A pastoral letter from the four Catholic bishops to the lay-Catholics of England
      
       
         
           1688
        
      
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             A pastoral letter from the four Catholic bishops to the lay-Catholics of England
             Leyburn, John, 1620-1702.
             Giffard, Bonaventure, 1642-1734.
             Smith, James, 1645-1711.
             Ellis, Philip, 1652-1726.
          
           8 p.
           
             Printed by Henry Hills ...,
             [London :
             1688]
          
           
             Caption title.
             Imprint from colophon.
             Signed at end: John Bishop of Adramite. V.A., Bonaventure Bishop of Madaura. V.A., Philip Bishop of Aureliople. V.A., James Bishop of Callipoli. V.A.
             Reproduction of original in Cambridge University Library.
          
        
      
    
     
       
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           Catholic Church -- England.
        
      
    
     
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           A
           Pastoral
           Letter
           FROM
           THE
           Four
           Catholic
           Bishops
           TO
           THE
           LAY-CATHOLICS
           of
           England
           .
        
         
           EPiscopal
           Authority
           ,
           Dear
           Brethren
           ,
           of
           which
           You
           and
           your
           Catholic
           Ancestors
           have
           been
           long
           deprived
           ,
           being
           lately
           ,
           by
           a
           merciful
           Providence
           of
           God
           ,
           and
           the
           Piety
           of
           His
           Majesty
           ,
           restor'd
           unto
           you
           ;
           and
           Our
           Persons
           ,
           tho'
           unworthy
           of
           such
           a
           Dignity
           ,
           made
           choice
           of
           to
           bear
           the
           Weight
           ,
           and
           undergo
           the
           Sollicitude
           annexed
           to
           it
           :
           We
           have
           judged
           it
           proper
           ,
           before
           We
           separate
           Our selves
           in
           order
           to
           a
           discharge
           of
           Our
           Duties
           in
           the
           respective
           Counties
           committed
           to
           Our
           Care
           ,
           to
           join
           in
           a
           common
           Address
           unto
           You
           All
           ,
           hoping
           that
           what
           comes
           thus
           directed
           by
           an
           united
           Application
           ,
           will
           make
           a
           deeper
           Impression
           on
           your
           Minds
           ,
           and
           dispose
           you
           to
           an
           easier
           Compliance
           with
           the
           Fatherly
           Admonitions
           
           which
           every
           one
           in
           his
           particular
           District
           shall
           think
           fit
           to
           be
           made
           unto
           you
           .
        
         
           Your
           Condition
           for
           many
           years
           past
           hath
           been
           such
           ,
           as
           enabl'd
           you
           to
           manifest
           a
           stedfastness
           in
           your
           Religion
           ,
           rather
           by
           suffering
           for
           it
           in
           your
           own
           Persons
           ,
           than
           by
           contributing
           actively
           towards
           the
           planting
           it
           in
           the
           Minds
           and
           Hearts
           of
           your
           Fellow-Subjects
           .
           The
           Exercise
           of
           it
           hath
           been
           private
           and
           precarious
           ,
           tending
           rather
           towards
           the
           Preservation
           of
           it
           in
           your selves
           ,
           than
           a
           Propagation
           of
           it
           in
           others
           .
           But
           now
           you
           are
           in
           Circumstances
           of
           letting
           it
           appear
           abroad
           ,
           and
           of
           edifying
           your
           Neighbors
           by
           professing
           it
           publicly
           ,
           and
           living
           up
           to
           the
           Rules
           prescribed
           by
           it
           .
        
         
           We
           need
           not
           tell
           you
           what
           Obligation
           you
           lie
           under
           on
           this
           Account
           ,
           and
           how
           unjustifiable
           your
           Behavior
           will
           be
           in
           the
           Judgment
           of
           God
           and
           Men
           ,
           if
           it
           be
           not
           conformable
           to
           those
           Rules
           ,
           if
           the
           Liberty
           you
           enjoy
           of
           professing
           your
           Religion
           be
           not
           improved
           into
           Practices
           suitable
           to
           the
           Sanctity
           thereof
           ,
           and
           if
           the
           Truth
           of
           your
           Faith
           be
           not
           manifested
           by
           an
           Exemplarity
           in
           your
           Lives
           .
        
         
           Charity
           ,
           which
           the
           Apostle
           declares
           to
           be
           the
           End
           of
           the
           Law
           ,
           
           is
           the
           Vertue
           by
           which
           your
           Faith
           is
           to
           operate
           ,
           and
           be
           kept
           alive
           :
           Your
           Understandings
           may
           be
           united
           without
           it
           ,
           but
           your
           Hearts
           cannot
           .
           This
           latter
           Union
           is
           that
           which
           maintains
           the
           former
           ,
           and
           renders
           it
           useful
           towards
           obtaining
           the
           End
           for
           which
           it
           is
           bestowed
           upon
           you
           .
        
         
         
           We
           cannot
           mind
           you
           of
           this
           important
           Duty
           with
           words
           more
           expressive
           of
           what
           We
           desire
           ,
           than
           those
           which
           the
           same
           Apostle
           made
           use
           of
           to
           exhort
           the
           Ephesians
           :
           
           
             We
             conjure
             you
          
           ,
           as
           he
           did
           them
           ,
           
             to
             walk
             in
             a
             manner
             worthy
             of
             the
             Vocation
             by
             which
             you
             are
             called
             ,
             with
             all
             Humility
             and
             Meekness
             ,
             with
             Patience
             supportin
             one
             another
             in
             Charity
             ,
             sollicitous
             for
             maintaining
             the
             Unity
             of
             Spirit
             in
             a
             Bond
             of
             Peace
             .
          
        
         
           You
           see
           of
           how
           great
           Concern
           this
           Unity
           of
           Spirit
           is
           unto
           you
           ,
           by
           the
           care
           which
           the
           Apostle
           takes
           to
           have
           it
           well
           guarded
           .
           You
           likewise
           may
           observe
           the
           quality
           of
           the
           Guard
           which
           is
           set
           to
           secure
           it
           .
           The
           imployment
           of
           ordinary
           Guards
           is
           to
           secure
           Peace
           ,
           but
           here
           Peace
           it self
           is
           appointed
           to
           be
           the
           Guard
           :
           Peace
           in
           the
           first
           place
           with
           God
           ,
           by
           an
           entire
           submission
           to
           the
           Orders
           of
           his
           Divine
           Providence
           ;
           from
           which
           connaturally
           follows
           a
           Peace
           within
           your selves
           ,
           and
           a
           Peace
           with
           your
           Fellow-Subjects
           .
        
         
           As
           Peace
           is
           a
           secure
           Guard
           to
           the
           Spirit
           of
           true
           Religion
           and
           Piety
           ,
           
           so
           it
           is
           by
           the
           Apostle
           ranked
           in
           the
           third
           place
           amongst
           the
           Fruits
           of
           the
           Spirit
           .
           The
           Soul
           centers
           in
           God
           by
           Charity
           ,
           and
           finding
           there
           an
           entire
           Satisfaction
           ,
           rests
           in
           Peace
           .
        
         
           Our
           Intention
           in
           exhorting
           you
           to
           a
           Practice
           of
           Charity
           ,
           is
           not
           that
           it
           be
           confin'd
           to
           persons
           of
           your
           own
           Religion
           :
           Such
           confinement
           would
           be
           a
           destruction
           of
           it
           ;
           for
           true
           Charity
           hath
           no
           Bounds
           .
           You
           must
           love
           those
           of
           your
           Religion
           ,
           because
           they
           
           are
           so
           ;
           and
           others
           ,
           that
           as
           they
           profess
           themselves
           to
           be
           Christians
           ,
           they
           may
           become
           Members
           of
           the
           Catholic
           Church
           .
           You
           must
           evidence
           your
           Love
           towards
           these
           ,
           by
           an
           inoffensiveness
           in
           your
           Behavior
           .
        
         
           The
           memory
           of
           past
           hardships
           which
           you
           have
           suffered
           from
           some
           amongst
           them
           ,
           may
           be
           apt
           to
           create
           provoking
           Animosities
           ,
           and
           the
           Liberty
           you
           now
           enjoy
           may
           possibly
           tempt
           you
           to
           insult
           over
           those
           who
           formerly
           abridged
           you
           of
           it
           :
           But
           it
           must
           be
           your
           care
           to
           prevent
           or
           suppress
           all
           such
           irregular
           Motions
           .
           You
           must
           endeavor
           to
           tread
           in
           the
           Footsteps
           of
           our
           Divine
           Master
           ,
           who
           was
           so
           far
           from
           making
           such
           passionate
           returns
           ,
           that
           he
           did
           not
           forbear
           ,
           even
           in
           the
           height
           of
           his
           Persecutions
           ,
           to
           signalize
           the
           Excess
           of
           his
           Charity
           to
           those
           who
           were
           guilty
           of
           them
           .
           
           St.
           Peter
           puts
           you
           in
           mind
           of
           this
           ,
           proposing
           the
           Example
           of
           Christ
           to
           your
           imitation
           ;
           who
           ,
           when
           his
           Enemies
           treated
           him
           with
           most
           outragious
           Language
           ,
           was
           far
           from
           answering
           them
           in
           the
           same
           Dialect
           :
           When
           he
           was
           provok'd
           by
           them
           to
           the
           highest
           degree
           of
           a
           just
           Indignation
           ,
           he
           did
           not
           so
           much
           as
           threaten
           them
           with
           the
           exercise
           of
           his
           Power
           .
           
           The
           same
           Apostle
           leaving
           us
           a
           Character
           of
           true
           Christians
           ,
           declares
           ,
           That
           
             they
             must
             be
             unanimous
             ,
             compassionate
             ,
             Lovers
             of
             the
             Brotherhood
             ,
             merciful
             ,
             modest
             ,
             humble
             ,
             not
             rendring
             evil
             for
             evil
             ,
             railing
             for
             railing
             ;
             but
             on
             the
             contrary
             returning
             Blessings
             to
             those
             who
             treated
             them
             in
             this
             manner
             .
          
        
         
           Now
           if
           in
           quality
           of
           true
           Christians
           you
           ought
           
           to
           live
           up
           to
           this
           Character
           ;
           if
           you
           ought
           to
           make
           it
           good
           in
           the
           most
           provoking
           circumstances
           that
           Providence
           might
           place
           you
           in
           ;
           what
           is
           to
           be
           expected
           from
           you
           in
           these
           which
           at
           present
           you
           are
           favored
           with
           ?
           You
           are
           indulg'd
           a
           public
           Exercise
           of
           your
           Religion
           ;
           a
           great
           part
           of
           the
           Nation
           ,
           whose
           Persuasion
           in
           Points
           of
           Religion
           doth
           differ
           most
           from
           Yours
           ,
           and
           which
           in
           time
           past
           hath
           been
           severe
           upon
           your
           Persons
           ,
           is
           willing
           to
           enter
           into
           a
           Friendly
           Correspondence
           with
           you
           ;
           and
           if
           some
           others
           do
           repine
           at
           your
           being
           Sharers
           in
           the
           Liberty
           which
           themselves
           enjoy
           with
           much
           greater
           Advantage
           ,
           the
           most
           effectual
           means
           to
           convince
           them
           of
           their
           Error
           ,
           is
           to
           edifie
           them
           by
           your
           good
           Example
           .
        
         
           You
           live
           under
           a
           Prince
           of
           your
           own
           Religion
           ,
           to
           whom
           ,
           next
           unto
           God
           ,
           you
           owe
           this
           Felicity
           .
           You
           have
           his
           Power
           to
           protect
           you
           in
           the
           free
           Exercise
           of
           your
           Religion
           ,
           and
           his
           Example
           to
           encourage
           your
           discharge
           of
           this
           Duty
           in
           a
           most
           edifying
           manner
           .
           His
           Majesty's
           assiduousness
           at
           the
           Divine
           Service
           ,
           and
           other
           Functions
           perform'd
           in
           his
           Chappel
           ,
           notwithstanding
           the
           multitude
           of
           weighty
           Affairs
           ,
           which
           might
           frequently
           excuse
           him
           from
           such
           Attendance
           ;
           the
           respectful
           Posture
           in
           which
           he
           performs
           this
           Religious
           Duty
           ,
           and
           which
           argues
           a
           Presence
           of
           Mind
           no
           less
           than
           of
           his
           Body
           ,
           cannot
           but
           invite
           you
           ,
           both
           as
           good
           Catholics
           and
           good
           Subjects
           ,
           to
           a
           Conformity
           with
           so
           Eminent
           a
           Pattern
           .
           What
           business
           can
           dispense
           you
           from
           discharging
           
           these
           Obligations
           ,
           when
           you
           see
           His
           Majesty
           under
           the
           Weight
           of
           the
           whole
           Government
           so
           punctual
           in
           His
           Compliance
           with
           them
           ?
        
         
           It
           may
           seem
           needless
           to
           suggest
           unto
           you
           another
           Obligation
           you
           lie
           under
           ,
           not
           only
           of
           a
           passive
           Obedience
           to
           His
           Majesty's
           Orders
           relating
           to
           the
           Government
           ,
           but
           also
           of
           an
           active
           and
           chearful
           Concurrence
           with
           Him
           therein
           :
           Your
           own
           Safety
           and
           Interest
           being
           concern'd
           in
           this
           ,
           and
           depending
           on
           it
           ,
           are
           sufficient
           Inducements
           for
           your
           endeavoring
           to
           give
           full
           Satisfaction
           in
           this
           Point
           .
        
         
           His
           Majesty
           hath
           been
           graciously
           pleased
           not
           only
           to
           favor
           you
           with
           His
           Royal
           Protection
           ,
           but
           moreover
           to
           honor
           many
           amongst
           you
           with
           a
           share
           of
           the
           Government
           under
           Him.
           He
           hath
           admitted
           you
           to
           Employments
           both
           Civil
           and
           Military
           ,
           from
           which
           by
           the
           severity
           of
           our
           Laws
           you
           have
           formerly
           been
           excluded
           :
           He
           hath
           plac'd
           you
           in
           Circumstances
           of
           manifesting
           to
           the
           World
           that
           it
           was
           neither
           want
           of
           Loyalty
           nor
           Ability
           that
           occasion'd
           your
           former
           Exclusion
           :
           He
           hath
           capacitated
           you
           hereby
           to
           remove
           the
           Prejudices
           which
           in
           former
           Reigns
           your
           Religion
           and
           Persons
           have
           lain
           under
           .
           So
           that
           henceforth
           there
           will
           be
           no
           reason
           to
           apprehend
           your
           being
           Sufferers
           ,
           or
           that
           your
           Fellow-Subjects
           will
           be
           preferr'd
           before
           you
           in
           management
           of
           public
           Trusts
           on
           these
           accounts
           ,
           since
           Religion
           is
           no
           longer
           a
           Bar
           to
           your
           Preferment
           .
        
         
           We
           therefore
           earnestly
           desire
           those
           amongst
           you
           
           who
           are
           already
           in
           Offices
           ,
           so
           to
           behave
           themselves
           in
           them
           ,
           that
           neither
           His
           Majesty
           may
           have
           occasion
           to
           repent
           ,
           nor
           His
           other
           Subjects
           to
           repine
           at
           the
           Choice
           he
           hath
           made
           of
           them
           .
           We
           exhort
           those
           who
           are
           not
           yet
           in
           public
           Employment
           ,
           to
           bear
           their
           Lots
           with
           Modesty
           and
           Patience
           ,
           without
           Murmuring
           or
           Envy
           .
           We
           conjure
           you
           all
           to
           abstain
           from
           speaking
           or
           acting
           any
           thing
           that
           may
           seem
           to
           have
           the
           least
           indecent
           reflection
           upon
           the
           Government
           .
           The
           Councils
           of
           Kings
           are
           Sacred
           ,
           as
           well
           as
           their
           Persons
           ;
           and
           it
           is
           a
           kind
           of
           Sacrilege
           in
           Subjects
           to
           be
           too
           bold
           with
           either
           :
           Their
           Duty
           is
           ,
           not
           to
           approach
           their
           Persons
           but
           with
           respect
           ,
           nor
           discourse
           of
           their
           Councils
           without
           submission
           .
           
        
         
           
             Let
             every
             Soul
          
           (
           We
           speak
           to
           you
           again
           in
           the
           words
           of
           St.
           
             Paul
             )
             be
             subject
             to
             Higher
             Powers
             ;
             for
             there
             is
             no
             Power
             but
             of
             God
             ,
             and
             those
             that
             be
             ,
             are
             ordained
             of
             God
             :
             Therefore
             he
             that
             resisteth
             Power
             ,
             resisteth
             the
             Ordinance
             of
             God
             ;
             and
             they
             who
             resist
             ,
             do
             purchase
             to
             themselves
             Damnation
             .
          
           What
           in
           this
           Text
           of
           the
           Apostle
           is
           said
           of
           Higher
           Powers
           ,
           must
           be
           understood
           not
           only
           of
           the
           Supreme
           Authority
           which
           is
           seated
           in
           the
           King's
           Person
           ,
           but
           proportionably
           also
           of
           that
           which
           His
           Majesty
           is
           pleas'd
           to
           impart
           to
           His
           Ministers
           of
           State
           ,
           and
           other
           Magistrates
           in
           their
           respective
           stations
           .
           It
           is
           the
           King
           that
           acts
           principally
           in
           ,
           and
           by
           those
           Subordinate
           Officers
           :
           His
           Royal
           Character
           being
           stampt
           upon
           them
           ,
           challengeth
           respect
           from
           the
           rest
           of
           His
           Subjects
           ,
           and
           renders
           their
           failings
           therein
           a
           
           Trespass
           in
           some
           measure
           against
           Majesty
           it self
           .
        
         
           Having
           thus
           minded
           you
           of
           the
           general
           and
           more
           substantial
           Duties
           incumbent
           on
           you
           ,
           We
           do
           not
           judge
           it
           either
           necessary
           or
           proper
           to
           descend
           at
           present
           to
           such
           others
           as
           are
           of
           a
           more
           special
           Nature
           :
           Occasions
           hereafter
           will
           not
           be
           wanting
           of
           inculcating
           these
           ,
           when
           We
           enter
           upon
           Our
           respective
           Provinces
           ,
           where
           We
           are
           to
           dedicate
           Our
           Labors
           to
           your
           Spiritual
           Improvement
           ,
           and
           where
           We
           hope
           to
           find
           such
           Dispositions
           ,
           as
           by
           rendring
           Our
           Pastoral
           Sollicitude
           profitable
           to
           you
           ,
           
           may
           make
           it
           easie
           and
           comfortable
           to
           Our selves
           .
           Pray
           for
           Us
           :
           
             And
             the
             God
             of
             Peace
             ,
             who
             brought
             out
             from
             the
             dead
             the
             great
             Pastor
             of
             the
             Sheep
             in
             the
             Blood
             of
             the
             Eternal
             Testament
             ,
             our
             Lord
             Jesus
             Christ
             ,
             fit
             you
             in
             all
             Goodness
             ,
             working
             in
             you
             that
             which
             is
             pleasing
             in
             his
             sight
             .
          
        
         
           
             Your
             most
             affectionate
             Servants
             in
             Christ
             ,
             
               
                 John
                 Bishop
                 of
                 Adramite
                 .
                 V.
                 A.
                 
              
               
                 Bonaventure
                 Bishop
                 of
                 Madaura
                 .
                 V.
                 A.
                 
              
               
                 Philip
                 Bishop
                 of
                 Aureliople
                 .
                 V.
                 A.
                 
              
               
                 James
                 Bishop
                 of
                 Callipoli
                 .
                 V.
                 A.
                 
              
            
          
        
      
    
     
       
         
           LONDON
           :
           Printed
           by
           
             Henry
             Hills
          
           ,
           Printer
           to
           the
           King
           's
           most
           Excellent
           Majesty
           for
           His
           Houshold
           and
           Chappel
           ;
           and
           are
           to
           be
           sold
           at
           his
           Printing-house
           on
           the
           Ditch-side
           in
           
             Black-Friers
             .
             1688.
          
           
        
      
       
         Notes, typically marginal, from the original text
         
           Notes for div A56565-e10
           
             1
             Tim.
             1.
             
          
           
             Eph.
             4.
             
          
           
             Gal.
             5.
             
          
           
             1
             Pet.
             2.
             
          
           
             1
             Pet.
             3.
             
          
           
             Rom.
             13.
             
          
           
             Heb.
             13.