no man for his now or at any time being called a Presbyter or Elder can pretend to it for besides his being a Presbyter he must be an Apostle too else though he be called in partem sollicitudinis and may do the office of assistance and under-stewardship yet the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Government and Rule of the Family belongs not to him But then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 who are these Stewards and Rulers over the houshold now To this the answer is also certain and easie Christ hath made the same Governors to day as heretofore Apostles still For though the twelve Apostles are dead yet the Apostolical order is not it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a generative order and begets more Apostles Now who these minores Apostoli are the successors of the Apostles in that Office Apostolical and supream regiment of souls we are sufficiently taught in Holy Scriptures which when I have clearly shewn to you I shall pass on to some more practical considerations 1. Therefore Certain and known it is that Christ appointed two sorts of Ecclesiastick persons XII Apostles and the LXXII Disciples to these he gave a limited commission to those a fulness of power to these a temporary imployment to those a perpetual and everlasting from these two societies founded by Christ the whole Church of God derives the two superiour orders in the sacred Hierarchy and as Bishops do not claim a Divine right but by succession from the Apostles so the Presbyters cannot pretend to have been instituted by Christ but by claiming a succession to the LXXII And then consider the difference compare the Tables and all the world will see the advantages of argument we have for since the LXXII had nothing but a mission on a temporary errand and more then that we hear nothing of them in Scripture but upon the Apostles Christ powred all the Ecclesiastical power and made them the ordinary Ministers of that Spirit which was to abide with the Church for ever the Divine institution of Bishops that is of Successors to the Apostles is much more clear then that Christ appointed Presbyters or Successors of the LXXII And yet if from hence they do not derive it they can never prove their order to be of Divine institution at all much less to be so alone But we may see the very thing it self the very matter of fact S. James the Bishop of Jerusalem is by S. Paul called an Apostle Other Apostles saw I none save James the Lords Brother For there were some whom the Scriptures call the Apostles of our Lord that is such which Christ made by his Word immediately or by his Spirit extraordinarily and even into this number and title Matthias and S. Paul and Barnabas were accounted But the Church also made Apostles and these were called by S. Paul 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Apostles of the Churches and particularly Epaphroditus was the Apostle of the Philippians properly so faith Primasius and what is this else but the Bishop saith Theodoret for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 those who are now called Bishops were then called Apostles saith the same Father The sense and full meaning of which argument is a perfect commentary upon that famous prophecy of the Church Instead of thy Fathers thou shalt have children whom thou mayst make Princes in all Lands that is not only the twelve Apostles our Fathers in Christ who first begat us were to rule Christs Family but when they were gone their Children and Successors should arise in their stead Et nati natorum qui nascentur ab illis their direct Successors to all generations shall be Principes populi that is Rulers and Governours of the whole Catholick Church De prole enim Ecclesiae crevit eidem paternita◠id est Episcopi quos illa genuit Patres appellat constituit in sedibus Patrum saith S. Austin the Children of the Church become Fathers of the faithful that is the Church begets Bishops and places them in the seat of Fathers the first Apostles After these plain and evident testimonies of Scripture it will not be amiss to say that this great affair relying not only upon the words of institution but on matter of fact passed forth into a demonstration and greatest notoriety by the Doctrine and Practice of the whole Catholick Church For so S. Irenaeus who was one of the most Ancient Fathers of the Church and might easily make good his affirmative We can says he reckon the men who by the Apostles were appointed Bishops in Churches to be their Successors unto us leaving to them the same power and authority which they had Thus S. Polycarp was by the Apostles made Bishop of Smyrna S. Clement Bishop of Rome by S. Peter and divers others by the Apostles saith Tertullian saying also that the Asian Bishops were consecrated by S. John And to be short that Bishops are the Successors of the Apostles in the Stewardship and Rule of the Church is expresly taught by S. Cyprian and S. Hierom S. Ambrose and S. Austin by Euthymius and Pacianus by S. Gregory and S. John Damascen by Clarius à Muscula and S. Sixtus by Anacletus and S. Isidore by the Roman Councel under S. Sylvester and the Councel of Carthage and the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or succession of Bishops from the Apostles hands in all the Churches Apostolical was as certainly known as in our Chronicles we find the succession of our English Kings and one can no more be denyed then the other The conclusion from these Premises I give you in the words of S. Cyprian Cogitent Diaconi quod Apostolos id est Episcopos Dominus ipse elegerit Let the Ministers know that Apostles that is the Bishops were chosen by our blessed Lord himself and this was so evident and so believed that S. Austin affirms it with a nemo ignorat No man is so ignorant but he knows this that our blessed Saviour appointed Bishops over Churches Indeed the Gnosticks spake evil of this Order for they are noted by three Apostles S. Paul S. Peter and S. Jude to be despisers of Government and to speak evil of Dignities and what Government it was they did so despise we may understand by the words of S. Jude they were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the contradiction or gainsaying of Corah who with his company rose up against Aaron the High Priest and excepting these who were the vilest of men no man within the first 300 years after Christ opposed Episcopacy But when Constantine received the Church into his arms he found it universally governed by Bishops and therefore no wise or good man professing to be a Christian that is to believe the Holy Catholick Church can be content to quit the Apostolical Government that by which the whole Family of God was fed and taught and ruled and beget to himself new Fathers and new Apostles who by wanting succession from the Apostles
of our Lord have no Ecclesiastical and Derivative Communion with these fountains of our Saviour If ever Lirinensis's rule could be used in any question it is in this Quod semper quod ubique quod ab omnibus That Bishops are the Successors of the Apostles in this Stewardship and that they did always rule the Family was taught and acknowledged always and every where and by all men that were of the Church of God and if these evidences be not sufficient to convince modest and sober persons in this question we shall find our faith to fail in many other Articles of which we yet are very confident For the observation of the Lords day the consecration of the holy Eucharist by Priests the baptizing Infants the communicating of Women and the very Canon of the Scripture it self relye but upon the same probation and therefore the denying of Articles thus proved is a way I do not say to bring in all Sects and Heresies that 's but little but a plain path and inlet to Atheism and Irreligion for by this means it will not only be impossible to agree concerning the meaning of Scripture but the Scripture it self and all the Records of Religion will become useless and of no efficacy or perswasion I am entred into a Sea of matter but I will break it off abruptly and sum up this inquiry with the words of the Councel of Chalcedon which is one of the four Generals by our Laws made the measures of judging Heresies 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It is sacriledge to bring back a Bishop to the degree and order of a Presbyter It is indeed a rifling the order and intangling the gifts and confounding the method of the Holy Ghost it is a dishonouring them whom God would honour and a robbing them of those spiritual eminencies with which the Spirit of God does anoint the consecrated heads of Bishops And I shall say one thing more which indeed is a great truth that the diminution of Episcopacy was first introduced by Popery and the Popes of Rome by communicating to Abbots and other meer Priests special graces to exercise some essential Offices of Episcopacy have made this sacred Order to be cheap and apt to be invaded But then adde this If Simon Magus was in so damnable a condition for offering to buy the gifts and powers of the Apostolical Order what shall we think of them that snatch them away and pretend to wear them whether the Apostles and their Successors will or no This is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to belye the Holy Ghost that is the least of it it is rapine and sacrilege besides the heresie and schism and the spiritual lye For the Government Episcopal as it was exemplified in the Synagogue and practised by the same measures in the Temple so it was transcribed by the eternal Son of God who translated it into a Gospel Ordinance it was sanctified by the Holy Spirit who named some of the persons and gave to them all power and graces from above it was subjected in the Apostles first and by them transmitted to a distinct Order of Ecclesiasticks it was received into all Churches consigned in the Records of the Holy Scriptures preached by the universal voice of all the Christian World delivered by notorious and uninterrupted practice and derived to further and unquestionable issue by perpetual succession I have done with the hardest part of the Text by finding out the persons intrusted the Stewards of Christs Family which though Christ only intimated in this place yet he plainly enough manifested in others The Apostles and their Successors the Bishops are the men intrusted with this great charge God grant they may all discharge it well And so I pass from the Officers to a consideration of the Office it self in the next words Whom the Lord shall make Ruler over his Houshold to give them their meat in due season 2. The Office it self is the Stewardship that is Episcopacy the Office of the Bishop The name signifies an Office of the Ruler indefinitely but the word was chosen and by the Church appropriated to those whom it now signifies both because the word it self is a monition of duty and also because the faithful were used to it in the dayes of Moses and the Prophets The word is in the Prophecy of the Church I will give to thee Princes in Peace 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and Bishops in Righteousness upon which place S. Hierom sayes Principes Ecclesiae vocat futuros Episcopos The Spirit of God calls them who were to be Christian Bishops Principes or chief Rulers and this was no new thing for the chief of the Priests who were set over the rest are called Bishops by all the Hellenist Jews Thus Joel is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Bishop over the Priests and the son of Bani 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Bishop and Visitor over the Levites and we find at the purging of the Land from Idolatry the High Priest placed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Bishops over the House of God Nay it was the appellative of the High Priest himself 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Bishop Eleazar the Son of Aaron the Priest to whom is committed the care of Lamps and the daily Sacrifice and the holy unction Now this word the Church retained choosing the same Name to her superior Ministers because of the likeness of the Ecclesiastical Government between the Old and New Testament For Christ made no change but what was necessary Baptism was a rite among the Jews and the Lords Supper was but the post-coenium of the Hebrews changed into a mystery from a type to a more real exhibition and the Lords Prayer was a collection of the most eminent devotions of the Prophets and Holy men before Christ who prayed by the same Spirit and the censures Ecclesiastical were but an imitation of the proceedings of the Judaical Tribunals and the whole Religion was but the Law of Moses drawn out of its vail into clarity and manifestation and to conclude in order to the present affair the Government which Christ left was the same as he found it for what Aaron and his Sons and the Levites were in the Temple that Bishops Priests and Deacons are in the Church it is affirmed by S. Hierom more than once and the use he makes of it is this Esto subjectus Pontifici tuo quasi animae parentem suscipe Obey your Bishop and receive him as the nursing Father of your Soul But above all this appellation is made honourable by being taken by our blessed Lord himself for he is called in Scripture the great Shepherd and Bishop of our Souls But our enquiry is not after the Name but the Office and the Dignity and Duty of it Ecclesiae gubernandae sublimis ac divina potestos so S. Cyprian calls it a High and a Divine power from God of governing the Church rem magnam preciosam in conspectu Domini so S.
Cyril a great and pretious thing in the sight of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by Isidor Pelusiot the utmost limit of what is desirable among men But the account upon which it is so desirable is the same also that makes it formidable They who have tryed it and did it conscientiously have found the burden so great as to make them stoop with care and labour and they who do it ignorantly or carelesly will find it will break their bones For the Bishops Office is all that duty which can be signified by those excellent words of S. Cyprian He is a Bishop or Overseer of the Brotherhood the Ruler of the people the Shepherd of the Flock the Governour of the Church the Minister of Christ and the Priest of God These are great titles and yet less than what is said of them in Scripture which calls them Salt of the Earth Lights upon a candlestick Stars and Angels Fathers of our Faith Embassadors of God Dispensers of the Mysteries of God the Apostles of the Churches and the glory of Christ but then they are great burdens too for the Bishop is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 intrusted with the Lords people that 's a great charge but there is a worse matter that follows 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Bishop is he of whom God will require an account for all their souls they are the words of S. Paul and transcribed into the 40th Canon of the Apostles and the 24th Canon of the Councel of Antioch And now I hope the envy is taken off for the honour does not pay for the burden and we can no sooner consider Episcopacy in its dignity as it is a Rule but the very nature of that Rule does imply so severe a duty that as the load of it is almost insufferable so the event of it is very formidable if we take not great care For this Stewardship is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Principality and a Ministry So it was in Christ he is Lord of all and yet he was the Servant of all so it was in the Apostles it was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 their lot was to be Apostles and yet to serve and minister and it is remarkable that in Isaiah the 70. use the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Bishop but there they use it for the Hebrew word nechosheth which the Greeks usually render by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the interlineary translation by Exactores Bishops are only Gods Ministers and Tribute gatherers requiring and overseeing them that they do their duty and therefore here the case is so and the burden so great and the dignity so allayed that the envious man hath no reason to be troubled that his brother hath so great a load nor the proud man plainly to be delighted with so honourable a danger It is indeed a Rule but it is paternal it is a Government but it must be neither 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nor 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it is neither a power to constrain nor a commission to get wealth for it must be without necessity and not for filthy lucre sake but it is a Rule 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so S. Luke as of him that ministers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so S. Mark as of him that is servant of all 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so S. John such a principality as he hath that washes the feet of the weary Traveller or if you please take it in the words of our blessed Lord himself that He that will be chief among you let him be your Minister meaning that if under Christs Kingdom you desire Rule possibly you may have it but all that rule under him are Servants to them that are ruled and therefore you get nothing by it but a great labour and a busie employment a careful life and a necessity of making severe accounts But all this is nothing but the general measures I cannot be useful or understood unless I be more particular The particulars we shall best enumerate by recounting those great conjugations of worthy offices and actions by which Christian Bishops have blessed and built up Christendom for because we must be followers of them as they were of Christ the recounting what they did worthily in their Generations will not only demonstrate how useful how profitable how necessary Episcopacy is to the Christian Church but it will at the same time teach us our duty by what services we are to benefit the Church in what works we are to be employed and how to give an account of our Stewardship with joy 1. The Christian Church was founded by Bishops not only because the Apostles who were Bishops were the first Preachers of the Gospel and Planters of Churches but because the Apostolical men whom the Apostles used in planting and disseminating Religion were by all Antiquity affirmed to have been Diocesan Bishops insomuch that as S. Epiphanius witnesses there were at the first disseminations of the faith of Christ many Churches who had in them no other Clergy but a Bishop and his Deacons and the Presbyters were brought in afterwards as the harvest grew greater But the Bishops names are known they are recorded in the book of Life and their praise is in the Gospel such were Timothy and Titus Clemens and Linus Marcus and Dionysius Onesimus and Caius Epaphroditus and S. James our Lords brother Evodius and Simeon all which if there be any faith in Christians that gave their lives for a testimony to the faith and any truth in their stories and unless we who believe Thucydides and Plutarch Livy and Tacitus think that all Church story is a perpetual Romance and that all the brave men the Martyrs and the Doctors of the Primitive Church did conspire as one man to abuse all Christendom for ever I say unless all these impossible suppositions be admitted all these whom I have now reckoned were Bishops fixed in several Churches and had Dioceses for their Charges The consequent of this consideration is this If Bishops were those upon whose Ministry Christ founded and built his Church let us consider what great wisdom is required of them that seem to be Pillars the Stewards of Christs Family must be wise that Christ requires and if the Order be necessary to the Church wisdom cannot but be necessary to the Order for it is a shame if they who by their Office are Fathers in Christ shall by their unskilfulness be but Babes themselves understanding not the secrets of Religion the mysteries of Godliness the perfections of the Evangelical Law all the advantages and disadvantages in the Spiritual Life A Bishop must be exercised in Godliness a man of great experience in the secret conduct of Souls not satisfied with an ordinary skill in making Homilies to the people and speaking common exhortations in ordinary cases but ready to answer in all secret inquiries and able to convince the gainsayers and to speak wisdom amongst them that are perfect If the first
did worse than divorce him from his Church for in all the Roman Divorces they said Tuas tibi res habeto Take your Goods and be gone but Plunder was Religion then However though the usage was sad yet it was recompenced to him by his taking Sanctuary in Oxford where he was graciously receiv'd by that most incomparable and divine Prince but having served the King in York-shire by his Pen and by his Counsels and by his Interests return'd back to Ireland where under the excellent Conduct of his Grace the now Lord Lieutenant he ran the risque and fortune of oppressed Vertue But God having still resolv'd to afflict us the good man was forc'd into the fortune of the Patriarchs to leave his Country and his Charges and seek for safety and bread in a strange Land for so the Prophets were us'd to do wandring up and down in sheeps-cloathing but poor as they were the World was not worthy of them and this worthy man despising the shame took up his Cross and followed his Master Exilium causa ipsa jubet sibi dulce videri Et desiderium dulce levat patriae He was not ashamed to suffer where the Cause was honourable and glorious but so God provided for the needs of his Banished and sent a man who could minister comfort to the afflicted and courage to the persecuted and resolutions to the tempted and strength to that Religion for which they all suffered And here this great man was indeed triumphant this was one of the last and best Scenes of his life 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The last days are the best witnesses of a man But so it was that he stood up in publick and brave defence for the Doctrine and Discipline of the Church of England First by his Sufferings and great Example for Verbis tantùm philosophari non est Doctoris sed Histrionis To talk well and not to do bravely is for a Comedian not a Divine But this great man did both he suffered his own Calamity with great courage and by his wise Discourses strengthened the hearts of others For there wanted not diligent Tempters in the Church of Rome who taking advantage of the Afflictions of His Sacred Majesty in which state Men commonly suspect every thing and like men in sickness are willing to change from side to side hoping for ease and finding none flew at Royal Game and hop'd to draw away the King from that Religion which His most Royal Father the best Man and the wisest Prince in the World had seal'd with the best Blood in Christendom and which Himself suck'd in with His Education and had confirm'd by Choice and Reason and confess'd publickly and bravely and hath since restor'd prosperously Millitiere was the man witty and bold enough to attempt a zealous and a foolish undertaking who addressed himself with ignoble indeed but witty Arts to perswade the King to leave what was dearer to Him than His Eyes It is true it was a Wave dash'd against a Rock and an Arrow shot against the Sun it could not reach him but the Bishop of Derry turn'd it also and made it fall upon the Shooters head for he made so ingenious so learned and so acute Reply to that Book he so discover'd the Errors of the Roman Church retorted the Arguments stated the Questions demonstrated the Truth and sham'd their Procedures that nothing could be a greater Argument of the Bishops Learning great Parts deep Judgment quickness of Apprehension and Sincerity in the Catholick and Apostolick Faith or of the Follies and Prevarications of the Church of Rome He worte no Apologies for himself though it were much to be wished that as Junius wrote his own Life or Moses his own Story so we might have understood from himself how great things God had done for him and by him but all that he permitted to God and was silent in his own Defences Gloriosius enim est injuriam tacendo fugere quà m respondendo superare But when the Honour and Conscience of his King and the Interest of a true Religion was at stake the fire burned within him and at last he spake with his tongue he cried out like the Son of Croesus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Take heed and meddle not with the King His Person is too sacred and Religion too dear to him to be assaulted by vulgar hands In short he acquitted himself in this Affair with so much Truth and Piety Learning and Judgment that in those Papers his Memory will last unto very late succeeding Generations But this most Reverend Prelate found a nobler Adversary and a braver Scene for his Contention He found that the Roman Priests being wearied and baffled by the wise Discourses and pungent Arguments of the English Divines had studiously declined any more to dispute the particular Questions against us but fell at last upon a general Charge imputing to the Church of England the great crime of Schism and by this they thought they might with most probability deceive unwary and unskilful Readers for they saw the Schism and they saw we had left them and because they consider'd not the Causes they resolv'd to out-face us in the Charge But now it was that dignum nactus Argumentum having an Argument fit to employ his great Abilities Consecrat hic praesul calamum calamique labores Ante aras Domino laeta trophaea suo the Bishop now dedicates his Labours to the service of God and of his Church undertook the Question and in a full Discourse proves the Church of Rome not only to be guilty of the Schism by making it necessary to depart from them but they did actuate the Schisms and themselves made the first separation in the great point of the Popes Supremacy which was the Palladium for which they principally contended He made it appear that the Popes of Rome were Usurpers of the Rights of Kings and Bishops that they brought in new Doctrines in every Age that they impos'd their own Devices upon Christendom as Articles of Faith that they prevaricated the Doctrines of the Apostles that the Church of England only returned to her Primitive purity that she joined with Christ and his Apostles that she agreed in all the Sentiments of the Primitive Church He stated the questions so wisely and conducted them so prudently and handled them so learnedly that I may truly say they were never more materially confuted by any man since the questions have so unhappily disturbed Christendom Verum hoc eos malè ussit and they finding themselves smitten under the fifth rib set up an old Champion of their own a Goliah to fight against the Armies of Israel the old Bishop of Chalcedon known to many of us replyed to this excellent Book but was so answered by a Rejoinder made by the Lord Bishop of Derry in which he so pressed the former Arguments refuted the Cavils brought in so many impregnable Authorities and Probations and added so many moments and weights to his
deceive us and turn Religion into words and Holiness into hypocrisie and the Promises of God into a snare and the Truth of God into a ly For when God made a Covenant of Faith he made also the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Law of Faith and when he admitted us to a Covenant of more mercy than was in the Covenant of works or of the Law he did not admit us to a Covenant of idleness and an incurious walking in a state of disobedience but the mercy of God leadeth us to repentance and when he gives us better promises he intends we should pay him a better obedience when he forgives us what is past he intends we should sin no more when he offers us his graces he would have us to make use of them when he causes us to distrust our selves his meaning is we should rely upon him when he enables us to do what he commands us he commands us to do all that we can And therefore this Covenant of Faith and Mercy is also a Covenant of Holiness and the grace that pardons us does also purifie us for so saith the Apostle He that hath this hope purifies himself even as God is pure And when we are so then we are justified indeed this is the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Law of faith and by works in this sense that is by the works of faith by faith working by love and producing fruits worthy of amendment of ife we are justified before God And so I have done with the affirmative Proposition of my Text you see that a man is justified by works But there is more in it than this matter yet amounts to for S. James does not say we are justified by works and are not justified by faith that had been irreconcileable with S. Paul but we are so justified by works that it is not by Faith alone it is faith and works together that is it is by the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by the obedience of faith by the works of Faith by the Law of faith by Righteousness Evangelical by the conditions of the Gospel and the measures of Christ. I have many things to say in this particular but because I have but a little time left to say them in I will sum it all up in this Proposition That in the question of justification and salvation faith and good works are no part of a distinction but members of one entire body Faith and good works together work the righteousness of God That is that I may speak plainly justifying faith contains in it obedience and if this be made good then the two Apostles are reconciled to each other and both of them to the necessity the indispensible necessity of a good life Now that justifying and saving faith must be defined by something more than an act of understanding appears not only in this that S. Peter reckons faith as distinctly from knowledge as he does from patience or strength or brotherly kindness saying Add to your faith vertue to vertue knowledge but in this also because an error in life and whatsoever is against holiness is against faith And therefore S. Paul reckons the lawless and the disobedient murderers of Parents man-stealing and such things to be against sound Doctrines for the Doctrine of faith is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Doctrine that is according to godliness And when S. Paul prayes against ungodly men he adds this reason 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for all men have not faith meaning that wicked men are Infidels and Unbelievers and particularly he affirms of him that does not provide for his own that he hath denyed the Faith Now from hence it follows that faith is godliness because all wickedness is infidelity it is an Apostacy from the faith Ille erit ille nocens qui me tibi fecerat hostem he that sins against God he is the enemy to the faith of Jesus Christ and therefore we deceive our selves if we place faith in the understanding only it is not that and it does not well there but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith the Apostle the Mystery of faith is kept no where it dwells no where but in a pure conscience For I consider that since all moral habits are best defined by their operation we can best understand what faith is by seeing what it does To this purpose hear S. Paul By faith Abel offered up to God a more excellent Sacrifice than Cain By faith Noah made an Ark. By faith Abraham left his Country and offered up his Son By faith Moses chose to suffer affliction and accounted the reproach of Christ greater than all the riches of Aegypt In short the children of God by faith subdued Kingdoms and wrought righteousness To work righteousness is as much the duty and work of faith as believing is So that now we may quickly make an end of this great inquiry whether a man is justified by faith or by works for he is so by both if you take it alone faith does not justifie but take it in the aggregate sense as it is used in the question of Justification by S. Paul and then faith does not only justifie but it sanctifies too and then you need to enquire no further obedience is a part of the definition of faith as much as it is of Charity This is love saith S. John that we keep his Commandments And the very same is affirmed of faith too by Bensirach He that believeth the Lord will keep his Commandments I have now done with all the Propositions expressed and implyed in the Text give me leave to make some practical Considerations and so I shall dismiss you from this Attention The rise I take from the words of S. Epiphanius speaking in praise of the Apostolical and purest Ages of the Church There was at first no distinction of Sects and Opinions in the Church she knew no difference of men but good and bad there was no separation made but what was made by piety or impiety or sayes he which is all one by fidelity and infidelity 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For faith hath in it the Image of godliness engraven and infidelity hath the Character of wickedness and prevarication A man was not then esteemed a Saint for disobeying his Bishop or an Apostle nor for misunderstanding the hard sayings of S. Paul about predestination to kick against the laudable Customs of the Church was not then accounted a note of the godly party and to despise Government was but an ill mark and weak indication of being a good Christian. The Kingdom of God did not then consist in words but in power the power of godliness though now we are fallen into another method we have turned all Religion into Faith and our faith is nothing but the productions of interest or disputing it is adhering to a party and a wrangling against all the world beside and when it is asked of what Religion he is of we understand
Bishops laid the foundation their Successors must not only preserve whatsoever is fundamental but build up the Church in a most holy Faith taking care that no Heresie sap the foundation and that no hay or rotten wood be built upon it and above all things that a most holy life be superstructed upon a holy and unreproveable Faith So the Apostles laid the foundation and built the walls of the Church and their Successors must raise up the roof as high as Heaven For let us talk and dispute eternally we shall never compose the controversies in Religion and establish truth upon unalterable foundations as long as men handle the word of God deceitfully that is with designs and little artifices and secular partialities and they will for ever do so as long as they are proud or covetous It is not the difficulty of our questions or the subtlety of our Adversaries that makes disputes interminable but we shall never cure the itch of disputing or establish Unity unless we apply our selves to humility and contempt of riches If we will be contending let us contend like the Olive and the Vine who shall produce best and most fruit not like the Aspine and the Elm which shall make most noise in a wind And all other methods are a beginning at a wrong end And as for the people the way to make them conformable to the wise and holy rules of Faith and Government is by reducing them to live good lives When the children of Israel gave themselves to gluttony and drunkenness and filthy lusts they quickly fell into abominable idolatries and S. Paul says that men make shipwrack of their Faith by putting away a good conscience for the mystery of Faith is best preserved 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in a pure conscience saith the same Apostle secure but that and we shall quickly end our disputes and have an obedient and conformable people but else never 2. As Bishops were the first Fathers of Churches and gave them being so they preserve them in being For without Sacraments there is no Church or it will be starved and dye and without Bishops there can be no Priests and consequently no Sacraments and that must needs be a supreme Order from whence Ordination it self proceeds For it is evident and notorious that in Scripture there is no Record of Ordination but an Apostolical hand was in it one of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one of the chief one of the superior and ruling Clergy and it is as certain in the descending ages of the Church the Bishop always had that power it was never denyed to him and it was never imputed to Presbyters and S. Hierom himself when out of his anger against John Bishop of Jerusalem he endeavoured to equal the Presbyter with the Bishop though in very many places he spake otherwise yet even then also and in that heat he excepted Ordination acknowledging that to be the Bishops peculiar And therefore they who go about to extinguish Episcopacy do as Julian did they destroy the Presbytery and starve the Flock and take away their Shepheards and dispark their pastures and tempt Gods providence to extraordinaries and put the people to hard shifts and turn the channels of salvation quite another way and leave the Church to a perpetual uncertainty whether she be alive or dead and the people destitute of the life of their Souls and their daily bread and their spiritual comforts and holy blessings The consequent of this is If Sacraments depend upon Bishops then let us take care that we convey to the people holy and pure materials sanctified with a holy Ministry and ministred by holy persons For although it be true that the efficacy of the Sacraments does not depend wholly upon the worthiness of him that ministers yet it is as true that it does not wholly rely upon the worthiness of the Receiver but both together relying upon the goodness of God produce all those blessings which are designed The Minister hath an influence into the effect and does very much towards it and if there be a failure there it is a defect in one of the concurring causes and therefore an unholy Bishop is a great diminution to the peoples blessing S. Hierom presses this severely Impiè faciunt c. They do wickedly who affirm that the holy Eucharist is consecrated by the words alone and solemn prayer of the Consecrator and not also by his life and holiness And therefore S. Cyprian affirms that none but holy and upright men are to be chosen who offering their Sacrifices worthily to God may be heard in their prayers for the Lords people but for others Sacrificia eorum panis luctus saith the Prophet Hosea their Sacrifices are like the bread of sorrow whoever eats thereof shall be defiled This discourse is not mine but S. Cyprian's and although his words are not to be understood dogmatically but in the case of duty and caution yet we may lay our hands upon our hearts and consider how we shall give an account of our Stewardship if we shall offer to the people the bread of God with impure hands it is of it self a pure nourishment but if it passes through an unclean vessel it loses much of its excellency 3. The like also is to be said concerning Prayer For the Episcopal Order is appointed by God to be the great Ministers of Christs Priesthood that is to stand between Christ and the people in the entercourse of prayer and blessing We will give our selves continually to prayer said the Apostles that was the one half of their employment and indeed a Bishop should spend very much of his time in holy prayer and in diverting Gods judgments and procuring blessings to the people for in all times the chief of the Religion was ever the chief Minister of blessing Thus Abraham blessed Abimelech and Melchisedeck blessed Abraham and Aaron blessed the people and without all controversie saith the Apostle the less is blessed of the greater But then we know that God heareth not sinners and it must be the effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man that shall prevail And therefore we may easily consider that a vitious Prelate is a great calamity to that Flock which he is appointed to bless and pray for How shall he reconcile the penitents who is himself at enmity with God How shall the Holy Spirit of God descend upon the Symbols at his Prayer who does perpetually grieve him and quench his holy fires and drive him quite away How shall he that hath not tasted of the Spirit by contemplation stir up others to earnest desires of Coelestial things Or what good shall the people receive when the Bishop layes upon their head a covetous or a cruel an unjust or an impure hand But therefore that I may use the words of S. Hierom Cum ab Episcopo gratia in populum transfundatur mundi totius Ecclesiae totius condimentum sit Episcopus
c. Since it is intended that from the Bishop grace should be diffused amongst all the people there is not in the world a greater indecency than a holy office ministred by an unholy person and no greater injury to the people than that of the blessings which God sends to them by the ministeries Evangelical they should be cheated and defrauded by a wicked Steward And therefore it was an excellent Prayer which to this very purpose was by the Son of Sirach made in behalf of the High-Priests the Sons of Aaron God give you wisdom in you heart to judge his people in Righteousness that their good things be not abolished and that their glory may endure for ever 4. All the Offices Ecclesiastical alwayes were and ought to be conducted by the Episcopal Order as is evident in the universal Doctrine and Practice of the Primitive Church 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It is the 40th Canon of the Apostles Let the Presbyters and Deacons do nothing without leave of the Bishop but that cafe is known The consequent of this consideration is no other than the admonition in my Text We are Stewards of the manifold grace of God and dispensers of the mysteries of the Kingdom and it is required of Stewards that they be found faithful that we preach the word of God in season and out of season that we rebuke and exhort admonish and correct for these God calls Pastores Secundùm cor meum Pastors according to his own heart which feed the people with knowledge and understanding but they must also comfort the afflicted and bind up the broken heart minister the Sacraments with great diligence and righteous measures and abundant charity alwayes having in mind those passionate words of Christ of S. Peter If thou lovest me feed my sheep if thou hast any love to me feed my lambs And let us remember this also that nothing can enforce the people to obey their Bishops as they ought but our doing that duty and charity to them which God requires There is reason in these words of S. Chrysostom It is necessary that the Church should adhere to their Bishop as the body to the head as plants to their roots as rivers to their springs as Children to their Fathers as Disciples to their Masters These similitudes express not only the relation and dependency but they tell us the reason of the Duty The Head gives light and reason to conduct the Body the Roots give nourishment to the Plants and the Springs perpetual emanation of Waters to the Channels Fathers teach and feed their Children and Disciples receive wise Instructions from their Masters and if we be all this to the People they will be all that to us and Wisdom will compel them to submit and our Humility will teach them Obedience and our Charity will invite their compliance our good example will provoke them to good works and our meekness will melt them into softness and flexibility For all the Lords People are Populus voluntarius a free and willing people and we who cannot compel their bodies must thus constrain their Souls by inviting their Wills by convincing their Understandings by the beauty of fair example the efficacy and holiness and the demonstrations of the Spirit This is experimentum ejus qui in nobis loquitur Christus The experiment of Christ that speaketh in us For to this purpose those are excellent words which St. Paul spake Remember them who have the rule over you whose faith follow considering the end of their conversation There lies the demonstration and those Prelates who teach good life whose Sermons are the measures of Christ and whose Life is a copy of their Sermons these must be followed and surely these will for these are burning and shining Lights but if we hold forth false fires and by the amusement of evil example call the Vessels that sail upon a dangerous Sea to come upon a Rock or an iron Shore instead of a safe Harbour we cause them to make shipwreck of their precious Faith and to perish in the deceitful and unstable water Vox operum fortiùs sonat quà m verborum A good Life is the strongest argument that your Faith is good and a gentle voice will be sooner entertained than a voice of thunder but the greatest eloquence in the world is meek spirit and a liberal hand these are the two Pastoral Staves the Prophet speaks of nognam hovelim beauty and bands he that hath the staff of the beauty of holiness the ornament of fair example he hath also the staff of bands atque in funiculis Adam trahet eos in vinculis charitatis as the Prophet Hosea's expression is he shall draw the people after him by the cords of a man by the bands of a holy charity But if against all these demonstrations any man will be refractory we have instead of a Staff an Apostolical Rod which is the last and latest remedy and either brings to repentance or consigns to ruine and reprobation If there were any time remaining I could reckon that the Episcopal Order is the Principle of Unity in the Church and we see it is so by the innumerable Sects that sprang up when Episcopacy was persecuted I could add how that Bishops were the cause that S. John wrote his Gospel that the Christian Faith was for 300 years together bravely defended by the Sufferings the Prisons and Flames the Life and Death of Bishop as the principal Combatants that the Fathers of the Church whose Writings are held in so great veneration in all the Christian World were almost all of them Bishops I could add That the Reformation of Religion in England was principally by the Preachings and the Disputings the Writings and the Martyrdom of Bishops That Bishops have ever since been the greatest defensatives against Popery That England and Ireland were governed by Bishops ever since they were Christian and under their Conduct have for so many Ages enjoyed all the blessings of the Gospel I could add also That Episcopacy is the great stabiliment of Monarchy but of this we are convinced by a sad and too dear bought Experience I could therefore instead of it say That Episcopacy is the great ornament of Religion That as it rescues the Clergy from contempt so it is the greatest preservative of the Peoples Liberty from Ecclesiastick Tyranny on one hand the Gentry being little better than Servants while they live under the Presbytery and Anarchy and Licentiousness on the other That it endears Obedience and is subject to the Laws of Princes and is wholly ordained for the good of Mankind and the benefit of Souls But I cannot stay to number all the Blessings which have entered into the World at this door I only remark these because they describe unto us the Bishops Imployment which is to be busie in the service of Souls to do good in all capacities to serve every mans need to promote all publick benefits to
them who besides themselves are answerable for many others Jacob kept the Sheep of Laban and we keep the Sheep of Christ and Jacob was to answer for every Sheep that was stoln and every lamb that was torn by the wild beast and so shall we too if by our fault one of Christs Sheep perish and yet it may be there are 100000 Souls committed to the care and conduct of some one Shepherd who yet will find his own Soul work enough for all his care and watchfulness If any man should desire me to carry a Frigat into the Indies in which a 100 men were imbarqued I were a mad man to undertake the charge without proportionable skill and therefore when there is more danger and more Souls and rougher Seas and more secret Rocks and horrible storms and the shipwrack is an eternal loss the matter will then require great consideration in the undertaking and greatest care in the conduct Upon this account we find many brave persons in the first and in the middle ages of the Church with great resolution refusing Episcopacy I will not speak of those who for fear of Martyrdom declined it but those who for fear of damnation did refuse S. Bernard was by three rich Cities severally called to be their Bishop and by two to be their Arch-Bishop and he refused them S. Dominicus refused four successively S. Thomas Aquinas refused the Archbishoprick of Naples and Vincentius Ferrerius would not accept of Valentia or Ilerda and Bernardinus Senensis refused the Bishopricks of Sens Vrbin and Ferrara They had reason and yet if they had done amiss in that Office which they declined it had been somthing more excusable but if they that seek it be as careless in the Office as they are greedy of the honour that will be found intolerable Electus Episcopus ambulat in disco recusans volvitur in areâ said the Hermit in S. Hierom The Bishop walks upon round and trundling stones but he that refuses it stands upon a floor But I shall say no more of it because I suppose you have read it and considered it in S. Chrysostoms six books de sacerdotio in the Apologetie of S. Greg. Naz. in the pastoral of S. Greg. of Rome in S. Dionysius's 8 th Epistle to Demophilus in the letters of Epiphanius to S. Hierom in S. Austins Epistle to Bishop Valerius in S. Bernards life of S. Malcaby in S. Hieroms 138. Epistle to Fabiola These things I am sure you could not read without trembling and certainly if it can belong to any Christian then work out your salvation with fear and trembling that 's the Bishops burden For the Bishop is like a man that is surety for his friend he is bound for many and for great sums what is to be done in this case Solomons answer is the way Do this now my Son deliver thy self make sure thy friend give not sleep to thine eyes nor slumber to thine eye-lids that is be sedulous to discharge thy trust to perform thy charge be zealous for souls and careless of money and remember this that even in Christs Family there was one sad example of an Apostate Apostle and he fell into that fearful estate merely by the desire and greediness of money Be warm in zeal and indifferent in thy temporalities For he that is zealous in temporals and cold in the spiritual he that doth the accessories of his calling by himself and and the principal by his Deputies he that is present at the feast of Sheep-shearing and puts others to feed the flock hath no sign at all upon him of a good Shepherd It is not fit for us to leave the word of God and to serve tables said the Apostles And if it be a less worthy Office to serve the Tables even of the poor to the diminution of our care in the dispensation of Gods Word it must needs be an unworthy employment to leave the Word of God and to attend the rich and superfluous furniture of our own Tables Remember the quality of your Charges Civitas est Vigilate ad custodiam concordiam sponsa est studete amâ—ri oves sunt intendite pastui The Church is a Spouse the Universal Church is Christs Spouse but your own Diocess is yours behave your selves so that ye be beloved Your people are as Sheep and they must be fed and guided and preserved and healed and brought home The Church is a City and you are the watchmen take care that the City be kept at unity in it self be sure to make peace amongst your people suffer no hatreds no quarrels no Suits at Law amongst the Citizens which you can avoid make peace in your Diocesses by all the ways of prudence piety and authority that you can and let not your own corrections of criminals be to any purpose but for their amendment for the cure of offenders as long as there is hope and for the security of those who are sound and whole Preach often and pray continually let your Discipline be with charity and your Censures flow let not Excommunications pass for trifles and drive not away the fly from your brothers forehead with a hatchet give Counsel frequently and Dispensations seldom but never without necessity or great charity let every place in your Diocess say Invenerunt me vigiles the Watchmen have found me out hassovelim They that walk the City round have sought me out and found me Let every one of us as St. Paul's expression is shew himself a Workman that shall not be ashamed operarium inconfusibilem mark that such a labourer as shall not be put to shame for his illness or his unskilfulness his falsness and unfaithfulness in that day when the great Bishop of Souls shall make his last and dreadful Visitation For be sure there is not a carkase nor a skin not a lock of wooll nor a drop of milk of the whole Flock but God shall for it call the Idol Shepherd to a severe account And how think you will his anger burn when he shall see so many Goats standing at his left hand and so few Sheep at his right and upon inquiry shall find that his Ministring Shepherds were Wolves in Sheeps cloathing and that by their ill Example or pernicious Doctrines their care of Money and carelesness of their Flocks so many Souls perish who if they had been carefully and tenderly wisely and conscientiously handled might have shined as bright as Angels And it is a sad consideration to remember how many Souls are pitifully handled in this World and carelesly dismissed out of this World they are left to live at their own rate and when they are sick they are bidden to be of good comfort and then all is well who when they are dead find themselves cheated of their precious and invaluable Eternity Oh how will those Souls in their eternal Prisons for ever curse those evil and false Guides And how will those evil Guides themselves abide in
had a Revenue almost treble to any of the largest of the Tribes I will not insist on what Villalpandus observes it may easily be read in the 45. of Ezekiel concerning that portion which God reserves for himself and his service but whatsoever it be this I shall say that it is confessedly a Prophecy of the Gospel but this I add that they had as little to do and much less than a Christian Priest and yet in all the 24 courses the poorest Priest amongst them might be esteemed a rich man I speak not this to upbraid any man or any thing but Sacriledge and Murmur nor to any other end but to represent upon what great and Religious grounds the then Bishop of Derry did with so much care and assiduous labour endeavour to restore the Church of Ireland to that splendor and fulness which as it is much conducing to the honour of God and of Religion God himself being the Judge so it is much more necessary for you than it is for us and so this wise Prelate rarely well understood it and having the same advantage and blessing as we now have a gracious King and a Lieutenant Patron of Religion and the Church he improved the deposita pietatis as Origen calls them the Gages of Piety which the Religion of the ancient Princes and Nobles of this Kingdom had bountifully given to such a comfortable competency that though there be place left for present and future Piety to enlarge it self yet no man hath reason to be discouraged in his duty insomuch that as I have heard from a most worthy hand that at his going into England he gave account to the Arch-bishop of Canterbury of 30000 l. a year in the recovery of which he was greatly and principally instrumental But the goods of this World are called waters by Solomon Stollen waters are sweet and they are too unstable to be stopt some of these waters did run back from their proper Channel and return to another course than God and the Laws intended yet his labours and pious Counsels were not the less acceptable to God and good men and therefore by a thankful and honourable recognition the Convocation of the Church of Ireland hath transmitted in Record to posterity their deep resentment of his singular services and great abilities in this whole affair And this honour will for ever remain to that Bishop of Derry he had a Zerubbabel who repaired the Temple and restored its beauty but he was the Joshua the High-Priest who under him ministred this blessing to the Congregations of the Lord. But his care was not determined in the exterior part only and Accessaries of Religion he was careful and he was prosperous in it to reduce that Divine and excellent Service of our Church to publick and constant Exercise to Unity and Devotion and to cause the Articles of the Church of England to be accepted as the Rule of publick confessions and perswasions here that they and we might be Populus unius labii of one heart and one lip building up our hopes of Heaven on a most holy Faith and taking away that Shibboleth which made this Church lisp too undecently or rather in some little degree to speak the speech of Ashdod and not the language of Canaan and the excellent and wise pains he took in this particular no man can dehonestate or reproach but he that is not willing to confess that the Church of England is the best Reformed Church in the world But when the brave Roman Infantry under the Conduct of Manlius ascended up to the Capitol to defend Religion and their Altars from the fury of the Gauls they all prayed to God Vt quemadmodum ipsi ad defendendum templum ejus concurrissent ita ille virtutem eorum numine suo tueretur That as they came to defend his Temple by their Arms so he would defend their Persons and that Cause with his Power and Divinity And this excellent man in the Cause of Religion found the like blessing which they prayed for God by the prosperity of his labours and a blessed effect gave testimony not only of the Piety and Wisdom of his purposes but that he loves to bless a wise Instrument when it is vigorously employed in a wise and religious labour He overcame the difficulty in defiance of all such pretences as were made even from Religion it self to obstruct the better procedure of real and material Religion These were great things and matter of great envy and like the fiery eruptions of Vesuvius might with the very ashes of Consumption have buried another man At first indeed as his blessed Master the most holy Jesus had so he also had his Annum acceptibilem At first the product was nothing but great admiration at his stupendious parts and wonder at his mighty diligence and observation of his unusual zeal in so good and great things but this quickly passed into the natural daughters of Envy Suspicion and Detraction the Spirit of Obloquy and Slander His zeal for recovery of the Church Revenues was called Oppression and Rapine Covetousness and Injustice his care of reducing Religion to wise and justifiable principles was called Popery and Arminianism and I know not what names which signifie what the Authors are pleased to mean and the people to construe and to hate The intermedial prosperity of his Person and Fortune which he had as an earnest of a greater reward to so well-meant labours was supposed to be the production of Illiberal Arts and ways of getting and the necessary refreshment of his wearied spirits which did not always supply all his needs and were sometimes less than the permissions even of prudent charity they called Intemperance Dederunt enim malum Metelli Nevio poetae their own surmises were the Bills of Accusation and the splendour of his great 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Doing of good works was the great probation of all their Calumnies But if Envy be the accuser what can be the defences of Innocence Saucior invidiae morsu quaerenda medela est Dic quibus in terris sentiet aeger opem Our Blessed Saviour knowing the unsatisfiable angers of men if their Money or Estates were medled with refused to divide an Inheritance amongst Brethren it was not to be imagined that this great person invested as all his Brethren were with the infirmities of Mortality and yet employed in dividing and recovering and apportioning of Lands should be able to bear all that reproach which Jealousie and Suspicion and malicious Envy could invent against him But 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 said Sophocles And so did he the Affrightments brought to his great Fame and Reputation made him to walk more warily and do justly and act prudently and conduct his affairs by the measures of Laws as far as he understood and indeed that was a very great way but there was Aperta justitia clausa manus Justice was open but his Hand was shut and though every
discourse that the pleasures of reading the Book would be the greatest if the profit to the Church of God were not greater Flumina tum lactis tum flumina nectaris ibant Flavaque de viridi stillabant ilice mella For so Sampson's Riddle was again expounded Out of the strong came meat and out of the eater came sweetness his Arguments were strong and the Eloquence was sweet and delectable and though there start up another combatant against him yet he had only the honour to fall by the hands of Hector still haeret lateri lethalis arundo the headed arrow went in so far that it could not be drawn out but the barbed steel stuck behind And whenever men will desire to be satisfied in those great questions the Bishop of Derry's Book shall be his Oracle I will not insist upon his other excellent writings but it is known every where with what Piety and acumen he wrote against the Manichean Doctrine of Fatal necessity which a late witty man had pretended to adorn with a new Vizor but this excellent Person washed off the Ceruse and the meritricious paintings rarely well asserted the oeconomy of the Divine Providence and having once more triumphed over his Adversary plenus victoriarum trophaeorum betook himself to the more agreeable attendance upon sacred Offices and having usefully and wisely discoursed of the sacred Rite of Confirmation imposed his hands upon the most Illustrious Princes the Dukes of York and Gloucester and the Princess Royal and ministred to them the Promise of the Holy Spirit and ministerially established them in the Religion and Service of the holy Jesus And one thing more I shall remark that at his leaving those Parts upon the Kings Return some of the Remonstrant Ministers of the Low Countries coming to take their leaves of this great man and desiring that by his means the Church of England would be kind to them he had reason to grant it because they were learned men and in many things of a most excellent belief yet he reproved them and gave them caution against it that they approached too near and gave too much countenance to the great and dangerous errors of the Socinians He thus having served God and the King abroad God was pleased to return to the King and to us all as in the days of old and we sung the song of David In convertendo captivitatem Sion When King David and all his Servants returned to Jerusalem this great person having trod in the Wine-press was called to drink of the Wine and as an honorary Reward of his great services and abilities was chosen Primate of this National Church In which time we are to look upon him as the King and the Kings great Vicegerent did as a person concerning whose abilities the World had too great testimony ever to make a doubt It is true he was in the declension of his age and health but his very Ruines were goodly and they who saw the broken heaps of Pompey's Theatre and the crushed Obelisks and the old face of beauteous Philaenium could not but admire the disordered glories of such magnificent structures which were venerable in their very dust He ever was used to overcome all difficulties only Mortality was too hard for him but still his Vertues and his Spirit was immortal he still took great care and still had new and noble designs and proposed to himself admirable things He governed his Province with great justice and sincerity Vnus amplo consulens pastor gregi Somnos tuetur omnium solus vigil And had this remark in all his Government that as he was a great hater of Sacriledge so he professed himself a publick Enemy to Non-residence and often would declare wisely and religiously against it allowing it in no case but of necessity or the greater good of the Church There are great things spoken of his Predecessor S. Patrick that he founded 700 Churches and Religious Convents that he ordained 5000 Priests and with his own hands consecrated 350 Bishops How true the story is I know not but we were all witnesses that the late Primate whose memory we now celebrate did by an extraordinary contingency of Providence in one day consecrate two Arch-Bishops and ten Bishops and did benefit to almost all the Churches in Ireland and was greatly instrumental to the Re-endowments of the whole Clergy and in the greatest abilities and incomparable industry was inferior to none of his most glorious Antecessours Since the Canonization of Saints came into the Church we find no Irish Bishop canonized except S. Laurence of Dublin and S. Malachias of Down indeed Richard of Armagh's Canonization was propounded but not effected but the Character which was given of that learned Primate by Trithemius does exactly fit this our late Father Vir in Divinis Scripturis eruditus secularis Philosophiae jurisque Canonici non ignarus clarus ingenio sermone scholasticus in declamandis sermonibus ad populum excellentis industriae He was learned in the Scriptures skill'd in secular Philosophy and not unknowing in the Civil and Canon Laws in which studies I wish the Clergy were with some carefulness and diligence still more conversant he was of an excellent spirit a Scholar in his discourses an early and industrious Preacher to the people And as if there were a more particular sympathy between their souls our Primate had so great a Veneration to his memory that he purposed if he had lived to have restored his Monument in Dundalke which Time or Impiety or Unthankfulness had either omitted or destroyed So great a lover he was of all true and inherent worth that he loved it in the very memory of the dead and to have such great Examples transmitted to the intuition and imitation of posterity At his coming to the Primacy he knew he should at first espie little besides the Ruines of Discipline a Harvest of thorns and Heresies prevailing in the hearts of the People the Churches possessed by Wolves and Intruders Mens hearts greatly estranged from true Religion and therefore he set himself to weed the fields of the Church he treated the Adversaries sometimes sweetly sometimes he confuted them learnedly sometimes he rebuked them sharply He visited his Charges diligently and in his own person not by Proxies and instrumental Deputations Quaerens non nostra sed nos quae sunt Jesu Christi he designed nothing that we knew of but the Redintegration of Religion the Honour of God and the King the Restoring of collapsed Discipline and the Renovation of Faith and the Service of God in the Churches And still he was indefatigable and even at the last scene of his life intended to undertake a Regal Visitation Quid enim vultis me otiosum à Domino comprehendi said one he was not willing that God should take him unimployed But good man he felt his Tabernacle ready to fall in pieces and could go no further for God would have no more work done by that
eminency and singularity Church-men that 's your appellative all are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 spiritual men all have received the Spirit and all walk in the Spirit and ye are all sealed by the Spirit unto the day of Redemption and yet there is a spirituality peculiar to the Clergy If any man be overtaken in a fault ye which are spiritual restore such a one in the spirit of meekness you who are spiritual by office and designation of a spiritual calling and spiritual employment you who have the Spirit of the Lord Jesus and minister the Spirit of God you are more eminently spiritual you have the Spirit in graces and in powers in sanctification and abilities in Office and in Person the Vnction from above hath descended upon your heads and upon your hearts you are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by way of eminency and praelation spiritual men All the people of God were holy Corah and his company were in the right so far but yet Moses and Aaron were more holy and stood neerer to God All the people are Prophets It is now more than Moses wish for the Spirit of Christ hath made them so If any man prayeth or prophesieth with his head covered or if any woman prophesieth with her head uncovered they are dishonoured but either man or woman may do that work in time and place for in the latter days I will pour out of my Spirit and your daughters shall prophesie and yet God hath appointed in his Church Prophets above these to whose Spirit all the other Prophets are subject and as God said to Aaron and Miriam concerning Moses to you I am known in a dream or a vision but to Moses I speak face to face so it is in the Church God gives of his Spirit to all men but you he hath made the Ministers of his Spirit Nay the people have their portion of the Keys of the Kingdom of Heaven so said S. Paul To whom ye forgive any thing to him I forgive also and to the whole Church of Corinth he gave a Commission in the Name of Christ and by his Spirit to deliver the incestuous person unto Satan and when the primitive Penitents stood in their penitential stations they did Chairs Dei adgeniculari toti populo legationem orationis suae commendare and yet the Keys were not only promised but given to the Apostles to be used then and transmitted to all Generations of the Church and we are Ministers of Christ and Stewards of the manifold Mysteries of God and to us is committed the word of reconciliation And thus in the Consecration of the mysterious Sacrament the people have their portion for the Bishop or the Priest blesses and the People by saying Amen to the mystick Prayer is partaker of the Power and the whole Church hath a share in the power of Spiritual Sacrifice Ye are a royal Priesthood Kings and Priests unto God that is so ye are Priests as ye are Kings but yet Kings and Priests have a glory conveyed to them of which the people partake but in minority and allegory and improper communication But you are and are to be respectively that considerable part of mankind by whom God intends to plant holiness in the World by you God means to reign in the hearts of men and g. you are to be the first in this kind and consequently the measure of all the rest To you g. I intend this and some following Discourses in order to this purpose I shall but now lay the first stone but it is the corner stone in this foundation But to you I say of the Clergy these things are spoken properly to you these Powers are conveyed really upon you God hath poured his Spirit plentifully you are the Choicest of his Choice the Elect of his Election a Church pick'd out of the Church Vessels of honour so your Masters use appointed to teach others authorised to bless in his Name you are the Ministers of Christ's Priesthood Under-labourers in the great Work of Mediation and Intercession Medii inter Deum Populum you are for the People towards God and convey Answers and Messages from God to the People These things I speak not only to magnifie your Office but to inforce and heighten your Duty you are holy by Office and Designation for your very Appointment is a Sanctification and a Consecration and g. whatever holiness God requires of the People who have some little portions in the Priesthood Evangelical he expects it of you and much greater to whom he hath conveyed so great Honours and admitted so neer unto himself and hath made to be the great Ministers of his Kingdom and his Spirit and now as Moses said to the Levitical Schismaticks Corah and his Company so I may say to you Seemeth it but a small thing unto you that the God of Israel hath separated you from the Congregation of Israel to bring you to himself to do the Service of the Tabernacle of the Lord and to stand before the Congregation to minister to them And he hath brought thee neer to him Certainly if of every one of the Christian Congregation God expects a holiness that mingles with no unclean thing if God will not suffer of them a luke-warm and an indifferent service but requires zeal of his Glory and that which St. Paul calls the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the labour of love if he will have them to be without spot or wrinkle or any such thing if he will not endure any pollution in their Flesh or Spirit if he requires that their Bodies and Souls and Spirits be kept blameless unto the coming of the Lord Jesus if he accepts of none of the people unless they have within them the conjugation of all Christian Graces if he calls on them to abound in every Grace and that in all the periods of their progression unto the ends of their lives and to the consummation and perfection of Grace if he hath made them Lights in the World and the Salt of the Earth to enlighten others by their good Example and to teach them and invite them by holy Discourses and wise Counsels and Speech seasoned with Salt what is it think ye or with what words is it possible to express what God requires of you They are to be Examples of Good life to one another but you are to be Examples even of the Examples themselves that 's your duty that 's the purpose of God and that 's the design of my Text That in all things ye shew your selves a pattern of good works in Doctrine shewing uncorruptness gravity sincerity sound speech that cannot be condemned that he that is of the contrary part may be ashamed having no evil thing to say of you Here then is 1. Your Duty 2. The degrees and excellency of your Duty The Duty is double 1. Holiness of Life 2. Integrity of Doctrine Both these have their heightnings in several degrees 1. For your Life and Conversation
and design of their persons God sent them to bring the people from sin and not to be like so many Jeroboams the Sons of Nebat to set forward the Devils Kingdom to make the people to transgress the Covenant of their God For they who live more by example than by precept will more easily follow the works of their Minister than the words of God and few men will aspire to be more righteous than their guide they think it well if they be as he is and hence it is no wonder that we see iniquity so popular Oppida tota canem venerantur nemo Dianam every man runs after his lusts and after his money because they see too many of the Clergy little looking after the ways of godliness But then consider let all such persons consider 5. That the accounts which an ungodly and an irreligious Minister of Religion shall make must needs be intolerable when besides the damnation which shall certainly be inflicted upon them for the sins of their own lives they shall also reckon for all the dishonours they do to God and to Religion and for all the sins of the people which they did not in all just ways endeavour to hinder and all the sins which their Flocks have committed by their evil example and undisciplin'd lives 6. I have but two words more to say in this affair 1. Every Minister that lives an evil life is that person whom our Blessed Saviour means under the odious appellative of a Hireling For he is not the hireling that receives wages or that lives of the Altar sine farinâ non est lex said the DD. of the Jews without bread-corn no man can preach the Law and S. Paul though he spared the Corinthians yet he took wages of other Churches of all but in the Regions of Achaia and the Law of Nature and the Law of the Gospel have taken care that he that serves at the Altar should live of the Altar and he is no hireling for all that but he is a hireling that does not do his duty he that flies when the Wolf comes says Christ he that is not present with them in dangers that helps them not to resist the Devil to master their temptations to invite them on to piety to gain souls to Christ to him it may be said as the Apostle did of the Gnosticks 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gain to them is godliness and Theology is but artificium venale a trade of life to fill the belly and keep the body warm An cuiquam licere putas quod cuivis non licet Is any thing lawful for thee that is not lawful for every man and if thou dost not mind in thy own case whether it be lawful or no then thou dost but sell Sermons and give Counsel at a price and like a flye in the Temple taste of every Sacrifice but do nothing but trouble the religious Rites for certain it is no man takes on him this Office but he either seeks those things which are his own or those things which are Jesus Christs and if he does this he is a Minister of Jesus Christ if he does the other he is the hireling and intends nothing but his belly and God shall destroy both it and him 7. Lastly These things I have said unto you that ye sin not but this is not the great thing here intended you may be innocent and yet not zealous of good works but if you be not this you are not Good Ministers of Jesus Christ But that this is infinitely your duty and indispensably incumbent on you all besides the express words of my Text and all the precepts of Christ and his Apostles we have the concurrent sence of the whole Church the Laws and expectations of all the world requiring of the Clergy a great and an examplar sanctity for g. it is that upon this necessity is founded the Doctrine of all Divines in their Discourses of the states and orders of Religion of which you may largely inform your selves in Gerson's Treatise De perfectione Religionis in Aquinas 22. q. 184. and in all his Scholars upon that Question the sum of which is this That all those institutions of Religions which S. Anselm calls factitias Religiones that is the Schools of Discipline in which men forsaking the world give themselves up wholly to a pious life they are indeed very excellent if rightly performed they are status perfectionis acquirendae they are excellent institutions for the acquiring perfection but the state of the superior Clergy is status perfectionis exercendae they are states which suppose perfection to be already in great measures acquired and then to be exercised not only in their own lives but in the whole Oeconomy of their Office and g. as none are to be chosen but those who have given themselves up to the strictness of a holy life so far as can be known so none do their duty so much as tolerably but those who by an exemplar sanctity become patterns to their Flocks of all good works Herod's Doves could never have invited so many strangers to their Dove-cotes if they had not been besmeared with Opobalsamum But 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 said Didymus make your Pigeons smell sweet and they will allure whole Flocks and if your life be excellent if your virtues be like a precious oyntment you will soon invite your Charges to run in odorem unguentorum after your precious odours But you must be excellent not tanquam unus de populo but tanquam homo Dei you must be a man of God not after the common manner of men but after Gods own heart and men will strive to be like you if you be like to God but when you only stand at the door of virtue for nothing but to keep sin out you will draw into the folds of Christ none but such as fear drives in Ad majorem Dei gloriam to do what will most glorifie God that 's the line you must walk by for to do no more than all men needs must is servility not so much as the affection of Sons much less can you be Fathers to the people when you go not so far as the Sons of God for a dark Lanthorn though there be a weak brightness on one side will scarce inlighten one much less will it conduct a multitude or allure many followers by the brightness of its flame And indeed the Duty appears in this that many things are lawful for the people which are scandalous in the Clergy you are tied to more abstinences to more severities to more renunciations and self-denials you may not with that freedom receive secular contentments that others may you must spend more time in Prayers your Alms must be more bountiful your hands more open your hearts enlarged others must relieve the poor you must take care of them others must shew themselves their brethren but you must be their Fathers they must pray frequently and fervently but you
Evangelical I have many more things to say but ye cannot hear them now because the time is past One thing indeed were fit to be spoken of if I had any time left but I can only name it and desire your consideration to make it up This great Rule that Christ gives us does also and that principally too concern Churches and Common-wealths as well as every single Christian. Christian Parliaments must exceed the Religion and Government of the Sanhedrim Your Laws must be more holy the condition of the Subjects be made more tolerable the Laws of Christ must be strictly enforced you must not suffer your great Master to be dishonoured nor his Religion dismembred by Sects or disgraced by impiety you must give no impunity to vitious persons and you must take care that no great example be greatly corrupted you must make better provisions for your poor than they did and take more care even of the external advantages of Christs Religion and his Ministers than they did of the Priests and Levites that is in all things you must be more zealous to promote the Kingdom of Christ than they were for the Ministeries of Moses The sum of all is this The Righteousness Evangelical is the same with that which the Ancients called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to live an Apostolical life that was the measure of Christians the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 men that desired to please God that is as Apostolius most admirably describes it men who are curious of their very eyes temperate in their tongue of a mortified body and a humble spirit pure in their intentions masters of their passions Men who when they are injured return honourable words when they are lessened in their estates increase in their Charity when they are abused they yet are courteous give intreaties when they are hated they pay love men that are dull in contentions and quick in loving kindnesses swift as the feet of Asahel and ready as the Chariots of Amminadib True Christians are such as are crucified with Christ and dead unto all sin and finally place their whole love on God and for his sake upon all mankind this is the description of a Christian and the true state of the Righteousness Evangelical so that it was well said of Athenagoras 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 no Christian is a wicked man unless his life be a continual lie unless he be false to God and his Religion For the Righteousness of the Gospel is in short nothing else but a transcript of the life of Christ De matthana nahaliel de nahaliel Bamoth said R. Joshua Christ is the image of God and every Christian is the image of Christ whose example is imitable but it is the best and his laws are the most perfect but the most easie and the promises by which he invites our greater services are most excellent but most true and the rewards shall be hereafter but they shall abide for ever and that I may take notice of the last words of my Text the threatnings to them that fall short of this Righteousness are most terrible but most certainly shall come to pass they shall never enter into the Kingdom of Heaven that is their portion shall be shame and an eternal Prison 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a flood of brimstone and a cohabitation with Devils to eternal ages and if this consideration will not prevail there is no place left for perswasion and there is no use of reason and the greatest hopes and the greatest fears can be no argument or sanction of laws and the greatest good in the world is not considerable and the greatest evil is not formidable but if they be there is no more to be said if you would have your portion with Christ you must be righteous by his measures and these are they that I have told you THE Christians Conquest Over the BODIE of SIN SERM. II. ROM VII 19. For the good that I would I do not but the evil which I would not that I do WHat the Eunuch said to Philip when he read the Book of the Prophet Isaiah Of whom speaketh the Prophet this of himself or some other man The same question I am to ask concerning the words of my Text Does S. Paul mean this of himself or of some other It is hoped that he speaks it of himself and means that though his understanding is convinced that he ought to serve God and that he hath some unperfect desires to do so yet the Law of God without is opposed by a Law of Sin within We have a corrupted nature and a body of infirmity and our reason dwells in the dark and we must go out of the world before we leave our sin For besides that some sins are esteemed brave and honourable and he is a baffled person that dares not kill his Brother like a Gentleman our very Tables are made a snare and our civilities are direct treasons to the soul. You cannot entertain your friend but excess is the measure and that you may be very kind to your Guest you step aside and lay away the Christian your love cannot be expressed unless you do him an ill turn and civilly invite him to a Fever Justice is too often taught to bow to great interests and men cannot live without flattery and there are some Trades that minister to sin so that without a sin we cannot maintain our Families and if you mean to live you must do as others do Now so long as men see they are like to be undone by innocence and that they can no way live but by compliance with the evil customs of the world men conclude practically because they must live they must sin they must live handsomly and therefore must do some things unhandsomely and so upon the whole matter sin is unavoidable Fain they would but cannot tell how to help it But since it is no better it is well it is no worse For it is S. Paul's case no worse man he would and he would not he did and he did not he was willing but he was not able and therefore the case is clear that if a man strives against sin and falls unwillingly it shall not be imputed to him he may be a regenerate man for all that A man must indeed wrangle against sin when it comes and like a peevish lover resist and consent at the same time and then all is well for this not only consists with but is a sign of the state of Regeneration If this be true God will be very ill served If it be not true most men will have but small hopes of being saved because this is the condition of most men What then is to be done Truth can do us no hurt and therefore be willing to let this matter pass under examination for if it trouble us now it will bring comfort hereafter And therefore before I enter into the main enquiry I shall by describing the state of the man
to alter that Form of Church Government which Christ and his Apostles had so recently established and without a Divine Warrant destroy a Divine Institution not only to the confusion of the Hierarchy but to the ruine of their own Souls It were strange that so great a change should be and no good man oppose it In toto orbe decretum est so S. Hierom All the world consented in the advancement of the Episcopal Order And therefore if we had no more to say for it yet in prudence and piety we cannot say they would innovate in so great a matter But I shall enter no further upon this enquiry only I remember that it is not very many months since the Bigots of the Popish party cryed out against us vehemently and enquired Where is your Church of England since you have no Vnity for your Ecclesiastick head of Vnity your Bishops are gone And if we should be desirous to verifie their Argument so as indeed to destroy Episcopacy we should too much advantage Popery and do the most imprudent and most impious thing in the world But blessed be God who hath restored that Government for which our late King of glorious memory gave his blood And that methinks should very much weigh with all the Kings true hearted Subjects who should make it Religion not to rob that glorious Prince of the greatest honour of such a Martyrdom For my part I think it fit to rest in these words of another Martyr S. Cyprian Si quis cum Episcopo non sit in Ecclesia non esse He that is not with the Bishop is not in the Church that is he that goes away from him and willingly separates departs from Gods Church and whether he can then be with God is a very material consideration and fit to be thought on by all that think Heaven a more eligible good than the interests of a Faction and the importune desire of rule can countervail However I have in the following Papers spoken a few things which I hope may be fit to perswade them that are not infinitely prejudiced and although two or three good Arguments are as good as two or three hundred yet my purpose here was to prove the dignity and necessity of the Office and Order Episcopal only that it might be as an Oeconomy to convey notice and remembrances of the great duty incumbent upon all them that undertake this great charge The Dignity and the Duty take one another by the hand and are born together only every Sheep of the Flock must take care to make the Bishops Duty as easie as it can by Humility and Love by Prayer and by Obedience It is at the best very difficult but they who oppose themselves to Government make it harder and uncomfortable But take heed if they Bishop hath cause to complain to God of thee for thy perversness and uncharitable walking thou wilt be the loser and for us we can only say in the words of the Prophet We will weep day and night for the slain of the daughter of my people But our comfort is in God for we can do nothing without him but in him we can do all things And therefore we will pray Domine dabis pacem nobis omnia enim opera nostra operatus es in nobis God hath wrought all our works within us and therefore he will give us peace and give us his Spirit Finally Brethren pray for us that the word of the Lord may have free course and be glorified even as it is with you and that we may be delivered from unreasonable and wicked men for all men have not Faith A Consecration Sermon Preached at DUBLIN SERM. IV. Luke XII 42. And the Lord said Who then is that faithful and wise Steward whom his Lord shall make Ruler over his Houshold to give them their portion of meat in due season verse 43 Blessed is that Servant whom his Lord when he cometh shall find so doing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 THese words are not properly a question though they seem so and the particle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is not interrogative but hypothetical and extends who to whosoever plainly meaning that whoever is a Steward over Christs houshold of him God requires a great care because he hath trusted him with a great employment Every Steward 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so it is in S. Matthew * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so it is in my Text Every Steward whom the Lord hath or shall appoint over the Family to rule it and to feed it now and in all generations of men as long as this Family shall abide on earth that is the Apostles and they who were to succeed the Apostles in the Stewardship were to be furnished with the same power and to undertake the same charge and to give the same strict and severe accounts In these words here is something insinuated and much expressed 1. That which is insinuated only is who these Stewards are whom Christ had whom Christ would appoint over his Family the Church they are not here named but we shall find them out by their proper direction and indigitation by and by 2. But that which is expressed is the Office it self in a double capacity 1. In the dignity of it It is a Rule and Government whom the Lord shall make Ruler over his Houshold 2. In the care and duty of it which determines the Government to be paternal and profitable it is a rule but such a rule as Shepherds have over their flocks to lead them to good pastures and to keep them within their appointed walks and within their folds 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that 's the work to give them a measure and proportion of nourishment 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so S. Matthew calls it meat in the season that which is fit for them and when it is fit meat enough and meat convenient and both together mean that which the Greek Poets call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the strong wholsom dyet 3. Lastly Here is the reward of the faithful and wise dispensation The Steward that does so and continues to do so till his Lord find him so doing this man shall be blessed in his deed Blessed is the Servant whom his Lord when he cometh shall find so doing Of these in order 1. Who are these Rulers of Christs Family for though Christ knew it and therefore needed not to ask yet we have disputed it so much and obeyed so little that we have changed the plain hypothesis into an intangled question The answer yet is easie as to some part of the inquiry The Apostles are the first meaning of the Text for they were our Fathers in Christ they begat Sons and Daughters unto God and were a spiritual paternity is evident we need look no further for spiritual Government because in the Paternal Rule all Power is founded they begat the Family by the power of the Word and the life of the Spirit and
they fed this Family and ruled it by the word of their proper Ministry They had the keyes of this house the Stewards Ensign and they had the Rulers place for they sat on twelve Thrones and judged the twelve Tribes of Israel But of this there is no question And as little of another proposition that this Stewardship was to last for ever for the power of Ministring in this Office and the Office it self were to be perpetual For the issues and powers of Government are more necessary for the perpetuating the Church than for the first planting and if it was necessary that the Apostles should have a rod and a staff at first it would be more necessary afterwards when the Family was more numerous and their first zeal abated and their native simplicity perverted into arts of hypocrisie and forms of godliness when Heresies should arise and the love of many should wax cold The Apostles had also a power of Ordination and that the very power it self does denote for it makes perpetuity that could not expire in the dayes of the Apostles for by it they themselves propagated a succession And Christ having promised his Spirit to abide with his Church for ever and made his Apostles the Channels the Ministers and conveyances of it that it might descend as the inheritance and eternal portion of the Family it cannot be imagined that when the first Ministers were gone there should not others rise up in the same places some like to the first in the same Office and Ministry of the Spirit But the thing is plain and evident in the matter of fact also Quod in Ecclesiâ nunc geritur hoc olim fecerunt Apostoli said S. Cyprian What the Apostles did at first that the Church does to this day and shall do so for ever For when S. Paul had given to the Bishop of Ephesus rules of Government in this Family he commands that they should be observed till the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and therefore these authorities and charges are given to him and to his Successors it is the observation of S. Ambrose upon the warranty of that Text and is obvious and undeniable Well then The Apostles were the first Stewards and this Office dies not with them but must for ever be succeeded in and now begins the inquiry who are the successors of the Apostles for they are they must evidently be the Stewards to feed and to rule this Family There are some that say that all who have any portion of work in the Family all the Ministers of the Gospel are these Stewards and so all will be Rulers The Presbyters surely for say they Presbyter and Bishop is the same thing and have the same name in Scripture and therefore the Office cannot be distinguished To this I shall very briefly say two things which will quickly clear our way through this bush of thorns 1. That the word Presbyter is but an honourable appellative used amongst the Jews as Alderman amongst us but it signifies no order at all nor was ever used in Scripture to signifie any distinct company or order of Clergy And this appears not only by an induction in all the enumerations of the Offices Ministerial in the New Testament where to be a Presbyter is never reckoned either as a distinct Office or a distinct Order but by its being indifferently communicated to all the Superior Clergy and all the Princes of the People 2. The second thing I intended to say is this that although all the Superior Clergy had not only one but divers common appellatives all being called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 even the Apostolate it self being called a Deaconship yet it is evident that before the common appellations were fixt into names of propriety they were as evidently distinguished in their Offices and Powers as they are at this day in their Names and Titles To this purpose S. Paul gave to Titus the Bishop of Crete a special Commission Command and Power to make Ordinations and in him and in the person of Timothy he did erect a Court of Judicature even over some of the Clergy who yet were called Presbyters against a Presbyter receive not an accusation but before two or three witnesses there is the measure and the warranty of the Audientia Episcopalis the Bishops Audience Court and when the accused were found guilty he gives in charge to proceed to censures 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 You must rebuke them sharply you must silence them stop their mouths that 's S. Pauls word that they may no more scatter their venom in the ears and hearts of the people These Bishops were commanded to set in order things that were wanting in the Churches the same with that power of S. Paul other things will I set in order when I come said he to the Corinthian Churches in which there were many who were called Presbyters who nevertheless for all that name had not that power To the same purpose it is plain in Scripture that some would have been Apostles that were not such were those whom the Spirit of God notes in the Revelation and some did love preeminence that had it not for so did Diotrephes and some were Judges of questions and all were not for therefore they appealed to the Apostles at Jerusalem and S. Philip though he was an Evangelist yet he could not give confirmation to the Samaritans whom he had baptized but the Apostles were sent for for that was part of the power reserved to the Episcopal or Apostolick Order Now from these premises the conclusion is plain and easie 1. Christ left a Government in his Church and founded it in the persons of the Apostles 2. The Apostles received this power for the perpetual use and benefit for the comfort and edification of the Church for ever 3. The Apostles had this Government but all that were taken into the Ministry and all that were called Presbyters had it not If therefore this Government in which there is so much disparity in the very nature and exercise and first original or it must abide for ever then so must that disparity If the Apostolate in the first stabiliment was this eminency of power then it must be so that is it must be the same in the succession that it was in the foundation For after the Church is founded upon its Governors we are to expect no change of Government If Christ was the Author of it then as Christ left it so it must abide for ever for ever there must be the Governing and the governed the Superior and the subordinate the Ordainer and the ordained the Confirmer and he confirmed Thus far the way is straight and the path is plain The Apostles were the Stewards and the ordinary Rulers of Christs Family by virtue of the order and office Apostolical and although this be succeeded to for ever yet
therefore tell what to advise in this particular but that every Spiritual Guide should consider who are tender Consciences and who are weak Brethren and use all the ways of Piety and Prudence to instruct and to inform them that they may increase in Knowledg and Spiritual Vnderstanding But they that will be always learning and never come to the knowledge of the Truth they that will be Children of a hundred years old and never come to years of Discretion they are very unfit to guide others and to be Curates of Souls but they are most unfit to reprove the Laws and speak against the Wisdom of a Nation when it is confessed that they are so weak that they understand not the fundamental Liberty which Christ hath purchas'd for them but are servants to a Scruple and affrighted at a Circumstance and in bondage under an Indifferent Thing and so much Idolaters of their Sect or Opinion as to prefer it before all their own nobler Interests and the Charity of their Brother and the Peace of a whole Church and Nation To You my Lords and Gentlemen I hope I may say as Marcus Curius said to a stubborn young man Non opus Vos habere cive qui parere nesciret the Kingdom hath no need of those that know not how to obey But as for them who have weak and tender Consciences they are in the state of Childhood and minority but then you know that a Child is never happy by having his own humour if you chuse for him and make him to use it he hath but one thing to do but if you put him to please himself he is troubled with every thing and satisfied with nothing We find that all Christian Churches kept this Rule They kept themselves and others close to the Rule of Faith and peaceably suffered one another to differ in Ceremonies but suffered no difference amongst their own they gave Liberty to other Churches and gave Laws and no Liberty to their own Subjects And at this day the Churches of Geneva France Switzerland Germany Low-Countries tye all their people to their own Laws but tye up no mans Conscience if he be not perswaded as they are let him charitably dissent and leave that Government and adhere to his own Communion If you be not of their mind they will be served by them that are they will not trouble your Conscience and you shall not disturb their Government But when men think they cannot enjoy their Conscience unless you give them good Livings and if you prefer them not you afflict their Consciences they do but too evidently declare that it is not their Consciences but their Profits they would have secured Now to these I have only this to say That their Conscience is to be enjoyed by the Measures of Gods Word but the Rule for their Estates is the Laws of the Kingdom and I shew you yet a more excellent way Obedience is the best security for both because this is the best conservatory of Charity and Truth and Peace Si vis brevi perfectus esse esto obediens etiam in minimis was the saying of a Saint and the World uses to look for Miracles from them whom they shall esteem Saints but I had rather see a man truly humble and obedient than to see him raise a man from the dead said old Pachomius But to conclude If weak Brethren shall still plead for Toleration and Compliance I hope my Lords the Bishops will consider where it can do good and do no harm where they are permitted and where themselves are bound up by the Laws and in all things where it is safe and holy to labour to bring them ease and to give them remedy but to think of removing the Disease by feeding the Humor I confess it is a strange Cure to our present Distempers He that took clay and spittle to open the blind eyes can make any thing be collyrium but he alone can do it But whether any humane Power can bring good from so unlikely an Instrument if any man desires yet to be better informed I desire him besides the calling to mind the late sad effects of Schism to remember that no Church in Christendom ever did it It is neither the way of Peace nor Government nor yet a proper Remedy for the cure of a weak Conscience I shall therefore pray to God That these men who separate in simplicity may by Gods mercy be brought to understand their own Liberty and that they may not for ever be Babes and Neophytes and wax old in trifles and for ever stay at the entrances and outsides of Religion but that they would pass in interiora domûs and seek after Peace and Righteousness Holiness and Justice the Love of God and Evangelical Perfections and then they will understand how ill-advised they are who think Religion consists in Zeal against Ceremonies and speaking evil of the Laws My Lords and Gentlemen what I said in pursuance of publick Peace and private Duty and some little incidences to both I now humbly present to You more to shew my own Obedience than to remind you of your Duty which hitherto You have so well observed in Your amicable and sweet concord of Councels and Affections during this present Session I owe many Thanks to You who heard me patiently willingly and kindly I endeavoured to please God and I find I did not displease You but he is the best hearer of a Sermon who first loves the Doctrine and then practises it and that You have hitherto done very piously and very prosperously I pray God continue to direct Your Counsels so that You in all things may please him and in all things be blessed by him that all Generations may call You blessed Instruments of a lasting Peace the Restorers of the old Paths the Patrons of the Church Friends of Religion and Subjects fitted for Your Prince who is Just up to the greatest Example and Merciful beyond all Examples a Prince who hath been Nourished and Preserved and Restored and Blessed by Miracles a Prince whose Virtues and Fortunes are equally the greatest A SERMON Preached at the opening of the PARLIAMENT SERM. V. 1 Sam. 15. latter part of verse 22. Behold to obey is better than sacrifice and to hearken than the fat of Rams First part of ver 23. For Rebellion is as the sin of Witchcraft and Stubbornness is as Iniquity and Idolatry IN the World nothing is more easie than to say our Prayers and to obey our Superiors and yet in the World there is nothing to which we are so unwilling as to Prayer and nothing seems so intolerable as Obedience for men esteem all Laws to be Fetters and their Superiors are their Enemies and when a command is given we turn into all shapes of excuse to escape from the imposition For either the authority is incompetent or the Law it self is Statutum non bonum or it is impossible to be kept or at least very inconvenient and we
imploretur remedium run to the King for remedy for therefore God hath set the Imperial fortune over humane affairs ut possit omnia quae noviter contingunt emendare componere modis ac regulis competentibus tradere that the King may amend and rule and compose every new arising question And it is not to be despised but is a great indication of this Truth that the Answers of the Roman Princes and Judges recorded in the Civil Law are such that all Nations of the world do approve them and are a great testimony how the sentences of Kings ought to be valued even in matters of Religion and questions of greatest doubt Bona conscientia Scyphus est Josephi said the old Abbot of Kells a good Conscience is like Joseph's Cup in which our Lord the King divines And since God hath blessed us with so good so just so religious and so wise a Prince let the sentence of his Laws be our last resort and no questions be permitted after his judgment and legal determination For Wisdom saith By me Princes rule by me they decree justice and therefore the spirit of the King is a divine eminency and is as the spirit of the most High God 4. Let no man be too busie in disputing the laws of his Superiors for a man by that seldom gets good to himself but seldom misses to do mischief unto others 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 said one in Laertius Will a Son contend with his Father that 's not decent though the son speak that which is right he may possibly say well enough but he does do very ill not only because he does not pay his duty and reverential fear but because it is in it self very often unreasonable to dispute concerning the command of our Superior whether it be good or no for the very commandment can make it not only good but a necessary good It seemed good to the Holy Ghost and to us to lay on you no greater burden than these necessary things said the Council of Jerusalem and yet these things were not necessary but as they were commanded to abstain from a strangled hen or a bloody pudding could not of themselves be necessary but the commandment came authority did interpose and then they were made so 5. But then besides the advantages both of the Spirit and the authority of Kings in matter of question the Laws and Decrees of a National Church ought upon the account of their own advantages be esteemed as a final sentence in all things disputed The thing is a plain command Hebrews 13. 7. Remember them which have the Rule over you who have spoken unto you the word of God this tells what Rulers he means Rulers Ecclesiastical and what of them whose faith follow they must praeire in articulis they are not Masters of your Faith but Guides of it and they that sit in Moses chair must be heard and obeyed said our blessed Saviour These words were not said for nothing and they were nothing if their authority were nothing For between the laws of a Church and the opinion of a Subject the comparison is the same as between a publick spirit and a private The publick is far the better the daughter of God and the mother of a blessing and alwayes dwels in light The publick spirit hath already passed the tryal it hath been subjected to the Prophets tryed and searched and approved the private is yet to be examined The publick spirit is uniform and apt to be followed the private is various and multiform as chance and no man can follow him that hath it for if he follows one he is reproved by a thousand and if he changes he may get a shame but no truth and he can never rest but in the arms and conduct of his Superior When Aaron and Miriam murmured against Moses God told them they were Prophets of an inferior rank than Moses was God communicated himself to them in dreams and visions but the Ruach hakkodesh the publick spirit of Moses their Prince that was higher and what then wherefore then God said were ye not afraid to speak against my servant Moses plainly teaching us that where there is a more excellent spirit they that have a spirit less excellent ought to be afraid to speak against it And this is the full case of the private and publick spirit that is of a Subject speaking against the Spirit and the Laws of the Church In Heaven and in the air and in all the regions of Spirits the Spirit of a lower Order dares not speak against the Spirit of an higher and therefore for a private Spirit to oppose the publick is a disorder greater than is in Hell it self To conclude this point Let us consider whether it were not an intolerable mischief if the Judges should give sentence in causes of instance by the measures of their own fancy and not by the Laws who would endure them and yet why may they not do that as well as any Ecclesiastick person preach Religion not which the Laws allow but what is taught him by his own private Opinion but he that hath the Laws on his side hath ever something of true Religion to warrant him and can never want a great measure of justification 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Laws and the Customs of the Country are the results of wise Counsels or long experience they ever comply with Peace and publick benefit and nothing of this can be said of private Religions for they break the Peace and trouble the Conscience and undoe Government and despise the Laws and offend Princes and dishonour the wisdom of Parliaments and destroy Obedience Well but in the last place but if we cannot do what the Laws command we will suffer what they impose and then all is well again But first who ever did so that could help it And secondly this talking of passive Obedience is but a mockery for what man did ever say the Laws were not good but he also said the Punishment was unjust And thirdly which of all the Recusants did not endeavour to get ground upon the Laws and secretly or openly asperse the Authority that put him to pain for doing that which he calls his duty and can any man boast of his passive Obedience that calls it Persecution he may think to please himself but he neither does or sayes any thing that is for the reputation of the Laws Such men are like them that sail in a storm they may possibly be thrown into a Harbour but they are very sick all the way But after all this I have one thing to observe to such persons That such a passive Obedience as this does not acquit a man before God and he that suffers what the Law inflicts is not discharged in the Court of Conscience but there is still a sinner and a debter For the Law is not made for the righteous but for sinners that is the punishment
Repentance Men know they must repent but the definition of Repentance they take from the convenience of their own Affairs what they will not part with that is not necessary to be parted with and they will repent but not restore they will say nollem factum they wish they had never done it but since it is done you must give them leave to rejoice in their purchase they will ask forgiveness of God but they sooner forgive themselves and suppose that God is of their mind If you tye them to hard terms your Doctrine is not to be understood or it is but one Doctors Opinion and therefore they will fairly take their leave and get them another Teacher What makes these evil these dangerous and desperate Doctrines not the obscurity of the thing but the cloud upon the heart for say you what you will He that hears must be the Expounder and we can never suppose but a man will give sentence in behalf of what he passionately loves And so it comes to pass that as Rabbi Moses observed that God for the greatest Sin imposed the least Oblation as a she-Goat for the sin of Idolatry for a woman accused of Adultery a Barly-Cake so do most men they think to expiate the worst of their sins with a trifling with a pretended little insignificant repentance God indeed did so that the cheapness of the Oblation might teach them to hope for pardon not from the Ceremony but from a severe internal repentance But men take any argument to lessen their repentances that they may not lessen their pleasures or their estates and that Repentance may be nothing but a word and Mortification signifie nothing against their pleasures but be a term of Art only fitted for the Schools or for the Pulpit but nothing relative to Practice or the Extermination of their sin So that it is no wonder we understand so little of Religion it is because we are in love with that which destroyes it and as a man does not care to hear what does not please him so neither does he believe it he cannot he will not understand it And the same is the Case in the matter of Pride the Church hath extremely suffered by it in many ages Ariâ—s missed a Bishoprick and therefore turned Heretick 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith the story he disturbed and shaked the Church for he did not understand this Truth That the peace of the Church was better than the satisfaction of his person or the promoting his foolish Opinion And do not we see and feel that at this very day the Pride of men makes it seem impossible for many persons to obey their Superiors and they do not see what they can read every day that it is a sin to speak evil of Dignities A man would think it a very easie thing to understand the 13. Chapter to the Romans Whosoever resisteth the Power resisteth ehe Ordinance of God and yet we know a generation of men to whom these words were so obscure that they thought it lawful to fight against their King A man would think it easie to believe that those who were in the gainsaying of Corah who rose up against the high Priest were in a very sad condition and yet there are too many amongst us who are in the gainsaying of Corah and think they do very well that they are the Godly party and the good people of God Why what 's the matter In the world there can be nothing plainer than these words Let every soul be subject to the higher Powers and that you need not make a scruple who are these higher powers it is as plainly said there is no power but of God all that are set over you by the Laws of your Nation these are over you in the Lord and yet men will not understand these plain things they deny to do their notorious duty and yet believe they are in the right and if they sometimes obey for wrath they oftner disobey for Conscience sake Where is the fault The words are plain the duty is certain the Book lies open but alas it is Sealed within that is men have eyes and will not see ears and will not hear But the wonder is the less for we know when God said to Jonas doest thou well to be angry he answered God to his face I do well to be angry even unto the death Let God declare his mind never so plainly if men will not lay aside the evil principle that is within their open love to their secret sin they may kill an Apostle and yet be so ignorant as to think they do God good service they may disturb Kingdoms and break the peace of a well-ordered Church and rise up against their Fathers and be cruel to their Brethren and stir up the people to Sedition and all this with a cold stomach and a hot liver with a hard heart and a tender Conscience with humble carriage and a proud spirit For thus men hate Repentance because they scorn to confess an Error they will not return to Peace and Truth because they fear to lose the good opinion of the people whom themselves have couzened they are afraid to be good lest they should confess they have formerly done amiss and he that observes how much evil is done and how many Heresies are risen and how much obstinacy and unreasonable perseverance in folly dwells in the World upon the stock of Pride may easily conclude that no learning is sufficient to make a proud man understand the truth of God unless he first learn to be humble But Obedite intelligetis saith the Prophet obey and be humble leave the foolish affections of sin and then ye shall understand That 's the first particular All remaining affections to sin hinder the learning and understanding of the things of God 2. He that means to understand the will of God and the truth of Religion must lay aside all inordinate affections to the world 2 Cor. 3. 14. S. Paul complained that there was at that day a veil upon the hearts of the Jews in the reading of the Old Testament they looked for a Temporal Prince to be their Messias and their affections and hopes dwelt in secular advantages and so long as that veil was there they could not see and they would not accept the poor despised Jesus For the things of the world besides that they entangle one another and make much business and spend much time they also take up the attentions of a mans mind and spend his faculties and make them trifling and secular with the very handling and conversation And therefore the Pythagoreans taught their Disciples 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a separation from the things of the body if they would purely find out truth and the excellencies of wisdom Had not he lost his labour that would have discoursed wisely to Apicius and told him of the books of Fate and the secrets of the other World the abstractions of the Soul and its
spending our time and our talk our heart and our spirits about the Garments and Outsides of Religion And they can ill teach others that do not know that Religion does not consist in these things but Obedience may and reductively that is Religion and he that for that which is no part of Religion destroys Religion directly by neglecting that Duty that is adopted into Religion is a man of Phancy and of the World but he gives but an ill account that he is a man of God and a Son of the Spirit Spend not your time in that which profits not for your labour and your health your time and your Studies are very valuable and it is a thousand pities to see a diligent and a hopeful person spend himself in gathering Cockle-shells and little Pebbles in telling Sands upon the shores and making Garlands of useless Daisies Study that which is profitable that which will make you useful to Churches and Commonwealths that which will make you desirable and wise Only I shall add this to you That in Learning there are variety of things as well as in Religion there is Mint and Cummin and there are the weighty things of the Law so there are Studies more and less useful and every thing that is useful will be required in its time and I may in this also use the words of our Blessed Saviour These things ought you to look after and not to leave the other unregarded But your great care is to be in the things of God and of Religion in Holiness and true Wisdom remembring the saying of Origen That the Knowledge that arises from Goodness is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 something that is more certain and more divine than all demonstration than all other Learnings of the World 3. That 's no good Religion that disturbs Governments or shakes a foundation of publick Peace Kings and Bishops are the Foundations and the great Principles of Unity of Peace and Government like Rachel and Leah they build up the house of Israel and those blind Sampsons that shake these Pillars intend to pull the house down My Son fear God and the King saith Solomon and meddle not with them that are given to change That is not Truth that loves Changes and the new-nothings of Heretical and Schismatical Preachers are infinitely far from the blessings of Truth In the holy Language Truth hath a mysterious Name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Emet it consists of three Letters the first and the last and the middlemost of the Hebrew Letters implying to us that Truth is first and will be last and it is the same all the way and combines and unites all extreams it ties all ends together Truth is lasting and ever full of blessing For the Jews observe that those Letters which signifie Truth are both in the figure and the number Quadrate firm and cubical these signifie a Foundation and an abode for ever Whereas on the other side the word which in Hebrew signifies a lye 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Secher is made of Letters whose numbers are imperfect and their figure pointed and voluble to signifie that a Lye hath no foundation And this very Observation will give good light in our Questions and Disputes And I give my instance in Episcopal Government which hath been of so lasting an abode of so long a blessing hath its firmament by the Principles of Christianity hath been blessed by the issues of that stabiliment it hath for sixteen hundred years combined with Monarchy and hath been taught by the Spirit which hath so long dwelt in Gods Church and hath now according to the promise of Jesus that says the gates of Hell shall never prevail against the Church been reâ—â—ored amongst us by a heap of Miracles and as it went away so now it is returned again in the hand of Monarchy and in the bosom of our fundamental Laws Now that Doctrine must needs be suspected of Error and an intolerable Lie that speaks against this Truth which hath had so long a testimony from God and from the Wisdom and Experience of so many Ages of all our Ancestors and all our Laws When the Spirit of God wrote in Greek Christ is call'd 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 if he had spoken Hebrew he had been called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Emet he is Truth the same yesterday and to day and for ever and whoever opposes this holy Sanction which Christs Spirit hath sanctified his Word hath warranted his Blessings have endeared his Promises have ratified and his Church hath always kept he fights against this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Emet and Secher is his portion his lot is a Lie his portion is there where Holiness can never dwell And now to conclude to you Fathers and Brethren you who are or intend to be of the Clergy you see here the best Compendium of your Studies the best abbreviature of your Labours the truest Method of Wisdom and the infallible the only way of judging concerning the Disputes and Questions in Christendom It is not by reading multitudes of Books but by studying the Truth of God It is not by laborious Commentaries of the Doctors that you can finish your work but by the Expositions of the Spirit of God It is not by the Rules of Metaphysicks but by the proportions of Holiness And when all Books are read and all Arguments examined and all Authorities alledged nothing can be found to be true that is unholy Give your selves to reading to exhortation and to Doctrine saith St. Paul Read all good Books you can but exhortation unto good life is the best Instrument and the best Teacher of true Doctrine of that which is according to Godliness And let me tell you this The great Learning of the Fathers was more owing to their Piety than to their Skill more to God than to themselves and to this purpose is that excellent Ejaculation of St. Chrysostom with which I will conclude O blessed and happy men whose Names are in the Book of Life from whom the Devils fled and Hereticks did fear them who by Holiness have stopped the mouths of them that spake perverse things But I like David will cry out Where are thy loving-kindnesses which have been ever of old Where is the blessed Quire of Bishops and Doctors who shined like Lights in the World and contained the Word of Life Dulce est meminisse their very memory is pleasant Where is that Evodias the sweet savour of the Church the Successor and Imitator of the holy Apostles Where is Ignatius in whom God dwelt Where is S. Dionysius the Areopagite that Bird of Paradise that celestial Eagle Where is Hyppolitus that good man 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that gentle sweet person Where is great St. Basil a man almost equal to the Apostles Where is Athanasius rich in vertue Where is Gregory Nyssen that great Divine and Ephrem
is a harder and more wonderful thing for a wicked man to become the friend of God than for one that is so to be carried up to heaven and partake of his Glory The first Resurrection is certainly the greater miracle But he that hath risen once may rise again and this is as sure as that he that dies once may die again and die for ever But he who partakes of the death of Christ by Mortification and of his Resurrection by holiness of life and a holy Faith shall according to the expression of the Prophet Isaiah Isa. 26. 20. Enter into his chamber of death when Nature and Gods decree shall shut the doors upon him and there he shall be hidden for a little moment But then shall they that dwell in dust awake and sing with Christs dead body shall they arise all shall rise but every man in his own order Christ the first fruits then they that are Christ's at his coming Amen I have now done with my meditation of the Resurrection but we have a new and a sadder subject to consider It is glorious and brave when a Christian contemplates those Glories which stand at the foot of the Account of all Gods Servants but when we consider that before all or any thing of this happens every Christian must twice exuere hominem put off the Old man and then lie down in dust and the dishonours of the grave it is Vinum Myrrhatum there is Myrrhe put into our Wine it is wholsom but it will allay all our pleasures of that glorious expectation But no man can escape it After that the Great Cyrus had Rul'd long in a mighty Empire yet there came a Message from Heaven not so sad it may be yet as decretory as the Hand-writing on the wall that arrested his Successor Darius 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Prepare thy self O Cyrus and then go unto the Gods he laid aside his Tire and his beauteous Diadem and cover'd his face with a cloth and in a single Linen laid his honour'd head in a poor humble Grave And none of us all can avoid this Sentence For if Wit and Learning great Fame and great Experience if wise Notices of Things and an honourable Fortune if Courage and Skill if Prelacy and an honourable Age if any thing that could give Greatness and Immunity to a wise and prudent Man could have been put in bar against a sad day and have gone for good plea this sad Scene of Sorrows had not been the entertainment of this Assembly But tell me Where are those great Masters who while they liv'd flourish'd in their studies Jam eorum Praebendas alii possident nescio utrum de iis cogitant Other men have got their Prebends and their Dignities and who knows whether ever they remember them or no While they liv'd they seem'd nothing when they are dead every man for a while speaks of them what they please and afterwards they are as if they had not been But the piety of the Christian Church hath made some little provision towards an artificial Immortality for brave and worthy persons and the Friendships which our dead contracted while they were alive require us to continue a fair memory as long as we can but they expire in monthly minds or at most in a faint and declining Anniversary 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And we have great reason so to do in this present sad accident of the death of our late most Reverend Primate whose death the Church of Ireland hath very great reason to deplore and we have great obligation to remember his very many worthy Deeds done for this poor afflicted and despised Church St. Paul made an excellent Funeral Oration as it were instituting a Feast of All Saints Who all died having obtained a good report And that excellent Preacher in the 11. cap. of the Hebrews made a Sermon of their Commemoration For since good men while they are alive have their Conversation in Heaven when they are in Heaven 't is also fit that they should in their good Names live upon Earth And as their great Examples are an excellent Sermon to the living and the praising them when Envy and Flattery can have no Interest to interpose as it is the best and most vigorous Sermon and Incentive to great things so to conceal what good God hath wrought by them is great unthankfulness to God and to good men When Dorcas died the Apostle came to see the dead Corps and the Friends of the deceased expressed their grief and their love by shewing the Coats that she whilst she lived wrought with her own hands She was a good Needle-woman and a good Huswife and did good to mankind in her little way and that it self ought not to be forgotten and the Apostle himself was not displeased with their little Sermons and that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which the women made upon that sad interview But if we may have the same liberty to record the worthy things of this our most venerable Father and Brother and if there remains no more of that Envy which usually obscures the splendour of living Heroes if you can with your charitable though weeping eyes behold the great gifts of God with which he adorned this great Prelate and not object the failings of humanity to the participation of the Graces of the Spirit or think that Gods Gifts are the less because they are born in earthen Vessels 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for all men bear Mortality about them and the Cabinet is not so beauteous as the Diamond that shines within its bosom then we may without interruption pay this duty to Piety and Friendship and Thankfulness and deplore our sad loss by telling a true and sad story of this great man whom God hath lately taken from our eyes He was bred in Cambridge in Sidney-Colledge under Mr. Hulet a grave and a worthy man and he shewed himself not only a fruitful Plant by his great progress in his Studies but made him another return of gratitude taking care to provide a good Imployment for him in Ireland where he then began to be greatly interested It was spoken as an honour to Augustus Caesar that he gave his Tutor an honourable Funeral and Marcus Antoninus erected a Statue unto his and Gratian the Emperour made his Master Ausonius to be Consul And our worthy Primate knowing the Obligation which they pass upon us who do Obstetricare gravidae animae help the parturient Soul to bring forth Fruits according to its seminal powers was careful not only to reward the industry of such persons so useful to the Church in the cultivating infantes palmarum young Plants whose joynts are to be stretch'd and made streight but to demonstrate that his Scholar knew how to value Learning when he knew so well how to reward the Teacher Having pass'd the course of his Studies in the University and done his Exercise with that applause which is usually the
Reward of pregnant Wits and hard Study he was remov'd into York-shire where first in the City of York he was an assiduous Preacher but by the disposition of the Divine Providence he hapned to be engaged at North-Alerton in Disputation with three pragmatical Romish Priests of the Jesuits Order whom he so much worsted in the Conference and so shamefully disadvantaged by the evidence of Truth represented wisely and learnedly that the famous Primate of York Archbishop Matthews a learned and an excellent Prelate and a most worthy Preacher hearing of that Triumph sent for him and made him his Chaplain in whose Service he continued till the death of the Primate but in that time had given so much testimony of his dexterity in the conduct of Ecclesiastical and Civil Affairs that he grew dear to his Master In that Imployment he was made Prebendary of York and then of Rippon the Dean of which Church having made him his Sub-Dean he managed the Affairs of that Church so well that he soon acquired a greater fame and entred into the possession of many hearts and admiration to those many more that knew him There and at his Parsonage he continued long to do the duty of a learned and good Preacher and by his Wisdom Eloquence and Deportment so gain'd the affections of the Nobility Gentry and Commons of that Country that as at his return thither upon the blessed Restauration of His most Sacred Majesty he knew himself oblig'd enough and was so kind as to give them a Visit so they by their coming in great numbers to meet him their joyful Reception of him their great Caressing of him when he was there their forward hopes to enjoy him as their Bishop their trouble at his Departure their unwillingness to let him go away gave signal testimonies that they were wise and kind enough to understand and value his great worth But while he lived there he was like a Diamond in the dust or Lucius Quinctius at the Plough his low Fortune cover'd a most valuable person till he became observ'd by Sir Thomas Wentworth Lord President of York whom we all knew for his great Excellencies and his great but glorious Misfortunes This rare Person espied the great Abilities of Doctor Bramhall and made him his Chaplain and brought him into Ireland as one whom he believ'd would prove the most fit Instrument to serve in that design which for two years before his arrival here he had greatly meditated and resolved the Reformation of Religion and the Reparation of the broken Fortunes of the Church The Complaints were many the Abuses great the Causes of the Church vastly numerous but as fast as they were brought in so fast they were by the Lord Deputy referred back to Dr. Bramhall who by his indefatigable Pains great Sagacity perpetual Watchfulness daily and hourly Consultations reduc'd things to a more tolerable condition than they had been left in by the schismatical Principles of some and the unjust Prepossessions of others for many years before For at the Reformation the Popish Bishops and Priests seemed to conform and did so that keeping their Bishopricks they might enrich their Kindred and dilapidate the Revenues of the Church which by pretended Offices false Informations Fee-farms at contemptible Rents and ungodly Alienations were made low as Poverty it self and unfit to minister to the needs of them that serv'd the Altar or the noblest purposes of Religion For Hospitality decayed and the Bishops were easie to be oppressed by those that would and they complained but for a long time had no helper till God raised up that glorious Instrument the Earl of Strafford who brought over with him as great affections to the Church and to all publick Interests and as admirable Abilities as ever before his time did invest and adorn any of the Kings Vice-gerents and God fitted his hand with an Instrument good as his Skill was great for the first Specimen of his Abilities and Diligence in recovery of some lost Tithes being represented to His late Majesty of blessed and glorious Memory it pleased His Majesty upon the death of Bishop Downham to advance the Doctor to the Bishoprick of Derry which he not only adorned with an excellent Spirit and a wise Government but did more than double the Revenue not by taking any thing from them to whom it was due but by resuming something of the Churches Patrimony which by undue means was detained in unfitting hands But his care was beyond his Diocese and his zeal broke out to warm all his Brethren and though by reason of the Favour and Piety of King James the escheated Counties were well provided for their Tithes yet the Bishopricks were not so well till the Primate then Bishop of Derry by the favour of the Lord Lieutenant and his own incessant and assiduous labour and wise conduct brought in divers Impropriations cancelled many unjust Alienations and did restore them to a condition much more tolerable I say much more tolerable for though he raised them above contempt yet they were not near to envy but he knew there could not in all times be wanting too many that envied to the Church every degree of prosperity so Judas did to Christ the expence of Oyntment and so Dionysius told the Priest when himself stole the golden Cloak from Apollo and gave him one of Arcadian home-spun that it was warmer for him in Winter and cooler in Summer And for ever since the Church by Gods blessing and the favour of Religious Kings and Princes and Pious Nobility hath been endowed with fair Revenues inim icus homo the Enemy hath not been wanting by pretences of Religion to take away Gods portion from the Church as if his Word were intended as an instrument to rob his Houses But when the Israelites were governed by a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and God was their King and Moses his Lieutenant and things were of his management he was pleased by making great Provisions for them that ministred in the service of the Tabernacle to consign this truth for ever That Men as they love God at the same rate are to make provisions for his Priests For when himself did it he not only gave the 48 Cities with a mile of Glebe round about their City every way and yet the whole Country was but 140 miles long or thereabouts from Dan to Beersheba but beside this they had the Tithe of all encrease the first Fruits Offerings Vows Redemptions and in short they had 24 sorts of Dues as Buxtorf relates and all this either brought to the Barn home to them without trouble or else as the nature of the thing required brought to the Temple the first to make it more profitable and the second to declare that they received it not from the people but from God not the Peoples kindness but the Lords inheritance insomuch that this small Tribe of Levi which was not the 40th part of the People as the Scripture computes them
hand he therefore espying this put his house in order and had lately visited his Diocese and done what he then could to put his Charge in order for he had a good while since received the sentence of death within himself and knew he was shortly to render an account of his stewardship he therefore upon a brisk alarm of death which God sent him the last January made his Will in which besides the prudence and presence of spirit manifested in making just and wise settlement of his Estate and provisions for his Descendants at midnight and in the trouble of his sickness and circumstances of addressing death still kept a special sentiment and made confession of Gods admirable mercies and gave thanks that God had permitted him to live to see the blessed Restauration of His Majesty and the Church of England confessed his Faith to be the same as ever gave praises to God that he was born and bred up in this Religion and prayed to God and hoped he should die in the Communion of this Church which he declar'd to be the most pure and Apostolical Church in the whole World He prayed to God to pardon his frailties and infirmities relied upon the mercies of God and the merits of Jesus Christ and with a singular sweetness resigned up his soul into the hands of his Redeemer But God who is the great Choragus and Master of the Scenes of Life and Death was not pleased then to draw the Curtains there was an Epilogue to his Life yet to be acted and spoken He returned to actions and life and went on in the methods of the same procedure as before was desirous still to establish the affairs of the Church complained of some disorders which he purposed to redress girt himself to the work but though his spirit was willing yet his flesh was weak and as the Apostles in the Vespers of Christs Passion so he in the eye of his own Dissolution was heavy not to sleep but heavy unto death and looked for the last warning which seized on him in the midst of business and though it was sudden yet it could not be unexpected or unprovided by surprize and therefore could be no other than that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which Augustus used to wish unto himself a civil and well-natured death without the amazement of troublesome circumstances or the great cracks of a falling house or the convulsions of impatience Seneca tells that Bassus Aufidius was wont to say Sperare se nullum dolorem esse in illo extremo anhelitu si tamen esset habere aliquantum in ipsa brevitate solatii He hoped that the pains of the last Dissolution were little or none or if they were it was full of comfort that they could be but short It happened so to this excellent man his Passive Fortitude had been abundantly tried before and therefore there was the less need of it now his active Graces had been abundantly demonstrated by the great and good things he did and therefore his last scene was not so laborious but God called him away something after the manner of Moses which the Jews express by Osculum oris Dei the Kiss of Gods mouth that is a death indeed fore-signified but gentle and serene and without temptation To sum up all He was a wise Prelate a learned Doctor a just Man a true Friend a great Benefactor to others a thankful Beneficiary where he was obliged himself He was a faithful Servant to his Masters a Loyal Subject to the King a zealous Assertor of his Religion against Popery on one side and Fanaticism on the other The practice of his Religion was not so much in Forms and exteriour Ministries though he was a great observer of all the publick Rites and Ministries of the Church as it was in doing good for others He was like Myson whom the Scythian Anarchasis so greatly praised 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he governed his Family well he gave to all their due of maintenance and duty he did great benefit to mankind he had the fate of the Apostle S. Paul he passed through evil report and good report as a deceiver and yet true He was a man of great business and great resort Semper aliquis in Cydonis domo as the Corinthians said There was always somebody in Cydons house He was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he divided his life into labour and his book he took care of his Churches when he was alive and even after his death having left 500 l. for the Repair of his Cathedral of Armagh and S. Peters Church in Drogheda He was an excellent Scholar and rarely well accomplished first instructed to great excellency by natural parts and then consummated by study and experience Melanchthon was used to say that himself was a Logician Pomeranus a Grammarian Justus Jonas an Orator but that Luther was all these It was greatly true of him that the single perfections which make many men eminent were united in this Primate and made him illustrious At at Quintilium perpetuus sopor Vrget cui pudor justitiae soror Incorrupta fides nudaque veritas Quando ullum invenient parem It will be hard to find his Equal in all things Fortasse tanquam Phoenix anno quingentesimo nascitur that I may use the words of Seneca nec est mirum ex intervallo magna generari mediocria in turbam nascentia saepe fortuna producit eximia vero ipsa raritate commendat For in him was visible the great lines of Hooker's Judiciousness of Jewel's Learning of the acuteness of Bishop Andrews He was skilled in more great things than one and as one said of Phidias he could not only make excellent Statues of Ivory but he could work in Stone and Brass He shewed his Equanimity in Poverty and his Justice in Riches he was useful in his Country and profitable in his Banishment for as Paraeus was at Anvilla Luther at Wittenburg S. Athanasius and S. Chrysostom in their Banishment S. Hierom in his retirement at Bethlehem they were Oracles to them that needed it so was he in Holland and France where he was abroad and beside the particular endearments which his friends received from him for he did do relief to his brethren that wanted and supplied the Souldiers out of his store in Yorkshire when himself could but ill spare it but he received publick thanks from the Convocation of which he was President and publick Justification from the Parliament where he was Speaker so that although as one said Miraculi instar vitae iter si longum sine offensione percurrere yet no man had greater Enemies and no man had greater justifications But God hath taken our Elijah from our heads this day I pray God that at least his Mantle may be left behind and that his Spirit may be doubled upon his Successor and that we may all meet together with him at the right hand of the Lamb where every man shall receive according
must give your selves up wholly to the Word of God and Prayer they must watch and pray that they fall not into temptation but you must watch for your selves and others too the people must mourn when they sin but you must mourn for your own infirmities and for the sins of others and indeed if the life of a Clergy-man does not exceed even the piety of the People that life is in some measure scandalous and what shame was ever greater than is described in the Parable of the Traveller going from Jerusalem to Jericho when to the eternal dishonour of the Levite and the Priest it is told that they went aside and saw him with a wry neck and a bended head but let him alone and left him to be cured by the good Samaritane The Primitive Church in her Discipline used to thrust their delinquent Clergy in laicam communionem even then when their faults were but small and of less reproach than to deserve greater censures yet they lessened them by thrusting them into the Lay Communion as most fit for such Ministers who refused to live at the height of Sacerdotal piety Remember your dignity to which Christ hath called you shall such a man as I flee said the brave Eleazar shall the Stars be darkness shall the Embassadors of Christ neglect to do their King honour shall the glory of Christ do dishonourable and inglorious actions Ye are the glory of Christ saith S. Paul remember that I can say no greater thing unless possibly this may add some moments for your care and caution that potents potenter cruciabuntur great men shall be greatly tormented if they sin and to fall from a great height is an intolerable ruine Severe were the words of our Blessed Saviour Ye are the Salt of the earth if the Salt have lost his savour it is thenceforth good for nothing neither for Land nor yet for the Dunghil a greater dishonour could not be expressed he that takes such a one up will shake his fingers I end this with the saying of S. Austin Let your religious prudence think that in the world especially at this time nothing is more laborious more difficult or more dangerous than the Office of a Bishop or a Priest or a Deacon Sed apud Deum nihil beatius si eo modo militetur quo noster Imperator jubet but nothing is more blessed if we do our duty according to the Commandment of our Lord. I have already discoursed of the integrity of life and what great necessity there is and how deep obligations lie upon you not only to be innocent and void of offence but also to be holy not only pure but shining not only to be blameless but to be didactick in your lives that as by your Sermons you preach in season so by your lives you may preach out of season that is at all seasons and to all men that they seeing your good works may glorifie God on your behalf and on their own THE Ministers Duty IN LIFE DOCTRINE SERM. X. The second Sermon on Titus 2. 7. In Doctrine shewing uncorruptness gravity sincerity c. NOW by the order of the words and my own undertaking I am to tell you what are the Rules and Measures of your Doctrine which you are to teach the people 1. Be sure that you teach nothing to the people but what is certainly to be found in Scripture Servemus eas mensuras quas nobis per Legislatorem Lex spiritualis enunciat the whole spiritual Law given us by our Law-giver that must be our measures for though by perswasion and by faith by mis-perswasion and by error by false Commentaries and mistaken glosses every man may become a Law unto himself and unhappily bind upon his Conscience burdens which Christ never imposed yet you must bind nothing upon your Charges but what God hath bound upon you you cannot become a Law unto them that 's the only priviledge of the Law-giver who because he was an interpreter of the Divine Will might become a Law unto us and because he was faithful in all the house did tell us all his Fathers Will and g. nothing can be Gods Law to us but what he hath taught us But of this I shall need to say no more but the words of Tertullian Nobis nihil licet ex nostro arbitrio indulgere sed nec eligere aliquid quod de suo arbitrio aliquis induxerit Apostolos Domini habemus Authores qui nec ipsi quicquam de suo arbitrio quod inducerent elegerunt sed acceptam à Christo disciplinam fideliter nationibus assignarunt Whatsoever is not in and taken from the Scriptures is from a private spirit and that is against Scripture certainly for no Scripture is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith S. Peter it is not it cannot be of private interpretation that is unless it come from the Spirit of God which is that Spirit that mov'd upon the waters of the new Creation as well as of the old and was promised to all to you and to your Children and to as many as the Lord our God shall call and is bestowed on all and is the earnest of all our inheritance and is given to every man to profit withall it cannot prove God to be the Author nor be a light to us to walk by or to show others the way to Heaven This Rule were alone sufficient to guide us all in the whole Oeconomy of our Calling if we were not weak and wilful ignorant and abused but the holy Scripture hath suffered so many interpretations and various sounds and seemings and we are so prepossess'd and predetermin'd to misconstruction by false Apostles without and prevailing passions within that though it be in it self sufficient yet it is not so for us and we may say with the Eunuch How can I understand unless some man should guide me and indeed in S. Paul's Epistles there are many things hard to be understood and in many other places we find that the well is deep and unless there be some to help us to draw out the latent senses of it our souls will not be filled with the waters of Salvation Therefore that I may do you what assistances I can and if I cannot in this small portion of time instruct you yet that I may counsel you and remind you of the best assistances that are to be had if I cannot give you rules sufficient to expound all hard places yet that I may shew how you shall sufficiently teach your people by the rare rules and precepts recorded in places that are or may be made easie I shall first give you some advices in general and then descend to more particular Rules and Measures 1. Because it is not to be expected that every Minister of the Word of God should have all the gifts of the Spirit and every one to abound in Tongues and in Doctrines and in Interpretations you may therefore make great use
appointed by the Law falls on him only that hath sinned but an offending subject cannot with the fruit of his body pay for the sin of his Soul when he does evil he must suffer evil but if he does not repent besides a worse thing will happen to him for we are not tyed to obey only for wrath but also for Conscience Passive Obedience is only the correspondent of wrath but it is the active Obedience that is required by Conscience and whatever the Subject suffers for his own fault it matters nothing as to his Duty but this also God will exact at the hands of every man that is placed under Authority I have now told you the sum of what I had to say concerning Obedience to Laws and to your own Government and it will be to little purpose to make Laws in matter of Religion or in any thing else if the end of it be that every man shall chuse whether he will obey or no and if it be questioned whether you be deceived or no though the suffering such a question is a great diminution to your Authority yet it is infinitely more probable that you are in the right than that the disobedient Subject is because you are conducted with a publick spirit you have a special title and peculiar portions of the promise of Gods assistance you have all the helps of Counsel and the advantages of deliberation you have the Scriptures and the Laws you are as much concerned to judge according to truth as any man you have the principal of all capacities and states of men to assist your Consultations you are the most concerned for Peace and to please God also is your biggest interest and therefore it cannot be denied to be the most reasonable thing in the world which is set down in the Law Praesumptio est pro authoritate imponentis the presumption of truth ought to be on your side and since this is the most likely way for Truth and the most certain way for Peace you are to insist in this and it is not possible to find a better I have another part or sense of my Text yet to handle but because I have no more time of mine own and I will not take any of yours I shall only do it in a short Exhortation to this most Honourable Auditory and so conclude God hath put a Royal Mantle and fastned it with a Golden Clasp upon the shoulder of the KING and he hath given you the Judges Robe the King holds the Scepter and he hath now permitted you to touch the golden Ball and to take it a while into your handling and make Obedience to your Laws to be Duty and Religion but then remember that the first in every kind is to be the measure of the rest you cannot reasonably expect that the Subjects should obey you unless you obey God I do not speak this only in relation to your personal duty though in that also it would be considered that all the Bishops and Ministers of Religion are bound to teach the same Doctrines by their Lives as they do by their Sermons and what we are to do in the matters of Doctrine you are also to do in the matters of Laws what is reasonable for the advantages of Religion is also the best Method for the advantages of Government we must preach by our good example and you must govern by it and your good example in observing the Laws of Religion will strangely endear them to the affections of the people But I shall rather speak to you as you are in a capacity of Union and of Government for as now you have a new Power so there is incumbent upon you a special Duty 1. Take care that all your Power and your Consels be employed in doing honour and advantages to Piety and Holiness Then you obey God in your publick capacity when by holy Laws and wise Administrations you take care that all the Land be an obedient and a religious people For then you are Princely Rulers indeed when you take care of the Salvation of a whole Nation Nihil aliud est imperium nisi cura salutis alienae said Ammianus Government is nothing but a care that all men be saved And therefore take care that men do not destroy their Souls by the abominations of an evil life see that God be obeyed take care that the breach of the Laws of God may not be unpunished The best way to make men to be good Subjects to the King is to make them good Servants of God Suffer not Drunkenness to pass with impunity let Lust find a publick shame let the Sons of the Nobility and Gentry no more dare to dishonour God than the meanest of the people shall let baseness be basely esteemed that is put such Characters of Shame upon dishonourable Crimes that it be esteemed more against the honour of a Gentleman to be drunk than to be kicked more shame to fornicate than to be caned and for honours sake and the reputation of Christianity take some course that the most unworthy sins of the world have not reputation added to them by being the practice of Gentlemen and persons of good birth and fortunes Let not them who should be examples of Holiness have an impunity and a licence to provoke God to anger lest it be said that in Ireland it is not lawful for any man to sin unless he be a person of quality Optimus est reipublicae status ubi nihil deest nisi licentia pereundi In a common-wealth that 's the best state of things where every thing can be had but a leave to sin a licence to be undone 2. As God is thus to be obeyed and you are to take care that he be so God also must be honoured by paying that reverence and religious obedience which is due to those persons whom he hath been pleased to honour by admitting them to the dispensation of his blessings and the ministeries of your Religion For certain it is this is a right way of giving honour and obedience to God The Church is in some very peculiar manner the portion and the called and the care of God and it will concern you in pursuance of your obedience to God to take care that they in whose hands Religion is to be ministred and conducted be not discouraged For what your Judges are to the ministry of Laws that your Bishops are in the ministeries of Religion and it concerns you that the hands of neither of them be made weak and so long as you make Religion your care and Holiness your measure you will not think that Authority is the more to be despised because it is in the hands of the Church or that it is a sin to speak evil of dignities unless they be Ecclesiastical but that they may be reviled and that though nothing is baser then for a man to be a Thief yet Sacrilege is no dishonour and indeed to be an Oppressor is a
great and crying sin yet to oppress the Church to diminish her rents to make her beggerly and contemptible that 's no offence and that though it is not lawful to despise Government yet if it be Church-government that then the case is altered Take heed of that for then God is dishonoured when any thing is the more despised by how much it relates nearer unto God No Religion ever did despise their chiefest Ministers and the Christian Religion gives them the greatest honour For honourable Priesthood is like a shower from heaven it causes blessings every where but a pitiful a disheartned a discouraged Clergy waters the ground with a water-pot here and there a little good and for a little while but every evil man can destroy all that work whenever he pleases Take heed in the world there is not a greater misery can happen to any man then to be an enemy to God's Church All Histories of Christendome and the whole Book of God have sad records and sad threatnings and sad stories of Corah and Doeg and Balaam and Jeroboam and Vzzah and Ananias and Sapphira and Julian and of Hereticks and Schismaticks and sacrilegious and after all these men could not prevail finally but paid for the mischief they did and ended their daies in dishonour and left nothing behind them but the memory of their sin and the record of their curse 3. In the same proportion you are to take care of all inferiour Relatives of God and of Religion Find out methods to relieve the Poor to accommodate and well dispose of the cures of Souls let not the Churches lye wast and in ruinous heaps to the diminution of Religion and the reproach of the Nation lest the nations abroad say that the Britans are a kind of Christians that have no Churches for Churches and Courts of Judicature and the publick defences of an Imperial City are res sacrae they are venerable in Law and honourable in Religion But that which concerns us most is that we all keep close to our Religion Ad magnas reipublicae utilitates retinetur Religio in civitatibus said Cicero by Religion and the strict preserving of it ye shall best preserve the Interests of the Nation and according to the precept of the Apostle Mark them which cause divisions amongst us contrary to the doctrine that ye have receiv'd and avoid them For I beseech you to consider all you that are true Protestants do you not think that your Religion is holy and Apostolical and taught by Christ and pleasing unto God If you do not think so why do you not leave it but if you do think so why are ye not zealous for it Is not the Government a part of it it is that which immures and adorns and conducts all the rest and is establisht in the 36. Article of the Church in the publick Service-book and in the book of Consecration it is therefore a part of our Religion and is not all of it worth preserving If it be then they which make Schisms against this Doctrine by the rule of the Apostle are to be avoided Beatus qui praedicat verbum inauditum Blessed is he that preaches a word that was never heard before so said the Spanish Jesuite but Christ said otherwise No man having drunk old wine straight desires new for he saith the old is better And so it is in Religion Quod primum verum Truth is alwaies first and since Episcopacy hath been of so lasting an abode of so long a blessing since it hath ever combin'd with Government and hath been taught by that Spirit that hath so long dwelt in God's Church and hath now according to the promise of Jesus that sayes the gates of hell shall not prevail against the Church been restored amongst us by a heap of miracles and as it went away so it return'd again in the hand of Monarchy and in the bosome of our Fundamental Laws suffer no evil tongue to speak against this Truth which hath had so long a testimony from God and from Experience and from the wisdom of so many Ages of all your Ancestors and all your Laws lest ye be found to speak against God and neglect the things that belong unto your Peace and get nothing by it but news and danger and what other effects ye know not But Leontinus Bishop of Antioch stroak'd his old white beard and said When this snow is dissolved a great deal of dirty weather will follow meaning that when the old Religion should be questioned and discountenanced the new Religion would bring nothing but trouble and unquietness and we have found it so by a sad experience 4. Ye cannot obey God unless ye do Justice for this also is better then sacrifice said Solomon Prov. 21. 3. For Christ who is the Sun of righteousness is a Sun and a Shield to them that do righteously The Indian was not immured sufficiently by the Atlantick sea nor the Bosphoran by the walls of Ice nor the Arabian by his meridian Sun the Christian Justice of the Roman Princes brake through all inclosures and by Justice set up Christs standard and gave to all the world a testimony how much could be done by Prudence and Valour when they were conducted by the hands of Justice And now you will have a great trial of this part of your Obedience to God For you are to give sentence in the causes of half a Nation and he had need be a wise and a good man that divides the inheritance amongst Brethren that he may not be abused by contrary pretences nor biassed by the Interest of friends nor transported with the unjust thoughts even of a just Revenge nor allured by the opportunities of Spoil nor turn'd aside by Partiality in his own concerns nor blinded by Gold which puts out the eyes of wise men nor couzened by pretended zeal nor wearied with the difficulty of questions nor directed by a general measure in cases not measurable by it nor born down by Prejudice nor abused by resolutions taken before the cause be heard nor over-ruled by National Interests For Justice ought to be the simplest thing in the world and is to be measured by nothing but by Truth and by Laws and by the Decrees of Princes But whatever you do let not the pretence of a different Religion make you think it lawful to oppress any man in his just rights For Opinions are not but Laws only and doing as we would be done to are the measures of Justice and though Justice does alike to all men Jew and Christian Lutheran and Calvinist yet to do right to them that are of another Opinion is the way to win them but if you for Conscience sake do them wrong they will hate you and your Religion Lastly as Obedience is better than Sacrtfice so God also said I will have Mercy and not Sacrifice meaning that Mercy is the best Obedience Perierat totum quod Deus fecerat nisi misericordia subvenisset