Ichabod: or, Five groans of the church: Prudently foreseeing, and passionately bewailing her second fall: Threatened by these five dangerous, though undiscerned, miscarriages that caused her first: Viz. [bracket] 1. Undue ordination, 2. Loose prophaness, 3. Unconscionable symony, 4. Careless non-residence, 5. Encroaching pluralities. Humbly presented to her supreme head and governour, the kings most excellent majesty, and his great council, the Parliament of England.

CHAP. II. (Book 2)

The Church of England's resentment of Scandalous Profane∣nesse. (Book 2)

OH you, my Sons, why doe you these things? for I hear of your evil dealings by all this people. Oh, Sirs, m•• God above looks upon you, and is provoked; t••e ble••••ed Angels see you their fellow-servants, (for you are a spectacle to God and Angels) and are grieved; wicked men observe you, and blaspheme God; good men behold you, and are ashamed. Is it for this that you are delivered, that you may work wickednesse? Hath God punished you, and will you yet sin more and more? Will not twelve years sufferings

reform? will not twenty years reproaches awake you? will not miracles of judgement decer you from evil? will not miracles of mercy oblige you to good? Oh, despise you the riches of Gods goodness towards you, not knowing that the goodness of God should lead you to repentance? But after your hardnesse and impenitency of heart, will you treasure up more wrath against another day of wrath? Is this the return you make to a gracious God, to dishonour him? Is this your kindnesse to me, to undoe me? Is this your gra∣titude for the publick favours of King and Parliament to be utterly unworthy? Religion hath honoured you with a high Calling; you betray it: Your Prince vouchsafed you Royal Favours; you shame him; Honest people afford you their pity and compassion; you deceive them. Is this your kindness to your friends?

I saw indeed the late scandalous Centuries, but I negle∣cted them as slanders and calumnies: I heard the late com∣plaints and outcries, but slighted them as I do envy, malice and hatred. Dreadful things were daily suggested against you; great things were daily offered for you: the Faction reviled, the Orthodox maintained you: sober men writ for you; but now you confute them: holy men excused you; but you contradict them: good and great men spoke for you; but who will now believe them? Must you needs ju∣stifie Malice it self? Must you needs justifie what Uncharita∣bleness it self durst not suggest against you? Doe you hear what they say;—There, there go your Ministers? If you he••r not what they say, see what you are: You are the salt of the earth; if the salt now loose its favour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing but to be cast out, and to be troden under foot of men. You are the salt; yet, how unsavoury? you are the light of the world, and do you walk as children of light? are you burning are you shining lights? Oh your carelesnesse, Oh your indiffe∣rency in matter of Religion! Oh how negligently you doe the work of the Lord, while you know God is serious in the Word he speaks, in the Judgements he afflicts, in the Mer∣cies he bestows! When you know Christ is serious in re∣deeming souls, the holy Spirit is serious in sanctifying them, the Devil is serious in undoing them; the whole Creation is

serious round about you. How you Triflle with immortal souls! how you play with the great and terrible work of the Ministrie! how formallie you do pray! how unconcer∣nedlie you do preach! how vainlie and unprofitablie do you discourse! how unevenlie do you walk! What, do you speak for Eternitie? doe you preach for Immortalitie? Are you sent of God? are you here to save souls? and yet Gallio-like, care for none of those things? Wo is me, to see you walk in the counsel of the ungodly, stand in the way of sinners, and sit in the seat of the s••o••nful; whose delight should be in the L••w of the Lord, in whose law you should meditate day and night! What, the same man laugh at Religion, and preach it! the same soul Droll upon serious Holinesse in company, and yet urge it in the great Congregation! What, perswade men to vertue in the Pulpi••, and laugh men out of it in the Parlour! Where is that serious; Holinesse that crowned, that solemn Gravi••ie that adorned, that severe Vertue that advanced my sober Ministers, my Reverend Pastors, and holie men? Where is thy pious Spi••i••, devo••t HALL! where is thy gracious Temper, excellent VSHER! where is thy even and setled Frame, serious HAMMOND! where is thy vertuous 〈◊〉〈◊〉, Famous MORTON! where is thy rationall, well-weighed, and sta••ed soul, O venera••le SANDERSON! In England as in Rama, there is a voice heard, lamenta••ion, and weeping, and great mourning; I as Rachel, weeping for my excellent children: but they are 〈◊〉〈◊〉. Wo is me for your Covetousness. O ye my sons, than you in••••••uct men for another world, yet lo••k not beyond this; t••••e you who are sent to teach men to live by faith should ye•• live by sense; that you who teach faith the ••vidence of th••ngs not seen, should yet eye onlie the things which are seen. Oh shame! self-denyal is the great dutie you enjoyne, self-seeking is the great sin you are guiltie of Love not the world, is one of the most rem••rkable Axiomes of our Religion; Love the world, is the considerablest rule of your lives. I have coveted no mans silver or gold, saith the Apostle: Oh what ••y you? I seek not yours, but you, saith he: I se••k not you, but yours, say yo••, Neither at any time used I a cloak for covetousnesse, God is my witnesse, saith the Apostle: Oh, what you have done, God and men are witness, Give me the souls,

(saith Abraham) take thou the goods: Give us the goods (say you) take you the souls. Is to live to Christ in this sense, thy gain? is to die to him, thy advantage? Alas! Alas!

Oh your debauched courses, (you vile and sordid souls) An holy Calling, and an unholy Life! Spirituall persons, and yet live after the flesh! a clean Garment, and an un∣clean heart! servants of God, and yet servants of sin! re∣verend in your Function, and yet shameful in your Lives! a Minister, and yet given to Wine! a Priest, and yet wan∣ton! in holy Orders, and yet in riotous Disorder! walk circumspectly, and yet reel! a man devoted to the Study and the Closet, in chambering and wantonnesse! conversa∣tion in heaven, and in Ale-houses and Taverns! studie E∣ternity, and yet trifle away time! stand at the Communion of Saints, yet sit down in the company of scorners! Oh these things ought not to be.

Thus vile you are and yet you are proud; thus dishonou∣ring your selves, and yet ambitious. Learne of me (said Christ) for I am meek and lowly: Look upon you, you are proud and Lordly. I made you Ministers for the service of souls, you advance your selves to be Rulers. I taught every soul of you to be subject; you are impatient of subjection. Humility and meeknesse was the glory of my Ministers; haugh••ness and pride is your shame. Were you raised by the favour of God and men lately, to be high now? God remembred, and man pi••ied you in your low estate; God will remember, and man will punish you in your high estate. You humbled your selves, and you were exalted; you ex∣alt your selves, and you may be made low. Oh the pride that composeth your Sermons, that contrives your designes, that fills your thoughts, that for meth your countenances, that 〈◊〉〈◊〉 the Accents and Emphasis on your Words, that o••dereth your Habit, modelle••h your Gestures; that makes you aim at your se••ves in all you do, and forget God; when you should aim at God, and forget your selves. Shall Mini∣sters that bring men to Heaven, live in pride, that cast An∣gels to Hell?

You are proud, poor souls, and ye must be contentious too: Ambass••dours of peace ye are, yet in strife and envie: you profess a Gospel of peace, yet what emulation? what

wr••th? Christ lest peace among you when he went to Hea∣ven, shall he find peace when he returns from Heaven? Oh no: though Religion obligeth you to peace, although divi∣sions have undone us, although Truth be almost lost, the power of Godliness be decayed, good men be grieved I be endangered; though enemies be enc••uraged, and Atheism be promoted by your unhappy differences; yet still you quarrel, still you dispute. Why doe you strive, seeing ye are brethren? Have you not one God? have you not one Faith? have you not one Baptism? have you not one Hope? Oh why do you not keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace? why these jealousies, these fears, th••s•• distances, these bitternesses? I mark them which cau••e divisions con∣trary to the truth and peace; I always owned, and shall avoid them. Bishop Vsher proposed what was moderate, you hearkned not; Bishop Davenant writ peaceablie, you read him not; Bishop Sanderson offered modestly, you regard∣ed him not: many sober men offered healing Principles a∣greeable to the Concessions on all hands, yet they are neg∣lected: God himself united you in your miseries, yet you disagree in your judgements; he joined you in sufferings, yet you divide your selves in his service. O tell it not in G••th, publish it not in Askelon,—that Ministers of the Gospell disagree among themselves, and head and lead their people to disagreements. What, shall a Mini∣ster live and not love? How do you Read? How is it Writ∣ten? Is it not, Follow peace with all men as much as in you lieth, if it be possible? Doe not you read, doe not you preach thus? Oh why do you not live thu••? Yea, there is utterlie a fault among you, that you fall out with your Neighbours. Now there is utterlie a fault among you, That you go to Law one with another, I speak this to your shame, Why do not you rather suffer wrong? why do not you suffer your selves to be defrauded? How preach you? how read you? is it not, that ye resist not evil? and if any man shall sue thee at the Law, and take away thy coat, give him thy cl••ak also. Who is a wise man and endued with knowledge among you? Let him shew out of a good conversation his works with meekness and wisdome: but if you have bitter envy∣ings and strifes in ••our hearts, glorie not, and lie not a∣gainst the truth. This wisdome descendeth not from above,

but is earthlie, sensual and divellish; for where envying and strife is, there is confusion and everie evil work: but the wisdome which is from above, is first pure, and then peace∣able gentle, easie to be intreated, full of mercie and of good works, without partiali••ie, without hypocrisie: and the fruit of righteo••sness is sown in peace of them that make peace.

Well, if you go on professing Religion indifferently, do∣ing the work of God negligentlie; if you carrie on one he a form of godlinesse hypocri••icallie; if you live without the g••ace of God within you prophaneli••; if you live without the fear of God before you looselie; if you live without the love of God uncharitablie; if you live against your pro∣fession shamefully: farwel the most flourishing Church, far∣well Ordinances, farwel Ministry, farwel Comforts, farwel Blessings, farwel our Glorie, farwel our God; and w•• unto us when he is departed from us.

Oh my Sons, hearken to this one Wish; and Oh that it be not my last!—For Gods sake, for your own sake for my sake, for three Kingdoms sake, for our gracious Kings sake for the sake of late Posteritie.

TAKE HEED TO YOUR SELVES.

1. That you want not that grace you offer others; that when you save others, you perish not as Cast-a-ways your selves. Oh feel the power of that Religion you preach, and preach the power you feel: Be what you p••••swade others to be.

2. Take heed to your selves and consider what manner of men ••e ought to be in all holie conversat••on and godliness.

3. Take heed to your selves, that you pull not down with a wicked life what you build up wi••h an holie Doctrine. If there be no such thing as Religion, preach it not; if there be live it; if a l••ose life may be allowed, do not preach a∣gainst it: and if it may no•• be allowed, do not live it; be not deceived, and deceive not others. Doe you know the judgement of God that all that commit such things as you do, are worthy of death? then why do you do them? if not, why do you preach the other? Oh preach exactly, and live exactly: as you think all the week how to speak upon Sun∣day, so resolve upon Sundale how to live all the week. How c••••ious••ie you preach! Oh how carleslie you live!

4. T••ke heed to your selves, and walk wiselie towards them th••t are without; that whereas they speak evil of you, they may be ashamed, considering the nature and end of your conversation.

Oh take heed to your selves: You have many eies upon your infirmities; you have many spectators of your falls, to find, to aggrava••e, and to publish them: God forbid that you should do evil in the eies of the whole world; the good part whereof watcheth on your Vertues, to imitate you: the evil part watcheth on your Vices, to traduce you; you are as lights upon a hill, O walk as in the light.

Take heed to your selves: if not for others, yet for your own immortal souls. Oh preach not of Heaven, and fall short of it: Oh preach not of Hell, and fall into it; of grace and dutie, and yet live without them.

Oh take heed to your selves. Vigilant is your Tempter, great are your tryals, many are your temptations much the opposition you will meet: for weightie is your work: you destroie the power of Satan: you engage the power of hell: Oh take heed to yourselves.

Oh take heed to your selves. You have the same nature with others, but you commit not the like sins with others: the sins that dwell in you are the same with other mens, the sins that are committed by you are greater then other mens: Oh watch th•••• over your evill nature, take care of your great transgressions: 1. Against knowledge, wilfullie: 2. Against your truth, unfaithfullie: 3. Against your professi∣on, hypocriticallie: 4. Against others, verie offensivelie; against the honour of God and his waies, verie dangerouslie; who is blasphemed by the ignora••t and ungodly through you.

Take heed to your selves, that you may be blessed in your undertaking. Let your waies please God, as you hope God will bless your waies.—if not for your own, yet for other mens souls sake take heed to your selves: speak from your hearts to their hearts: be not intangled by sin, that you may be able to speak against sin. Oh do as you preach, that the world may see you mean as you preach.

Oh reverend Fathers, enjoin my wholesome Canons se∣verelie, visit mens live and carriages exactlie, oversee the flocks over which the holie Ghost have made you overseers,

carefullie: Pit••ie Religion that is a dying; pittie me that am decaying; pittie your selves that are again falling. Re∣form my Clergie, and you are safe; neglect them, and you perish: keep up the life and practise of Religion, and that will keep you; if the power of Religion be lost, the profes∣sion of it will; your Galling will fail, your Order will fail; and God knows what will be the end thereof: I fear no∣thing but sin, I want nothing but true grace eminent in all my Ministers, whereby they may plea••e God adorn the Gospel, convince Gainsayers, and reform the world.

Have you not enjoined, That no Ecclesiasticall persons shall at any time, other then for their honest necessities, resort to any Taverns or Ale-houses, neither shall they Bord or Lodge in any such place?* 1.1 Furthermore, they shall not give themselves to any base or servile labour, or to Dri••king or Ryotting, spending their time id••ly by day or night, playing at Dice, Cards or Tables, or any other unlawful Game; but at all times convenient they shall hear or read somewhat of the holy Scri∣ptures, or shall occupy themselves with some other honest study or exercise, alwaies doing the things which shall appertain to honesty, and endeavouring to profit the Church of God; having always in mind that they ought to excel all others in purity of life, and should be examples of the people to live well, and Christianly, under pain of Ecclesiastical censures to be inflict••d with severity, according to the qualities of their offences.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Can. 75.