murmers which I hear What faults of mine have raised those bitter reproaches which I bear What enormities of mine have provoked those imminent dangers which I fear O why is it that ye who own my Saviour who have submitted to my Doctrine as your Rule who have partaked of my Sacrament as your refreshment and comfort O why is it that ye hate and dispise me that ye strip and wound me that ye tear and mangle me that ye impoverish and debase me that ye make me a scorn an abomination an hissing and astonishment to all that see me a derision and a mocking to my enemies round about me Alas all men of weight and worth for parts and piety for judgement and ingenuity for conscience and integrity for grace learning and renown know my innocency thus far that as to the foundation of Faith and Rule of holiness I have only adhered to Gods blessed Word as for the Circumstances and Ceremonies of Religion I use in them prudently and charitably that liberty and power which I suppose is allowed here for peace order and decency by that blessed God who is not the Author of Confusion but of peace as in all the Churches of the Saints If we may believe the integrity of those Reformers that setled this Church whose learning worth and piety hath been confirmed by the Testimony of so many wise and religious Princes by the approbation of so many learned and reverend Convocations by the applauses of so many other reformd Churches if we may believe the preaching living and dying of so many hundred excellent Bishops and Ministers or the Prayers and proficiencies of so many thousand of godly Christians or if we may believe the wonderful blessings and special graces of a merciful God attesting the verity integrity and sanctity of my Christian Constitution for many happy years or if you will believe all men in England who have by oaths and subscriptions by Vows and Protestations resolved to maintain the Protestant Religion as it was established in the Church of England who dispair any where to find the way of truth and peace of holiness and happiness but in the use of those holy means and in the exercise of those divine graces which accompany salvation within me professed and enjoyed I know nothing excellent in any Church for outward policy inward tranquilitie and eternal felicity nothing that was pious or peaceable moral or vertuous ritual or spiritual orderly or comely or any way conducing to truth and holiness to grace or vertue to the souls edification and comfort which was not by me entertained with competent Maintenance noble Encouragements ingenuous Honours peaceable Serenity and munificent plenty In which I flourished so many years by Gods goodness and mans indulgence Alas whatever I have done in the settlements of the Rites Circumstances and Decencies of Religion I have observed that modesty wisdom and humility that became a Church of Christ in discreetly and ingeniously complying with sober primitive and venerable Antiquity in the Church as far as it observed the Rules of Gods Word and went not beyond the liberty allowed it in point of Order and Decency O you are too knowing to be ignorant and too ingenious to be insensible of your duty to God and your respect to me who was heretofore so much loved by my Children applauded by my Friends reverenced by my Neighbours seared and envyed by mine Enemies for those spiritual Gifts Ministerial Devotional and Practical which were evidently seen in me those heavenly influences which people received from me those gracious examples and frequent good works set forth by me the blessed experiences men enjoyed with me the charitable simplicities exercised by my members the numerous Assemblies the frequent Devotions the reverent Attentions the unanimous Communions the well-grounded hopes and unspeakable comforts which thousands enjoyed both living and dying in obedience to and communion with me which to impartial men were most impregnant evidences and valid demonstrations of true Religion and a true Church setled by the joynt consent and publick piety of a Christian Nation He was a wise holy and reverend Son of my bosome who said That in the greatest maturity of his Judgement and integrity of his Conscience when most redeemed from juvenile Fervours popular Fallacies vulgar Partialities and secular Flatteries he declared to the present Age and posterity that since he was capable to move in so serious a search and weighty a disquisition as that of Religion is as his greatest design was through Gods grace to find out and persevere in such a profession of Christian Religion as hath most of truth and order of power and peace of holiness and solemnity of divine verity and Catholick antiquity of true charity and holy constancy so he could not apart from all prejudices and prepossessions find in any other Church or Church-way ancient or modern either more of the good he desired or less of the evil he would avoid then he had a long time discerned and upon a stricter scrutiny more and more in the frame and form in the Constitution and Dispensation of the Church of England No where saith he diviner Mysteries no where sounder Doctrinals bolier Morals warmer Devotionals apter Rituals or comlier Ceremonials All which together by a meet and happy concurrence of piety and prudence brought forth such Spirituals and Graces both in their Habits Exercises and Comforts as are the Quintessence and Life the Soul and Seal of true Religion those more immediate and special Influences of Gods holy Spirit upon the Soul those joynt Operations of the blessed Trinity for the Justification Sanctification and Salvation of a Sinner 1. Can you blame my Government that ancient and Catholick Government of godly Bishops which is so agreeable to Right Reason so suitable to the Principles of due Order and Policy among men so consonant to Scripture-wisdom both in Rules and Patterns so conforme to the Catholick and Primitive way of all Christian Churches throughout all Ages and in all places of the world Would you have me against all charity modesty humility or equity to fall away from the Apostolical way of all Famous Churches and religious Christians to cast off the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nec conciliis institutum sed semper retentum non nisi authoritate Apostolica institutum the Apostolici seminis traduces Episcopos that universam successionem Episcoporum those successiones ab initio decurrentium Episcoporum that ordinem Episcoporum qui in Johannem stat Authorem that toto orbe decretum Shall I not enquire of the former Age and prepare my self to the search of my Fathers for I am but of Yesterday and nothing Shall not they teach me and tell me and utter words out of their hearts Shall not I stand in the way and ask for the old way which is the good way and walk therein Would you have me give offence to the
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
Pulpit Do they serve God in this compliance or do they serve the time If they serve God he was the same as yesterday so to day and for ever Do they serve the times God forbid that they who teach a Religion whose interest is in another world should yet own no more Religion then may consist with their interest in this Alas say poor souls distracted with alterations of times and men to their unconstant Ministers is this way lawful you submit to why then did you declare it superstitious Popish and intollerable these twenty years before God Angels and Men Is it unlawful why do you practise it now was it against your Consciences all the while it was discountenanced and is it agreeable to your Consciences now it is upon a sudden countenanced Oh have you perswaded us these twenty years to venture Lives and Estates against those things you now allow and practise Is it for this you prayed Is it for this we fought is this the issue of all our blood and treasure c Oh it 's a sad thing to see men in the same Desk reading Common-prayer in a Surplice where they preach'd against both Common-prayer and surplice Oh it 's a sad thing to see men build up in a day that which they have destroyed these twenty years It 's intolerable to see men keep their places by Conformity which they gained by Non-conformity when they turned out honest men by crying down my Government and Worship now they keep them out by compliance with my Government and Worship Alas to see men Presbyterian in the beginning of the War Independent in the end of it and now Episcopal Where shall we stop Where we are now we know where we shall be a year hence God knoweth Alas is a good Living the only Creed men have and Preferment their only Confession of Faith It was a miracle that St. Peter could convert three thousand at one Sermon It 's nothing now that his Majesty hath converted ten thousand Ministers with one glance of his eye Ah blessed Hammond thou didst write rationally excellent Gauden thou didst perswade powerfully devout Taylor thou didst urge pathetically honest Nicholson thou didst answer satisfactorily solid Sanderson thou didst state clearly holy Vsher and Hall you did offer moderately heartily and learnedly But who O ye worthies believed your report who would hear you who was convinced by you The King is restored I flourish and dispose of all Preferments and my Converts are innumerable Well I have but two Wishes the first is That all who are gone astray may be reclaimed to the way of truth the second is That all who are reclaimed may be reclaimed from mature deliberation and a serious consideration of all that can be alleaged on all hands trying all things and upon good grounds holding fast that which is good Give me the men who conform upon the conscience of my principles and not upon the prosperity of my Cause who can neglect the most successful errour and own the most afflicted truth who are setled my principles which are constant and not upon upon my preferments which are uncertain Is it the Kings Majesties favour they depend upon he may fail Is it the Church-Government they depend upon that may fail Is it Church-encouragement they stick to that may fail Is it the antient Truth and Faith they comply with that hath never failed and that will never fail Give me Ministers who as they preach so live upon the things which are not seen and not the things which are seen the things which are seen are temporal the things which are not seen are eternal And must I have a Samaritan of Religion serve the true God in the Temple and the Calves at Bethel Must I have a sound form of words in the Desk and an extempory effusion in the Pulpit must I have the same man read Episcopally to walls and preach factiously to a throng use the Ceremonies and say to his confidents they are a burden to him use the Surplice yet unwilling to give offence use the Crosse in Baptism yet say I wish it were forborn Well I shall never forget the words of a wise and judicious Father now with God They themselves meaning the Non-conformists when time was seemed to be and if they dissembled not which we are unwilling to believe were indeed reasonable well affected for they submitted to Government used the Lyturgie and observed the Ceremonies appointed according to Law and order and gave their own professed approbation of the same as well by express words from their mouths as by subscription under their hands yet remaining upon record what hath wrought this change in them evidence of reason or worldly interest and how far it hath wrought upon them in reality or but in compliance and in what order too by immediate assault upon their judgement or by dealing underhand first with their affection themselves do or should best know It highly concerneth them as much as the peace of their conscience are worth and much more then so to be well assured that their hearts are upright in this affair and in order thereunto not to content themselves with slight and overly examination there is more wickedness and dedeceitfulness in the hearts of all men then most men are aware of but to make the more diligent district and impartial search possible in the true Causes and Motives of this Change and for so much as fears and hopes have been ever found the fittest engines to work such feats to enquire particularly what influence or opperation either the fear of loosing what they had or the hope of getting more might have in this work towards the producing such an effect It will best become others to judge as charitably as they may but doubtlesse it will be safest for them to be very jealous over themselves lest so great a Change could not have been wrought in so short a space without a strong infusion of the one or of the other or both into the Medicine that wrought it especially since the conjuncture of time wherein this change happened may very probably raise some suspition that a visible hope and advantage had some co-operation at the lest with whatsoever was the principal cause of this so sudden an alteration If not so nor so but that they find themselves clearly convinced in their judgements of their former errour and that they are fully perswaded that they are now in a better way then that wherein they formerly walked it is happy for them and I doubt not but that they will find matter of rejoycing in it if they be not mistaken a thing not impossible in the tryal of their own hearts O that I had men that in the change of times were unchangeable in their mind and opinion and to hold to their former and well grounded Principle so long as they can neither apprehend any reason of sufficient strength to convince their understandings that they are in the