murmers which I hear What faults of mine have raised those bitter reproaches which I bear What enormities of mine have provoked those imminent dangers which I fear O why is it that ye who own my Saviour who have submitted to my Doctrine as your Rule who have partaked of my Sacrament as your refreshment and comfort O why is it that ye hate and dispise me that ye strip and wound me that ye tear and mangle me that ye impoverish and debase me that ye make me a scorn an abomination an hissing and astonishment to all that see me a derision and a mocking to my enemies round about me Alas all men of weight and worth for parts and piety for judgement and ingenuity for conscience and integrity for grace learning and renown know my innocency thus far that as to the foundation of Faith and Rule of holiness I have only adhered to Gods blessed Word as for the Circumstances and Ceremonies of Religion I use in them prudently and charitably that liberty and power which I suppose is allowed here for peace order and decency by that blessed God who is not the Author of Confusion but of peace as in all the Churches of the Saints If we may believe the integrity of those Reformers that setled this Church whose learning worth and piety hath been confirmed by the Testimony of so many wise and religious Princes by the approbation of so many learned and reverend Convocations by the applauses of so many other reformd Churches if we may believe the preaching living and dying of so many hundred excellent Bishops and Ministers or the Prayers and proficiencies of so many thousand of godly Christians or if we may believe the wonderful blessings and special graces of a merciful God attesting the verity integrity and sanctity of my Christian Constitution for many happy years or if you will believe all men in England who have by oaths and subscriptions by Vows and Protestations resolved to maintain the Protestant Religion as it was established in the Church of England who dispair any where to find the way of truth and peace of holiness and happiness but in the use of those holy means and in the exercise of those divine graces which accompany salvation within me professed and enjoyed I know nothing excellent in any Church for outward policy inward tranquilitie and eternal felicity nothing that was pious or peaceable moral or vertuous ritual or spiritual orderly or comely or any way conducing to truth and holiness to grace or vertue to the souls edification and comfort which was not by me entertained with competent Maintenance noble Encouragements ingenuous Honours peaceable Serenity and munificent plenty In which I flourished so many years by Gods goodness and mans indulgence Alas whatever I have done in the settlements of the Rites Circumstances and Decencies of Religion I have observed that modesty wisdom and humility that became a Church of Christ in discreetly and ingeniously complying with sober primitive and venerable Antiquity in the Church as far as it observed the Rules of Gods Word and went not beyond the liberty allowed it in point of Order and Decency O you are too knowing to be ignorant and too ingenious to be insensible of your duty to God and your respect to me who was heretofore so much loved by my Children applauded by my Friends reverenced by my Neighbours seared and envyed by mine Enemies for those spiritual Gifts Ministerial Devotional and Practical which were evidently seen in me those heavenly influences which people received from me those gracious examples and frequent good works set forth by me the blessed experiences men enjoyed with me the charitable simplicities exercised by my members the numerous Assemblies the frequent Devotions the reverent Attentions the unanimous Communions the well-grounded hopes and unspeakable comforts which thousands enjoyed both living and dying in obedience to and communion with me which to impartial men were most impregnant evidences and valid demonstrations of true Religion and a true Church setled by the joynt consent and publick piety of a Christian Nation He was a wise holy and reverend Son of my bosome who said That in the greatest maturity of his Judgement and integrity of his Conscience when most redeemed from juvenile Fervours popular Fallacies vulgar Partialities and secular Flatteries he declared to the present Age and posterity that since he was capable to move in so serious a search and weighty a disquisition as that of Religion is as his greatest design was through Gods grace to find out and persevere in such a profession of Christian Religion as hath most of truth and order of power and peace of holiness and solemnity of divine verity and Catholick antiquity of true charity and holy constancy so he could not apart from all prejudices and prepossessions find in any other Church or Church-way ancient or modern either more of the good he desired or less of the evil he would avoid then he had a long time discerned and upon a stricter scrutiny more and more in the frame and form in the Constitution and Dispensation of the Church of England No where saith he diviner Mysteries no where sounder Doctrinals bolier Morals warmer Devotionals apter Rituals or comlier Ceremonials All which together by a meet and happy concurrence of piety and prudence brought forth such Spirituals and Graces both in their Habits Exercises and Comforts as are the Quintessence and Life the Soul and Seal of true Religion those more immediate and special Influences of Gods holy Spirit upon the Soul those joynt Operations of the blessed Trinity for the Justification Sanctification and Salvation of a Sinner 1. Can you blame my Government that ancient and Catholick Government of godly Bishops which is so agreeable to Right Reason so suitable to the Principles of due Order and Policy among men so consonant to Scripture-wisdom both in Rules and Patterns so conforme to the Catholick and Primitive way of all Christian Churches throughout all Ages and in all places of the world Would you have me against all charity modesty humility or equity to fall away from the Apostolical way of all Famous Churches and religious Christians to cast off the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nec conciliis institutum sed semper retentum non nisi authoritate Apostolica institutum the Apostolici seminis traduces Episcopos that universam successionem Episcoporum those successiones ab initio decurrentium Episcoporum that ordinem Episcoporum qui in Johannem stat Authorem that toto orbe decretum Shall I not enquire of the former Age and prepare my self to the search of my Fathers for I am but of Yesterday and nothing Shall not they teach me and tell me and utter words out of their hearts Shall not I stand in the way and ask for the old way which is the good way and walk therein Would you have me give offence to the
Lacrymae Ecclesiae ANGLICANAE OR A serious and Passionate ADDRESS of the Church of England To her SONS especially those of the CLERGY Printed in the Year 1689. TO THE READER THe Church of England ever since its Recovery from the Darkness of Popish ignorance and Superstition has been no less the envy of Rome then the Honour and Glory of all other Reformed Churches for its Constitutions are Holy and Primitive its Liturgy pious and devout all her Doctrines consonant and agreeable to the word of God. She retains the Ancient Creeds She Rejects all novel and superstitious Doctrines that are neither to be found in nor warranted by the Word of God She retains the two Sacraments instituted by our Saviour and rightly and duely administers them and that whole and entire according to Primitive Institution and that too neither Superstitiously advancing them above the nature of Sacraments nor yet prophanely or irreverently detracting from the Greatness and Holiness of their Mystical and invisible significance Marvel not therefore Brethren if the World hate you for even our dear Redeemer was hated and scorned and shamefully put to Death and shall the Disciple be above his Master 'T is what our Saviour himself foretold they hate me they will hate you also Now altho' it may be objected that there are several scandalous and loose Livers among the Clergy of the Church of England what then does not the Church reprove such Does it not correct such And if they prove obstinate and incorrigible does she not disown such And 't is no wonder that among such a numerous Clergy there should be some ill persons Our Saviour when present upon Earth in his humanity was not withcut a Judas among twelve and no doubt it will be so in all numerous Assemblies while the world endures But this is matter of Compassion not of scorn they are Personal Blots but does not injure the Constitutions or Doctrines of the Church All these things are more amply and fully handled in the following Book which was first Printed in 1663. and then humbly Dedicated to the King and his great Council the Parliament of England and it having fallen into my hands of late after a careful and delightful perusal of it I thought it not improper to Reprint in these times and therefore recommended it to the Bookseller as a useful piece and so I do to thee Reader Farewel Lacrymae Ecclesiae ANGLICANAE CHAP. I. O All you that pass by me stand and see if there be any sorrow like unto my sorrow if it hath been done to any Reformed or Protestant Church under Heaven as it is done unto me O now my wounds were ready to be closed my Ruines to be repaired my Desolations and Wastes to be finished when the Barbarous was checked the Licentious was restrained the usurpers were removed the professed Enemies of different Interests and Religion which persecuted me were subdued and I ready to settle upon the Eternal Foundations of sound Doctrine of Primitive Government of an holy and pure Worship of a decent and comely order to the amazement of the World to the honour of Religion to the glory of God to the peace of the whole Earth and for good will among men behold my Children are discontent my Government is complained of my Ordinances are neglected my Ministers are despised my peace is disturbed and my safety endangered Hear O Heavens and give ear O Earth What could I have done that I have not done Have I not taught the truth of God sincerelie giving Milk to babes and stronger meat to them that were able to bear it and the Oracles of God to all in a Language they best understood Have I concealed any part of Gods sacred Counsel from you Have I not set forth with all plainness and freedom the blessed fulness and excellencies of my Lord Jesus Christ in such a manner and measure as I received from the Word and Spirit Have I not administred all the Ordinances of God faithfully have I not enjoyned and taught all vertue and all grace carefully recommending to my Children whatsoever things are good whatsoever things are true whatsoever things are honest whatsoever things are just whatsoever things are pure whatsoever things are lovely whatsoever things are of good report every holy Duty every necessary Rule and every imitable Example with all the Advantages of sound Knowledge powerful Preaching which at once was able to inform the weak to reclaim the most erroneous to reform the most debauched to satisfie the most curious and to silence the most refractory Have I not prepared with much study and industry with many prayers and tears with long education and diligent care Reverend Bishops Orderly Presbyters able Ministers workmen that need not be ashamed duly ordained and called after an uninterrupted and Catholick succession through all Ages agreeable to that original institution which was from Jesus Christ the great High Priest the true Prophet the soveraign King of the Church the chief preacher of righteousnesse and Bishop of our Souls Have I not I say taken an holy care of a succession of Ministers about holy things who might divide the Word aright by solid preaching might wait upon God solemnly by a devout and discreet Praying might convince Gain-sayers by acute Disputing might instruct the world by exact Writing might maintain peace and order by wise Governing might reform the world by holy living Hath it not been my care and endeavour to keep up the soundness power and life of Christian Religion Have not I laboured that my good people might every where have what is necessary and wholesome for their souls good in devout Prayers in holy Sacraments in powerful Sermons whereby I desired God knoweth to preserve wholsome and saving truth to promote true holiness to set up an holy decency to maintain the wholsome form and power of godliness in truth peace order and unity Have not I held forth an holy Light Rule and Life in the plain parts of Scripture every where read in the Articles every where acknowledged in the Creeds and Catechism every year explained in the Liturgy constantly used whereby poor souls had a plain easie and sure way to Heaven through an unfeigned Faith sincere Repentance a Catholick Charity a devout humility a good conscience and an holy obedience to God and man according to the will of God unto all well pleasing Do not I take care to instruct the ignorant diligently to comfort the weak hearted tenderly to raise up them that fall compassionately to visit those that are sick charitably to relieve those that want mercifully to bury my dead that sleep in Jesus solemnly to punish those that do amisse severely to restore them that have gone astray pitifully to instruct them that oppose themselves meekly to frame a way of Peace Order and Cummunion in which Brethren might happily dwell together in unity prudently rationally and discreetly O what failings of mine then have occasioned these impatient
people an inward worship of soul in spirit and in truth before God but withal I enjoyn outward worship of the body which is but a reasonable service to God that made the body exemplary and significant before men in such habits and gestures as may most conduce by the advice of the whole Church for the private spirit of the prophets in those things ought to be subject to the publick spirit of the Prophets to reverence devotion and edification in knowing humble meek and quiet spirits rightly discerning the innocent nature of such things not prohibited and so indifferent and the Christian liberty allowed to them to use those things indifferent when commanded and to lay them aside when not commanded However let the many Obligations to unity by the true Faith you joyntly professe give you more satisfaction then the occasions of dividing the Ceremonies in which you differ give you offence so that you may not upon so small occasions in such small matters sacrifice to your private passion and perswasion the publick Peace and Prosperity of the Church especially since I never heard of any sober Christian or truly godly Minister who being in other things prudent unblameable and sincere did ever suffer any check of conscience meerly upon the account of having been conformable to and keeping communion with me nor did they ever complain of Ceremonies Liturgy and Episcopacy as any damps to their real graces or to their holy communion with Gods blessed spirit but admired them as the united influence the joynt consent the combined devotion of all good Christians in this Nation who publickly agreed with one mind and in one manner to serve the Lord in a way allowed by the most pious of Princes practised by the best Nobility owned by the wisest Gentry maintained by the most learned Clergy and embraced by the best sort of Commons I allow only such Ceremonies as make religious Duties not more pious but more conspicuous not more sacred but more solemn not more spiritual and holy but more visible imitable and exemplary to quicken my children to allure others to instruct and edifie all 5. Are ye offended with my Canons and Injunctions Is it fit that a few men whom order and Policy hath made inferiour to others as the Rulers and Representatives of the whole society should prefer their own private Opinions and Judgements before the well-advised Results the learned Connsels the pious Endeavours and solemn Sanctions of so many eminent for piety prudence integrity publick influence and just Authority 6. Are my solemn Fasts and Feasts your grievances those solemn remembrances of Gods Mercy to men in Christ celebrated with prayer praises preaching and communicating to Gods glory and all sober Christians improvement according to the known president of the Jews and the general practice of the Christian Church What harm is there if some good men observing a day observe it to the Lord and others not observing a day observe it not to the Lord 7. Do you resent my Endeavours for Unity and uniformity Alas I desire only that men sincerely worship one true God and profess the Faith of our Lord Jesus Christ that they may be partakers of the gifts and graces of the blessed Spirit and may have an holy communion with that adorable Trinity and with one another in love and charity as Christians enjoying the noblest life the sweetest society and most heavenly fraternity imitating God emulating Angels Children and expectants of happiness Partakers of grace and daily preparing for eternal Glory that all men who have been called baptized and instructed by lawful Ministers here in the mysteries and duties of the Gospel may make a joynt and publick profession of the Christian Faith and Reformed Religion in the name and as the sense of the whole Nation grounded upon the holy Scripture guided also and administred by that uniforme order due authority and holy Ministry for Worship and Government which according to the mind of Christ the pattern of the Apostles and the practice of all primitive Churches hath been lawfully established by the wisdom and consent of all Estates in this Kingdom for Gods honour the Churches safety the publick peace and the common good of souls 8. Do I not allow you a just liberty to do such things constantly and chearfully which are most proper and advantagious to the nature and excellency of men to think what is true to do what is fit and enjoy what is just in reference to God others and your selves I have taken from you no liberty but that of doing evil you are at liberty to enjoy all the comforts priviledges and Ordinances which Christ hath instituted in an holy order and regular way for private or publick good and to hope for that reward and crown which God the righteous judge hath promised those that persevere in well doing My highest aim is that you may have liberty to exercise a good conscience void of offence towards God and towards man that they may willingly in all things live honestly 9. Are ye displeased with my Members Alas innocent men they pursue after the knowledge of and communion with God in order to a rational religious spiritual gracious perfect and unchangeable life enjoying themselves in the blessed enjoyment of God the enjoyment of whom satisfieth all their desires rewards all their duties requites all their sufferings compleats all their happiness crowns and perfects true Religion They endeavour that on earth which they hope for in heaven viz. a right knowledge and a willing performance which as reasonable they owe for ever to God their Maker Preserver and Redeemer in Christ With this religious frame and temper of which themselves only are conscientious they prepare for a glorious and blessed immortality with a sincerity of heart and uprightness of conversation which hath no other Rule but Gods Word no other End but Gods Glory no other Comfort but the Constancy of this Disposition to their Lives end Innocent men they look for one common Salvation they use one common Sacrament they professe one Faith and Rule of Holiness they have one Gracious Temper the same inward sense of Duty and Devotion they walk in the same order with the Catholick Church over the face of the earth 10. Do you envy me my Patrimony and Maintenance what the Law of God allows me what the Gospel hath provided me what the Piety of Elder times hath bestowed upon me what good Kings Peers and people of their own endowed me with freely honouring the Lord with their substance that they that served the Altar might live by the Altar O why may not my children who attend the Gospel live by the Gospel since they attend a Ministry as venerable in its Mysteries as clear in its Doctrine as glorious in its chief Minister Jesus as painful to it's Ministers and as comfortable to pious and devout souls as the Ministry of the Law Why are you offended that they of my children that are taught should
lying hid in the depth darkness and ambiguity of Original words without skill in Languages How can they attain the genuine and emphatick sense of the Word of God without skill in the Original words and phrases How can they maintain the truths I have established and confute the errours I have condemned How can they detect the fallacies with which my poor people are deluded and convince the gain-sayers with which I am troubled and discover those sophisms in which poor souls wrap themselves darkning wisdom with words without understanding without the art of sound reasoning How can they convey the holy truths they are furnished with to others without an holy Eloquence a sacred Perswasion and Rhetorick which may commend them to mens minds and enforce them upon their hearts how can they satisfie themselves and others in the Controversies of this Age without the Observations Histories and Customs of former Ages and standing in the ways and asking for the old which is the good way and walk therein so find rest for their souls How is it possible for those poor creatures to understand sundry passages of Scripture depending upon propriety of words Idioms or upon the Customs Rites Proverbs Forms Usages Laws Offices and Antiquities of the Assyrian Persian Greek and Roman Governments without a competent portion of humane Learning My Religion was as the Kings Daughter all glorious within attended on by Arts and Sciences those Handmaids who cloathed her with garments wrought with needle-work of divers colours embroidering her with pathetick Elegancies with solid Eloquence and Orations with Sublimity and Gravity with Method and Acuteness with excellent Morals and useful Observations of a very sober sense But now alas it 's exposed to a prophane world with the ridiculous impertinencies and foolish adventures of men zealous but not according to knowledge What empty discourses do I hear what incoherent Notions do I read what vain trifles am I troubled with what pilfering learned mens works do I endure O what abundance of things should a Minister understand O what a great defect is it to be ignorant of them O how much do we miss a competent Knowledge in ordinary Ministers 1. To satisfie themselves and others exactly in the true and original will of God. 2. To explain and unfould the words in which Gods will is originally expressed and to endeavour by all means a right notion and conception of them as they are to be understood in the Scripture 3. To shew exactly what are those saving truths which are naturally contained in those words so explained 4. To confirm those truths so drawn out of the Scripture by such evident Arguments and powerful Reasons as may establish the true believer and convince the Gainsayer 5. To press those truths so made manifest upon men with that power that they may have their proper influence and efficacy upon mens hearts and lives The honest men that are industrious I would willingly encourage provided they have what I wished always and shall now expect in all my Priests and Deacons solidity gravity modesty piety and some savour of Learning joyned with humility and zeal with humanity some methods of intelligible Reason and profitable Scripture-Divinity The Law was published by Moses learned in all the Learning of the Egyptians The Gospel was propagated by St. Paul bred up at the feet of Gamaliel in all the varieties of Heathenish and Jewish knowledge the Primitive Fathers as Clemens Alex. Euseb Tertul. St. Aug. St. Ambrose Min. Fel. Lactant. and others maintained the Faith so propogated by their comprehensive Learning Therefore I have taken care that none should be admitted to Orders but they who are approved by sober and wise men as who have given themselves wholly to these things that their profiting may appear unto all as men of whom there is some hope because of their promptness of wit quickness of conceit fastness of memory clearness of understanding soundness of judgment and readiness of speech that they may in time by art industry experience and observation become skilful Linguists subtile Disputants copious Orators exact Critiques comprehensive Historians profound Divines and powerful Preachers that throughout the three Kingdoms I may have those that may settle the people rightly instruct the ignorant clearly satisfie the doubtful fully meet with the seducers skilfully and promote piety and peace succesfully As the times now are wherein Learning aboundeth even unto wantonnesse and wherein the world is full of Questions Controversies Novelties and Niceties in Religion and wherein most of our Gentry and people are by the advantage of long peace and the customs of modern Education together with a multitude of English Books are able to look through the ignorance of a Clergy-man and censure it if he be tripping in any point of History Cosmography Moral or Natural Philosophy Divinity or the Arts yea and to chastise his very method and phrase if he speaks losely or impertinently or but improperly I as these times are must not admit any Clergy-men without a competency of Learning as who may endeavour by their prayers care and industry to improve the Learning they have so as they may be able upon good occasion to impart a spiritual gift to the people of God whereby they may be established and to speak with such understanding sufficiency and pertinency in some good measure of proportion to the quickness and ripeness of these present times shewing in their Doctrine uncorruptness gravity sincerity sound speech which cannot be condemned that they which are of the contrary party may be ashamed having no evil to say of them I whose Clergy professed to use and prayed to God to bless their long Preparative Studies Meditations Writings Readings habitually to fit them for that dreadful work and for every actual discharge of it I am ashamed of those poor Smatterers who have gathered a few raw and indigested Notions either by superficial reading of the Scriptures or by hearing some Sermons or by gleaning a little here and there from the plainest Writings without any Critical Historical or Polemical Learning who are fit implements to bring in such ignorance irreverence Atheism Superstition and Confusion as shall quite put out the Christian and reformed Religion in this Nation reducing all to the ancient darkness looseness and barbarousness which hath been established by persons of real abilities of good Learning sound knowledge sober Judgements orderly Method grave Utterance and weighty Eloquence which all wise and sober Christians expect should appear in every true Minister of the Church of Christ in such a competent measure and evident manner as they may be able comfortably to discern them and usefully to enjoy them I am ashamed to see a Roll of four hundred and six and twenty Tradesmen who 1. out of desultory restlesness 2. out of covetousness and ambition 3. out of sullenness and discontent 4. out of pride and envy having intruded in former years into the sacred Calling of a Minister are now ordained
to it I am ashamed that my Authority should consecrate their Extravagancies and that what I looked upon as the misery of late times should be allowed in this that I should countenance vain men that run from that Calling wherein they are called and usurp the Office Honour and Authority of that sacred Priesthood and Evangelical Ministry instituted by the Lord Jesus Christ as sent of God the Father a mischief that greatly threatneth the Church and State Faith and good Manners all things Civil as well as Sacred O what wise and honest-hearted Protestant that hath any care of Posterity or prospect for the future finds not a sad dispondency with an holy impatience arising in his soul while he seeth so many weak shoulders such unwashen hands such unprepared feet such rash heads such empty souls publickly intruding themselves upon all holy Duties all sacred Offices all solemn Mysteries all divine Ministrations with equal insolency and insufficiency being for the most part so much the more impudent by how much they are grosly ignorant in whom you cannot discern any either rational or religious orderly or honest expressions in any degree proportionable to what was observable in my most solid Ministers my most acute Schollars and most profound Divines who have been hitherto my support and Ornament Certainly Reverend Fathers you will not so debase and undervalue the Evangelical Offices of Christ as to admit every self flatterer and Obtruder presently to officiate without any due examination or approbation from those with whom that commission and power hath been ever deposited in a regular and visible succession from Christ the great Examplar or Original although duly considering the diversities of gifts from the same Spirit you are not to exclude any modest person though of meaner parts and less improved education if he be of ingenious education of pious affections and an orderly life from a place in Christs Ministry where one may sow another may reap according to the several dispensations and gifts of the same God who worketh all in all SECT 4. The Church of England's resentment of the thirteen hundred forty and two factious Ministers that have been lately ordained YEt I will justifie you O ye my reverend Sons in this that though you were surprized to ordain young men yet you hoped that years might improve them and debauched yet you may hope that Discipline may reform them and unlearned men yet you may hope that time with Gods blessing upon their private industry and studious piety may instruct them but I cannot with patience see your hands laid upon their heads so suddenly for their Ordination who laid their hands lately upon you for your ruine O that mine head were waters that mine eyes were a fountain of Tears to weep for the unhappiness of the daughter of my people that must needs unadvisedly authorize men principled against its Government prejudiced against its Order prepossessed against its Liturgy and privately practising against its peace and happiness In vain doth Authority silence your old adversaries if you consecrate new ones in vain do they suppress the former race of Non conformists if you raise up a new Generation a seed of evil doers children that are corrupters Shall we perpetuate our miseries and keep up our unhappiness Must a sad race of Dissenters run paralel with the Orthodox succession to the end of the world whereby I must languish and die my reformed Religion must decay my piety and charity must be weakned and my Authority and discipline languish What eye will pity me when I have raised those men that shall ruine me when I have commissioned those men that shall oppose me and given them an opportunity for popular applause who shall use it against me without my leave no Ordination no Ordination no pretence to preach no preaching no publick opportunity to seduce whole multitudes against Doctrine and Discipline against Order and Government My safety is now in mine own hands If I take care whom I prefer I need not care whom I may fear If I carefully chuse my Ministers I need not offensively suspend them If I took care whom I ordained I might without any noise put an end to all my trouble Mortality would silence those Ministers that now disturb my peace and my care may prevent any more How ominously do some men discourse how popularly do they endeavour to preach what dangerous intimations do they make how untowardly do they confirm how auckwardly do they use my Ceremonies and read my Liturgy when I consider the general approbation and submission to my Government and Discipline before the Wars by all the Clergy Layty of these Kingdoms and withal remember how contrary to true Learning and honest Integrity as if they understood not what they did or that they did conform contrary to their conscience contrary to their former oaths and practises against their obedience to the Laws in being before the points in controversie had any free and impartial debate these men cryed down the established Government and Religion and approved and encouraged the violent and most illegal Extravagancies tending to the utter ruine of Religion and Government Indeed I must confesse that most of all sides who have thought or done amisse have done so not out of malice or wilfulness but out of mis-information or mis apprehension of things and therefore I charitably think none will be more faithful then those persons who upon mature deliberation being made sensible of their errours do feel in their hearts most vehement motives of repentance and earnest desires to make some reparations for former defects Yet such sincere Converts are they who are not so much frighted with the sudden miscarriages as convinced of the continued errour of their ways who are rather perswaded by the truth and reason I always urged then awed by the authority and power I now enjoy and so are not blindly carried on by that Providence that advanceth me now as it did and may again overturn me but are rationally wrought upon by the pregnant evidence of the Word the clear practice of the Catholick Church the best Comment upon that Word and the irresistable strength of Reason for Order and obedience upon which I was alwayes Established which they have not rashly complyed with untill they had examined all Allegations impartially surveyed the merit of the Cause leasurely waited upon God by prayer humbly searched the will of God and the constant practise of good men diligently and sincerely conversed with good and knowing men profitably and satisfactorily and denyed themselves in all worldly respects most Christianly The Lapsed were not formerly admitted to the communion of Christians much less to the honour of Ministers without that discreet delay wherein they might have time to satisfie themselves in the reason and others in the sincerity of their repentance and conversion With that caution was the Jewish Proselyte received to the synagogue with what care ought a Christian be brought to the
Pulpit Do they serve God in this compliance or do they serve the time If they serve God he was the same as yesterday so to day and for ever Do they serve the times God forbid that they who teach a Religion whose interest is in another world should yet own no more Religion then may consist with their interest in this Alas say poor souls distracted with alterations of times and men to their unconstant Ministers is this way lawful you submit to why then did you declare it superstitious Popish and intollerable these twenty years before God Angels and Men Is it unlawful why do you practise it now was it against your Consciences all the while it was discountenanced and is it agreeable to your Consciences now it is upon a sudden countenanced Oh have you perswaded us these twenty years to venture Lives and Estates against those things you now allow and practise Is it for this you prayed Is it for this we fought is this the issue of all our blood and treasure c Oh it 's a sad thing to see men in the same Desk reading Common-prayer in a Surplice where they preach'd against both Common-prayer and surplice Oh it 's a sad thing to see men build up in a day that which they have destroyed these twenty years It 's intolerable to see men keep their places by Conformity which they gained by Non-conformity when they turned out honest men by crying down my Government and Worship now they keep them out by compliance with my Government and Worship Alas to see men Presbyterian in the beginning of the War Independent in the end of it and now Episcopal Where shall we stop Where we are now we know where we shall be a year hence God knoweth Alas is a good Living the only Creed men have and Preferment their only Confession of Faith It was a miracle that St. Peter could convert three thousand at one Sermon It 's nothing now that his Majesty hath converted ten thousand Ministers with one glance of his eye Ah blessed Hammond thou didst write rationally excellent Gauden thou didst perswade powerfully devout Taylor thou didst urge pathetically honest Nicholson thou didst answer satisfactorily solid Sanderson thou didst state clearly holy Vsher and Hall you did offer moderately heartily and learnedly But who O ye worthies believed your report who would hear you who was convinced by you The King is restored I flourish and dispose of all Preferments and my Converts are innumerable Well I have but two Wishes the first is That all who are gone astray may be reclaimed to the way of truth the second is That all who are reclaimed may be reclaimed from mature deliberation and a serious consideration of all that can be alleaged on all hands trying all things and upon good grounds holding fast that which is good Give me the men who conform upon the conscience of my principles and not upon the prosperity of my Cause who can neglect the most successful errour and own the most afflicted truth who are setled my principles which are constant and not upon upon my preferments which are uncertain Is it the Kings Majesties favour they depend upon he may fail Is it the Church-Government they depend upon that may fail Is it Church-encouragement they stick to that may fail Is it the antient Truth and Faith they comply with that hath never failed and that will never fail Give me Ministers who as they preach so live upon the things which are not seen and not the things which are seen the things which are seen are temporal the things which are not seen are eternal And must I have a Samaritan of Religion serve the true God in the Temple and the Calves at Bethel Must I have a sound form of words in the Desk and an extempory effusion in the Pulpit must I have the same man read Episcopally to walls and preach factiously to a throng use the Ceremonies and say to his confidents they are a burden to him use the Surplice yet unwilling to give offence use the Crosse in Baptism yet say I wish it were forborn Well I shall never forget the words of a wise and judicious Father now with God They themselves meaning the Non-conformists when time was seemed to be and if they dissembled not which we are unwilling to believe were indeed reasonable well affected for they submitted to Government used the Lyturgie and observed the Ceremonies appointed according to Law and order and gave their own professed approbation of the same as well by express words from their mouths as by subscription under their hands yet remaining upon record what hath wrought this change in them evidence of reason or worldly interest and how far it hath wrought upon them in reality or but in compliance and in what order too by immediate assault upon their judgement or by dealing underhand first with their affection themselves do or should best know It highly concerneth them as much as the peace of their conscience are worth and much more then so to be well assured that their hearts are upright in this affair and in order thereunto not to content themselves with slight and overly examination there is more wickedness and dedeceitfulness in the hearts of all men then most men are aware of but to make the more diligent district and impartial search possible in the true Causes and Motives of this Change and for so much as fears and hopes have been ever found the fittest engines to work such feats to enquire particularly what influence or opperation either the fear of loosing what they had or the hope of getting more might have in this work towards the producing such an effect It will best become others to judge as charitably as they may but doubtlesse it will be safest for them to be very jealous over themselves lest so great a Change could not have been wrought in so short a space without a strong infusion of the one or of the other or both into the Medicine that wrought it especially since the conjuncture of time wherein this change happened may very probably raise some suspition that a visible hope and advantage had some co-operation at the lest with whatsoever was the principal cause of this so sudden an alteration If not so nor so but that they find themselves clearly convinced in their judgements of their former errour and that they are fully perswaded that they are now in a better way then that wherein they formerly walked it is happy for them and I doubt not but that they will find matter of rejoycing in it if they be not mistaken a thing not impossible in the tryal of their own hearts O that I had men that in the change of times were unchangeable in their mind and opinion and to hold to their former and well grounded Principle so long as they can neither apprehend any reason of sufficient strength to convince their understandings that they are in the