CHURCHES.
SUch Centurions who have erected us Synagogues, places for Gods publick VVorship, seem to me to have given good testimony of their Love to our nation. Bitter was the Brave which railing Rabsheca sent to holy Hezekiah proffering him * 1.1 2000 Horses on Condition that the other were but able to find Riders for them. But it grieves me to see the Superstition of the former insult over the religion of this present age, bragging that she left us ten thousand Churches and Chappels more or lesse ready built, if we can find but repairers to keep them up: It is in my opinion both dishonorable to God, and scandalous to all good men to see such houses daily decay: But there is a genera∣tion of people who to prevent the verifying of the old proverb, Pater noster built Churches, and our Father plucks them down; endevour to pluck down both Churches and Our Father together, neglecting, yea despising the use both of the one and the other. Be it here remembred, that it is not only equal but just, that such as have been Founders of Churches or Grand Benefactors unto them, should have due Respect in preserving their Monuments from Violation or Incroachment of others. I urge this the rather, because a∣buses have been frequent in this kind, even to those that have deserved best. I can∣not with patience remember the Story of Henry Keble Lord Maior of London 1511. who, besides other Benefactions in his Life time, rebuilded Alder-Mary-Church run to very Ruines, and bequeathed at his Death a thousand pounds for the finishing thereof. Yet within sixty years after, his Bones were unkindly yea inhumanely cast * 1.2 out of the Vaute wherein they were buried, his Monument plucked down for some Wealthy Person of the* 1.3 present times, to be buried therein, I could not but on this Occasion rub up my old Poetry;
I could wish this was the last Barbarisme in this kind, and am sorry that upon small Inquiry, I could insist on later Instances.