing might maintain peace and order by wise Governing might reform the world by holy living Hath it not been my care and endeavour to keep up the soundness power and life of Christian Religion Have not I laboured that my good people might every where have what is necessary and wholesome for their souls good in devout Prayers in holy Sacraments in powerful Sermons whereby I desired God knoweth to preserve wholsome and saving truth to promote true holiness to set up an holy decency to maintain the wholsome form and power of godliness in truth peace order and unity Have not I held forth an holy Light Rule and Life in the plain parts of Scripture every where read in the Articles every where acknowledged in the Creeds and Catechism every year explained in the Liturgy constantly used whereby poor souls had a plain easie and sure way to Heaven through an unfeigned Faith sincere Repentance a Catholick Charity a devout humility a good conscience and an holy obedience to God and man according to the will of God unto all well pleasing Do not I take care to instruct the ignorant diligently to comfort the weak hearted tenderly to raise up them that fall compassionately to visit those that are sick charitably to relieve those that want mercifully to bury my dead that sleep in Jesus solemnly to punish those that do amisse severely to restore them that have gone astray pitifully to instruct them that oppose themselves meekly to frame a way of Peace Order and Cummunion in which Brethren might happily dwell together in unity prudently rationally and discreetly O what failings of mine then have occasioned these impatient
lying hid in the depth darkness and ambiguity of Original words without skill in Languages How can they attain the genuine and emphatick sense of the Word of God without skill in the Original words and phrases How can they maintain the truths I have established and confute the errours I have condemned How can they detect the fallacies with which my poor people are deluded and convince the gain-sayers with which I am troubled and discover those sophisms in which poor souls wrap themselves darkning wisdom with words without understanding without the art of sound reasoning How can they convey the holy truths they are furnished with to others without an holy Eloquence a sacred Perswasion and Rhetorick which may commend them to mens minds and enforce them upon their hearts how can they satisfie themselves and others in the Controversies of this Age without the Observations Histories and Customs of former Ages and standing in the ways and asking for the old which is the good way and walk therein so find rest for their souls How is it possible for those poor creatures to understand sundry passages of Scripture depending upon propriety of words Idioms or upon the Customs Rites Proverbs Forms Usages Laws Offices and Antiquities of the Assyrian Persian Greek and Roman Governments without a competent portion of humane Learning My Religion was as the Kings Daughter all glorious within attended on by Arts and Sciences those Handmaids who cloathed her with garments wrought with needle-work of divers colours embroidering her with pathetick Elegancies with solid Eloquence and Orations with Sublimity and Gravity with Method and Acuteness with excellent Morals and useful Observations of a very sober sense But now alas it 's exposed to a prophane world with the ridiculous impertinencies and foolish adventures of men zealous but not according to knowledge What empty discourses do I hear what incoherent Notions do I read what vain trifles am I troubled with what pilfering learned mens works do I endure O what abundance of things should a Minister understand O what a great defect is it to be ignorant of them O how much do we miss a competent Knowledge in ordinary Ministers 1. To satisfie themselves and others exactly in the true and original will of God. 2. To explain and unfould the words in which Gods will is originally expressed and to endeavour by all means a right notion and conception of them as they are to be understood in the Scripture 3. To shew exactly what are those saving truths which are naturally contained in those words so explained 4. To confirm those truths so drawn out of the Scripture by such evident Arguments and powerful Reasons as may establish the true believer and convince the Gainsayer 5. To press those truths so made manifest upon men with that power that they may have their proper influence and efficacy upon mens hearts and lives The honest men that are industrious I would willingly encourage provided they have what I wished always and shall now expect in all my Priests and Deacons solidity gravity modesty piety and some savour of Learning joyned with humility and zeal with humanity some methods of intelligible Reason and profitable Scripture-Divinity The Law was published by Moses learned in all the Learning of the Egyptians The Gospel was propagated by St. Paul bred up at the feet of Gamaliel in all the varieties of Heathenish and Jewish knowledge the Primitive Fathers as Clemens Alex. Euseb Tertul. St. Aug. St. Ambrose Min. Fel. Lactant. and others maintained the Faith so propogated by their comprehensive Learning Therefore I have taken care that none should be admitted to Orders but they who are approved by sober and wise men as who have given themselves wholly to these things that their profiting may appear unto all as men of whom there is some hope because of their promptness of wit quickness of conceit fastness of memory clearness of understanding soundness of judgment and readiness of speech that they may in time by art industry experience and observation become skilful Linguists subtile Disputants copious Orators exact Critiques comprehensive Historians profound Divines and powerful Preachers that throughout the three Kingdoms I may have those that may settle the people rightly instruct the ignorant clearly satisfie the doubtful fully meet with the seducers skilfully and promote piety and peace succesfully As the times now are wherein Learning aboundeth even unto wantonnesse and wherein the world is full of Questions Controversies Novelties and Niceties in Religion and wherein most of our Gentry and people are by the advantage of long peace and the customs of modern Education together with a multitude of English Books are able to look through the ignorance of a Clergy-man and censure it if he be tripping in any point of History Cosmography Moral or Natural Philosophy Divinity or the Arts yea and to chastise his very method and phrase if he speaks losely or impertinently or but improperly I as these times are must not admit any Clergy-men without a competency of Learning as who may endeavour by their prayers care and industry to improve the Learning they have so as they may be able upon good occasion to impart a spiritual gift to the people of God whereby they may be established and to speak with such understanding sufficiency and pertinency in some good measure of proportion to the quickness and ripeness of these present times shewing in their Doctrine uncorruptness gravity sincerity sound speech which cannot be condemned that they which are of the contrary party may be ashamed having no evil to say of them I whose Clergy professed to use and prayed to God to bless their long Preparative Studies Meditations Writings Readings habitually to fit them for that dreadful work and for every actual discharge of it I am ashamed of those poor Smatterers who have gathered a few raw and indigested Notions either by superficial reading of the Scriptures or by hearing some Sermons or by gleaning a little here and there from the plainest Writings without any Critical Historical or Polemical Learning who are fit implements to bring in such ignorance irreverence Atheism Superstition and Confusion as shall quite put out the Christian and reformed Religion in this Nation reducing all to the ancient darkness looseness and barbarousness which hath been established by persons of real abilities of good Learning sound knowledge sober Judgements orderly Method grave Utterance and weighty Eloquence which all wise and sober Christians expect should appear in every true Minister of the Church of Christ in such a competent measure and evident manner as they may be able comfortably to discern them and usefully to enjoy them I am ashamed to see a Roll of four hundred and six and twenty Tradesmen who 1. out of desultory restlesness 2. out of covetousness and ambition 3. out of sullenness and discontent 4. out of pride and envy having intruded in former years into the sacred Calling of a Minister are now ordained