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. XXIX.

WHat,* 1.1 I beseech you (O noble Englishmen and generous Christians) can you find in this posture of Ministers condition, that hath the least shadow of double honour? what is there here to be envyed? what not to be pi∣tyed, as to the present? what hopes, what help for the future, if your favour, who are persons of piety, ingenuity, honour, compassion, constancie, faile them? If you also forsake them, they are utterly lost, and, as to this world, of all men most miserable. For as to the vulgarity and generality of people, what is there in the best condition of any true Minister, that carryes any thing with it of spirit and life, of comfort and encouragement, of vigour and improve∣ment to those studies and prayers, those pains and parts, those cha∣rities or hospitalities which doe become a Minister, and which peo∣ple expect from them, though they feed them but with pulse, the bread and water of affliction, and make them (with their families) look like Pharaohs lean kine? what almost is there left for their com∣fort, either as to future provision, or present subsistance? By that time their poore pittances are injuriously compounded, and slowly payd by dribbets and with infinite delayes; by that time taxes, tenths, and town-rates are defalked out of their wages; by that time they have satisfied the poor and rich in every Parish, which alwayes ex∣pect, as a right and due from their Ministers, something of charity and hospitality, be their Livings never so small; by that time the upper and the nether milstones, private necessities and publique exacti∣ons, have ground these poore men; alas, how little will be left for necessity, how nothing for conveniency, how lesse than nothing for posterity? You may despaire of any such superfluity as should serve for any such great, good, and generous designs, as the Clergie in former times did effect, both for piety and publique charity. Their Livings, at best, are but for life; and (now) many times upon a ve∣ry verticall point, an arbitrary and uncertain account: Besides, they are many wayes peeled and exhausted beyond any mens estates, pay∣ing not onely civil Taxes and Subsidies for their Tithes, after the rate of Land of Inheritance, but First-fruits also and Tenths, as a Spiritu∣all Tax and speciall mulct upon them. Truly, for my part, I am so far from seeing any cause for men to envy and grudge at Ministers enjoyments, such as they are for the most part, that I rather wonder at many of their subsistence, considering how ill it becomes their breeding and calling, to debase themselves to any sordid and mecha∣nick wayes of gain.

Especially when I consider a further cumulation incident to Mini∣sters miseries, which is, To be oft molested with pedling, peevish, and unhandsome Suits of Law, to which they are compelled by those

that list to be contentious: Ministers not having to this day any such easie, quiet and compendious way to get their wages when they have done their duties, as is daily used in raising the Souldiers payes, or the Poors collections; but the poor Minister, if he will not be ut∣terly impoverished, must ride and run, solicite and engage in tedious and chargeable attendances upon Justices, Committees, Lawyers, At∣torneys: among whom although Ministers find some very just, inge∣nuous, and generous Gentlemen, lovers of Learning, Religion, E∣quity, Order, and of their Mother the Church of England; yet others of them savour so strong of the apron antipathy, of a rustick, mechanick and illiterate breeding, besides that factious and peevish temper which they have lately added to their other perfections, that (in good ear∣nest) the sober and sound Ministers of the Church of England are as unwelcome to them, as cold water is to their feet in winter, or vi∣negar to their aking teeth, or smoke to their sore eyes, which they have (〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉) many wayes and oft expressed by their looks, words, gestures, actions; some of them treating aged, grave, godly, venerable, and most deserving Divines, (much their betters (God and man knows) in all true worth) not onely with rudenesse and petulancy, but with such bitternesse, haughtinesse and disdain, as they would not shew to a Foot-man or Lacquey, related to any per∣son whom they either fear, love or esteem. Herod was civill to John Baptist in comparison.* 1.2 These puffe and swell, they bite and threaten, as Ahab did at Eliah or Micaiah: counting these Ministers, though ne∣ver so supple & humble,* 1.3 tame & trembling before their good Worships, as enemies, because they hold to the Catholick truth; and as troublers of their Israel, because they will not be flatterers of their new fancies in Religion; because they persist in a judicious and consciencious owning their Orders and asserting their Ministry, which is their chiefest honour; because they will not yet fall down and worship the imaginations which some men seek to set up in England; because they follow the Primitive order, constancy and verity, not complying with that ig∣norance, levity, vulgarity, Schisme and Apostasie against the Church of England, wherewith some men are so delighted, without any sense of sin or shame, though never so much against that duty, gratitude, love, honour, estimation and communion which they owed to the Church of England, and the worthy Ministers of it.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Ministers con∣dition not to be envied, but pitied.
• * 1.2

  Mark 6.20.
• * 1.3

  1 King. 21.20 Hast thou found me, O mine enemy? 1 King. 22.8. But I hate him.