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. XXIII.

* 1.1BUt thus far I have set forth the worth of some (I am sure) of our English Bishops, even in those dayes which damned them all, that the world may see upon what mens heads the total ruine of Episcopacy and all Cathedral Churches have faln; how there wanted not many good Bishops then, when worse and harder measure befell them and their Order than since Eng∣land was Christian. Indeed many, yea most of our Bishops were as Noahs, Sems and Japhets; yet have all these been drowned in the Pres∣byterian Deluge. Even these made up the so odious, so unpopular, so decryed Bishops in England. The pest and contagion of whose fate as it came first from Scotland, (where (no doubt) there were many Bishops of equal vertues, though inferiour revenues to the worthy and well-known Dr. Spotswood Archbishop of St. Andrews, and Lord Chancellour of Scotland) so it reached to Ireland, where there want∣ed not Bishops worthy of the fraternity of Bishop Usher, Bishop Bedel and Bishop Bramhal, all cruelly persecuted first by Papists, and after by Antipapists though persons of the highest form for all excellen∣cies, yet must all these be destroyed & their whole Order, with the de∣struction of Sodom. Although more than ten righteous Bishops, I am sure, were to be found in each of these British Churches, yet all must be routed, all rooted up, as guilty of the unpardonable sin of Prelacy; a new sin, and unheard of in the Church of Christ, but now to be put into the black Catalogue of scandalous sins, when Heresie, Schism, Sacriledge and Sedition must be left out.

These, these and such like Bishops are the men whose fate I pas∣sionately pitty; men famous in their generation, either for solid

Preaching, or weighty writing, or grave counselling, or holy living, or prudent governing, or charitable giving (all of them for some, and some of them for all these excellencies.) These are made the most unsound, the most infamous and superfluous parts of this body politick and Ecclesiastick; these must be, one and all, represented to vulgar simplicity and scurrility as the Popes, the Antichrists, the Bite-sheeps, the Oppressors, the Tyrants, the Greedy and dumb dogs, the Cre∣tians, the Slow-bellies, the Devourers, the Destroyers of all godliness and true Religion. These foule glosses, first made by Martin Mar-pre∣late of old against Episcopacy and the Bishops of England, are now set forth in a new and second edition, with larger notes and exquisite Commentaries upon them, intimating that these are the men who have by their Learned, Grave and Godly Misdemeanours, as Bishops, forfeited (not by any Law, but by absolute will and pleasure, meer∣ly as Bishops) all their Houses and Revenues, all their Honors and Preferments, yea their good Name and Reputation, which by Law and desert they had obtained and enjoyed, yea all the Ancient Dig∣nity, Apostolick Authority and Constant Succession of their Place and Function in the Church; which had not more of eminency than of necessity, nor more of necessity than of Primitive and Catholick An∣tiquity. For the reall faults of some, and the imaginary of other Bishops (whose name was their onely crime) must all Ages after them be for ever punished with the want of such Grave, Learned, Godly and Venerable Bishops, as have been destroyed, (for better cannot be had or desired:) and posterity must be ever exposed in these British Churches to all those Factions, Fedities, Divisions, Disorders and Confusions, which follow the want of due Episcopal order and Go∣vernment in the Church.

But Bishops (qua tales) were enemies to the power of Godlinesse:* 1.2 the worst of them and the best of them were men too much devoted to empty formes of Religion; they urged Ceremonies so far as to neglect substances, straining at gnats and swallowing Ca∣mels; they justled out preaching by Catechizing, and over-layed Ministers private prayers by their long Liturgies; they did not kin∣dle, but quench, damp and resist that spirit of Zeal and Reforma∣tion which for many years hath burned in the breasts of many god∣ly Christians, by whose flamings and refinings at last all Bishops, as drosse, with all their ornaments and adherents, have been justly consumed.

I confesse I cannot tell how to answer for all the actions and ex∣pressions of every Bishop; they were of age,* 1.3 and able to have answe∣red for themselves, if any of them as offendors of our Lawes had been brought to plead for themselves, which not one of them was, as to Ecclesiasticall matters, that I ever heard of; for the weight of the Archbishops charge was chiefly upon civil or secular affaires.

Who knowes not that Bishops were but men? that if left to their private spirits and single Counsels, they might as easily over or under-do, as their Adversaries have done, beyond or short of

what becomes wise and good men? The greatest blame that I per∣ceive among any of them, was, that they would injoyne, or exact, or remit any thing as to publick Order, Discipline and Govern∣ment of the Church, without a joynt agreement and uniformity a∣mong themselves, according to what the Law allowed or com∣manded. This fraternall concurrence and mutuall correspondence had been worthy of Grave, Wise and Learned men: for all private fancies obtruded by any one or two Bishops in so tender a case as Re∣ligion is, and upon so touchy a people as the English now are, do but breed variety, this differences, these disputes, these dissentions, these despites, these oppositions, these breed confusions. All the actions and injunctions, all the Articles and disquisitions of Bishops as such, should have been as exactly consonant and uniforme as pos∣sibly could be.

But as to the crimination, That Bishops, like Hernshaws, abounded in the wing and feather of Ceremony, but had little substance or body as to the power of Godlinesse: First, Scripture and Christs example teach us, that decent and apt Ceremonies, publick or private, are not in their nature enemies, but helps, to the power of Godlinesse; as putting off all Ornaments, eating the bread of Sorrow, putting on Sackcloth and Ashes, Fasting, Weeping, Smiting the breast, Bowing, Kneeling, Prostrating to the ground, being all night in So∣litude and Darkness, lying in the Dust, &c. all these were and are helps to an humble, broken, contrite, penitent and devout temper of Soul. Contrary, Company, Wine and Oyle, Singing and Musick, Dancing, Discourse and Laughter, were and are helps to holy joy and thankful jubilations; so are lifting up the eyes and hands to Heaven, Sighing and Groning, to fervency of Prayer and Praises. It is but a rude, affe∣cted and fanatick imagination of clownish Christians, that decent Ce∣remonies of Religion, wisely appointed in any Church, or fitly ap∣plied by any private Christian in his private devotions, these cannot stand, but the substance and sincerity of Godliness must fall; that there can be no forms of Godlinesse, but the power of it must vanish or be banished. They may as well imagine, that they cannot put on their clothes, or dresse themselves handsomly, but they must presently cease to be wise men, or honest men and good women, but must turn either spectres or dishonest. Do we not find that many such Christians, who have of later years cast off all the former decent and wholesome formes of Godliness, (either by Profaneness, or Precise∣ness, or Peevishness, or Faction, or Atheism, or Superstition) are most apparently now removed from the real power of Godlinesse, which mortifies all inordinate lusts, moderates all passions, brings the thoughts, words and deeds of Christians to the exact conformity of true Holiness, Justice and Charity? Who are more vain bablers and endless janglers, who more unholy, unjust, uncharitable, un∣merciful, implacable, immoderate in their passions, presumptions and revenges, than many of those who have most stript themselves, as to their Religion, of their clothes and coverings, that they may pro∣phesie

with Saul quaking and naked, enjoying what immodest and in∣solent freedoms they list to use and call Christian Liberties and Simplicities?

Certainly, the power of Godlinesse is most seen, when men having most power in their hand to do good or evil, do chuse the good and refuse the evil. No men were more gracious and spirituall, none did more good, than many of the Bishops of England in their prospe∣rity, both publickly and privately; yea no men have suffered more evil in their adversity with more silence and patience. They onely once cryed out, when they durst not go to the Parlament by Land, and going by water, they were, with St. Stephen, assaulted on the shore with a showre of stones, and could not land with safety of their lifes: Since that time, though fleeced and flayed, yet they have held their peace under the shearers hands, both singly and socially, as far as ever I have heard or read. It is no great sign of the power of Godli∣nesse, that men can endure no power, civil or Ecclesiastick, but in their own hands, and think no power is of God which other men lawfully enjoy.

Since Bishops, and Episcopacy, and Liturgy, and Ceremonies, and constant Catechizings, and all uniform celebration of Sacraments are discarded; since nothing but Ministers private breasts and brains must serve the Church, with their formed or informed, constant or ex∣temporary conceptions, Praying, and Preaching, and Celebrating; is the power of Godlinesse, as to true grace, or the fruits of the Spirit, much advanced? Is there more constant hearing of sound Doctrine? Is there more of sober and setled Knowledge? Is there more Mode∣sty, Humility, Equity, Charity, Obedience, Unity, Proficiency, Patience, Love and Fear of God, or Reverence of Man, or Consci∣ence of Duty to both, than was formerly? If these Antiepiscopal men (who so much pretend to the bare sword of the Spirit, that they scorn to wear any scabbard of Form or Ceremony) have with Saul utterly destroyed the Amalekites of Immorality and Hypocrisie, what means the bleating, crying, complaining, biting and devou∣ring of one another which are among us? what mean the facti∣ons, divisions, envies, animosities among both Ministers and People? what means the contempt of the Word of God, of all publick Du∣ties, and of the best Ministers, who are most able, most humble, and most constant? what means the Uncatechisedness, the Sottish∣ness, Profaneness, Impudence and Irreligion which are so much spreading and prevailing? How many rich and poor people neither have, nor care for, any Preachers at all? No Sermons, no Prayers, no Catechises, no Sacraments, no Morals, no Civilities almost are left among them. All the Religion of many is resolved into dispu∣ting and denying Tithes, into paying their Taxes, into the fear of Souldiers, the Sword and Laws, the Prisons and Gallowses or Men; lastly, into enjoying what liberties or loosness in Religion they fancy best, as far and as long as they list. But are there, in ear∣nest, generally more or better Scholars, or Ministers, or Christians,

now than there were under Bishops? I trow not; scarce the half part for number, & scarce the half part so able for Learning as they were heretofore: as our Timber for great Oaks, so our Ministry in England for grave Divines, is much wasted. Whatever the matter was and is, I am sure, if it was not the Wisdom and Piety of Bishops, it was the undeserved Blessing of God, that made the power of Godlinesse, in sound Knowledge, Humility, Faith, Repentance, Love of God, Justice and Charity to men, in unity amongst Christians, in good Lives and good Works, appear much more to me and others under Episcopacy, than ever it hath done since its dissolution. Undoubtedly, true Reli∣gion, both as to its profession and power, as Christian and as Refor∣med, as opposite to Profaneness and to Popish Superstition, did, a∣mong the generality of the Nation, both Nobility, Gentry and Com∣mons, thrive better when it fed on the pults and water (as some estee∣med of the Liturgy, good Catechizing, sound Preaching, frequent Communicating, and orderly Governing under Bishops) than since it hath fed of other mens dainties, who left a lean Church and Cler∣gy, while they have been filled with Kings and Bishops portions. The garden of Christs Church was much safer and better among those Ceremonious Briars and Thorns (as some count them, yet good senses of religious Order and Honour) under Episcopacy, than since it hath been laid so open and wilde, without ancient boundaries or defences. A∣las, poor Ministers (even all upon the point) have no authority among the Common-people, but what is precarious and despicable, which people contemn, cast and kick off as they list, unless so far as a Soul∣dier may perchance smile upon a Preacher.

* 1.4But to avoid these just Ironies and retorted Sarcasmes, the more grave and modest Antiepiscopall Spirits do now professe, That their fierce wrath was intended onely against such Prelates as were indeed Persecutors, Proud, Idle, Superstitious, Imperious, Luxurious, Court-Complyers and Flatterers,* 1.5 &c. I reply, first as to persecution, First, Many Bishops were blamed as too remisse and indulgent by some of their own Order who drove more furiously. Secondly, all were not equally such persecutors in their enemies sense; yet all of them equally complaine of being no lesse persecuted. For their Court-Complying, they had been very ingratefull men, if they had not owned with all loyall respect and service the fountaine of their Honor and Estates; yet good men could not love their King without loving their Country, nor their Country without their King; which all godly and honest Bishops did: if any others did not, why did not Justice separate between the good and the bad, the precious and the vile? Why should good Bishops, yea and good Episcopacy it self, suffer? As Abraham said to God, Gen. 18.25. so doth God say to every good mans conscience, Far be it from thee to destroy the righ∣teous with the wicked. Why should not all Presbyters, yea & Presbytery it self, as well suffer a finall and totall extirpation, (which some men have designed and desired) since (no doubt) there were and now are many, yea as many, nay more for the number, of insufficient

preachers and unworthy Presbyters, as there were of Bishops; and few, if any of them, so able, so worthy, so well-deserving of the publick, both Church and State, as some Bishops were? Why should Pres∣bytery be preserved alive, and Episcopacy, which is the elder, be slaine? Since Episcopacy in all Ages hath preserved Presbytery, why should Presbytery ingratefully extirpate Episcopacy? Was it not because Epis∣copacy was fatter than Presbytery, or had a better fleece, and therefore was fitter for a sacrifice? O no; but Presbytery (they say) is a plant of Jesus Christs, which Episcopacy is not; and therefore to be weeded out. Truly, it may as well be said by the partiall Presbyterian, that the seventy Disciples were of Jesus Christs appointment, but the twelve Apostles were not; that God created the lesser Stars and Planets, but not the Sun and Moon; that God made people, but not Princes; that he formed the feet and hands, but not the eyes and heads of naturall bodies. This is the great question, which is not to be thus begged or supposed, but should have been solidly proved, before judgement had been so severely passed against Epis∣copacy: we should have seen the time and place, when and where Episcopacy usurped, when and where Presbyters ruled, in this or any Church, by way of parity, without any Bishop, President or Apostle above them. The constant streame of this Jordan, which hath flowed from the first springs and fountaines of Christianity, ever flowing and over-flowing in the Catholick Church, this should have been miraculously divided, before that Presbytery should have boasted of its passing over dry-shod, and of its drowning all Bishops and all Episcopa∣cy (as the Egyptians) in a Red Sea, between the returnings and clo∣sings of the waters of Independency and Presbytery.

Whenas it is well known, even by their own confessions that have any graines of Learning in them, that Presbyters were ever as Cyphers in all Churches, insignificant as to Church-Government, without Bishops being set over them and before them, as Capitall Figures. Bishops were ever esteemed as the chief Captaines of the Lords host in this Militant State, principall Stewards of Christs House-hold, head-shepherds of his flock, the (〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉) first-or∣dained and first-ordainers of the Evangelicall Ministry, the first con∣secrators and distributers of all sacred mysteries, the prime Conserva∣tors and Actors of all Ecclesiasticall Authority: These were in all Ages, next the Scriptures, the Churches chiefest-Oracles and Interpre∣ters; these were the grand Divines in all Times and Places, not su∣perficially armed with light armour, onely for the preaching or Ho∣milisticall flourishes of a Pulpit, but with the weighty and complete armour of veterane and valiant souldiers, who were to stand in the fore-front of the Lords Battailes, to receive the first charge and im∣pressions from the Churches enemies of their force, cunning and malice; these were the fairest transcripts or Copies of Apostolicall Mission and Evangelicall Commission; these were the great Magazins of sound and vast Learning; these the Centers, Refuges, Sanctuaries & Succour of both Ministers and people in all Churches; these gave, as

holy Orders to Presbyters and Deacons, so decent Ceremonies to all the Church, also fatherly Counsels and friendly incouragements to all worthy Ministers, when young and novices, weak and defective, when fearfull and dejected; these gave Vigour and Authority to that Discipline which was necessary to punish and repress scandalous livers; these, these worthy Bishops (such as we had good store in England, even now at the last cast) were the Chariots and horse-men of Israel; these alwaies (by the help of God) recovered the Ark of God, after the Philistines had taken it; these recollected the flocks of Christ, after they had been worried and scattered by grievous wolves and foxes; being persons of more publick influence, of more eminent example, of larger hearts and greater spirits (commonly) than most or any private Ministers; most mens spirits shrinking with the tenuity of their place and condition, and enlarging with the am∣pleness of them: God usually giving of that spirit of Government and Authority to those that are placed justly in it, as he did to Moses, Aaron, Joshua, Saul, David, Samuel and others, both Princes and Prelates, Judges and Magistrates, who but equal (it may be) to inferiour persons in sanctifying Gifts and Graces, (as the Bishops of England might be to the many godly Presbyters) yet in this they exceeded them, not because placed above them in worldly Place and secular Honour, but because they, from the Apostles pattern, were particu∣larly appointed and commissioned by the Church of Christ, and so fitted to execute those eminent Offices of Church-government in Ordination and Jurisdiction, beyond what was ever given to any Presbyters without their Bishops.

Having then such a cloud of Witnesses both at home and abroad, of former and latter times, by which to justifie the deserved eminen∣cy of Episcopacy, and to condemn the insolency of Presbytery, I cannot forbear with St. Paul to demand in the behalf of our worthy English Bishops, who have been so distrusted, so discountenanced, so dejected, so despised, so desolated, so depressed. Wherein did they come short of the very best of those Presbyters, (who were known sufficiently to my self) who h••••e so studiously sought their ruine, and so ambiti∣ously usurped against them? Were Presbyters good Preachers? so were Bishops. Were Presbyters able Writers? Bishops were more. Were Presbyters zealous Opposers of Popery? so were Bishops. Were Presbyters devout Men? so were Bishops. Were Presbyters unblameable Livers? so were Bishops. Were Presbyters Martyrs and Confessors? so were Bishops. Were Presbyters Instruments for a just and orderly Reformation of Religion? Bishops were more. Were Presbyters useful to Church and State, by word and example, in their petty Parishes? Bishops were more in their primitive Pari∣shes or larger Dioceses, which were long known and of force in the Church of Christ, before lesser Parishes were in use or in being. Were Presbyters hospitable and charitable, (without which all Re∣ligion, Faith and Fervency is nothing?) Bishops were more; equal in their Affections, beyond them in their Liberalities as much as

their Revenues. Are Presbyters that were able, faithful, humble and orderly, gone to Heaven? so (no doubt, through Gods mercy) are those holy Bishops who have been cast upon Dunghills, as Lazarus and Job, by the cacozelotry of some men in our times, who have so much houted and outed, despised and destroyed them. Many Presbyters have done well and learnedly, but many Bishops have exceeded them all; who were so far from losing or abating the Gifts and Graces they had when but Presbyters, that they increased them and improved them when made Bishops, above other Presbyters, who were then at their best, when they most kept within that place and stati∣on in which God, and the Church, and the Laws, and their own proportions had set them, in an holy and humble, a rational and reli∣gious, a pious and prudent subordination to their respective Bishops, as their lawful Superiours and reverend Fathers, whose names are, and ever will be, pretious to all those that understand what belongs to ex∣cellent Learning, to eminent Vertue, to Christian Courage, to ad∣mirable Patience, to what is Primitive, Catholick and complete in the Order, Honour, Polity, Government and Happiness of the Church of Christ.

No Learned or Worthy Writer, Forreign or Domestick, who can fly above the Parasitisme of popular Pamphlets, (which will soon be condemned to Chandlers shops, to Ovens and to Privies) no pen (I say) that hath any genius of Learning, Life and Honor in it, will blot its paper, or blunt it self, with the names of those that have been or are the unjust, malicious and implacable enemies, the insolent despisers and injurious destroyers of such Primitive Bishops, and such Primitive Episcopacy, as these British Churches plentifully afforded. But every worthy Author will be ambitious to adorne his works, and enamel his Historie, with the illustrious names of such meritorious Bishops, who have not onely been worthy doers, but unworthily, yet worthy, sufferers, very patiently though very undeservedly; knowing, with Paulinus Bishop of Nola, how to lose all things but God and a good Conscience, which are the true Honor and Eternal Treasures of good Christians. If the most of, or all our Bishops had been vile men, and fit to be destroyed, why was not their wickedness and unwor∣thiness publickly and personally charged? Why were they not legally Summoned, Accused, Tried, Witnessed against, Convinced, Con∣demned? Might not many, yea most of our Bishops have said in their proportion as our Blessed Saviour, Who is it that can accuse me of sin? what evill have I done? for which of my good works,* 1.6 in Preaching, Praying, Writing, Giving, Living, do you stone me, or seek to destroy me and my function? They were neither evil men, nor evil Christians, nor evil Preachers, nor evil Bishops;* 1.7 yet nothing must be left them, but the grace and opportunity to suffer (not as evil doers, but) as became Learned, Grave and Good men.

Which Episcopall glory and Christian grace they have in an high degree attained, many of them saying with more truth than the Stoicks were wont (〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉) I have lost nothing that was

mine, yet I have all that is worth having; notwithstanding that they were deprived of all their Ecclesiasticall Estates, not allowed, ac∣cording to the mercy of Henry the eighth to Monks and Friers, to Nuns and Votaries, (which were grown the superfluous Leeches and Wens of the Nation) any pension during their lives. Some Bishops could never get the Arreares due to them before the dreadfull Act of dissolution: many of them were spoyled, as of other goods, so of their good Libraries; where their best company, faithfullest friends, and surest comforters were to be found amidst those afflictions, desertions and solitudes, which they were sure to meet with both from foes and friends; most men being friends to mens fortunes, not to their persons or vertues.

With these dark foiles and deep shadowes hath the brightnesse of our best Bishops been set off to after-Ages. O what admiration, what astonishment, what horror will there be, when impartiall Posterity shall read, together with their excellent writings, the plentifull po∣verties, the illustrious obscurities, the honorable contempts, with which the excellent Bishops of these British Churches have been at last rewarded; even then when indefatigable studies, incompara∣ble endowments and holy improvements, had both fitted them for and preferred them to those honorable imployments, rewards and encouragements, which they lawfully obtained and worthily enjoyed! being persons for their Graces and Gifts, for their Learning and Judge∣ment, for their Gravity and Prudence, much more worthy (if God had seen fit) to have been continued in their Golden Candlesticks, and to have shined to their last in this Church, than to have been so shut up in dark lanternes, or to be put under such bushels as not onely hide, but quite extinguish their personall and publick lustre; so bu∣rying, as much as may be, while they are yet alive, their excellent abi∣lities, which did not consist onely in good preaching, but also wise Governing their Churches, in keeping both Ministers and people in good Order and Unity, in being not onely Monitors and Fatherly Correctors, but Refuges and Defences to their Clergy and others, as Fathers to Sons, in ordaining and incouraging able Ministers, in con∣tinuing a Catholick succession of a complete and Apostolick Mini∣stry to this as all other Ancient and Renowned Churches, in pre∣venting that great Scandall and Schisme (to the Papists (now) most desired and welcome) which is and will ever hereafter be imputed to us with unanswerable reproches, while, by Apostatizing from Primitive Episcopacy, we do not so much forsake the Romane party, (which in this point, as in many others, is Orthodox and sound) as the Catholick Church, and that Authoritative order which began with Christianity, and ought as much as may be in providence for ever to continue with it. An ordained Ministry, a right Government, and good Order in the Church, being (as I have demonstrated) no lesse necessary for the Churches well-being, than the Word and Sa∣craments are for the being or beginning of it. Religion and Chri∣stian Churches soon moulder to nothing, where there is not an in∣disputable,

Authoritative and complete Ministry. Nor is this to be (or∣dinarily) had without Episcopacy; least of all with the violent and undeserved extirpation of Episcopacy, if we will follow the judge∣ment, custome and practise of all Christian Churches from the begin∣ning, rather than modern novellers, who will never be able to make up the breaches, or to patch up the Rents, which they have either rashly or unnecessarily made in this particular, not from the Roman onely, but indeed from the Christian and Catholick patterne, to which the Reformation of the Church of England studied exactly to conforme, as in other things, so in the point of Episcopacy, untill the fatall fury of these later times: which is the more unexcusable, be∣cause no Church in the world had lesse cause either to complaine of, or to reject, its Bishops or Episcopacy; for certainly no Church since the Apostles daies was ever more flourishing under Episcopacy (for other Government was not known till of late) nor had any Refor∣med Church either more worthy Bishops, for the most part of them, or more able Ministers, even at that time when all Bishops, with their Order and Succession, were devoted to utter destru∣ction.

Not that I here forget how some Bishops in England were under very great Jealousies, as if they were Popishly affected and inclined, as if they were under-hand Factors for Rome, and secret Traitors to the Reformed Religion: Thus most (if not all) of them were censured by some men of very sharp noses and severe tongues, yea and condem∣ned before they were tryed, for superstitious and Super-ceremonious Prelates. Hence that popular Odium and Indignity of joyning Pre∣lacy and Popery together: which Sarcasm and reproch, I confess, ought by all wise Bishops and other Ministers to have been seriously avoid∣ed, so as no way justly to deserve any such suspicion, taunt or proverb; there being nothing less advancing, or more diminishing, the true re∣spect and honour of Christian Ministers and Reformed Bishops, than unworthily to comply with or conform to the Bishop and Church of Rome, in those things where the distance is as just and necessary as it is great, and grounded on Gods Word, being founded upon that eternal distance which is and ever will be between Light and Dark∣nesse, Truth and Falshood, Error and sound Doctrine, between the In∣stitutions of Christ and the sacrilegious Inventions of Men, between the infallible Rule and Oracles of Gods Word in the Scripture, and the va∣riable Canons of poor men, between the Catholick Custom of pure and Primitive Churches, and the particular practises of later Usur∣pations, brought in in the twilight of dark and depraved times. These dia∣metral distances ought ever to be preserved by all godly Bishops, who may not come neerer to Popery than Popery is neer to Chri∣stianity, or then Antichristian policies may correspond in some things with Christian piety.

Which just bounds, as far as ever I could understand, our pious Bishops in England, from the first Reformation till now, have religi∣ously observed; not one of them (much less all) deliberately or open∣ly

owning any communion with the Church of Rome, where they saw the Church of England had made a just, clear and necessary separation: yea, the learned Bishops of England have, generally, so fully confuted the Falsity, Injury and Indignity of that calumny, both by their Prea∣ching, Writing, Living and Dying, that men must be blind with de∣spite, mad with malice, or drunk with passion, when they vomit out so foul calumnies against all Bishops and Episcopacy in England, as if they were Pandars for Popery, and Pimps to the Whore of Babylon; for this is the language of some mens oratorious Zeal against our Bi∣shops and all Episcopacy, which will in time much more agree with Presbytery and Independency, I fear, than ever it did with Episco∣pacy.

But it wil be demanded of me, whence then arose this smoke of Jea∣lousie, which was so popular and spread abroad, that it made so many pure Eyes to ake and smart, yea to grow watry and blood-shotten, not onely among the vulgar, but even among our greatest Seers and Overseers? Was there no fire where there was so great a smoke? My Answer is, these jealousies of some Bishops (and other Ministers who most imitated them) being Popishly inclined, never had, so far as ever I could discern, any farther ground than this: Some Bishops pleased themselves, beyond what was generally practised in England, with a more ceremonious conformity than others observed; first, to the Canons and Injunctions, which (they thought) were yet in force in the Church of England, being not repealed, but onely antiquated through a general disuse; next, being aged and learned men, and more conversant in the Antiquities of the Church than younger Mini∣sters, they found that such ceremonious Solemnities in Religion were then very much used, without any sin or scandal; no godly Bishop, Presbyter, or other good Christian, ever making scruple of using the sign of the Cross in Baptism, and at other times of Bowing, Knee∣ling, Prostrating himself, or of putting his mouth to the ground and kissing the Pavement when he came to worship God, or to celebrate holy Mysteries, expressing thereby that Humility, Faith, Ferven∣cy, sense of his own sinful Unworthiness, and that unfeigned Reve∣rence which he bare in his heart toward God and his Service. This, I suppose, made some of our Bishops hope that they might with the like inoffensivenesse add such Solemnity to Sanctity, and such outward Veneration to inward Devotion, and yet be as far from Popery or Su∣perstition as the ancient Christians were; yea, as those Ministers and others now pretend to be, who make so much of lifting up their eyes and hands in Prayer, or who are pleased to be uncovered in Praying, Preaching, Singing, or Celebrating the Sacraments.

Besides this, many Bishops found a secret genius of Rusticity and Rudenesse, of Familiarity and Irreverence, strangely prevailing among Country-Preachers and People so far, that they saw many of them pla∣ced much of their Religion in affecting a slovenly rudenesse and irre∣verence in all publick and holy Duties; loth to kneel, not onely at the Sacrament, but at any Prayers, or to be uncovered at any Duty, ene∣mies

to any man, and prejudiced against all he did, if he shewed any ceremonious respect in his serving God: They saw some were grown so spiritual, that they forgot they had bodies; and pretending to ap∣prove themselves to God onely as to the inward man, they cared not for any thing that was regular, exemplary, orderly, comely or reve∣rent, as to the outward celebration, in the judgement and appoint∣ment of the Church of England. Hence some men grew to such great applaudings of themselves, (as if this were the onely simplicity of the Gospel) that they thought every man went about to cut the throat of Reformed Religion, who applied any Scissers or Razor to pare off rudeness and rusticity, or to trim it to any decency in the outward Ministrations, according to what seemed best to the Church of Eng∣land. Many Bishops thought that Religion would grow strangely wild, hirsute, horrid and incult, like Nebuchadnezzars hair and nails, if it were left to the boysterous Clowneries and unmannerly Liberties which every one would affect, contrary to the publick appointment of the Church.

If some Bishops pleased themselves in using such outward and en∣joyned Ceremonies, beyond what was ordinary to some men, yet cer∣tainly a thousand decent and innocent Ceremonies, such as those enjoyn∣ed by the Church of England were declared to be, do not amount to one Popish Opinion; nor are they so heavy as one popular & erroneous Principle, which tends to Faction, Licentiousnesse and Profanenesse. Ceremonies may possibly be thought superfluous, because not of the substance of the Duty; but they are not to be charged as superstiti∣ous where the Devotion of the heart is holy, and the Duty is sin∣cerely performed for the Essentials of it, as it is instituted by Christ, & enjoyned by the Word of God, who hath left the ceremonious part of Religion, more or less, very much to the prudence of his Church, ac∣cording to the several forms and customs of civil respect and decency used in the world; which St. Austin and St. Ambrose with all the Ancients declare, placing no further Religion in any Ceremony of humane invention and use, than it served aptly to excite or express inward sincerity of Devotion, and an outward conformity to the decent customs of any Church: Which keeping to the Truth, Faith and ho∣ly Institutions of Christ, for the main, were not blameable for that variety of Ceremony, which was and might be observed without any damage to Truth, or breach of Charity.

As to the maine charge then, that Bishops in England were Popish, that is warping from the Reformed Doctrine of the Church of Eng∣land, as it was and is stated opposite to the Romish errors and corruptions, I do believe that the Bishops of England were in all Ages since the Reformation, and in this last, as much removed, and as free from Pope∣ry, as the most rigid censors of them, who dare accuse every man for Popish, who is not boyled up to the same superstitious height and Ce∣remonious Antipathy with themselves, or who do not presently adopt every mans new fancy, opinion and form of Religion, (though private, forraine and impertinent to us) rather than the publick Authority and

wisdome of the Church of England in its religious determinations and injunctions; which were not more Moderate than Orthodox, Or∣derly and Comely, not partaking of the Romish contagion, though it did not abhor the Romane or any Christians Communion, so far as Rome kept any Communion with Jerusalem, I meane with the Primitive, Catholick and true Church of Christ.

I do not pretend to search the hearts of any Bishops, nor (it may be) should I have approved some things which some of them said or did, as to the unseasonablenesse, rigor and excesse: yet this I affirm, that those men must have foreheads of flint, hearts of brasse, and pens of Iron, who dare to charge with Popery any one of those ex∣cellent Bishops whom I have mentioned with honor; besides many more whom I have omitted, who better knew the true Medium of Religion and Measures of Reformation, between Superstition and Profanenesse, Affectation and Irreverence, Indevoutnesse and Rudenesse, than any of their fiercest opposers and unjust de∣stroyers.

And since I have thus far undertaken, not the Patrociny (which is a work far above me) but such a parentation at the Funerall of my Fa∣thers as may (I hope) not misbecome me, I shall further adventure to do so much right to some Bishops, to whom I was most a stranger, as to this foule suspicion of Popery, which being first fixed upon them, was easily diffused to all the Bishops of England, by the won∣ted spreading of all envious and evil reports, which easier find en∣tertainment in mens hearts and tongues, than any that are good: For these seem to men to lessen themselves by commending others; the others help either to cover or excuse mens own faults, or to set off their seeming zeal and vertues.

The first and greatest was the last Archbishop of Canterbury, who was by many suspected and charged not onely as Popishly affected himself, but as a poysoner of the whole streame and current of the Reformed Religion in England; at last he was treated either as a He∣retick or a Traitor, or both, to Church and State.

It becomes not me to sentence either the sentenced, or sentencers that adjudged him to death, his and their judgement is with the Lord; onely as to the aspersion of his being Popish in his judgement (which reflected, in the repute and event, upon all the Bishops of Eng∣land,) truly his own Book may best of any and sufficiently, vindi∣cate him to be a very great Antipapist: great, I say, because it seemes by that Learned dispute, that he dissented from Popery not upon po∣pular surmises and easie prejudices, but very learned and solid grounds, which true Reason and Religion make good, agreeable to the judgement of the Catholick Church in the purest and best times. And in this the Archbishop doth, to my judgement, so very impar∣tially weigh the state and weight of all the considerable differences between the Papists and the English Protestants, (not such as are simple, futile and fanatick, but learned, serious and sober) that he neither gratifies the Romanist, nor exasperates him, beyond what is

just; neither warping to a novel and needless super-reformation, which is a deformity on the right hand, nor to a sub-reformation, which is a deformity on the left, but keeping that golden Meane which was held by the Church of England, and the greatest defenders of it.

As to his secret designe of working up this Church by little and little to a Romish conformity and captivity, I do not believe he had any such purpose or approved thought; because, besides his decla∣red judgement and conscience, I find no secular policy or interest which he could thereby gaine, either private or publick, but rather lose much of the greatnesse and freedome which he and other Bi∣shops with the whole Church had: without which temptation no man in charity may be suspected to act contrary to so cleare con∣victions, so deliberate and declared determinations of his conscience and judgement in Religion, as the Archbishop expresses in that very ex∣cellent Book.

I am indeed prone to think, that possibly He wished there could have been any faire close or accommodation between all Christian Churches, (the same which many grave and learned men have much desired:) And it may be his Lordship thought himself no unfit instru∣ment to make way for so great and good a work, considering the eminencies of parts, power and favour which he had. Haply he judged (as many learned and moderate men have) that in some things between Papists and Protestants, differences are made wider, and kept more open, raw and sore than need be, by the private pens and passions of some men, and the interests of some little parties, whose partial policies really neglect the publick and true interest of the Ca∣tholick Church and Christian Religion, which consists much in peace as well as in purity, in charity as in verity: he found that where Papists were silenced and convinced in the more grand and pregnant disputes, (that they are novel, partial, and unconforme to the Ca∣tholick Church in ancient times; as in the Cup withdrawing, in the peremptory defining of Transubstantiation, in publick Latine prayers, such as common people understand not what is prayed or said, in praying to Angels and Saints, in worshipping Reliques and Images with divine worship, in challenging of a Primacy of Divine Power and Jurisdiction to the Bishop of Rome over all, in their ad∣ding Apocryphall Bookes to the proper and ancient Canon of the Scri∣pture, in their forbidding marriage to the Clergy, and the like) when in these points the Romanists were tired, discountenanced and convin∣ced, then he found they recovered spirits, and contested afresh a∣gainst the unreasonable transports, violences and immoderations of some professing to be Protestants, who, to avoid Idolatry and Su∣perstition, run to sacriledge and rudeness in Religion, denying many things that are just, honest, safe, true and reasonable, meerly out of an (〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉) excessive Antipathy to Papists. Hence some are run so far that they will have as no materiall Churches built, or used, or con∣secrated, so no Liturgy, never so sound, solemn, and easie to be un∣derstood;

so as no Bishops, never so holy and Orthodox, so no Ministers rightly ordained by them, no orderly Ceremonies or decent Rites whatsoever used by the Papists, though they first had these from those Churches which were yet beautifull and pure in their Pri∣mitive health and integrity.

The truth is, it would make a wise man mad to fall under the sini∣ster censures and oppressions of all vulgar opinions, who still urge in things indifferent that unsociableness which is between light and darkness, truth and error, Reformation and Superstition, never su∣specting themselves for superstitious in being so Anticeremonious, Antiliturgicall and Antiepiscopall: nor are they jealous lest any thing that hath the heat of their zeal might want the light of true judgement, and be like a Taylors goose or pressing iron, hot and heavy enough, but neither bright nor light, neither seeing nor shining. Truly I find the calmeness and gravity of sober mens judgements is prone to improve much by Age, Experience, & Reading of the An∣cients, hereby working out that juvenile leaven and lee, which is prone to puffe up and work over younger spirits and lesse decocted tempers in their first fervors and agitations. Possibly the Archbi∣shop and some other Bishops of his mind did rightly judge, that the giving an enemy faire play by just, safe and honorable concessions, was not to yield the cause or conquest to him, but the more to con∣vince him of his weakness; when no honest yieldings could help him any more, than they did indamage the true cause or courage of his Antagonist.

For my part, I think the Archbishop of Canterbury was neither Calvinist, nor Lutheran, nor Papist, as to any side and partie, but all, so far as he saw they agreed with the Reformed Church of England, either in fundamentalls, or innocent and decent superstructures: yet I believe he was so far a Protestant and of the Reformed Religion, as he saw the Church of England did protest against the Errors, Cor∣ruptions, Usurpations and Superstitions of the Church of Rome; or against the novel opinions and practises of any party whatsoever. And certainly he did with as much Honor as Justice so far own the Authentick Authority, Liberty and Majesty of the Church of England, (in its Reforming and Setling of its Religion,) that he did not think fit any private new Masters whatever should obtrude any Forraine or Domestick Dictates to her, or force her to take her Copy of Religion from so petty a place as Geneva was, or Francfort, or Amsterdam, or Wittenberg, or Edenborough, no nor from Augsburg or Arnheim, nor any Forraine City or Town, any more than from Trent or Rome, none of which had any Dictatorian Authority over this great and famous Nation or Church of England, further than they offered sober Counsels, or suggested good Reasons, or cleared true Religion by Scripture, and confirmed it by good Antiquity, as the best inter∣preter and decider of obscure places and dubious cases. Nor did his Lordship esteem any thing as the voice of the Church of England, which was not publickly agreed to and declared by King and Parla∣ment,

according to the advice and determinate judgement of a Na∣tionall Synod and lawfull Convocation convened and approved by the chief Magistrate, which together made up the complete Repre∣sentative, the full sense and suffrage of the Church of England. His Lordship (no doubt) thought it (as indeed it is) a most pedling, partiall and mechanick way of Religion, for any Church or Nation, once well setled, to be swayed and tossed to and fro by the private opinions of any men whatsoever, never so godly, contrary to Publick, Nationall and Ecclesiasticall Constitutions; which carried with them, as infinitely more Authority, so far more maturity, prudence and impartiality of Counsel than was to be found or expected by any wise men in any single person, or in any little juncto's of Assemblies, or select Committees of Lay-men whatsoever.

And truly in this I am so wholly of his Lordships opinion, that I think we ha••e in nothing weakned and disparaged more our Reli∣gion, as Reformed in England, than by listning too much to, and cry∣ing up beyond measure, private Preachers or Professors, be they what they will for their grace, gifts or zeal; who by popular insi∣nuations here and there aime to set up with great confidence their own or other mens (pious it may be, I am sure) presumptuous novel∣ties, against the solemn and publick Constitutions or determinations of such a Church as England was. These, these agitations and ad∣herencies have undermined our Firmeness and Unity by insensible degrees. What was Luther, or Calvin, or Zuinglius, or Knox, or Beza, or Cartwright, or Baines, or Sparkes, or Brightman, (not to dispa∣rage the worth which I believe was really in any of them or their Disciples) to be put into the balance against the whole Church of England, when it had once Reformed and setled it self to its content, by joynt Counsel, publick consent and supreme Authority? Which hath had in all Ages, and eminently since the Reformation, both Bi∣shops and other Ministers of its Communion, no way (singly) inferi∣our to the best of those men, and joyntly far beyond them all; whose concurrent judgment and determination I would an hundred times sooner follow, than all, much more any one of those men: yea possibly I could name some one man, whom I might without injury prefer to any one of those fore-named persons; such was Melanchthon abroad, and such was our Bishop Jewel at home. And indeed the Church of England had (blessed be God) so many such Jewels of her own, that she needed not to borrow any little gems from any for∣reigners; nor might any of them, without very great Arrogancy, Vanity and Imodesty (as I conceive) seek to strip her of her own Ornaments, and impose theirs upon her or her Clergy.

Which high value, it is probable, as to his Mother the Church of England and her Constitutions, was so potent in the Archbishop of Canterbury, that, as he thought it not fit to subject her to the insolen∣cy of the Church of Rome, so nor to the impertinencies of any other Church or Doctor, of far less name and repute in the Christian world. No doubt, his Lordship thought it not handsome in Mr. Calvin to

be so far (〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, rather than 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉) censorious of the Church of England, as to brand its devotion or Liturgy with his tole∣rabiles ineptiae, who knew not the temper of the Nation, requiring then not what was absolutely best, but most conveniently good: and such not onely the Liturgy was, but those things which he calls tole∣rable toyes.

This charitable sense I suppose I may justly have of this very active and very unfortunate Prelate, as he stood at a great distance from me, and eminence above me; against whom I confess I was prone in my greener years to receive many popular prejudices, upon the com∣mon report and interpretation of his publick actions. In one of which I was never satisfied, as to the Piety or Policy of it; that when his Lordship endeavoured to commend the Liturgy of England to the Church of Scotland, (which was a worthy design, as to the unifor∣mity of Devotion) yet he should affect some such alterations as, he might be sure, like Coloquintida, would make all distastful. Such was that in the Prayer of Consecration and Distribution at the Lords Supper, which was after the old form of Sarum, and expunged by our Reformers as too much favouring Transubstantiation; besides some other changes in that and other things, of which possibly his Lordship could give a better reason than I can imagine, or have yet heard.

Toward his decline I had occasion to come a little neerer to his Lordship; where I wel remember, that a few daies after his first con∣finement, when he seemed not at all to despaire of his innocency or safety, having occasion to wait on him, and being not onely a stran∣ger wholly to him, but under some prejudice with him, as to some relation I then had, yet he was pleased, after some accesses to him, to invite me to some freedom of speech, asking me (among other things) what the sense of people generally was of him and his actions. I freely told him, the vulgar jealousies and reports were, that his Lordship, by secret approches, did seek to betray the Reformed Church of England to the Roman Correspondency and Communion; which was so tender and just an apprehension in all people, out of their zeal to their Religion, that I humbly conceived it were great wisdome to avoid all suspicion of it. Nor did it seem an hard matter so to do, in waies, as much to Gods glory and the Churches Honor, so lesse ex∣posed to peoples jealousie or obloquy; common people being easily won or lost by persons of publick place and eminent Authority, whose actions as they could not be hid, so their wisdome or weak∣ness would be exposed to every censurer, according to that party and side which he most adopted or opposed.

I added, that people were not taken generally so much with grand and severer vertues, as with things more plausibly and seasonably, yet piously and prudently, adapted to their capacity as well as their good; that as they were not to be unworthily humored, so nor too roughly neglected or offended; that it was much easier not to raise, than to allay the Spirit of jealousie in the Populacy; that it was no

hard matter for a good and great man honestly to make himself gra∣cious with the best and most people, by doing them as much good as they could expect, without any wresting of his or their consci∣ences, without diminishing his lawfull Authority, or their ingenuous Liberties; that in some cases and posture of times, a wise man was not bound to do people more good than they would or could bear, nor was he to surfeit and tire them by over-driving them to better pasture; that it was possible to serve the times, and yet to serve the Lord, as the Pilot, that in a rough Sea humors the winds and waves, yet saves himself, his ship and goods; lastly, that it was no hard matter for his Lordship, and other Bishops of great parts and prefer∣ments, to out-do in Preaching, Praying and well-doing all those that most maligned Episcopacy.

To this purpose I took the boldness sometimes to speak to his Lordship; which as he heard at first with something a severer brow, so he at length very gravely and calmly thus replied: Protesting with a serious attestation of his integrity before Gods Omniscience, that however he might mistake in the mean and method, yet he never had other design than the Glory of God, the Service of his Maje∣sty, and the good Order, Peace and Decency of the Church of England: that he was so far from complying with Papists, in order to confirm them in their errors, that he rather chose such methods to advance the honour of the Reformed Religion in England, as he believed might soonest silence the cavils of fiercer Papists, induce the more moderate Recusants to come in to us, as having less visible occasion given them by needless distances and disputes to separate from us; which he thought arose much from that popular Variety, Incon∣stancy, Easiness, Irreverence and Uncomeliness, which might easily grow among us in the outward profession of Religion, for want of exact observing such uniformity and decency in Religion, as were re∣quired by the Laws and Canons of this Church and State. He added, that he had (further) a desire, as much as he could, to relieve the poor and depressed condition of many Ministers, which he had to his grief observed in Wales and England, where their discouragements were very great, by reason of the tenuity and incompetency of their Livings; that in his Visitations he had sometimes seen it with grief, among twenty Ministers not one man had so much as a decent gar∣ment to put on, nor did he believe their other treatment of life was better; that he found the sordid and shameful aspect of Religion and the Clergy gave great advantages to those that were Popishly in∣clined, who would hardly ever think it best for them to joyn with that Church which did not maintain either its own Honour or its Clergy to some competency and comeliness.

Much more discourse his Lordship was pleased to use at several times to this purpose, which commands my charity to clear him, as far as I can judge, of any tincture of Popery, truly so called, or of any Superstition, which placeth a Religion in the nature and use of that thing which God hath not either particularly commanded, or in

general permitted. I suppose he thought that where God hath al∣lowed to his Church and to every private Christian, (so far as may consist with the Churches good Order and Peace) a liberty of ceremo∣nious and circumstantial decency as to Gods worship, there neither himself was to be blamed, nor did he blame other men, if they kept within those discreet and inoffensive bounds which either the Churches publick Peace required, or its Indulgence to private Chri∣stians permitted. And thus I leave this Archbishop to stand or fall to his and our great Master, who will judge our confidences and infirmi∣ties according to our sincerity. Doubtless this Prelate had more in him of Charity, Liberality, Munificence and Magnificence (as ap∣pears by the works he undertook to found, to build or to repair) than ever I saw in any of those who are the having and getting, not the giving enemies to Episcopacy.

And what if I have the like Charity for Bishop Wren? to whom I am wholly a stranger, further then I have sometime heard him preach, with great evidence of pregnant Intellectuals, set off with no∣table Learning and Acute Oratory. I never heard that he was actually charged, or judicially convinced of any one Tenet or opinion that was formally Popish. I know his Lordship was terribly decryed, as if he had stung his Diocese, both Ministers and people, with serpents, (as Hannibal did the Romanes in a Sea-fight with the Bithynians) when some thought he onely rubbed some tenderer skins with nettles; which might sting them shrewdly, but they could not deadly ••••yson them: for, mustering up, as it seems, all that his Lordship found in the old Injunctions or new Canons of the Church of England, (ra∣ther abolished many of them by disuse, than legally repealed) his Visitation-articles seemed as an Army of Ceremonious punctillo's; which he urged and exacted beyond what had been wonted, judging them to be as Bees, which might each of them bring a little wax or hony to the hive of Devotion, when others took them to be either as Flies, that did onely buz and fly-blow Religion, or as Wasps and Hornets, which stung so grievously some tender consciences, that many of them (as the Canaanites of old) were driven by them out of this good land, to seek their liberty and ease in horrid and desolate plantations.

I confesse, things of this nature, which being obsolete are urged afresh upon the publick practise of Christians in Religion, ought (as I conceive) to have their revived and renewed Authority from the joynt Counsell, pblick prudence and consent of the Nation, else rigorous remedies, even of disorders, may prove worse than the supposed or reall diseases. For many antiquated Ceremonies in Re∣ligion, though they be not quite worne out, yet, as garments long agoe made and now out of fashion, are rather to be kept as Monu∣ments in the Wardrobe and Records of Religion, than to be on the suddaine put upon mens backs, and urged to be worne; especially when they seem antique to the most, and uncomely by their unwon∣tedness to be commonly worne, though the stuffe be never so good, and the state of them not unhandsome.

Although all these might not amount to any thing that is proper∣ly Popery, no more than a thousand shadowes can make one substance or body, yet many did judge them as a cumulative kind of Popery, which cloyes Religion with such a Masse of needless Ceremonies, that it is like a tree too much over-growne with mosse, even to a barrenness; or like a garment not adorned and set off, but wholly hidden, in∣cumbred and buried with a superfluity of lace: which is either a great Prodigality, or as great a Vanity and Affectation (especially considering the matronely gravity which best becomes Christian and Reformed Religion,) as that sancy was of our Henry the Fifth, who when he was Prince of Wales, came one day to the Court and his Fathers pre∣sence with a suite all cut and embroidered with oilet-holes, having a needle hanging out of every hole, that he looked more like a Porcupine than a Prince. But as that Prince afterward proved a very brave King, very pious and valiant, besides successfull, (which adds much to any Princes piety in the opinion of common people,) when he left his need∣less needles, & betook him to his Victorious Sword; so it is probable this Bishop, if he had received so grave an admonition as the wisdome and meekness of a Parlament could have given him and other Bishops of his mind, would easily have amended any such luxuriancy of Ceremo∣nious observations; which if they would be a meanes to induce any ju∣dicious Papists to change their opinion as to these points of Doctrine which most divide us and them, truly it were a very great unchari∣tableness in us, not to comply very far with them in whatever the Church commands as innocent and decent ceremonies. But sure they must be very silly birds, and scarce worth the catching, which will be taken onely with the chaffe of ceremonies or pictures in a case of Religion, (which so highly concernes their consciences and salvation) so as to change their side upon these formalities, untill their judgement in the maine matters of Doctrine be convinced and satisfied: nor do I know how we can well lay such strong lime-twiggs among such chaffe as would hold any Papists firme to our par∣ty and perswasion. Not that I would have them scared or scandalized the more against us, for want of that reverence and decency which becomes us in the worship of God, and in holy mysteries, by the di∣ctates of Reason, as well as the Indulgences of Religion; but con∣sidering that just and vast distance in some grand points between us and the Papists, as to outward worship, grounded upon inward per∣swasion and devotion, I think it becomes the wisdome and wari∣ness of Protestants, (according to the admirable temper and modera∣tion of the Church of England in its Reformation) as not to deny themselves the use of any things enjoyned as decent, because Papists had abused them, so not to affect by any particular modes to symbolize so far with them, as may confirme them in any thing that we judge Superstitious or Idolatrous. This made many sober men so much strangers to the Policy and Piety of those who so much ur∣ged to set the Lords Table Altar-wise, to adorne it with the Crucifix and other pictures, and to bow with adoration toward it. Though

these might be lawfull in the abstract, yet sure not expedient in that state wherein the Reformed Profession stands opposite to the Papists superstitious veneration of a Creature transubstantiated to a God. Though I have no conscience of duty toward an Idol, so as to worship it, but onely to the true God, who is every where; yet I think it best for me not to go into an Idols Temple, there to worship the true God, when I may do it other-where, without any such appearance of evill, or scandall to those that see me, and know my principles against it.

But as to the true and real discriminations between the Religion of the Church of England and Popery in Doctrine, I conceive the best di∣mensions of this Bishop are to be taken, by those that are wholly stran∣gers to him, as I am, by that notable Book which was lately published and dedicated to his Lordship by Dr. Cosins, his well-known friend and successour, than whom no man ever fell under greater popular jealousies for Popish, yet no man it seems less deservedly, as appeared when he came to the Test before the Committee of Lords, who then cleered him as to Mr. Smarts accusations for Superstition; and since that he hath further cleered himself, no man more handsomly, be∣fore the best Protestants in France, where his long exile and sufferings have not so exasperated him as to make him yield any way to the Pa∣pists: yea no man hath at home or abroad been a more stout Defender of the Protestant Religion, as it was established in the Church of Engl. which the testimony of Mr. Daillé, one of the Protestant Ministers at Charenton neer Paris,* 1.8 fully and freely confirms, telling all the world, That they are either beasts or fanaticks who count Dr. Cosins a Papist, from whom no man is really more removed; which his very excellent History touching the Canon of the Scripture fully assures us, being a grand and fundamental point in difference between the Papists and us; wherein he having so irreparably battered and shaken their Apocryphal Babel, by solidly proving the Church of Rome to be erroneous and pertinacious in that point, all sober men will soon suspect her honesty, fidelity, and pretended infallibility in other things which do as little agree with the pristine Practice and judgement of the Catholick Church. Truely it is pitty so great and able a vindicator of the Reformed Religion should longer suffer a pilgrimage among Pa∣pists, being forced to dwell in Mesech, and to have his habitation in the Tents of Kedar, and not have leave to return in peace to his na∣tive Country, of which he hath so well deserved in this learned under∣taking: which piece sure he would not have dedicated (being so An∣tipapistical, that it peels the very bark of the Church of Rome round) to his friend the Bishop of Ely, if he did not intend him a collateral se∣curity, or a vindication from any such aspersion of being either a practi∣cal or dogmatical Papist, wherewith many have more pleased them∣selves, than proved it against that Bishop.

But no Net playes with wider wings or larger bosom than that popu∣lar Drag, which sweeps as it listeth into its bosom all men for Papists, Pelagians or Arminians, who are not just of some mens private opi∣nions

in all things; taking what freedomes and latitudes they please themselves in their opinions and actions, but allowing none to other men, no not in points that admit of dispute, without scratching the Conscience, violating the true Faith, or breaking Christian Charity. It is a wonder of wise and just men, how this Bishop, if he were so evil a doer as was voiced, hath not been long agoe publickly heard, and sen∣tenced according to his deeds, but is punished beforehand by a long imprisonment; when as he was committed to prison, not as his sentence (I think,) but as his security, to be forth-coming at his lawful tryal, to which in eighteen years he hath not been brought.

If then neither of these two Prelates, whose eminency and activity drew so many eyes of envy upon them, were really popish, which was not very probable, when they knew the Prince, whose favour they injoyed, to be so stedfast and able in his judgement against Pope∣ry, as I have oft heard the Earl of Holland and others affirm; I presume the other late Bishops of Engl. upon whom the Tower of Siloam fell, may find so much justice and charity as to be freed from that suspici∣on, and not to be thought greater sinners, as to that particular, than many Presbyterians who joyed most in their destruction.

Never any of them, that ever I heard, gave any occasion to be thought a Papist, except onely the last Bishop of Glocester,* 1.9 Dr. Good∣man, (Vir sui nominis) as some report; a man of good learning and good life, who having suffered in his old age (almost to a distraction) by the storme and distresses of times, (which wet many other men to the skin, but it stripped off the clothes, & flayed off the very skins of ma∣ny Clergymen, and all Bishops especially) was driven, it seems, beyond his pace, & something beyond his patience: for thus provoked beyond all measure and merit (as he thought,) by those who much professed Reformation (and yet so much, in his sense and experience, did de∣form and destroy the Church of England,) it is no wonder, if, dying and dejected, he chose rather to depart in communion with the Church of Rome, than to adhere to the Church of England,* 1.10 which (as Eli∣ah) he thought now decayed and dissolved, (at least as to its visible Order and Polity) if not quite destroyed. Not that he owned (I hope) a communion or Conciliation with the Romane Church as Po∣pish, but as far as it was Christian; not as erroneous in some things,* 1.11 but as Orthodox in many others; from which (as Bishop Bedel saith) no good Christian doth, or ought to separate. And since we hold Baptism among the Papists to be valid, which is the sign of a Chri∣stians new birth, and first admittance to the Churches Catholick Communion, he might hope, that dying in that Communion so far as it was Catholick, would be no hindrance to his admission to the Church in Heaven. At worst, it seems his discontent and despair drove him rather to think of returning to the Confines of Egypt, where he believed there might be found some Bread of life in an or∣derly way of House-keeping, than to dye in the Wildernesse of a Church which was now howling and starving, and self-desolating in his apprehension; that, as Lots Daughters were so far excusable for

their incests with their Father, as they believed all men were destroy∣ed besides, so may this poor Bishop (now made poor, when he had been very rich) have this to plead for his resting at last in the bosom of the Church of Rome, that he knew not any other so visible and con∣spicuous a Church, either fit, or worthy, or willing to receive one that had so long lived a Protestant and a Bishop in the Church of Engl. and was now no longer permitted either to live or dye, either a Protestant or a Bishop, according to the constitution of the Church of England; from which at its best, many of those have more se∣parated themselves living and dying, who are the sharpest Censurers of this Bishop for dying a Papist, which is but a greater kind of Se∣paratist from the Church of England and the Church Catholick in some Opinions and Practises. But I have done with this Bishop, who was dying most declared, and with the other two, who living were most dubious and ambiguous, in the censures of the world, as to their Re∣ligion. What their Morals, Prudentials or Devotionals were, (who had so long and so great an influence of power and favour) I must leave to the Supreme Judicature of God above them, and that sub∣ordinate or lower Bench of their Consciences within them. If we should take their dimensions by the successes and events, truly they have been very unhappy: after-Counsels are prone to think it had been easie to have prevented such calamities; but the race is not to the swift, nor the battail to the strong. Though true Piety is alwayes the best Policy, yet it is not alwayes attended with Prosperity. No doubt the sins of all sorts were ripe for wrath, and in common cala∣mities the best may suffer as well as the worst; the afflictions of the first being their tryals, of the second their punishment.

My concern is onely to examine the ground of that Charge cast upon them, and for their sakes upon all our Reformed Bishops, as if ranckly popish, as if Prelacy and Popery were no more separable then Gehezies Bribery and his Leprosie; which I justifie to be as false a calumny as it is foul, and no way becoming the mouths or thoughts of those who aim to judge righteous judgement, or consider the account they must give to God of what they say and do, in truth or falsity, in justice or iniquity. This I am sure, if our Bishops, and many other grave Divines, had no inclination to Popery in their Prosperity, their Adversity might have been a great temptation to them, less to ap∣prove that Reformed Religion, not for which, but from which, they have suffered so hard measure, as untried and unconvicted to be con∣demned, punished, destroyed, beyond any men that lived orderly and peaceably.

Notes

• * 1.1

  A Review of our late En∣glish Bishops.
• * 1.2

  Obj.
• * 1.3

  Answ.
• * 1.4

  Object.
• * 1.5

  Answ.
• * 1.6

  John 10.32.
• * 1.7

  1 Pet. 4.15.
• * 1.8

  Tuus Cosins, imò noster (in∣tercedit enim nobis cum illo suavis amicitia atque familia∣ritas) admo∣dum probatur. Bestiae sunt, & quidem fanati∣ci, qui eum de Papismo su∣spectum habent, à quo vix repe∣rias qui sit ma∣gìs alienus. Ex autogra∣pho test. Dr. Bernardo Hosp. Grai.
• * 1.9

  Vide G. G▪ his Quaeres to Dr. Hack∣well about the Decay of the World.
• * 1.10

  1 Kings 19.10
• * 1.11

  Vide Bishop Bedels Sermon on Come out of her my People.