that it 's no more I but the sins and the sinners that dwell in me 4. It 's you it 's you whom I have nourished and brought up as children whom I have encouraged as Ministers whom I have promoted as Governours it 's you that have brought this reproach and danger upon me When I had with heroick patience endured the oppression of adversaries by a Christian prudence defeated the attempts of Schismaticks by an exemplary humility and piety turned the hearts of enemies and by a miracle of Restauration silenced the mouths of all men you my Sons opened the mouth of scandal strengthned the cry of reproach raised the clamours of the envious Oh if an enemy had done this I could with the same Christian courage I have suffered these twenty years have born it but it`s you of my own bosom family and profession O you my Clergy whom I expected more glorious more esteemed more reverenced before all the world after your constant sufferings who coming out of this fiery furnace might shine brighter then ever you did with the love of Christ and of me his Church both as to the care of those private charges and publick inspections committed to you in excellent order and by due authority and I expected that neither pride nor envy pomp nor popularity neither covetousness nor ambition should distract the thoughts divide the hearts exasperate the humours or provoke the reproach of an incensed people against my Order and Government and the good of all sorts of Christians Whosoever of you notwithstanding the miracles both of your sufferings and relief at such a time as this when the mouth of Hell is open against me shall open any other mouth to joyn in the cry against the Church give life or tongue to any scandalous sin and set that to its clamans de terra crying from the ground that by luxury or sloth by covetousness or griping by insolence or pride by carelesness or looseness by disorder and irregularity shall justifie mens malice against me and by that means perswade credulous and easie people that is true that hath been said of me all is just that hath been inflicted upon me I know not what Wo is heavy enough for him O alas my Brother O it had been better for him he had never been born 5. My Doctrine I can maintain my discipline I can assert my constitution I can vindicate You you O my Sons I cannot justifie wo is me that I must hear your reproach and cannot gain say it Five things there are that tend equally to mine and your own ruine which I must charge you before the world Five things that will insensibly undermine my famous Fabrick which hath been the care and labour of so many years when erected and the miracle of this last year when restored These five sad Particulars are 1. Vndue Ordination 2. An unconscionable Simony 3. Careless Non-residence 4. Loose Prophaneness 5. Encroaching Pluralities CHAP. II. The Church of England's resentment of Vndue Ordination ALthough I am well satisfied whatever the Romanists and others have of late suggested that my Ordination is Authentick Primitive and proper in the form of it is valid in the Author being by men ordained in an uninterrupted succession by the primitive Bishops as they were by the Apostles and the Apostles by Christ and Jesus Christ by God himself and is regular and legal in the circumstances of it being agreeable to the established Laws of the Realm yet not without much regret must I confess that solemn investiture of men to the great calling of Ministers fallen much below its native glory much shrunk in its Primitive sacredness and reverence and extreamly decayed in its first esteem and honour because my reverend Bishops in the great intricacies of late alterations are surprized to bestow the honour of that high calling 1. upon the Young 2. upon the Unlearned 3. upon the Debauched and 4. upon the Factious SECT 1. Of Young Ministers whereof I have a Call of above 3000. WO is me when I have those that teach before they have learned that I have those that would instruct others and have need themselves be instructed which are the first principles of the Doctrine of Christ Instead of the ancient Fathers we have children who are made Priests in all Lands Former times honoured my excellent Clergy for their age and gravity reverenced them for their learning and austerity and esteemed them as the wonder of the World and said Ask the Father and he will shew thee thine ancients and they shall tell thee this age slights them for their youth and weakness for their ignorance and unexperience as persons that are but of yesterday and know nothing We have understanding saith the common people to the young men as well as you we are not inferiour to you yea who knoweth not such things as these As the Patriarchs separated their first-born for the Priest-hood and Moses and Aaron reserved themselves many years for their Ministries and the Law prepared men thirty years for the sacred service and the blessed Jesus the Preacher of Righteousness entred not untill the thirtieth year of his Age upon the great work of Ministry so my Bishops knowing how to behave themselves in the work of God which is the Church of the living God the pillar and ground of truth took heed to themselves and the flocks over which the holy Ghost had made them overseers that they laid hands suddenly on no man neither were partakers of other mens sins but keep themselves pure taking care that men be first proved and then use the Office of a Deacon being found blameless and then when they had used the Office of a Deacon well and purchased to themselves a good degree of a Priest or Bishop then they took care that they should be blameless vigilant sober of good behaviour given to hospitality apt to teach not Novices lest being lifted up with pride they fall into the condemnation of the Devil Moreover they took care they might have a good report of them that are without lest they fall to reproach and condemnation of the Devil But now since the looseness of these late times there are admitted to the Priesthood of the meanest of the people who are not the sons of Levi as in Jeroboam's days every one that will is made a Priest that he may have bread to eat Those Pulpits that were filled with ancient Fathers are now Desks for young children those solemn Assemblies that were rapt up into the third Heaven with pious Sermons and devout Prayers hear the late pedantique Herangues and juvenile Orations with scorn and laughter those people that thronged to hear the wisdom of God delivered in the demonstration of the Spirit and with power are quite weary of that true foolishness of Preaching that consists only in the childish wisdom of words and in the trifling enticing words of mans wisdom I had reverend men that shewed themselves a pattern of good works
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
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
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