Hiera dakrya, Ecclesiae anglicanae suspiria, The tears, sighs, complaints, and prayers of the Church of England setting forth her former constitution, compared with her present condition : also the visible causes and probable cures of her distempers : in IV books / by John Gauden ...

CHAP. I.

HAving set before you (Honored and beloved Countrymen) in the three former Bookes, first,* 1.1 the well-formed and sometime flourishing constitution of the Church of England, (Lib. 1.) secondly, its present decayes or destitutions; both in the causes (Lib. 2.) and consequences (Lib. 3.) relating to Ministers and people, in sa∣cred and civill regards, to the great diminution, detriment and dan∣ger of the Reformed Religion, in this Church and Nation: It is now time to apply my thoughts and yours in this fourth Book to the Re∣stitution, or recovery of that which is the honour and happinesse of this as all Nations; which (undoubtedly) consists in the Purity, Unity, Stability, Sanctity, Solemnity, Autority, and Efficacy of True Religion.

Hitherto I have powred Wine into the wounds of this Church, not so much suppling as searching them, by an honest severity: The bruises and putrified sores, which are all over the body of our reformed Religion, were not capable of Oyles and Balsames, of softer and sweeter applications, till the putid and painfull ulcerations were first opened, the cores of them discovered, and the pus or sanies of them let out; which to conceal and smother by gentle, but unsin∣cere salves, by civil▪ but cruel plaisters (rather palliating our miseries, than healing our maladies) were a method of so great basenesse and unworthinesse in me, as might for ever justly deprive me of the honour of faithfulnesse to God, to this Church, to true Religion, to my Country, to my own and to your soules. I know the freedom of my pen hitherto, like the sharpnesse of a Lancet or probe, may be prone to offend on all sides: few men are so humble as not to find fault with those that tell them of their faults: those are commonly

least patient of Phisitians or Chirurgeons hands, who need them most, crying out of other mens severities, which are occasioned, yea necessitated, by their own debauchnesse and distempers. Yet since my aymes are in this writing upon, or rather ripping up the bilious inflam∣mations of Religion, not to spare my own disorders, or theirs with whom I may seem most to symbolize in my opinion and practice, I hope no good man, great or small, will be causelesly offended with the just incisions, or scarrifyings I have made; which as the gangre∣nous necessity of our maladies (otherwise desperate and incurable) have compelled me to, so the pious, peaceable and charitable in∣tentions of my soul, inorder to a common and publick good, will then best excuse them, when my Readers shall perceive with how liberall an hand and free an heart, I do in this fourth Book impart the best of my thoughts, my humblest suggestions, faithfullest counsels, and tenderest cares, in order to their happinesse, no lesse then my own, who am infinitely solicitous, and passionately concerned what becomes of the Ark of God, of the true reformed Christian Religion in England, jealous lest the Philistines take it, and with it the glory of our Israel.

I know it may be retorted upon me, That nothing is easier than to complain of others, nothing harder than to mend ones self; That censors of Epidemick disorders make themselves publick enemies, and subject to ostracisme on all sides; That both Prince and people, Magistrates and subjects, are prone to interpret such representations for reproches of them, as if they were defective in their counsels and cares of Religion; also as arrogancies in any pri∣vate man, to seem either more sensible of, or more solicitous for, or more consultive in order to those great and publick concern∣ments, which no wise men can faile to discern, no good man forbear to remedy, as far as is in his power; That it is not so much an he∣roick, as an inordinate charity, or indiscreet zeal, for any man to dis∣compose his own tranquillity, by importuning others to be better than they like to be, or to do better than the distemper of times will give them leave; that neither Magistrates nor Ministers are to be blamed or traduced as defective in their duties, because they are not presently masters of peoples petulancies, nor can suddenly com∣mand that great Ship to steere about, and obey the Rudder of Reason and Religion, which hath lately been carryed violently away, as by the sway of its own ponderous bulk, so by the fiercenesse of mighty and contrary winds, also by the fatality of those secret, but irresisti∣ble tides of Providence, when Divine Justice and vengeance hath struck in with humane passions and transgressions, at once to use them and to punish them.

I am so far from reproching any that are in power, and those least who are in greatest place, that (in earnest) I pity them for what they cannot act, as effectually, as I charitably presume they soberly design and desire in respect of that Christian unity and harmony of Religi∣on, which every wise and good man must needs be unfeignedly am∣bitious

to enjoy and promote. The obstructions of which arise, not from depraved and dangerous State-policies, (as some suspect) pur∣posely fomenting Divisions in Religion, (which no prudent Gover∣nour but sees cause to feare, and will study to avoid) but from those head-strong furies and animosities, which accompany the vulgar, when once (like Stone-horses got loose from their stalls, traice, and bridles) they find themselves at such a liberty, as is beyond the switch or spur, the curb or whip of their riders and governours; whose riotous and boysterous courses are hardly to be stopped, till they have either tired, or intangled, or hurt, or confounded and overthrown themselves and others; till which time, it is not safe for their Keepers to come too neer their wanton heels, or forcibly to reduce them, like wild Asses and Unicorns, to their wonted stations and cribs. Nor is (perhaps) the dilatory cautiousnesse of wise men herein to be blamed so much as commended, while they temporize for some time with the Populacy, till experience of their own folly, disorders, dangers and miseries, hath taught them how much safer they are under other mens orderly restraints and government, than their own licentious choice and freedoms, as in Civil, so in Religious Concernments.

I believe the mutuall feuds, jealousies, and animosities in England among the divided Factions in Religion, have hitherto been so eager∣ly bent to advance themselves, and to depresse their rivalls, that it hath been a work of great Prudence, no lesse than Policy, so far to balance them, till Time had discovered to them their common de∣formities and dangers, by their disagreements and defeats; besides the generall decay and mutuall debasing of what each highly pre∣tends to advance, The Reformed Religion.

Nor doe I doubt, but those Powers and Counsels, under which Pro∣vidence hath at present subjected our Civil and Ecclesiastick Inte∣rests, will so far with favour interpret my endeavours, and accept of them, as they must needs appear to all sober men, onely studious to serve the publick good, and not to advance any private interest or particular party in Religion. Nor shall I be taxed (I hope) for self-conceited and too presumptuous, as if I supposed all men to be blind or dim-sighted besides my selfe, while I offer them this Collyrium, or Eye-salve: No, I know my own obscurity, tenuity, and infirmity. Nor doe I here offer my own private sense so much, as the generall votes, prayers, hopes and expectations of all moderate and impartial men, so far as I have been able to observe the pulse of their hearts, and desires of their soules: yea many such as have heretofore highly engaged for or against any faction, during the transports of their first fits and Paroxysmes, even these, being grown (now) much cooler and better composed in their spirits, doe seem to breathe after nothing so earnestly, as some such happy composure of our religious distracti∣ons, as may most advance the generall interests of the Christian and Reformed Religion against the common enemies of both; and therein so secure their respective and particular priviledges, or inno∣cent

immunities in point of Conscience, as may least tempt them to fear the being opressed by others; or, by way of revenge, to seek the oppressing of any others that would lead a godly and peaceable life.

What good Christian, that lists not to be Atheistically profane, what honest Protestant, that cannot comply with the Roman errors and insolencies, doth not deplore the scratches, the wounds, the blood-sheds, the deformities, the decayes, the deaths, which the Re∣formed Religion hath lately suffered here in England? Who is so brain-sick or barbarous, as not to see that our common safety is in our religious unity? that our civill honour and happinesse cannot be secure, untill established upon the pillars of Christian purity and har∣mony? To this mark I presse thus hard; at this design I earnestly drive; this is the prize I ayme at, during the remaine of my short race in this world: as I know I do not run alone, so I hope I shall not run in vain, but being assisted with Gods gracious Spirit, which is full of meeknesse and wisdome, I trust I shall enjoy the concurrent suffrages, good wills and prayers of all those that wish the prospe∣rity of true Religion and these British Nations.

To poure in the balm of Gilead with the more order into the wounds of this Church and its Reformed Religion, I shall first set forth the confessed difficulty of the work, I mean the closing and healing of Religious breaches in any Church or Nation, where once differences are exasperated; and not onely mens opinions and passi∣ons, but their civill interests and secular designs seem engaged.

Secondly, I shall shew the necessity of some happy composure; 1. in respect of Religion, as Christian and Reformed, 2. as to the civill peace, 3. as to the honour, 4. as to the gratitude of the Na∣tion.

Thirdly, I shall manifest the possibility or feisablenesse of the work; both as to the nature of it, and the inclinations of all sober men to it.

Fourthly, I shall endeavour to propound what I conceive the pro∣per methods and means of effecting it, to be used, 1. by Ministers, 2. by Magistrates, 3. by all sorts of people, that have any principles of Piety and Honesty toward God and Man.

Notes

• * 1.1

  The design and method of this fourth Book.