awhile here at Roüen I did presume to informe his Majestie by a Packet I sent into Ireland to my Lord Melford of my Arrivall in France the manner of my escape with an Assurance of my unalterable Loyalty and that I should espouse his service with the same zeale during his Exile adversity as when hee was on the Throne I did also according to the Duty of a Loyall subject pay to the Queen Prince all those respects which I could at a Distance informing her also by the assistance of my Lord Waldegrave of my Arrival with assurances that I should never faile to render her Majestie the Prince all the duties which were incumbent on a subject of the King of England And that since I had not the felicity which I came for of being neare his Majestie I was in the next place desirous to bee neare herâ— and accordingly would hasten to St. Germaines as soon as the indisposition of my Body would permit Taking a great Delight to bee nigh the Royall Famliy when I cannot Otherwise serve them never thinking my selfe any wayes absolved from the observance I owed my Soveraigne her Majestie all the bloud Royall by the difference of Religion HAving Sr thus given you the Trouble of so particular an account of my selfe deportment from the time that wee were first allarumm'd with the news of the wicked intentions of the Dutch to invade vs home to this present day I thinke my selfe no lesse obliged to give you some Information Concerning my present Temper of mind future Intentions And which I am the more willing to embrace this Opportunity of doing by Reason my infirmities of Body do in such sort increase that I have small reason to immagine that I shall bee a long lived man they administring to mee too many Grounds of Feare if I were to undergo no other hazard that I may scarce live to see my Freinds in England any more unlesse the air of France motion bee by Gods Blessing a meanes of my Recouery Cure of that disease which I have contracted by à sedentary life since my Installation into the Deanery of Durham And here I do in the first place declare with all sincerity that I am resolued by Gods Grace to live dye a true son of the Church of England Whereof King Charles was King Iames 2. not the Prince of Orange is under God supream Head Governour beleiving her to bee for the Purity of her Doctrine the decent Regularity of her worship the wholesomnesse of her Discipline well executed the best and most Approaching to the Primitive Times of any Church in Reformed Christiendome And I do openly affirme to all the World that however her children or rather those who have pretended to bee soe have behaved themselves Either heretofore or of late to the scandall of the world Reproach of her Constitution I am assured she will bee found upon thorough and serious Examination A Church which doth not Countenance Rebellion or indeed any sin or wickednesse whatsoever I have given no just reason I thanke God to any to thinke mee of another Opinion And if some men have been soe uncharitable as to Censure mee for ever deviating from her it hath been only for such Carriage of mine as may best demonstrate that I am A right Genuine thorough paced tho very feeble Member of Her I meane for my Exact Conformity to constant Observation of the Excellent Rules of her Incomparable Liturgy without any variation and my Constant zeale in asserting the Kings Prerogative and her Excellent Doctrine of non-Resistance Subjection to Authority in both which perohance I have been thought sometimes a litle singular But if I have been soe I am sorry for it I meane that I should want company in so laudable Christian a Cause Practice For I must still affirme that the first is the Indispensable Duty of Every Church man and best meanes to preserve her the last which way soever it fled at the Prince of Oranges Invading England the very Flour and Glory of our Ch which neither losse of Estate nor life shall by the assistance of the Almighty cause mee to Renounce I do therefore humbly intreat your selfe and all my Relations no wise to suspect mee as if Wavering from my Obedience to my Mother the Church for my immoveable Adherence to the cause interest of the Father of our Country and my innate Abhorrence of Disputing Contesting or rudely Capitulating with my Prince even-then when hee commanded things very contrary to my sentiments which I did Judge not only inexpedient but prejudiciall to the Flourishing condition of our Church Had I fail'd as too many did in that Iuncture or in paying the very same duties ef Allegiance Honour to my Present Soueraigne When hee came to the Crowne as I had performed to the late King his Royall Brother my Gratious Master of Blessed memory because his present Majestie declared himselfe of the R. Cath. Religion I might indeed have been lyable to Censure for that was a bad mark of a son of the Church of England But God having enabled mee to Resist this Temptation which hath so mightily prevailed in the Nation I would not have you Feare that I shall bee Ouerthrowne by any other I am I confesse fled out of the Nation to assert the Cause of a R. Cath. Prince I live at present in à R. Cath. Country But sure I am that the right-right-Church of England Religion doth not only injoyne mee to do the first but considering the circumstances of England the neighbouring Protestant Countries at present to do the later And why I other loyall subjects should choose France rather than any other Nation to Reside in may quickly bee put out of dispute if our Censurers would bee pleased to consider how kindly the most Christian King received his Majesty of England and doth still entertaine those who have Evidenced their Fidelity to him as also reflect on the innate Civilily Hospitality of the French Nation towards strangers never more Visible than in this time of Distress when all are Wellcome espetially English men unlesse they are conceived to bee Spyes or Creatures of the Prince of Orange or other their Enimies As for my own particular Common Justice doth Oblige mee to acknowledge that I meet whith as much Curtisy now in France among the R. Catholicks as I have done heretofore among the Protestants And am permitted to live as quietly and securely tho I do no wayes diâ—oâ—ne my Religion as any of their own Nation THis breif declaration I have made will suffice I hope to assure all my Freinds in England of my stedfastnesse in the Excellent Religion of my Fore-Fathers The next duty incumbent on mee will be to give my Family you our Cheif some fresh assurance that I am by the Grace of God Resolued to endeavour for the future as I have begun
in their Misfortunes and thereby to demonstrate that my poor distressed Mother in the greatest and most generall defection as this seemes to be that ever vvas among any King of Englands subjects vvill never vvant some to bear testimony to the truth of her Doctrine vvho according to the Exemple of Christ and his Apostles doth maintaine the practice of Allegiance and intire submission and subjection to all Lavvfull supreme povvers deputed by God as his Vice-Gerents to Governe the vvorld Hovv great a contradiction hereof soever the last years transactions in England have proved vvhich hath given the greatest vvound that vvas ever yet given to our Church the Doctrine of Non-resistance Remaines on such authentick Record in the Church of Englands Printed Homilies against Rebellion vvhich I have in some sort Epitomised in the conclusion of my discourse that your Majesty as vvell as the King vvil I hope bee pleased to continue your Charitie to our Ecclesiastick Constitution vvith liberty to its members to Exercise their Religion and thinke no vvorse of the Parent for the disobedience of the Children but render that Iustice to the Church of England vvhich is due to all Churches to vvit to bee Iudged by her Doctrine Discipline and Order vvhich I am sure never did carry a long vvith them any Rebellion and not by the practice or Conversation of its Members VVhereby if the vvhole Christian Church vvas to bee Iudged it vvould in many things appeare more vile then some parts of the vvorld overrun vvith Turcisme and Paganisme Offerring to God my most fervent devotions for the preservation and Restoration of the King the Life and Happinesse of the Prince and out of Gratitude to Heaven in a most particular manner for your Majesty vvho have been Instrumentall to the Greatest blessing vvhich hath been these many yeares conferred on the Kingdom in bearing and bringing forth an Heir male for the support of the Monarchy I do vvith all humility implore yours together vvith his Majesties Patronage as vvell as beg Pardon for this Presumption and vvith the most profound respect imaginable subscribe my selfe YOUR MAJESTIES MOST DUTIFULL EVER FAITHFUL SERVANT SUBIECT DENIS GRANVILLE A DISCOURSE CONCERNINC CHRISTIAN RESIGNATION AND RESOLUTION WITH SOME LOYALL REFLECTIONS ON THE DUTCH INVASION Preached in the Cathedrall Church of Durham on the 1. Wensday in Advent the sunday follovving being the 5. 9. of December 1688. By DENIS GRANVILLE D. D. Deane Archdeacon of Durham novv in Exile Chaplaine in Ordinary to his Majestie TWO SERMONS CONCERNING CHRISTIAN RESOLUTION And Humble Submission to the VVill of God in Tymes of Distresse on the Holy Patriarch Iacobs Farevvell VVords to his sons at Parting IF I BE BEREAVED OF MY CHILDREN I AM BEREAVED Gen. ch 43. v. 14. FOR the better Understanding of the Story it Will be requisire to reade the precedent Words from the 11. verse to the text v. 11. If it must be so novv do this take of the best fruites of the Land in your Vessels and carry dovvn the man a Present a little balme a little honey spices mirrhe nuts almonds v. 12. And take double money in your hands and the money vvhich vvas brought againe in the mouth of your sacks carry it againe in your hand peradventure it vvas an Oversight v. 13. Take also your Brother and arise go againe unto the man. v. 14. And God Almicghty give you Mercy before the Man that hee may send avvay your other Brother Benjamin IF I BE BEREAVED OF MY CHILDREN I AM BEREAVED THe Approaching Holy Feast of CHRISTS NATIVITY or Coming in the Flesh doth Every yeare require a Solemne preparatory time of Devotion And that it may not want such due respect the Church takes care in its preceding Exercises Every Sunday service during ADVENT hath an Eye to that pious End purpose In pursuance whereof wee have in this Cathedrall revived an Antient Religious Custome Two dayes of every week throughout this season to wit wednesdays fridays are Sermon Dayes dedicated to Prayer Fasting to accompany those Exercises of Repentance which are allwayes thought a necessary part of out Preparation But Gods Impending Iudgements for our sins which at this time threaten Bloud Confusion do summon us to add to those exercises and by some voluntary impositions of Dayly Devotion Mortification to turne this Advent in to A little Lent giving up our selves wholy to the Exercise of Piety Prayer beseeching God that hee will not Enter into Iudgement vvith us and for our provocations give us up as a Prey unto our Enimies making us a scorne derision to them that are round about us It is lawfull nay Religious by Devout Prayer to Use Violence to the Kingdom of Heaven and if wee did in this our Distresse betake our selves to so sure a Refuge making use of the Holy Weapons of the Antient Christians PRAYERS TEARES crowding up to the horns of the Altar rendring all our Devotions more prevalent by the vveekly Reception of the Lords Supper wee that meet in Gods House if we came with that spirit Which wee ought might do our King and Country better service than those who fight for him in the Field What hath been said I premise in regard to the present Season of ADVENT and the Ensuing Feastivall of CHRISTMAS by reason my text doth not respect Either of them so particularly as the Storme Danger Which is imminent doth loudly call for the Holy Resolution asvvell as submission of Pious Jacob. And having so done I shall before I enter on the Words Move you to Pray according to the Canonicall Exhortation of the Church Yee shall pray for the Holy Catholieck Church of Christ that is for the vvhole Congregation of Christian people dispersed throughout the VVorld more espetially for the Churches of Great Britaine Ireland And here in I am to require you more particularly to pray for our Dread Soudraigne Lord Iames by the Grace of God King of England c. Yee shall likevvise pray for our Gratious Queen Mary Katherine the Queen dovvager his Royall Higness the Prince of VVales c. Concluding your Devotions allwayes with the Lords Prayer Our Father c. THe PATRIARCHS were now returned from their first journey Sermon I into Egypt and as they little thought from full-filling their Brother Iosephs dreame They had Bovved to him whom they thought they had Robbed of all Honour and been Fed by him whom they once conspired to Starve So inviolable is Gods purpose in things to man impossible OLD JACOB here at first with greatest Joy wellcomes home his weary sons but excesse of gladnesse is commonly attended on with Greife the end of Ioy is Mourning Whiles hee is yet congratulating their good successe in their Journey the sad newes of Simeons Imprisonment silenceth his mirth Which Greife too is attended on by a greater the necessity of his Deare Benjamins going into Egypt Crosses in
in the same page all sins by all names that sins may bee named by all meanes that sins may bee committed do vvholly upon heaps follovv Rebellion pag. 361. Pestilence Famine VVar declared in scripture to be the greatest of VVordly Plagues Miseries yea all the Miseries vvhich these Plagues have in them do alltogethor follovv Rebellion the fore-quoted pag. Of all vvars Civil VVar wee are there minded is the vvorst But Rebellion far more abominable than any Civill VVar pag. 362. Moreover that Rebells are Commonly punished vvith Remarkable shamefull Deaths that they do very seldom repent the greatest of Punishments wee are assured by the very same Homily pag. 363. As also that Heaven is the Place of good obedient subjects as Hell the Prison Dungeon of Rebells against God their Prince Our Church in that very page terming every obedient Realme the Figure of Heaven a Rebellious one the similitude of Hell. I thinke I need not produce any more quotations or arguments out of this Repository of our Church to convince you that Rebellion is the most abhorred sin and that it can never prove a soveraigne salve whoever are the Authours or supporters of it for the King Church or Kingdome But that I may have a sufficient foundation for a pathetick disswasion from this sin it will bee requisite to informe you fully in right Church-of-England-Loyalty And it can bee no other that is taken word for word out of these her own authorized Sermons which will bee most effectually done by satisfying you in a particular manner what the Church of England esteemes to be Rebellion First to vvithstand or use any force or violence to Lavvfull Soveraigns the they be never so vvicked and do never so much abuse their Povver is Rebellious If you will not give mee credit I 'le tell you the very page where you may finde it Even in the Homily of Obedience Part. the second pag. the 66 the last Edit in the yeare 1676. Where you are also minded and I desire you to take good notice thereof that the Amalâ—kite vvho Killed King Saul tho it vvas done by Sauls ovvn consent comand 2 Kings 1 vvas put to Death Secondly wee are informed that not only open Rebellion or dovvn right Resistance of the Lords anointed but any kind of Insurrection or COMMOTION or Murmuring one of our moderne vertues is condemned as an intollerable VVickednesse in a vvell governed Kingdome p. 67 of the same Hom. Where you see by the way how much this Ages and that Ages Protestants differ in their Sentiments of Loyalty Thirdly in case of unlavvfull or sinfull Commands our Mother the Church of England amidst all the unjust Reproaches cast on her is so far from approving any Violent vvithstanding or Rebelling against lavvfull Rulers that it will not allow of any sort of sedition or Tumults either by Force of Armes or Othervvise against the King himselfe or any of his officers But layes before the Rebells Eye Gods remarkable Judgements on Corah Dathan Abiram and on others for provoking God in the like kinde and lesse provocations than most of us have been guilty of tho through the mercy of God a Gratious King wee have hitherto escapd unpunish'd The fore-mentiond Corah Dathan Abiram vvere svvallovved up alive for but Grudging against Gods Magistrates Others vvere utterly Consumed by a sudden Fire sent from God for their VVicked Murmuring Others vvere suddenly stricken vvith a foul leprosy for but frovvard behaviour not to mention some stung to death with strange fiery serpents and 14700 at one tyme killed vvith the Plague whereof you are minded in the Conclusion of the same Homily as you are in Other places of scripture of 24000 70000 also slaine by the same Judgement of God for the very same sin That very sin of Rebellion that truly Diabolick sin which many present pretenders to Loyalty nourish in their Bosomes who have invited the SWORD into the Land thereby Conjured up a Devill which God knowes when they will bee able to Conjure dovvn againe I shall say no more to rectify your Notions Concerning Loyalty Rebellion than that our mother the Church of England now sadly Wounded by her own Children who is Exceeding averse to this Hellish crime doth in these her orthodox Pious Composers the standard of our Sermons divinity Condemne it as disloyall Rebellious not only to depose destroy or oppose the King but to put him in feare to Terrify or disturb his sacred Person or Mind valuable as the scripture tells us above ten thousand of his subjects And hovv any of those vvho either ioine vvith his Enimies or sit still vvhen their Soveraigne needs their assistance or somuch as mutter against him can purge themselves from this last mentioned Guilt if the Contrivers and Mannagers of the Invasion have furnished them vvith distinctions to cleare themselves of the former I shal never bee able to comprehend or Understand Having novv by Gods assistance shevvn you the necessity of Christian submission Resolution Resignation to the VVill of God and the manner hovv vvee are to Exercise those necessary usefull Graces and also made some seasonable Reflections on Gods Iudgements at this time hanging over our Heads vvhich do lovvdy call for the Practise of the fore-said Duties vvithout vvhich t is impossible for us to be so truly Penitent as to appease Gods vvrath Laying also before you the Hainous Guilt odiousnesse of the sin of Rebellion and according to the Doctrine in the Words of the Church of England endeavoured to informe you vvhat the Church vvhich can better Judge than our Private Heads doth esteeme to bee Rebellion Rebellious to fortifie you against the Odd Notions Hodge-Podge-Divinity of such Divines as are more able to write the History of the Reformation than willing to Practise the Reformed Religion of the Church of England the Glory whereof is the Bearing Faith true Allegiance to their lawfull Soveraigne Give mee leave as well as I am able to dissvvade you from that abominable sin and all approaches tovvards it vvhich is so dreadfull in its consequences and destructive to Monarchy and Episcopacy being fostered as the Darling of Presbitery a Common vvealth and probably by none more than our Neighbouring One vvho Upholds her unnaturall Invasion by tempting Subjects to â—ight against their Lavvful Soveraigne BRETHREN I am not so old as to have forgot nor so young but that I do Well Remember the spetious holy Pretences of 41 vvhich vvere made use of to Ruine both Church State. Neither vvould I bee thought so stupid as not to feare suspect but that the same Traine of Designes Intrieguts and Mathinations may have the same dismallâ— effects The Generality of People vvere even then in the dayes of King Charles I. as much afraid of Popery as vvee are at present tho hee shevved himselfe to bee one of the most Pious men
to infuse into all persons committed to his Charge and also that he is not asham'd to proclaim to all the world in spight of the Censures he mett with all that he did doth hold the following Queres in the affirmative being of opinion that to hold them otherwise is to place some of the King's Supremacy in the People An ADDRESS vvhich the Dean of Durham sent to his Majestie speedily after the Prince of Orange landed upon his Brethen their Refusall to joyne vvith him because the Superiour Clergy had not Addtess'd before to shevv his Abhorrance of that Unnaturall Invasion vvhich Address vvas intercepted by the Lord Lumley other Lords vvho had seiz'd on York as mention'd page 3. To the King 's most excellent Majestie The Hearty Humble Addresse of your Majestie 's ever loyall and faithfull Subject Servant the Dean of Durham MAY it please your Sacred Majestie In time of an Invasion as in a common Inundation or Calamity by fire VVhen every body is bound in duty to preserve the House Citty or Country vvhereof he is a member vvithout usuall ceremony or compliment to Superior or Equalls I do judge it an Indispensable Duty of every Faithfull right Loyall subject to hasten to assist his Soveraigne vvith his purse as vvell as his prayers to the utmost of his povver ability therefore not daring to stay till all my Betters have given me example in Addressing before me or all my inferiour Brethren have agreed on a forme to Address vvith me I do heartily offer to your Majesty all that I have to spare for your present service thinking nothing mine ovvn in such a time of danger but vvhat is sufficient to suffice nature Assuring you vvithall that I do not only from the very bottome of my soule Abhorre Detest this Treacherous Vnnaturall Invasion of the Prince of Orange together vvith all the other VVicked Rebellious Bloody Designes of his Adherents vvhether Enemies at home or abroad and more particularly of those among us vvho have lately revolted from their Allegiance but do vvith great Indignation Renounce all manner of Violence Force Contempt of Authority offer'd to your Sacred Person or Government either by the Rabble the very dregâ—â— of the Mobile in the Citty as vvell as Rebells in the Field Conceiving gs a great sin to use any Compulsive Arguments to Constreine or Terrify Gods Vice-gerent into a Compliance vvith the VVill Desires of his subjects be they never so much for the good of himselfe Church or Kingdome having learnt in the Communion of my Mother the Church of England vvherein I am firmly resolv'd to live dye other principles than to teach my Supreme or any of my Superiours vvhat He or They ought to do vvith a svvord in my hand or compell a Soveraigne Monarch vvhether he vvill or no to do his duty gratifie his people sooner than he is inclin'd or his ovvn Necessity vvhereof he is the best Iudge vvill permit Satisfying myselfe most thank fully vvith the repeated assurance vvhich yeur Majesty hath already given of our Religion Lavvs Libertiesâ— together vvith all your past present Gratious Condescentions to remove the Fears Iealousie of your people Resolving to stay your leasure for the Calling of a Parliament all other means methods vvhich are in your Majesties ovvn choice for the securing your ovvn Royall Person or Establishment of your Government in Church or State. Nov. 27. 88. DENIS GRAINVILLE Dean of Durham QVERES Put by the Dean of Durham to some Young Clergy men to ansvver privately in his ovvn Study near about the time his Majesty sent forth an order to read his Declaration for liberty of Conscience vvhich being treacherously stolen avvay or falsely transcrib'd upon the interception of a letter to a Friend vvere dispers'd canvass'd up and dovvn the Coffee-Houses of London other parts of England as mention'd pag. 7. and are for that reason printed 1. Whether a Subject is not bound to comply vvith his Prince in every Command or Reasonable Intimation of his pleasure vvherein he is not in Conscience bound to the contrary 2 Whether a Subject is not bound to comply vvith his Prince in some things vvhich he conceives not only inexpedient but such as may tend to the Prejudice of the Flourishing condition of the Church provided the Being of the Church be secure if a lavvfull Prince of a Different Religion doth absolutely command them vvill not be satisfied vvithout Compliance vvith such Command 3. Whether the Church of England vvas not an establish'd Church before the enacting of the Penall Lavvs If so vvhether it is not better to comply vvith his Majesty in consenting to take avvay those Penall Lavvs vvhich his Majesty desires to be abrogated than hazard the Being of our Church by provoking the King on vvhose Favour vvee depend FINIS TO THE BISHOP OF DURHAM MY LORD So Suddain and violent a separation betwixt a Bishop and his Dean as hath been occasion'd betwixt your Lordship my selfe by our late stupendiouâ— Revolution is a matter of too great importance to be pass'd over in silence by one who was driven from his station by the impetuosity of that dreadfull storm which lately fell on and overthrew our Church and State. I conceive it therefore my duty to informe your Lordship not only where but what I am in this age of mutability which hath produced I think almost all kind of changes among men of every Quality Degree Calling but that which Doctour B. speaks of in his letters concerning his travells into Italy I mean the change of sex I need not my Lord give You any particular account of my behaviour or usage in England after your Lordship was call'd up to London about Michaelmass last or of the manner of my Escape since your Lordship was certified by letters from my selfe in the months of Oct and Nov last of most matters of moment relating to the Church and County of Durham tho I had the honour satisfaction of receiving an answer to few of them and may come to the knowledge of other things by the relation of my deportment which I have publish'd in my printed letter to my Brother the Earle of Bathe whereto I crave leave to refert your Lordship all who are inquisitive after me I shall only embrace this occasion solemnely publickly to assure your Lordship in generall that I did faithfully and with as much punctuallity as I was able discharge those Trusts which were committed to me in every one of the places and offices which I had the honour to beare under your Lordship maintain'd my Poste in your Absence not withstanding mighty discouragements till it was not possible for me any longer to strive against that Torrent which had hurried all matters in that other parts of the Nation into great disorder confusion When I saw there was no possible means left for me but to
their Function having allvvayes made it mine That the Curate shall consider frequently at least once a quarter vvhat Rubricks or Canons be most neglected contemn'd by the parishoners and that he doth besides the ordinary explanation of the service once a year in obedience to his Majestie 's Directions to Prearchers read at convenient times the said Rubricks to the people that is to say betvveen the frist service Litany or betvven Litany second Service or before or after sermon omitting if occasion require the psalm then usually sung that he shall Zealously but mildly stirr up the people to the better observation of the same that vvhen he discovers these publick admonitions ineffectuall that he make it part of his labour in private vvith personnall applications to reforme such irregularitys And that he shall as frequently as he can vvhen presentments are to be made make such applications publick private as shall appear most convenient to the offenders in order to the prevention of their shame expence vvhich I desire alvvayes may be done vvithout further prosecution unless the thing cannot othervvise be reform'd That such discourses as he makes about the Rubricks Constitutions may be usually out of the Desk or if occasion require in the pulpit after the sermon vvhich I vvould not have burthen'd often vvith these smaller matters relating only to good order but reserv'd for more substantial essential truths as the Doctrins of Faith Repentance Love Obedience Temperance c. That he doth not take notice of the People's breach of Rubricks or such disorders in publick vvhen he can reforme the same easily in private unless they are notorious scandalous in vvhich case he is sometimes to give particular persons even publick reproofs in the very Congregation That vvhen there is ground of suspition that the Church-VVardens vvill not faithfully do their dutys in searching the Alehouses c that he go out of the Church sometimes vvith them for the more effectual prevention of disorder That hee cause the Clarck to inquire vvhen notice is given of Baptisme vvhether the vvitnesses have all receiv'd the Sacrament also to informe the Parson if the Church-vvardens do not vvhen any excommunicat'd persons enter the Church or Church-yard to vvhich end purpose there shall be a list kept in the Vestry of all persons excommunicated DENIS GRANVILLE IN REFERENCE TO THE FORE-GOING DIRECTIONS Letters Discourses the Reader is desired to note those matters follovving FIRST that here were intermingled with the abovesaid Directions for the Curates sundry advices for the Church-wardens Parish-Clarks not judged so necessary to be printed These being sufficient to accomplish the fore-mentioned end of their printing p. 39. and convince those Clergy and others who would not allow the authour to bee worthy of his station when he was admitted into his Deanery that he did notwithsstanding the great power of their evill example whose semiconformity first poison'd the nation at least endeavour to be what hee all along cheifly aimed at that is to say a Diligent COUNTRY-PARSON if not good Archdeacon He taking effectuall Care and with no ill success that these his Rules should be as they were better obser'd by his Curates then the Church-Cannons or Rubricks were by them the generality of the Clergy of the nation and consequently in due time might have become a tollerable Deane by Gods blessing if the CITTY-REBELS Joyning with the Invaders had not driven him with his master out of England SECONDLY the Reader is desird to take further notice that this last â—etter to wit to his Curates was not printed when the others were as first intended and mentioned in the Title-Page in the yeare 1689 but was for certain reasons underwritten deferr'd to be put into the Press till the month yeare mark'd in the conclusion of the said letter to wit Oct 1691 some months after the Dean's Deprivation Which delay among other things hinder'd the more speedy Publication of all the other papers and was occasiond upon the three ensuing accounts 〈…〉 First the Deane imagined on second thoughts 〈…〉 that so plaine a Rebuke as the faithfull discharge of his 〈…〉 Conscience in the delivery of the Discourses hee hath printed the penning of the fore-going letters hee hath publish'd in his own name did by reflection cast on many considerable Spirituall Temporall Supporters of the Usurped Authority in Churcâ— State was an Underaking too mighty for him who never delighted to expose or reproach his Superiours in any manner nor should have dared thus to have done it at this time had not too many of them manefestly departed from and contradicted the very Doctrine of the Church of England which they as well as hee had sworne to maintaine Secondly He long expected that some eminent person in England better qualified would have saved him the labour of such an application as he hath here in print made to the people under his authority by publishing ere this some substantiall work that should have strenuously asserted the Cause of King James the 2 that Church of England whereof he is supreme Governour by unmasking the wickedness injustice and ingratitude nay unnaturallness of Dethroning their lawfull Soveraign and under a religious pretence usurp his Crowne The afore-said Person not sticking to set his name thereto tho it might have cost him his life to proclaime undeniably to the World that what hee writ hee beleived to be such truth of God as hee did dare seale with his Bloud Which desireable peice of Charity to the soules of the poor people who were unhappily drawn into Perjury by the powerfull Example of their leaders the authour hath not yet discover'd to be done by any tho he thinks ought to have been performed long ago what ever had been the issue to have given right measures to the People of the Land while they were staggerring not quite fallen into the abominable sins of Perjury and Renouncing their Allegiance Which Christian work if it had been acted in due season would among other good effects have edified also the Dean's Flocks and render'd unnecessary what hee hath said to keep those steddy who stand to restore those who are fallen for want of timely under-propping The authour's earnest longing and waiting with great impaâ—ience to have seen such desireable fruit of Primitive zeale did detaine him a while from plunging himselfe over head ears tho hee made many offers so to do into that Deluge which did over-spred the land thinking himselfe a bad swinmer in such Troubled waters moreover like Elihu Job 32. 4. being very unwilling to speake out thus boldly shame the silence of his Elders till hee had given them all sufficient opportunity to speak and write Tho his boldness zeale as may be observ'd by the way is before noted was not levell'd directly to any but those under his own Charge Care or nearly related to him to whom
DIONYSIUS GRANVILLE DECANUS DUNELMENSIS AET. SVAE 54 Beaupoille pinxit G. F. Edelinck Sculp Jâ—peâ—sis Thomâ—â— Hacquet 〈◊〉 hâ—s pitis sui anno Dom. 1693. Serenissimum Dominum Jacobum Secundum Magnoe Britanioe Regem secutus est in Galliam Anno 1688. Propter fidelitatem Suam Domino Regi Principe Arausiacensi Coronam Anglioe Vsurpante deprivaÌ„tus fuit anno 1691. THE RESIGNED RESOLVED CHRISTIAN AND FAITHFUL UNDAUNTED ROYALIST In tvvo Plaine Farevvell-Sermons a Loyal Farevvell-Visitation-Speech Both deliver'd amidst the Lamentable Confusions occasioned by the Late FORREIGN INVASION HOME-DEFECTION of his Majesties Subjects in England By DENIS GRANVILLE D. D. Deane Archdeacon of Durham novv in Exile Chaplaine in Ordinary to his Majestie Whereunto are added Certaine Letters to his Relations Freinds in England shewing the Reasons and manner of his withdrawing out of the Kingdom VIZ A LETTER TO HIS BROTHER THE EARLE OF BATHE A LETTER TO HIS BISHOP THE BISHOP OF DURHAM A LETTER TO HIS BRETHREN THE PREBENDARIES A LETTER TO THE CLERGY OF HIS ARCHDEACONRY A LETTER TO HIS CURATS AT EASINGTON ET SEDGEFEILD Printed at Roüen by WILLIAM MACHUEL ruë S. Lo neare the Palace for JOHN BAPTISTE BESONGNE ruë Escuyer at the Royall sun and are to be sold by AUGUSTIN BESONGNE in the Great Hall of the Palace at Paris In the yeare of our Lord God M. DC LXXXIX TO THE READER THE Subject-matter of these ensuing sheets concerning Christian Resolution Humble Submission to the will of God in times of distresse according to the example of the holy Patriach Jacob Hearty subjection to the King according to the Doctrine of the Church of England our many Indispensable tyes of Conscience will with all those few who truly Feare God Honour the King sufficiently a pologize I hope for the publication of them in a Juncture an Age advanced to the highest contempt defiance both of Loyalty and Religion That Incensed God who hath for our manifold provocations and more particularly wee have reason to believe for our Carnall Confidence in the Arme of Flesh Disobedience to Gods Vice-Gerent powred out the vialls of his wrath on three Kingdoms is not like to be appeased without the serious practice of the contrary Graces in a manner as Universall and generall as hath been our late notorious Defection towards the King by an abhorr'd detestable Violation of the many sacred often repeated Oaths whereby all subjccts were obliged to support his Crowne Dignity Such is my sense of what is past Dread of Allmighty Gods future Indignation when I consider that I am how weak and unworthy soever advanced to a publick station in the Church of England that I cannot satisfy my selfe with mourning in secret but conceive it my indispensable duty to proclame after such a Stupendious Revolution as soon as well as I am able to all persons in the Kingdom my unfeigned Resolution to adhere to my Soveraigne in his distresse least I may by silence contribute to the increase of that dangerous Lethargy which hath seized on the People of England who by Resisting at length Deserting their Prince have Apostatized from their Religion I have helped possibly as litle as any one of my Brethren or fellow-subjects in the Nation to the first growth of this disease having for six tuentie years together openned my mouth widely on Topicks which would have prevented had they met vvith due regard our present misery for the truth whereof I appeale to the whole Jurisdiction whereto I have long related But however I cannot think my-selfe perfectly disengaged to ioyn in attempting the Cure or at least to help on vvhat is God bee thanked in some sort begun vvhereto the contradictory preposterous proceedings of the Kings enimies have assisted I mean to the oppenning the eyes of thousands in England to see already the madness of their Change the Errors of their late method to redresse Grievances by labouring to bring their Soveraigne to Termes all that vvas aimed at I do in Charity beleive by the Church of Englands fallen sons and to deliver the Nation from Domestick Evills by calling for Forreigne Assistance § The number of souls committed to my charge in the Cathedrall in my Archdeaconry in the Peculiar Jurisdiction depending on the Church of Durham are too many too considerable to be forgotten or neglected by me now incapacitated othervvise to Preach to them Therefore in this low Ebb of Loyalty vvhen Instances of firme fidelity to ones Prince are so rare the Dean of Durham it is hoped vvill be pardonned if he sets so much value on his ovvn Example as to make use of it as vvell as his vvords vvritings tovvards the Extricating the People vvith vvhose soules hee hath been Intrusted out of the Labyrinth vvhereinto they are Run by Non-Compliance vvith their Lavvfull Gratious Soveraigne ready Concurrence vvith a Forreign Usurper or at least tovvards the Hindring them from Running farther yet into it remaining stupidly in so sinfull and deplorable a state condition This induces me to vvish that I could bring the last vvords I spoke to the Clergy Ecclesiastick Officers of my Archdeaconry to the Members of the Cathedrall and Citty of Durham contained in the ensuing Discourses to the vievv and consideration of the vvhole County Diocesse that those vvho vvere absent vvhen I utterd them may as vvell as those present partake of my poor zeale and endeavours for their spirituall Advantage vvhich is all the Returne I can at present make for the temporall Benefits I have reaped in that country during my injoyment of sundry considerable Preferments among them If such Communication of my Papers cannot be so soon so successefully effected as I would by reason all Intercourse betwixt the Kingdom of England this wherein I reside is stop'd I am willing in the meane while to let the world see that I am not Idle or Unconcerned but do all that in me lyes towards this honest End whereby if no proffit accrews to them or others I shall ease my mind deliver my soule If any are pleased to censure contemn or reject my writings because they find nothing in them Learned or Elaborate ot where of the Age is over-fond Controversial I desire them to consider that Polemik Learning Divinity are things I never did nor shall pretend to And that in the month of November 88. when I spake to the Clergy in the first week of December following when I preached in the Abby at Durham as ill as things did portend I little dreamt that my Soveraigne or selfe should be put under an unavoidable necessity to fly in to an other Kingdome or that I should be obliged to make use of such meanes methods to Evidence my sincerity in my Religion the first thing I should strive to Evince to all those to whose spiritual Assistance I administer otherwise
more 〈◊〉 Regard would had been had to the Penning Composure But since I am reduced to such hard circumstances whereto in conformity to my own Doctrine I Heartily submit that the ensuing Discourses how sleight soever little worth in themselves are abundantly sufficient to demonstrate that both my Religion Loyaâ—â—y are not of the New Cutt but of the old Royall stamp carry whith them I trust the true Touch of the Tower Providence invites me to exposes them to publick view being ambitious of nothing in â—â—e world more than to approve my selfe in this Day of Rebuke to my Soveraigne his rigth Loyal subjects for one who thinks that hee obliged to be as Faithfull to a Roman-Catholick as a Protestant Prince as true to him in Adversity as Prosperity As far any Censures of vanity arising from my Title-Page as if I did there set forth my selfe à Patterne of humility Loyalty they ought not to sway with me so farre as to stop me in my Endeavours to be so or to perswade others to become such since thereto Heaven at this tyme loudly summons all the Nation This I can truly say without Pride or Boasting that I have labour'd to practise what I have preached to others that I was never more than at this very instant aspiring towards those Excellent but rare vertues mentionned in the following discourses which I commend to Gods Blessing the Candid Readers Charity desiring all persons in England who have labour'd either by Kind Invitations or Threats of deprivation to prevaile with mâ— to returne submit to the new Government to receive this as my finall Ansver TO WIT If I be DEPRIVED I am DEPRIVED or to approach a little neaver to the Phrase of Good Father Jacob. IF I BE BEREAVED OF MY PREFERMENT I AM BEREAVED D. G. From my study in Roüen Nov. 15. 1689. ADVERTISEMENT THE Authour having been necessitated for the discharge of his Conscience and his own Justification hastily to print these pieces as before mention'd in a Forreign Country where the Printer did not understand the language and was very little acquainted with the character all persons must understand that it was not possible to avoid a multitude of faults in the Orthography Pointing as wel as sundry rules observed by Printers in England thoâ— possibly upon perusall they wil finde the Errours so inconsiderable little hindring the sense that they will rather wonder as doth the Authour how the Printer should all things considered so well succeed in his Undertaking ERRATA SERMONS PAGE 1. Line 2. requisire for requisite p. 2. l. 14. out for our p. 4. l. 5. Hovever for Hovvever l. 21. libetis for liberis l. 22 Englist for English. l. 26. perisch for perish p. 5. l. 5. theve for there l. 36. exptession for expression l. 37. pieus for pious p. 6. l. penult knavv for gnavv p. 7. l. 19. effectts for effects p. 8. l. 21. botomo for botomme p. 9. l. 11. Savioar for Saviour p. 11. l. 27. necessatily for necessarily p. 13. l. 5. familiarily for familiarity l. 16. meâ— for men p. 15. l. ult vvberedome for vvhoredome p. 19. l. 9. svvee for svveet p. 26. l. 30. armed for aimed VISITATION-SPEECH PAge 8. Line 7. that repetition for that that repetition p. 11. l. 27. Stateholder for Stadthouder p. 13. l. 10. danger for dangers l. ult princs for prince p. 14. l. 7. nee for vve l. 18. second remaining for second remaining p. 16. l. 5. dot for doth l. 17. Conscience Excess for Conscience Eccss p. 17. l. 22. Incroacment for Incrochâ—ment p. 18. l. ult dvvdls for dvvels p. 19. l. 2. Horrid vices are usually for Horrid vices usually p. 21. l. 20. Cerent for Count. p. 22. l. 29. vvhich among for among p. 23. l. 12. hardhearted Ievves for hard-hearted Ievves LETTERS IN the Advertisement Page 1. Line 26. 〈◊〉 together for together p. 2. l. 27. on all times for in all places p. 3. l. 2. n 88. for in 88. l. 3. it for is The Date to wit Rouen Nov. 27. 1689. wanting in the conclusion TO THE EARLE OF BATHE PAGE 3. l. 2. 700 for 700 lib. ster p. 4. l. 15. thd for the. l. 16. entere for entred p. 5. l. 34. right So for right so p. 6. l. â—4 vvith in for vvith his Grace in l. 32. hâ—vve for have p. 10. l. â—4 40. for 40. lib. ster l. 35. 40. for 40. sh. p. 29. l. 5. gs for it TO THE BISHOP OF DURHAM c. PAGE 2. l. 18. vvhith for vvith p. 6. l. 16. vvas for vvere p. 14. l. 16. tovvn had for tovvn that had l. 29. so for to p. 31. l. 3. risdiction for Iurisdiction p. 43. l. 1. forgoing pag. 38. for foregoing letter pag. 38. l. 12. bey for they p. 46. marginal note l. 3. Dearn's for Dean's l. 18. the for he The smaller faults vvith may occur they Reader may easily correct in reading FINIS TO THE QUEEN OF ENGLAND MAY IT PLEASE YOUR MAJESTY ALLMIGHTY GOD having enabled mee by his grace to resist those temptations which have overcome the greatest number of the members of my own Church and Country and being now incapacitated here a bread to render my Soveraigne and your Majesty better service than to owne your Righteous Cause I think my selfe obliged to give the world a more than ordinary Testimony of my sincere Loyalty and Resolution in all times and Changes to adhere unalterably to the Crowne Having therefore allready sacrificed my Revenue by quitting the Nation rather than submit to the Vsurpation and exposed my selfe to Censure and Obloquy in that part of England wherein I have Lived by Refusing to Head or Ioine with those my dependants there Ecclesiasticall and Secular who have departed from their Allegiance I know of no better and more Convincing Instance yet remaining to bee given by mee of my stedfastness to stick to and serve the Royall familie than to proclame that I dare speake truth here a broad from the Presse as well as from the Pulpit at home tho every one must fore-know that such an honest Boldness will unavoidably render mee uncapable of the favour and good opinion of all those persons in the Nation High and Low Spirituall and Temporal who have Shipwrackt their Faith and Consciences by ceasing to yeild after often swearing Allegiance and Fidelity to their Soveraigne And it is easy to fore-see that the Printing these and some other Papers at this time in mine ovvn name will thus render mee obnoxious as I am Contented to bee to all those Builders who imploy themselves in Erecting a New Monarchy and Church in England But the Aspersions of them that forsake their Religion as far as they desert their Lavvfull Liege Lord as I hope the follovving sheets will evidence vvill bee no intolerable Load to mee who desire no greater Honour and satisfaction than to share with my King Queen and hope-full young Prince
so beaten a Road as the Topiek of adversity nor yet by your favour conclude my discourse There is nothing which can bee more plaine obvious to a Christian than the Benefitt of Affliction a truth Conspicuous out of the writings of the very Heathens I commend unto your Review at this Instant Plutarchs excellent treatise to that purpose I shall therefore have regard to the Times as well as my text consider some of those very afflictions hanging over our heads which must exercise these our Resignations which will prove christianly submitted unto thus beneficiall to us That it is our Duty faithfully chearefully to submitt unto Gods vvill in all times of Adversity with Faith Feare and that all truly Christian submissions will in the end bee highly Advantagious hath been the subject of my two last discourses in this Pulpit IF the Dayes of Adversity Affliction Brethren be such a hopefull seeds-time wee in our present Circumstances are like if wee sovv in pious Teares to have a plentifull crop Many a Heavy Judgement are allready fallen upon us for our past fins against God and in a more particular manner wee have too just reason to suspect for our secure carnall Confidence our Trusting in the Arme of Flesh as well as our unpardonable Disobedience to vile contempt of Gods Vice-Gerent the King. And many greater for our stupid impenitency will fall wee have also too Just cause to feare God hath moved the Land Divided it and if his Allmighty most Mercifull hand doth not prevent it must shake nay totter into Ruine Destruction The SWORD is drawn in the Midst of the Nation God grant it may not bee too soon sheathed in one anothers bowells nor VVhet by the present Cessation Insomuch that what party soever gaine the victory both must certainly some way or other in the Conclusion bee Considerable Loosers It is a sad thing that subjects to the same Prince should in Words many times profess pretend the same thing and yet all the while fight against one another to Destruction One Party among other matters declares for the Protestant Religion in generall another for the Church of England as by Lavv Establisht This cannot bee other with honest meaning than the very same cause for the Church of England is undoubtedly a Protestant Church and the best Protestant Religion notwithstanding all aspersions is professed in that Church yet in all probability here is in the Nation a Quarrel begun God forgive the Authours which is not like to bee determined without the Shedding of much Christian Bloud Or else againe One Party declares for the King also as the Lords at York as well as the Protestant Religion together with the Liberties and Properties of the Subject Another for the King Antient Lavves Governement in the Church State. This likewise without mentall reservation is no other than the former yet both Parties you see enter into a dismall bloudy War to decide the Controversy T is certaine that our antient Lavves Government so much depending on Monarchy cannot be preserved by the Destruction of the Prince and true Liberty Property can never be secured by the Destruct on of the Antient Governement no more can the right Protestant Religion Come BRETHREN let us all be well-advised before wee imbrue our hands deeply in one anothers Bloud such like Pretences Beginnings had once no better consequence Behold I say two Parties of the Kings subjects making the same Protestation and yet all the while fight with one another so that one of them cannot bee sincere If two Persons declare for the King yet fall to Blows one of them pretend what hee will must certainly be a Rebell in fighting against the King. I would in Charity thinke that you all conclude Rebellion a most odious thing and that few will I am sure no good man would dip themselves in so hainous a crime knowingly and willfully The danger is that many worthy Honest Gentlemen as heretofore and now in our Present Iuncture may be insnared before they are aware into this foule Offence so farre that they cannot tell how to gett back againe or if they do themselves cannot hinder ill men from proceeding on effecting their ends by vertue of the Reputation which they have given to an ill cause I will therefore cease to contend in this place who is the best subject or veriest Rebell Whether I that declare my selfe for the King the Protestant Religion or hee that declares himselfe for the Protestant Religion the King is the most Loyal the best Protestant I have here openly frequently enough discoverd my Principles concerning Subjection I am Brethren of the same minde I ever was so resolved by Gods Grace to live dye Instead of such disputes I 'le endeavour to paint sett before your Eyes this abominable sin that neither party wil owne And without telling you any more who are Rebbells I 'le plainly shew you what is Rebellion and what it is to be Rebellious In prosecution whereof I 'le keep precisely as well as I am able to the very Termes Wordes of the Church of England in her Printed Sermons or Homilies Published by Royall authourity Rebellion then you must know is there esteemd by the Church of England whereever it is found either among Papists or Protestants either on the 5 of Nov. or on the 30. of Jan. the worst as it was the first of sins In the first of her Homilies against Rebellion it is stiled the Root of all vices the Mother of all Mischeifs and in the second part the vvorst of all vices the Greatest of all Mischeifs at the Breaking in vvhereof all sins Miseries did flovv in over-vvhelme the vvorld The Authour of that accursed sin of Disobedience vvhich brings in all other at its heeles being no other than LUCIFER himselfe vvho of the Brightest most Glorious Angell for this very sin of Disobedience Rebellion against his King became the Blackest foulest Fiend and from the Height of Heaven fell into the Bottome of Hell. As our Church expresseth it in the afore said Homily Rebellion in another place speedily after is stiled the Foulest of all sins being as it vvere the Source Originall of all other and inseparable from the Highest Pride Contempt of God. Hee that nameth Rebellion saith our Church nameth not a single or one onely sin as is Theft Murder Robbery such like but to speake in the old language of the Homily the vvhole Puddle Sinke of all sins against God man against his Prince his Country his Countrymen his Parents his Children his Kinsfolkes his Freinds against all men universally All sins saith the very same Homily nameth hee that nameth Rebellion every Comandement being violated thereby pag. 360. Yea that all the seaven deadly sins are contained in Rebellion you will finde asserted
and truest Protestant Princes on the Face of the vvhole Earth They then dreaded TYRANNY ARBITRARY POWER as they pretended tho they lived under a Meek Gratious Prince vvhose Clemency proved his Ruine They Loudly Exclaimed against EVILL COUNCELLOURS but vvere not satisfied till they vvere flesh'd vvith the Bloud of LAUD and STRAFFORD and had over-throwne under that populour colour disguise the most Considerable Pillars of Church and State. They complained of Greivances with no lesse noise in those dayes than Male-Contents in these and also Unmannerly press'd for Condescentions but when they had Extorted them from that Good Prince who was tender of his People even to Excesse they were not contented till hee had condescended his Royall Head to the Block and that by one fatall Blow three Kingdoms were involved in Bloud Confusion Gods-solemne VVorship Service turned quite of doores the Fathers and dignified Clergy of the Church aswell as the right-Loyall Nobility Gentry of the Land Vilely trampelled on by the Meanest of the Vulgar and at last the Crovvne Church-Revenue the Purchase cheifly armed at seiz'd on imployed to maintaine support FANATICISME USURPATION Why Rebellion Sedition or any rude Treatment of Majesty should novv portend better in 88 than it did 48 yeares ago I cannot discover And that Rebells Traytors sted into the Lovv-Countryes should bee purified by the Air Conversation of Holland I can as little Conceive No more can I conceit how the inticing and ensnaring away of the Kings subjects as at present to fight against their Liege Lord Soveraigne nay to deliver him up into the hands of his Enimies should be a specimen infallible Mark of kindnesse to the Church of-England-Protestant-Religion Which will not permit upon any pretences vvhatsoever to take up Arms against a Lavvful King nor assist aid or abet those vvho doe no not somuch as to vvish ill to the Lords Anointed in the very Bottome of our Hearts For the Love of God Brethren let us leave those fond immaginations discourses and practices vvhich have set the vvhole Land into a Combustion let us bee ashamed of those Vnreasonable Delusions Methods of Delivery vvhich bring those very Feares or vvorse Evills on us vvhich vvee endeavour to Avoid Such Infatuation is a sad Prognostication Quos perdere vult Iupiter hos dementat Wee have in this Iuncture I confesse just ground of Feare Ieasousy I vvho have hitherto Opposed Feares Iealousies do novv advise the preaching on those Topieks to vvitt That they vvho dare unjustly to invade us intend if they can pretend vvhat they please to Conquer us and in plaine termes in the conclusion to enslave us I dare not in such a Time of difficulty but declare clearely my Mind Conscience If the Trumpet novv should give an uncertaine Sound it might bee of lamentable consequence I never did yet I thanke God nor ever vvill play my Game so as if I intended only to save my Stake It is your infelicity Dear Beloved Brethren at this instant to have no Person in Circumstances Superiour to mee in the Country to give you right measures VVhich vvhen I have honestly and faithfully done as I have endeavoured this day if you vvill not take them the Guilt must lye at your ovvn doors I never yet vvas nor ever shall be I trust ashamed in the Pulpit to ovvn my duty to my Soveraigne And if I should be silent novv vvhen there is more need than ever for Preachers faithfully to Open their Mouthes to prevent the Seducing of VVell-Meaning People I should conclude myselfe accessary to the Rebellion The God of Heaven by his Holy Spirit the most Infallible Guide direct us all into the faithfull discharge of our respective duties to our Sovereign from which vve can never deviate I am sure vvithout deviating from the Church of England To God the Father c. FINIS THE CHEIFEST MATTERS CONTAINED IN SUNDRY DISCOURSES MADE TO THE CLERGY OF THE ARCHDEACONRY of DURHAM SINCE HIS MAJESTIES COMING TO THE CROVVN Summed up and seasonably brought againe to their vievv in a Loyall Farevvell-Visitation-Speech on the 15. of November last 88. being ten dayes after the Landing of the Prince of Orange By DENIS GRANVILLE D. D. Deane Archdeacon of Durham novv in Exile Chaplaine in Ordinary to his Majesty Printed at Roüen by WILLIAM MACHUEL ruë S. Lo neare the Palace for JOHN BAPTISTE BESONGNE ruë Escuyer at the Royall sun and are to be sold by AUGUSTIN BESONGNE in the Great Hall of the Palace at Paris In the yeare of our Lord God M. DC LXXXIX TO THE READER THE same necessity vvhich drove mee from my Home at the very time vvhich my Soveraigne vvas forced to vvithdravv from his ovvne Palace compells mee to send these as vvell as my other Papers to the Press to shevv the manner hovv I parted vvith my Freinds Flocks in the Bishoprick of Durham and that the last Discharge of my Archidiaconall Office in a Tyme of trouble vvas suitable to my past life Acttings during more than tvventy yeares in a time of Peace Hovv imperfect insufficient soever both have been I never vvanted through Gods Grace Resolution all a long to Oppose the Subjects in croaching on the Prerogative of their King as heartily as I have vvith-stood the Dutch their Invading of the Land. It vvill be no great ground of Admiration then to all vvho throughly knovv mee that at such a Iuncture I did dare speake plaine English to fortify my Brethren against Temptations and encourage them as I have done in their Duty to God the King. And I Blesse Gods most holy name that hee hath been pleased to bestovv on mee for the supply of my manifold Defects allvvayes Christian Confidence in the Pulpit vvho have not injoyed much of it any vvhere else By vvhat God gave mee boldness at that time to speak in the ears of a large Publick Auditory of Clergy Layity not rashly but vvith the most mature consideration that I utter'd any thing in my vvhole life they might perceive I did not intend to stay at Durham if my Soveraigne should bee Banish'd from his Kingdom As by committing the same discourse to the Press after more serious thoughts greater deliberation all men vvill bee easily Convinced that till my Soveraigne be restored vvhich I do heartily pray for I have no thoughts to returne Tho I found it very easy intelligible hovv to behave my selfe under a Roman Catholick Prince in the discharge of all Duties incumbent on mee as a Right Church-of-England-Subject or Christian yet must acknovvledge that I am void of Logick other Learning to supply mee vvith distinctions and furniture necessary to live under an Vsurper And therefore if the Reader discover the vvhole course of my life as vvell as my vvritings destitute of Craft to transforme my selfe into any shape and change vvith the Government let him not be astonish'd or
accuse mee over rigidly for not doing that for vvhich I am not so vvell as others quallified either by nature or education It hath been my fate to have suck'd in other Principles to have been trained up under better Tutours nay possibly in my vvhole Make to be so contrived and composed that it is not in the Povver of man to nevv-mould mee into that sort of Animal vvhich can blovv Hot Cold vvith the same Breath and is able to save his stake vvhat ever Card turnes up trump To these vvho shall condemne it in mee as a deplorable piece of Madness or folly to talk or vvrite avvay such a Considerable Revenue as Providence my Kind Patrons have bestovved on mee vvhich I am like to do by setting my name to vvhat I print I must declare that I am one of those Fooles S. Paul speakes of vvho that I may bee vvise am vvilling in the sight of the vvorld to become a Foole valuing my Innocency Quiet of Conscience more than I do the best Deanery or Bishoprick in Christendom And as nothing yet hath tempted mee I thank God to Compliment avvay my Religion tho I have been by some so reproached upon Gods raising setting over us a Prince of a different Communion So no Consideration vvhatsoever I rely on Gods Grace shall be able to prevaile vvith mee to prostitute it by falling dovvne to adore the multitude or any Image tho it be of Gold that shall be set up by the People Those therefore that attack mee by arguments or Threats in letters to seduce mee back and dravv mee into a Compliance vvith the nevv Government that I might set my hand to she raising up the Babell vvhich they are building in England may save their labour ink For till they have confuted the Doctrine vvhich they have preached as vvell as the sound Divinity of their Mother vvhich they have forsaken they may cease from offerring mee other arguments to convince mee And till they persvvade mee to set a higher value upon my money than I do on the Grace of God prize my temporall intrest more than mine Integrity vvhich no magick I have yet met vvith all hath been able to effect so as to fill my pockets they may also forbeare to affright mee vvith Deprivation I have long considered studied the point of Allegiance vvhich I ovve to my only Leige Lord Soveraigne King Iames 2 and to no other and am firmely vvithout doubt or scrupule satisfied that my Religion vvill not permitt mee to svveare fidelity to any besides him That the greatest part of my Brethren notvvithstanding the faithfull frequent endeavours I have used to establish them in Conformity Loyalty should forsake Gods Vice-Gerent to do Homage to the Peoples is an unexpressible greife to my soule To prevent the Incurring such guilt and the lamentable scandall of such Apostacy I did in due time as may appeare from the date of the ensuing Address expose my selfe to much censure by delivering my mind to an Auditory vvhich seem'd ready to run themselves as they have done into that Yoke servitude vvhich I vvho had greater temptations than others vvas resolved to run out of the Kingdom from my preferment rather than submit to And to demonstrate that I am after great thought fullness much prayer to God to direct mee of the very same mind here in France on Nov. 15. 1689 that I vvas in England on the same day of the month 1688 as vvell as desirous to expresse my vvillingness to do all that in mee lyes to avvaken those out of their sin vvhich I could not confirme in their Duty I am as vvilling to commit to the Presse the discourse I then made Tho I vvell knovv that I shall in so doing in case these Papers get into England and considering mens present Genius Actings there be exposed to the danger of running as it vvere the Gantlet through the Nation D. G. Trom my study in Roüen Nov. 15. 1689. ADVERTISEMENT IF this or the former Piece have the good fortune to find the way back to Durham and fall into the hands of those Persons that were present when they were spoken for whose sake they were first deliver'd and since Printed they may chance to take notice in the perusall if their memories do not faile them that the Authour is more sparing than heretofore or ever used to be in his Commendation of the Constitútion of the Church of England and more particularly in the Praise of its well compiled Liturgy which he was wont upon all occasions very highly to extoll In which case they are desired to understand and consider that these Papers have been Printed in a R. Catholick Country where they could not be permitted to pass the press without the perusal approbation of R. Catholicks and that it was a great mark of favour and an espetiall token of their present forwardness to concurre with and encourage Loyalty to suffer Sermons and A speech spoken by a Divine of the Church of England to be printed here at all notwithstanding the castigations which have been made by the retrenchment of sundry expressions omitting all Comparisons which did carry with them any Reflections And therefore the aforesaid people have no just cause given them to conceit that the Authour hath in any respect Changed his sentiments of the Religion of the Church of England which he hath ever professed where in he desires and resolues by gods Grace to live and Dye If the aboue mentioned Auditors who discouer too apparently that there is among them at home what ever is in the Authour abroad a lamentable Change or any other sort of Readers of our own or of any Forreigne Nation fancy him guilty of too much sharpness of expression they are intreated to remember or to be informed that what ever he hath utterr'd in a tyme of great Heat Hurry hath been spoken against such as did invade his own Native County with unexpressible injustice unnaturallness as well as many heightning aggravations for want gratitude and that it was a speciall Duty in every one of his Character his station at that time to expose as much as they were able an invasion which was beyond all precedent without paralell In so much that if a satyricall Invective of which the Authour was never a great louer be at any time allowable in the writings of a Divine it cannot be denied surely but that it may passe here in this Instance espetially Considering that he did very seasonably shew such his indignation even before the Forces that Landed had rowled to so great a number but that they might have been Opposed nay suppressed by any one County of England which would have shewed it selfe right valiant faithful and unanimous And if some 〈…〉 with 〈…〉 during the Reign of in raiâ—ing subjects 〈…〉 in the 〈…〉 of Doctor â— to dethrone their lawfull Soveraigne had done
their parts but with as hearty good will all that the 〈…〉 boast of as he did â— more counties than one might probably have been alarum d into so Deep a sense of their duty and condition that our present low Country Cavaliers who have mounted us shewn themselves already so ill riders as to have sput galled us might have been driven away with shame before they had gotten into or fixt themselves in 〈…〉 So desireable an end the Authour conceived may certainly authorise some smartness of stile and Apologize for him in any nationall or 〈…〉 reflections his honest zeale transported him into which as he spake he 〈…〉 that if any perceive some vinegar in his ink he is perswaded they wil discover â—o gâ—wle A â—peech made by the Archdeacon to the Clergy of the Archdeaconry of Durham in the Church of St. Mary le Bovv on the 15. of Nov. 1688. vvith a Repetition of some cheife Matters contained in former speeches since his present Majesties Accession to the Crovvn REVEREND WORTHY BRETHREN It is a Custome in the University of Oxford once in the yeare in the University-Church to have a Repetition Sermon This as wellas other her Customs I make no doubt is supported with Substantiall Reason An Auditory of Schollars and Learned men Doctors Divines have not as she supposes allwayes such faithfull Memoryes but that they need a monitor It is no affront therefore Brethren to thinke that the Gravest Clergy at the most Solemne Visitation may bee men of the like Infirmities Were I not then Convinced by the language of your Actions Whereby you Speak as plainly as by your tongues that you have either forgotten many things of moment said unto you or have done much worse that is in plaine termes undervalued rejected them I your Unworthy Archdeacon might have cause enough once in my life to imitate this laudable University-Patterne in making you a Repetion-Speech which tho long will go downe with you the better at a time when as at present you have no Visitation-Sermon And here it will not be amisse to mind you that Repetition-Taske there in the Church at Oxford is the most difficult Imployment of the whole yeare So that you will have Small reason to imagine that I do betake my selfe to the like course so much for mine ovvn ease as for your Edification And as I shall imitate my Mother the University in one respect so shall I in an other Shee doth not exercise the Patience of her Auditory so far as to bring to their view the substance of many or any Sermons of the whole yeare but of the foure last imediately preceding Low-Sunday viz. the Sermons preached on Good-Friday Easter-Day with those on the two following Feastivalls No more shall I disturb you with Hearing the Heads of any of my past Addresses saving the four last I meane those which I have made since the Death of our Late Gratious Soveraign Tho I might invite you to look farther back being not conscious to my selfe God be praised that I did ever with zeale presse any thing upon you but what was well worth your Hearing and consonant to the known Rules of the Church of England So without any more ado praying for Gods Assistance I enter on my proposed imployment REPETITION OF THE SVBSTANCE OF FORMER SPEECHES SPEECH I. THE former of these four Discourses I made you in the Church of S. Nicholas the three last in this where in wee are at present assembled I shall according to our Oxford-Method entertaine you with the Cheif Most important Points in the same order which I spoke them First in that after a considerable absence a great Change I did Judge it meet to bring to your vievv The Greatnesse of our Affliction our greater sins vvhich provoked God at that time in that manner to punish us vvith the losse of a Meek mercifull Father of our Country A Prince of so condescending a Race that hee was like his never enough to be admired and good natured Father more concerned for the Ease Property of his subjects than for the security of his own Person Prerogatives A Prince of such Exemplary long-suffering bearing with such innumerable intollerable Affronts of his Authority that hee did evince to all the world that it was scarce possible for a Stuart ever to be a Tyrant A Prince what ever might be his own personall Infirmities that had not one of those grosse Flavves in a Monarch which do border upon Injustice Cruelty to his People A Prince that did so abound in Acts of Grace to a stubborn ungratefull Generation that an Excessive Clemency had like to have proved his own as it did his Fathers Ruine Lastly a Prince under whom God forgive our unreasonable complaints wee might have been if wâ—e were not one of the Happiest Nations in the World. The next thing which I offer'd to your consideration was The Gratious Goodness of the present King in not only continuing but Protecting our Religion VVhereby hee did in an unexpected Blessed manner defeat the bitter Calumnies of his Malitious Enimies vvho for seaven yeares before had most seditiously hammer'd into the Spirits of the vulgar most Dismall Dreadfull Apprehensions of a Popish successour Hee thereby proving all those God be thanked false Prophets who had insinuated into the Peoples minds to the scaring them almost out of their senses that as soon as the Duke of Yorke came to the Crovvne vvee should have Masse said in all she Cathedralls in England To vvhich Act of mercy in the King it vvas but an unsuitable unseasonable Returne I could not omit the notice to grudge his Majesty and those of his Persvvasion the Exercise of their ovvn Religion vvith impunity from the severity of the Lavves vvhilst God kept us under the Government of a Prince of the Roman Communion Witnesse the Untimely heat of some turbulent Spirits in the House of Commons vvhich assembled on the 19 of may after his Coming to the Crovvne who flung a bone among that August assembly vvhich vvas like to have brokn all their Teeth furiously pushing on the then present immediate Revivall of the Penal Lavves vvithout any exception of the Roman Catholicks vvho had undeniable pretences considering their Loyalty and services in the Great Rebellion to some respite during the Reign of a Prince of their ovvn Religion But the Major part of that Loyall Parliament vvisely foresavv vvhereto such a preposterous proceeding did tend and like faithfull Patriots did readily oppose soon Quench the flame of that ill-timed Zeal resolving vvithout any more adoe Would God none had ever changed their minds firmely to rely on the vvord of their Gratious Prince for the security of their Religion Lavves dutifully expressing their just Indignation against those rash as vvell as horrid Rebels vvho did at that time insolently make a desperate attempt to overthrovv our Antient Monarchy The Parliament
Passing a Bill of Attainder in the first place against the Arch Rebell Head of that Republican Crevv vvho vvere Wafted hither from the Lovv-Countryes and then after vvards assisting their Soveraign vvith their Purses Persons to the utmost of their Povver till by the Blessing of God hee had vvholly suppress't a Dreadfull Rebellion vvhich hovvever small it might be in the beginning might have prov'd fatall to the vvhole Church as vvell as Kingdom On vvhich Wicked Bloody Designe vve may novv make the more severe Reflections as things have fallen out since that vile Rebellion after it vvas hatch'd in Hell had been harbour'd in Holland among our Neigbours vvho make a bad complement to England for raising them from a poor distressed state in the dayes of Queen Elizabeth to so High and mighty a Republick as to give chec to the most potent Crovvned Heads even to the greatest of their Benefactors and from disputing in the dayes of Charles 2 for the Soveraignty of the seas an act insolent enough to contend in the dayes of King Iames 2 for the Soveraignty of the Land and to fight for the Imperiall Crovvn of this Kingdome if not to vvear it on their heads vvhich it vvould badly become to trample it under their Feet vvhich vvould be the undoubted Issue of a Flemmish zeale mixt vvith Gunpovvder Brandy tho never somuch varnish'd over vvith Pretences of Liberty Religion Wee may learne the Favour of the Hollander in the stories of Amboina Bantam From Dutch Acts of Mercy tho some I do behold vvould not be convinced a fevv dayes ago that if the Dutch should land they intended us any harme the Lord deliver mee and all the Kings Obedient Subjects And let those vvho abound vvith so unaccountable absurd a sort of Charity only feel experiment their Compassion And novv from this seasonable and pertinent digression I am led to my third particular of that Visitation-Speech vvhich I am Epitomizing To vvit The unspeakable undeserved Mercy of Allmighty God in the blessed suppression of that Diabolick Rebellion vvhere vvith the Enimies of our King Church vvel-com'd our Soveraign to the Crovvne A sad vvelcome for a poor Weather-beaten Prince nevvly come into the Haven after a long terrible Storme lately banisht from Kingdome to Kingdome and vvhich hee had reason to thinke none of the least penances vvhich Heaven had imposed upon him driven into Holland among the Ducth vvho it is a Wonder did not use Violence to him since they did immediately upon his Coming to the Crovvne countenance support those Rebellious misereants that sought his Royall Life And vvhose good vvill vvell-vvishes to those unfortunate Rebells vvho landed in the vvest may novv Clearly be discover'd by the preparations vvhich they have been making ever since the Victory given by God to our Soveraign at King-Sedgemoor Which disappointment it is plaine greived them since they are at this very instant maintaining the same Quarrell publishing a no lesse Wicked Manifesto or Declaration only vvith this difference that these treacherous Enimies vvhich in this juncture of Affaires have impudently invaded us seem a little more angry than those traytors vvhich landed at lime vvith the God of Heaven for postponing their Stateholders pretences to the Crovvne by the Blessed Birth of a hopefull Prince vvhom God preserve To vvhom the Barbarous Dutch and some more barbarous among our selves have been more cruell than Bloody Herod in killing the Children by endeavouring to prove him illegitimate disinheriting him vvhich Providence the Kings vvisedome Care seems to have put out of dispute thereby destroying the Hopes felicity of three Kingdoms in depriving them of so unvaluable a Blessing as an heir Male to succeed to support the Monarchy But to returne the Remarkable Justice Vengeance of God in cutting of vvith great speed those Traytors last spoken of vvhich they had fostered in their Bosome and assisted vvith vessells and armes to land and begin a Rebellion in England and Scotland together vvith the many signall Providences of Heaven in frustrating all their Wicked designes bringing to nought all their mischeivous attempts and making that Rebellion intended for the Ruine of Church state a meanes as rightly improv'd it might have been the longer to uphold both should Convince I say even the most stupid Dutch Understanding of the heavy displeasure of God against such hatefull Hypocrisy as the Colouring over secular unjust nay treasonable bloody Machinations vvith the profession of Piety One of the Motto's vvhich they at present beare in some of their Flags as reported being pro libertate Religione for the Preservation of liberty and Religion That our Neighbours the Dutch of all others are become thus zealous devout concern'd for the liberties and Religion of England as they vvould have us imagine is some vvhat unintelligible Bibit Flander editque benè hath been by vvise men heretofore assigned for the Flemmins Character and I never since heard of his Reformation Such SAVIOURS OF OUR CHURCH God blesse her vvould be as bad as the late SAVIOURS OF OUR NATION If Heaven vvere incensed against us in such a degree as to put us under a necessity of such miserable Comforters and freinds to support us it vvould be hard to knovv vvhich to choose A Saviour from Amsterdam or Sala-Manca All I shall farther say before I proceed to the next particular is that as I do vvith all my soule thank blesse Heaven for Saving the Nation from one of these Saviours so I pray vvith most fervent Zeale in conjunction vvith all truly loyall subjects that vvee may in due time be saved from the Other Trusting in God nay resting vvell assured that vvee shall have a gratious Returne of our Prayers if our sins prevent not And so I ingage in my last particular of my first discourse namely Our indispensable Obligation both to God the King to live suitably to such unexpected Blessings of Heaven unmerited kindness of an indulgent Prince The mercy of God you were then told had been Wonderfull beyond expression to our Gratious Soveraign in first restoring him with his Royall Brothers after innumerable difficulties attending the Great Long Rebellion aftervvards preserving him from the danger of many Bloody Battells in defence of this nation against those very enraged Enimies vvhich would notwithstanding vvee feele their Malice make the vvorld beleive and some I find are easy enough to beleive it that they are our kinde nay Religious Freinds In the next place delivering him from that never to be forgotten danger of the Deep vvhen the GLOCESTER perish'd on the Lemon Oare vvhere God many vvayes manifested that hee vvas a Prince vvhich Heaven took into it's spetiall Extraordinary Protection Then rescuing him from a greater than any of the former danger even from the Madness of the People from the fury of the Rabble from the Rage of the incens'd Multitude
vvhich could not refrain from the highest of Affronts stabbing in Effigie Judging him unvvorthy of the respect due to a Kings Brother tho a Turk or Pagan not remembring him for a vvhile somuch as in their Prayers or Cups Which spleen Contempt of his sacred person increased to so high a Pitch I then observed that many of all degrees Quallities setting themselves against him vvould bee satisfied vvith nothing lesse than à barbarous Exclusion of him from the Imperiall Crovvne vvhereto Allmighty God in spite of Men Divells has brought him vvith great Honour to our Comfort God in vvhose Governance are the Hearts of Kings putting it into his Royall mind to dispell the Fears Jealousies of his people by the first Act hee did in Councell before hee had vviped the Tears from his Eyes for his beloved Brother And aftervvards making him a Blessed Instrument of suppressing that first Dutch Rebellion vvhich I dare so to stile since it vvas formed in Holland the Comon Receptacle of Christendom for Rebells Traytors and so successefull a Forge for Treasonable practices that tvvo proscribed Ministers fitter to be Smiths than Divines have there hammer'd out a second more Divellish Conspiracy Such Goodness of God to our Royall Family not leaving it destitute of a Prince of the right line but settling upon the Throne so accomplish'd an one in all respects that if hee had been of our Ovvn Religion vvee should have thought our selves loaded vvith more Happiness than vvee had been able to beare This Mercy Isay in raising a Gratious Princs tho of a different Faith to be the Defender of ours in crushing a Rebellion like a Cockatrice in the shell which aimed more at the destruction of the Church than the Crowne is so unparallell'd a Blessing as deservs Everlasting Praise and an eternall obligation to conforme our lives to the Will Commands of our Earthly as vvell as our Heavenly King. Which vvee cannot do give mee leave on such occasions allvvaies to be your monitor till nee do approve our selves truly Genuine obedient sons of the Church as vvell as Dutifull Complying subjects I knovv no difference in those tvvo Epithets of Obedient Complying tho the last hath been turn'd into a reproach in all things vvhich are not Contrary to the Clear Word of God. But I vvill for a vvhile stop such inlargements as vvell as set a Period to my promised repetition of the most important Heads of the first of my four Visitation-Discourses propounded to be brought to your Vievv Which I have inlarged by unavoidable digressions Occasion'd by the present vvicked and treacherous Invasion I shall sooner passe through the Heads of the second remaining ones without such additionary Reflections and bring all I trust with in the compasse of lesse time than what is allowed for both Sermon and speech at a Visitation SPEECH II. THe cheife points of my second discourse which I shall lay before you are as followeth First our present Kings further Expression of his Gratious Good nesse and Condescension in the seasonable happy Renevvall of those vvholesome Ecexllent Directions to Preachers vvhich vvere publish'd by his martyr'd Father and set forth a second time by his Royall Brother K. Charles the 2. in the yeare 1662. Injoining such a Regulation of the Pulpit out of which have issued our former and our present Flames ready to devour us such Exact conformity to our Rubrick such frequent Publication in all parochiall Churchs of the Doctine and discipline of our Church such respect to the Lords day and cheifly such a Training up of the Youth Catechising them in the Book of Common Prayer as was the most likely meanes valuable infinitely beyond all our Disputes Harangues from Either Pulpit or Presse to preserve the Church of England And which wee Clergy had greedily embraced God forgive us that fatall Error of Neglecting them had wee not laboured under some kind of Infatuation Secondly that bitter Invectives a gainst the Pope of Rome vvhilst vvee live under a Prince of the Roman Communion omitting the more sure vvayes to preserve our Religion allovved by this and the last Good King as vvell as biting declamations against the non-Conformists in the late Kings Reign by those vvho vvere themselves but semi-Conformists vvere an Effect of very blameable dangerous Zeale and had mightily increased our schisme and vveakened our Church It being not Satyricall Harangues in the dayes of K. Ch. the 2. as I then told you still thinke seasonable to repeat against the Fanatiks which did without a Compleat Conformity to our Rules signalize a Right Church-of-England-Divine No more than furious Railing or hot Disputing against the Pope or Church of Rome in the present Reign of K. James 2. Can give an undeniable Demonstration that wee are Good Subjects or firme Protestants Neither of which can evidence us God knowes to be the legitimate Jssue of that Church vvhich vvas never guilty of Boisterous and unmannerly Zeale but allvvayes profest and taught not only a deep veneration for Majesty but Christ like Meeknesse and Moderation Exhorting her Children to Honour the King as vvel as Feare God and to be just to all even to the vvorst most implacable of her Enimies or Impugners Thirdly I shevv'd the indispensable Duty of every one of us to betake our selves to a more indubitable Course than the former of maintaining our Religion by those lavvfull meanes and much more effectuall than the other vvbich vvere allovved by the King as vvell as our Church to save our soules that is by living according to our Doctrine rather than by Talking for it most particularly by studying and practising our Common Prayer Book not Spending our Povvder Ball in needlesse and impertinent pickarings but laying up a store of Ammunition furnishing our selves by the foresaid prescribed Courses vvith Courage Magnanimity against a Day of Battell The fourth last Point recommended to your Considetation then at that Juncture of Affaires and is still vvorthy to be thought of vvas vvhether that Subtile Malicious spirit vvho often transforms himselfe into an Angell of Light effecting his vvorst Designs under the disguise of Holiness dot not vse pretended Zeale against as vvell as Fears Iealousies of Popery as the most likely and successe full strategem to bring it in I vvas then and am still of that Opinion And for Gods sake do not despise this honest Caution SPEECH III. THUS having dispatch'd the things most vvorthy of notice contained in my second discourse as vvell as the first I shall attempt to bring to your vievv the most significant Heads of the third And here Waving sundry Arguments then laid before you to submit to your Soveraigns Will and Pleasure even in the most uninntelligible of all his Acts of Mercy J meane that Including the Fanaticks in his Declaration for Liberty of Conscience Excess of Favour liberty granted to his ovvn as vvell as our Churches
enimies as allso passing over the Characters of a right Loyall and unalterably Obedient Subject to the King and of a true right bred son of our Church together vvith that Man of Indifference that pretends to be both yet is neither vvhich I did then very largely set before you as vvell as the motives to become the tvvo first that is Good subjects Good Christians Waving I say these and some other matters that time vvill not permitt mee to reflect on I shall only exercise your ears at present vvith hearing four Cautions or Directions vhich I recommended to my Auditory in the Conclusion of that Charge to the Clergy to vvit First that that just reasonable and moderate Ground of Feare vvhich every VVise man ought to have in our Circumstances might drive uâ— more close home to the Throne of Grace and Gods Altar and make us all acquaint our selves better than ever heretofore vvith our Hearts Consciences taking such care of the internall exercise of Grace vertue in the soule vvherein cheifly is the Kingdom of God living in such Obedience both to God the King as become the best Christians Subjects least that our Mercifull God Gratious Prince on vvhose Grace fâ—avour our Felicity did then greatly depend should for our past or future provocations be incensed and deprive us of the Liberty vvee injoyed in the Exercise of our Establish'd Religion The second Direction vvas to take care of the young Generation and never to suffer any Youth to depart from the parishes or families or approach to the LORDS SVPPER vvith out due Instruction and a sufficient degree of knovvledge and Devotion Hic labor hoc opus est And if you vvere for any vvorks of supererogation I prayed you to practise them in this course permitted to us Blessed be GOD his VICE-GERENT nay required of us by his Majestie in his pious DIRECTIONS to PREACHERS as before mention'd vvhereto vvee all ought as I then Caution'd you to keep close and the neglect vvhereof hath much contributed vvithout dispute to our present misery A Third Advice vvas to bevvare least a Vulgar notion of Loyalty obedience to your Superiours in Church State might debauch y ur Vnderstanding and make you more suspitious of your Governours Inchroaement on the Peoples priviledges than of the Peoples Sacrilegious Invasion on the Prerogative of GODS VICE GERENT When vvee cannot discover in England espetially in the family of the Stuarts any One Instance of the fâ—irst but may every day find out lamentable Examples of the latter And that you vvould remember be assured that the Religion of your Soveraign did not one jot either lessen or somuch as restrain the Authority or Povver vvhich hee received from GOD and not from his subjects as also be more afraid of and averse to Popular Tiranny than the Abuses of Government in a Monarch vvho may be supposed to have as vvell as his subjects knovledge Grace Conscience of Duty to his Soveraign in Heaven to restrain him from an extravagant exercise of his Povver and to informe him that his Account to God vvill be more heavy than that of his subjects in case of Male-Administration My fourth last Counsell vvas to be just to all men both to the Romanist and Dissenter That your Aversion to the Doctrine of any Party tho never so Contrary to your ovvn should not in any manner exceed your Love Concerne for the Religion you profess'd and tempt you to encourage barefaced Violations of Truth Justice vvhen it is in the Concerne of an Enimy or Adversary to your Opinions SPEECH IV. THERE remaines novv only the last of my foure Addresses to be brought to your vievv before I ingage in my Conclusive Reflections vvhich consisted of three heads vvherein I spoke by vvay of Caution I desire you to remember rather than accusation Three things I did advise and beseech you in a particular manner to take heed and be vvare of And so I shall in the name of God as long as I have the Honour to be your Archdeacon Things vvhich really portend much vvotfe than most grounds usually assigned in this suspitious Age for Fears Jealousies The first vvas A preposterous zeale against our Adversaries accompained too often vvith a spirit of Contradiction And vvhich distills more aversion into us and disgust against our Adversaries Person than Principles Inclining us to Oppose confute him right or vvrong Concluding all to bee evill in our Antagonists tho oftentimes very Commendable and fondly Over-vveening all to be Good tho some times very unchristian in our selves and others of our Persvvasion A mallady vvhich hath been long the Disease of our Nation Our Poor Church ever since the Puritan Faction began labouring under the same in such degree that a Spirit of Contradiction hath been Commonly made the Cheife standard measure of many mens Religion Devotion and the distance they kept from the vvays Sentiments of their Opposers look'd on as an infallible Mark of the vertue of their ovvn Persons and Truth of their profession Which Opinion and Judgement of matters tho never so popular are very false Weights Measures By reason at this rate the vvorst men must allvvayes be the greatest saints since in them dvvdls most Hatred animosity bitter Aversion to all that is not their ovvne Horrid vices are usually the Parents of this spirit vvhich I set before you desire you may all Loathe The second thing I caution'd you against vvas mens Declining in Loyalty Love to their Prince on account of his Religion Which doth not in any manner dissolve or abate the Bonds of Duty Respect in the subject But on the Contrary Favours received from such a Prince such as vve have received as I shevved then more largely oblige subjects to some more officious respects than are to be paid to a kind Prince of our ovvn Persvvasion The third thing vvhereof I told you that vvee ought to bevvare vvas Ingratitude to both God the King for those spetiall Mercies and Acts of Grace vvhich vvee receive from one and the Other even during our Murmurrings and Complaints Ingratitude to the King I then informed you vvas inseparable from Ingratitude to God A Good Gratious Prince being a Choice Gift of Heaven one of the greatest blessings vvhich a Nation can enjoy And hee that vvill not from the Bottome of his Heart returne his thanks Praise for so inestimable a Jevvel is a mounster of Unthankfullness to the Common Governour of the Universe the Greatest of Benefactors Reflections on some of the points repeated the circumstances of the Nation at the time of the delivery of this speech in reference to the Invasion AND novv Reverend Brethren I have by the assistance of God finish'd the Task vvhich I propos'd to vvit of Refreshing your memory vvith the recitall of the most important matters vvhich I recommended to your
vvretched requitalls that vvee have made for the Mercy Bounty of our Father in Heaven his Deputy on Earth I shall not omitt the repetition there of tho late carriages transactions persuade mee it vvill be unpleasant to some of your ears since out of Gods Rods vvee may at this very instant pluck a fescue to teach us our lesson Wee have impudently defied HEAVEN by all imaginable Provocations but by nothing more I am not afraid nor ashamed yet to harp upon my old string than by our contempt of it in making bold vvith it's VICE-GERENT Tho God hath bless'd us English vvith a more happy Race of Kings than any Nation in the World can boast of yet it is notorious that no people under the sun have transgress'd more egregiously by murmuring Complaints or that hath Copied out vvith more exactness the unthankfullnesse Infidelity Distrust of the Impenitent hard-hearted Ievves Both in reference to God himselfe in Heaven and their Conductors MOSES AARON here on Earth If God in his vvrath had sent us a vvicked Heathnish Persecutour a Nero a Caligula or Dioclesian to Reigne over us vvee must vvith Confusion have confess'd that it had been much lesse than vvee deserv'd And yet vvee the most incorrigible people I thinke under Heaven are so squeamish that vvee cannot digest a Christian Monarch Gratious mercifull even to Wonder A Prince vvho hath demonstrated himselfe beyond all gainsaying to be a true son of K. Charles the Martyr vvho vvas A King I am persvvaded of the greatest clemency that ever vvas upon the face of the Earth cannot digest I say a Soveraign endovved vvith all these Graces and a multitude of other Kingly Qualyties relating to War Government merely because hee is not of our opinion in point of Religion tho hee gives us no other disturbance in the exercise of ours than to desire liberty for himselfe party to enjoy their ovvn Since vvee have thus Ungodlily Brovv-beaten Strugled vvith and in a manner Disclaimed if not rejected such a Christian Prince God in his Justice threatens to give us up a Prey to our Enimies the vvorst Masters upon the face of the Earth Our abhorr'd Ingratitude to his Royall Brother selfe vvithout putting in to the scales our other innumerable sins impieties may give us just ground to feare that our incens'd God may designe to teach us submission and subjection by so severe a Method as to make us vvho have been yet one of the freest and most happy Nations of Europe TRUCKLE to an Upstart-Commonvvealth to an Antimonarchicall Generation vho by their continuall shelt'ring encouraging and assisting of Traytors proclame their Emnity to the very name of King and that they vvould not leave if they could have their vvill one Crovvn'd Head in Christendom But let us not be discouraged or despond over much Our condition Blessed be God is far from desperate England cannot be destroyed unlesse it destroy it selfe If vvee vvill in this our day but forsake our sins and stoop first to the God of Heaven and aftervvards to his Anointed servant our Indulgent Soveraign as far as hee hath for this last month past condescended to the requests of his People flinging the vvorst of Traytours our sins out of our Bosomes and I do not doubt but that vvee shall soon drive the Dutch victoriously out of the Land. TO CONCLUDE IT May perchance Brethren seem a little out of the road to employ in this my sole Charge to the Cergy as I have done the whole time alloted both for Sermon the other ordinary Application But I pray consider that I speake to you in avery extraordinary Time vvhich requires every one of us Publick Persons to do if hee can something extraordinary in the discharge of his Duty And besides t is a time of danger and vvar vvhich may be attended on if God in his mercy doth not prevent vvith Blood Confusion So that I cannot assure my selfe t'vvould be a sin not to feare vvhen God threatens that I may live to speak to you in this Place any more Anceps fortuna belli tho I declare I have not such dreadfull Apprehensions as some may have of this unnaturall War but support my selfe vvith a good measure of Confidence that God vvill give the King speedily the necks of his Enimies since hee hath by his late Gratious Condescensions and assurances regained I am vvilling to hope the Hearts of his Freinds Which desireable issue nothing can vvithold Heaven from bestovving upon us but Impenitency more particularly the vvant of Humility to Confesse the Errours vvhich vvee the Leaders of our flocks have been guilty of to ovvne the false steps vvee have made to the Misguiding of our People I do as vvell as the King next under God rely on the brave antient valour of the English Nation English men fighting vvith svvords vvhile their Enimies put their Trust cheifly in Lyes Libells When our Royall Puissant Soveraign appears in the head of his Troops His Example sure must needs animate and create Valour in the most dispirited Covvard And had I not indispensably devoted my selfe to serve my King by serving our Church and obliged my selfe to pray rather than fight for his Grovvn I vvould be the first man that should run to the Royal Standard and please my self to thinke that in defence of my King Country I should have the Honour of some of my Ancestors to fall in the Feild or be buried in thé Deep Let not my Earnestnesse Brethren make you Conceit that I suspect your Loyalty Allegiance vvhich I hope desire you vvill all speedily manifest by a loyall Addresse to his Majesty to shevv your Abhorrence of the Injustice and Unnaturallness of the Invasion and that you vvill ever in remembrance of your Oathes stand by him serve himto the Uttermost vvith your Lives Fortunes It is the indispensable Duty of a faithfull Visitor to quicken his Clergy in such an Exigent And vvith Integrity of Heart I novv do it that I may give you true Measures vvhereby you may set right your People I do acknovvledge my selfe a very feeble tho I hope honest supporter of the Church Crovvn of England But hovvever I have not so bad an Opinion of my selfe God be praised as to be ashamed here among you either of my Life or Doctrine And to evince that I am not I have this day repeated the substance or Cheif Heads of vvhat I have l'ayd before you during the last foure yeares of my Office vvhich none can deny hath been a time of great temptation triall I COMMEND YOV TO GODS BLESSING and Direction I 'LE say but one vvord more and God knovves vvhether it may not be the last I may ever say in this place and it shall be this CONTEND AND FIGHT AS WELL AS PRAY AS HEARTILY AS YOU PLEASE AGAINST OUR INSOLENT NEIGHBOURS THE DUTCH BUT CEASE TO DISPUTE WITH YOUR
PRINCE FINIS SOLI DEO GLORIA THE DEANE OF DURHAMS REASONS FOR HIS WITHDRAWING INTO FRANCE IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE PRINCE OF ORANGES INVASION And Driving the King by the Svvord out of the Kingdome of England IN CERTAINE LETTERS A LETTER TO HIS BROTHER THE EARLE OF BATHE Printed at Roüen by WILLIAM MACHUEL ruë S. Lo neare the Palace for JOHN BAPTISTE BESOGNE ruë Escuyer at the Royall sun and are to be sold by AUGUSTIN BESOGNE in the Great Hall of the Palace at Paris In the yeare of our Lord God M. DC LXXXIX ADVERTISEMENT TO THE READER THE Reader is desired to understand that when the Authour first set pen to Paper soon after his Landing in France in the Month of March last past that hee did not designe to print this and the ensuing Letters or the foregoing Discourses His intentions at that tyme being only in a few lines to discharge the Obligations which hee did in Civility rather than Religion owe to his freinds Relations spirituall naturall in England after so sudden a separation mighty Revolution by informing them in an ordinary way of writing ffirst of what passed in reference to himselfe Cures Ecclesiasticall during the disturbances occasioned by the Prince of Orange secondly that hee did continue by Gods Grace to bee the very same Person that they did discerne him to bee at Parting which hee had ever professed himselfe even an Unalterable firme son of the Church of England as first establish'd as well as a right loyall subject to his soveraigne resolv'd never to Owne any new fabrick built on the ruines of the Old more than submit to a new souveraign fet up by subjects in the room of Gods Lawfull Vice-Gerent But the changeablenesse of Times and variety of Publick occurrences which did render it difficult for persons in his circumstances to fix positively in any determination caused him on second thoughts to Undertake the inlargement of the said Letters for the satisfaction of his owne conscience rather than their curiosity likewise to publish to the World the Account of himselfe Actings which hee sends to his Brother Bishop together with the wholesome Advice hee gave at parting to the members of Durham Cathedrale Clergy of his Jurisdiction To the end that no person whatso ever under his authority might be ignorant of his Behaviour Stedfastnesse in a tyme of great Apostacy but be throughly informed well assured the better to keep them from Falling that hee did to the very last Upshot practice the Doctrine which hee ever Taught and was not ashamed by his last services for the Publick at Withdrawing by his first imployment of his Pen after Landing to proclame himselfe one of those indisputably loyall Subjects that could obey actively in all commands not sinfull Whatever his king bee either by his Practice-in Point of Moralls or by his Profession in regard of his Religion nay one who was more ambitious to suffer with his afflected Prince abroad than to keep his Preferments at home tho in their kind some of the best in England with a Blemish of being accessary to the Rebellion as his conscience assured him hee should have been if hee had after his manner of Preaching and Practice but stayed at Durham sate still without opposing those who were hee conceived labouring by dethroning his souveraigne to Unhinge the Antient Government both in Church state or else held his tongue stopd his Pen after hee was got by à happy Providence out of the reach of the Kings Enimies to gaine the liberty whereof it was one cheif part of his designe in leaving the Nation Which liberty opportunity hee thought himselfe in all good conscience the more readily heartily obliged to embrace since hee was debarred the Pulpit deprived of the ordinary Publick exercise of his Ministry being not contented to preach by his example only but according to the Rule of the Apostle S. Paul out of season as vvell as in season by Letters Advice and Exhortations at all Times on all Places on all fit occasions to all Persons to whom his Duty bound him to Apply himselfe as far and as well as hee was able His zeale by à kinde of Antiperistasis the defection reaching his own till this time ever loyall family being increased as well as his resolution But how so many of such Antient Noble Houses and till this late Epidemicall infection in a most exemplary manner faithfull to the Crown should be tainted in the leastwise with the horrid sin of Rebellion hee cannot devine nor give any reason for the same unlesse the Air of England did begin to grow as contagious as the Plague of Athens which bred more diseases in mens Soules than in their Bodies corrupting as it is Storied their very moralls Yet what ever intoxicating â—virtue may have been in the cli me under the Planet that reigned in 88. that all should bee true which iâ— reported of some of his ovvne Kinred hee begs pardon if hee prove a very Infidell It being not in the Povver of all the Logiâ—ians in the vvorld to Convince him that it is possible for one descended from his Dear Loyall Father Sr BEVIL GRANVILLE to dye a Rebell more than it is probable that the lately Landed English rebells should long prosper or subsist in Ireland vvhere no venemons Beast can live These Considerations together vvith the difficulty of sending large Packetts by the Post into another Kingdom the danger of miscarriage at a Juncture vvhen fevv letters Went Without Openning the Seriously and vvell vveighing the vote of the Pretended House of Commons to forbid all intercourse vvith France after the first of August and more Especially the frequent Reflection on his Bodily Infirmities fearing hee might never bee in the like condition of strength understanding to Unburthen his Conscience if hee slipped so faire all Occasion did cause him to make as much hast as hee could to commit his thoughts thus to vvriting and to Communicate them by this sure method of Printing his Letters vvhich vvere not compleated till the end of October last Wherein if nether the Reader nor Persons to vvhom hee vvrites more than in the discourses preceding finde any Excellency of stile or matter of Moderne Policy or modish Learning they may yet meet vvith vvhat the Authour is more proud of and in this present Age Juncture very Extraordinary as vvell as more valuable That is to say Honesty Courage enough to be faithfull to his King last yeare in spight of the mobile this yeare in spight of the Usurpation TO THE EARLE OF BATHE EVER HONORED AND DEARE Sr. THAT I never somuch as once presented my Duty to your LP since I Left London nor gave you any account of my selfe during the Months of Oct. Nov. last pass'd I need not I conceive make any Apology All Cerimonious respects being then svvallovved up by the Great Concerns Transactions
of the yeare 88 that Annu◠Mirabilis vvhich vvholy imployed the Head Hearts of all men And since that time my Roling Posture Change of measures Resolutions occasioned by the uncertainty Change of Affaires Persons at the Helme together vvith the crosse Accidents vvhich I have by Land sea met vvith all through vvhich God hath of his mercy vvell carryd mee vvould not permit mee to salute you vvith that formality as became mee vvherefore I have hitherto continued silent But being novv mor◠fix'd and Easy and got vvhere I have been aiming Ever since I left my station on the 11. of Dec. I cannot so farre forget my selfe as longer to deferre the presentation of my humble Duty Service give you some Account of my behaviour and motions last Winter together vvith my present State Condition both as to Body Mind I have retained that honour Duty for you that I have given lesse credit than any other to vvhat I have met vvith concerning you either in vvritten or Printed Nevves vvherein I have met vvith many things vvhich have troubled mee and I hope you vvill bee pleased to have the Goodness to afford small regard to any Reports or discourses concerning mee vvhich may have 〈◊〉 to your Eares Contrary to the Tenour of vvhat I vvrite A bout the End of sept last on the first Intelligence of the Dutch Invasion I retired to my Cures in the Country First to sedgefeild then to Easington using my utmost zeale discretion in my private discourses as vvell as publick Sermons to establish my people in so sad a Day of temptation when some stars of the first magnitude fell from Heaven in the Essentiall Duties of subjection Allegiance to their Soveraign shevving that subjects vvere upon noe Consideration whatsoever nether of Religion Liberty nor life to Resist or Desert their Lavvfull Soveraigne tho hee vvere no better than such an One as S. Paul lived under vvhen hee vvrit the Epistle to the Rom. not only a Heathen but a Cruell Persecutour A Nero A Caligula or A Dioclesian And that Subjects to a Christian Prince and to a Prince soe Mercifull Gratious as ours by consequence vvould bee infinitely more Guilty if they should Rebell against or Resist him merely because hee profess'ed a Different Religion After I had endeavoured thus to approve my selfe a faithfull shepherd in taking Care of my Country Flocks I repaired to my Deanery at Durham vvith the honest Designe of demonstrating my fidelity to my Soveraigne my Mother the Ch◠of England being persvvaded that their Inttests could never bee separated Wherefore I summon'd my Brethren the Prebendaries together into Our Chapter-House vvhere I propounded to them the Assisting of the King in so sad an Exigent vvith their Purses as vvell as their Prayers vvith vvhich motion all present complied giving readily their Consent vvith their voices as all absent saving one did by their letters vvhich occasion'd an Act of Chapter to the Effect follovving tovvit that the Deane should advance an hundred pound Every Prebend fifty for his Majesties Service tovvards the raising of Horse Men if occasion should require to bee disposed of to the aforesaid Ends Purposes in such manner as our Bp. should appoint And this I did not thinking it any very considerable Service to the King to give him 700 to vvhich summe it vvould amount but that this Act of ours might bee an Occasion of setting the vvheele a going and at that time t'vvas not too late through the Kingdom Conceiving it no sin in such an Extraordinary Juncture to lead the van in Point of Loyalty to my Prince since the Diocesse Archdeaconry of Durham in Particular none can deny had been all along during the Time of Bishop Consins ever since a notable Example to the vvhole Nation of Conformity to the Lavves dutyfull regard to his Majesties Honour and Intrest In the next place Remembring that I bore another Ecclesiastick Office Dignity in the Church of Durham about the beginning of Nov. I summond all the Clergy of my Archdeaconry together vvho met on the 15. labouring in the Absence of my Superiour the Bp. vvho vvas gone up to London to give them right measures in point of Church of England Loyalty Religion laying before them the Indispensable Necessity of their personall Assistance of their Soveraign as far as any vvere Obliged and Exerting their zeale to secure their Flocks that they might not be seduced from their Allegiance by the Canting Sophistry Distinctions of the Age. And tho the zeale I there Evidenced in my Visitaction Speech hath had since as formely small effect as is too visible by the Clergyes generall Compliance vvith their nevv Gevernours Government renouncing their old yet it vvill serve at all times to proclame that their Archdeacon did on that Occasion as hee had done before faithfully deliver his soule Fourthly Beleiving it might bee some Service to his Majestie for both Clergy Layity to shevv their ABHORRENCE of that unnaturall Invasion vvhich vvas then ffeared I moved first my Brethren of the Chapter aftervvards my Brethren of the Bench to Joyne vvith mee in an Addresse of that Nature to his Majestie but the first Refusing and the last all but tvvo vvaving the same I thought my selfe the most publick person in the Bishops Absence obliged to give A demonstraction of my ovvne Loyalty vvhich I vvas not afraid to do tho the Prince of Orange vvas at that tyme advanced as far as Salisbury and accordingly on Nov. 27. sent to his Majestie by the Post an Assurance thereof in an Address vvhich vvas intercepted by the Lord Danby Lord Lumly other Lords at Yorke Whereof I desire your Lordships permission to annex a true Copy to this letter to prevent the Abuses vvhich may bee occasion'd by that Paper 's falling into the hands of my Enimies Moreover Considering my selfe once more in the Capacity of a Civill Magistrate as vvell as Ecclesiasticall I did a fevv dayes after desire my Brethren Justices Deputy Lieutenants to give mee a Meeting to consult about Serving his Majestie to the Utmost of our Povvers Hearing as yet nothing from our Bishop and more particularly hovv to defend our selves against the Lords Gentlemen vvho had Seized on Yorke for the Prince of Orange vvere some of them advancing northvvards to sécure Durham and Nevvcastle But this honest Zeale of mine vvas by their shunning this Opportunity of Meeting likevvise renderd fruitless and the Lord Lumly on Wensday the fifth of Dec Surprized us enterd Durham whiles J vvas preaching in the. Pulpit of the Cathedrall in my Course it being the first Wensday in Advent with 50 Horse or thereabouts sundry Gentry of that the County of Yorkshire immediately afters his Arrivall Sending one Capt Ireton vvith ten Troopers up to my Door to seize on my Armes Horses vvhich I refusing to deliver or
Wait on his Lordhip hee in his Lords name confined mee to my House during his stay in that Citty On Thursday follovving the Lord Lumly vvithout any Opposition read the Prince of Oranges declaration at the Castle in the Presence of most of the Deputy Lieutenants Justices Gentry vvho flock'd into his Lordship and by their Compliance encouraged him to send to the Magistrates of Nevvcastle to demand Reception there but being refused Admittance the Saturday after hastily vvith some precipitation returned hee and his Company to Yorke after having read Publickly at the Market Crosse the Prince of Oranges declaration attended on by a great Number of Gentry the Country Troop but I thanke God there were no horses nor men of mine tho the Deane at other times sent four to encrease the number honour that Cerimony vvhich hinderd severall of the Clergy at that tyme to send in theirs to the lessenning of the Appearance Hereupon I did Judge it meet the next day after being sunday to Preach againe tho I had done it lately in my ovvne Proper Person in the Cathedrall Pulpit à seasonable Loyall Sermon sutable to my past life and Actions in that Country to persvvade the members of that Church all the Auditory to stand firme to their Allegiance in that day of Temptation never to Joyne in the least vvayes vvith that Horrid Rebellion vvhich vvas at that tyme Set on foot in the Nation Which Sermons I have Printed to Justifye mee to all the vvorld if the publication of these do not do it from being accessary to the Defection vvhich then began to the Intollerable vexation of my mind in that Conformable County vvhich had till the Summer past by it 's forvvard Obedience Dutifull Respects stuck so close to the Crovvne that his late Majestie vvas vvont to stile it his Loyall County of Durham Thus was God pleased to assist a Poor vveak inconsiderable member Exalted beyond his merit to a high Station of the Church of England vvith fidelity Courage to maintaine his Post against the Abettors of that unnaturall Invasion vvhich it vvas Easy to foresee vvould bee as it hath been attended on by an intollerable Usurpation of the Crovvne violation of the Lavves and finally if God should not of his Mercy by some kind of miracle Prevent by the utter Ruine of the Church of England and consequently of those vvho had at first invited the svvord into the Land betook themselves to a desperate Remedy a thousand times vvorse than the Disease Complained off And here before I proceed in my intended Relation of some other passages I desire permission to insert a fevv lines to Obviate some censures vvhich I Expect to meet vvith To such there fore as shall endeavour to destroy the Reputation of my sincerity zeale in sticking to the Cause of a Roman Catholick Soveraigne by the Greatness of the Example of those who have deserted it in complying with the Prince of Orange alledging that it is not likely that the single Deane of Durham should bee in the right so many Eminent Persons of Greater Learning Wisdome Piety in the Wrong who have given notable Testimonies of their Loyalty by their Sufferings Confessions in the Great Rebellion of England During the Banishment of King Ch. 2. To such I declare that I have nothing to say for my selfe but must returne with a non nobis Domine all the Glory to God who is some times pleased to make use of the vveake things of the vvorld to confound the Things vvhich are Mighty to Revcale unto Babes vvhat hee hidâ—s from the VVise Prudent assisting with in Tymes of Persecution poor Illiterate Men Women when many Great Phylosophers mighty Clerks have quitted a Righteous Cause and shamefully deserted the Truth I do with all humility acknoledge it to be purely the Grace of God the wind of whose Spirit Bloâ—eth where it listeth which hath supported and carryed mee through all those Blasts of temptation which have Thrown downe divers strong Pillars of the Temple Preserving mee from the Contagion of the Age the Spirit of Popularity Republicanisme Whereby Sathan transforming himselfe into an Angell of Light hath tainted the Generality of the English nation of all sorts Degrées which hath in the Upshot as is too visible to all the World proved their Overthrow the Fall never enough to bee lamented of many Noble Personages who had as well as their Ancestors suck'd in Loyalty with their Milk shed their Bloud to uphold the Monarchy seemed to bee the surest supporters of the crowne And thus much I have been obliged to insert here tho I could more willingly have left it unsaid if it had not been forced from mee by the Malitious Objections of my Enimies Common Justice to my selfe the cause I maintaine It being impossible for mee to persevere in the Kings Quarrell which I have espowsed without holding fast with great Resolution my Integrity Bearing witness to the Truth Besides I am not ashamed nay thinke it my Duty to owne that I am firmely strongly perswaded without doubt or scruple that my present Principles Practices of Loyalty to my Soveraigne Past Obedience to the Church of Englands Rules how singular soever by some menit may howe been termed thought are sound Orthodox being founded upon so cleare Scripture Reason as sets a man in this particular aboue any Example upon Earth Nay I am not afraid to proclame to all the World that I Dare Rebuke by my Actions tho not other wise the Greatest Man alive who Dares transgress those plaine precepts of God which I shall ever deeme à great sin to separate to wit. FEARE GOD HONOUR the KING Tho I have so great veneration Respect for hundreds of Eminent Persons spirituall temporall who have to the admiration of all men lately been imposed on by what kind of Magick it is hard to understand to Court Complement their owne Misery that in Dubious matters I am not so bold as to Resist the Power of their Examples which in such things I ackowledge a conductor safe enough to guide their inferiours who ought to suspect their own Judgements sentiments when they have no cleare lightto lead them rather than those of their Governous in Church state whom they owne to bee Wiser Better men But to stick close to the service Interest of my Lawfull Soveraigne who is a Soveraigne never the lesse lawfull for his Afflictions or for his Religion and to OBEY him too as I am resolved in all things which are not Malum in se if hee absolutely requires it what ever may bee the Consequences is a POINT wherein I am so wel satisfied that I am ambitious to be instrumental in Convincing all who depend on mee or my Jurisdictions if I cannot Others of a Truth so necessary seasonable for the consideration of Subjects in a
Rebellious Age. Indeed I am so farre from being ashamed that I am tempted to a little kind of Pride to thinke I brought this some other like Points to discussion last summer the General Eviction whereof however they vere despised Opposed would have stopt Multitudes from running with full Career to put their Necks by the Expulsion of their owne undoubted Gratious Soveraigne under the Yoke of Afforreign Power And it may not bee Alltogether unworthy of their Thoughts who were so angry with them made so much Noise about them whether their Anger did not proceed from the serviceablenesse of my Doctrine to the Kings Interest which they were about to destroy those propositious which I asserted striking at the very Root of the Controversy betwixt the King Subjects of England that is whether the supremacy should bee in the King or in the People A Galled Horse Pardon the similitude shewes where he is sore by his unwillingness to bee handled And the Serpent directs where a man should strike by defending his Head. But how greatly soever I was hereby Exposed to censure made the Talke scoff of some Divines others over their Cups of Coffee upon the Interception of a letter to my Ever honored Freind ***** and other treacherous publication of some Queries which were canvassed up and down about a yeare agoe under the name of the Dean sometimes falsely under the name of the Bishop of Durham I am very well pleased and greatly comforted thad I had then somuch honesty courage as notwith standing great Opposition Powerful Examples perswasions to the contrary to assert the Prerogative of my King to make an Attempt towards the Conviction of Others committed to my Charge Which were the Only persons for whom those Queries were first designed being certain propositions of the verity of which I made no doubt containing the Reasons of my forwad Compliance with his Majestie which I drew into Queries for the Private Consideration of some young Divines I had under my Roof requiring them effectually to answer them in writing with reasonnings which would Beare the Eye or to comply as I had done with the King. Which Honest loyall Queries tho Good sense I am sure when they were first stole out of my study at Durham being after passing through divers hands I know not how disguised and by some stiled the nonsensical Queries of the Deane of Durham I shall crave leave also to publish in the postcript of this letter giving you no more trouble till then about them or my own Justification But craving pardon for so long a Digression returne proceed in my intended narration of some farther transactions relating to his Majesties service mine own Escape out of England in order to repaire to him Notwithstanding then all that I had done recited in the beginning of this letter upon the first Allarum of the Prince of Oranges designe to invade England tho I had God bee thanked honestly discharged a Good Conscience in Opposing by my Words Actions to the uttermost of my Power the then Growing Rebellion as I had all along the Increase of that Temper which was at that time Burst out into A Dreadfull flame whereto I discerned my selfe too weake to make any farther Opposition many of my owne Brethren Deserting nay opposing mee I say notwithstanding all this I could not satisfy my selfe without sending away a faithfull servant to his Majestie Expresse vvith an account of that County together vvith A Duplicate of those papers before mentiond vvhich vvere intercepted letting the King understand that I despaired as things vvent and so did those fevv loyall frainds vvho Concurred vvith mee of doing his Majestie any further service in that Place Having done all that lay in my Povver in all my Capacities by my most vigorous Endeavours tovvatds the Support of the Crovvne the Church of England and seeing my selfe absolutely uncapable to Act further for his Majestie as I had done to discharge my Conscience there in soe Metamorphosed a Place I resolved after earnest prayer to God to direct mee to preserve my Innocency by fflight since I could not doe it by sitting still staying in Durham if I should escape the Jaole vvhich I had litle Reason to hope after an honest Loyall activity vvhich God had given mee the Grace to practice especially during the Yeare past therefore bethought my selfe of flying avvay secretly to the King to Ovvne his Cause vvhen I could not othervvise serve him Commending my Charge fflock both in Durham Elsvvhere in the Bishoprick to Gods Wise Gratious Protection signifying my mind by letter to my Deputies both in Durham the Country Hoping to Edifye them more by such Expression of my Loyalty Religion in adhering to my Soveraigne vvhen the Defection began to bee generall than I vvas like to doe by svch Sermons or Example as the nevv Authority vvould permitt mee to give them And accordingly on the 11. of Dec. at midnight by the helpe of tvvo faithfull servants vvhich I did dare trust I got my horses prepared and vvas conducted by one of them that night to Heâ—cam vvhere I procured an honest Guide to Carlisle the nearest of the Kings Garnisons the most Considerable Place as I conceived vvhich then held out for the King Hull being reduced the vveek before I had no sooner got to Carlisle vvhere I vvas very kindly received by Mr. Hovvard the Governour Coll Purcell Capt Hern others Officers there but the very day after being Saturday the Post brought in the Dismall Nevves of the defeat of some of his Majesties Troopes at Reading others deserting in such sort that hee vvas forced to vvithdravv out of the Kingdome together vvith some intimations to the Governour that it vvas to no purpose for him to hold out the Place but that hee being a Roman Catholick it vvould bee most prudent not displeasing to his Majesty for him toretire leave the Government to the old Governour tovvit Sr. Christopher Musgrave vvho came into the Tovvne on Saturday night Enter'd on the Government appearing in the Governours seat on Sunday the 15. in the Cathedrall This Direfull Catastrophe vvhich did both astonish and afflict mee to see our Soveraigne a Gratious Prince treated with somuch brutality betrayed by those hee thought his best freinds deserted by his Nearest Relations forbidden his ovvne Palace forced out of his Kingdome did Immediately vvithout much consideration incline mee to leave it allso to manâ—fest my Just Indignation against Rebellion treachery vvhich had then spread themselves allmost over the vvhole Nation And did resolve accordingly to hasten into France to share vvith my Soveraigne in his Misfortunes In order vvhereunto after I had visited the Bishop of Carlisle at Rose Castle craved his Benediction deposited vvith his Lordship some solemne assurances of Living Dying in the right Church of England Religion I departed from
to proceed in imitation of their Loyalty and according to their examples in all times of Warre Trouble heretofore to stick close to the Crown Not one of them that I could ever Read or heare of having been in the least manner dipt in Rebellion or sided with any Usurper Indeed their Fidelity to their Soueraigne for which your House God bee Praised hath been ever noted none Sir hath better copied out then your selfe whose Name is on that account already Recorded in our English Chronicle The Secrecy Successefulnesse of that Negotiation of yours in your Master the late Kings behalfe with General Monk will not easily bee forgotten among loyall men And I must confesse to all the world that that notable Example Pattern which you have set all your House by your services endeavours in the Worst of Tymes for King Charles the 2. hath had great force on mee been mighty prevalent in inspiring mee with some more than ordinary Resolution for his Royall Brother his lawfull successour and our vndoubted Soueraigne at my first Entrance on my Deanery which did oblige mee to Appeare Act in à more Pnblick Poste than before And doth still animate mee wherefore whatever measures you are pleased to take at present I hope Sir you will not blame mee in my present zeale endeavours Since which time I can say it without Boasting tho if I did Boast a litle this Conjuncture my Circustances would Beare it that I have never strayed in my affection from his Majestie nor failed in paying him all the Honour Duty Respect which I should have renderd to my deceased Master of ever Blessed Memory had the Naiion been longer blest with his Reigne But instead thereof I do not Blush to let all the world know that I have been somewhat more Officious and thought it Every ones Duty so to be in his Service than I had been in his Brothers in consideration of a Roman Catholick Kings Grace Goodness towards us of the Church of England in reference to the free exercise of our Religion Hee granting us the liberty of A Religion contrary to his ovn and making it his Care at his first Appearence in Councell to secure to his Protestant Subjects of the Ch. of England so unvaluable à Blessing neither of which if hee had done could wee have told how to helpe our selves or been absolved from our Obedience which my litle Divinity hath euer told mee I hope euer will is as due to à Roman Cath. Soueraigne as to a Protestant one The Consideration where of hath by the Blessing of God kept mee Vntainted Vnstained throughout the whole transactions of the last 5. yeares I meane from the 6. of Feb. 84. when his Majestie mounted the Throne to the 10. of Dec. 88. when the same Sacred Majestie was disgracefully Driven to the Everlasting Reproach of the English Nation from his own Palace of Whitehall No Feares or Iealousies of Religion Liberties or Lavves dîd ever tempt mee I Blesse God to any undue courses of Resistance Opposition or somuch as Unseemly Capitulation with Gods Vicegerent to preserve them Tho I love them all soe well Dearely that I can bee contented to dye for them in any Place or Manner vnlesse it bee with à sword in my hand lifted vp against my Prince And I dare Challenge not only my Censurers but all the World a state of Hostility will admit of such language to discover any One Act of mine whereby I have sided with or abetted their Enimies in any Endeavours to destroy or Weaken them that I have I say ever either in the capacity of a Private Minister or Publick Magistrate Ecclesiasticall or Civill in the West my first or North of England my last station ceased to practise and Exact a strict Conformity to the Rules of our Religion or to promote an Impartiall Execution of law as long as the lawes were in Force both against Recusant Dissenter Or that lastly I did ever Countenance such Omission of Duty in Others Clergy or layety under my Authority All Places wherein I have Resided will I make no question testifye for mee that I have been how weake unsuccessefull soever zealous diligent faithfull in these particulars And did never in any Revolution Put on the Vizard of A TRIMMER having had allwayes from my Cradle a certaine Antipathy against such Indifferency Hyppocrisy Neutrality as doe constitute that Amphibious Creature which by the assistance of Neighbours which it is hard to tell whether they live more vpon the land or in the water hath given a kind of Mortall Wound to the Church Monarehy of England By such Principles Practices I have God bee thanked demonstrated my selfe A legitimate son of my ever Honoured Deare Father Sir Bevill Granville whom I may I hope in à letter to à Brother bee permitted for my Consolation in so melancholyck a state of Affaires a litle to Glory in sinee his Valour Loyalty sealed at Lansdown with his Bloud is set aboue the spleen censure of the most Malitious Tongues Forasmuch as the University of Oxford one of the most famous Universityes in the VVorld hath vouchsafed to celebrate them whith an Epicedium of their choicest VVits A respect which hath not as the Ingenious Reprinter of the late Edition of those Poems doth in his dedicatory Epistle well note been vsually paid to any but the Royal Family And in the same Temper much heightned strengthend by the serious frequent pervsall of those Iugenious Verses which bring dayly to my consideration my loyall Fathers Example which I carry constantly about mee both to inspire conduct mee I hope by Gods Grace to Breathe out my soule without making any difference in Matter of Obedience betwixt à Papist a Protestant Prince A Christian or à Heathen I am without any scruple assured so is all the World that my Soueraigne King Iames the 2. is a lawfull King hath an undoubted Title which is all a good subject ought to enquire into If soe I am as much assured that noe Power vpon Earth can absolve mee from my sworne Obedience to him what ever wee are told to the contrary in certaine Enquiries into the Measures of Submission to Supreme Authority the Grounds vpon vvhich it may bee lavvfull or necessary as ◠the Title phraseth it for subjects to defend their Religion liberties lavves I wish the Doctor had been pleased to speake out plainly according to his thoughts and I am perswaded hee would haue sayd The Grounds vvhereon it is Lavvfull to Rebell But I shall give you noe more Trouble by way of Information concerning my selfe I shall rather crave liberty to convey to my Younger Relations since they are numerous by your favour and meanes is you please some wholesome Advice for their Edification to establish those who are not Tainted and to restore those who are with the false
Notions Maximes of the Times My Elders I shall no wise disturb at present with my remaining discourse But I humbly conceive it a kind of Duty to take a litle Paine sometimes with the Others My Father's Mother's Dedication of one of their sons to the Church and it falling to the lot of mee the vnworthiest of them doth in some sort constitute mee A Preist to the whole Family tho not to vndertake the Charge of all their Soules that would bee a Task not only difficult but impossible for mee to discharge and I do not desire it yet to make to them now then some spirituall applications as I do at Present by your permision in this letter did likewise 5. yeares since in some familiar ones to a Nephew in the University of Oxford which I printed is a good act of Christian Religion Fraternall Charity I shall then humbly beg leave in this paper to desire all those who have any wayes warp'd from that strict Duty Respect which hath been ever paid by their Ancestors to the Crown to consider their great obligations aboue others to bee Faithfull to their Soveraigne taking more than ordinary care least they Staine the honour of an Antient House And shall not at present insist on any Duty paid directly to God that was my buisnesse in part of my fore mention'd Addresse But the Duties of Subjection Doctrine of Non-Resistance of Lawfull Princes whom subjects are bound to Obey what ever bee their Opinions or Practices are so vilely Run dnwne in England and so universally put out of countenance that it is a peice of seasonable charity to Revive their Reputation I thinke I may truly say without vanity or oftentation that every one of us have been through the mercy of God trained up in as a deep a sence of that profound Respect Submission which is due from subjects to their Supreme as any family in the Nation having beeu in an extraordinary manner Blest with Loyall Religious Parents Progenitors who have given the best evidence of their sincere hearty dutifulness to their Soveraignes in sealing it with their Bloud And till this late never enough to bee deplored Generall Defection which seemed to carry with it an Irresistable Contagion beyond the power of the strongest Antidote â—here hath never A Blemish of Disloyalty Blessed be God been fix'd on the Family of the Granvilles or on the meanest Branch thereof And that there should any Person now lye under that censure is to mee an Intollerable mortification the Heaviest part of my Affliction amidst my sufferings for my fidelity to the Crowne But since the Torrent hath Overborne some of ours as well as too many of every Antient Honorable Loyall House in the Nation I cannot satisfie my selfe to sit still and not put to my helping Hand to save them By desiring them among other things to beware how they swallow not only new Oathes but new Conceited Querks and Distinctions of those Temporising Common Lawyers who have out of sordid Flattery or Feare by an unintelligible unheard off sort of Abdication Coyned purely for the service of an Usurper deformed the Monarchy Church of England Making a strange kind of Monster of the Fayrest and Best of the Reformed Churches in placing two heads on one Body such as are there the most unlikely of any in the world to agree A Popish a Presbiterian one I never did immagine that I was or ever should become a Pillar of the Church Tho you all know that I did in a time of Adversity Rebellion when there was small Hopes of Being Deane of Durham Devote my selfe thereto honestly with Good will to Gods service without Designe Much lesse do I fancy my selfe A Person of somuch Might or Skill as to bee able to stem such a Tide as hath Broken in upon us Beaten down the High Rocky Cliffes of England as if they had been only muddy Bankes or the wooden Fences of a Low-Country But on the other side I have not soe meane thoughts of the Grace Power of God Almighty who hath manifested his strength in my Weaknesse in upholding keeping mee steddy during the late Terrible Shock which like an Earth Quake made the Foundations of the Kingdom to Tremble and overthrew Divers supporters of Church State as to despaire of all successe In my Attempt to fortifie at least some if I cannot regaine Others or any of my Kinred to whom I write Who ought not to Conceit themselves so able Divines as to thinke they are in spirituall matters above my Counsell advice To accomplish this Good worke whereon I invoke the Assistance of that Spirit whose Power no Creature is able to Resist I shall lay before their Eyes some of the Good old Church of England-Divinity which hath been infused into mee as well as their Fathers in our Youthes by those Right Orthodox Loyall Doctors of the old Stamp under whose Conduct wee have had the felicity to bee trained up And remembring well considering the words of our Saviour Christ that a Prophet hath allwayes least honour in his own Country among his own Kin I shall keep strickly faithfully not only to the Sense but often in prosecuting this Point use the very words of A Famous Divine of Authority aboue any mans Contempt being justly had in houour veneration of the whole Nation as well as our own Family IN the first place then I here take liberty to put your and mine owne Relations in mind of some seasonable Truths well Calculated for the meridian of an Antient Loyall Family the most effectuall Preservative which I know off to secure their Innocency in a wavering Corrupt seditious Age and Country tinctur'd all over with Schisme Rebellion To wit. That our Blessed saviour Christ his disciples were of all the Doctors who ever were in the world the most carefull to preserve the Doctrine Practice of Allegiance and entire Submission Subjection to the Supreme Powers which were deputed by God as his Vicegerents to Governe the world even then at that very time when they lived under Heathen Emperours who where not only Great Opposers of Christianity but Cruell Mercilesse Bloudy Persecutors Furthermore it will bee worthy of Observation that Christ Jesus tho hee were as God the King of all Kings might have changed disposed of their Dominions as hee pleased yet did not thinke fit to make any Alteration in the Government hee found on Earth when hee was born but on the Contrary Judged it meet to continue settle all in that Course where in it had been formerly placed by God himselfe living in a most Exemplary manner in subjection to the knowne Lawes paying Tribuute to Caesar Nay shewing so great Concerne that the Supreme Powers should receive their Due that hee thought fit rather to work a miracle than appeate deficient in Paying Tribute Whereto if
respects odious infamous had not the boldness to seize on the Crown nor the People of England at that time thô plunged over head ears in Rebellion the Timidity nor Stupidity to offer it to him who without all dispute might then with less sin with more prudence have put it on his Head it having for a while before been deposited and unimploy'd than some body since snatch'd it from the Head of his own Uncle nay Father This is Gentlemen the true real cause of my withdrawing And if You please to be mind full of the criticall time vvhen the manner hovv the cause vvherefore being also so just to your Dean as not to looke barely on his going away but consider it as circumstantiated and allowing me so much Charity who have alwayes exercis'd greater towards my Dependants as to beleive I did at least mean well then and do speak true at present I am willing to beare all other ccnsures you can load me with for this late hazardous undertaking which however it may be mis-understood in England over which as of late there seemes still to hang some notorious cloud mist which strangely obscures mens understanding and deem'd an act of Fear or Folly yet I am God be prais'd fully perswaded that it was the most honest the most couragious thc vvisest Act of my whose Life And do incessantly praise his name that he was pleas'd to endow me with his grace passing by many more capable to do him service at that very time and in such manner as I did to Beare vvittness to the Truth 1 For my Flock had I whose notion both of Religion Loyalty had caus'd me all a long to act at an other rate fail'd by a sordid truely mean compliance I had certainly done them irreparable wrong by thwarting my past Doctrine destroying the example of my whole Life 2. As for my Revenue thô I possess'd the best Deanery and possibly the best Archdeaconry one of the best Livings in England A Faithfull Christian ought not so highly to value them as to put them into the scales with his Conscience And besides I do not forget that I both receiv'd held my Deanery by the King's favour do resolve that without his favour I will never keep it These two particulars granted I leave all men to judge whether it was an unwise act of mine all things consider'd to withdraw vvhen in such manner as I did I do well assure my selfe that it will be esteem'd otherwise by all those that do not deny the truth of this undoubted maxime that Honesty is the best Policy And I do comfort my selfe that my poor exploded Notions of Honesty Religion Loyalty to my King obedience to the Precepts Rules of the Church will yet come in vogue before I leave the World tho I have too much reason to apprehend that unless the change of air preserve me I shall not be a long liv'd man however they be run down rejected in this intoxicated Age which hath in a manner captivated men's Senses as well as their Understandings I that am the Lord be thanked happily deliver'd for a while from the Foggs of my own Country which were sadly increas'd since it's late Alliance Communication with Holland do no more doubt than I cease to pray for the King 's glorious blessed Restauration That joyfull Day in spight of Men Devils will come as soon as the Church and Kingdome are by a profound Humiliation sincere Repentance prepared for so choice a blessing And when it doth come or is nigh approaching it will infallibly open men's eyes cause them clearly to discerne their past egregious folly facility in suffering themselves to be so soon overcome by such deplorable Delusion as not to distinguish betwixt the felicity of living under an undisputable lawfull gratious Prince of the most mercifull and eligible Race and Qualifications bearing the Yoke of an Usurper whose Crown must necessarily be maintain'd as it is gotten by the Sword. And whose Reigne tho it begins in nomine Domini is usher'd in by a shevv of Religion seeming love of Liberty Lavves soon becomes greivous his little finger felt much heavier than the Lawfull Predecessour's Loyns It will not be needfull to pretend to the Spirit of Prophecy for this Discovery the last eight or nine Month's experience doth powerfully evince the Truth of what I affirme There doth seem already to be eyes enough open if their hands were at Liberty and good swords in them in Scotland England too as well as Ireland to deliver those miserable Kingdomes from reall Tyranny Presbitery which are not like to be found much more tollerable for the late injustifiable as well as unintelligible method of Exclusion of Popery pretended Arbitrary Povver All those who were come to could exercise their Understandings from the year 41 to the year 60 cannot forget the unsufferable Slavery which the three Kingdomes underwent upon the unhappy Conjunction of those foremention'd unseparable Twins The horrid Rebellion of those dayes was less odious than the present one which is accompanied with the highest Aggravations less odious I say or at least less unnaturall than that under which the best Subjects Christians in England at present groan in sundry respects had not the former been deeply dyed in the blood of King Charles the Martyr And yet all the Religion great ostentation of Purity of the Gospell wherewith it was introduced at last after a floud of Loyall blood submitted to by an infatuated Generation ended at length in down right Enthusiasme which by breaking of Fences tearing up Foundations let in a Deluge of all kind of Prophaneness The Priviledges Properties as well as the Liberty of the Subject were got into the hands of such miserable Keepers as kept them all to themselves in such sort as scarce any Person You do well remember could be Master of them or meet with them but at Wallingford House In a word after inexpressible violence Injustice Cutting off sundry Pillars of Church State most those well fix'd Church of England-men Clergy or Layicks who had the valour to withstand the Usurpers of those dayes all matters at last run into Anarchy Confusion And the Babell which had been twenty years in building after a short tottering at the Death of their Cheif Upholder fell crush'd it's selfe with it's own weight and cover'd all their Antimonarchicall machinations with it's Ruines The serious sober review of all past Transactions from the begining of the long great Rebellion home to the Dutch Invasion to witt of the first stupendious wickedness of the Enimies of the King Church of England The wonderfull long suffering of a justly Incens'd God His unconceivable Goodness and Compassion at length in a reall delivery of the Nation our Church from not only the most Arbitrary
power which had been before exercised but from the utmost malice of all it 's worst Adversaries who were watching to devour her The wretched Requitall of God's mercy Love made to Heaven by the most Real I fear none can excuse themselves as well as pretended Friends of Crown Myter in repaying such unexpressible Bounty with Contempt and Ingratitude at last the most deplorable Folly Madness of the People of England in being catch'd by nay running into the very same Snares wherein they had been once before intangled by the Subtilty of the Devil almost to their utter Destruction The recalling to mind thorough Consideration I say of such the like passages should have made us methinks wise enough to have avoided in due season the same Trap which was again laid for us into which we are a second time fallén At least one would guesse or else we are become perfectly stupid insensible should awake every one to look to his After-Game for fear we may be remedilessly depriv'd of the remaining part of our Felicity which is bound up in the life of our distress'd Soveraigne his legitimate Issue by our gratious Queen-Consort who hath evidenced her selfe in these former innumerable Troubles of our afflicted thrice banisht Prince a notable Example of Submission Patience who ought to be for being made by God the happy Instrument of bringing us the Blessing of a hopefull Heir Male for ever Dear to the English Nation all faithfull Subjects to the Crown of England If such extraordinary Dealings of the God of Heaven varied to every man's capacity condition If neither God's speaking by a still voice nor in the VVhirlevvind neither by the Sunshine of mercyes nor the Thunder of his Judgements that dreadfull Clap whereinto the late black Clouds driven into England out of Holland broke very fatally to the unhinging of the whole Fabrick of our Government both in Church State will reclaime us make us sensible of our most real Interest Happyness in a most desireable wéll establisht Monarchy Episcopacy a gratious Prince according to the heart's wish of every right loyall son of the Church of England save that he doth not ptofess our Religion nor reduce us to that intire obedience submission to the King and Church which the wise dispensations of a loving long-suffering God seem above other things by many repeated Summonses loudly to call for there remains nothing but a Fearfull looking for of Iudgement I know no Salve for our sore nor can discover any thing which can mollify such stony hearts or mortify such corrupt natures that have lamentably defeated our heavenly Father in all his methods to do good unto us save us And I who have never been all that know me must confess a man of excessive fear jealousy as to the Publick must sink down into dispaire conclude that the people of England the other Day an object of envy to all the Nations round about us are signally mark'd out for God's displeasure will be made a standing Monument of his Wrath to all succeding Ages But I shall not detaine You longer with Reflections on the State of England It will be a Duty more incumbent on me to consider the Circumstances of Durham therein those of the Cathedrall Church my speciall more particular Charge wherein I have been by the Favour of my King rather than my own merit set to Preside And indeed I cannot thoroughly reflect on that Church Citty wherein I have by God's permission the Kings kindness had the honour for the last 27. years to be dignified without melting into Tears To consider that the Bishoprick Cathedrall Church of Durham which had so well approv'd themselves both to his late present Majesty usually exceeded others in expressions of Loyalty should now lye undistinguishable incorporated into the Mass of Rebellion which the wise just God is pleas'd to permit to oppress the whole Land peirces my very Soule It was one of the most painfull mortifications I ever met with the weeke before my Departure to discerne my selfe deserted by all the Citty-Clergy in my honest zeal for the righteous Cause of my Soveraigne In such sort as not to discover then on the place any one Ecclesiastick neither in the Cathedrall nor any Parochial Church or Chappell with in the Precincts of that Citty who had the courage at that juncture to own openly either in the Pulpit or in his Conversation his oppress'd Prince's Interest and Honour by shewing just Indignation against that Treasonable Attempt which was then insolently made against his Crowne Dignity in reading publickly with great formality the Rebellious paper mention'd in this former letters Tho every man who was not a mere Ideote must comprehend that that very Act countenanced was in effect the pulling up the sluce letting in a Stream of Rebellion to overflow the whole County This was I declare to me a mighty exercise of Patience did among other Pressures which possibly contributed much to my crazy condition last Winter heavily afflict me But when I look farther at this day regard the State Ecclesisiastick of the whole County discover but three of all my Brethren of the Clergy through the whole Bishoprick of Durham as I am made beleive by Report who have had either the Integrity or Courage to stand their Ground against a new unlawfull Oath of Allegiance to a Prince set up by the abhorr'd treachery unheard of Ingratitude of the People Subjects who have no authority in our anciently Hereditary Realm to dispose of the Crown I am above measure astonish'd overwhelmed with greif Which greif is unexpressibly augmented when I consider that the members of that Body or Community whereof I have the honour to be Head have incurr'd the same Guilt And those Eminent Persons which as Salt by their Examples ought to have seasoned the whole Diocess are rendred uncapable to reprove their Inferiours reprehend the sins of the Times Alas if Resistance of the higher powers be by some Moderne Divines Distinctions refin'd into a Vertue is Perjury no sin If the Sacred Authority of our Earthly God the stile in Sripture allow'd to a Lavvfull Soveraigne be fallen into such deplorable contempt among Subjects that there is little Regard given either to their Promises or Commands is the Majesty of the God of Heaven become so mean cheap that men nay Divines dare cancell the Obligation of an Oath And the calling God to witness the truth of what we promise become void of no effect as soon as our Interest tempt us to break it If so then farewell all Religion nay Conversation and Commerce among men If the Bonds of a Sacred Oath are not sufficient to hold men surely nothing can The Evills Mischiefs which must unavoidably attend a sin so universally committed through
the Kingdome even by the Leaders Guides of Christ's Flock are more greater than it is possible for any to conceive or foresee Such a Notorious Contradiction of your own past Preaching Practice must I fear render you very cheap amongst those People which you have drawn into a Snare by a very sinfull Example who have too much sense not to discern the illness thereof tho they want Courage to resist it I am sorry that the necessity which I am put to of delivering my Soule constreins me here to declare thus much and that you have very often in my Presence preach'd false Doctrine if your present Proceedings Compliances are justifiable It 's now a more seasonable time than it was a year agoe for us Ecclesiasticks who cannot swallow implicite Faith to teach our Hearers to beware of implicite Obedience If it were dreadfull dangerous while we liv'd under a gratious Prince of an undoubted Title whose excessive Goodness Forwardness to rely on his Subjects hath prov'd his Ruine is it become otherwise under the Government of a Prince who hath by Violence wrested a Crown from the very Father of his own Princess his own near Relation who by such an act of unparaleld Injustice inexcusable palpable defect of Veracity in having at his first Entrance grossly contradicted his own Declaration gives more just Grounds than both his Uncles or his Grandfather ever did of Jealousy Fear to conclude that he intends to Rule as he Conquer'd the Kingdome proposing to himselfe no other motives in his future Government than he did in his first Invasion And what they were it will be needless to recite to any but those who were during the months of Oct Nov last fast a sleep And what will become then of our Religion Libertyes Lavvs it will be easy enough to devine O Fortunatos nimium bona si sua norint c. The Review of our past Felicity those very Blessings we enjoy'd and sadly overlook'd during the Reigne of our present Soveraigne must needs greivously torment our Hearts give us occasion of pining away with just vexation anger at out selves Since it is not possible now for us in all humane apprehension to swimme back to such our sottishly neglected lost Happiness but through that sea of blood which Tyrants Usurpers commonly shed in prosecuting accomplishing their Machiavellian Designes And it is matter of no small moment for men especially Churchmen to examine thoroughly impartially how much of the Guilt will lye at their own Doores As a great measure thereof must it is without all Dispute rest at the door of every one who hath knovvingly and vvillfully contributed to the Fall Banishment of his Lawfull Prince whereby he is put under a Necessity out of Justice to his son to recover his own by the Sword which by Force Violence as well as the abhorr'd Treachery of his own Subjects were taken from him And I do beseech You to be assur'd that in now recommending to You whom God hath plac'd under my Authority so Seasonable necessary a Task as this sort of SELFE-EXAMINATION I do manifest that I am as I have done often in other matters your faithfull Friend as well as Roüen Aug 15. 1689. Your affectionate Brother DENIS GRANVILLE FINIS To the Clergy of the Archdeaconry of Durham REVEREND BRETHREN Among the many applications which upon my withdrawing and leaving the Nation I have been oblig'd out of common decency as well as good conscience considering the publickness of my circumstances to make to my Relations Naturall Spirituall I might without censure or blame omit all Laborious penning down of my thoughts for You the Clergy of my Archdeaconry having for more than twenty years together with the greatest industry best zeal I was able from year to year by word letter sometimes in Print not only incited you at my Visitations faithfully diligently to execute your offices but plainly fully deliver'd my soule at my last more memorable Visitation on the 15 of the never to be forgotten month of Nov 1688 ten dayes after our late Dutch-Protestant Gunpowder-Treason Brotherly advising nay earnestly pressing you to stand the Test in that great day of tryall that you might not have lost either the honour or reward of Confessors for a Righteous Cause in Asserting whereof I am willing and resolve by Gods grace to sacrifice my life as I have done my Revenue if the wise God should thinke fitt to call me to the one as he hath done to the other To demonstrate undeniably to your selves all that hear'd me that day that I was not among all my weaknesses afraid or ashamed to owne my past life Doctrine to compleat the Office of a Visitor as honestly heartily as I began I chose you may remember to lay before you the cheife heads of all the Good Counsell Advice which I had given you at the former Conventions of the Clergy of my Jurisdiction for four years together even the four last extraordinary years that is to say ever since his gratious Majestie our Liege Lord Soverigne King Iames the 2 mounted his Throne tho I had too much reason then to apprehend by your long neglect thereof running counter to the principles practice of your Archdeacon it would badly suite with your palates which at that time to my greife appear'd since without all dispute are found not only vitiated but poison'd by the Leaven Magick of the Age. It was ever my hopes that his Majestie 's Loyall County of Durham the appellation which my gracious Master King Charles the 2 was wont as I have often minded You to afford Us would have resisted longer than any Diocess in England by vertue of the Good Government which was very seasonably more effectually than else where therein set on foot at his joyfull Restauration How little prevalent unsuccessfull soever my poor weak endeavours prov'd towards your establishment I could not imagine that the Clergy of the Bishoprick of Durham could have so soon forgotten much less have frustrated the precepts Example given them by so great a Confessor and stout Champion of the old orthodox Church of England as had happily reviv'd good order conformity to the Churche's Rules among them But since we find by sad experience that it is so that even the very Leaders have apostatiz'd from their Duty to God and the King It becomes me who dare not follow their Example to do all that I can to prevent the People of my Archdeaconry from being seduced thereby You know I have labour'd faithfully with zeale more than ordinary to assert the King's cause from the yeare 1678 through all the Combustions occasion'd by an Infamous Impostor home to the Dutch Invasion at that very time even on the 15 of Nov. 1688 brought all the wholesome advice
which I had given at severall Visitations to your view in one Address as before mention'd which I have printed for your farther edification my own justification And in the next place I knew of nothing better that I could do than to preach to you by my example in leaving my Station my Revenue when I could not be permitted longer to discharge a good conscience rather than involve my selfe in the guilt of an usurpation Which act of mine how grealy soever it may have been censur'd I esteem as the best sermon I ever preach'd in my life the reflection on which affords much comfort to my soule since thereby I clear'd my selfe from the guilt of renouncing my Allegiance as the generality have done which will prove an eternall blot to the Nation not excepting the Clergy of the Church of England T is too late now to give you Cautions against Perjury or to sett before your eyes how much more heinous it is in a Priest than in a Lay man because the greatest part of you allready have swallow'd a new oath to an Usurper And to informe you in the obligation that lyes on you to repent of rather than keep the oath you have taken is to conclude you what I ought not to do not only bad Christians but very weak Divines There is no man that understands any thing of Religion but knows that a rash oath only obliges to Repentance whereof that there might be some MEET AND WORTHY FRUITS brought forth among the Clergy of my Jurisdiction would prove to me great matter of Consolation if it were done very speedily it would be a great extenuation of their crime afford good ground to hope they were overborne with the Boisterousness of a Violent Sorme rather than did willfully plunge themselves in so horrid a guilt Let not the fear of loosing your possessions which I thank God has not prevail'd on me tempt you to lye one moment under so insupportable a load The enjoyments of your Livings will be sadly purchas'd by the increase of so enormous an Impiety And there will be a lamentable Precedent left to your flocks if You the Pastours have not sufficient sincerity to make a speedy Confession of your sin courage enough publickly to owne the same by giving glory to God taking shame unto yourselves There can be no more effectuall way to redeem your own honour than by restoring Gods. Nothing contributed so much to the glory of St. Augustin as his Confessions Retractations consequently nothing can be more to your's than to betake your selves to this Essential part of Repentance I mean the Confession of your Crime whereby you have scandaliz'd your flocks You that have taken an unlawfull oath to save your Benefices have thereby put your selves under a greater necessity of parting with them or retaining your guilt For nothing lefs than so seems to be a sufficient evidence ofâ— your sincerity God hath so ordered it by his divine providence that a sinner alwayes misses of his aim Those that betake themselves to unlawfull courses to save their lives or estates must necessarily forsake them enter on such as are diametrically contrary to the former or loose their soules which are infinitely more valuable than both Repentance ought to be esteem'd by every ordinary Christian a Returning from sin yea such a Returning as requires the treading out the very stepps which the sinner made in order to the commission of it And surely then what soever is binding in the Disciple must be much more obligatory in the spirituall Guide But I shall not dive too far into particulars chalk out the exact method manner hovv you shall make reparation for the wrong which You have done by submitting to an Usurper both to the King Church of England I have reason to beleive that all of you know your duty well enough many I am sure better than I can instruct you since the Prerogative of the King Passive-obedtence Non-resistance were preach'd up with more zeal by you in the Bishoprick of Durham than they were by others in any Diocess in England Where Conformity to the orders of the Church Execution of other Laws of the Land were so well practis'd tho not as they ought to have been that the BISHOPRICK which anciently was stil'd the Land of Preists was generaly reputed the Seat of thorough-Conformists You on the place of acting must see more clearly than I can at this distance tho your eyes have been in a great measure blinded by the smoak of a Rebellion the fittest manner opportunities of making satisfaction for your egregious Apostacy I shall therefore rather than prescribe the means mind you of your indispensable obligation to do the thing so redeem your honour redress the scandall you have given to the increase of your own sin the unspeakable greife of my soule who did faithfully labour to make every one committed to my charge such as God hath given me grace to approve my selfe even an unalterable Loyall Subject to King Iames the second as well as so legitimate a son of the Church of England as can never be perswaded that it can be for her Intrest to contradict her Doctrine Which as I have hitherto profest held fast amidst all the blasts of Temptation from what ever point of the Compass they have blowne I am resolv'd by the Divine assistance to practise unto the end in spight of the most prevalent examples or malicious censures used now as arguments or engins to overthrow mee That such a Generall neglect of Church-Order among the Clergy through the Nation as I long and loudly complain'd of and warn'd you against should be attended on by so fatall an Yssue as an Vniversall Defection should not be a thing perfectly new to You to whom I address my selfe since you yourselves can be my wittnesses that I have often faithfully foretold that an Universall Semi-conformity would end in as Universall Semi-Allegiance would God we had not found by lamentable experience that it had done much more by producing that degenerate offspring who have not only imbrew'd their hands in so horrid a crime as the dethroning their lavvfull Soveraigne but like Vipers have in a manner eaten out their very Mother's Bovvells I do not doubt but that Almighty God hath by this time brought to your memory some of those seasonable cautions memento's which I have plainly lay'd before You in the publick discharge of my Archidiaconall office with some greater force effect on your spirits than they had at their first delivery I cannot have such prejudiciall thoughts of you as to imagine otherwise since Divine Providence led me often to such suitable Topicks as might have prevented by God's blessing had they been generally insisted on by all those who had Ecclesiasticall Jurisdiction and not been rejected by the people much of our present misery the ill effects of which are like to be
felt by the succeeding generation tho we should be bless'd to morrow with such undeserv'd felicity as all good Christians long for I mean the speedy Restauration of our Soveraigne Religion Liberties and Lavvs If any of my Brethren prove not only unkind but so unjust as to deny what I affirme in reference to the seasonable advice which I did from time to time recommend to them the papers which I have by me containing the heads of my Visitation-Discourses which had better luck than some of my money plate in escaping the hands of the Rabble who treated me roughly enough in my first-flight from Durham can testify for me demonstrate to the most malicious of my Contemners or Opposers that I was during my station among you no unfaithsull negligent tho vveak unsuccessfull Visitor There are many things I have said that I am sure you cannot easily forget which tho they had not their first design'd effect on you may consequently deserve some of your consideration It would be very gratefull to me to be inform'd that I am not mistaken in this particular but that my past perswasions to do your duty may opperate as good counsell hath often done in length of time at a great distance Some desireable fruit in the conclusion which I don't dispair of from those numerous young plants that I had for 26 years together with great care pains vigilantly water'd will amidst all the mortification I undergoe revive my soule compensate in some measure for that lamentable crop which I have hitherto reap'd from the seed I have sown having met withall at leaving my station little other return of my labours than Almighty God did Esaie the 5 where after the Heavenly Husbandman had dig'd dress'd his vinyard graciously expected it should have brought forth grapes it brought forth as our's other Diocesses have done vvilde grapes which must be acknowledg'd after such heavenly Cultivation a wretched Retribution Heartily praying that the Allmighty would strengthen those few who stand and raise up all who are fallen I commend my whole jurisdiction to Gods Blessing rest Roüen Aug 25. 1689. Your ever faithfull tho unworthy Visitour DENIS GRANVILLE FINIS POSTCRIPT HAving in the preceding letter omitted to reply to one censure whereto I am least willing to answer being more desirous to Justify my selfe than accuse my Brethrrn I cannot forbeare to take notice thereof in a Postscript I meane that of Singularity toâ—it that my being the only dignified Clergy-man of the Church of England that doth at present attend his Master in his Exile ought to make mee Suspect my Zeale This is the Judgement of my Enimies that is to say of the COMPLIERS with the Usurpation in England But if any of them or others twitt mee with Singularity at this time I shall be the less surprized therewith since the Non-Compliance of the Clergy under my Authority in that strict Order and Conformity which I ever thought my selfe obliged to practise and did observe I thank God in such a degree as to evince the practicableness of those duties which some men's â—loth represented impossible hath render'd mee so for neare 30 yeares together And that I have been so I meane not discouraged to keep up as close as I could to the Church's Rules tho I have wanted the Example Company of any right and thorough-paced Conformist since the decease of my ever honour'd Brother Archdeacon Basire is at this Juncture no discomfort to mee For if God had not endowed mee with Grace and Resolution to have perform'd my Duty in a Time of PEACE QUIET I should never have been enabled to do it in a Time of Trouble and to Withstand that Raging Torrent which hath over-flowne our Church and state A Letter to Mr. Iames Hope Curate of the Parish of Easington Mr. Wm. Kingford Curate of the Parish of Sedgefield in the Bishoprick of Durham substituted by Dr. Granville to serve the aforesaid Cures BRETHREN Amidst all the mortifications exercises of Patience which have been occasion'd to me by the late Revolution of affairs in Church State more particularly by the Defection of the Clergy of my own Jurisdiction nothing has created so much disquiet so lasting a disturbance to my mind as that there should happen any scandalous failure in either of you my more peculiar Deputies fellow Labourers in the Gospell of Christ Tho the members of that Community whereof I am Head together with the Clergy of my Archdeaconry began to take different measures from mee which gave mee too just grounds to fear that they would as they afterwards did Bovv dovvn to Baal in shaking off their Allegiance to their Leige Lord and Soveraigne submit to an Usurper yet I did comfort my selfe with strong hopes that you my immediate Supporters would stick by me endeavour to the uttermost of your powers to uphold me against the violence of that storme which threatned notwithstanding our different sentiments apprehensions touching some matters in relation to the transactions of the year past But after all those my Expectations that one of my Crutches give me leave so to terme you since I did so esteem you should break in a time of Danger Difficulty is to me great ground of greife trouble That about the begining of the year 1688 I you should sometimes differ in our opinion of things when there began to bean unhappy Division among the Clergy not exceptting the very Fathers of the Church of England afforded no great matter of wonder or admiration But in the month of December following when all eyes were or ought to be open'd by a real unnaturall Invasion saw all the haste imaginable made violently to usurp the Crown by the Dethroning of a Lawfull gracious Prince strikes me with great astonishment especially considering my earnest unwearied endeavours by the utmost condescention reasonings to informe you of the ill designes carried on which I had the good luck you must now acknowledge to foresee better than your selves against the Church as well as King of England that one of you I say God be prais'd it is not both with whom I had taken so much pains to keep steddy should after so plain a Discovery of the bottome of ill men's intrieges to involve the Nation in that deplorable misery under which it doth at present groane should I say not only totter but at last fall into so abhorr'd a Crime as Perjury doth pierce my very soule to think on 't since by such ill example there is an irreparable injury done to my Flock to the young Clergy of my Jurisdiction like to be influenc'd by the Example of the Archdeacon's Curate who till this late Epidemick Apostacy had been very exemplary in keeping up good order Discipline according to the good old right principles of those venerable Prelates under whom by God's Providence I had my education I
cannot reflect on so unpardonable a Breach of Trust tho never so much varnish'd over with the false paint now vented in the Kingdome without sore indignation nor cease to charge the guilt of so great a sin upon you my Representative in my Parish of Sedgefield to whom I now singly speak who have committed the same with many high Aggravations as the following particulars will make appeare First you being a Person that was happyly train'd up not only in a hitherto ever loyall County more particularly in a Parish where there had been much seed sown which ought to have brought forth other grain but under a Family whose Loyalty till the fatall month of Nov. 1688 was never blemish'd with the least staine In the next place after a loyall Education in the University the happyness to escape by God's blessing those dangerous rocks on which youth there most commonly split to witt Corruption in principles or moralls were seasonably transplanted into the Curacy of a very considerable Parish in Worstershier where the Rector kept up exactly the Order of the Church of England the strickt practice whereof however things have fallen out was the most likely means to have kept Clergy-men steddy in such a day of tryall temptation as our present miserable generation have liv'd to see Thirdly were with much affection honest intention singl'd out pitcht on by me I having a great opinion of your Loyalty to be my Co-adjutour in one of the most considerable Country Parishes of England the burthen of which trust as well as my great concern for the spirituall wellfare of that my flock you ought to have learn'd from the extraordinary zealous applications which I us'd at first coming to set you all along after to keep you right in my honest Particular notions of obedience to the orders of the Church of subjection to all sorts of lawfull Authority Which notions I am not ashamed to stile now particular since the issuë of things proclaimes them to be right as well as the opposers of them notoriously in the wrong must be so acknowledg'd by all persons who are not unhappyly besmear'd with the present religious Rebellion of England or blinded by the mist or fumes of an unsupportable Usurpation Lastly had more reason than others to have resisted those temptations which overthrew the generality of the Clergy of the Diocess since you had in one person your Rector's Dean's Archdeacon's continuall example in your eye to the very last minute to uphold you Nay moreover had a pathetick letter written joyntly to your selfe your Brother directed to the Curates of Easington Sedgefield from the Deanery the very night of my Departure which carrying with it my last best advice sentiments immediately before I lanch'd forth into a kind of sea of trouble likely to attend that persecuted righteous Cause whereto I was resolv'd to adhere ought to have had as much force at Sedgefield as it had at Easington in inspiring one as it did the other to withstand the Shock which hath furiously overturn'd so many of the elder stronger Clergy both in the Cathedrall Diocess scar'd them out of their Allegiance unto their Lawfull Prince into submission to a Forrain Usurper The last words of a Dying man are usually very powerfull with all his Relations And surely the last exhortations of a Departing Visitor in such a manner for such a cause should have had the like effect If my late example as well as zeal express'd in my address to the Clergy in my conclusive Visitation in the Church of St. Mary-le-Bow Nov. the 15 1688 proved unsuccessfull ineffectuall to perswade the Rectors of the Parishes of my Jurisdiction to espouse the Cause of an oppress'd Prince imitate an honest Leader faithfull Servant to the Crown who was resolv'd to sacrifice all rather than desert his Soveraigne in misery Yet it ought not to be so contemptible with either of you my own Cutates as to be rejected but should have stopp'd you in your Carreer had you been bent to run with never so much eagerness into slavery under a Belgick yoke nay ought to have been esteem'd so forcible to such immediate Dependants as you to whom I now speak that it should have been hardly possible for either of you to resist it And that either of you should date thus to rebuke me by your practice abandon all hopes expectations of kindness from me by betraying me it deserves no milder expression I look on as a high act of contempt receive with all those resentmens of Displeasure that are allowable in a Christian I did not expect that both or either of you should have immitated me so far then as to have deserted your Stations tho I am perswaded that my doing so was the best wisest action of my whole life but if both of you rather than renounce your sworn fidelity to King Iames swear Allegiance to an ambitious Prince his son in law Nephew who had by fraud force depos'd his Uncle nay Father had been forced so to do desert the Nation as I did as well a my Floks committed to your Care it would have been a thing very edifying gratefull unto me oblig'd mee to have taken care of you allow'd you a share of whatsoever I had to support me not suffering you to want bread as long as I had it which yee had no reason to suspect that God's Providence a gracious Master's kindness would deny me in the deepest adversity abroad I am sure that yee two who have not only been long resident in my house family but often admitted into my closet sometimes into my very bosome ought to have conceiv'd such an opinion should have taken it for granted by great experience of me without any farther Declaration Tho you had not such particular positive assurances thereof as I seasonably gave a certaine Divine I much valued to deliver him out of those temptations whereinto hee being unhappily Metamorphosed in another Region did however willfully run himselfe to the Injury of his Conscience and dishonour of himselfe freinds You therefore my lapsed Assistant whom I had drawn away from my native soile hoping that as you have breathed the same air you would always profess the same principles to be my comfort support in a remote part of the Nation for the remainder of my life do strangely disappoint my hopes are so much the more blame-worthy since God Almighty did assist me poor weak unworthy Labourer in his Vinyard with such a happy fore-sight of matters relating to the late unfortunate change in government that I was instrumeâ—tall in the bringing to the view of all those who related to me such a Prospect of the things that did at that time portend ill as well as future 〈…〉 might render a person stupid who should
dispise or 〈…〉 Your 〈…〉 who has done his part faithfully to discharge his Trust in a criticall juncture thereby has help'd to save the honour of the young Clergy under my Conduct will be willing I know to hear testimony that I did to my utmost diligently discharge the part of a faithfull vvatchman penning down my thoughts almost dayly using him sometimes for an Amanuensis to fortify all Persons under my care against the dangerous inveiglements of ill men the plausible rather than reall arguments of deluded goodmen who have by their Reputation contributed more to the present sad state of things I must take the liberty to tell them than the more malicious sinners that did originally designe to trample on the Crown Mytre And that I was no bad Prognosticatour in the month of August 1688 you your-selfe every body else may without all contradiction be convinced by a coppy of a Paper which I penn'd at Durham the 27 of the aforesaid month according to my usuall manner of dictating to one of my Clerks in my chamber at my uprising Which Paper only contains some floating thoughts of my brain but relating to mattets of so great importance as did according to its title portend very fatally to the Government Church of England And it being the only sheet of some hundreds penn'd in such manner much to the same purpose that I did by great accident bring away with me I shall here to this my letter annex a printed Coppy thereof which will at least demonstrate to all who shall seriously consider it that I gave a better guess how things would go than any of my Censurers or Opposers who thought them selves greater Politicians but have so much faild in their Politicks that they as well as others are by this time I suppose convinced how their zeale which run so Counter to mine was very preposterous viz That the irregular unaccountable method they took to be deliver'd from Popery and Arbitrary Power hath brought the whole Kingdome absolutely under the one and in greater danger than ever it was of the other And that I may do all that in me lyes to clear my selfe both in the sight of God man from being the least ways accessary to the horrid guilt many who have depended on me in my parishes or else where have contracted by forsaking our Churche's Doctrine the good Rules which I have set them I shall embrace this occasion to add another paper to the former containing the Order Directions which I required strictly to be observ'd in my parishes respectively which will be sufficient to evince that I did honestly tho imperfectly endeavour to have prevented the Apostacy of any committed to my charge Always looking on a strict observation of the Discipline Rubricks of the Church as the best means by Gods blessing to have strengthen'd them against those temptations that have at last overcome them for which I now begin to value my selfe And a serious consideration of this Method enjoyn'd in my Parishes added to the manner of my parting with my Brethren of the Cathedrall Clergy of my Archdeaconry set forth in those Fare-vvell-Discourses I made to them in the months of Nov◠December 1688 will sufficiently proclaime to all unbiass'd persons that I was at least an Honest man so far in all my capacities as to have no fingar at all in the Invitation of a Forreigne povver the unnaturall Invasion which attended thereon which I am desirous should remaine to Posterity upon Record If the publication of such papers as were never design'd for the press seem to savour any thing of vanity cause to beleive that I glory in having been more regular constant in my duty than the generality of my Brethren let them give a Looser leave to speake and desire them to remember consider that the Apostle St. Paul himselfe was compell'd to boast in a less day of temptation than the fifth of November 1688 which did in a manner blow up the foundations of three Kingdoms I confess that I do glory with the B. Apostle but it is as he did in my vveakness the grace that Almighty God has manifested therein carrying me through the manifold temptations which have prevailed over my Stronger Brethren I do bless praise God's holy name will do it by his assistance for ever ever that he did endow me with resolution to stick close to all the Churches Rules Orders whereto I gave my assent consent at my first entrance into the ministerial function in the year 1661 without governing my selfe by example of any Clergy high or low in the citty or in the country Living by the example of those who contradicted their excellent Rule being a sort of Complaisance which I bless God's holy name I have never been guilty of tho it has been God know s too frequent among my Brethren and prov'd fatall to the poor church of England To take no comfort satisfaction in my owne innocency which God has in a manner miraculously preserv'd when he has suffer'd such a multitude of abler Divines to faile who were furnish'd with greater qualifications to have borne vvittness to his truth I should look on as an act of meaness of spirit savouring more of spirituall ingratitude than true humility who desire rather to be really thankfull humble than appear either Let my censurers be contented with my revenue which I have left to their mercy choosing to do so rather than betray my conscience without depriving me of that precious ointment more valuable treasure a good name which I shall in spight of all my enemys endeavour by the aid of Gods holy spirit to secure my title to in approving my selfe to the very end as I have hitherto as much as in me lay a Genuine son of the Church Loyall subject to the Crown of England If the present Generation who favour none with their good opinion but those who concurr to the support of the present Fabrick in England will not allow me the aforesaid satisfaction but load me with obloquy or contempt one of these Fates I expect from the North where so few have followed my example there remains yet one thing that I am sure they are not able to deprive me of I mean the internall Peace and Quiet of my conscience which I have enjoy'd since I was driven from my Station to Heavens eternall praise I speak it in a more plentifull measure than ever I did heretofore when I was in the actuall possession of some of the best preferments of their kind in England This supports me under my present pressures and will be continued unto me I trust in God while I continue as I pray I may faithfull to my mother the Church unalterably obedient to the father of my Country Of these things I require you to assure the flocks I have committed to your charge whom I do not
faile to commend unto God in my constant prayers to whom besides my devotions I have nothing to bequeathe but vvholsome counsell a good example And since I have no way left to convey unto them the first but by writing that with great difficulty too not to deprive them of the latter is become a duty of higher obligation Example is often more prevalent than precept Whether the wise God will render mine so unto my people He alone knows it depends on his good pleasure Sure I am that when I departed from my Cures with a sorrowfull heart I did conceive it the best way left me to preach unto them by putting into actual practice that peculiar sort of Religion Loyalty to use the very phrase of some of my censurers which I had ever taught to others wherein I did incessantly labour to establish you as before rehears'd against the then fashionable upstart Divinity Allegiance of the Age Whereto I should not give this nor the former epithet in the beginning of this letter my religion loyalty let men call them what they please being no other I bless God than the naturall Result of the pure uncorrupted Doctrine of the right Genuine Church of England had they not been you know to my reproach often so stiled by that Generation of Semi-conformists Loyalists who could then but halfe comply with the reasonnable demands of a Lawfull Prince but can now wholy conforme to the will of an Usurper I recommend you both with all my sheep to Almighty God's mercy direction praying with all fervency to our Heavenly Father in the Churche's Littany part of my dayly devotions as I suppose it likewise is of the small number of Othodox Clergy men in the nation That it may please God to strengthen such as do stand to comfort helpe the vveak-hearted to raise up them that fall finally to beat dovvn Satan under our feet Applying it more especially to the case of you my Substitutes who are unhappyly divided to my unspeakable trouble in your principles practices which renders this my present way of application very difficult to me since it is not easy in one joyntaddress at the same time to praise dispraise according to the designe of this paper you to whom I write You then to conclude who have continued faithfull in your Trusts discharg'd your Conscience I do as the best reward you can for aâ—hile expect Praise pray for earnestly beseeching God to strengthen you dayly to carry you through the remaining difficulties you shall meet witthall And must Blame tho I pitty you that are fallen conjuring you to reflect on what you have done and desiring you to be assur'd that I can never have any complacency in your services till you bring forth undeniable fruits of Repentance Hoping that my censures of one as well as praises of the other will have that kindly operation on your soules which I designe I do with much christian charity compassion subscribe my selfe Roüen Oct the â— 1691. Your very lov Brother in CHRIST JESUS DENIS GRANVILLE FINIS COPY of a Paper mention'd in the foregoing pag. 38. and penn'd at Durham by the Authour Aug. 27 1688 by vvay of reflection on the then Dismal Prognostiks of the Times Things vvhich portend very fatally to the Government and Church of England 1. AN Vniversall Aptitude in men to receive multiply and magnify Fears and Iealousies of the King. 2. The generality of the subjects of England contrary to the Rule of Charity putting the vvorst Construction on the Designs and Actings of their SOVERAIGNE 3. Mens discovering by their preposterous courses tho hey dare not speak it vvith their mouthes that they think their Allegiance to the King because of a different Religion not the same that it vvould be to a Protestant Prince 4. An industrious endeavour for a long time throughout the land to alienate the subjects Affection from their Soveraigne 5. The Spirit of Popularity at present so universally reigning as to overthrovv many Honest Good men vvho seem afraid any longer to do their Duty to the King and act according to their Principles for fear of the Mobile 6. An extraordinary forvvardness both in Clergy as vvell as Gentry to dispute and rudely to contend vvith their Prince nay insoleutly to insult over him upon the least success made too apparent by the Issue of the late Triall of the Bishops in VVestmunster Hall. 7. The itch of disputation infinitely prevailing in this age above the spirit of Divine Charity true Devotion men relying too much on their Arguments too little on their Prayers 8. Men being novv agitated more than ever by an intemperate zeale against Popery as heretofore against Fanaticisme shevving much more Aversion to their Adversary's than love to their ovvn Religion 9. Most men even Divines manefesting an excessive fear that Popery vvill come in and yet all the vvhile neglect to betake themselves to the most assured means to keep it out to vvit Amendment of life and exact conformity to the CHURCHES RULES and training up the young Generation by the due exercise of Catechisme 10. Too many flying to unjustifiable means to preserve their Keligion and proclaiming by their actions that they are resolved to Rebell rather than let it go 11. Peaple using their strength and number to bring their Soveraigne to Terms and endeavouring by all means possible ta Hough band him if I may be permitted to speak in the Northern phrase I meane not to leave it in his Rovver to hurt them either in their Religion Lawes Lives or Estates vvhich is in plain English to Unking him Durham Aug. 27. 1688. COPY of another Paper mention'd p. 39. that the Authour publishes to shew how the Singularity for which he was censured by some as before related and despised by Others for hee knows himselfe guilty of no other was for practising this very following Method himselfe when present and imposing it on his Curates when he was absent to be by them also used in his Parishes Or for other such-like unfashionable observation of the Churche's Rules performance of his Duty Which upon strict Enquiry into the Authour's Discharge of his Offices since his first settlement in the North of England will be found to be true and may serve to evince that as hee hath had the hard Fate to be Deposed for following his Soveraign into France sticking to the Crovvne so hath hee had as hard a Fate heretofore for cleaving to his Mother regarding more than Others the Precepts of the Church even to be oftentimes unjustly Opposed and sometimes reproached by his Brethren Citty Country-Clergy merely for his Over doing as they have usually term'd it That is in plaine English because his Conscience would not give him leave to omit those Duties which they and the generality of the Clergy in the nation I will may now take more liberty than ever
to speak out have to their everlasting shame scandalously neglected And by the neglect whereof in a word have betrayed their Mother the Church of England the Head of Reformed Christendom A very Odd kind of way to accomplish what people pretend the Support of the Protestant Religion DIRECTIONS VVhich Dr. Granville Archdeacon of Durham Rector of Sedgefeild Easington enjoins to be observ'd by the Curates of those his Parishes given them in charge at Easter visitation held at Sedgefield in the yeare 1669. THAT the Mattens Even-Song shall be according to the Rubrick said dayly in the Chancells of each of his Parish-Churches throughout the yeare vvithout the least Variation That the houres for dayly Prayer on VVorking-dayes shall be six in the morning six in the evening as the most convenient for labourers men of business Except as folloveth On all Vigills Holy-day-Eves as also on all Saturday-afternoons which anciently were half-holy-dayes three of the clock shall be the houre for Evening-Prayers On all wensday friday-mornings both throughout Advent all Lent and on the three Ember-Dayes in each Ember-week the hour shall be nine On the Rogation-Dayes one houre at least earlier by reason of the Perambulation That allvvayes as nine of the clock three of the clock-prayers aforesaid vvhen there shall be some additionary exercise of Devotion requiring a greater number than ordinary tvvo bells shall chime to intimate the same to the People That at fix of the clock-prayers one bell only shall toll beginning a quarter of an hour before That there shall be allvvayes Catechisings after the second lesson on sunday and Holy-day-Afternoons vvith some explanation of the Church-Catechisme after the third collect lighten our Darkness unless there be some exposition of the Scripture or Rubricks some profitable exhortation or discourse de tempere dravvn from the service of the church or else that the 39 Articles of Religion or Canons are to be read according to Order That one quarter of an hour is sufficient for such Exposition Exhortation or Discourse that it never shall exceed an halfe hour That on all aforesaid dayes vvhen there are prayers at nine in the morning tvvo bells chime there ought to be some additionary exposition or discourse to the people if de tempore the better vvhich ought not to exceed the time appointed for the explanation of the Catechisme That there shall be sermons on all Festivalls or Holy dayes Except there be an Homily vvhich shall not be oftenner than to countenance the book or assert the King s supremacy according to the Canon vvhich may very commodiously be done in some of the Homilies Concerning Obedience or against Disobedience being the very vvords of the Church vvhich sermons shall never exceed an halfe hour That the sermons even on Sundayes shall be shorten'd to an halfe hour vvhen there happen's any concurrent offices vvhich require it but never the least omission of one tittle of the service or variation from the Rubricks That the Curate vvhen he bids Christmass Easter or Pentecost vvith their Festivalls as also vvhen he gives notice of Ember-vveek Passion-vveek or Perambulation on Rogation-dayes or other times extraordinary he shall come dovvn to the desk after the Niceene Creed do it in a more solemne manner than vvhen he bids the ordinary Holy-dayes at the table making a short speech de tempore to quicken the People's Devotion That on Advent-sunday Quinquagesima-sunday he shall do the like to prepare the People for the Devotion of the follovving holy seasons That besides the severall Sacraments at Christmass Easter-day Holy-Thursday Pentecost there shal be at least 5 other Sacraments vvhich Sacraments shall be administer'd on the severall dà yes here nominated viz on Nevv year's-day on the first sunday in Lent on the first Sundays in July October November That Easter shall be the time alvvayes for admission of Youth first at the Communion vvho are never to be admitted till they have repair'd upon summons to the minister to receive private instruction on vvenssday Fryday-mornings after service during Lent. That the young people be confirm'd after due instruction before they receive if possible but vvhen that cannot be contriv'd by reason of the Bishop's absence or othervvise that they their friends be enjoyn'd faithfully to send them to the first confirmation vvhereof they shall have notice That none shall be admitted to the Sacrament till 16 years of age unless the minister shall see extraordinary cause for the same That the 39 articles Cannons be read according to Injunction That the Canon about Excommunication be read excommunicates denounced according to the said Canon That his Majestie 's Directions to preachers be read in the Congregation at least once in the yeare vvhich I by my ovvn authoriâ—y take upon mee to injoyne as Ordinary of the PLACE That vvhen Citations Excommunications or Absolutions are read the Curate shall consider vvhether he may by any occasionnall reflection out of the Desk or from the pulpit improve the same to the People to the deterring of them from the like offeâ—ces for vvhich the persons mention'd in the said Acts of Court are proceeded against That the Curate do summon the Church-vvardens tvvice at least bevveen visitation visitation to read consider the visitation-articles to quicken assist them in the due discharges of their offices That he doth in particular frequently mind the Church-vvardens to go out of the Church at convenient times for the prevention of disorders in tovvn and ale-houses during SERVICE That the Curate takes a particular notice of the Absence of Church-vvardens from the Church on sundays festivalls and signify the same to the Rector their Archdeacon That vvhen the Church-vvardens are negligent suffer irregular behaviour during Divine service that he admonish them of such their neglects cause them to go out of their seats sometimes in the very time of service to mind people publickly of their disorder so shame them into a compliance if milder private admonitions prove ineffectuall That the Curate makes enquiry oftentimes of the Church-vvardens vvhat persons are sick or detain'd from the Church by any infirmity people being negligent to informe the Minister voluntarily to repair to them accordingly tho they should not give notice to assist them in reference to their spirituall estate That the Curate shall on sundayes Holy-dayes at least observe a course of personnal application according to his promise at ordination to the vvhole as vvell as sick visiting after evening-prayer one family if not more on that account observing as far as hee shall be able the venerable Mr George Herbert's method rule to that purpose prescribed in his Country-Parson or Character of an holy Preist VVhich book as I recommend to all the Clergy in my Jurisdictions so do I more especialy to my Curates for their rule direction in order to the exemplary discharge of
such a hearty application and such plain Reproofs even in the very language of the letters became so necessary that hee could not in good Conscience have wav'd them And therefore he conceiv's that people have the lesse reason to be disturbed thereby Thirdly after the authour had made a considerable progress in printing the letters and other discourses he was forced to undertake a hazardous Journey into England Feb. 1689 whereby hee got a small suply of money to subsist a while abroad without defiling himselfe with any Oath of fidelity to the Prince of Orange tho with much trouble and Danger occasion'd him by an impertinent and malitious Postmaster who discover'd him in Canterbury Which voyage made it absolutely necessary to lay aside till his returne his designe of publishing the papers he had penn'd at his first Coming over unless he would willfully and unavoidably have run his neck into a halter Which all know was the Fate lately of a right honest and loyall man. THIRDLY all sorts of Readers may hereby be informed that these papers are at this time the more hastily published without polishing because the authour hath had this summer after a long intervall some returne of those infirmities that he brought out of England which being seasonable memento's of the mortality of his condition and uncertainty of his life have caused him without any more ado or longer delay thus plainly and honestly to deliver his soule the comfort of which doth to him abundantly ballance the uneasiness of any obloquy which may accrew from the provoked friends of the new government in England where he desires to appeare no more unless it please God to restore his Soveraign as all may be perswaded easily to beleive by his present manner of proceeding Fourthly All those who shall blame the Dean's undertaking may in a word satisfy themselves that hee had never thus exposed himselfe to their censure if hee had beleived that a a Dignified Divine in his circumstances being the onely one here abroad out of the Reach of England and whose Conscience would not permit him to swallow any new dispensatory oathes or distinctions could without the just censure of all right Church of England-men and loyall subjects to King James 2. have remained silent Since hee hath not now those prudentiall considerations that others have to stop his mouth or stay his pen His own person being secure his Revenue lost Whereas honest Divines men in England where hee hopes there be many that never bovved the knee to Baal tho hee be ignorant who they are cannot attempt what hee does without the hazard of their lives or ruine of their familyes And therefore concludes that a weak and bad performance as this of so good spirituall a designe the more incumbent on him would be better than none at all and be gratiously accepted through JESUS-CHRIST by that ALMIGHTY GOD who can make the poorest enterprises in his name successefull to accomplish his will. Fiftly lastly the Dean's innate indignation to many former late preposterous unaccountable procedures in the Subjects of England to wit First the Non-conformity or rather Semi-conformity of the Clergy who did with zeale more than enough sometimes too bitterly inveigh against nonconformists which ingendred that Brood which are the authours of our Misery Secondly their Forvvardness to dispense throughout the Nation with the Church-Discipline as they pleas'd where when there appear'd no necessity nay with the very Rubricks of the Liturgy whereto they had all since the late review given a solemne Assent Consent sadly presaging that in time of distress they would as they have done dispense with the very Doctrine tho they would not allow his Majesty in extraordinary cases à less dispensing Power Thirdly the Pragmaticallness of most Common-Lavvyeâ—s whose duty and intrest it was as well as of the Ecclesiasticks to joyne in the support of the crown of their Soveraign the Fountaine whence all their Law did proceed in endeavouring industriously by all manner of quirks to diminish the King's Prerogative Authority even coining wicked distinctions taking up obsolete lawes to dethrone him when there were enough of such which they would not willingly have reviv'd against the People or themselves nay flying to the Reign of an Usurper for Acts of Paâ—iament to justify and colour over their fullsome proceedings as if a Dispensing power in the People was like to be found more tollerable than in the King or that such a kind of supremacy as the multitude contended for and which must be either in Prince or subject is less liable to Tyranny and other abuses when it is in the subject than in the Soveraign These and the like perversions of Law and Religion did cause the authour professeth is desirous to proclaime so much disgust in his Soule as hurried him over all the difficulties and dangers that he met with in his way to this publication in such a degree that the consideration of his book 's reflecting on the new Government which was designed to edify the people within his own province hath push'd him on instead of deterring him to send it forth into the light committing it and his reputation to the mercy of a Gratious God amidst a crooked and perverse Generation which hee is willing may learne thus much by his boldness or fool-hardiness as it will be possibly termed to wit that God hath given him among a multitude of infirmities the Grace not to be afraid or ashamed to do his duty or discharge his offices faithfully who ever may be rebuked by the doing thereof and that hee is sure hee had done neither if hee had not as hee hath done deliver'd his soule without mincing in such plaine and intelligible language at such a juncture as to allot every thing its right epithet appellation giving the very names of REBELLION USURPATION to what hee was perswaded in his conscience deserv'd such denominations and that are so even REBELLION USURPATION if ever there were such things in the World. Yea such a REBELLION USURPATION that no good Christian can hee is also satisfied in his Conscience joyne in the first or uphold the later and consequently that no body can receive the communion without injury to his soule in the use of those prayers which pray for the maintaining of both since hee that receives the blessed Supper of the Lord in the office of any Church sets his seale to all the corruptions that are crept into that Church and doth in a higher manner profane Gods sacred name by using that holy ordinance to so impious an end as to beg of God by vertue of his saviours body and blood the distruction of his lawfull Prince than hee that barely swears allegiance to an Usurper Which yet by the way who ever does let him understand doth in a manner Abjure his lawfull Soveraign Which is a Case of Conscience that the Authour will in Gods name now venture here publickly to decide as hee hath long since don to some in private and put his name to the decision what ever comes of it since no body else hath done so for the sake of those many thousands of soules under his authority in the Jurisdictons belonging to the Archdeacon Deane of Durham whereof none can deny but that hee hath a Call from God to take care And consequently to undertake this difficult province since no body else doâ—â— Who if they are not satisfied with his Judgement in this particular which as poor as they may esteeme it will yet hee trusts in reference hereto be found Orthodox ought to consult as it concernes them some abler Casuist without being scared as heretofore in some other cases with frightfull consequences administred by the Universality of the DEFECTION such like considerations to wit Empty Churches thin Altars For if it be a wholesom truth which is recomended by the Authour to their thoughts it cannot he is sure in the conclusion produce ill effects to be repented of And he begs pardon if he cannot prevaile with himselfe to judge the last recited effects to be ill as matters go things stand For hee makes no doubt but that the Churches in England must become Empty the Altars thin c. before his Soveraign is like to return to Whitehall Introduction Fidelis vox est non desperati non eiulautis Luther Plangiâ— affectus sed fides exultat id Natural Quest l. 2. c. 37. Cum crescerit Gratiae time â—uÌ„ abierit time eum revertetur time S. Bern. Lib. Cur bonis viris mala accidunt c. 4. Ps 66. v. 12. Applicaâ—ion A cessation granted in order to treat * Nâ— Dec. 11. 1688. * Gandelop Introduction D B. Dr. Hen. Hamond * The crovvn offer'd to the Prince of Orange on Ashvvensday * Cromvell declar'd Protector on Ashvvensday 16â—3 * Prince of Orange's Declaration * Preachers in the Cathedrall Church of Durham as vvel as elsevvhere began to Caution their hearers against implicite Obedience vvhereby they did at that time meane all Complianâ—s vvith K. I. Iames. 2. * Bishop Cosins * Bp. Gunning Bp. Cosins * Cornvval * Kilkhampton * The-Granvilles * Sedgefield * Note That the Dearn's injoyning here in some other places things vvhich vvere before expressly commanded by the Church vvas to declare that the judged them of such moment as that he vvould never dispense vvith the non performance of them in his ovvn Parishes hovvever others did too frèqnently elsvvhere * As people grevv more fond to hear Sermons than to amend their lives Homilies vvere morâ— frequent * This practice changed into a monthly Sacrament at the Combustions in the yeare 1679. * Mr. Ashton