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
in Doctrine shewing uncorruptness gravity sincerity sound speech that cannot be condemned that they that were of The contrary party were ashamed having no evil to say of them when I ordained Elders in every City I had men blameless sober just holy temperate whose judgements were setled whose passions were allayed whose affections were composed whose actions were advised and conversation exact and uniforme since every one did what was good in his own eyes My young Ministers have been unstable in all their ways unsetled in their minds rash in their undertaking imprudent in their carriage weak in their discourses unexperienced in their behaviour not even orderly and stayed in their conversation to the grief of good men who esteem all Ministers very highly in love for their works sake to the joy of those evil men that have ill-will for Sion who cry Aha aha so would we have it O young men who requireth these things at your hands Why do you run before I am willing to send you O how dare you take this Office uppon you until you are called with solemn preparation as was Aaron Are not you afraid now you have newly passed the elements of Philosophy â—nd the first principles of Nature to look into those mysteries which the Angels desire to look into to search into that knowledge which passeth knowledge Are not you afraid to ascend that pulpit whither Luther said he never ascended though very aged without fear and trembling are not you afraid to undertake that dreadful work from which the Prophets fled the Fathers avoided the Primitive Pastors trembled at Do you know what you do when you undertake to be Embassadors in Christs stead to bring back the world to God to be Co-workers with God in the salvation of souls to be Angels of the Church to be as Stars in Gods right hand to be Stewards of the Mysteries of God to watch for precious souls as they that must give an account How can you govern others who cannot govern your selves What power have you over others who have hardly any power over your selves What esteem can you find among them who will naturally dispise your youth Did not Philosophy think you fit O young men to hear Morals and shall Divinity admit you to read divine Lectures How can you in the heat of youth in the vigour of your lusts appear in the world perswading men to mortifie their lusts to crucifie the flesh with the affections and lusts With what hope can you endeavour to compose the world to that great Rule to which you cannot compose your selves How will you behave your selves as guides among persons whose years and experience are so much beyond yours How impertinently will you converse how weakly will you discourse how imprudently will you deal how contemptibly will you live among a staid and discreet people wiser then you in their Generations The goodness of God having furnished man with two chief Instruments saith an incomparable man both necessary for this life hands to exercise and a mind to devise great things the one is not profitable longer then the vigour of youth doth strengthen it nor the other greatly till age and experience have brought it to perfection SECT 2. Of Debauched Men ordained 1500. OH am I as Juhan blasphemed the sanctuary of all prophaneness Am I a refuge for all licentiousness Whom a strict Colledge expels whom the severe University discountenanceth whom civil men note with a mark of hatred and abhorrence must I admit to my sacred Order and honour with my most solemn Ministrations My care is that each Minister should be of an holy and unblameable conversation What have these poor creatures to do to take Gods word held forth by me in their mouths seeing they hate to be reformed O my reverend Sons what do you bring a man to teach the world a God and his service Who is without God in the World What do you send them to speak of that God who is not in all their thoughts Why are they employed to propogate the knowledge of God who desire that the knowledge of the holy One may cease from them To what purpose do they preach an holy Life who never intend to live it Why do they put those poor souls to pray for those things of God which they do not desire to read that Bible which they do not believe to bind those heavy burthens upon the people which they themselves do not intend to bear to teach that on the Sabbath demurely which they will contradict throughout the Week profanely Is there any need of authorizing publick patterns of impiety Do you intend to destroy what ye have built I know you not Why then do you send lewd Ministers to teach men by an evil example that prophaneness which I have endeavoured to reform by my good instructions Wo is me that I see those within me running to all excels of riot who are imployed to teach a pure Religion and undefiled before God. You O reverend Fathers taught men to deny all ungodliness and worldly lusts and live soberly justly and godly in this present world and will you suffer men to go from among you to teach all ungodliness and worldly lusts O alas one man a Divine and a Beast What consecrated to God and devoted to sin An abomination in the holy place Behold thou art called a Minister and restest in the Law and makest thy boast of God and knowest his will and approvest the things that are more excellent being instructed out of the Law and art confident that thou thy self art a Guide to the blind a light to them which are in darkness an Instructer of the foolish a Teacher of babes which hast the form of knowledge and of the truth of the Law thou therefore that teachest another teachest thou not thy self thou that preachest a man should not steal dost thou steal thou that sayest a man should not commit adultery dost thou commit adultery thou that abhorrest Idols dost thou commit Sacriledge thou that makest thy boast of the Law through beeaking the Law dishonourest thou God for the Name of God is blasphemed among the people through you SECT 3. Of Vnlearned Men Ordained I Am ashamed that that ignorance which formerly found preferment should now find orders too and that I should settle them legally in that calling whereunto I alwayes said they had illegally intruded themselves It was too much to suffer that daring ignorance to Vsurp the sacred Office much more to consecrate it to it The late Miscarriage want nothing to compleat them but to be hallowed The Catholick Church never entertained a Ministry but what was qualified either with extraordinary gifts from above or with humane learning from below by which the mind being instructed and improved in all the riches of wisdom and knowledge which are part of the glory and image of God in man by this learning all truths are clearly unfolded How do you think poor souls can clear divine truths
to heart alledging that they saw no more Religion in the world then Interest and Gain they knew not what to do to be saved Alas you are not sensible that there may be hundreds in Hell that you looked not after cursing the day that ever you were born that ever you were sent into the World that there should be so many Wretches that lived only to damn men If it be a Charge you desire why do you not attend unto that flock over which the holy Ghost made you overseers Why do you not in that calling wherein you are called abide with God Is it possible for you to serve two Cures you will hold to the one and despise or neglect the other and is it possible for you to be saved Lord what if you gained the World at the rate of undoing souls Do you consider that the bread you eat is the price of souls How can you eat with comfort and think Oh some of my charge may be now going to Eternity and I prepared them not How can you sleep securely and think Some of my charge may awake to morrow in another World whether of Wo or Well I know not How can you die peaceably and think Where shall we meet the many souls that have gone before us out of our Congregations Oh where are ye O immortal souls with God or for ever departed from the presence of the Lord Oh did you ever read that of St. Bernard Qui non unus sed plures in beneficiis non unus sed plures in suppliâ—iis If you pity not me once again by these courses decaying if you pity not poor souls by this means perishing Oh pity your selves and have mercy upon your own fouls Alas that men should be educated chargeably should study diligently should be ordained solemnly to delude souls to mock God to deceive the world and undoe men for two or three or four hundred pounds yearly during a short life that you should appear in a Pulpit if yet you do appear in a Pulpit for a little Maintenance that you should appear very solemnly every Sunday only to put a trick upon God and men I hope better things of you and things that accompany salvation though thus I speak In the Primitive times every Church of so many souls as are of your Parishes had many Ministers whereof the ablest speakers did most in publick and the rest did the more of the less publick work which some mistake for ruling Elders but now one of you takes the care of many Churches The Popish times I mean years 632. could divide England into Parishes for the better discharging of the cure of souls our times unite those Parishes again for the better maintenance of pride and vanity Is it for this that we are reformed is it for this we are Protestants then each Parish had their Ministers to pray with them ferventlie to teach them faithfully to comfort them seasonablie to converse with them usefully Ah! in quae nos reservamur tempora Now now my people are neglected my buildings are ruined my hospitality is lost my authority is shrunk and faln and the Church of England is thought to be nothing else but the interest of a few crafty Clergymen ordering all things to their best advantage Though Envy may know and Prejudice it self may consider I am a Church made up of godly and religious men Princes Nobles Gentry Bishops Ministers and people maintaing an Orthodox Doctrine a Primitive Government a pure and orderly Worship a severe Discipline and a Christian Communion in Word and Sacrament who have forbid these extravagancies by wholsome Laws checked them by severe Canons and disallowed them by fair and just means imaginable In the darkest and most superstitious times I ordered That no Monks i. e. idle persons should take Livings of Bishops or appropriate the Revenues of them to themselves but that the Priests serving those Cures and the Churches might be provided with necessaries Do you know why Monks were pulled down in H. 8. time Lay it to heart I beseech you for many look for your fall too 1. They were accused for engrossing Wealth and trade and do you hear what the world saith of you 2. They were accused for impoverishing Parish-Priests and decrying Preaching as ministring Matter of Schism and Disputes and magnifying their own performances of Prayer and Devotion by which and other Artifices they undermined the poor Priests and procured that many Churches presentative with their Glebes and Tyths were appropriated to their Covents leaving but a poor pittance for the Parish-Vicar This was the occasion of the first Impropriations I pray God your carelesness doth not occasion another Oh remember Robert Whitgifts the Abbot of Wellow's speech who was wont to say That they and their Religion could not long continue because said he I have read the whole Scripture over and over and never found that Monasteries and I may add pluralities were founded by God for said the honest Abbot every planting which my heavenly Father hath not planted shall be rooted up Do you remember that Lay-parliament in King H. 8. his time wherein the Nobles and Commons assembled signified to the King that the Temporal profession of Abbots Priors c. vainly spent would suffice to find 150 Earls 1500 Knights 6200 Esquires 100 Hospitals do you remember those Mock-Parliaments that often considered how many 1000 men your Tythes ill bestowed upon you as they thought would maintain You were once undone now are you made whole I beseech you my sons sin no more lest a worse thing come unto you Bishop Jewel on 1 Thes p. 71. Forasmuch brethren as we were kept from you for a season concerning sight but not in heart we are enforced the more to see your face with great desire Therefore we would have come unto you I Paul at least once or twice but Satan hindred us Such a zeal and care had he over the people of God. Oh in what case then are they that are careless and have no regard of the people of God! which hunt after Livings and bend not themselves to do good which serve their own belly and seek to be rich and eat up the people of God as if they were bread they cannot say they have a desire to see the face of their flock and that their heart is with them howsoever they find time for other matters they can never take time to know their sheep and they do the work of the Ministry among them they care not for them they think not of them they plant not they water not they watch not they give no warning of the dangers at hand they teach them not to deny all ungodliness and worldly lusts and to live soberly righteously and godly in this present world It were happy if all such were removed out of the Church of God they destroy the souls and lead them to destruction by their negligence What account shall they give unto God for the souls
communicate to them of my children that teach in every good thing 11. Do you envy my just Power and Authority whereby with the wisdom gravity and integrity of such men as are invested with that power I may check all abuses and disorders in the Church and by a well-ordered discipline I may recover my self to my former glory and renown for which I was spoken of throughout the World 12. Do you except against the private infirmities the personal failing of my Bishops and Ministers as less strict and unblameable in their lives less painful in their calling less prudent in their undertakings or less compassionate in their Government though all the world knoweth that within me Learning flourisheth knowledge multiplyeth Grace aboundeth excellent Preaching thriveth Sacraments are duly administred the fruits of Gods spirit are mightily diffused hospitable kindness is exercised Christian Charity is maintained plain heartedness and Good works are eminent though I know the Christian world cannot shew men more eminent then some of my Clergy are for well-weighed knowledge for Christian Courage and Patience for sincere piety for indefatigable industry for Care and Vigilancy for exemplary Vertue for sound Doctrine useful Writing prudent Governing for a firm Constancy for fatherly Instructions charitable Corrrections and imitable conversations who guide the people without any allowed licentiousness in conversation any undecency in Devotion any irregularitie in Administration in all which according to the sacred direction of Gods Word according to the heavenly assistance of Gods spirit through Faith in Jesus Christ they teach them to worship the only true God who is blessed for ever as the admirable instruments of Gods glory and the good of mens souls teaching them a fruitful and effectual Faith a sound and judicious knowledge an hearty and sincere Love a discreet and prudent Zeal a severe and through Repentance fervent and devout Prayers godly and unfeigned Sorrow spiritual and unspeakable Comforts well grounded and firm Hope heavenly and holy Conversation a meek obedience and submission in the general frame of Christian mens carriage Though I have men famous for greatness of Learning soundness of Judgement gravity of Manners and Sanctity of Lives yet among my ten thousand Ministers it 's likely some may do amiss If when there was but three men in the world one was a Murtherer if among Noah's sons one of the three was disobedient If among Jacob's children of two one was prophane if of twelve Apostles one was a Devil another dissembled and a third denyed his Master if among the Asian Angels there is none but was to be reproved if among the few Primitive Preachers there was a Demas that loved the present world a Diotrephes that loved the preeminence among my so many thousand Clergy it 's not likely but that some may fall short of the severe exactness required in all Ministers who ought to be patterns in good works Oh my Clergy are not Angels but men subject to the like infirmities with other men If they should say they have no sin they would deceive themselves and the truth would not be in them but if they confess their sins he is faithful and just to forgive them their sins and to cleanse them from all unrighteousness Be Perfection the glory of other Church-members the glory of mine is Sincerity Without all peradventure the most holy and all-seeing God who walketh in the midst of the Golden Candlesticks whose pure eyes are most intent upon the Ministers of the Church hath found iniquity in his servants the Bishops and other Ministers both as to their persons and professions all things being open and naked to him with whom we have to do 1. He observes how many consecrated and set apart to the service of God and his Church in the name place power and authority of Jesus Christ and approaching his gracious presence with Aaron in the holy of holies in the glorious manifestations of God in Christ to his Church by publick Ordinances and spiritual Influences have not so sanctified the Name of the Lord God their God in their Hearts and Lives in their Doctrines and Duties 2. The great Searcher of hearts knoweth how rashly many of his Ministers undertake how carelesly they manage that great and terrible work under which Angels may swoon and great Apostles cry Who is sufficient for these things how vulgarly they converse how lazily they live how loosely they behave themselves how ambitiously they design how covetously they reach how enviously they repine how unexemplarily they walk unworthy of the favour and indulgence shewed them to the amazement of their High-calling the dishonor of their Profession to the forfeiture of their Dignity and Plenty the endangering of their Peace and Safety 3. He that is about our paths and about our dwellings hath observed how unpreparedly negligently and irreverently how partially popularly and passionately how formally and vainly without any power of godliness Life of Religion some perform the work of God the great work of Eternal concernment to our own and other mens souls 4. He whose eyes see whose eye-lids try the children of men hath looked down from heaven and observed the iniquity of some mens holy things their dead and unreasonable instead of a living and acceptable service he hath taken notice of that supine negligence which hath sunk some mens Ministrations below the just majesty solidity and gravity of Gospel-dispensations others by an affected height and depth for want of plain instruction and charitable condescending amuse the poor people who know not what they say nor whereof they do affirm 5. He that will reprove and set mens sins in order before them hath taken notice of some mens remiss compliance and others exact rigours according to their private tempers judgements and passions whereby they swerved too much from that just charity discretion legality and constancy which my Canons intented and my constitution health and peace required especially in the peevish touchinesse of these times when so many subtile and envious ones lie in wait to destroy me Yet my Church-mens exorbitancies are not my constitutions their failings are not my frame their infirmities are not my nature their fall is no more mine who disallows it then the Angels fall may be the Heavens that forbid it their weaknesses are humane my authority is divine that charity which thinketh no evil will not lay upon me those enormities which I forbid by a Law which I restrain by Discipline which I mourn for in mine Humiliation and discountenance in those great patterns that shew a most excellent way These sins O the Christian world are transgressions of my Law affronts to my Authority the baffles of my Cannons and Injunctions O that my Apologie were written yea printed in a book for the satisfaction of the world that the good that I would do that I cannot do and the evil that I would not do that I do I find a law of my members against the law of my mind So