The resigned & resolved Christian, and faithful & undaunted royalist in tvvo plaine farevvell-sermons, & a loyal farevvell-visitation-speech, both deliver'd amidst the lamentable confusions occasioned by the late forreign invasion & home-defection of His Majesties subjects in England / by Denis Granville, D.D., deane & archdeacon of Durham, (now in exile) chaplaine in ordinary to His Majestie ; whereunto are added certaine letters to his relations & freinds [sic] in England shewing the reasons and manner of his withdrawing out of the kingdom ... Grenville, Denis, 1637-1703. 1689 Approx. 352 KB of XML-encoded text transcribed from 89 1-bit group-IV TIFF page images. Text Creation Partnership, Ann Arbor, MI ; Oxford (UK) : 2008-09 (EEBO-TCP Phase 1). 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A42096) Transcribed from: (Early English Books Online ; image set 110636) Images scanned from microfilm: (Early English books, 1641-1700 ; 1739:27) The resigned & resolved Christian, and faithful & undaunted royalist in tvvo plaine farevvell-sermons, & a loyal farevvell-visitation-speech, both deliver'd amidst the lamentable confusions occasioned by the late forreign invasion & home-defection of His Majesties subjects in England / by Denis Granville, D.D., deane & archdeacon of Durham, (now in exile) chaplaine in ordinary to His Majestie ; whereunto are added certaine letters to his relations & freinds [sic] in England shewing the reasons and manner of his withdrawing out of the kingdom ... Grenville, Denis, 1637-1703. [8], 27, [6], 7-26, [6], 30, 57 p. : port. By William Machuel ... for John Baptiste Besongne ... and are to be sold by Augustin Besongne ..., Printed at Roüen : M. DC. LXXXIX [1689] Frontispiece portrait of author. Includes manuscript notes: 10 p. at beginning and 2 p. at end. Numerous errors in paging. Errata: p. [6]-[8] at beginning. Imperfect: print show-through. Reproduction of original in the Bodleian Library. Created by converting TCP files to TEI P5 using tcp2tei.xsl, TEI @ Oxford. Re-processed by University of Nebraska-Lincoln and Northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. Gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. EEBO-TCP is a partnership between the Universities of Michigan and Oxford and the publisher ProQuest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by ProQuest via their Early English Books Online (EEBO) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). The general aim of EEBO-TCP is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic English-language title published between 1473 and 1700 available in EEBO. 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Understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of TCP data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. Users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a TCP editor. The texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level 4 of the TEI in Libraries guidelines. Copies of the texts have been issued variously as SGML (TCP schema; ASCII text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable XML (TCP schema; characters represented either as UTF-8 Unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless XML (TEI P5, characters represented either as UTF-8 Unicode or TEI g elements). Keying and markup guidelines are available at the Text Creation Partnership web site . eng Church of England -- Sermons. Sermons, English -- 17th century. Great Britain -- History -- Revolution of 1688 -- Sermons. 2007-10 TCP Assigned for keying and markup 2007-11 Apex CoVantage Keyed and coded from ProQuest page images 2008-01 Elspeth Healey Sampled and proofread 2008-01 Elspeth Healey Text and markup reviewed and edited 2008-02 pfs Batch review (QC) and XML conversion DIONYSIUS GRANVILLE DECANUS DUNELMENSIS . AET. SVAE 54 Beaupoille pinxit G. F. Edelinck Sculp . J●pe●sis Thom●● Hacquet 〈◊〉 h●s pitis sui anno Dom. 1693. Serenissimum Dominum Jacobum Secundum Magnoe Britanioe Regem secutus est in Galliam Anno 1688. Propter fidelitatem Suam Domino Regi , Principe Arausiacensi Coronam Anglioe Vsurpante , deprivātus fuit anno 1691. THE RESIGNED & RESOLVED CHRISTIAN AND FAITHFUL & UNDAUNTED ROYALIST . In tvvo Plaine Farevvell-Sermons , & a Loyal Farevvell-Visitation-Speech . Both deliver'd amidst the Lamentable Confusions occasioned by the Late FORREIGN INVASION & HOME-DEFECTION of his Majesties Subjects in England . By DENIS GRANVILLE D. D. Deane & Archdeacon of Durham , ( novv in Exile ) Chaplaine in Ordinary to his Majestie . Whereunto are added Certaine Letters to his Relations & Freinds in England shewing the Reasons and manner of his withdrawing out of the Kingdom . VIZ A LETTER TO HIS BROTHER THE EARLE OF BATHE . A LETTER TO HIS BISHOP THE BISHOP OF DURHAM . A LETTER TO HIS BRETHREN THE PREBENDARIES . A LETTER TO THE CLERGY OF HIS ARCHDEACONRY . A LETTER TO HIS CURATS , AT EASINGTON ET SEDGEFEILD . Printed at Roüen by WILLIAM MACHUEL , ruë S. Lo , neare the Palace for JOHN BAPTISTE BESONGNE , ruë Escuyer , at the Royall sun , and are to be sold by AUGUSTIN BESONGNE in the Great Hall of the Palace at Paris . In the yeare of our Lord God M. DC . LXXXIX . TO THE READER . THE Subject-matter of these ensuing sheets , concerning Christian Resolution , & Humble Submission to the will of God , in times of distresse , ( according to the example of the holy Patriach Jacob ) & Hearty subjection to the King , according to the Doctrine of the Church of England , & our many Indispensable tyes of Conscience , will , with all those few who truly Feare God & Honour the King , sufficiently a pologize , I hope , for the publication of them , in a Juncture , & an Age , advanced to the highest contempt & defiance both of Loyalty and Religion . That Incensed God , who hath for our manifold provocations , and more particularly ( wee have reason to believe ) for our Carnall Confidence in the Arme of Flesh , & Disobedience to Gods Vice-Gerent , powred out the vialls of his wrath on three Kingdoms , is not like to be appeased , without the serious practice of the contrary Graces , in a manner , as Universall , and generall , as hath been our late notorious Defection towards the King , by an abhorr'd & detestable Violation of the many sacred , & often repeated Oaths , whereby all subjccts were obliged to support his Crowne & Dignity . Such is my sense of what is past , & Dread of Allmighty Gods future Indignation , when I consider that I am ( how weak and unworthy soever ) advanced to a publick station in the Church of England , that I cannot satisfy my selfe , with mourning in secret , but conceive it my indispensable duty to proclame ( after such a Stupendious Revolution ) as soon , & as well , as I am able , to all persons in the Kingdom , my unfeigned Resolution to adhere to my Soveraigne , in his distresse ; least I may , by silence , contribute to the increase of that dangerous Lethargy , which hath seized on the People of England , who , by Resisting , & at length Deserting , their Prince , have Apostatized from their Religion . I have helped , possibly ▪ as litle as any one of my Brethren , or fellow-subjects , in the Nation , to the first growth of this disease , having for six & tuentie years together openned my mouth widely ▪ on Topicks , which would have prevented ( had they met vvith due regard ) our present misery : & for the truth whereof , I appeale to the whole Jurisdiction whereto I have long related . But however I cannot think my-selfe perfectly disengaged to ioyn in attempting the Cure , or , at least , to help on vvhat is , God bee thanked , in some sort begun , & vvhereto the contradictory , & preposterous , proceedings of the Kings enimies have assisted ; I mean to the oppenning the eyes of thousands in England , to see already the madness of their Change , & the Errors of their late method to redresse Grievances ; by labouring to bring their Soveraigne to Termes ( all that vvas aimed at , I do in Charity beleive , by the Church of Englands fallen sons ) and to deliver the Nation from Domestick Evills by calling for Forreigne Assistance . § . The number of souls committed to my charge , in the Cathedrall , in my Archdeaconry , & in the Peculiar Jurisdiction depending on the Church of Durham , are too many , & too considerable , to be forgotten , or neglected by me , now , incapacitated othervvise to Preach to them . Therefore in this low Ebb of Loyalty , vvhen Instances of firme fidelity to ones Prince are so rare , the Dean of Durham , it is hoped , vvill be pardonned , if he sets so much value on his ovvn Example , as to make use of it , as vvell as his vvords & vvritings , tovvards the Extricating the People , vvith vvhose soules hee hath been Intrusted , out of the Labyrinth vvhereinto they are Run , by Non-Compliance vvith their Lavvfull & Gratious Soveraigne , & ready Concurrence vvith a Forreign Usurper , or , at least , tovvards the Hindring them from Running farther yet into it , & remaining stupidly in so sinfull and deplorable a state & condition . This induces me to vvish , that I could bring the last vvords , I spoke to the Clergy & Ecclesiastick Officers of my Archdeaconry , & to the Members of the Cathedrall and Citty of Durham ( contained in the ensuing Discourses ) to the vievv and consideration of the vvhole County & Diocesse ▪ that those , vvho vvere absent vvhen I utterd them , may , as vvell as those present , partake of my poor zeale and endeavours for their spirituall Advantage ; vvhich is all the Returne , I can at present make , for the temporall Benefits I have reaped in that country , during my injoyment of sundry considerable Preferments among them . If such Communication of my ▪ Papers cannot be so soon , & so successefully , effected , as I would , by reason all Intercourse betwixt the Kingdom of England , & this wherein I reside , is stop'd , I am willing , in the meane while , to let the world see , that I am not Idle , or Unconcerned , but do all that in me lyes , towards this honest End , whereby if no proffit accrews to them , or others , I shall ease my mind & deliver my soule . If any are pleased to censure , contemn , or reject my writings , because they find nothing in them Learned , or Elaborate , ot ( where of the Age is over-fond ) Controversial , I desire them to consider , that Polemik Learning & Divinity , are things I never did , nor shall pretend to . And that in the month of November 88. when I spake to the Clergy , & in the first week of December following , when I preached in the Abby , at Durham ( as ill as things did portend ) I little dreamt , that my Soveraigne , or selfe , should be put under an unavoidable necessity to fly in to an other Kingdome ; or that I should be obliged to make use of such meanes , & methods to Evidence my sincerity in my Religion ( the first thing I should strive to Evince to all those to whose spiritual Assistance I administer ) otherwise more 〈◊〉 Regard would had been had to the Penning & Composure . But since I am reduced to such hard circumstances ( whereto , in conformity to my own Doctrine I Heartily submit ) & that the ensuing Discourses , how sleight soever & little worth , in themselves , are abundantly sufficient to demonstrate , that both my Religion & Loya●●y are not of the New Cutt , but of the old Royall stamp , & carry whith them , I trust , the true Touch of the Tower , Providence invites me to exposes them to publick view , being ambitious of nothing in ●●e world more , than to approve my selfe ( in this Day of Rebuke ) to my Soveraigne , & his rigth Loyal subjects , for one who thinks that hee obliged to be as Faithfull to a Roman-Catholick , as a Protestant , Prince , & as true to him in Adversity , as Prosperity . As far any Censures of vanity arising from my Title-Page , as if I did there set forth my selfe à Patterne of humility & Loyalty , they ought not to sway with me so farre , as to stop me , in my Endeavours to be so , or to perswade others to become such , since thereto Heaven , at this tyme , loudly summons all the Nation . This I can truly say , without Pride or Boasting , that I have labour'd to practise , what I have preached to others , & that I was never more , than at this very instant , aspiring towards those Excellent ( but rare ) vertues mentionned in the following discourses , which I commend to Gods Blessing , & the Candid Readers Charity ; desiring all persons in England , who have labour'd , either by Kind Invitations , or Threats of deprivation to prevaile with m● , to returne , & submit to the new Government ; to receive this as my finall Ansver . TO WIT If I be DEPRIVED , I am DEPRIVED ; or to approach a little neaver to the Phrase of Good Father Jacob. IF I BE BEREAVED ( OF MY PREFERMENT , ) I AM BEREAVED . D. G. From my study in Roüen Nov. 15. 1689. ADVERTISEMENT . THE Authour having been necessitated , for the discharge of his Conscience and his own Justification , hastily to print these pieces ( as before mention'd ) in a Forreign Country , where the Printer did not understand the language , and was very little acquainted with the character all persons must understand , that it was not possible to avoid a multitude of faults , in the Orthography & Pointing , as wel as sundry rules observed by Printers in England ; tho● , possibly , upon perusall they wil finde the Errours so inconsiderable , & little hindring the sense , that they will rather wonder ( as doth the Authour ) how the Printer should , all things considered , so well succeed in his Undertaking . ERRATA . SERMONS . PAGE 1. Line 2. requisire for requisite . p. 2. l. 14. out for our . p. 4. l. 5. Hovever for Hovvever . l. 21. libetis for liberis . l. 22 Englist for English. l. 26. perisch for perish . p. 5. l. 5. theve for there l. 36. exptession for expression . l. 37. pieus for pious . p. 6. l. penult . knavv for gnavv . p. 7. l. 19. effectts for effects . p. 8. l. 21. botomo for botomme . p. 9. l. 11. Savioar for Saviour . p. 11. l. 27. necessatily for necessarily . p. 13. l. 5. familiarily for familiarity . l. 16. me● . for men . p. 15. l. ult . vvberedome for vvhoredome . p. 19. l. 9. svvee for svveet . p. 26. l. 30. armed for aimed . VISITATION-SPEECH . PAge 8. Line 7. that repetition for that that repetition . p. 11. l. 27. Stateholder for Stadthouder . p. 13. l. 10. danger for dangers . l. ult . princs for prince . p. 14. l. 7. nee for vve . l. 18. second remaining for second & remaining . p. 16. l. 5. dot for doth . l. 17. Conscience . Excess for Conscience & Eccss . p. 17. l. 22. Incroacment for Incroch●ment . p. 18. l. ult . dvvdls for dvvels . p. 19. l. 2. Horrid vices , are usually for Horrid vices ! usually . p. 21. l. 20. Cerent for Count. p. 22. l. 29. vvhich among for among . p. 23. l. 12. hardhearted Ievves for hard-hearted Ievves . LETTERS . IN the Advertisement . Page 1. Line 26. 〈◊〉 together for together . p. 2. l. 27. on all times for in all places . p. 3. l. 2. n 88. for in 88. l. 3. it for is . The Date , to wit : Rouen Nov. 27. 1689. wanting in the conclusion . TO THE EARLE OF BATHE . PAGE 3. l. 2. 700 for 700 lib. ster . p. 4. l. 15. thd for the. l. 16. entere for entred . p. 5. l. 34. right . So for right , & so . p. 6. l. ●4 . vvith in for vvith his Grace in l. 32. h●vve for have . p. 10. l. ●4 . 40. for 40. lib. ster . l. 35. 40. for 40. sh. p. 29. l. 5. gs for it . TO THE BISHOP OF DURHAM ▪ &c. PAGE 2. l. 18. vvhith for vvith . p. 6. l. 16. vvas for vvere . p. 14. l. 16. tovvn had for tovvn that had . l. 29. so for to . p. 31. l. 3. risdiction for Iurisdiction ▪ p. 43. l. 1. forgoing ▪ pag. 38. for foregoing letter pag. 38. l. 12. bey for they . p. 46. marginal note . l. 3. Dearn's for Dean's . l. 18. the for he . The smaller faults vvith may occur they Reader may easily correct in reading . FINIS . TO THE QUEEN OF ENGLAND . MAY IT PLEASE YOUR MAJESTY . ALLMIGHTY GOD having enabled mee , by his grace , to resist those temptations which have overcome the greatest number of the members of my own Church and Country , and being now incapacitated here a bread to render my Soveraigne , and your Majesty , better service than to owne your Righteous Cause , I think my selfe obliged to give the world a more than ordinary Testimony of my sincere Loyalty and Resolution , in all times and Changes , to adhere unalterably to the Crowne . Having therefore allready sacrificed my Revenue by quitting the Nation rather than submit to the Vsurpation , and exposed my selfe to Censure and Obloquy in that part of England wherein I have Lived , by Refusing to Head , or Ioine with those my dependants there , Ecclesiasticall and Secular , who have departed from their Allegiance , I know of no better and more Convincing Instance yet remaining to bee given by mee of my stedfastness to stick to , and serve , the Royall familie , than to proclame that I dare speake truth here a broad from the Presse as well as from the Pulpit at home , tho every one must fore-know that such an honest Boldness will unavoidably render mee uncapable of the favour and good opinion of all those persons , in the Nation ( High and Low Spirituall and Temporal ) who have Shipwrackt their Faith and Consciences by ceasing to yeild ( after often swearing ) Allegiance and Fidelity to their Soveraigne . And it is easy to fore-see , that the Printing these , and some other Papers , at this time , in mine ovvn name , will thus render mee obnoxious ( as I am Contented to bee ) to all those Builders , who imploy themselves in Erecting a New Monarchy and Church in England . But the Aspersions of them that forsake their Religion , as far as they desert their Lavvfull Liege Lord , ( as I hope the follovving sheets will evidence ) vvill bee no intolerable Load to mee , who desire no greater Honour and satisfaction , than to share with my King , Queen , and hope-full young Prince , in their Misfortunes , and thereby to demonstrate that my poor distressed Mother , in the greatest and most generall defection ( as this seemes to be ) that ever vvas among any King of Englands subjects , vvill never vvant some to bear testimony to the truth of her Doctrine ; vvho , according to the Exemple of Christ and his Apostles , doth maintaine the practice of Allegiance , and intire submission and subjection to all Lavvfull supreme povvers , deputed by God as his Vice-Gerents to Governe the vvorld . Hovv great a contradiction hereof soever , the last years transactions in England have proved ( vvhich hath given the greatest vvound that vvas ever yet given to our Church ) the Doctrine of Non-resistance Remaines on such authentick Record in the Church of Englands Printed Homilies against Rebellion ( vvhich I have in some sort Epitomised in the conclusion of my discourse ) that your Majesty , as vvell as the King , vvil , I hope , bee pleased to continue your Charitie to our Ecclesiastick Constitution , vvith liberty to its members to Exercise their Religion , and thinke no vvorse of the Parent for the disobedience of the Children , but render that Iustice to the Church of England , vvhich is due to all Churches , to vvit , to bee Iudged by her Doctrine , Discipline , and Order ( vvhich I am sure never did carry a long vvith them any Rebellion ) and not by the practice or Conversation of its Members . VVhereby if the vvhole Christian Church vvas to bee Iudged it vvould , in many things , appeare more vile then some parts of the vvorld overrun vvith Turcisme and Paganisme . Offerring to God my most fervent devotions for the preservation and Restoration of the King , the Life and Happinesse of the Prince , and ( out of Gratitude to Heaven ) in a most particular manner for your Majesty , vvho have been Instrumentall to the Greatest blessing vvhich hath been these many yeares conferred on the Kingdom , in bearing and bringing forth an Heir male for the support of the Monarchy , I do , vvith all humility , implore yours , together vvith his Majesties Patronage , as vvell as beg Pardon for this Presumption , and vvith the most profound respect imaginable subscribe my selfe YOUR MAJESTIES , MOST DUTIFULL & EVER FAITHFUL SERVANT & SUBIECT DENIS GRANVILLE . A DISCOURSE CONCERNINC CHRISTIAN RESIGNATION AND RESOLUTION , WITH SOME LOYALL REFLECTIONS ON THE DUTCH INVASION . Preached in the Cathedrall Church of Durham on the 1. Wensday in Advent , & the sunday follovving , being the 5. & 9. of December 1688. By DENIS GRANVILLE D. D. Deane & Archdeacon of Durham , ( novv in Exile ) Chaplaine in Ordinary to his Majestie . TWO SERMONS CONCERNING CHRISTIAN RESOLUTION And Humble Submission to the VVill of God in Tymes of Distresse , on the Holy Patriarch Iacobs Farevvell VVords to his sons at Parting . IF I BE BEREAVED OF MY CHILDREN , I AM BEREAVED . Gen. ch . 43. v. 14. FOR the better Understanding of the Story it Will be requisire to reade the precedent Words from the 11. verse to the text . v. 11. If it must be so novv , do this , take of the best fruites of the Land , in your Vessels , and carry dovvn the man a Present , a little balme , a little honey , spices , & mirrhe nuts & almonds . v. 12. And take double money in your hands : and the money vvhich vvas brought againe in the mouth of your sacks , carry it againe in your hand ; peradventure it vvas an Oversight . v. 13. Take also your Brother , and arise go againe unto the man. v. 14. And God Almicghty give you Mercy before the Man , that hee may send avvay your other Brother & Benjamin : IF I BE BEREAVED OF MY CHILDREN , I AM BEREAVED . THe Approaching Holy Feast of CHRISTS NATIVITY , or Coming in the Flesh , doth Every yeare require , a Solemne preparatory time of Devotion . And that it may not want such due respect the Church takes care in its preceding Exercises . Every Sunday service during ADVENT hath an Eye to that pious End & purpose . In pursuance whereof wee have in this Cathedrall revived an Antient Religious Custome . Two dayes of every week throughout this season , to wit wednesdays & fridays , are Sermon Dayes & dedicated to Prayer & Fasting , to accompany those Exercises of Repentance which are allwayes thought a necessary part of out Preparation . But Gods Impending Iudgements for our sins which at this time threaten Bloud & Confusion , do summon us to add to those exercises , and by some voluntary impositions of Dayly Devotion , & Mortification , to turne this Advent in to A little Lent , giving up our selves wholy to the Exercise of Piety & Prayer , beseeching God that hee will not Enter into Iudgement vvith us , and for our provocations give us up as a Prey unto our Enimies , making us a scorne & derision to them that are round about us . It is lawfull , nay Religious , by Devout Prayer , to Use Violence to the Kingdom of Heaven , and if wee did in this our Distresse betake our selves to so sure a Refuge , making use of the Holy Weapons of the Antient Christians , PRAYERS & TEARES , crowding up to the horns of the Altar , & rendring all our Devotions more prevalent by the vveekly Reception of the Lords Supper , wee that meet in Gods House ( if we came with that spirit Which wee ought ) might do our King and Country better service than those who fight for him in the Field . What hath been said I premise in regard to the present Season of ADVENT and the Ensuing Feastivall of CHRISTMAS , by reason my text doth not respect Either of them , so particularly , as the Storme & Danger Which is imminent , & doth loudly call for the Holy Resolution , asvvell as submission of Pious Jacob. And having so done , I shall ( before I enter on the Words ) Move you to Pray , according to the Canonicall Exhortation of the Church . Yee shall pray for the Holy Catholieck Church of Christ , that is , for the vvhole Congregation of Christian people dispersed throughout the VVorld ; more espetially for the Churches of Great Britaine & Ireland . And here in I am to require you more particularly to pray for our Dread Soudraigne Lord , Iames by the Grace of God King of England &c. Yee shall likevvise pray for our Gratious Queen Mary , Katherine the Queen dovvager , his Royall Higness the Prince of VVales &c. Concluding your Devotions allwayes with the Lords Prayer . Our Father . &c. THe PATRIARCHS were now returned from their first journey Sermon . I into Egypt , and ( as they little thought ) from full-filling their Brother Iosephs dreame . They had Bovved to him , whom they thought they had Robbed of all Honour , and been Fed by him whom they once conspired to Starve . So inviolable is Gods purpose in things to man impossible . OLD JACOB here at first with greatest Joy wellcomes home his weary sons , but excesse of gladnesse is commonly attended on with Greife , & the end of Ioy is Mourning . Whiles hee is yet congratulating their good successe in their Journey , the sad newes of Simeons Imprisonment , silenceth his mirth . Which Greife too is attended on by a greater ; the necessity of his Deare Benjamins going into Egypt . Crosses in Gods Children just like Billowes in the sea follow one on the neck of another . The GOOD FATHER is not lesse troubled vvith this Nevves , than at the sight of Iosephs Bloody Coat , And Cruell Famine pressing violently on him vvee may Conceive him to take up his son Reubens note in the 27. ch . of this Book , and at the 19. v. The Child is not , & vvhither shall I goe ? What shall I doe , miserable man that I am ! My Dearest Rachel is dead , my beloved Ioseph is not , Simeon is not , and can I leave Benjamin also ? I remember my sons , What newes you brought mee of Ioseph , and Should you Doe the like of Benjamin too , You vvould bring dovvn my Grey haires vvith Sorrovv to my Grave . And yet vvoe is mee , I must send him or perish , no redemption of Simeon , no food vvithout Benjamins going into Egypt , and vvithout food no life . I had better venture one than dravv destruction upon my vvhole house . Thus then my sons ▪ seeing it must bee so , On God vvill I rely for your safeties , his Providence bee your Guide , Benjamin shall goe vvith you . Hovever Gods Providence must not stop your diligence , nor his Care for you prevent yours for your selves ; but use all possible meanes to excuse your selves & content the Ruler v. 11. If it must be so novv , do this , take of the best fruits of the Land , in your Vessels and carry dovvne the man a Present , &c. v. 14. And God Almighty give you Mercy before the Man , that hee may send avvay your other Brother & Benjamin , IF I BE BEREAVED OF MY CHILDREN , I AM BEREAVED . I need not stand long on the vvords : the Story is vvell knovvne , and it gives you some light in to the sense & Occasion of them . The Difference betvven Interpreters is more in vvords than substance . Ari●● 〈◊〉 nearest to the Originall , doth translate them , Et Ego qu●modo Orbatus sum , Orbatus sum . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith the Septuagint . Near this S. Ambrose & others , Ego autem quasi orbatus , absque libetis ero . ●●ni●● as allso our late English Translation to the same sense , but more fully render it , Quum Orbatus fuero , Orbatus fuero . IF I BE BEREAVED OF MY CHILDREN I AM BEREAVED . A speeeh , much like to that resolute speeech of Queen Hester . Hest : 4. 16. Quum periero , periero . If I perish , I perisch . S. Chrysostom in his 64. Homily on Genesis , makes Iosephs absence the cause of this speech , as if Iacob had accounted hee had in a manner lost all his Children when hee had lost him . Another will have Benjamin the Cheife motive . Calvin & Musculas put all the brethren for the ground of it , Who seeing their Fathers great care and sorrovv , might themselves be the more carefull in their Journey . Hovv probably soever these seem reasons of his former complaints , in his discourse vvith Reuben at the 36. v. of the ch . immediately before , and vvith Iudah at the 6. v. of this chapcer , Yet , they are no certaine grounds for this Speech . It is the voice of a faithfull soule , saith Luther , and not of a desperate man complaining , for , wee shall find on Enquiry , that it savours more of Constancy than fear . Affection laments , but Faith rejoyceth . Though hee seems to doubt , yet the Event tells us , his Prayer was not without Faith. True indeed a great combat theve was for a tyme , Affection fighting with Discretion , Nature with Necessity , but all this was but ad Luctam , no Conquest ensued . Hee doth but dispute the cause , and forecast the worst . Extreame Power is here conjoyned with Extreame infirmity . VVhen hee vvas vveake , like the Apostle , then hee vvas strong . Gods never failing Spirit contents him at the last , hee puts off all further Care to Gods Providence , resolving to endure what ever happend . As if hee should say , Gods vvill be done . Benjamin shall go with the rest , and I IF I BE BEREAVED OF MY CHILDREN , I AM BEREAVED . You see ( Brethren ) my text is a faithfull submission of a Resolved Patriarch to the VVill of God : A meditation which I recommend to all your most serious thoughts as suitable to this Day of Calamity , & State of Affaires . To improve the same , by rendring it Exemplary to us Christians in Generall , & more particularly by so authentick and Godly a Patterne to perswade you who heare mee to imitate the laudable Resolution of this Man of God ; in parting with your Beloved Benjamins , that is your Dearest Delights in tymes of Temptation , rather than Forsake your Integrity , shall bee the Designe of my remaining Discourse . By the Godly Example of the Good Father Iacob , we may learne in all Adversity , to rely faithfully on Gods merey , to hearken to the voice of right Reason , & to Keep a Good Conscience , without giving eare to Flesh & Bloud ; not doubting if wee doe so , but that we allso , in the Conclusion , like old Iacob here , shall receive a Revvard . The best men are as hee was , lyable to all manner of Afflictions , even to Poverty , Scorn , & Contempt ; yea they may be cast downé , but if they can in Patience ●ossesse their soules , and will wait Gods leasure , they shall rise againe . God backs their Conflicts with irresistable Power . Though Sorrovv , Extreamest Sorrow , endure for a night , Yet Ioy , says the Psalmist , shall come in the Morning . When Israell laments for the absence of all his other sons ; hee is comforted with the recovery of them & Ioseph . A Ioy as far beyond his sorrow , as that before Exceeded his exptession . That I may the more effectually perswade you to such Pieus Resolutions , and faithfull Submissions to the vvill of God. CONSIDER . 1. THe Necessity of them wee must submit our selves to the will of God , according to the Example of Jacob , whensovever wee are , as hee was , afflicted or Tempted . 2. The Quallity or Nature of them . How wee must Submitt our selves . 3. The Benefit Redounding from them , why wee ought to doe it . Which last head , ( the two first affording matter enough for one Discourse , ) I shall reserve for another Sermon . Of these particulars by Gods assistance , ( which I beg at this instant , in an Extraordinary manner ) I intend to treat at this time . Part. I I Shall first shew the Necessity of them , and here I must take my Rise from Nature . So carefull is Nature in providing for her owne safety , that every shaddow of Danger affrights her ; and too Iealous of Adversity oftentimes becomes most dangerous to her selfe ; like the Partridge in the nett , entangles her selfe the more by her own flutterring . Man is never more plunged into the troubled sea of Calamity , than when , in his owne strength hee most struggles to get out of it . It is in vaine for him to fight against Nature . Her degenerated weaknesses beget our greatest miseryes ; and they having so neare a Relation to her , she cannot put them off ! Man may discover , not Expell , them , but ( which is the cheifest misery ) the nearer hee pries into them , the worse , so doing hee makes a new wound , by too deep a search into the Old. Iust as if hee digged in some putrid Grave , or went into some darksome Cell . The Deeper hee digs , the more noysome the Stench , and the farther hee goes the greater the Horrour . In which perplexity hee is made such a slave to his passion , that hee is unfit for any imployment : unsettled in his thoughts , inconstant in his actions ; his whole course of life ( like a skene of ruffled silke ) inextricably entangled in the world , either the losse of wealth , or care of getting it , trouble him . Hee hath no sooner secured himselfe from a forreign Enemy , but a domestick sets upon him . Ambition of Rising , or Feare of Falling , the losse of one freind , or danger of another still knaw upon him , you shall sooner find him not a Man , than not some way or Other distracted . This Continuall Involving of all things , and winding of mens minds vvith them , drove the Stoicks of Old to their Fatum , making , as it vvere , an immutable lavv of Mutability in naturall things . But their ground vvee may bee sure , vvas Pride , not Faith , vvho tho they felt themselves dayly crostvvith contrary Motions , yet scorned to Confesse their Naturall VVeaknesse , in not subjugating , or rather not eradicating their Passions . And therefore put off all events from themselves to Destiny , vvhatever happend , they resolved to endure it , as tho not to bee avoided , & sought no farther for any Cause of a Calamity , than sic ▪ Fata velint . No Evill they supposed could proceed from their impassionate soules , theyvvere in their ovvn Opinion absolute men , & therefore vvhatever came amisse ( Casus in culpam transeat ) it vvas not they did amisse , but Fortune . Such Heathenish resolutions need no confutation in a Christian auditory ; vvee have changed their Fate into Providence , looking more to the first than the second Causes ; to these only as they are disposed by the former , in vvhich all things consist , and by vvhich all things are Governed . But did the Heathens then so firmely rely on naturall Causes , vvhose effectts though certaine , ( as by the first cause the God of nature before determined ) yet they eould not , vvithout injury to Experience , but expect uncertaine ? It vvere a double shame for a Christian , not to submitt more resolutely to divine Providence , vvhich hee believes un changeable . Such a Resolution is the strongest Fort , that can defend a Good mans Heart ( and let us novv fly unto it in our present visitation ) No Engine of Sathan can reach it , No storme of Fortune shake it , nor Calme betray it . Whereas vvithout it Man shakes at the first sight of Every Cloude of temptation , and like a hot iron hisses ( as it vvere ) at every drop of Affliction vvhich touches him . I need stand no longer to prove so Granted a principle . Wee vvill conclude Christian Warfare must be under the Banner of divine Providence . Whosoever desires peace of Conscience & true Comfort , must resolutely submit himselfe in all things to the Will of God. But is this all Sayes the Stoicall Christian ? Men may live then as they list . Gods Providence is inevitable , my best endeavours cannot prevent it . If I shall bee saved , I shall bee saved . If damned I shall bee damned . A Desperate Doctrine of Sathan , & the height of Iniquity , like that of the Divell to our Saviour , Mat. 4. 6. Cast thy selfe dovvne Headlong , for hee hath given his Angells Charge over thee . Christs Ansvver to the Divell there , must bee ours to his Disciples here . Scriptum est . It is vvritten thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God. God will not have his Decree brought to mans unjust Determination , and hates all unnecessary trials of his Povver . We may not Trust to his Promises , except vve Obey his Commands , nor Rely on his Povver onely , vvhen hee affords us meanes to use our ovvne . The very Heathens vvere not so senselesse in their Destiny . Some things , sayes Seneca , vvere so determined of the Gods , that the prayers of the people should conduce to their Events . And this very thing hee adds , is not contrary but according to Fate . And Gods Providence as it hath absolutely decreed all things to their proper End , so hath it ordained meanes to those Ends , to use vvhich is not against Providence but of it , As hee that is ordained to bee a Schollar , is by the same Omnipotent Povver ordained to bestovv his Tyme in Learning ; And hee that shall avoid dangers , shall use meanes to pacify Gods vvrath by the same decree . These are Senecas Instances in his book de Fato . Learne of him vvhoever thinkes it an Easy vvay to Heaven , by mere hanging on Gods Decree . Neglect of Ordinary meanes is a signe of the vvant of Grace . While vve stand gazing on the stars , let us bevvare lest our feet slip into the vvater under us , and vvhiles vvee are diving to the botomo of the Rock for the more Rich Pearles least vvee loose both our selves and them . Let us not dispute dovvnvvards from Gods Election , but Upvvards from our ovvn Sanctification , dravv our Arguments a posteriori from the Effect to the Cause . Not say presumptuously , I am Elected , & there fore I must be saved , but vvith modesty rather begin at home , Saying , I feele the Operation of Gods holy Spirit , inclining mee to seek the Ordinary meanes of Salvation through JESUS-CHRIST , and therefore I trust I am Eleeted , and by necessary Consequence , Conclude thou mayst bee Saved . To avoid this dangerous Shelfe in the businesse of our Salvation , vve have need of a tvvofold Pilott to direct our Course , Faith & Feare , vvhich vvell temperd together declare the Quality , or Nature of a Christian Resolution , Hovv vvee ought to rely on Gods Providence the second thing I am to shevv you , to vvit , That Christian Resolutions are mixt vvith Feare & Faith. Part. II BUt can these stand to gether , Feare & Faith ? It vvill be very natural to Question . Feare perturbs us through the Apprehension of future Evill , saith the Phylosopher ; and can any evill happen to those who are in CHRIST JESUS , demands the Divine , as wee are by Faith Rom. 12. 15. A plaine Contradiction , it may seeme , to feare Evill and believe none shall happen to us . Feare not , saith your Lord himselfe Luke 12. 32. and shall wee crosse his precept by trembling ? Cast your care on him for hee careth for you 1. Pet. 5. 7. and can wee thinke his care insufficient ? why should wee feare ? There is a Comentatour which casily cuts this knott , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vetat Apostolus non 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . The Apostle sayes hee forbids not a studious Industry , but an inordinate Carking Care , whose only fruit is destruction . And our Savioar Condemns not all feare , but that of punishment , carnall & servile feare , steps to dispaire . His own practice approves of both timorem Cultûs & Culpae ; a devout & filiall feare in holy worship and carefull feare of Offending , vvho in the dayes of his Flesh , off rd up prayers & supplications , vvith strong Cries , & Teares unto him , vvhich vvas able to save him and vvas also heard in that vvich hee feared . Heb. 5. 7. Our Blessed Lords Practice is the best warrant for ours , hee himselfe being the Architype of all righteousnesse , whose life ought to bee the Canon & Rule of his Disciples . These two Ioined in CHRIST JESUS , our Grand Exemplar , who is the VVay , the Truth and the Life , serve as tvvo stars to direct his followers unto him . Feare stirres us up to seek all possible meanes for the prevention of Evills , Faith keeps us from dispaire . Feare is linked with the beginning of vvisdom , without which your best actions are but as th●se Apples of Sodome which being toucht vanish into smoake , or as Trees without fruit , or shells without kernell . As an ignorant Carelesse Marriner without his Compas , wee should be driven upon all the shoales and rocks of temptation , were not this feare placed in our Hearts , as a watchman to forewarne our drowsy soules of approaching danger . And as Gideon on Zeba and Salmunna Iudg. 3. 11. Sathan would surprise us unawares , and rob us of our very Hearts & Consciences while wee sleep in security . But where the Heart is well fraught with feare , there is no roome for Sathan and his traine . It quickly espies & prevents his most cunning Plotts , putting to flight those armies of temptations , with which hee useth to beseige mans wounded Conscience . The holy Psalmist doth well informe us of the Povver and Force of Feare , when hee tells us that it fights with Angells strength . Ps . 34. 7. The Angell of the Lord , saith David , standeth round about them that feare him , & delivereth them . So that wee may here without crime presume to crosse our Saviours speech in another Case of servile feare ( understand mee of an holy feare ) O men of little faith vvhy are yee not afraid ? VVhensoever the Grace of God shall begin to increase in thee , Feare : VVhen it shall depart from thee , Feare . And vvhen it shall returne to thee , Feare . Saith S. Bernard . When thou first feelest Gods holy Spirit to move within thee , feare thine ovvn unvvor thinesse , that thou receive it not in vain ; A Gift not used at all , or not well imployed , is a dishonour to the Donour . When thou feelest any decay , or suspension of the Operation of Grace within thee , feare Gods displeasure , who for some Cause , or other , suffers thee thus to fall . But most of all must thou feare when Gods Grace is revived vvithin thee , for the relapse is worse than the former disease , Therefore thy Feare must increase with thy danger , least being made cleane thou shouldst sin againe and a vvorse thing happen unto thee . In adversity let us humbly acknowledge with Iob the punishment of God is fearefull . In prosperity with David , there is mercy vvith God that hee may be feared . In all estates let his Essentiall presence beget an awfull Feare and Reverence in all our Actions ; since there is nothing more fearefull in the Saints and Servants of God than not to feare . Jer. 32. 40. However scruple not hence ( yee sincere , tho imperfect , Christians , ●ver subject sometimes to despondency ) the certainty of your Salvation . " An holy feare doth not make us more scrupulous but more certain saith S. Bernard , in his 15 Sermon upon the Psalmes . For this Feare ( as Hope ) is the fruit of an holy Faith , and S. Paul joynes it with Faith. Rom. 11. 20. as an Antidote to a high Mind , thou standest by faith be not high-minded but feare , and indecd is the ground of our assurance of Salvation , which wee cannot have but by faith , I say by faith , not as if that were not certaine ; but to exclude that certainty of Evidence & sense , which requires an absolute assent , both in respect of the truth of the thing , & of our knowledge , because it is so , & because wee can demonstrate it to be so . As when wee say 4. is more than 2. the whole is greater than part ; perfect knowledge of sense & Experience absolutely conclude it most certain . The certainty of our Salvation is a faithfull cleaving to the sure promises of CHRIST JESUS . Tho this in respect of it selfe be more absolute than that of sense , as faith is more certain than any science , yet mans mind not throughly purged , from the foggy Mists of Original pollution , cannot clearly determine . CHRIST indeed hath broken downe the Partition VVall between God & his people , yet hath hee set the Register of his Elect , beyond the ken of any mortall eye . Neither can wee assure our selves any otherwise of our Salvation , than by trusting in him , by applying particularly what hee ( that cannot lye ) hath spoken in Generall . VVhosoever believeth in mee shall be saved . And this is in no man so perfect , but that the best may still pray , adjuva me Domine , Lord helpe my unbeleife . Hee that doth not thus feare , hath no faith and then no certainty . As the Spirit of God vvitnesseth vvee are the sons of God , so Feare testifieth wee have the Spirit . No man more surely relyes on his Saviour , than hee that most feares to Offend him ; so is it no paradox at the same time to tremble and rejoyce in the Lord. The frailty of our nature & the subtilty of the Divell conspire for our Ruine ; here is good Cause to fear . But JESUS CHRIST is our Castle & Defence , here is greater Cause to rejoyce . A man on the top of an high tower looking downe & considering the danger of a fall trembles to thinke thereon , but looking back on his feet & seeing himselfe environned on every side with battlements rejoyceth that hee is so secure of the danger . So the most steddy beleiver tho hee know that under the protection of the Allmighty hee cannot miscarry , yet hee ( sometimes ) trembles to reflect on the deplorable Estate of Falling away . Allbeit his principle bee true , the Word of God cannot faile in any tittle , VVhosoever beleiveth shall bee saved , yet is hee Iealous of misapplying it to himselfe . Tho hee thinketh hee standeth , hee must take heed least hee fall . For it is the Condition of Grace & Faith as of Nature , still to desire encrease & perfection , which necessatily requires earnest prayer , and this implies a sollicitous Feare . So then wee may say of a Christian , as scipio sometimes spake of Rome , it was more secure when it stood in awe of Cartbage . The Church was never freer from Herisies than in the time of Persecution , and the End of Persecution was the beginning of Herisy , Wee are most certain , when wee are most tempted . When Sathan desires to vvinnovv S. Peter as vvheat , then Christs prayer assures him of Salvation . Christs Intercessions are more prevalent than any temptation , and unlesse wee render them ineffectuall by impenitency , they are never in vain . Neverthelesse his Prayer may not hinder ours , nor his Allsufficiency exclude our labours . Wee must pray to him , & hee will pray for us . Let us fullfill his Commandements , & hee will fullfill his Promises . If wee Love him , let us feare to offend him . If wee have Confidence of our Election in him , then let us use all diligence to make our Calling & this our Election sure , by adding good vvorkes to our Faith , in doing where of wee shall never fall . It was an Heathen Cannon , that Fortune should not be prayed unto , but with hands in Motion ; intimating that no Sacrifice could be accepted from a sluggard . And it is the Apostles Rule , wee all know , to add Vertue to Faith , industry to Prayer . For to cry God helpe , & not to put to our helping hand , is as vaine as to labour without Gods Helpe . Not as if his Power were insufficient , but because our Endeavour is required to entitle us to his blessing . Shall the Plovvman burne his Plow , or Marriner his ship ? because God hath said I vvill never leave thee nor forsake thee . Shall vvee not provide decent cloathing ? because vvee must not take inordinate care for Raiment . Because CHRIST sayth , take no Care vvhat yee shall eat , shall vvee therefore expect another vvhite sheet from Heaven ? Or vvith the suggard in the Fable , lye on the ground , and expect the falling of the figgs vvith Open mouth . Which is not to serve God , but to tempt him . Such idlenesse becomes none vvorse than a souldier of CHRISTS band . The vvatch-man must vvatch , though it be God that preserveth the citty . His vineyard must be husbanded , & his Garden drest . Paul must plant , & Apollos vvater , before God give the increase . God could have healed Hezekiah vvithout a Bunch of figs. Our Saviour , no doubt , could have spoken the vvord to the blinde man , and hee should have received his sight ; but that his actions might bee our Examples , hee uses meanes for the Cure , hee anointed his eyes vvith clay , bad him vvash in the poole of Siloam before hee could see . And in the 27 of the Acts of the Apostles , hee gives S. Paul all the soules in the ship . His promise could not faile , yet their ovvn sedulity vvas required to their Safety ; by svvimming & using broken pieces ( you vvill find by the story ) they all came safe to the Land. For hovv certain soever things are in respect of him vvho knovveth the End of all things , as vvell of those vvhich shall be , as those vvhich are or have been , they are not so in respect of our knovvledge ( as you have heard ) vvherefore vvee must not idly Cast our selves upon his Providence , but humbly submit our selves unto it , allvvayes shevving our devotion in Prayers against an Evill , tho vvee cannot our Povver in overcoming itt . Discreet Diligence must accompany our Affection ; Faith must be our Anchor , & vvee must Rovve vvith Feare , even vvith Feare & Trembling , in the least matter of our Salvation . Not like those vvhose Faith dares speak as boldy to their Maker as their Neighbour , and hear his Embassage vvith lesse reverence , nay vvith like familiarily , as the Message from an Acquaintance , searching into the very secrets of God , and presuming to learne , vvhat God hath refused to teach ; A Generation vvhich may beknovvn by their Boldnesse , vvho take Christs Office upon themselves , and vvill vveed out those tares vvhich hee said should grovv vvith the vvheat till the Harvest . And like true Pharisees they separate themselves from the Congregation of their Btethren , thinking themselves more Holy than they , & more skillfull in Gods Counsells than if they vvere imediately inspired from on high , intrepreting Gods Deepest Misteries vvithout an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , at first sight , yea and that more sanctifiedly too than vvith a Months preparation . Daniel ( I doubt not ) as vvise a man & as holy as any of these meu , Ecclesiastick or Layick● , vvill not presume to intrepret so much as a Dreame vvithout respite and consideration ; Hee first Prayes , you vvill finde , vvith his Company to God for Mercy concerning the secret . Nor vvill Hester speake unto her King , untill shee be assisted vvith the prayers of all the Ievves in Shushan . And S. Iohn ( as S. Ierome reports in his prologue upon S. Matthevv ) intreated by the Bishops of Asia his Brethren , to vvrite his Gospell , against the Heriticks Ebion & Cerinthus , first required a publick Fast to be solemnized throughout the vvhole Church . Such preparation in a Proportion is requisite in our lesser affaires . Rashly to enter the lists of any businesse ( espetially that vvhich is sacred ) is impudently to Challenge a Blessing not to entreat one , vvhich profane Neglect of Duty hovv slightly soever men esteem of it , savours of Infidelity & Atheisme . For vvho can Confesse a Deity and be ignorant of its concurrence to all actions , and vvho can knovv this , & vvithout great impiety , forbeare to implore its assistance . To ask Helpe of God the Creatour can be no prejudice to man , his Creature ; but his greatest advantage & highest Honour . Nether do mans ordinary meanes & endeavours detract from Gods Allsufficient Providence but declare its Povver . Wee sceing the slendernesse of our ovvne strength , vvith greater admiration , acknovvledge his Omnipotence vvhich vvorketh all in all . Our Good old Father Iacob here well knew the Povver & Mercy of God , yet doth hee not presume in a danger though hee be resolved to beare it ; but uses his best meanes , his faithfull Heart & trembling Hand are imployed together : The one in providing Presents for the Ruler of Egypt , the other in sending up Prayers to God. If the first cannot persvvade him , the last shall command him . Faith is the ground of his diligence , Hee first relyes on Gods Mercy ; and Feare the Rule of his actions , Hee goes about to pacify the Rule . Well then ( quoth hee ) if it must bee so , my sons , do thus , take of the best fruits of the Land in your vessels , alittle balme , alitle Honey spices & mirrhe , nutts and Almonds , &c. His Prayers second his outward meanes , And God Allmighty , sayes hee , give you Mercy before the Man , that hee may send avvay your other Brother and Benjamin , and what soever happens , I will endure it , yea , IF I BE BEREAVED OF MY CHILDREN , I AM BEREAVED . Sermon . II HITHERTO you have heard the necessity & manner of Submitting to the VVill of God. I shall now enter on the 3 Part. of my text , & shew you the Benefit redounding from such submissions . Part. III This casts mee un avoidably upon a Common Place , and one of the most Common of Common Places even that of Adversity or afflistion , as often preached as felt . However there will be noe cause to passe it over , since I am naturally led thereto by the Time , as well as my Text , a Time of Iudgement , of VVar , & of Danger , threatning our Poor Church & Kingdom with a heavy measure of affliction , & large portion of this Bitter Cup , which I feare is like to bee felt , or tasted ( unlesse a speedy Returne in Duty to God & the King prevent ) by our selves , & our Posterity . While temporall crosses remaine ( which dye only with Man ) wee must preach their Necessity & Benefit ; The one as absolute , the other to the Godly certaine . To Doe Good & suffer vvrong after CHRISTS blessed Example , is an Especiall part of Christian life & Duty . Your Diligence hath been required for the first , the last requires your Humility upon the same grounds of Faith & Feare ; whereto if you do add ( since Heaven frowns upon this Land , ) a profound Humiliation , you will do more than God Expects at your hands . Not to feare Affliction becomes a Rigid Sceptick , or senseless Stoick , not an affectionate Iacob , or tender hearted Ioseph . On the other side , to be utterly cast downe in the Bed of Sorrow , fits not an Abraham , but a Cain . Both Good & Iust is God , saith holy David ; Good & Gratious to teach patient sinners in the vvay ; but Just allso to punish those , vvhich run on still in their iniquity . Happy then are those troubled spirits ( let mee minde them ) where this Constellation appeares , where Feare acknowledgeth God a Iust Iudge , and Faith beleiveth him a loving Father . Adversity indeed , is the Discipline of Gods house , under which hee brings up his Children , through feare of which hee bridles their inordinate affections , & by disenabling and mortifying them workes an unwillingnesse to offend . For Example . The Rich man spoiled of his Riches , sees their uncertainty , and so flies back from his eager pursuit of them to him that gave them . The Vain-glorious & ambitious man degraded from Court to Cottage , and after all his Industry & endeavour to Rise , brought Low , & made an Object of Contempt , sees plainly there is no Confidence in any humane Helpe , no not in the best and most Potent of Princes , nor in any child of man ( according to Davids observation ) teaching him to trust only on the King of Kings . The Good Father here in the text bereaved of his Children , confesses they were but a broken staffe , and when hee could not longer continue a Father , contented himselfe fully that hee was the Child of God. So prone is our Nature to all Voluptiousnesse and uncleanesse ▪ and so rebellious are our affections against any good , that nothing but this Wormewood can weane us from sucking the dregs of worldly & sensuall Pleasures , or stop us in this Earthly pilgrimage from running headlong to destruction . Hee is certainly miserable , vvho never felt any misery , if wee beleive Seneca , and it is good Divinity in the Heathens own sense . Hos itaque quos probat Deus , quos amat , indurar , recognoscit , exercet , quibus indulgere , quibus parcere videtur molles venturis malis servat . Very neare that of the Apostle , Heb. 12. 6. The Lord Chasteneth vvhom hee loveth , and scourgeth every son vvhom hee receiveth , but reserveth whom hee seemeth to passe by ( Quibus parcere videtur , hee doth but seeme to passe them over ) for greater punishment . God lesse regards a thousand beames in the Eyes of the wicked , than one Mote in the eyes of his people . I vvill not punish ( saith God by his prophet ) your daughters vvhen they Commit vvheredom nor your , sons vvhen they commit adultery . Hos. 4. 14. But you vvhom I have chosen of all the earth , vvill I punish for all your Iniquity . Amos. 3. 1. Thus Gods People in this life are as it were travelling from Egypt to Canaan . Tho our deadly Pharaoh , the Enemy of mankind , be over whelmed in the red sea of Christs bloud , that hee cannot throw us downe , yet can hee east Rubs in our way to stumble us . Some Amerites there will bee stil to Oppose us . The Canaanite is yet in the Land. The Flesh & the VVorld erect Golden Calves , suggest Murmurings , & Lusts , whereby wee provoke God to wrath , and force him by affliction to Chastise and correct us into the right way . Our Journey is as theirs numb . 21. 22. from Bamoth to Pisgath ▪ from the vale of humility & Death , to the plain hill of Happinesse & Everlasting life . So S. Ierôme applies these words in his Epistle ad Fabiolam . And this ( before wee proceed ) may also afford a proffitable lesson for this Worlds Darling . Hath any ascended this hill of Happiness ? Let him not cast his scornfull eye on his brother in the vale , but look rather towards Ieshimon the wildernesse ouer against him , pitty them which are in it , and praise God for his better Mansion . Let him not forget that the Hill whereon hee stands is Pisgah , which S. Ierôme Interprets dolatus , Smooth as if it were plained , very slippery , with an Easy descent , from which the least slip may cast him downe thither , whence with great labour hee got up making him feele by experience that a Relapse is a double Fall. But this by the way . Wee may take one type more of the Sts. afflictions from the Israelites . There was never any honey ( observes the same Father ) in their Sacrifices ; neither were the lights vvhich burnt in their Tabernacles of wax which is sweet , but of Oyle sharp and bitter . As if they ought not enjoy the least Embleme or Shaddovv of Pleasure . But however it was withthem , certaine itis to us Christians , that our Ioy & feli city is not in the Creature here belovv , but in those things vhich are above , vvhere Cbrist sitts on the right hand of God , vvhereon vvee ought to set our Affections , & vvhich are the only object of a right mortified and faithfull Christians Search . Our Light as vvell as Life is in Heaven , Where our Conversation ▪ allso ought to bee , and vvhere vve shall by the assistance of the Allmighty and a truely sanctified use of Gods Visitations ( Which are a christians best directions ) in the Conclusion Arrive to our Everlasting comfort , if vve are not vvanting to our selves . CHRIST JESUS the Soveraigne of men and Angells and Captaine of our Salvation , if wee readily & heartily follow him & Trust in him , vvill bring us ( and it is only Hee that can bring us ) through fire & vvater into a vvealthy Place . Hee is our MOSES to lead us ( for wee cannot go without him ) from Bamoth to Pisgah through many Tribulations , through all the difficulties of our lives and callings , into the Kingdom of Heaven , & Port of our Salvation . And this is the end of Gods visitations . The Fire of Adversity is designed to refine us , to purge away our drosse , & to fit us for those pure mansions , whereinto no uncleane thing can enter . Who will not then cry out with David , Ps . 119. v. 71. in his sufferings , it is good for mee that I have been afflicted . It is as necessary a Duty to Praise God after Affliction , as to pray unto him in it , though wee may not pray for it , tribulations , in themselves , being evill & the effect of Disobedience . Had not man grown Rebellious , God had not visited , but because of the vvickednesse of his doing , Gods sends upon him Cursing , vexation & Rebuke , Deut. 28. 20. But Christ the Rock of our Salvation ( blessed be his name ) has turned the edge of this sword . So that ( non est malum jam Pati , sed malum facere . ) It is not evill now to suffer , but to do Evill . The Crosse of Christ ( like the tree of God shewed Moses Exod. 15. 25. ) hath altered the nature of our troubled waters , they are no longer bitter & unsavoury , but pleasant & Wholesome . Espetially in these Operations following ▪ 1. They increase our knovvledge , both of our Creatour , & our Selves . 2. They increase our Devotion , making us allso more conformable to Christ our Head , & so fitter subjects for his Pitty & Compassion . First they increase our knovvledge , &c. While our Outward man is consumed the inner man is renewed . For as long as the body triumphes in his strength , the soules whole imployment is to furnish the corporeall organs with vigour & power for their more base Exercises . But those parts disabled by Adversity to receive those Faculties , they returne to the soule , and united worke more strongly in a weightier matter , even in a divine Contemplation . There is now no fewel for Lust , no shews for Pride , every sense failes to bring in those delightsome species , which in the time of bodily health overloaded the fainting soule . This Prison therefore of the soule thus , once , broken , she becomes active in her businesse , & runs the vvay of Gods Commandements . Whereas before she only heard of God ( as Job speakes ) by the hearing of the Eare , The Vail of the Temple once rent by sickness , or other adversity , now her Eyes see him . The Eye of her understanding shee more clearely apprehends his Povver . The Eye of her Faith shee more confidently relyes on his mercy . Secondly This knovvledge inflames her Devotion , and renders us fitter subjects for his pitty . Wee most Earnestly sue for a Remedy of Danger from him whom wee best know cares most for us . While wee are in our Jollity , just like the Prodigall , in S. Lukes Gospell , wee look no further than our selves . And that I am afraid hath been one of the sins of this Nation , & of this Place . A litle cross may drive us to our Neighbour , but when wee are driven to eat Huskes with the swine , in our greatest Extremity , then ( humiliatio in humilitate ) our minds are humbled with our Bodies ; then , & not till then , Necessity becomes a vertue ; I vvill ( because I must ) go to the Father . God deales with his Children , as a Nurse with hers , suffers them to stagger now & then , that they may looke the better to their feet . There is a Hand behind , which the Child sees not , that holds him up . Our Heavenly Father indeed plunges us ( if I may so speake ) here into the depth of Sorrow , that wee may dive into the depth of our own Heart ; and to make us more sensible , punishs us by degrees ( as hee did Iacob ) first with the loss of Rachel , then of Ioseph , aftervvards with famine & feare of Benjamin . Even as Ioseph dealt with his brethren , but as Ioseph also , tho hee began in wrath , hee ends in Peace . Mercy follows Judgement and nothing but impenitency doth make a separation . If God at any time be long in punishing , it is to teach his people more sensibly the guilt of their sin ; that so , by the better knovvledge of their guilt , they may be driven the sooner to repentance the seat of mercy . Both which methods of Allmighty Gods dealing vvith his servants have been often experienced by the People of this land . Rough hevvn timber and unpolishd stones , are unfit for any Princely Building , therefore God savves us ( as it were ) in pieces by Adversity , smoothes our inordinate affections , & hevvs dovvn our Rebellious lusts , before vvee can become a meet Temple of the Holy Ghost . God vvell knovvs vvee have lost that image & superscription vvhich hee stampt us in , and therefore melts us anevv , as the Prophet speakes , Jer. 9. 7. , and purifies us in the fire of Affliction , that vvee may bee made fit materialls , in that day in the vvhich hee maketh up his Jevvells , Mal. 3. 17. In a Christian life then , as in the Almond tree , vvee must expect a hard shell , tho there be a svvee kernell . Hardness , all knovv by Experience , thus many times conteines svveetness , and sundry other usefull quallityes , as comfortable Health often follovves after an unpleasant Potion . Let us approve our selves therefore the servants of God , in much Patience , as dying but behold vvee live , as chastned but not killed : as sorrovvfull yet allvvay rejoycing . 2. Cor. 6. 9. 10. Our Sorrovv is but Quasi tristitia , transitory ( it seems ) as there noted , by the Apostle , a dreame or shaddovv of sorrovv . But the Ioy of a true Christian is other vvise , there is Ce●tum gaudium , it is not said as Ioyfull but allvvay rejoycing . Hath then God taken avvay our Worldly vvealth from any of us ? It is ( vvee may conclude ) because it should not deprive us of Eternall Happinesse . Hath God bereaved any of us of our Children or Freinds ? It is because vvee should put the more Trust in him . Hath hee brought any of us to Dishonour here ? It is because vvee may bee more fit for Glory hereafter . Externall Benefits ( none can deny ) are Gods Blessings : but so is the vvant of them also . All things vvorke together for the best to those vvho Love God. Rom. 8. 28. Christ is to his faithfull servants both in life & Death advantage . Would not any vvise man vvillingly sovv in teares , that hee might reape in ●oy ? Would not a man be content vvith a vvet spring , so that hee might bee certaine of a good harvest ? And thus much the Holy Prophet David assures us of , Ps . 120. 6. Hee that goeth on his vvay vveeping , bearing forth good seed , shall doubtlesse come againe vvith Ioy , & bring his sheaves vvith him . The Keeper of Israell may sometimes seeme to vvink , but indeed hee neither slumbers nor sleeps . If hee suffer a storm for a tyme , ( vvherevvith vvee are at this instant dreadfully threatned ) hovvever the ship shall not sink . God is most povverfull oftentimes vvhen vvee seem most neglected , Mans Extremities are Gods opportunities , hath allvvayes ben the observation & language of Holy men . When ABRAHAMS hand is up for the Stroke , then an Angell stops the svvord . When MOSES lyes spravvling in the River , then hee is most safe from the Egyptian cruelty . And our Iacob here most comforted in his sons , when hee supposed hee had lost them . They are to him as the Red sea , threaten destruction but prove safety . While hee complains they will bring dovvn his gray haires vvith sorrovv to the Grave , they revive his old age with good tidings of Corne & Ioseph . Let us then in in the name of God ( without farther inlargement ) take up Iacobs Resolution in our distresses ( to perswade which is the cheif design of this and my former sermon , and for which wee had never more cause ) and wee may justly Expect Iacobs Revvard . Let us use all meanes with Feare & faithfullnesse , Diligence and Courage , to prevent those evills which threaten us , and leave the Event to Gods Good pleasure , still ready , with Patient & Constant Iob , in the extremest misery , to cry out . Though thou Killest mee , yet vvill I put my Trust in thee . So shall wee approve our selves faithfull servants to God & the King. And at last receive that Crovvne of Eternall Bliss vvhich is laid up for all those that feare him . But I shall not proceed any further in so beaten a Road , as the Topiek of adversity , nor yet ( by your favour ) conclude my discourse . There is nothing which can bee more plaine , & obvious to , a Christian , than the Benefitt of Affliction , a truth Conspicuous out of the writings of the very Heathens , & I commend unto your Review , at this Instant , Plutarchs excellent treatise to that purpose . I shall therefore have regard to the Times as well as my text , & consider some of those very afflictions hanging over our heads , which must exercise these our Resignations , & which will prove ( christianly submitted unto ) thus beneficiall to us . That it is our Duty faithfully & chearefully to submitt unto Gods vvill , in all times of Adversity with Faith & Feare ; and that all truly Christian submissions will in the end bee highly Advantagious , hath been the subject of my two last discourses in this Pulpit . IF the Dayes of Adversity & Affliction , Brethren , be such a hopefull seeds-time , wee , in our present Circumstances , are like , if wee sovv in pious Teares , to have a plentifull crop . Many a Heavy Judgement are allready fallen upon us , for our past fins against God ; and in a more particular manner ( wee have too just reason to suspect ) for our secure & carnall Confidence , our Trusting in the Arme of Flesh , as well as our unpardonable Disobedience to , & vile contempt of , Gods Vice-Gerent the King. And many greater , for our stupid impenitency will fall , wee have also too Just cause to feare . God hath moved the Land & Divided it , and if his Allmighty , & most Mercifull , hand doth not prevent , it must shake , nay totter into Ruine & Destruction . The SWORD is drawn in the Midst of the Nation : God grant it may not bee too soon sheathed in one anothers bowells ; nor VVhet by the present Cessation . Insomuch that what party soever gaine the victory , both must certainly , some way or other , in the Conclusion , bee Considerable Loosers . It is a sad thing that subjects to the same Prince , should in Words many times profess , & pretend , the same thing ; and yet all the while fight against one another to Destruction . One Party , among other matters , declares for the Protestant Religion in generall ; another for the Church of England , as by Lavv Establisht . This cannot bee other , with honest meaning , than the very same cause , for the Church of England is undoubtedly a Protestant Church , and the best Protestant Religion ( notwithstanding all aspersions ) is professed in that Church ; & yet , in all probability , here is , in the Nation , a Quarrel begun ( God forgive the Authours ) which is not like to bee determined without the Shedding of much Christian Bloud . Or else , againe , One Party declares for the King also , ( as the Lords at York ) as well as the Protestant Religion , together with the Liberties and Properties of the Subject ; Another for the King , & Antient Lavves & Governement in the Church & State. This likewise , without mentall reservation , is no other than the former , & yet both Parties , you see , enter into a dismall bloudy War to decide the Controversy . T is certaine , that our antient Lavves & Government ( so much depending on Monarchy ) cannot be preserved , by the Destruction of the Prince ; and true Liberty & Property can never be secured by the Destruct on of the Antient Governement ; no more can the right Protestant Religion . Come , BRETHREN , let us all be well-advised before wee imbrue our hands deeply in one anothers Bloud , such like Pretences & Beginnings had , once , no better consequence . Behold , I say , two Parties of the Kings subjects making the same Protestation , and yet all the while fight with one another , so that one of them cannot bee sincere . If two Persons declare for the King , & yet fall to Blows , one of them ( pretend what hee will ) must certainly be a Rebell in fighting against the King. I would , in Charity , thinke that you all conclude Rebellion a most odious thing ; and that few will ( I am sure no good man would ) dip themselves , in so hainous a crime knowingly and willfully . The danger is that many worthy & Honest Gentlemen , as heretofore ( and now in our Present Iuncture ) may be insnared , before they are aware , into this foule Offence , so farre , that they cannot tell how to gett back againe : or ( if they do themselves ) cannot hinder ill men from proceeding on , & effecting their ends by vertue of the Reputation which they have given to an ill cause . I will therefore cease to contend in this place , who is the best subject or veriest Rebell . Whether I , that declare my selfe for the King , & the Protestant Religion ; or hee , that declares himselfe for the Protestant Religion , & the King , is the most Loyal , & the best Protestant . I have here openly & frequently enough discoverd my Principles concerning Subjection . I am , Brethren , of the same minde I ever was , & so resolved , by Gods Grace , to live & dye . Instead of such disputes , I 'le endeavour to paint , & sett before your Eyes , this abominable sin that neither party wil owne . And ( without telling you any more who are Rebbells ) I 'le plainly shew you , what is Rebellion , and what , it is to be Rebellious . In prosecution whereof , I 'le keep precisely ( as well as I am able ) to the very Termes , & Wordes , of the Church of England , in her Printed Sermons or Homilies , Published by Royall authourity . Rebellion then , you must know , is there esteemd by the Church of England , whereever it is found , either among Papists or Protestants ( either on the 5 of Nov. or on the 30. of Jan. ) the worst , as it was the first , of sins . In the first of her Homilies against Rebellion , it is stiled the Root of all vices , & the Mother of all Mischeifs : and in the second part . the vvorst of all vices , & the Greatest of all Mischeifs , at the Breaking in vvhereof all sins , & Miseries , did flovv in , & over-vvhelme the vvorld : The Authour of that accursed sin of Disobedience ( vvhich brings in all other at its heeles ) being no other than LUCIFER himselfe , vvho of the Brightest & most Glorious Angell , for this very sin of Disobedience , & Rebellion against his King , became the Blackest & foulest Fiend , and from the Height of Heaven fell into the Bottome of Hell. As our Church expresseth it in the afore said Homily . Rebellion , in another place speedily after , is stiled the Foulest of all sins , being , as it vvere , the Source & Originall of all other , and inseparable from the Highest Pride & Contempt of God. Hee that nameth Rebellion , saith our Church , nameth not a single , or one onely sin , as is Theft , Murder , Robbery , & such like , but ( to speake in the old language of the Homily ) the vvhole Puddle & Sinke of all sins against God & man ; against his Prince , his Country , his Countrymen , his Parents , his Children , his Kinsfolkes , his Freinds , & against all men universally . All sins ( saith the very same Homily ) nameth hee , that nameth Rebellion ; every Comandement being violated thereby , pag. 360. Yea , that all the seaven deadly sins are contained in Rebellion , you will finde asserted in the same page , all sins , by all names that sins may bee named , & by all meanes that sins may bee committed , do vvholly , & upon heaps follovv Rebellion , pag. 361. Pestilence , Famine , & VVar , declared in scripture , to be the greatest of VVordly Plagues & Miseries ; yea all the Miseries , vvhich these Plagues have in them , do alltogethor follovv Rebellion ; the fore-quoted , pag. Of all vvars , Civil VVar , ( wee are there minded ) is the vvorst ; But Rebellion far more abominable than any Civill VVar , pag. 362. Moreover , that Rebells are Commonly punished vvith Remarkable shamefull Deaths , & that they do very seldom repent ( the greatest of Punishments ) wee are assured , by the very same Homily , pag. 363. As also , that Heaven is the Place of good & obedient subjects , as Hell , the Prison & Dungeon of Rebells against God & their Prince . Our Church , in that very page , terming every obedient Realme the Figure of Heaven , & a Rebellious one the similitude of Hell. I thinke I need not produce any more quotations , or arguments , out of this Repository of our Church , to convince you , that Rebellion is the most abhorred sin ; and that it can never prove a soveraigne salve ( whoever are the Authours or supporters of it ) for the King , Church , or Kingdome . But that I may have a sufficient foundation , for a pathetick disswasion from this sin ; it will bee requisite to informe you fully , in right Church-of-England-Loyalty . And it can bee no other , that is taken , word for word , out of these her own authorized Sermons , which will bee most effectually done , by satisfying you , in a particular manner , what the Church of England esteemes to be Rebellion . First , to vvithstand , or use any force or violence to , Lavvfull Soveraigns , the they be never so vvicked , and do never so much abuse their Povver , is Rebellious . If you will not give mee credit ; I 'le tell you the very page where you may finde it . Even in the Homily of Obedience . Part. the second pag. the 66 , the last Edit . in the yeare 1676. Where you are also minded ( and I desire you to take good notice thereof ) that the Amal●kite vvho Killed King Saul , tho it vvas done by Sauls ovvn consent & comand , 2 Kings . 1 , vvas put to Death . Secondly , wee are informed that not only open Rebellion , or dovvn right Resistance of the Lords anointed ▪ but any kind of Insurrection , or COMMOTION , or Murmuring ( one of our moderne vertues ) is condemned as an intollerable VVickednesse , in a vvell governed Kingdome , p. 67 , of the same Hom. * Where you see , by the way , how much this Ages , and that Ages , Protestants , differ in their Sentiments of Loyalty . Thirdly , in case of unlavvfull , or sinfull , Commands , our Mother the Church of England ( amidst all the unjust Reproaches cast on her ) is so far from approving any Violent vvithstanding , or Rebelling against , lavvfull Rulers , that it will not allow of any sort of sedition or Tumults , either by Force of Armes , or Othervvise , against the King himselfe , or any of his officers . But layes before the Rebells Eye Gods remarkable Judgements on Corah , Dathan , & Abiram , and on others , for provoking God in the like kinde ; and lesse provocations , than most of us have been guilty of , tho , through the mercy of God , & a Gratious King , wee have hitherto escapd unpunish'd . The fore-mentiond Corah , Dathan , & Abiram , vvere svvallovved up alive , for but Grudging against Gods Magistrates . Others vvere utterly Consumed by a sudden Fire sent from God , for their VVicked Murmuring . Others vvere suddenly stricken vvith a foul leprosy , for but frovvard behaviour ; not to mention some stung to death with strange , fiery serpents ; and 14700 , at one tyme , killed vvith the Plague , whereof you are minded in the Conclusion of the same Homily ; as you are , in Other places of scripture , of 24000 , & 70000 , also slaine by the same Judgement of God for the very same sin . That very sin of Rebellion , that truly Diabolick sin , which many present pretenders to Loyalty nourish in their Bosomes ; who have invited the SWORD into the Land , & thereby Conjured up a Devill , which God knowes when they will bee able to Conjure dovvn againe . I shall say no more to rectify your Notions Concerning Loyalty & Rebellion , than that our mother the Church of England ( now sadly Wounded by her own Children ) who is Exceeding averse to this Hellish crime , doth in these her orthodox & Pious Composers ( the standard of our Sermons & divinity ) Condemne it as disloyall & Rebellious , not only to depose , destroy , or oppose , the King but to put him in feare , to Terrify , or disturb his sacred Person or Mind ; valuable ( as the scripture tells us ) above ten thousand of his subjects . And hovv any of those , vvho either ioine vvith his Enimies ; or sit still vvhen their Soveraigne needs their assistance , or somuch as mutter against him , can purge themselves from this last mentioned Guilt ( if the Contrivers and Mannagers of the Invasion have furnished them vvith distinctions to cleare themselves of the former ) I shal never bee able to comprehend , or Understand . Having novv , by Gods assistance , shevvn you the necessity of Christian submission , Resolution , & Resignation to the VVill of God ; and the manner hovv vvee are to Exercise those necessary , & usefull Graces , and also made some seasonable Reflections on Gods Iudgements , at this time hanging over our Heads , vvhich do lovvdy call for the Practise of the fore-said Duties ( vvithout vvhich t is impossible for us to be so truly Penitent as to appease Gods vvrath ) Laying also before you the Hainous Guilt , & odiousnesse of the sin of Rebellion , and according to the Doctrine , & in the Words of the Church of England , endeavoured to informe you vvhat the Church ( vvhich can better Judge than our Private Heads ) doth esteeme to bee Rebellion & Rebellious , to fortifie you against the Odd Notions , & Hodge-Podge-Divinity of such Divines , as are more able to write the History of the Reformation , than willing to Practise the Reformed Religion of the Church of England ( the Glory whereof is the Bearing Faith & true Allegiance to their lawfull Soveraigne ) Give mee leave as well as I am able to dissvvade you from that abominable sin , and all approaches tovvards it , vvhich is so dreadfull in its consequences , and destructive to Monarchy and Episcopacy , being fostered as the Darling of Presbitery & a Common vvealth ▪ and probably by none more than our Neighbouring One , vvho Upholds her unnaturall Invasion by tempting Subjects to ●ight against their Lavvful Soveraigne . BRETHREN I am not so old as to have forgot , nor so young but that I do Well Remember , the spetious & holy Pretences of 41 vvhich vvere made use of to Ruine both Church & State. Neither vvould I bee thought so stupid , as not to feare & suspect , but that the same Traine of Designes , Intrieguts , and Mathinations , may have the same dismall● effects . The Generality of People vvere even then , in the dayes of King Charles I. as much afraid of Popery , as vvee are at present , tho hee shevved himselfe to bee one of the most Pious men , and truest Protestant Princes on the Face of the vvhole Earth . They then dreaded TYRANNY & ARBITRARY POWER ( as they pretended ) tho they lived under a Meek & Gratious Prince , vvhose Clemency proved his Ruine . They Loudly Exclaimed against EVILL COUNCELLOURS , but vvere not satisfied till they vvere flesh'd vvith the Bloud of LAUD and STRAFFORD , and had over-throwne ( under that populour colour & disguise ) the most Considerable Pillars of Church and State. They complained of Greivances , ( with no lesse noise in those dayes than Male-Contents in these ) and also Unmannerly press'd for Condescentions , but when they had Extorted them from that Good Prince , ( who was tender of his People even to Excesse ) they were not contented till hee had condescended his Royall Head to the Block ; and that , by one fatall Blow , three Kingdoms were involved in Bloud & Confusion , Gods-solemne VVorship & Service turned quite of doores , the Fathers and dignified Clergy of the Church , aswell as the right-Loyall Nobility & Gentry of the Land , Vilely trampelled on by the Meanest of the Vulgar , and at last the Crovvne & Church-Revenue ( the Purchase cheifly armed at ) seiz'd on , & imployed to maintaine & support FANATICISME & USURPATION . Why Rebellion , Sedition , or any rude Treatment of Majesty , should novv portend better in 88 , than it did 48 yeares ago , I cannot discover . And that Rebells & Traytors sted into the Lovv-Countryes , should bee purified by the Air & Conversation of Holland , I can as little Conceive . No more can I conceit how the inticing and ensnaring away of the Kings subjects ( as at present ) to fight against their Liege Lord & Soveraigne , ( nay to deliver him up into the hands of his Enimies ) should be a specimen , & infallible Mark of kindnesse to the Church of-England-Protestant-Religion . Which will not permit upon any pretences vvhatsoever to take up Arms against a Lavvful King , nor assist , aid , or abet those vvho doe , no not somuch as to vvish ill to the Lords Anointed in the very Bottome of our Hearts . For the Love of God , Brethren , let us leave those fond immaginations , discourses , and practices , vvhich have set the vvhole Land into a Combustion ; let us bee ashamed of those Vnreasonable Delusions , & Methods of Delivery , vvhich bring those very Feares , ( or vvorse Evills , ) on us , vvhich vvee endeavour to Avoid . Such Infatuation is a sad Prognostication . Quos perdere vult Iupiter hos dementat . Wee have , in this Iuncture , I confesse , just ground of Feare & Ieasousy . I , vvho have hitherto Opposed Feares & Iealousies , do novv advise the preaching on those Topieks , to vvitt . That they vvho dare unjustly to invade us ; intend if they can , ( pretend vvhat they please ) to Conquer us , and in plaine termes in the conclusion to enslave us . I dare not in such a Time of difficulty , but declare clearely my Mind & Conscience . If the Trumpet novv should give an uncertaine Sound , it might bee of lamentable consequence . I never did yet ( I thanke God ) nor ever vvill play my Game so , as if I intended only to save my Stake . It is your infelicity ( Dear & Beloved Brethren ) at this instant , to have no Person in Circumstances Superiour to mee , ( in the , Country ) to give you right measures . VVhich vvhen I have honestly and faithfully done ; as I have endeavoured this day , ( if you vvill not take them ) the Guilt must lye at your ovvn doors . I never yet vvas , nor ever shall be , I trust , ashamed , in the Pulpit , to ovvn my duty to my Soveraigne . And if I should be silent novv , vvhen there is more need than ever for Preachers faithfully to Open their Mouthes , to prevent the Seducing of VVell-Meaning People ▪ I should conclude myselfe accessary to the Rebellion . The God of Heaven by his Holy Spirit , the most Infallible Guide , direct us all into the faithfull discharge of our respective duties to our Sovereign , from which vve can never deviate I am sure vvithout deviating from the Church of England . To God the Father , &c. FINIS . THE CHEIFEST MATTERS CONTAINED IN SUNDRY DISCOURSES MADE TO THE CLERGY OF THE ARCHDEACONRY of DURHAM , SINCE HIS MAJESTIES COMING TO THE CROVVN ▪ Summed up and seasonably brought againe to their vievv in a Loyall Farevvell-Visitation-Speech on the 15. of November last . 88. being ten dayes after the Landing of the Prince of Orange . By DENIS GRANVILLE D. D. Deane & Archdeacon of Durham , ( novv in Exile ) Chaplaine in Ordinary to his Majesty . Printed at Roüen by WILLIAM MACHUEL , ruë S. Lo , neare the Palace for JOHN BAPTISTE BESONGNE , ruë Escuyer , at the Royall sun , and are to be sold by AUGUSTIN BESONGNE in the Great Hall of the Palace at Paris . In the yeare of our Lord God M. DC . LXXXIX . TO THE READER . THE same necessity vvhich drove mee from my Home , at the very time vvhich my Soveraigne vvas forced to vvithdravv from his ovvne Palace , compells mee to send these , as vvell as my other , Papers , to the Press , to shevv the manner , hovv I parted vvith my Freinds & Flocks in the Bishoprick of Durham , and that the last Discharge of my Archidiaconall Office in a Tyme of trouble , vvas suitable to my past life & Acttings , during more than tvventy yeares , in a time of Peace . Hovv imperfect & insufficient soever both have been , I never vvanted , through Gods Grace , Resolution all a long to Oppose the Subjects in croaching on the Prerogative of their King ; as heartily as I have vvith-stood the Dutch their Invading of the Land. It vvill be no great ground of Admiration then to all vvho throughly knovv mee , that , at such a Iuncture , I did dare speake plaine English , to fortify my Brethren against Temptations , and encourage them , as I have done , in their Duty to God & the King. And I Blesse Gods most holy name , that hee hath been pleased to bestovv on mee , for the supply of my manifold Defects , allvvayes Christian Confidence , in the Pulpit , vvho have not injoyed much of it any vvhere else . By vvhat God gave mee boldness , at that time , to speak in the ears of a large & Publick Auditory of Clergy & Layity ( not rashly but vvith the most mature consideration that I utter'd any thing in my vvhole life ) they might perceive I did not intend to stay at Durham , if my Soveraigne should bee Banish'd from his Kingdom . As by committing the same discourse to the Press , after more serious thoughts & greater deliberation , all men vvill bee easily Convinced , that till my Soveraigne be restored ( vvhich I do heartily pray for ) I have no thoughts to returne . Tho I found it very easy , & intelligible , hovv to behave my selfe under a Roman Catholick Prince , in the discharge of all Duties , incumbent on mee , as a Right Church-of-England-Subject , or Christian , yet must acknovvledge that I am void of Logick & other Learning to supply mee vvith distinctions , and furniture , necessary to live under an Vsurper . And therefore if the Reader discover the vvhole course of my life , as vvell as my vvritings , destitute of Craft to transforme my selfe into any shape , and change vvith the Government , let him not be astonish'd ; or accuse mee over rigidly , for not doing that , for vvhich I am not so vvell , as others , quallified , either by nature , or education . It hath been my fate to have suck'd in other Principles , & to have been trained up under better Tutours ; nay , possibly , in my vvhole Make , to be so contrived , and composed , that it is not in the Povver of man to nevv-mould mee , into that sort of Animal , vvhich can blovv Hot & Cold vvith the same Breath , and is able to save his stake , vvhat ever Card turnes up trump . To these vvho shall condemne it in mee ▪ as a deplorable piece of Madness , or folly to talk or vvrite avvay such a Considerable Revenue , as Providence & my Kind Patrons have bestovved on mee , ( vvhich I am like to do by setting my name ▪ to vvhat I print ) I must declare that I am one of those Fooles S. Paul speakes of , vvho that I may bee vvise am vvilling , in the sight of the vvorld , to become a Foole , valuing my Innocency , & Quiet of Conscience , more than I do the best Deanery , or Bishoprick in Christendom . And as nothing yet hath tempted mee , I thank God , to Compliment avvay my Religion , ( tho I have been by some so reproached ) upon Gods raising & setting over us a Prince of a different Communion . So no Consideration vvhatsoever ( I rely on Gods Grace ) shall be able to prevaile vvith mee to prostitute it , by falling dovvne to adore the multitude , or any Image ( tho it be of Gold ) that shall be set up by the People . Those therefore that attack mee by arguments , or Threats , in letters , to seduce mee back , and dravv mee into a Compliance vvith the nevv Government , that I might set my hand to she raising up the Babell vvhich they are building in England , may save their labour & ink . For till they have confuted the Doctrine vvhich they have preached , as vvell as the sound Divinity of their Mother , vvhich they have forsaken , they may cease from offerring mee other arguments to convince mee . And till they persvvade mee to set a higher value upon my money , than I do on the Grace of God , & prize my temporall intrest more than mine Integrity ( vvhich no magick I have yet met vvith all hath been able to effect , so as to fill my pockets ) they may also forbeare to affright mee vvith Deprivation . I have long considered , & studied the point of Allegiance , vvhich I ovve to my only Leige Lord & Soveraigne King Iames 2 , and to no other , and am firmely vvithout doubt , or scrupule , satisfied that my Religion vvill not permitt mee to svveare fidelity to any besides him . That the greatest part of my Brethren notvvithstanding the faithfull & frequent endeavours I have used to establish them in Conformity & Loyalty , should forsake Gods Vice-Gerent , to do Homage to the Peoples , is an unexpressible greife to my soule . To prevent the Incurring such guilt , and the lamentable scandall of such Apostacy , I did in due time ( as may appeare from the date of the ensuing Address ) expose my selfe to much censure , by delivering my mind , to an Auditory , vvhich seem'd ready to run themselves ( as they have done ) into that Yoke & servitude ; vvhich I ( vvho had greater temptations than others ) vvas resolved to run out of the Kingdom , & from my preferment , rather than submit to . And to demonstrate that I am ( after great thought fullness & much prayer to God to direct mee ) of the very same mind here in France on Nov. 15. 1689 , that I vvas in England on the same day of the month 1688 , as vvell as desirous to expresse my vvillingness , to do all that in mee lyes , to avvaken those out of their sin , vvhich I could not confirme in their Duty ; I am as vvilling to commit to the Presse the discourse I then made . Tho I vvell knovv , that I shall , in so doing , in case these Papers get into England , ( and considering mens present Genius & Actings there ) be exposed to the danger of running ( as it vvere ) the * Gantlet through the Nation . D. G. Trom my study in Roüen Nov. 15. 1689. ADVERTISEMENT . IF this or the former Piece have the good fortune to find the way back to Durham , and fall into the hands of those Persons that were present when they were spoken , ( for whose sake they were first deliver'd and since Printed , ) they may chance to take notice , in the perusall , ( if their memories do not faile them , ) that the Authour is more sparing than heretofore , or ever used to be , in his Commendation of the Constitútion of the Church of England , and more particularly in the Praise of its well compiled Liturgy , which he was wont , upon all occasions , very highly to extoll ; In which case , they are desired to understand and consider , that these Papers have been Printed in a R. Catholick Country , where they could not be permitted to pass the press without the perusal , & approbation of R. Catholicks ; and that it was a great mark of favour , and an espetiall token of their present forwardness to concurre with , and encourage Loyalty , to suffer Sermons and A speech , spoken by a Divine of the Church of England , to be printed here at all , notwithstanding the castigations which have been made , by the retrenchment of sundry expressions , & omitting all Comparisons which did carry with them any Reflections . And therefore the aforesaid people have no just cause given them to conceit , that the Authour hath , in any respect , Changed his sentiments of the Religion of the Church of England , which he hath ever professed , & where in he desires and resolues , by gods Grace , to live and Dye . If the aboue mentioned Auditors , ( who discouer too apparently , that there is among them at home , what ever is in the Authour abroad , a lamentable Change ) or any other sort of Readers , of our own , or of any Forreigne Nation , fancy him guilty of too much sharpness of expression , they are intreated to remember , or to be informed , that what ever he hath utterr'd , in a tyme of great Heat & Hurry , hath been spoken against such as did invade his own Native County with unexpressible injustice & unnaturallness , ( as well as many heightning aggravations for want gratitude ) and that it was a speciall Duty in every one of his Character , & his station , at that time to expose as much as they were able , an invasion which was beyond all precedent , & without paralell . In so much , that if a satyricall Invective ( of which the Authour was never a great louer ) be at any time allowable , in the writings of a Divine , it cannot be denied , surely , but that it may passe here , in this Instance : espetially Considering that he did very seasonably shew such his indignation , even before the Forces that Landed had rowled to so great a number , but that they might have been Opposed , nay suppressed , by any one County of England , which would have shewed it selfe , right valiant , faithful , and unanimous . And if some 〈…〉 with 〈…〉 during the Reign of in rai●ing subjects ▪ 〈…〉 ( in the 〈…〉 of Doctor ● . ) to dethrone their lawfull Soveraigne ▪ had done their parts , but with as hearty good will ( all that the 〈…〉 boast of ▪ as he did ● more counties than one ▪ might probably have been alarum ▪ d , into so Deep a sense of their duty and condition ▪ that our present low Country ▪ Cavaliers who have mounted us ( & shewn themselves already so ill riders as to have sput ▪ galled us ) , might have been driven away with shame , before they had gotten into ▪ or fixt themselves in 〈…〉 So desireable an end , the Authour conceived , may certainly authorise some smartness of stile , and Apologize for him , in any nationall or 〈…〉 reflections ▪ his honest zeale transported him into ( which as he spake he 〈…〉 that if any perceive some vinegar in his ink , he is perswaded ▪ they wil discover ●o g●wle . A ●peech made by the Archdeacon to the Clergy of the Archdeaconry of Durham in the Church of St. Mary le Bovv on the 15. of Nov. 1688. vvith a Repetition of some cheife Matters contained in former speeches since his present Majesties Accession to the Crovvn . REVEREND & WORTHY BRETHREN . It is a Custome in the University of Oxford , once in the yeare , in the University-Church , to have a Repetition Sermon . This , as wellas other her Customs , I make no doubt , is supported with Substantiall Reason . An Auditory of Schollars and Learned men , Doctors & Divines , have not , as she supposes , allwayes such faithfull Memoryes , but that they need a monitor . It is no affront therefore Brethren , to thinke that the Gravest Clergy , at the most Solemne Visitation , may bee men of the like Infirmities . Were I not then Convinced by the language of your Actions ( Whereby you Speak as plainly as by your tongues ) that you have either forgotten many things of moment said unto you , or have done much worse , that is , in plaine termes , undervalued & rejected them ; I your Unworthy Archdeacon , might have cause enough , once in my life , to imitate this laudable University-Patterne , in making you a Repetion-Speech , which , tho long , will go downe with you the better , at a time , when , as at present , you have no Visitation-Sermon . And here it will not be amisse to mind you , that , Repetition-Taske there , in the Church at Oxford , is the most difficult Imployment of the whole yeare . So that you will have Small reason to imagine that I do betake my selfe to the like course , so much for mine ovvn ease , as for your Edification . And as I shall imitate my Mother the University , in one respect , so shall I in an other . Shee doth not exercise the Patience of her Auditory , so far , as to bring to their view the substance of many or any Sermons of the whole yeare , but of the foure last imediately preceding Low-Sunday : viz. the Sermons preached on Good-Friday & Easter-Day with those on the two following Feastivalls . No more shall I disturb you with Hearing the Heads of any of my past Addresses , saving the four last , I meane those , which I have made since the Death of our Late Gratious Soveraign . Tho I might invite you to look farther back , being not conscious to my selfe , ( God be praised ) that I did ever with zeale presse any thing upon you , but what was well worth your Hearing , and consonant to the known Rules of the Church of England . So without any more ado ( praying for Gods Assistance ) I enter on my proposed imployment . REPETITION OF THE SVBSTANCE OF FORMER SPEECHES . SPEECH I. THE former of these four Discourses I made you in the Church of S. Nicholas , the three last in this where in wee are at present assembled . I shall according to our Oxford-Method entertaine you with the Cheif & Most important Points in the same order which I spoke them . First in that ( after a considerable absence & a great Change ▪ ) I did Judge it meet to bring to your vievv , The Greatnesse of our Affliction , & our greater sins vvhich provoked God at that time , & in that manner to punish us vvith the losse of a Meek & mercifull Father of our Country . A Prince of so condescending a Race , that hee was ( like his never enough to be admired and good natured Father ) more concerned for the Ease & Property of his subjects , than for the security of his own Person & Prerogatives ; A Prince of such Exemplary long-suffering , bearing with such innumerable & intollerable Affronts of his Authority , that hee did evince to all the world , that it was scarce possible for a Stuart ever to be a Tyrant : A Prince , what ever might be his own personall Infirmities , that had not one of those grosse Flavves in a Monarch , which do border upon Injustice & Cruelty to his People ; A Prince , that did so abound in Acts of Grace to a stubborn & ungratefull Generation , that an Excessive Clemency had like to have proved his own , as it did his Fathers Ruine : Lastly a Prince under whom ( God forgive our unreasonable complaints ) wee might have been ( if w●e were not ) one of the Happiest Nations in the World. The next thing which I offer'd to your consideration , was , The Gratious Goodness of the present King , in not only continuing but Protecting our Religion : VVhereby hee did in an unexpected , Blessed , manner , defeat the bitter Calumnies of his Malitious Enimies , vvho for seaven yeares before had most seditiously hammer'd into the Spirits of the vulgar most Dismall & Dreadfull Apprehensions of a Popish successour . Hee thereby proving all those ( God be thanked ) false Prophets , who had insinuated into the Peoples minds ( to the scaring them almost out of their senses ) that as soon as the Duke of Yorke came to the Crovvne , vvee should have Masse said in all she Cathedralls in England . To vvhich Act of mercy in the King , it vvas but an unsuitable & unseasonable Returne ( I could not omit the notice ) to grudge his Majesty , and those of his Persvvasion , the Exercise of their ovvn Religion , vvith impunity from the severity of the Lavves , vvhilst God kept us under the Government of a Prince of the Roman Communion : Witnesse the Untimely heat of some turbulent Spirits , in the House of Commons , vvhich assembled on the 19 of may after his Coming to the Crovvne , who flung a bone among that August assembly , vvhich vvas like to have brokn all their Teeth : furiously pushing on the then present , & immediate Revivall of the Penal Lavves , vvithout any exception of the Roman Catholicks , vvho had undeniable pretences , considering their Loyalty and services in the Great Rebellion , to some respite during the Reign of a Prince of their ovvn Religion . But the Major part of that Loyall Parliament vvisely foresavv , vvhereto such a preposterous proceeding did tend , and like faithfull Patriots did readily oppose , & soon Quench the flame of that ill-timed Zeal ; resolving vvithout any more adoe ( Would God none had ever changed their minds ) firmely to rely on the vvord of their Gratious Prince , for the security of their Religion & Lavves ; dutifully expressing their just Indignation against those rash , as vvell as horrid Rebels , vvho did at that time , insolently make a desperate attempt to overthrovv our Antient Monarchy : The Parliament Passing a Bill of Attainder , in the first place , against the Arch ▪ Rebell & Head of that Republican Crevv , vvho vvere Wafted hither from the Lovv-Countryes ; and then after vvards assisting their Soveraign vvith their Purses & Persons to the utmost of their Povver , till ( by the Blessing of God ) hee had vvholly suppress't a Dreadfull Rebellion ; vvhich , hovvever small it might be , in the beginning , might have prov'd fatall to the vvhole Church , as vvell as Kingdom . On vvhich Wicked & Bloody Designe , vve may novv make the more severe Reflections ( as things have fallen out ) since that vile Rebellion , ( after it vvas hatch'd in Hell ) had been harbour'd in Holland , among our Neigbours , vvho make a bad complement to England , for raising them from a poor distressed state , in the dayes of Queen Elizabeth , to so High and mighty a Republick , as to give chec to the most potent Crovvned Heads , even to the greatest of their Benefactors : and from disputing in the dayes of Charles 2 for the Soveraignty of the seas ( an act insolent enough ) to contend in the dayes of King Iames 2 for the Soveraignty of the Land , and to fight for the Imperiall Crovvn of this Kingdome , if not to vvear it on their heads ( vvhich it vvould badly become ) to trample it under their Feet ; vvhich vvould be the undoubted Issue of a Flemmish zeale , mixt vvith Gunpovvder & Brandy , tho never somuch varnish'd over vvith Pretences of Liberty , & Religion . Wee may learne the Favour of the Hollander , in the stories of Amboina & Bantam . From Dutch Acts of Mercy ( tho some I do behold vvould not be convinced a fevv dayes ago , that , if the Dutch should land , they intended us any harme ) the Lord deliver mee , and all the Kings Obedient Subjects . And let those vvho abound vvith so unaccountable & absurd a sort of Charity , only feel , & experiment their Compassion . And novv from this seasonable , and pertinent digression I am led to my third particular of that Visitation-Speech vvhich I am Epitomizing . To vvit . The unspeakable & undeserved Mercy of Allmighty God , in the blessed suppression of that Diabolick Rebellion vvhere vvith the Enimies of our King & Church vvel-com'd our Soveraign to the Crovvne . A sad vvelcome for a poor Weather-beaten Prince nevvly come into the Haven after a long & terrible Storme ; lately banisht from Kingdome to Kingdome , and ( vvhich hee had reason to thinke none of the least penances vvhich Heaven had imposed upon him ) driven into Holland among the Ducth , vvho it is a Wonder did not use Violence to him , since they did immediately , upon his Coming to the Crovvne , countenance & support those Rebellious misereants ▪ that sought his Royall Life . And vvhose good vvill & vvell-vvishes , to those unfortunate Rebells ( vvho landed in the vvest ) may novv Clearly be discover'd , by the preparations vvhich they have been making ever since the Victory , given by God to our Soveraign , at King-Sedgemoor . Which disappointment , it is plaine , greived them , since they are , at this very instant , maintaining the same Quarrell ; publishing a no lesse Wicked Manifesto , or Declaration ; only vvith this difference , that these treacherous Enimies ( vvhich in this juncture of Affaires have impudently invaded us ) seem a little more angry , than those traytors vvhich landed at lime , vvith the God of Heaven , for postponing their Stateholders pretences to the Crovvne , by the Blessed Birth of a hopefull Prince ( vvhom God preserve ) To vvhom the Barbarous Dutch ( and some more barbarous among our selves ) have been more cruell than Bloody Herod in killing the Children , by endeavouring to prove him illegitimate & disinheriting him ( vvhich Providence & the Kings vvisedome & Care seems to have put out of dispute ) thereby destroying the Hopes & felicity of three Kingdoms , in depriving them of so unvaluable a Blessing as an heir Male , to succeed to & support the Monarchy ▪ But , to returne , the Remarkable Justice & Vengeance of God , in cutting of vvith great speed those Traytors , last spoken of vvhich they had fostered in their Bosome , and assisted vvith vessells and armes , to land and begin a Rebellion in England and Scotland , together vvith the many signall Providences of Heaven , in frustrating all their Wicked designes , bringing to nought all their mischeivous attempts , and making that Rebellion , intended for the Ruine of Church & state , a meanes ( as rightly improv'd it might have been ) the longer to uphold both ; should Convince ( I say ) even the most stupid Dutch Understanding of the heavy displeasure of God against such hatefull Hypocrisy , as ▪ the Colouring over secular , unjust , nay treasonable & bloody Machinations vvith the profession of Piety : One of the Motto's vvhich they , at present , beare in some of their Flags ( as reported ) being pro libertate & Religione for the Preservation of liberty and Religion . That our Neighbours the Dutch , of all others , are become thus zealous & devout , & concern'd for the liberties and Religion of England ( as they vvould have us imagine ) is some vvhat unintelligible . Bibit Flander editque benè , hath been by vvise men heretofore assigned for the Flemmins Character ; and I never since heard of his Reformation . Such SAVIOURS OF OUR CHURCH ( God blesse her ) vvould be as bad as the late SAVIOURS OF OUR NATION . If Heaven vvere incensed against us in such a degree , as to put us under a necessity of such miserable Comforters , and freinds to support us , it vvould be hard to knovv vvhich to choose : A Saviour from Amsterdam or Sala-Manca . All I shall farther say , before I proceed to the next particular , is , that as I do , vvith all my soule , thank & blesse Heaven for Saving the Nation from one of these Saviours , so I pray vvith most fervent Zeale ( in conjunction vvith all truly loyall subjects ) that vvee may , in due time , be saved from the Other ; Trusting in God , nay resting vvell assured , that vvee shall have a gratious Returne of our Prayers , if our sins prevent not . And so I ingage in my last particular of my first discourse , namely . Our indispensable Obligation both to God & the King , to live suitably to such unexpected Blessings of Heaven , & unmerited kindness ▪ of an indulgent Prince . The mercy of God ( you were then told ) had been Wonderfull beyond expression to our Gratious Soveraign , in first restoring him with his Royall Brothers , after innumerable difficulties attending the Great & Long Rebellion , aftervvards preserving him from the danger of many Bloody Battells in defence of this nation , against those very enraged Enimies , vvhich would ( notwithstanding vvee feele their Malice ) make the vvorld beleive ( and some I find are easy enough to beleive it ) that they are our kinde , nay Religious Freinds : In the next place delivering him , from that never to be forgotten danger of the Deep , vvhen the GLOCESTER perish'd on the Lemon & Oare vvhere God many vvayes manifested , that hee vvas a Prince vvhich Heaven took into it's spetiall & Extraordinary Protection : Then rescuing him from a greater than any of the former danger , , even from the Madness of the People , from the fury of the Rabble , from the Rage of the incens'd Multitude , vvhich could not refrain from the highest of Affronts , stabbing in Effigie : Judging him unvvorthy of the respect due to a Kings Brother , tho a Turk or Pagan ▪ not remembring him for a vvhile somuch as in their Prayers or Cups . Which spleen & Contempt of his sacred person , increased to so high a Pitch ( I then observed ) that many , of all degrees & Quallities ( setting themselves against him ) vvould bee satisfied vvith nothing lesse , than à barbarous Exclusion of him from the Imperiall Crovvne , vvhereto Allmighty God in spite of Men & Divells has brought him ▪ vvith great Honour & to our Comfort : God , in vvhose Governance are the Hearts of Kings , putting it into his Royall mind to dispell the Fears & Jealousies of his people , by the first Act hee did in Councell , before hee had vviped the Tears from his Eyes for his beloved Brother ; And aftervvards making him a Blessed Instrument of suppressing that first ( Dutch ) Rebellion , vvhich I dare so to stile , since it vvas formed in Holland , the Comon Receptacle of Christendom for Rebells & Traytors , and so successefull a Forge for Treasonable practices , that tvvo proscribed Ministers ( fitter to be Smiths than Divines ) have there hammer'd out a second more Divellish Conspiracy . Such Goodness of God to our Royall Family , not leaving it destitute of a Prince of the right line , but settling upon the Throne so accomplish'd an one in all respects , that if hee had been of our Ovvn Religion , vvee should have thought our selves loaded vvith more Happiness than vvee had been able to beare . This Mercy Isay , in raising a Gratious Princs ( tho of a different Faith ) to be the Defender of ours , in crushing a Rebellion like a Cockatrice in the shell , which aimed more at the destruction of the Church than the Crowne , is so unparallell'd a Blessing as deservs Everlasting Praise , and an eternall obligation to conforme our lives to the Will & Commands of our Earthly as vvell as our Heavenly King. Which vvee cannot do ( give mee leave on such occasions allvvaies to be your monitor ) till nee do approve our selves truly Genuine , obedient sons of the Church , as vvell as Dutifull Complying subjects ( I knovv no difference in those tvvo Epithets of Obedient & Complying , tho the last hath been turn'd into a reproach ) in all things vvhich are not Contrary to the Clear Word of God. But I vvill , for a vvhile , stop such inlargements , as vvell as set a Period to my promised repetition of the most important Heads of the first of my four Visitation-Discourses , propounded to be brought to your Vievv . Which I have inlarged by unavoidable digressions , Occasion'd by the present vvicked and treacherous Invasion . I shall sooner passe through the Heads of the second remaining ones , without such additionary Reflections , and bring all , I trust , with in the compasse of lesse time , than what is allowed for both Sermon and speech at a Visitation . SPEECH . II. THe cheife points of my second discourse which I shall lay before you , are , as followeth . First our present Kings further Expression of his Gratious Good nesse and Condescension in the seasonable & happy Renevvall of those vvholesome & Ecexllent Directions to Preachers , vvhich vvere publish'd by his martyr'd Father , and set forth , a second time , by his Royall Brother K. Charles the 2. in the yeare 1662. Injoining such a Regulation of the Pulpit ( out of which have issued our former and our present Flames ready to devour us ) such Exact conformity to our Rubrick , such frequent Publication ( in all parochiall Churchs ) of the Doctine and discipline of our Church , such respect to the Lords day , and cheifly such a Training up of the Youth , & Catechising them in the Book of Common Prayer , as was the most likely meanes , ( valuable infinitely beyond all our Disputes & Harangues from Either Pulpit or Presse ) to preserve , the Church of England . And which wee Clergy had greedily embraced ( God forgive us that fatall Error of Neglecting them ) had wee not laboured under some kind of Infatuation . Secondly , that bitter Invectives a gainst the Pope of Rome ( vvhilst vvee live under a Prince of the Roman Communion ) omitting the more sure vvayes to preserve our Religion , allovved by this , and the last Good King , as vvell as biting declamations against the non-Conformists in the late Kings Reign , by those vvho vvere themselves but semi-Conformists , vvere an Effect of very blameable & dangerous Zeale , and had mightily increased our schisme and vveakened our Church : It being not Satyricall Harangues , in the dayes of K. Ch. the 2. ( as I then told you , & still thinke seasonable to repeat ) against the Fanatiks , which did without a Compleat Conformity to our Rules , signalize a Right Church-of-England-Divine . No more than furious Railing , or hot Disputing against the Pope , or Church of Rome , in the present Reign of K. James . 2. Can give an undeniable Demonstration , that wee are Good Subjects , or firme Protestants . Neither of which can evidence us ( God knowes ) to be the legitimate Jssue of that Church vvhich vvas never guilty of Boisterous , and unmannerly Zeale , but allvvayes profest and taught , not only a deep veneration for Majesty , but Christ like Meeknesse and Moderation : Exhorting her Children to Honour the King , as vvel as Feare God , and to be just to all , even to the vvorst & most implacable of her Enimies or Impugners . Thirdly I shevv'd the indispensable Duty of every one of us , to betake our selves to a more indubitable Course , than the former , of maintaining our Religion by those lavvfull meanes ( and much more effectuall than the other ) vvbich vvere allovved by the King as vvell as our Church to save our soules , that is , by living according to our Doctrine , rather than by Talking for it , & most particularly by studying and practising our Common Prayer Book ; not Spending our Povvder & Ball in needlesse and impertinent pickarings , but laying up a store of Ammunition , & furnishing our selves by the foresaid prescribed Courses vvith Courage & Magnanimity against a Day of Battell . The fourth & last Point recommended to your Considetation then , at that Juncture of Affaires ( and is still vvorthy to be thought of ) vvas , vvhether that Subtile & Malicious spirit ( vvho often transforms himselfe into an Angell of Light , effecting his vvorst Designs under the disguise of Holiness ) dot not vse pretended Zeale against , as vvell as Fears & Iealousies of Popery ▪ as the most likely and successe full strategem to bring it in . I vvas then and am still of that Opinion . And , for Gods sake , do not despise this honest Caution . SPEECH III. THUS having dispatch'd the things most vvorthy of notice , contained in my second discourse as vvell as the first , I shall attempt to bring to your vievv the most significant Heads of the third . And here Waving sundry Arguments then laid before you , to submit to your Soveraigns Will and Pleasure , even , in the most uninntelligible of all his Acts of Mercy , J meane , that Including the Fanaticks in his Declaration for Liberty of Conscience . Excess of Favour & liberty granted to his ovvn , as vvell as our Churches enimies ; as allso passing over the Characters of a right Loyall , and unalterably Obedient Subject to the King , and of a true , right bred son of our Church , together vvith that Man of Indifference , that pretends to be both , & yet is neither , vvhich I did then very largely set before you , as vvell as the motives to become the tvvo first , that is , Good subjects , & Good Christians ; Waving , I say , these and some other matters , that time vvill not permitt mee to reflect on , I shall only exercise your ears at present , vvith hearing four Cautions , or Directions , vhich I recommended to my Auditory , in the Conclusion of that Charge to the Clergy , to vvit . First , that , that just , reasonable , and moderate Ground of Feare , vvhich every VVise man ought to have , in our Circumstances , might drive u● more close home to the Throne of Grace , and Gods Altar and make us all acquaint our selves , better than ever heretofore , vvith our Hearts & Consciences ; taking such care of the internall exercise of Grace & vertue in the soule ( vvherein cheifly is the Kingdom of God ) & living in such Obedience both to God & the King , as become the best Christians & Subjects least that our Mercifull God & Gratious Prince ( on vvhose Grace & f●avour our Felicity did then greatly depend ) should for our past , or future provocations be incensed , and deprive us of the Liberty vvee injoyed , in the Exercise of our Establish'd Religion . The second Direction vvas to take care of the young Generation ▪ and never to suffer any Youth to depart from the parishes , or families , or approach to the LORDS SVPPER , vvith out due Instruction , and a sufficient degree of knovvledge and Devotion . ( Hic labor hoc opus est ▪ ) And if you vvere for any vvorks of supererogation , I prayed you to practise them in this course , permitted to us ( Blessed be GOD & his VICE-GERENT ) nay required of us by his Majestie in his pious DIRECTIONS to PREACHERS , as before mention'd ; vvhereto vvee all ought ( as I then Caution'd you ) to keep close , and the neglect vvhereof hath much contributed , vvithout dispute , to our present misery . A Third Advice vvas to bevvare least a Vulgar notion of Loyalty ▪ & obedience to your Superiours in Church & State ▪ might debauch y ur Vnderstanding , and make you more suspitious of your Governours Inchroaement on the Peoples priviledges , than of the Peoples Sacrilegious Invasion on the Prerogative of GODS VICE GERENT . When vvee cannot discover in England ( espetially in the family of the Stuarts ) any One Instance of the f●irst ; but may every day find out lamentable Examples of the latter ; And that you vvould remember & be assured , that the Religion of your Soveraign did not one jot either lessen , or somuch as restrain , the Authority or Povver , vvhich hee received from GOD and not from his subjects ; as also be more afraid of , and averse to Popular Tiranny , than the Abuses of Government in a Monarch ; vvho may be supposed to have , as vvell as his subjects , knovledge , Grace & Conscience of Duty to his Soveraign in Heaven , to restrain him from an extravagant exercise of his Povver ; and to informe him , that his Account to God , vvill be more heavy than that of his subjects in case of Male-Administration . My fourth & last Counsell vvas to be just to all men , both to the Romanist and Dissenter . That your Aversion to the Doctrine of any Party ( tho never so Contrary to your ovvn ) should not , in any manner , exceed your Love & Concerne for the Religion you profess'd ▪ and tempt you to encourage barefaced Violations of Truth & Justice , vvhen it is in the Concerne of an Enimy , or Adversary to your Opinions . SPEECH IV. THERE remaines novv only the last of my foure Addresses to be brought to your vievv ( before I ingage in my Conclusive Reflections ) vvhich consisted of three heads , & vvherein I spoke by vvay of Caution ( I desire you to remember ) rather than accusation . Three things I did advise , and beseech you in a particular manner , to take heed and be vvare of ; ( And so I shall in the name of God , as long as I have the Honour to be your Archdeacon ) Things vvhich really portend much vvotfe than most grounds usually assigned in this suspitious Age for Fears & Jealousies . The first vvas , A preposterous zeale against our Adversaries , accompained too often vvith a spirit of Contradiction . And vvhich distills more aversion into us , and disgust against our Adversaries Person , than Principles ; Inclining us to Oppose , & confute him right , or vvrong , Concluding all to bee evill in our Antagonists ( tho oftentimes very Commendable ) and fondly Over-vveening all to be Good ( tho some times very unchristian ) in our selves , and others of our Persvvasion . A mallady , vvhich hath been long the Disease of our Nation . Our Poor Church , ever since the Puritan Faction began , labouring under the same , in such degree , that a Spirit of Contradiction hath been Commonly made the Cheife standard & measure of many mens Religion & Devotion , and the distance they kept from the vvays & Sentiments of their Opposers , look'd on as an infallible Mark of the vertue of their ovvn Persons , and Truth of their profession . Which Opinion and Judgement of matters ( tho never so popular ) are very false Weights & Measures . By reason , at this rate , the vvorst men must allvvayes be the greatest saints , since in them dvvdls most Hatred & animosity , & bitter Aversion to all that is not their ovvne : Horrid vices , are usually the Parents of this spirit , vvhich I set before you , & desire you may all Loathe . The second thing I caution'd you against , vvas , mens Declining in Loyalty & Love to their Prince , on account of his Religion ; Which doth not in any manner dissolve or abate the Bonds of Duty & Respect in the subject . But on the Contrary Favours received from such a Prince ( such as vve have received as I shevved then more largely ) oblige subjects to some more officious respects than are to be paid to a kind Prince of our ovvn Persvvasion . The third thing vvhereof I told you that vvee ought to bevvare , vvas , Ingratitude to both God & the King , for those spetiall Mercies and Acts of Grace , vvhich vvee receive from one and the Other , even during our Murmurrings and Complaints . Ingratitude to the King , I then informed you vvas inseparable from Ingratitude to God , A Good & Gratious Prince being a Choice Gift of Heaven , & one of the greatest blessings vvhich a Nation can enjoy . And hee that vvill not from the Bottome of his Heart returne his thanks & Praise for so inestimable a Jevvel , is a mounster of Unthankfullness to the Common Governour of the Universe , the Greatest of Benefactors . Reflections on some of the points repeated , & the circumstances of the Nation , at the time of the delivery of this speech in reference to the Invasion . AND novv , Reverend Brethren , I have , by the assistance of God finish'd the Task vvhich I propos'd ; ( to vvit , ) of Refreshing your memory vvith the recitall of the most important matters vvhich I recommended to your Consideration , in all my Publick Visitation-discourses since the Death of the King. And I am sure that there is not one of them , but is very vvorthy of your thoughts , espetially in such a Juncture of Affaires , as obliges every man in authotrity , to use the most povverfull Arguments , vvhich ever vvere used , to raise men to a high pitch of Loyalty , & affection to the Crovvn of England . I might very properly , & profitably farther reflect and inlarge on any of the past particulars , in these our Circumstances . But I shall confine my selfe cheifly to the tvvo last , vvhereon I did most breifly Touch , as most pertinent for our Meditation , in this day of Rebuke & Trouble . All men are novv , I suppose , sufficiently Convinced ( vvho do not labour under some desperate Delusion ) of the Mischeivous designe of our Treacherous neighbours ; vvhom vvee shall bee ashamed nay a fraid any more , surely , to stile Freinds , or to cry they vvill do us no harme , ( language wherevvith my eares have been long grated ) it being novv by Proclamation Treason so to do . If the Prince of Oranges landing vvith 14000 Traytours ( or supporters & Abettors of Treason ) at his heels ( the particulars of vvhose forces you have in the last Gazette , together vvith some Heads of his Rebellious Declaration ) vvill not convince men , that there vvas such a thing as an Evill intended Invasion , and that there can be no good designe to our Liberty , nor Religion , by so manifest a Violation of both , I shall give them up for lost , for men void of common sence , and not spend any more paines or breath upon them . As soon as his Majesty told us , in his late Proclamation , that hee had undoubted advice of a Wicked Designe to invade , & Conquer his Kingdom , I did ( & thought it my duty so to do ) firmely beleive it , and have ever since accordingly , in my poor sphere , not only offer'd my most fervent Prayers to Heaven , for the protection of our Gratious King , Church & Kingdom , but have done all that in mee lay , both by vvord & example , to exhort every person Committed to my Charge , to defend our King and Country . And if all persons had been as forvvard , as my poor unvvorthy selfe , to give credit to , & rely on the Word of our Prince ( vvhich I have not yet doubted ) the Nation had been , it is manifest , in a better state of Preparation . Tho God be praised , his Majestyes vigilance hath been such , that ( if his Officers continue faithfull ) the Kingdom is in no bad posture to receive , & requite the malice of our Enimies : triumphing , at last , as gloriously over these inveterate Foes as hee did three yeares ago , over the last rebellious villains , vvhich landed in the same Country . Thirty thousand vvel-disciplin'd & loyall subjects , under the banner of so valiant a Prince , as ours , are able undoubtedly , by the blessing of God ( despaire not ) to encounter any Prince in the vvorld , attended on , but vvith 14000 Rebbells . By vvhich appellation I do no injustice , since in the Case of Rebellion & Treason , as in that of murder , all companions are adjudged to be accessaries , and justly are to under go their triall , as vvel as the principall Actors . The Goodnesse of our own Cause , & the Badness of our Enimie's , is as cleare as the sun , & put beyond all mann'er of doubt , or suspition . Neither of which can be brought into Question by any person , but such an one , as having suck'd in sedition with his milk , is Antimonarchicall ( whiles hee pretends to be Antipapisticall ) in his nature , and so much more zealous for the Name of Protestant ( the worst thing in it ) than for the Religion of Protestants , as to become a Well-willer to Turks against Christindom , wishing success to Infidells , because Cerent Tecli , Bearing the name of a Protestant ( a Rebell and an Apost ate , or as bad ) is one of their number . Wee must not think so blasphemously of the Deity , that the God of Heaven ( a God of Purity & Truth ) can have more favour to such a Rebellious Rout , than to a Loyall Army fighting under the Royall standard of their lavvfull Prince in defence of an antient Monarchy , & most excellent Government . No , no wee must not imagine , that God ( who is of purer eyes than to behold any iniquity vvith approbation ) can have regard to such a Gathering together of the frovvard and Insurrection of VVicked Doers ( as holy David heartily Prayes against in the 64. Psalme ) vvho have vvhet their tongue like a svvord , and shoot out their Arrovvs even bitter vvords . Where Davids Character of the Wicked ( you vvil easily perceive , if you vvill take , the pains to peruse the whole Psalme ) exactly agrées with our Invaders . Both the wickedness & secrecy of their Undertaking having been such as hee describes . But as his Character & Complaint in the former part of the psalme doth well agree with those of our Enimies ; so , I trust in God , and heartily pray , that the latter & prophetick part , may be verified of them likewise . v. 7. 8. 9. But God shall suddenly shoot at them vvith a svvift arrovv , that they shall be vvounded , yea their ovvn tongues shall make them fall ; insomuch that vvho so seeth them , shall laugh them to scorne ▪ And all men that see it shall say , this hath God done ; for they shall perceive it is his vvorke . Many considerations , together with Gods Providence , in bringing this and other pertinent psalms to the Churche's use , since certain intelligence of the Enimyes landing , do ( for my particular ) incourage mee to put my Trust in God , that hee will not give us up , ( I am sure hee will not unlesse our sins rise to a higher Pitch than theirs ) as a Prey to these our Malitious Enimies . If all orders of men amongst us , vvho have transgress'd his righteous Lavvs , and render'd ( to use the words of our prescribed prayers ) both his Mercies & Iudgements ineffectuall to our amendment , do but unfeignedly confesse to God , & Heartily repent for such their Provocations , turning avvay from their wickdnesse ( for vvhich it is not yet too late ) Hee ▪ vvill be pleas'd to turne avvay from his vvrath , vvhich novv hangs over our heads , & doth greivously threaten us . But let us all rest assured , that vvee of England can never be throughly reconcil'd to Almighty God ( and somuch I dare in his name to assure you ) vvithout repenting of our Ingratitude ( of the late Odious unparallell'd Ingratitude ) to our Soveraign , as vvell as himselfe . Which brings mee home to the Topicks , that are of all other , at this time , most pertinent for our Consideration . Which Ingratitude , I say your Ingratitude to God & the King ; vvhich among other sins , & innumerable impieties , ( many of vvhich I feare cry for veageance ) doth dare Heaven , not only to chastise us it selfe , but to make us to be rebuked of our neighbours , and a By-vvord among the Heathens , suffering us to be laught to scorne , & had in derision of those that are round about us : The least vvhich the best of us , at this Cris●s , may justly dread for our late ( as vvell as former ) vvretched requitalls , that vvee have made for the Mercy & Bounty of our Father in Heaven & his Deputy on Earth . I shall not omitt the repetition there of ( tho late carriages & transactions persuade mee , it vvill be unpleasant to some of your ears ) since out of Gods Rods vvee may at this very instant pluck a fescue to teach us our lesson . Wee have impudently defied HEAVEN , by all imaginable Provocations , but by nothing more ( I am not afraid , nor ashamed , yet to harp upon my old string ) than by our contempt of it , in making bold vvith it's VICE-GERENT . Tho God hath bless'd us English , vvith a more happy Race of Kings than any Nation in the World can boast of ; yet it is notorious , that no people under the sun , have transgress'd more egregiously by murmuring & Complaints , or that hath Copied out vvith more exactness the unthankfullnesse , Infidelity , & Distrust of the Impenitent & hard-hearted . Ievves , Both in reference to God himselfe in Heaven , and their Conductors , MOSES & AARON , here on Earth . If God in his vvrath had sent us a vvicked Heathnish Persecutour , a Nero , a Caligula , or Dioclesian , to Reigne over us ▪ vvee must vvith Confusion have confess'd , that it had been much lesse than vvee deserv'd ; And yet vvee ( the most incorrigible people , I thinke , under Heaven ) are so squeamish , that vvee cannot digest a Christian Monarch , Gratious & mercifull even to Wonder : A Prince , vvho hath demonstrated himselfe , beyond all gainsaying , to be a true son of K. Charles the Martyr , vvho vvas A King ( I am persvvaded ) of the greatest clemency that ever vvas upon the face of the Earth ; cannot digest , I say , a Soveraign endovved vvith all these Graces ( and a multitude of other Kingly Qualyties relating to War & Government ) merely because hee is not of our opinion , in point of Religion ; tho hee gives us no other disturbance in the exercise of ours , than to desire liberty , for himselfe & party to enjoy their ovvn . Since vvee have thus Ungodlily Brovv-beaten Strugled vvith , and in a manner Disclaimed , if not rejected , such a Christian Prince , God in his Justice threatens to give us up a Prey to our Enimies , & the vvorst Masters upon the face of the Earth . Our abhorr'd Ingratitude to his Royall Brother & selfe ( vvithout putting in to the scales our other innumerable sins & impieties ) may give us just ground to feare , that our incens'd God may designe to teach us submission and subjection by so severe a Method , as to make us ( vvho have been yet one of the freest and most happy Nations of Europe ) TRUCKLE to an Upstart-Commonvvealth , to an Antimonarchicall Generation , vho by their continuall shelt'ring , encouraging , and assisting of Traytors , proclame their Emnity to the very name of King ; and that they vvould not leave ( if they could have their vvill ) one Crovvn'd Head in Christendom , But let us not be discouraged , or despond over much . Our condition ( Blessed be God ) is far from desperate . England cannot be destroyed , unlesse it destroy it selfe . If vvee vvill , in this our day , but forsake our sins , and stoop first to the God of Heaven , and aftervvards to his Anointed servant , our Indulgent Soveraign , as far as hee hath for this last month past condescended to the requests of his People ; flinging the vvorst of Traytours , our sins out of our Bosomes , and I do not doubt , but that vvee shall soon drive the Dutch victoriously out of the Land. TO CONCLUDE . IT May perchance , Brethren , seem a little out of the road to employ in this my sole Charge to the Cergy ( as I have done ) the whole time alloted both for Sermon , & the other ordinary Application . But I pray consider that , I speake to you in avery extraordinary Time , vvhich requires every one of us ( Publick Persons ) to do if hee can , something extraordinary in the discharge of his Duty , And besides , t is a time of danger and vvar , vvhich may be attended on , if God in his mercy doth not prevent , vvith Blood & Confusion . So that I cannot assure my selfe ( t'vvould be a sin not to feare vvhen God threatens ) that I may live to speak to you in this Place any more ( Anceps fortuna belli ) tho I declare I have not such dreadfull Apprehensions , as some may have , of this unnaturall War , but support my selfe vvith a good measure of Confidence , that God vvill give the King speedily the necks of his Enimies , since hee hath by his late Gratious Condescensions , and assurances regained ( I am vvilling to hope ) the Hearts of his Freinds . Which desireable issue nothing can vvithold Heaven from bestovving upon us , but Impenitency ▪ & more particularly , the vvant of Humility to Confesse the Errours vvhich vvee , the Leaders of our flocks , have been guilty of , & to ovvne the false steps vvee have made , to the Misguiding of our People . I do , as vvell as the King , next under God , rely on the brave antient valour of the English Nation : English men fighting vvith svvords , vvhile their Enimies put their Trust , cheifly , in Lyes , & Libells . When our Royall , & Puissant Soveraign appears in the head of his Troops ▪ His Example , sure , must needs animate and create Valour in the most dispirited Covvard . And had I not indispensably devoted my selfe , to serve my King , by serving our Church ( and obliged my selfe to pray rather than fight for his Grovvn ) I vvould be the first man that should run to the Royal Standard , and please my self to thinke , that in defence of my King & Country , I should have the Honour of some of my Ancestors , to fall in the Feild , or be buried in thé Deep . Let not my Earnestnesse ( Brethren ) make you Conceit , that I suspect your Loyalty & Allegiance , vvhich I hope , & desire , you vvill all speedily manifest by a loyall Addresse to his Majesty , to shevv your Abhorrence ofthe of the Injustice and Unnaturallness of the Invasion , and that you vvill ever , in remembrance of your Oathes , stand by him & serve himto the Uttermost , vvith your Lives & Fortunes . It is the indispensable Duty of a faithfull Visitor to quicken his Clergy , in such an Exigent . And vvith Integrity of Heart I novv do it ; that I may give you true Measures , vvhereby you may set right your People . I do acknovvledge my selfe a very feeble ( tho , I hope , honest ) supporter of the Church , & Crovvn of England . But hovvever , I have not so bad an Opinion of my selfe God be praised , as to be ashamed ( here among you ) either of my Life , or Doctrine . And to evince that I am not , I have this day repeated , the substance or Cheif Heads , of vvhat I have l'ayd before you , during the last foure yeares of my Office : vvhich , none can deny hath been a time of great temptation & triall . I COMMEND YOV TO GODS BLESSING and Direction . I 'LE say but one vvord more ( and God knovves vvhether it may not be the last I may ever say in this place ) and it shall be this . CONTEND AND FIGHT , AS WELL AS PRAY AS HEARTILY AS YOU PLEASE AGAINST OUR INSOLENT NEIGHBOURS , THE DUTCH , BUT CEASE TO DISPUTE WITH YOUR PRINCE . FINIS . SOLI DEO GLORIA . THE DEANE OF DURHAMS REASONS FOR HIS WITHDRAWING INTO FRANCE , IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE PRINCE OF ORANGES INVASION , And Driving the King , by the Svvord , out of the Kingdome of England . IN CERTAINE LETTERS . A LETTER TO HIS BROTHER THE EARLE OF BATHE . Printed at Roüen by WILLIAM MACHUEL , ruë S. Lo , neare the Palace for JOHN BAPTISTE BESOGNE , ruë Escuyer , at the Royall sun , and are to be sold by AUGUSTIN BESOGNE in the Great Hall of the Palace at Paris . In the yeare of our Lord God M. DC . LXXXIX . ADVERTISEMENT TO THE READER . THE Reader is desired to understand , that when the Authour first set pen to Paper , soon after his Landing in France , in the Month of March last past , that hee did not designe to print this and the ensuing Letters , or the foregoing Discourses ; His intentions , at that tyme , being only in a few lines to discharge the Obligations which hee did in Civility , rather than Religion , owe to his freinds & Relations ( spirituall & naturall ▪ in England , after so sudden a separation & mighty Revolution , by informing them in an ordinary way of writing : ffirst of what passed in reference to himselfe & Cures Ecclesiasticall , during the disturbances occasioned by the Prince of Orange ; secondly that hee did continue ( by Gods Grace ) to bee the very same Person , that they did discerne him to bee at Parting , & which hee had ever professed himselfe , even an Unalterable firme son of the Church of England as first establish'd as well as a right loyall subject to his soveraigne : resolv'd never to Owne any new fabrick built on the ruines of the Old , more than submit to a new souveraign fet up by subjects in the room of Gods Lawfull Vice-Gerent . But the changeablenesse of Times and variety of Publick occurrences , which did render it difficult for persons in his circumstances , to fix positively in any determination , caused him on second thoughts , to Undertake the inlargement of the said Letters , for the satisfaction of his owne conscience , rather than their curiosity ▪ & likewise to publish to the World the Account of himselfe & Actings which hee sends to his Brother , & Bishop , & together with the wholesome Advice hee gave , at parting , to the members of Durham Cathedrale , & Clergy of his Jurisdiction . To the end that no person whatso ever under his authority might be ignorant of his Behaviour & Stedfastnesse , in a tyme of great Apostacy , but be throughly informed & well assured ( the better to keep them from Falling ) that hee did , to the very last Upshot , practice the Doctrine which hee ever Taught ; and was not ashamed , by his last services for the Publick at Withdrawing , & by his first imployment of his Pen after Landing , to proclame himselfe one of those indisputably loyall Subjects , that could obey actively in all commands not sinfull , Whatever his king bee , either by his Practice-in Point of Moralls , or by his Profession in regard of his Religion ; nay ▪ one who was more ambitious to suffer with his afflected Prince abroad , than to keep his Preferments at home ( tho in their kind some of the best in England ) with a Blemish of being accessary to the Rebellion , as his conscience assured him hee should have been , if hee had ( after his manner of Preaching and Practice ) but stayed at Durham , & sate still without opposing those who were ( hee conceived ) labouring , by dethroning his souveraigne , to Unhinge the Antient Government both in Church & state ; or else held his tongue , & stopd his Pen , after hee was got , by à happy Providence , out of the reach of the Kings Enimies ; to gaine the liberty whereof it was one cheif part of his designe in leaving the Nation . Which liberty , & opportunity hee thought himselfe in all good conscience the more readily & heartily obliged to embrace , since hee was debarred the Pulpit , & deprived of the ordinary Publick exercise of his Ministry ; being not contented to preach by his example only , but according to the Rule of the Apostle S. Paul , out of season , as vvell as in season , by Letters , Advice , and Exhortations , at all Times , on all Places , on all fit occasions , & to all Persons ( to whom his Duty bound him to Apply himselfe ) as far , and as well , as hee was able : His zeale by à kinde of Antiperistasis ( the defection reaching his own , till this time , ever loyall family ) being increased as well as his resolution . But how so many of such Antient , Noble , Houses , and till this late Epidemicall infection in a most exemplary manner faithfull to the Crown , should be tainted in the leastwise , with the horrid sin of Rebellion , hee cannot devine , nor give any reason for the same , unlesse the Air of England did begin to grow as contagious as the Plague of Athens , which bred more diseases in mens Soules than in their Bodies , corrupting ( as it is Storied ) their very moralls . Yet , what ever intoxicating ●virtue may have been in the cli me , under the Planet that reigned in 88. that all should bee true ▪ which i● reported of some of his ovvne Kinred , hee begs pardon if hee prove a very Infidell : It being not in the Povver of all the Logi●ians in the vvorld to Convince him , that it is possible for one descended from his Dear Loyall Father Sr BEVIL GRANVILLE to dye a Rebell , more than it is probable , that the lately Landed English rebells should long prosper , or subsist , in Ireland , vvhere no venemons Beast can live . These Considerations , together vvith the difficulty of sending large Packetts , by the Post into another Kingdom , the danger of miscarriage at a Juncture vvhen fevv letters Went Without Openning ; the Seriously and vvell vveighing the vote of the ( Pretended ) House of Commons to forbid all intercourse vvith France after the first of August ; and more Especially the frequent Reflection on his Bodily Infirmities ( fearing hee might never bee in the like condition of strength & understanding to Unburthen his Conscience , if hee slipped so faire all Occasion ) did cause him to make as much hast as hee could to commit his thoughts thus to vvriting , and to Communicate them by this sure method of Printing his Letters , vvhich vvere not compleated till the end of October last . Wherein if nether the Reader , nor Persons to vvhom hee vvrites ( more than in the discourses preceding ) finde any Excellency of stile or matter , of Moderne Policy , or modish Learning , they may yet meet vvith vvhat the Authour is more proud of , and in this present Age & Juncture very Extraordinary , as vvell as more valuable ; That is to say , Honesty & Courage enough to be faithfull to his King last yeare in spight of the mobile , & this yeare in spight of the Usurpation . TO THE EARLE OF BATHE . EVER HONORED AND DEARE Sr. THAT I never somuch as once presented my Duty to your LP . since I Left London , nor gave you any account of my selfe during the Months of Oct. & Nov. last pass'd , I need not , I conceive , make any Apology . All Cerimonious respects being then svvallovved up by the Great Concerns & Transactions of the yeare 88 , that Annu● Mirabilis vvhich vvholy imployed the Head & Hearts of all men . And since that time , my Roling Posture , Change of measures , & Resolutions occasioned by the uncertainty & Change of Affaires & Persons at the Helme , together vvith the crosse Accidents , vvhich I have by Land & sea met vvith all ( through vvhich God hath of his mercy vvell carryd mee ) vvould not permit mee to salute you vvith that formality as became mee , vvherefore I have hitherto continued silent ; But being novv mor● fix'd and Easy , and got vvhere I have been aiming Ever since I left my station ( on the 11. of Dec. ) I cannot so farre forget my selfe as longer to deferre the presentation of my humble Duty & Service , & give you some Account of my behaviour and motions last Winter , together vvith my present State & Condition , both as to Body & Mind . I have retained that honour & Duty for you that I have given lesse credit than any other to vvhat I have met vvith concerning you , either in vvritten , or Printed Nevves , ( vvherein . I have met vvith many things vvhich have troubled mee ) and I hope you vvill bee pleased to have the Goodness , to afford small regard to any Reports or discourses concerning mee vvhich may have 〈◊〉 to your Eares Contrary to the Tenour of vvhat I vvrite . A bout the End of sept . last , on the first Intelligence of the Dutch Invasion , I retired to my Cures in the Country . First to sedgefeild & then to Easington , using my utmost zeale & discretion , in my private discourses , as vvell as publick Sermons , to establish my people ( in so sad a Day of temptation when some stars of the first magnitude fell from Heaven ) in the Essentiall Duties of subjection & Allegiance to their Soveraign , shevving that subjects vvere upon noe Consideration whatsoever , nether of Religion , Liberty , nor life , to Resist , or Desert , their Lavvfull Soveraigne , tho hee vvere no better than such an One as S. Paul lived under , vvhen hee vvrit the Epistle to the Rom. not only a Heathen , but a Cruell Persecutour , A Nero , A Caligula , or A Dioclesian ; And that Subjects to a Christian Prince , and to a Prince soe Mercifull & Gratious as ours , by consequence vvould bee infinitely more Guilty , if they should Rebell against , or Resist him , merely because hee profess'ed a Different Religion . After I had endeavoured thus to approve my selfe a faithfull shepherd in taking Care of my Country Flocks , I repaired to my Deanery at Durham , vvith the honest Designe of demonstrating my fidelity to my Soveraigne , & my Mother the Ch● of England being persvvaded that their Inttests could never bee separated . Wherefore I summon'd my Brethren the Prebendaries together into Our Chapter-House ; vvhere I propounded to them , the Assisting of the King in so sad an Exigent vvith their Purses , as vvell as their Prayers , vvith vvhich motion all present complied , giving readily their Consent vvith their voices , as all absent ( saving one ) did by their letters : vvhich occasion'd an Act of Chapter to the Effect follovving , tovvit , that the Deane should advance an hundred pound & Every Prebend fifty for his Majesties Service tovvards the raising of Horse & Men , if occasion should require , & to bee disposed of , to the aforesaid Ends & Purposes , in such manner as our Bp. should appoint . And this I did , not thinking it any very considerable Service to the King to give him 700 ( to vvhich summe it vvould amount ) but that this Act of ours might bee an Occasion of setting the vvheele a going ( and at that time t'vvas not too late ) through the Kingdom . Conceiving it no sin ( in such an Extraordinary Juncture ) to lead the van in Point of Loyalty to my Prince ; since the Diocesse & Archdeaconry of Durham in Particular ( none can deny ) had been all along during the Time of Bishop Consins & ever since a notable Example to the vvhole Nation of Conformity to the Lavves , & dutyfull regard to his Majesties Honour and Intrest . In the next place Remembring that I bore another Ecclesiastick Office & Dignity in the Church of Durham about the beginning of Nov. , I summond all the Clergy of my Archdeaconry together , ( vvho met on the 15. ) labouring in the Absence of my Superiour , the Bp. ( vvho vvas gone up to London ) to give them right measures in point of Church of England Loyalty & Religion ; laying before them the Indispensable Necessity of their personall Assistance of their Soveraign , as far as any vvere Obliged , and Exerting their zeale to secure their Flocks that they might not be seduced from their Allegiance , by the Canting Sophistry , & Distinctions of the Age. And tho the zeale I there Evidenced in my Visitaction Speech , hath had since as formely small effect ( as is too visible by the Clergyes generall Compliance vvith their nevv Gevernours & Government , & renouncing their old ) yet it vvill serve at all times to proclame , that their Archdeacon did on that Occasion ( as hee had done before ) faithfully deliver his soule . Fourthly Beleiving it might bee some Service to his Majestie , for both Clergy & Layity to shevv their ABHORRENCE of that unnaturall Invasion vvhich vvas then ffeared , I moved first my Brethren of the Chapter , & aftervvards my Brethren of the Bench , to Joyne vvith mee in an Addresse of that Nature to his Majestie , but the first Refusing , and the last ( all but tvvo ) vvaving the same , I thought my selfe ( the most publick person in the Bishops Absence ) obliged to give A demonstraction of my ovvne Loyalty vvhich I vvas not afraid to do , ( tho the Prince of Orange vvas at that tyme advanced as far as Salisbury ) and accordingly on Nov. 27. sent to his Majestie by the Post an Assurance thereof in an Address , vvhich vvas intercepted by the Lord Danby , Lord Lumly & other Lords at Yorke . Whereof I desire your Lordships permission to annex a true Copy to this letter to prevent the Abuses vvhich may bee occasion'd by that Paper 's falling into the hands of my Enimies . Moreover Considering my selfe once more in the Capacity of a Civill Magistrate , as vvell as Ecclesiasticall , I did a fevv dayes after desire my Brethren Justices & Deputy Lieutenants , to give mee a Meeting , to consult about Serving his Majestie to the Utmost of our Povvers ( Hearing as yet nothing from our Bishop ) and more particularly hovv to defend our selves against the Lords & Gentlemen , vvho had Seized on Yorke for the Prince of Orange , & vvere some of them , advancing northvvards to sécure Durham and Nevvcastle . But this honest Zeale of mine , vvas by their shunning this Opportunity of Meeting likevvise renderd fruitless , and the Lord Lumly on Wensday the fifth of Dec : Surprized us , & enterd Durham ( whiles J vvas preaching in the. Pulpit of the Cathedrall , in my Course , it being the first Wensday in Advent ) with 50 Horse , or thereabouts , & sundry Gentry of that , & the County of Yorkshire , immediately afters his Arrivall Sending one Capt Ireton vvith ten Troopers up to my Door , to seize on my Armes , & Horses , vvhich I refusing to deliver , or Wait on his Lordhip , hee in his Lords name confined mee to my House during his stay in that Citty . On Thursday follovving the Lord Lumly vvithout any Opposition read the Prince of Oranges declaration at the Castle in the Presence of most of the Deputy Lieutenants , Justices , & Gentry vvho flock'd into his Lordship ; and by their Compliance encouraged him to send to the Magistrates of Nevvcastle to demand Reception there , but being refused Admittance , the Saturday after , hastily & vvith some precipitation , returned , hee and his Company , to Yorke , after having read Publickly at the Market Crosse the Prince of Oranges declaration , attended on by a great Number of Gentry & the Country Troop ; but I thanke God there were no horses nor men of mine ( tho the Deane at other times sent four ) to encrease the number , & honour that Cerimony ; vvhich hinderd severall of the Clergy , at that tyme ; to send in theirs to the lessenning of the Appearance . Hereupon I did Judge it meet the next day after being sunday , to Preach againe , tho I had done it lately in my ovvne Proper Person , in the Cathedrall Pulpit , à seasonable Loyall Sermon ( sutable to my past life and Actions in that Country ) to persvvade the members of that Church , & all the Auditory to stand firme to their Allegiance , in that day of Temptation & never to Joyne in the least vvayes vvith that Horrid Rebellion vvhich vvas at that tyme Set on foot in the Nation . Which Sermons I have Printed to Justifye mee to all the vvorld ( if the publication of these do not do it ) from being accessary to the Defection , vvhich then began , ( to the Intollerable vexation of my mind ) in that Conformable County ; vvhich had till the Summer past , by it 's forvvard Obedience & Dutifull Respects stuck so close to the Crovvne , that his late Majestie vvas vvont to stile it his Loyall County of Durham . Thus was God pleased to assist a Poor vveak inconsiderable member ( Exalted beyond his merit to a high Station ) of the Church of England , vvith fidelity & Courage , to maintaine his Post against the Abettors of that unnaturall Invasion , vvhich it vvas Easy to foresee vvould bee ( as it hath been ) attended on by an intollerable Usurpation of the Crovvne , & violation of the Lavves , and finally , if God should not of his Mercy , by some kind of miracle , Prevent , by the utter Ruine of the Church of England ; and consequently of those vvho had at first invited the svvord into the Land , & betook themselves to a desperate Remedy , a thousand times vvorse than the Disease Complained off . And here before I proceed in my intended Relation of some other passages , I desire permission to insert a fevv lines to Obviate some censures vvhich I Expect to meet vvith . To such there fore as shall endeavour to destroy the Reputation of my sincerity & zeale , in sticking to the Cause of a Roman Catholick Soveraigne , by the Greatness of the Example of those who have deserted it , in complying with the Prince of Orange , ( alledging that it is not likely that the single Deane of Durham should bee in the right . so many Eminent Persons of Greater Learning , Wisdome , & Piety , in the Wrong , who have given notable Testimonies of their Loyalty by their Sufferings & Confessions , in the Great Rebellion of England , During the Banishment of King Ch. 2. ) To such , I declare that I have nothing to say for my selfe , but must returne with a non nobis Domine , all the Glory to God , who is some times pleased to make use of the vveake things of the vvorld to confound the Things vvhich are Mighty ; & to Revcale unto Babes vvhat hee hid●s from the VVise & Prudent , assisting with in Tymes of Persecution , poor Illiterate Men & Women , when many Great Phylosophers , & mighty Clerks , have quitted a Righteous Cause , and shamefully deserted the Truth . I do with all humility acknoledge it to be purely the Grace of God ( the wind of whose Spirit Blo●eth where it listeth ) which hath supported and carryed mee through all those Blasts of temptation which have Thrown downe divers strong Pillars of the Temple , Preserving mee from the Contagion of the Age , the Spirit of Popularity & Republicanisme , Whereby Sathan ( transforming himselfe into an Angell of Light ) hath tainted the Generality of the English nation of all sorts & Degrées , & which hath in the Upshot ( as is too visible to all the World ) proved their Overthrow , & the Fall ) never enough to bee lamented ) of many Noble Personages , who had as well as their Ancestors suck'd in Loyalty with their Milk , shed their Bloud to uphold the Monarchy , & seemed to bee the surest supporters of the crowne . And thus much I have been obliged to insert here , tho I could more willingly have left it unsaid , if it had not been forced from mee by the Malitious Objections of my Enimies , & Common Justice to my selfe & the cause I maintaine : It being impossible for mee to persevere in the Kings Quarrell which I have espowsed , without holding fast , with great Resolution , my Integrity , & Bearing witness to the Truth . Besides I am not ashamed , nay thinke it my Duty , to owne , that I am firmely & strongly perswaded , without doubt or scruple , that my present Principles & Practices of Loyalty to my Soveraigne , & Past Obedience to the Church of Englands Rules ( how singular soever by some menit may howe been termed & thought ) are sound & Orthodox , being founded upon so cleare Scripture & Reason , as sets a man ( in this particular ) aboue any Example upon Earth . Nay I am not afraid to proclame to all the World , that I Dare Rebuke by my Actions ( tho not other wise ) the Greatest Man alive , who Dares transgress those plaine precepts of God , which I shall ever deeme à great sin to separate , to wit. FEARE GOD & HONOUR the KING ▪ Tho I have so great veneration & Respect for hundreds of Eminent Persons , spirituall & temporall , who have to the admiration of all men lately been imposed on ( by what kind of Magick it is hard to understand ) to Court , & Complement their owne Misery , that in Dubious matters , I am not so bold , as to Resist the Power of their Examples , which in such things I ackowledge a conductor safe enough to guide their inferiours , who ought to suspect their own Judgements , & sentiments , when they have no cleare lightto lead them , rather than those of their Governous in Church & state , whom they owne to bee Wiser & Better men . But to stick close to the service , & Interest of my Lawfull Soveraigne ( who is a Soveraigne never the lesse lawfull for his Afflictions or for his Religion ) and to OBEY him too , as I am resolved , in all things , which are not Malum in se ( if hee absolutely requires it ) what ever may bee the Consequences , is a POINT , wherein I am so wel satisfied , that I am ambitious to be instrumental in Convincing all who depend on mee , or my Jurisdictions , if I cannot Others , of a Truth so necessary & seasonable for the consideration of Subjects in a Rebellious Age. Indeed ▪ I am so farre from being ashamed , that I am tempted to a little kind of Pride to thinke , I brought this , & some other like Points to discussion last summer ; the General Eviction whereof ( however they vere despised , & Opposed ) would have stopt Multitudes from running with full Career to put their Necks ( by the Expulsion of their owne undoubted Gratious Soveraigne ) under the Yoke of Afforreign Power . And it may not bee Alltogether unworthy of their Thoughts , who were so angry with them , & made so much Noise about them , whether their Anger did not proceed from the serviceablenesse of my Doctrine to the Kings Interest , which they were about to destroy ; those propositious which I asserted , striking at the very Root of the Controversy betwixt the King & Subjects of England , that is , whether the supremacy should bee in the King or in the People . A Galled Horse ( Pardon the similitude ) shewes where he is sore by his unwillingness to bee handled . And the Serpent directs where a man should strike by defending his Head. But how greatly soever I was hereby Exposed to censure , made the Talke & scoff of some Divines & others , over their Cups of Coffee , upon the Interception of a letter to my Ever honored ▪ Freind ***** , and other treacherous publication of some Queries , which were canvassed up and down about a yeare agoe , under the name of the Dean ( & sometimes falsely under the name of the Bishop ) of Durham , I am very well pleased and greatly comforted , thad I had then somuch honesty & courage , as notwith standing great Opposition , Powerful Examples & perswasions to the contrary , to assert the Prerogative of my King , & to make an Attempt towards the Conviction of Others committed to my Charge , Which were the Only persons for whom those Queries were first designed being certain propositions ( of the verity of which I made no doubt ) containing the Reasons of my forwad Compliance with his Majestie , which I drew into Queries , for the Private Consideration of some young Divines I had under my Roof , requiring them effectually to answer them in writing , with reasonnings which would Beare the Eye , or to comply , as I had done , with the King. Which Honest & loyall Queries , tho Good sense I am sure , when they were first stole out of my study at Durham , being after passing through divers hands , I know not how disguised , and by some stiled the nonsensical Queries of the Deane of Durham , I shall crave leave also to publish in the postcript of this letter , giving you no more trouble till then , about them , or my own Justification . But craving pardon for so long a Digression , returne & proceed in my intended narration of some farther transactions relating to his Majesties service & mine own Escape out of England in order to repaire to him . Notwithstanding , then , all that I had done , recited in the beginning of this letter , upon the first Allarum of the Prince of Oranges designe to invade England , & tho I had ( God bee thanked ) honestly discharged a Good Conscience , in Opposing by my Words & Actions , to the uttermost of my Power , the then Growing Rebellion , as I had all along the Increase of that Temper which was , at that time , Burst out into A Dreadfull flame , whereto I discerned my selfe too weake to make any farther Opposition ( many of my owne Brethren , Deserting , nay opposing , mee ) I say , notwithstanding all this , I could not satisfy my selfe , without sending away a faithfull servant to his Majestie Expresse , vvith an account of that County , together vvith A Duplicate of those papers , before mentiond , vvhich vvere intercepted ; letting the King understand that I despaired , as things vvent , ( and so did those fevv loyall frainds vvho Concurred vvith mee ) , of doing his Majestie any further service in that Place . Having done all that lay in my Povver , in all my Capacities , by my most vigorous Endeavours , tovvatds the Support of the Crovvne & the Church of England ; and seeing my selfe absolutely uncapable to Act further for his Majestie as I had done , & to discharge my Conscience there in soe Metamorphosed a Place , I resolved , after earnest prayer to God to direct mee , to preserve my Innocency by fflight , since I could not doe it by sitting still & staying in Durham ( if I should escape the Jaole vvhich I had litle Reason to hope ) after an honest Loyall activity , vvhich God had given mee the Grace to practice , especially during the Yeare past ; & therefore bethought my selfe of flying avvay secretly to the King , to Ovvne his Cause , vvhen I could not othervvise serve him : Commending my Charge & fflock both in Durham & Elsvvhere in the Bishoprick to Gods Wise & Gratious Protection , signifying my mind by letter to my Deputies both in Durham & the Country , & Hoping to Edifye them more by such Expression of my Loyalty & Religion , in adhering to my Soveraigne , vvhen the Defection began to bee generall , than I vvas like to doe by svch Sermons , or Example , as the nevv Authority vvould permitt mee to give them . And accordingly on the 11. of Dec. at midnight , by the helpe of tvvo faithfull servants , vvhich I did dare trust , I got my horses prepared , and vvas conducted by one of them that night to He●cam , vvhere I procured an honest Guide to Carlisle the nearest of the Kings Garnisons , & the most Considerable Place ( as I conceived ) vvhich then held out for the King , Hull being reduced the vveek before . I had no sooner got to Carlisle ( vvhere I vvas very kindly received by Mr. Hovvard the Governour , Coll Purcell , Capt Hern , & others Officers there ) but the very day after being Saturday , the Post brought in the Dismall Nevves , of the defeat of some of his Majesties Troopes at Reading , & others deserting in such sort , that hee vvas forced to vvithdravv out of the Kingdome , together vvith some intimations to the Governour , that it vvas to no purpose for him to hold out the Place , but that hee being a Roman Catholick , it vvould bee most prudent , & not displeasing to his Majesty for him toretire , & leave the Government to the old Governour , tovvit Sr. Christopher Musgrave , vvho came into the Tovvne on Saturday night , & Enter'd on the Government , appearing in the Governours seat on Sunday the 15. in the Cathedrall . This Direfull Catastrophe , vvhich did both astonish and afflict mee , to see our Soveraigne , a Gratious Prince , treated with somuch brutality , betrayed by those hee thought his best freinds , deserted by his Nearest Relations , forbidden his ovvne Palace , & forced out of his Kingdome , did Immediately vvithout much consideration , incline mee to leave it allso , to man●fest my Just Indignation against Rebellion & treachery , vvhich had then spread themselves allmost over the vvhole Nation . And did resolve accordingly to hasten into France to share vvith my Soveraigne in his Misfortunes . In order vvhereunto ( after I had visited the Bishop of Carlisle at Rose Castle , craved his Benediction , & deposited vvith his Lordship some solemne assurances of Living & Dying in the right Church of England Religion ) I departed from Carlisle on vvensday the 19. tovvards Scotland vvith a single servant , a scotch man , vvhom I had nevvly entertained , to Conduct mee to Edinburgh , hoping at Leith , or some other seaport on that Coast to procure shipping for France . But resting a day or tvvo at a Certaine Place called Allison-Banke , on the Borders , to conferre vvith an honest Loyall Gentleman , who had ingaged there to meet mee , I fell into the hands of the Rabble , vvho then vvith ffury raged up and dovvne , on the ffiring of the Beacons there abouts very rashly & indiscreetly , by some credulous & temporising Justices , vvho gave credit to the ffalse & malitious Reports , of the Landing of Irish Papists , Burning of tovvns , & massacring of People vvhere ever they came . These villaines headed by one Palmer a notorious Rogue & murderer vvho had but lately escaped the Gallovves , seized on mee for a Popish Preist & Jesuite on S. Thomas's day about 11. at night , & pulled mee out of my Bed , Rifling my pockets , & my Chamber , carrying away my Horses , ( tvvo Geldings vvorth 40. ) and my Portmantue , & mounting mee on a litle Iade not vvorth 40. Thus disgracefully conducting mee to a Poor alehouse on the English fide , three miles off , vvhere they search'd my Portmantue , & plunder'd mee of a Bag of money , & some small pieces of Plate , vvith other things ; leaving mee aftervvards in the hands of the Watch , & a Constable to lead mee avvay on foot , in a severe Cold Frosty night , vvith a Heavy Riding Coate , & great Bootes ( ill accoutrements for vvalking ) to march to Carlisle , to bee examined before one Capt. Bub , & other Officers then in the Garnison , and by whom they did hope to have been revvarded ( as they aftervvards declared ) for their good service to the Country in securing ( as they stiled mee ) a ●ugitiue & Dangerous Person . But , being vvell knovvn in the Citty , & travelling vvith the Governour Sr Christopher Musgraves Passe , they missed of their Expectation & received a Rebuke , vvhiles I had my Horses , & the greatest part of my mony restored mee , & vvas set at liberty , either to stay or depart the Tovvne . And indeed can only complaine of the Mayor & some of the Magistrates ; vvho instead of Committing the Fellovves for Felony & Burglary , they breaking open a stable Door in the night to take avvay my Geldings , let them goe vvithout somuch as entring into Recognizance . Tho I vvas novv , a second time , at liberty , by a happy providence , to goe vvhere I pleased , & promised A Passe if I vvould goe home to Durham , I did thinke it most prudent , to continue awhile in that citty , to remove the suspicion of my intended Flight out of England , and accordingly lived vnconcernedly there for 14. or 15. dayes , constantly attending Gods Publick service , & Preaching in the Cathedrall on Christinas day , whereby I convinced People , I hope , that I was no Popish Preist , nor Jesuite . After this the country being more Quiet , & no watches kept , nor noyse of Irish Papists , which had for a month before intoxicated ( as it were ) that & other parts of England , I left the Towne of Carlisle and ventured back towards Durham , as far as Hexam , but with noe Intention to goe home , designing after I had shifted off a Guide , & some servants who where sent with letters to mee , to strike out of the Roade by Berwick towards Scotland ; which I did , blessed bee God , without any other considerable impediment , and on the 26 of Ian : last arrived safe at Edinburgh ; endeavouring , as soon as I could , to get admittance into the Castle , & wait on the Duke of Gordon ; to whom I communicated my Designe of going to the King , and by whom I was informed of a Vessel then in the Roade ready to depart for France . Which Opportunity I made vse off , and was after many Tempests & a tedious voyage by reason of contrary winds , at last , safely Landed at Honfleur , over against Haver de Grace , By the mouth of the River SEINE , on the nineteenth day of march stilo novo , and the very day after his Majesties departure from Brest for Ireland ; which missing of the King was a great disappointment & mortification to mee . Being somewhat indisposed after my Long & troublesome voyage ( tho I was never sick at sea ) & in some danger as I thought of an ague , I rested a whole week in that Place , where I found all Persons more than ordinarily civill to mee , vpon their being satisfied that it was my Loyalty had brought mee there , & that I was fled to the King ; tho I owned my selfe to bee not only a Protestant , & an Ecclesiastick , but an Englihman ; which is now thought imprudent & a shame to confesse ones selfe , vnlesse hee carryes with him vndeniable Testimonies of his late fidelity to his Prince . After I had paid my Respects to the Governour the Marquis of Beuron , & returned the compliments I had received , on the 25. I departed for Roüen where I Judged meet ( since his Majestie had left this Kingdome ) to fix a while & to Recruite my selfe ; being also induced thereto by the great freindship & Civility of Mr. Thomas Hacket , an honest & loyall Merchant , who wellcomed mee to Towne with great respect & kindness , supplied mee with monies , tho a stranger to him without Recommendation ( whereas one to whom I was recommended failed mee ) and hath kindly entertained mee , at his house , ever since . And I have been the sooner prevailed on to rest here in this Citty from whence I write , by reason a violent Astmatick Cough , ( which hath long hung about mee ) increases somuch , that my Physitian beleives that my Lungs begin to bee ulcerated , & that without much care , I am in great danger of falling into a Deep Consumption . And moreover this Phisitian , vnder whose Conduct I am , Deane of the Colledge of Physitians here , & Physitian to our Late King , [ being not only a very Eminent Dr. of physick , but acquainted with my Constitution ( I having here to fore layen long sick of an Ague vnder his hand , & hee also having perfect Command of the English Tongue ) ] is likely to bee much more vsefull to mee than another ; and hath been already in the beginning ( Praised bee God ) very successfull . I confesse I have not any great Reason , during my Indisposition to make this citty the Place of my Residence , for the sake of the air , which I beleive not very good & Propet for a Consumptive Body . Tho I am perswaded that the Air of the Country round about , at a Distance from the River , which I doe Often Breathe , is better than any air in England . But the Other satisfactions I have mentioned , in an able Physitian , privy to my infirmity of Body & a kind Faithfull Freind in adversity , not to bee found in our Age every day nor in every Place , do make amends abundantly for any defects of the clime , and are not to bee contemned by A Person in my circumstances , driven very bare out of his native Country for his fidelity to his Prince . Assoon as I had fixed my Resolution of staying awhile here at Roüen , I did presume to informe his Majestie , by a Packet I sent into Ireland to my Lord Melford , of my Arrivall in France , & the manner of my escape , with an Assurance of my unalterable Loyalty , and that I should espouse his service with the same zeale during his Exile & adversity , as when hee was on the Throne . I did also according to the Duty of a Loyall subject pay to the Queen & Prince , all those respects which I could at a Distance , informing her also by the assistance of my Lord Waldegrave of my Arrival , with assurances that I should never faile to render her Majestie & the Prince , all the duties which were incumbent ▪ on a subject of the King of England . And that since I had not the felicity which I came for , of being neare his Majestie , I was in the next place desirous to bee neare her● , and accordingly would hasten to St. Germaines as soon as the indisposition of my Body would permit ; Taking a great Delight to bee nigh the Royall Famliy , when I cannot Otherwise serve them : never thinking my selfe any wayes absolved from the observance I owed my Soveraigne & her Majestie & all the bloud Royall by the difference of Religion . HAving , Sr , thus given you the Trouble of so particular an account of my selfe , & deportment from the time that wee were first allarumm'd with the news of the wicked intentions of the Dutch to invade vs , home to this present day , I thinke my selfe no lesse obliged to give you some Information Concerning my present Temper of mind & future Intentions . And which I am the more willing to embrace this Opportunity of doing , by Reason my infirmities of Body do in such sort increase that I have small reason to immagine that I shall bee a long lived man ; they administring to mee too many Grounds of Feare ( if I were to undergo no other hazard ) that I may scarce live to see my Freinds in England any more ▪ unlesse the air of France & motion , bee , by Gods Blessing , a meanes of my Recouery & Cure of that disease which I have contracted by à sedentary life , since my Installation into the Deanery of Durham . And here I do in the first place , declare with all sincerity , that I am resolued , by Gods Grace , to live & dye a true son of the Church of England , Whereof King Charles was , King Iames 2. ( not the Prince of Orange ) is , under God supream Head & Governour , beleiving her to bee for the Purity of her Doctrine , the decent Regularity of her worship , & the wholesomnesse of her Discipline ( well executed ) the best and most Approaching to the Primitive Times , of any Church in Reformed Christiendome . And I do openly affirme to all the World , that however her children ( or rather those who have pretended to bee soe ) have behaved themselves , Either heretofore , or of late , to the scandall of the world & Reproach of her Constitution , I am assured she will bee found , upon thorough and serious Examination , A Church which doth not Countenance Rebellion , or , indeed , any sin , or wickednesse , whatsoever . I have given no just reason , I thanke God , to any to thinke mee of another Opinion . And if some men have been soe uncharitable as to Censure mee for ever deviating from her , it hath been only for such Carriage of mine , as may best demonstrate that I am , A right Genuine , & thorough ▪ paced ( tho very feeble ) Member of Her : I meane for my Exact Conformity to , & constant Observation of , the Excellent Rules of her Incomparable Liturgy , without any variation ; and my Constant zeale in asserting the Kings Prerogative , and her Excellent Doctrine of non-Resistance & Subjection to Authority , in both which perohance I have been thought sometimes a litle singular . But if I have been soe , I am sorry for it , I meane , that I should want company in so laudable & Christian a Cause & Practice ; For I must still affirme that the first is the Indispensable Duty of Every Church man , and best meanes to preserve her , & the last ( which way soever it fled at the Prince of Oranges Invading England ) the very Flour and Glory of our Ch : which neither losse of Estate , nor life , shall ( by the assistance of the Almighty ) cause mee to Renounce . I do therefore humbly intreat your selfe and all my Relations , no wise to suspect mee , as if Wavering from my Obedience to my Mother ( the Church ) for my immoveable Adherence to the cause & interest of the Father of our Country , and my innate Abhorrence of Disputing , Contesting , or rudely Capitulating with my Prince , even-then when hee commanded things very contrary to my sentiments , which I did Judge not only inexpedient , but prejudiciall to the Flourishing condition of our Church . Had I fail'd as too many did in that Iuncture , or in paying the very same duties ef Allegiance & Honour , to my Present Soueraigne , When hee came to the Crowne , as I had performed to the late King , his Royall Brother & my Gratious Master of Blessed memory , ( because his present Majestie declared himselfe of the R. Cath. Religion ) I might indeed have been lyable to Censure , for that was a bad mark of a son of the Church of England . But God having enabled mee to Resist this Temptation ( which hath so mightily prevailed in the Nation ) I would not have you Feare that I shall bee Ouerthrowne by any other . I am I confesse , fled out of the Nation to assert the Cause of a R. Cath. Prince , & I live at present in à R. Cath. Country . But sure I am that the right-Church of England Religion doth not only injoyne mee to do the first , but considering the circumstances of England & the neighbouring Protestant Countries , at present , to do the later . And why I & other loyall subjects should choose France , rather than any other Nation to Reside in , may quickly bee put out of dispute , if our Censurers would bee pleased to consider , how kindly the most Christian King received his Majesty of England , and doth still entertaine those who have Evidenced their Fidelity to him ; as also reflect on the innate Civilily & Hospitality of the French Nation towards strangers , never more Visible than in this time of Distress , when all are Wellcome , espetially English men ; unlesse they are conceived to bee Spyes , or Creatures of the Prince of Orange , or other their Enimies . As for my own particular , Common Justice doth Oblige mee to acknowledge , that I meet whith as much Curtisy now in France among the R. Catholicks , as I have done heretofore among the Protestants . And am permitted to live as quietly and securely , tho I do no wayes di●o●ne my Religion , as any of their own Nation . THis breif declaration I have made will suffice , I hope , to assure all my Freinds in England of my stedfastnesse in the Excellent Religion of my Fore-Fathers . The next duty incumbent on mee , will be , to give my Family , & you our Cheif , some fresh assurance , that I am by the Grace of God Resolued to endeavour for the future ( as I have begun ) to proceed in imitation of their Loyalty , and according to their examples in all times of Warre & Trouble heretofore , to stick close to the Crown ; Not one of them , that I could ever Read or heare of , having been in the least manner dipt in Rebellion , or sided with any Usurper . Indeed their Fidelity to their Soueraigne ( for which your House God bee Praised hath been ever noted ) none , Sir , hath better copied out then your selfe , whose Name is on that account already Recorded in our English Chronicle . The Secrecy & Successefulnesse of that Negotiation of yours , in your Master the late Kings behalfe , with General Monk , will not easily bee forgotten among loyall men . And I must confesse to all the world , that that notable Example & Pattern , which you have set all your House , by your services & endeavours in the Worst of Tymes , for King Charles the 2. hath had great force on mee , & been mighty prevalent in inspiring mee with some more than ordinary Resolution for his Royall Brother , his lawfull successour and our vndoubted Soueraigne , at my first Entrance on my Deanery , which did oblige mee to Appeare & Act in à more Pnblick Poste than before . And doth still animate mee ( wherefore , whatever measures you are pleased to take at present , I hope , Sir , you will not blame mee ) in my present zeale & endeavours . Since which time I can say it without Boasting ( tho if I did Boast a litle , this Conjuncture & my Circustances would Beare it ) that I have never strayed in my affection from his Majestie , nor failed in paying him all the Honour , Duty , & Respect , which I should have renderd to my deceased Master of ever Blessed Memory , had the Naiion been longer blest with his Reigne . But instead thereof I do not Blush to let all the world know , that I have been somewhat more Officious ( and thought it Every ones Duty so to be ) in his Service , than I had been in his Brothers , in consideration of a Roman Catholick Kings Grace & Goodness towards us of the Church of England , in reference to the free exercise of our Religion ▪ Hee granting us the liberty of A Religion contrary to his ovn , and making it his Care , at his first Appearence in Councell , to secure to his Protestant Subjects of the Ch. of England so unvaluable à Blessing , neither of which if hee had done , could wee have told how to helpe our selves , or been absolved from our Obedience , which my litle Divinity hath euer told mee ( & I hope euer will ) is as due to à Roman Cath. Soueraigne , as to a Protestant one . The Consideration where of hath , by the Blessing of God , kept mee Vntainted , & Vnstained throughout the whole transactions of the last 5. yeares , I meane from the 6. of Feb. 84. when his Majestie mounted the Throne , to the 10. of Dec. 88. when the same Sacred Majestie was disgracefully Driven , to the Everlasting Reproach of the English Nation , from his own Palace of Whitehall . No Feares , or Iealousies of Religion , Liberties , or Lavves , dîd ever tempt mee ( I Blesse God ) to any undue courses of Resistance , Opposition , or somuch as Unseemly Capitulation , with Gods Vicegerent , to preserve them . Tho I love them all soe well & Dearely , that I can bee contented to dye for them , in any Place , or Manner , vnlesse it bee with à sword in my hand lifted vp against my Prince . And I dare Challenge not only my Censurers , but all the World ( a state of Hostility will admit of such language ) to discover any One Act of mine , whereby I have sided with , or abetted their Enimies , in any Endeavours to destroy , or Weaken them , that I have ( I say ) ever , either in the capacity of a Private Minister , or Publick Magistrate , Ecclesiasticall or Civill , ( in the West , my first , or North of England , my last , station , ) ceased to practise and Exact a strict Conformity to the Rules of our Religion , or to promote an Impartiall Execution of law ( as long as the lawes were in Force ) both against Recusant , & Dissenter ; Or that , lastly , I did ever Countenance such Omission of Duty in Others , Clergy or layety , under my Authority . All Places wherein I have Resided will , I make no question , testifye for mee , that I have been how ( weake & unsuccessefull soever ) zealous , diligent , & faithfull in these particulars ; And did never in any Revolution , Put on the Vizard of A TRIMMER ; having had allwayes from my Cradle a certaine Antipathy against such Indifferency , Hyppocrisy , & Neutrality , as doe constitute that Amphibious Creature ; which by the assistance of Neighbours ( which it is hard to tell whether they live more , vpon the land , or in the water ) hath given a kind of Mortall Wound to the Church , & Monarehy of England . By such Principles & Practices , I have ( God bee thanked ) demonstrated my selfe A legitimate son of my ever Honoured & Deare Father Sir Bevill Granville , whom I may ( I hope in à letter to à Brother ) bee permitted ( for my Consolation in so melancholyck a state of Affaires ) a litle to Glory in , sinee his Valour & Loyalty ( sealed at Lansdown with his Bloud ) is set aboue the spleen & censure of the most Malitious Tongues , Forasmuch as the University of Oxford , one of the most famous Universityes in the VVorld , hath vouchsafed to celebrate them , whith an Epicedium of their choicest VVits . A respect which hath not ( as the Ingenious Reprinter of the late Edition of those Poems doth in his dedicatory Epistle well note ) been vsually paid to any but the Royal Family . And in the same Temper , much heightned , & strengthend by the serious & frequent pervsall of those Iugenious Verses , which bring dayly to my consideration my loyall Fathers Example ( & which I carry constantly about mee both to inspire & conduct mee ) I hope by Gods Grace to Breathe out my soule , without making any difference in Matter of Obedience , betwixt à Papist , & a Protestant Prince ; A Christian , or à Heathen . I am without any scruple assured ( & so is all the World ) that my Soueraigne King Iames the 2. is a lawfull King , & hath an undoubted Title , which is all a good subject ought to enquire into . If soe , I am as much assured that noe Power vpon Earth , can absolve mee from my sworne Obedience to him , what ever wee are told to the contrary , in certaine Enquiries into the Measures of Submission to Supreme Authority , & the Grounds vpon vvhich it may bee lavvfull , or necessary ( as ● the Title phraseth it ) for subjects to defend their Religion , liberties , & lavves . I wish the Doctor had been pleased to speake out plainly according to his thoughts , and I am perswaded hee would haue sayd The Grounds vvhereon it is Lavvfull to Rebell . But I shall give you noe more Trouble , by way of Information concerning my selfe . I shall rather crave liberty to convey to my Younger Relations ( since they are numerous ) by your favour and meanes ( is you please ) some wholesome Advice for their Edification , to establish those who are not Tainted , and to restore those who are , with the false Notions & Maximes of the Times . My Elders I shall no wise disturb at present with my remaining discourse . But I humbly conceive it a kind of Duty to take a litle Paine sometimes with the Others . My Father's & Mother's Dedication of one of their sons to the Church ( and it falling to the lot of mee the vnworthiest of them ) doth in some sort constitute mee A Preist to the whole Family ; tho not to vndertake the Charge of all their Soules ( that would bee a Task not only difficult but impossible for mee to discharge and I do not desire it ) yet to make to them now & then some spirituall applications , as I do at Present , by your permision , in this letter , & did likewise 5. yeares since , in some familiar ones to a Nephew in the University of Oxford ( which I printed ) is a good act of Christian Religion & Fraternall Charity . I shall then humbly beg leave , in this paper , to desire all those , who have any wayes warp'd from that strict Duty & Respect which hath been ever paid by their Ancestors to the Crown , to consider their great obligations aboue others to bee Faithfull to their Soveraigne , taking more than ordinary care least they Staine the honour of an Antient House . And shall not , at present , insist on any Duty paid directly to God ; that was my buisnesse in part of my fore mention'd Addresse ; But the Duties of Subjection , & Doctrine of Non-Resistance of Lawfull Princes , whom subjects are bound to Obey , what ever bee their Opinions or Practices , are so vilely Run dnwne in England , and so universally put out of countenance , that it is a peice of seasonable charity to Revive their Reputation . I thinke I may truly say without vanity or oftentation , that every one of us have been , through the mercy of God , trained up in as a deep a sence of that profound Respect & Submission which is due from subjects to their Supreme , as any family in the Nation , having beeu in an extraordinary manner Blest with Loyall & Religious Parents & Progenitors ; who have given the best evidence of their sincere & hearty dutifulness to their Soveraignes in sealing it with their Bloud . And till this late never enough to bee deplored Generall Defection , which seemed to carry with ▪ it an Irresistable Contagion beyond the power of the strongest Antidote , ●here hath never A Blemish of Disloyalty , Blessed be God , been fix'd on the Family of the Granvilles , or on the meanest Branch thereof . And that there should any Person now lye under that censure , is to mee an Intollerable mortification , & the Heaviest part of my Affliction , amidst my sufferings for my fidelity to the Crowne . But since the Torrent hath Overborne some of ours as well as too many of every Antient , Honorable & Loyall House in the Nation , I cannot satisfie my selfe to sit still , and not put to my helping Hand to save them : By desiring them , among other things , to beware how they swallow not only new Oathes , but new Conceited Querks and Distinctions of those Temporising Common Lawyers , who have , out of sordid Flattery , or Feare ; by an unintelligible unheard off sort of Abdication , Coyned purely for the service of an Usurper , deformed the Monarchy & Church of England : Making a strange kind of Monster of the Fayrest and Best of the Reformed Churches ; in placing two heads on one Body , such as are there the most unlikely of any in the world to agree , A Popish & a Presbiterian one . I never did immagine that I was , or ever should become a Pillar of the Church , [ Tho you all know , that I did in a time of Adversity & Rebellion , when there was small Hopes of Being Deane of Durham , Devote my selfe thereto honestly with Good will to Gods service & without Designe . ] Much lesse do I fancy my selfe A Person of somuch Might or Skill , as to bee able to stem such a Tide , as hath Broken in upon us , & Beaten down the High & Rocky Cliffes of England , as if they had been only muddy Bankes or the wooden Fences of a Low-Country . But on the other side , I have not soe meane thoughts of the Grace & Power of God Almighty , who hath manifested his strength in my Weaknesse , in upholding & keeping mee steddy , [ during the late Terrible Shock which like an Earth Quake made the Foundations of the Kingdom to Tremble , and overthrew Divers supporters of Church & State ] as to despaire of all successe In my Attempt to fortifie at least some , if I cannot regaine Others , or any , of my Kinred to whom I write . Who ought not to Conceit themselves so able Divines , as to thinke they are , in spirituall matters , above my Counsell & advice . To accomplish this Good worke , whereon I invoke the Assistance of that Spirit whose Power no Creature is able to Resist , I shall lay before their Eyes some of the Good old Church of England-Divinity , which hath been infused into mee , as well as their Fathers in our Youthes , by those Right Orthodox & Loyall Doctors of the old Stamp under whose Conduct wee have had the felicity to bee trained up . And remembring & well considering the words of our Saviour Christ , that a Prophet hath allwayes least honour in his own Country , & among his own Kin , I shall keep strickly & faithfully not only to the Sense , but often in prosecuting this Point , use the very words of A Famous Divine , of Authority aboue any mans Contempt , being justly , had in houour & veneration , of the whole Nation , as well as our own Family . IN the first place , then , I here take liberty to put your and mine owne Relations in mind of some seasonable Truths , well Calculated for the meridian of an Antient Loyall Family ▪ & the most effectuall Preservative which I know off , to secure their Innocency in a wavering , Corrupt , seditious Age , and Country , tinctur'd all over with Schisme & Rebellion . To wit. That our Blessed saviour Christ & his disciples were , of all the Doctors who ever were in the world , the most carefull to preserve the Doctrine & Practice of Allegiance , and entire Submission & Subjection to the Supreme Powers , which were deputed by God as his Vicegerents to Governe the world ; even then , at that very time , when they lived under Heathen Emperours , who where not only Great Opposers of Christianity , but Cruell Mercilesse & Bloudy Persecutors . Furthermore it will bee worthy of Observation , that Christ Jesus , tho hee were as God , the King of all Kings , & might have changed & disposed of their Dominions , as hee pleased , yet did not thinke fit to make any Alteration in the Government hee found on Earth when hee was born ; but on the Contrary , Judged it meet to continue & settle all in that Course , where in it had been formerly placed by God himselfe , living in a most Exemplary manner in subjection to the knowne Lawes , paying Tribuute to Caesar ; Nay shewing so great Concerne that the Supreme Powers should receive their Due , that hee thought fit rather to work a miracle , than appeate deficient in Paying Tribute . Whereto if wee add our Lords Refusall to accept of the Judiciall Cognizance of an Offence , when hee was put upon it , as hee did of A Crowne when it was offer'd him by the People , there will appeare strong matter of Conviction , & proof of the Inviolablenesse of the Rights of Government , which it is not lawfull for any person on earth to usurp or meddle with , without a Just Call. So far was our Humble & Righteous Lord , the Capt : of our Salvation , from retrenching any of the Magistrates former Rights , that hee added to MOSES in this matter , enjoyning greater Awe & Reverence to be given to the Civill Power . Wherein wee may take further notice , that Christ Jesus hee was so extraordinarily Carefull & Tender : That where as MOSES among the Egiptians , when hee was but a Private man , did take upon him to exercise an Act of Judicature on the Egyptian which wronged the Israelite Exod. 2. 12. Christ would not do any such thing , leaving the woman taken in adultery , and all other offenders , to the ordinary legall Course ; and would not upon any Invitation , or Importunity , Vsurp Authority , or take upon him any thing in that matter . This without other Inlargement may Abundantly Evince , how unsuitable to the Doctrine and Practice of Christ , and Consequently how unchristian and ungodly are the Doctrines of those Ambitious Men who make Christianity a Ground , or Excuse , for moving Sedition , & Raising Rebellion , thereby disquieting States , & shaking if not dissolving Kingdomes . Tho it bee carried on never somuch under the spe●ious colours of Preservation of Religion , Libertyes , or Lawes . Whereof wee have now a late , & perhaps more Notable Instance than ever was in the World : An Attempt so Abhorred & Unnaturall : A I act every wayes so unjustifiable ; & an Impiety so Daring , that it must necessarily , in the Conclusion , pull down Heavy wrath , if not Speedy Vengeance , both on the Contriver & the Accessary ; Inviter & the Invited , or on their Posterity . If an extaordinary deep Humiliation before God , & a sincere Repentance , some what answerable to the Greatness of the Provocation , do not in due season appease his Indignation . Of which Heinous Guilt it concerns every one , who hath been unfortunately dipt therein ( as every Complier with , as well as Promoter of , the new Government in England certainly is ) with greatest speed , & care to purge himselfe . And I do hope & Pray that all those , to whom I do presume here in this paper to Address my selfe , will take these things into timely & deep Consideration : washing off those Staines of Disloyalty , that may have involved any in the Guilt of an Unparalled Usurpation , wihch I am afraid exposes poor England to God Almightyes Impending Judgements more than all the former sins of out selves or Fore-Fathers . That I have , for my own particular , practised the very same Loyalty & honest zeale in reference to the Service of my Soveraigne ( tho A Roman Catholick , ) that I did to his Royall Brother ; And have not , that I can discover upon the most diligent search , willfully & knowingly , made one False Step towards the late Irregular & Injustifiable Method of Preservation of our Religion & Lawes , by the Ungodly Practises & meanes of INVASION & USURPATION ( which hath in good truth layen both a Gasping ) is a Felicity which doth not only wonderfully support , but sometimes almost transport mee , amidst my present Exercises of Patience . And will make mee rellish the worst Air , or Usage , that I can meet with abroad , where there are no Fogs , nor Fumes , raised by Rebellion , better than the best Air or Proferment in England , or any other Country where there Are. And here I should beg pardon , for this present Trouble & Conclude , having been I feare too tedious , but that I stand obliged , least I preach in vaine , to answer one Objection , which it is easy to fore-see will be made against my Doctrine , and may carry more Appearance of Reason therewith than any Other . To wit. Christs Example pretended for submission to the Prevailing Povver ; since his acknovvledging Allegiance to bee due to Tiberius Caesar ; vvhose Predecessors had so lately changed the Government of Rome by the Senate , did by that Act of his give liberty to vs ▪ lavvfully to yeild our Allegiance to any vnjust prevailing Povver , vvhat ever it bee . This difficulty being solved by the Forementioned learncd Doctor of our owne Church & Nation , of undeniable Authority & an Eminent Confessour in the Great Rebellion , I 'le give the Answer in his owne very words without the least variation . Which is so substantiall an one , that it is seasonable at this instant to be exposed to view . And if there were no other Designe in my writing would justify the Publication of this letter . In short his words are these . The state of the Government of Rome , at that time when Christ Jesus lived ▪ must bee considered distinctly what it was . It is true indeed that Julius Caesar had ( not many yeares before ) wrested the Power out of the Senates hands , and Changed the Government violently : but before this time of Tiberius , whereof wee speake , the buisnesse was so accorded betwen the Senate & the Emperours , that the Emperour now Reigned unquestionably without any Competition of the Senate : In him the Power was quietly seated , the money superscribed with his Image , and Edicts sent out in his name , and hee looked on by all ( with out any Rivall ) as inferiour to God only . In which case of his acknowledged Power , Christ being borne in his Dominious , thinkes not fit to make a Question of his Right , where there was none made by the Romans , or to dispute Caesars Title ( However acquired by violence at first ) when they from whom it was taken did acquiesce , & disputed it not . Which Case how different it is from other forcible Usurpations ( where the legall Soveraigne doth still Claime his Right to his Kingdomes , and to the Allegiance of his Subjects , no way acquitting them from their Oathes , or laying down his Pretension , tho hee be for the present Ouerpowred ) is easily discernible to any who have the Courage & Fidelity to consider it , & is not by his own Intrests bribed , or frighted from the performance of his Christian Duty . It being withall most certaine , that it belongs not to the conveniences or advantages of subjects to determine , or prevaile any thing in the Buisnesse of Princes Rights . This , one of the most formidable Objections & Arguments for submission to an unlawfull prevailing Power , being thus effectually answered , I shall not thinke it paine-worthy , in a letter , to multiply other of lesse difficulty , which by consequence may more easily be blowne away . And indeed I suppose it needlesse , at this Time of Day , to fall to strong reasonings to evince the unsincerity of the Pretensions of the Contrivers , & Promoters , of this late unhappy Change of Government in Church & State ; they themselves having destroyed all the Plausibility of their own Professions & Declarations . First . The Prince of Orange disowned that hee came to Conquer , or meddle with the Crowne , and yet most willingly accepted thereof at the very first offer of the People . Secondly . The Exercise of the Kings Prerogative in dispensing with some Lawes , on Extraordinary Emergencyes , was thought a Burden Intollerable ; But it hath been no Crime since in the Subject to dispense with all ; They having got ( as they thinke ) what they have long Contended for , the Supremacy in their own hands . Thirdly . The Introducing of Arbitrary Power was the Dread of most men , & now they are contented to enjoy nothing else . Fourthly . It was Judged unpardonable Tyranny in our Soveraigne ▪ to touch the meanest of his subjects in Point of Property ; but it is a laudable vertue in the Subject , to usurp upon , nay dispose of the Crowne . Fiftly . The English were Overwhelmed with Jealousies of introducing Popery & promoting the Intrest of France . And all the while have gone the direct way to bring the worst of their Feares on themselves , by Driving the King & Prince out of the Kingdome . Sixtly . In a word . Sundry other Things , which were deemed nnsufferable in a lawfull Prince of Gods Ordaining , are now Practised without disgust by an Usurper , & King of the Peoples making . Hee that is not yet perfectly Convinced of the Hypocrisy of these Pretences & Procedings ( which I hope the most Eminent of our Clergy & Nobility by this time are ) seemes to have neither Eyes to see , Eares to heare , nor Heart nor Head to consider & Understand . I shall conclude with A Memorable Saying of our Royall Martyr King Charles the 1. on his Observation of a like spirit of Delusion which in his dayes possessed the generality of the People of the same Kingdomes , in Dethroning , nay Murthering , their Lawfull King , & one of the Best of Princes , at his owne doores . " Soe easy is that Leger de main which serves to delude the Vulgar . That the Almighty & Wise God , who in his just displeasure for our sins & ingratitude to Himselfe & his Vicegerent , hath for the present made the Chutch & Monarchy of England A Notable Monument of his Wrath , would bring all High & Low , who have contributed to soe Heinous a Guilt , in his due tyme , to such a sight & sense of their Crimes , that they may give to the world an undeniable Demonstration of the Truth of their Repentance , labouring with all their Might to redresse the Scandalls they have given , by an unparalelled Apostacy from the Principles of our Church , & an abhorred Defection , in point of Loyalty ; is the hearty & humble Prayer of ( Ever Honour'd and Deare Sir ) Your Lordships most humble Servant & Affectionate Brother , DENIS GRANVILLE Rouen Aprill 24. 1689. POSTSCRIPT . THat the Printing of this letter with the following Address & Queres , may not appear to your selfe , as I fore-see they will to all Zealous Contrivers & Supporters of the Usutpation in England , an act of not only deplorable Folly , but downe right Frenzy , I humbly Crave your permission to insert a few lines by way of Postscript . I am not ignorant , but that this attempt may render me absolutely incapàble of all the favour you have shew'd me , since my Flight into France , in your voluntary kind interposition to secure my Revenu ; & that it must also expose me for a subject of Common Talk & Censure thoughout the Nation . But since an un blemis'd Loyalty is infinitely mote valuable than the Possessions of this world , & that , I was persvaded that the Course ▪ which I did , by Gods grace , Steer , was the most effectual way to secure that , the very Reputation whereof I esteem far beyond the Rents I had at Durham , Easington , & Sedgefeild ; nay moreover since that my past Life , & last Deportment in England , had not been all of a piece , if I had not done as I did ; You will not , I trust , condemn my Cariage , however contrary to the Maxims & Temper of the Reigning Generation , as unworthy of your House & Family . What I have done , I have perform'd , thanks be to the Almighty , in the Integrity of my Heart & Innocency of my hands , & the sence & Consideration here of ( the Issue of things exery day more & more convincing me that I was in the Right ) doth afford unspeakable Comfort to my soule . My Feeding of some Friends , in my voyage from Scotland hither , with Expectation of an Inter-view in Kent , & talk of a Passport ( the fitst of which I did not intend , & the last , if I could get away without it , I did not desire ) is a crime I do assure my selfe of Gods pardon for , & of those friends likewise whom I deluded & disapointed , when God shall be pleas'd to send us a happy meeting . As for that more unpardonable sin where with some do reproach me , & whereof I cannot so well clear my selfe before the World ( but is the only one , thanks be to God , that the World can accuse me of ) I me●n my Ignorance & Imbecility to fill my Coffers & Pockets so ful as some more frugall & crafty than my selfe have done in less time , with a smaller Estate or Revenu , I am like to do a sad Pennance for it here abroad in a Forreigne Kingdome . And the Friends & Relations I leave at home , will not , I hope , add affliction to affliction ( if they will not help me with their Purses ) by loading me with their Censures ; especially considering two last Acts of mine to demonstrate the sincerity of my Repentance for it : First that I did voluntarily diminish my Revenu very considerably , by Rent-Charges to satisfy my own just Debts ; Secondly that I look'd on my long Neglect to practize Frugality as so great a sin , that I did as voluntarily put my selfe into a kind of white sheet to atone fot the same , by confessing it to God & the world , in a small Peice I printed in the year 85. This is my Comfort , that no person in England is like to loose by me , unless by his own proper Choice , & if one man doth so , he must thank himselfe rather than blame me . If I suffer Deprivation to his loss , he must quarrell with God & the King , whose Commands have unavoidably oblig'd me to hold fast my Religion & Loyalty . And if the Sacrificing of both , or either of them , was in my Judgement too dear a purchace of my Revenu for my selfe , no one could reasonably expect that I should undergo it for an other . Hoping that these few Hints may give some satisfaction to all , but the Malitious Authors of our present Misery , I shall not enlarge this Postscript farther , than to acknowledge with all thankfullness the kindness which you have shew'd me in procuring A Dispensation for mee ( notwithstanding I have contradicted your Example ) which I esteem thegreater Obligation , at those friends hands who were instrumentall therein , since they did it without my Privity or Motion . BY the Publication of the following ADDRESS & QUERES it may appear , tha the Author is not affraid ( notwithstanding the Obloquy he did a while undergo , in the yeat 88 , for his dutifull compliance with the King ) to owne those notions of Loyalty , which he did endeavour to infuse into all persons committed to his Charge ; and also that he is not asham'd , to proclaim to all the world ( in spight of the Censures he mett with all ) that he did , & doth , hold the following Queres in the affirmative ; being of opinion that to hold them otherwise is to place some of the King's Supremacy in the People . An ADDRESS vvhich the Dean of Durham sent to his Majestie , speedily after the Prince of Orange landed [ upon his Brethen their Refusall to joyne vvith him , because the Superiour Clergy had not Addtess'd before ] to shevv his Abhorrance of that Unnaturall Invasion ; vvhich Address vvas intercepted by the Lord Lumley & other Lords vvho had seiz'd on York ; as mention'd page 3. To the King 's most excellent Majestie . The Hearty & Humble Addresse of your Majestie 's ever loyall , and faithfull , Subject , & Servant , the Dean of Durham . MAY it please your Sacred Majestie In time of an Invasion as in a common Inundation , or Calamity by fire , VVhen every body is bound in duty to preserve the House , Citty , or Country , vvhereof he is a member , vvithout usuall ceremony or compliment to Superior or Equalls , I do judge it an Indispensable Duty of every Faithfull & right Loyall subject to hasten to assist his Soveraigne vvith his purse , as vvell as his prayers , to the utmost of his povver & ability ; & therefore not daring to stay till all my Betters have given me example in Addressing before me , or all my inferiour Brethren have agreed on a forme to Address vvith me , I do heartily offer to your Majesty all that I have to spare for your present service , thinking nothing mine ovvn , in such a time of danger , but vvhat is sufficient to suffice nature : Assuring you vvithall that I do not only from the very bottome of my soule Abhorre & Detest this Treacherous & Vnnaturall Invasion of the Prince of Orange , together vvith all the other VVicked , Rebellious , & Bloody Designes of his Adherents , vvhether Enemies at home or abroad ( and more particularly of those among us , vvho have lately revolted from their Allegiance ) but do vvith great Indignation Renounce all manner of Violence , Force , & Contempt of Authority , offer'd to your Sacred Person , or Government , either by the Rabble ( the very dreg●● of the Mobile ) in the Citty , as vvell as Rebells in the Field ; Conceiving gs a great sin to use any Compulsive Arguments to Constreine or Terrify Gods Vice-gerent into a Compliance vvith the VVill & Desires of his subjects , be they never so much for the good of himselfe , Church , or Kingdome : having learnt in the Communion of my Mother the Church of England ( vvherein I am firmly resolv'd to live & dye ) other principles than to teach my Supreme , or any of my Superiours , vvhat He or They ought to do , vvith a svvord in my hand , or compell a Soveraigne Monarch ▪ vvhether he vvill or no , to do his duty & gratifie his people sooner than he is inclin'd , or his ovvn Necessity ( vvhereof he is the best Iudge ) vvill permit : Satisfying myselfe most thank fully vvith the repeated assurance , vvhich yeur Majesty hath already given of our Religion , Lavvs , & Liberties● , together vvith all your past & present Gratious Condescentions to remove the Fears & Iealousie of your people , Resolving to stay your leasure for the Calling of a Parliament , & all other means & methods , vvhich are in your Majesties ovvn choice , for the securing your ovvn Royall Person , or Establishment of your Government in Church or State. Nov. 27. 88. DENIS GRAINVILLE Dean of Durham . QVERES Put by the Dean of Durham to some Young Clergy men to ansvver privately in his ovvn Study ( near about the time his Majesty sent forth an order to read his Declaration for liberty of Conscience ) vvhich being treacherously stolen avvay , or falsely transcrib'd , upon the interception of a letter to a Friend , vvere dispers'd & canvass'd up and dovvn the Coffee-Houses of London , & other parts of England ( as mention'd pag. 7. ) and are for that reason printed . 1. Whether a Subject is not bound to comply vvith his Prince in every Command , or Reasonable Intimation of his pleasure , vvherein he is not in Conscience bound to the contrary ? 2 Whether a Subject is not bound to comply vvith his Prince in some things , vvhich he conceives not only inexpedient but such as may tend to the Prejudice of the Flourishing condition of the Church ( provided the Being of the Church be secure ) if a lavvfull Prince of a Different Religion doth absolutely command them , & vvill not be satisfied vvithout Compliance vvith such Command ? 3. Whether the Church of England vvas not an establish'd Church before the enacting of the Penall Lavvs ? If so , vvhether it is not better to comply vvith his Majesty in consenting to take avvay those Penall Lavvs vvhich his Majesty desires to be abrogated , than hazard the Being of our Church , by provoking the King on vvhose Favour vvee depend ? FINIS . TO THE BISHOP OF DURHAM . MY LORD . So Suddain and violent a separation betwixt a Bishop and his Dean , as hath been occasion'd betwixt your Lordship & my selfe , by our late stupendiou● Revolution , is a matter of too great importance to be pass'd over in silence , by one who was driven from his station by the impetuosity of that dreadfull storm , which lately fell on , and overthrew our Church and State. I conceive it therefore my duty to informe your Lordship , not only where , but what I am , in this age of mutability , which hath produced , I think , almost all kind of changes , among men of every Quality , Degree , & Calling , but that which Doctour B. speaks of , in his letters concerning his travells into Italy ; I mean the change of sex . I need not , my Lord , give You any particular account of my behaviour , or usage , in England , after your Lordship was call'd up to London about Michaelmass last , or of the manner of my Escape , since your Lordship was certified , by letters from my selfe , in the months of Oct : and Nov : last , of most matters of moment relating to the Church and County of Durham ( tho I had the honour & satisfaction of receiving an answer to few of them ) and may come to the knowledge of other things , by the relation of my deportment , which I have publish'd in my printed letter to my Brother the Earle of Bathe ; whereto I crave leave to refert your Lordship , & all who are inquisitive after me . I shall only embrace this occasion solemnely , & publickly , to assure your Lordship , in generall , that I did faithfully , and with as much punctuallity as I was able , discharge those Trusts which were committed to me , in every one of the places , and offices , which I had the honour to beare under your Lordship ; & maintain'd my Poste in your Absence , not withstanding mighty discouragements , till it was not possible for me any longer to strive against that Torrent , which had hurried all matters , in that & other parts of the Nation , into great disorder & confusion . When I saw there was no possible means left for me , but to sink , by endeavouring to oppose what was irresistable ; or swimme down the stream ( which no argument not example of the age could , I thank God , prevaile with me to do . ) I was under a necessity to turne aside , and withdraw my selfe , beholding matters a while at a distance ; rather than in my own station & place of acting ; since I carried about whi●h me an unalterable loyall heart , which would not suffer me to runn ( as most did ) with the multitude ; & on the other side wanted both strength of mine own , & the assistance of others , effectually to oppose that unruly & many headed monster . But did not resolve to leave the Kingdome , & commit my Flock & Family alone to Almighty God's protection & care , ( as I afterwards did ) till I had a powerfull example , which a dutifull subject ought to be proud to follow , and a Precedent which may set me above the censures of any person in the three Kingdomes . When my Soveraine was forc'd from his own pallace , nay driven out of the Realme , it was time for those who were firmly resolv'd to adhere to , & suffer with Him , to yeild to that force & necessity , which A mighty Potentate , by complying with , proclaim'd to be invincible . Having then the honour to be one of that number ( & glorying that I am so ) it would have been a preposterous course for me ( who never play'd my game so as to save my stake ) to have stay'd at home , or in England , when I was no longer capable to serve Him , in those offices wherein I was plac'd ; and while I had no other prospect , but that of a prison , without doing what was impossible for me to do , I mean bow down to Baal , or in plain English , submit to an Usurper . This occasion'd my Flight first to Carlisle , & from thence upon it's declaring for the P. of Orange ; & change of Governour , to Edingburgh , & from that citty , upon intelligence of an Imbargo , into France , ( as is set forth more at large in the former letter to my Brother ) to have the honour & satisfaction , which is no small consolation to a loyall Subject in Banishment , of doing homage to the Royall Family , & viewing our hopefull young Prince , who will live , I trust in God , to constreine his Enemies to confess ( what they were , I doubt not , alwayes perswaded of in their hearts ) that he is the legitimate son of King Iames the 2 : and one of the greatest blessings , which God ever bestow'd on the English Nation . As for my part ( how great a parodox soever it may appear to some ) I am fully convinced of the truth thereof , as I alwayes was of Gods wonderfull Goodness & Providence , in bringing his Father , our Gracious Soveraine , through all his troubles , to the Crown . And I fear , that our abhorr'd Ingratitude towards God for two such inestimable blessings , as the security of the succession by an Heire Male , & those Halcyon dayes , which we for two years enjoy'd ( and might have enjoy'd longer had it not been our own faults ) under a Gracious Prince of a condescending race , have above other sins pull'd down God's judgements , & contributed towards the miserry we now groan under , & the greater misery which hangs over our heads , & out of which we can never be deliver'd , but by the extraordinary assistance of the same mercifull & gracious God and King , whom we have above measure provoked and incens'd . I have never been asham'd , I thank God , to owne such sentiments , as these , amidst all the delusions , which the generality of men of a contrary opinion have layen under , & the greatest Obloquy & Contempt , which by them hath been cast on every one , who stuck close to his Majesty ( as I thank God I have done to the utmost of my power ) in asserting his Prerogative . But I need not affirme this to your Lordship , or any within your Diocesse , having sufficiciently proclaim'd my judgement concerning these matters , in the pulpit , both in the Cathedrall & other Churches , after his Majesty's happy accession to the Imperial Crown , & the Birth of the Prince of Wales . Towards the Filling up the measure of that Iniquity , wherewith our just God would no longer dispense , & whereto our Kings , our Princes , & our Prophets , nay all the people in the land , ( to speak in the Evangelical Prophets phrase , ) have contributed more or less , I know , that I my selfe [ a wretched miserable sinner ] have sadly help'd in every one of my capacities , & heartily beg pardon of God through JESUS-CHRIST for my share of the guilt . But it is to me an unspeakable comfort , that neither my Enemies , nor my own Conscience , can accuse me of those sins , which do seem to be the more immediate ingredients of God's wrath , & which certainly more than others have provoked him , in such Manner , & by such Instruments , to punish Us. For I have heartily , from the bottome of my soule , rejoyc'd at our Gracious Soverain's mounting the Throne , at Gods blessing him & us with a hopefull Prince . I have been all along , without murmuring , contented with his Government . I have had allwayes more jealousy of the subject , than of my Soveraigne . I have thought our selves ( as it hath proved ) nearer a Rebellion , than the Introducing of Popery . And lastly I am not , no not in the thoughts of my heart , guilty , in the leastwise , of that Perfidiousness , & Ingratitude , to my Soveraigne , or Injustice & Vnnaturalness to my Fellovv-Subjects , of calling in Forreigne assistance for our Preservation . Or if I had , it should have been any Nation in the world rather than our Neighbours of Holland , being not ignorant of their dealings with the English both at Amboina & Bantam . T is highly probable , my Lord , that these very things which I here alledge for my justification , & wherein I so much glory , will be received with derision , and objected against me as my crimes , & that mine & other men's forwardness to obey , & comply vvith , the King , has contributed to his Fall. This is a fate , which I am sure it will not be possible for me to avoid , since that , before I left the Nation , I had this lay'd to my charge , by some , who to justify their own sawning on the Mobile , out of Fear or Intrest , began to lay all the guilt of the King & Kingdome 's overthrow to the door of the King & his most obedient subjects ; as in Oates's & Tong 's plot , some brought in our late gracious Soveraigne as concern'd in a designe against his own Life . But I would crave leave , here , to know who are the Objectors . If they are such as have renounced their Allegiance to their lawfull Soveraigne , I may save the labour to answer them ; they being not qualified to censure & accuse me , for helping to what they were well pleas'd with , & desir'd should be brought to pass . If they be such as will not , at last , submit to the change of Government , & take new oaths , tho they have been too far concern'd in , & have too much contributed to , the setting up an usurp'd power ( by a greater Complaisance with the Prince of Orange , than I have been guilty of towards my Soveraigne ) I reply , that the Doctrine of Non-resistance which we have alwayes , till of late , been fond of , set forth at large in our Church-Homilies , doth justify my behaviour ; whereof any one may be soon convinced that will be pleas'd to take the paines ( which I have lately done ) of seriously perusing , studying , & analizing the Homilies published by authority , Concerning Obedience , & against vvillfull Disobedience or Rebellion ; From whence , no more than from the Holy scripture , can I learn any Medium betwixt Resistance & Compliance . He that doth not comply with Express & Positive commands of his Soveraigne , when he beleives those commands lawfull , doth in some sort resist Him ; that saying of our Lord , in this case , being certainly applicable , He that is not for me is against me . But these , & like censures , will not , my Lord , in any great measure afflict me . It hath been my fate to be , from my Youth , inur'd to such , & greater , exercises of patience . Indeed I might be induced , rather to suspect my Loyalty and Fidelity to my Soveraigne , If I should now escape Scot-free & not be pelted at by those , who out of the same mouth can blow hot & cold , obey a lawfull Prince , & obey an Usurper ; whose unjustifyable proceedings ( blessed be God ) my soule doth detest & abhorr , being founded in that Laodicean temper , loathsome to God & Goodmen , which I have labour'd ever since I have born any publick office in Church or State , as far as it was possible for me , to oppose . Your Lordship , I am sure , ( which is my comfort ) will be none of those , who shall load me with reproaches , for my dutifull Complyances whith his Majesty , since your example , ( which did out run others ) as well as your advice , did powerfully invite me thereto . And since your Lordship hath been so kind as to attest , with your mouth to his Majesty , that I was never backward to concurr with You , in any thing which was for the King's service . Wherefore I shall spend no more ink to disturb your Lordship with inlarging on so unnecessary a Topick . But I shall take care to strive ( by God's grace ) to make good the Character , which your Lordship was ▪ pleas'd to give of me last year to the King , you was not , my Lord , any wayes deceiv'd in your attestation , neither shall his Majesty ( I trust in God ) in his expectations from me . The remaining paper then ▪ my Lord , will be more significantly imploy'd in laying , before your Lordship & the World , the Reasons , why I have not govern'd my selfe by your Lordships example since October last , as I did before , & cannot be prevail'd on now to comply with the People's , as I did with the Lord 's Annointed my Leige & Dread Soveraigne . It was , I know , sadly bewailable for persons in such publick stations , & so nearly related , as the Bishop & Dean of Dutham , to draw two wayes , as we did ( I must confess ) after your Lordship was pleas'd to present a paper of Advice to his Majesty , to comply with the demands of the Multitude . And it was the more to be lamented , that such division should happen , in a juncture of affairs , & Concussion of the Church & State , that requir'd the Uniting of all persons in every body Ecclesiastick & Civil ( all which strength was little enough ) to uphold our Soveraign Lord's Crown & Dignity ; which we , both , were stricktly by our repeated oathes ( and possibly more than all others by particular obligations , having receiv'd our preferments by his favour ) ingag'd to maintaine , & which were more dangerously than ever struck at by Enemies at home & abroad . I was astonish'd , my Lord at so suddaine & unexpected , a change , & was , out of respect to your Lordship , one of the last that , in the Citty & Church of Durham , gave credit to the reports ( wherein your honour was concern'd ) which busied for a while the mouth of almost every person in the County . That , that very method which we were affraid , nay well assur'd of , before parting , was likely to destroy our present Government & Governours ( things portending as badly as in forty one ) should so immediately ( according to your own expression ) become the only , & most assur'd , means of the Preservation of the Kings person , & establishment of his Government in Church and State , gave me occasion beyond all measure to admire . And what should move your Lordship , of all men in the Nation , in an unusuall way , to advise his Majesty so to do , is not yet discover'd by me , thô it often imployes my thoughts . This change of Measures in your Lordship my Diocesan , whose Counsell , Example , and assistance , I did more than ever need and expect , at such a desperate Crisis , did wonderfully weaken mee in the discharge of all Duties incumbent on mee , either as a Church-man or Justice of the Peace , and did put mee under an unavoidable necessity of abating in my zeale to attempt sundry things , and ingage in severall Designs , which could not be prosecuted , much less accomplish'd , without the concurrence of my Bishop and Lord Lieutenant . This did likewise incapacitate me to censure , or so much as curb those insolent Young Clergy-men , who before your Departure were arriv'd to such a pitch of blodness , as to expose by undecent insinuations in the Congregation , not only their Dean , but Bishop , for Obedience to the King. And which impotency of mine was , the very Sunday after , made conspicuous , by an other indiscreet Sermon preach'd in the Cathedrall pulpit , which I was forc'd to pass by without so much as admonition ( only denying the Preacher the customary respects of an invitation to my table ) for fear of a second affront . Since instead of assistance from those , who were sworne to give me that , & much more , I met with reproaches , & was told in the publick discharge of the Deans office , that I vvas vvell enough Serv'd in that my Bishop had left me in the Lurch . I had no small difficulty to bear up against & repell those Arguments , which were brought , the last year , out of the other Province , from the example of great & venerable Prelates , which my intirely devoted heart to honour and obey my King , would not permit me to immitate , tho modesty would not allow me openly to condemn . But when those , who labour'd to shake me off from my foundation of firm Loyalty , & to betray my Innocence , by perswading me to enter into the Herd , discernd mee void of my last support , & depriv'd of the example of my own Bishop & Father in God , they attackt me ( your Lordship my imagine ) with too great strength and rudeness , for a single Dean , without Countenance of Superiour , or Concurrence of Inferiour Brethren , any longer to withstand or oppose , with any considerable effect . Tho God Almighty ( prais'd be his holy Name ) endow'd me , in that day of Triall , with so much courage , as to attempt to do it , in such manner , as may hereafter prove to Edification ; never changing my Note nor Measures ( when all began to dance after an outlandish Pipe ) as long as I stay'd on the Place . Witness my Sermons I preach'd on the 5. & 9. of December ▪ two dayes before I fled , & the Sunday after the Generality of the Citty & Country had , with open Armes & Mouths , receiv'd a Discontented Lord , who the week before seiz'd on the Town for the P. of Orange ▪ & prophan'd both your Castle , & the Markett Cross , with the reading of a Treasonnable Declaration , as is related more at large in the foregoing letter . I could not accord , I must confess , with such Example of your Lordship , nor with the Example of others , in being silent , or sitting still , in a time of imminent Danger , VVarr ▪ & Tumult , when good Nature , as well as good Conscience , dictated to all faithfull Clergy men & Christians , not only to list up their voices like a Trumpett , but to employ all their hands to have restrain'd the unruly multitude , which had got the Bitt in their Teeth , & were runing madly to a Change of Government , and Deposition of their King ; & in that towards their own Destruction ; since the Monarchy , as well as our Church , was like to receive ( as it hath done ) an incureable blow , by an other Disgrace & Banishment of a lawfull Soveraigne of the same Stock & Race , which had been once before barbarously treated beyond expression , & in such degree , that the English Nation , for a while , became an object of Contempt & Indignation among the very Turks & Pagans . However matters might appear to your Lordship , & other Prelates above at London , ( as I ought in duty to conclude , by their & your Actings , that they did otherwise than to me below ) I could not discover , when my eyes were most open , & clear'd by serious & fervent Devotion , that any thing or course tended more to the preservation of the King's Crown , & security of our Church under Him , than our unfeign'd submission to our supreme Moderatour & Governour , & our vigorous & constant opposition of seditious Incendiaries & Male-contents , who any wise Irritated , or Inflam'd the People , or did undutifully capitulate with the King , being agitated ( as was apparent ) by an humour of Popularity , & that Republican spirit which was gone forth into the Nation , which ought to have been withstood somuch the more , by how much it had gotten strength , & numbers , to terrify some of our greatest Leaders in our very Sion , as well as our Jerusalem ; who put themselves into a most dangerous Poste [ the head of the Multitude ] not out of disaffection to the King , I am perswaded , so much as out of fear of that ungovernable Beast , who will make less scruple to pull off the B●sho'ps Lawnsleeves & the Earle's Coronets , than either of them , in the Convention , did to deprive their Lord & Soveraign's head of the Crown . And I must confess my selfe so short sighted , or hard to be convinced , that I cannot as yet see , or owne , that I then made a wrong judgement of things , or , on that account , labour'd under any Errour . Would God , that all those , whom I dare not deny to be , as they think themselves , very much wiser men ( tho they did approach as much towards rudeness in withsstanding , as I did towards Flattery in complying with the King ) had not too late discern'd the pernitious fatallness of the contrary Errour , in endeavouring to bring Gods Vice gerent to Terms , whereby the Soveraignty of our Defender of the faith , was so weaken'd , broken , & shatter'd , that he was not able to protect either Church , or State , or so much as his own Sacred Person from the hands of the Rabble ▪ nay not secure his very pocketts , at last , from the Fate of me his unworthy servant , & other his Subjects , I mean , from being in our flight pick'd & rifled . Hinc illae lachrim● . And I make no question , but that if Tears would redress what is past , thousands of those , who murmured & complain'd of the King , would shed whole rivers to restore the King , the Church & the Kingdome to the Circumstances ( as bad as they then thought them ) which they were all in but last year . But God knows it is now too late to make use of such feeble means , for the recovery of what is lost , flouds of tears being not like to prevaile , unless accompanied with a holy violence , & conjoyn'd with sincere & hearty prayer , issueing out from a truely penitent heart , & deeply humbled Soule . Wee have , God knows , madly grasp'd our Religion , our Liberty , & our Laws , out of the hands of our own lawfully descended , mercyfull , Prince , who manifested all a long , & even at the last upshot , that he carried about him , as he profess'd , a truly English heart , & whose Interest it was ( whatever was his Majestys Religion ) to uphold them all ; Grasp'd them away , I say & put them into the power , & at the mercy of Forreigners , whose Humour & Inclination it is , as well as Interest , to destroy them all ; whereof a few months are like to afford Us more lamentable Demonstrations , as we have reason to apprehend , by the Transactions of five or six that are past . By these few honest reflections , on the miserable Estate of my Native Country , & more particularly on the Cathedrall & Archdeaconry of Durham ( which I cannot here reflect on without often sitting down & weep ) your Lordship may perceive , that I am the very same , that You found me , when You entred on your Diocess 17. years agoe ; & left me in the month of Octobet last , bearing the Brunt of that dreadfull Hurricane , which was then coming out of Holland , & strugling with that insatiable Hydra , which did widely gape for the Crown and Myter , & is like after devouring it's supports ( like a Jugglar ) to disgorge a Commonwealth . I am indeed , my Lord , on all accounts , & to all intents & purposes , the very same that I have ever been ; intirely devoted to the Honour , & Interest of the ROYALL FAMILY OF THE STVARTS , & so unalterable & steddy a Practiser , as well as Professour , of the old Church-of-England-Religion ( & more especially of those distinguishing Doctrines which do signally honour our Church , & which were , whil'st practis'd , so lovely in the eyes of all , as to prevaile with a Rom : Cath : Prince at his mounting the Throne to continue and protect her ) that I can by the power of no temptation , or Arguments of Dutch Divinity , be induced to do any certain sinfull act to preserve her , whether by way of resisting my lawfull Soveraigne , or complying with an Usurper . I say , my Lord , that I am , both by Nature & Instinct , a perfect Abhorrer of that Diabolick sin of Rebellion , however varnisht over by the Father of lyes , & by what Names or Titles soever it be dignified or distinguish'd . And , in the same temper of mind , I do here declare to your Lordship ( which I desire may be communicated to every Person in your Diocesse under You ) that I am resolv'd , by the grace of the Almighty , to end my dayes . Greiving that your Lordship hath , by doing homage to a Superiour which I cannot owne , absolv'd me , in a great measure , from the Canonicall Obedience , Duty , & Respect , which I did once owe You , ( & whereby I am capacitated to take greater freedome with your Lordship ▪ than 't was lawfull for me to doe in former letters , as well as debarr'd of of begging your Benediction , with the same delight I have done formely , ) I rest . MY LORD Roüen July the 1. 1689. Your Lordships , &c ▪ DENIS GRANVILLE . FINIS . To the Vice-Dean & Prebendaries of the Cathedrall Church of Durham . MR . Vice-Dean & other Prebendaries of Durham . Tho the bodily Infirmities I now feele , as well as the greater ones I have struggled with since I left Durham , [ intimated in a letter from Edingburgh ] have been , and are , sufficient to excuse my Absence , and may justify me in the eyes of God & Man , for leaving , for some time , so cold and moist an air , as the North of England , and repairing into a Clime more warme and benigne , Yet I , who have been , all my dayes , a Lover of Plain-dealing , think not fit to conceal , any longer , the more substantial reasons , which did at first hurry me away from You , and do still detain me abroad . Till I was well got out of the reach of those New Governours , whom I could neither owne , nor obey , and from whom , for that very cause , had hopes of small favour , I was , as well as my Betters , necessitated to use , the most plausible Arguments I could with Innocence , for a Voyage into France , without declaring the bottome of my designe . And Providence , at that time , furnishing me with one very Authentick , and reasonable enough [ to witt , upon the returne of a dangerous Cough to go once more into a Country , from which I had receiv'd formerly considerable advantage , in point of Health , ] I should have been much to blame , if I had not made use thereof , as I did , in order to my Escape . On this account ( in my letter to You , & discourse with those I mett in my journey ) I insisted on little else , than what related to my then growing Indisposition , which was come to a great height ; neither did I ( God be thank'd ) meet , or converse with any so unreasonable , or inquisitive , as to demand stronger motives , than the recovery and preservation of my health , ( the next valuable Blessing to the Salvation of my Soule , ) to authorise my designe of hastning into this Kingdome : famous for it's Soveraigne & Beneficial air for all Consumptive Constitutions ; & the virtue whereof , tho I am not got into the most salutiferous Region , I now already , in a very great measure perceive . But tho all I alledge be very true and real , yet I dare not deny that other and greater matters ( set forth in a precedent letter ) did first put it into my thoughts , and incline me to quitt my Station , and without which , had the danger of my life been never so great , I must confess , that , I think , I had never more thus left my Charges , after so considerable an Absence heretofore ( to recover my health ) from my Offices & Cures . In plain English then , I declare to all the World , that the true Cause of my suddain flight was , that I carried about me a Conscience more untractable , and less pliable to an Usurpation , than most I left behind● , as process of time hath made too apparent . My Conscience ( such as it was ) did oblige me , to the utmost of my Strength , to oppose all usurp'd power ( as I did to the last , wittness all the Congregation present in the Quire the Sunday before my departure ) and then , I need not tell You , it was not fitt for me to stay there , any longer . I might use the word impossible rather than unfitt , since I could not with good Conscience stay . Id tantum possumus ( sayes the Civillian ) quod jure possumus . I cannot deny that every one of You , and all those Clergy in the Nation , which were satisfied and resolv'd , to Submitt ; that is to say renounce your Allegiance to your Lawfull Soveraigne , and swear new to those , who have ungodlily , and unjustly , depos'd him , have done politickly enough to remaine at home , sit still , & hold your Tongues ; at a time , when the Right Church-of-England-Religion , ( according to the best notion I have of it ) nay Christianity in generall , required all faithfull Preachers to lift up their voices like a Trumpet , to oppose the madness of the People , & stop them in their Carreer to Destruction . But I , your unworthy Dean , who , without doubt or scruple , beleived it , at that time , as I do at present , a peice of detestable Rebellion to joyne with any , in a Conspiracy against our Kings Crown , as well as Life , ( and desire to be torne with wild Horses rather than so to do , ) did as politickly , ( and I am sure more honestly ) in withdrawing . But I desire You to remember , that I did not stir from my Poste , till the Citty of Durham was polluted by the Reading of a Declaration , which by a late Proclamation of the King 's was pronounced treasonable ; & that there werè not four publick Magistrates , nor one Minister in the Town , had the Courage any wayes to oppose it , or declare their dissent thereto : a v●ry feeble support for a Dean resolv'd [ as I then declar'd I was , & now declare a new that I am ] to stick close , by God's grace , to the Crown of my only lawfull Soveraigne King Iames the 2. , his Heires , & Successours : knowing no difference betwixt the Duty & Obedience I owe to a Prince of the Protestant , & to a Prince of the Roman Faith. Nay I desire you moreover to consider , that I did not runn avvay & forsake my flocks , as some may be apt to object , when I saw the Wolfe coming , but after I saw him come , & with open mouth ready to devoure , & had my selfe in some sort tasted his Fierceness . I beseech You therefore so take notice , that it was not till the 11. of December , at night , that I left Durham ; a day after his Sacred Majesty was driven from Whitehall . By which time , the Wicked Contrivers of this sad Revolution had accomplish'd what they had been long endeavouring , stript the King of all his Supports , put him under a necessity , as well as his most faithfull Subjects , to fly into an other Nation , & shewn their Good Will towards the Dissolution of the Government . And farther , and above all this , tho I could not stay longer in Durham , without being defiled by concurring , or confined for opposing , I did not leave England , till the 20. of January ; nor fly out of the Kings Dominions , till the Subject , who was tender enough of his own Property , had after innumerable Violations of the King's Prerogative , presum'd to disspose of the very Crown . For * Ashwensday was over , before I took shipping in Scotland . A Dismal day , a day , which I shall mark in my Calendar , with a note of deeper Humiliation than before ; A day , which , by all truely devoted Soules to the Honour & Interest of the Imperiall Crown of England , will be remembred with more Regrett than Ashwensday 53. A day indeed , once thought fitt for the Inauguration of an * Usurper ; who thô in all other respects odious & infamous , had not the boldness to seize on the Crown , nor the People of England , at that time , ( thô plunged over head & ears in Rebellion ) the Timidity nor . Stupidity , to offer it to him , who without all dispute might then with less sin , & with more prudence , have put it on his Head ▪ ( it having for a while before been deposited and unimploy'd , ) than some body since snatch'd it from the Head of his own Uncle , nay Father . This is , Gentlemen , the true & real cause of my withdrawing . And if You please to be mind full of the criticall time vvhen , the manner hovv , & the cause vvherefore , being also so just to your Dean , as not to looke barely on his going away , but consider it as circumstantiated , and allowing me so much Charity ( who have alwayes exercis'd greater towards my Dependants ) as to beleive I did , at least , mean well then , and do speak true at present , I am willing to beare all other ccnsures you can load me with , for this late hazardous undertaking , which however it may be mis-understood , in England , ( over which , as of late , there seemes still to hang some notorious cloud & mist , which strangely obscures mens understanding ) and deem'd an act of Fear or Folly ; yet I am , God be prais'd , fully perswaded that it was the most honest , the most couragious , & thc vvisest Act of my whose Life . And do incessantly praise his name , that he was pleas'd to endow me with his grace , ( passing by many more capable to do him service , ) at that very time , and in such manner as I did , to Beare vvittness to the Truth . 1 , For my Flock , had I ( whose notion both of Religion & Loyalty had caus'd me all a long to act at an other rate fail'd by a sordid & truely mean compliance , I had certainly done them irreparable wrong , by thwarting my past Doctrine , & destroying the example of my whole Life . 2. As for my Revenue , thô I possess'd the best Deanery , and possibly the best Archdeaconry , & one of the best Livings , in England , A Faithfull Christian ought not so highly to value them , as to put them into the scales with his Conscience . And besides I do not forget that I both receiv'd , & held my Deanery by the King's favour , & do resolve that without his favour I will never keep it . These two particulars granted , I leave all men to judge , whether it was an unwise act of mine , all things consider'd , to withdraw vvhen , & in such manner , as I did . I do well assure my selfe , that it will be esteem'd otherwise , by all those that do not deny the truth of this undoubted maxime , that Honesty is the best Policy . And I do comfort my selfe , that my poor exploded Notions of Honesty & Religion , Loyalty to my King , & obedience to the Precepts & Rules of the Church , will yet come in vogue before I leave the World ( tho I have too much reason to apprehend , that , unless the change of air preserve me , I shall not be a long liv'd man ( however they be run down , & rejected in this intoxicated Age , which hath , in a manner , captivated men's Senses , as well as their Understandings . I that am , the Lord be thanked , happily deliver'd , for a while , from the Foggs of my own Country ( which were sadly increas'd since it's late Alliance & Communication with Holland ) do no more doubt , than I cease to pray for , the King 's glorious , & blessed Restauration . That joyfull Day in spight of Men & Devils , will come , as soon , as the Church and Kingdome are , by a profound Humiliation & sincere Repentance , prepared for so choice a blessing . And when it doth come , or is nigh approaching , it will infallibly open men's eyes , & cause them clearly to discerne their past egregious folly & facility , in suffering themselves to be so soon overcome , by such deplorable Delusion , as not to distinguish betwixt the felicity of living under an undisputable lawfull & gratious Prince ( of the most mercifull and eligible Race and Qualifications ) & bearing the Yoke of an Usurper , whose Crown must necessarily be maintain'd , as it is gotten , by the Sword. And whose Reigne , tho it begins in nomine Domini , & is usher'd in by a shevv of Religion , & seeming love of Liberty , & Lavves , soon becomes greivous , & his little finger felt much heavier , than the Lawfull Predecessour's Loyns . It will not be needfull to pretend to the Spirit of Prophecy for this Discovery , the last eight or nine Month's experience doth powerfully evince the Truth of what I affirme . There doth seem already to be eyes enough open , if their hands were at Liberty , [ and good swords in them ] in Scotland , & England too , as well as Ireland , to deliver those miserable Kingdomes from reall Tyranny & Presbitery , which are not like to be found much more tollerable , for the late injustifiable , as well as unintelligible method of Exclusion of Popery , & pretended Arbitrary Povver . All those who were come to , & could exercise , their Understandings , from the year 41 to the year 60 , cannot forget the unsufferable Slavery which the three Kingdomes underwent ▪ upon the unhappy Conjunction of those foremention'd unseparable Twins . The horrid Rebellion of those dayes was less odious than the present one ; which is accompanied with the highest Aggravations ; less odious I say , or at least less unnaturall , ( than that under which the best Subjects & Christians in England at present groan ) in sundry respects , had not the former been deeply dyed in the blood of King Charles the Martyr . And yet all the Religion , & great ostentation of Purity of the Gospell , wherewith it was introduced , & at last , after a floud of Loyall blood , submitted to , by an infatuated Generation , ended at length in down right Enthusiasme ; which , by breaking of Fences , & tearing up Foundations , let in a Deluge of all kind of Prophaneness . The Priviledges & Properties , as well as the Liberty of the Subject , were got into the hands of such miserable Keepers , as kept them all to themselves : in such sort , as scarce any Person . You do well remember , could be Master of them , or meet with them , but at Wallingford House . In a word , after inexpressible violence & Injustice , Cutting off sundry Pillars of Church & State , & most those well fix'd Church of England-men [ Clergy or Layicks ] who had the valour to withstand the Usurpers of those dayes , all matters , at last , run into Anarchy & Confusion . And the Babell , which had been twenty years in building , after a short tottering , at the Death of their Cheif Upholder , fell , & crush'd it's selfe with it's own weight , and cover'd all their Antimonarchicall machinations with it's Ruines . The serious & sober review of all past Transactions , from the begining of the long & great Rebellion home to the Dutch Invasion , to witt ; of the first stupendious wickedness of the Enimies of the King & Church of England : The wonderfull long suffering of a justly Incens'd God ; His unconceivable Goodness and Compassion at length in a reall delivery of the Nation , & our Church , [ from not only the most Arbitrary power , which had been before exercised , but from the utmost malice of all it 's worst Adversaries , who were watching to devour her ] The wretched Requitall of God's mercy & Love , made to Heaven , by the most Real ( I fear none can excuse themselves ) as well as pretended Friends of Crown & Myter , in repaying such unexpressible Bounty with Contempt and Ingratitude ; & , at last , the most deplorable Folly & Madness of the People of England , in being catch'd by , nay running into , the very same Snares , wherein they had been once before intangled , by the Subtilty of the Devil , almost to their utter Destruction . The recalling to mind & thorough Consideration , I say , of such , & the like passages , should have made us , methinks , wise enough to have avoided , in due season , the same Trap which was again laid for us , & into which we are a second time fallén . At least , one would guesse ( or else we are become perfectly stupid & insensible ) should awake every one to look to his After-Game , for fear we may be remedilessly depriv'd of the remaining part of our Felicity , which is bound up in the life of our distress'd Soveraigne , & his legitimate Issue , by our gratious Queen-Consort , who hath evidenced her selfe , in these & former innumerable Troubles of our afflicted , & thrice banisht Prince , a notable Example of Submission & Patience , & who ought to be for being made , by God , the happy Instrument of bringing us the Blessing of a hopefull Heir Male , for ever Dear to the English Nation , & all faithfull Subjects to the Crown of England . If such extraordinary Dealings of the God of Heaven , varied to every man's capacity & condition ; If neither God's speaking by a still voice , nor in the VVhirlevvind , neither by the Sunshine of mercyes , nor the Thunder of his Judgements , [ that dreadfull Clap , whereinto the late black Clouds driven into England out of Holland , broke very fatally , to the unhinging of the whole Fabrick of our Government both in Church & State , ] will reclaime us , & make us sensible of our most real Interest , & Happyness in a most desireable & wéll ▪ establisht Monarchy & Episcopacy , [ & a gratious Prince , according to the heart's wish of every right loyall son of the Church of England , save that he doth not ptofess our Religion ; ] nor reduce us to that intire obedience & submission to the King and Church , which the wise dispensations of a loving & long-suffering God seem , above other things , by many repeated Summonses , loudly to call for , there remains nothing but a Fearfull looking for of Iudgement . I know no Salve for our sore ; nor can discover any thing which can mollify such stony hearts , or mortify such corrupt natures ; that have lamentably defeated our heavenly Father , in all his methods to do good unto us ; & save us . And I , who have never been ( all that know me must confess ) a man of excessive fear & jealousy , as to the Publick , must sink down into dispaire : & conclude that the people of England , the other Day , an object of envy to all the Nations round about us , are signally mark'd out for God's displeasure , & will be made a standing Monument of his Wrath to all succeding Ages ▪ But I shall not detaine You longer with Reflections on the State of England . It will be a Duty more incumbent on me to consider the Circumstances of Durham , & therein those of the Cathedrall Church , my speciall & more particular Charge , wherein I have been by the Favour of my King , rather than my own merit , set to Preside . And indeed I cannot thoroughly reflect on that Church & Citty , wherein I have ( by God's permission & the Kings kindness ) had the honour , for the last 27. years , to be dignified , without melting into Tears . To consider that the Bishoprick & Cathedrall Church of Durham , which had so well approv'd themselves both to his late ▪ & present Majesty , & usually exceeded others in expressions of Loyalty , should now lye undistinguishable , & incorporated into the Mass of Rebellion , which the wise & just God is pleas'd to permit to oppress the whole Land , peirces my very Soule . It was one of the most painfull mortifications I ever met with , the weeke before my Departure , to discerne my selfe deserted by all the Citty-Clergy in my honest zeal for the righteous Cause of my Soveraigne ; In such sort , as not to discover , then on the place , any one Ecclesiastick , neither in the Cathedrall , nor any Parochial Church , or Chappell , with in the Precincts of that Citty , who had the courage , at that juncture , to own openly , either in the Pulpit , or in his Conversation , his oppress'd Prince's Interest ▪ and Honour , by shewing just Indignation against that Treasonable Attempt , which was then insolently made against his Crowne & Dignity , in reading publickly , & with great formality , the * Rebellious paper mention'd in this & former letters ; Tho every man , who was not a mere Ideote , must comprehend , that that very Act countenanced was in effect the pulling up the sluce , & letting in a Stream of Rebellion to overflow the whole County . This was , I declare , to me a mighty exercise of Patience , & did among other Pressures , which possibly contributed much to my crazy condition last Winter , heavily afflict me . But when I look farther , & at this day , regard the State Ecclesisiastick of the whole County , & discover but three of all my Brethren of the Clergy through the whole Bishoprick of Durham ( as I am made beleive by Report ) who have had either the Integrity , or Courage , to stand their Ground , against a new & unlawfull Oath of Allegiance to a Prince , set up by the abhorr'd treachery , & unheard of Ingratitude , of the People [ Subjects ] who have no authority , in our anciently Hereditary Realm , to dispose of the Crown , I am above measure astonish'd & overwhelmed with greif . Which greif is unexpressibly augmented , when I consider that the members of that Body , or Community whereof I have the honour to be Head , have incurr'd the same Guilt . And those Eminent Persons , which , as Salt , by their Examples ▪ , ought to have seasoned the whole Diocess , are rendred uncapable to reprove their Inferiours , & reprehend the sins of the Times . Alas ! if Resistance of the higher powers , be , by some Moderne Divines & Distinctions , refin'd into a Vertue , is Perjury no sin ? If the Sacred Authority of our Earthly God ( the stile in Sripture allow'd to a Lavvfull Soveraigne ) be fallen into such deplorable contempt among Subjects , that there is little Regard given either to their Promises , or Commands , is the Majesty of the God of Heaven become so mean & cheap , that men , nay Divines , dare cancell the Obligation of an Oath ? And the calling God to witness the truth of what we promise become void , & of no effect , as soon as our Interest tempt us to break it ? If so , then farewell all Religion , nay Conversation and Commerce among men . If the Bonds of a Sacred Oath are not sufficient to hold men , surely nothing can . The Evills & Mischiefs , which must , unavoidably , attend a sin so universally committed through the Kingdome , even by the Leaders & Guides of Christ's Flock , are more & greater than it is possible for any to conceive or foresee . Such a Notorious Contradiction of your own past Preaching & Practice , must , I fear , render you very cheap amongst those People , which you have drawn into a Snare by a very sinfull Example , & who have too much sense not to discern the illness thereof , tho they want Courage to resist it . I am sorry that the necessity which I am put to of delivering my Soule , constreins me here to declare thus much , and that you have very often , in my Presence , preach'd false Doctrine , if your present Proceedings & Compliances are justifiable . It 's now a more seasonable time than it was a * year agoe for us Ecclesiasticks , who cannot swallow implicite Faith , to teach our Hearers to beware of implicite Obedience . If it were dreadfull & dangerous while we liv'd under a gratious Prince of an undoubted Title , whose excessive Goodness & Forwardness to rely on his Subjects hath prov'd his Ruine , is it become otherwise under the Government of a Prince , who hath by Violence wrested a Crown from the very Father of his own Princess , & his own near Relation ? who by such an act of unparaleld Injustice , & inexcusable , & palpable , defect of Veracity , ( in having at his first Entrance grossly contradicted his own Declaration ) gives more just Grounds , than both his Uncles , or his Grandfather ever did , of Jealousy & Fear , & to conclude that he intends to Rule as he Conquer'd the Kingdome , proposing to himselfe no other motives , in his future Government , than he did in his first Invasion . And what they were it will be needless to recite to any but those , who were , during the months of Oct : & Nov : last , fast a sleep . And what will become then of our Religion , Libertyes , & Lavvs , it will be easy enough to devine . O Fortunatos nimium bona si sua norint &c. The Review of our past Felicity , those very Blessings we enjoy'd , and sadly overlook'd , during the Reigne of our present Soveraigne , must needs greivously torment our Hearts ; & give us occasion of pining away with just vexation & anger at out selves . Since it is not possible now for us , in all humane apprehension , to swimme back to such our [ sottishly neglected & lost ] Happiness , but through that sea of blood , which Tyrants & Usurpers commonly shed , in prosecuting & accomplishing their Machiavellian Designes . And it is matter of no small moment for men , especially Churchmen , to examine thoroughly , & impartially ▪ how much of the Guilt will lye at their own Doores . As a great measure thereof must , it is without all Dispute , rest at the door of every one , who hath knovvingly and vvillfully contributed to the Fall & Banishment of his Lawfull Prince , whereby he is put under a Necessity , out of Justice to his son , to recover his own by the Sword , which by Force & Violence , as well as the abhorr'd Treachery of his own Subjects , were taken from him . And I do beseech You to be assur'd , that in now recommending to You ( whom God hath plac'd under my Authority ) so Seasonable , & necessary a Task as this sort of SELFE-EXAMINATION , I do manifest that I am ( as I have done often in other matters ) your faithfull Friend , as well as , Roüen Aug : 15. 1689. Your affectionate Brother DENIS GRANVILLE . FINIS . To the Clergy of the Archdeaconry of Durham . REVEREND BRETHREN , Among the many applications , which , upon my withdrawing , and leaving the Nation , I have been oblig'd , out of common decency as well as good conscience , ( considering the publickness of my circumstances , ) to make to my Relations , Naturall & Spirituall , I might , without censure , or blame , omit all Laborious penning down of my thoughts for You , the Clergy of my Archdeaconry , having for more than twenty years together , with the greatest industry & best zeal I was able , from year to year , by word & letter , & sometimes in Print , not only incited you at my Visitations , faithfully & diligently to execute your offices ; but plainly & fully deliver'd my soule , at my last , & more memorable , Visitation , on the 15 : of the never to be forgotten month of Nov : 1688 ( ten dayes after our late [ Dutch-Protestant ] Gunpowder-Treason ) Brotherly advising , nay earnestly pressing , you , to stand the Test in that great day of tryall , that you might not have lost either the honour or reward of Confessors for a Righteous Cause ; in Asserting whereof , I am willing ( and resolve by Gods grace ) to sacrifice my life , as I have done my Revenue ; if the wise God should thinke fitt to call me to the one , as he hath done to the other . To demonstrate undeniably to your selves , & all that hear'd me that day , that I was not , among all my weaknesses , afraid or ashamed to owne my past life & Doctrine , & to compleat the Office of a Visitor , as honestly & heartily as I began , I chose , you may remember , to lay before you the cheife heads of all the Good Counsell & Advice , which I had given you at the former Conventions of the Clergy of my Jurisdiction , for four years together ; even the four last extraordinary years , that is to say , ever since his gratious Majestie , our Liege Lord & Soverigne King Iames the 2 : , mounted his Throne ; tho I had too much reason , then to apprehend , by your long neglect thereof , & running counter to the principles & practice of your Archdeacon , it would badly suite with your palates , which at that time , to my greife , appear'd , & since , without all dispute ▪ are found , not only vitiated , but poison'd , by the Leaven & Magick of the Age. It was ever my hopes , that his Majestie 's Loyall County of Durham ( the appellation which my gracious Master King Charles the 2 : was wont , as I have often minded You , to afford Us ) would have resisted longer than any Diocess in England , by vertue of the Good Government which was very seasonably , & more effectually than else where , therein set on foot at his joyfull Restauration . How little prevalent , & unsuccessfull soever my poor & weak endeavours prov'd towards your establishment , I could not imagine , that the Clergy of the Bishoprick of Durham , could have so soon forgotten ( much less have frustrated ) the precepts , & Example , given them , by so great a * Confessor , and stout Champion of the old orthodox Church of England , as had happily reviv'd good order , & conformity to the Churche's Rules among them . But since we find , by sad experience , that it is so , & that even the very Leaders have apostatiz'd , from their Duty to God and the King , It becomes me ( who dare not follow their Example ) to do all that I can , to prevent the People of my Archdeaconry , from being seduced thereby . You know , I have labour'd faithfully , & with zeale more than ordinary , to assert the King's cause from the yeare 1678 ( through all the Combustions occasion'd by an Infamous Impostor , ) home to the Dutch Invasion , & at that very time , even on the 15 of Nov. 1688 , brought all the wholesome advice which I had given at severall Visitations , to your view in one Address , ( as before mention'd , ) which I have printed for your farther edification , & my own justification . And in the next place , I knew of nothing better that I could do , than to preach to you by my example , in leaving my Station , & my Revenue , ( when I could not be permitted longer to discharge a good conscience , ) rather than involve my selfe , in the guilt of an usurpation . Which act of mine , how grealy soever it may have been censur'd , I esteem as the best sermon I ever preach'd in my life , the reflection on which affords much comfort to my soule ; since thereby I clear'd my selfe from the guilt of renouncing my Allegiance , as the generality have done , which will prove an eternall blot to the Nation , not excepting the Clergy of the Church of England . T is too late , now to give you Cautions against Perjury , or to sett before your eyes , how much more heinous it is in a Priest , than in a Lay man , because the greatest part of you allready have swallow'd a new oath to an Usurper . And to informe you in the obligation that lyes on you , to repent of , rather than keep the oath you have taken , is to conclude you ( what I ought not to do ) not only bad Christians , but very weak Divines . There is no man that understands any thing of Religion , but knows that a rash oath only obliges to Repentance ; whereof that there might be some MEET AND WORTHY FRUITS brought forth among the Clergy of my Jurisdiction , would prove to me great matter of Consolation ; & if it were done very speedily , it would be a great extenuation of their crime , & afford good ground to hope , they were overborne with the Boisterousness of a Violent Sorme , rather than did willfully plunge themselves , in so horrid a guilt . Let not the fear of loosing your possessions , ( which I thank God has not prevail'd on me ) tempt you to lye , one moment , under so insupportable a load . The enjoyments of your Livings will be sadly purchas'd , by the increase of so enormous an Impiety . And there will be a lamentable Precedent left to your flocks , if You , the Pastours , have not sufficient sincerity to make a speedy Confession of your sin , & courage enough publickly to owne the same by giving glory to God & taking shame unto yourselves . There can be no more effectuall way to redeem your own honour than by restoring Gods. Nothing contributed so much to the glory of St. Augustin as his Confessions , & Retractations , & consequently nothing can be more to your's , than to betake your selves to this Essential part of Repentance , I mean the Confession of your Crime , whereby you have scandaliz'd your flocks . You that have taken an unlawfull oath to save your Benefices , have thereby put your selves under a greater necessity of parting with them , or retaining your guilt . For nothing lefs , than so , seems to be a sufficient evidence of● your sincerity . God hath so ordered it , by his divine providence , that a sinner alwayes misses of his aim . Those that betake themselves to unlawfull courses , to save their lives or estates , must necessarily forsake them , & enter on such as are diametrically contrary to the former , or loose their soules , which are infinitely more valuable than both . Repentance ought to be esteem'd by every ordinary Christian a Returning from sin , yea such a Returning as requires the treading out the very stepps , which the sinner made in order to the commission of it . And surely , then , what soever is binding in the Disciple , must be much more obligatory in the spirituall Guide . But I shall not dive too far into particulars , & chalk out the exact method , & manner hovv you shall make reparation , for the wrong which You have done , by submitting to an Usurper , both to the King & Church of England . I have reason to beleive , that all of you know your duty well enough , & many I am sure , better than I can instruct you ; since the Prerogative of the King , Passive-obedtence & Non-resistance were preach'd up with more zeal , by you in the Bishoprick of Durham , than they were by others in any Diocess in England . Where Conformity to the orders of the Church , & Execution of other Laws of the Land , were so well practis'd ( tho not as they ought to have been ) that the BISHOPRICK which anciently was stil'd the Land of Preists , was generaly reputed the Seat of thorough-Conformists . You on the place of acting , must see , more clearly than I can , at this distance , ( tho your eyes have been in a great measure blinded by the smoak of a Rebellion ) the fittest manner & opportunities of making satisfaction for your egregious Apostacy . I shall therefore , rather than prescribe the means , mind you of your indispensable obligation to do the thing , & so redeem your honour , & redress the scandall you have given , to the increase of your own sin , & the unspeakable greife of my soule ; who did faithfully labour to make every one committed to my charge , such as God hath given me grace to approve my selfe ; even an unalterable Loyall Subject to King Iames the second , as well as so legitimate a son of the Church of England , as can never be perswaded , that it can be for her Intrest to contradict her Doctrine ; Which , as I have hitherto profest , & held fast amidst all the blasts of Temptation , ( from what ever point of the Compass they have blowne ) I am resolv'd by the Divine assistance to practise unto the end ; in spight of the most prevalent examples , or malicious censures , used now as arguments , or engins , to overthrow mee . That such a Generall neglect of Church-Order among the Clergy , through the Nation , ( as I long , and loudly complain'd of , and warn'd you against , ) should be attended on by so fatall an Yssue , as an Vniversall Defection , should not be a thing perfectly new to You , to whom I address my selfe , since you , yourselves , can be my wittnesses , that I have often faithfully foretold , that an Universall Semi-conformity would end in as Universall Semi-Allegiance : & would God we had not found , by lamentable experience , that it had done much more , by producing that degenerate offspring , who have not only imbrew'd their hands , in so horrid a crime , as the dethroning their lavvfull Soveraigne , but like Vipers have , in a manner , eaten out their very Mother's Bovvells . I do not doubt but that Almighty God hath , by this time , brought to your memory some of those seasonable cautions & memento's , which I have plainly lay'd before You , in the publick discharge of my Archidiaconall office , with some greater force & effect on your spirits , than they had at their first delivery . I cannot have such prejudiciall thoughts of you , as to imagine otherwise , since Divine Providence led me , often , to such suitable Topicks , as might have prevented , by God's blessing , ( had they been generally insisted on by all those who had Ecclesiasticall Jurisdiction , and not been rejected by the people , ) much of our present misery ; the ill effects of which are like to be felt by the succeeding generation ; tho we should be bless'd , to morrow , with such undeserv'd felicity , as all good Christians long for , I mean the speedy Restauration of our Soveraigne , Religion , Liberties and Lavvs . If any of my Brethren prove not only unkind , but so unjust as to deny , what I affirme , in reference to the seasonable advice which I did , from time to time , recommend to them , the papers which I have by me , containing the heads of my Visitation-Discourses , which had better luck than some of my money & plate , in escaping the hands of the Rabble , who treated me roughly enough , in my first-flight from Durham , can testify for me , & demonstrate to the most malicious of my Contemners or Opposers , that I was , during my station among you no , unfaithsull & negligent , tho vveak & unsuccessfull , Visitor . There are many things I have said , that I am sure you cannot easily forget , which , tho they had not their first design'd effect on you , may consequently deserve some of your consideration . It would be very gratefull to me , to be inform'd that I am not mistaken in this particular , but that my past perswasions to do your duty , may opperate , as good counsell hath often done , in length of time & at a great distance . Some desireable fruit , in the conclusion , ( which I don't dispair of ) from those numerous young plants , that I had , for 26 years together , with great care & pains , vigilantly water'd , will , amidst all the mortification I undergoe , revive my soule , & compensate , in some measure , for that lamentable crop which I have hitherto reap'd , from the seed I have sown , having met withall , at leaving my station , little other return of my labours , than Almighty God did , Esaie the 5 : . where , after the Heavenly Husbandman had dig'd & dress'd his vinyard , & graciously expected , it should have brought forth grapes , it brought forth , ( as our's & other Diocesses have done , ) vvilde grapes , which must be acknowledg'd , after such heavenly Cultivation , a wretched Retribution . Heartily praying that the Allmighty would strengthen those few who stand , and raise up all who are fallen , I commend my whole jurisdiction to Gods Blessing , & rest Roüen Aug : 25. 1689. Your ever faithfull ( tho unworthy ) Visitour , DENIS GRANVILLE . FINIS . POSTCRIPT . HAving in the preceding letter omitted to reply to one censure , whereto I am least willing to answer ( being more desirous to Justify my selfe than accuse my Brethrrn ) I cannot forbeare to take notice thereof in a Postscript . I meane , that of Singularity ; to●it , that my being the only dignified Clergy-man of the Church of England , that doth , at present , attend his Master in his Exile , ought to make mee Suspect my Zeale . This is the Judgement of my Enimies , that is to say , of the COMPLIERS with the Usurpation in England . But if any of them , or others , twitt mee with Singularity at this time , I shall be the less surprized therewith ; since the Non-Compliance of the Clergy , under my Authority , in that strict Order and Conformity , which I ever thought my selfe obliged to practise ( and did observe , I thank God , in such a degree as to evince the practicableness of those duties , which some men's ●loth represented impossible ) hath render'd mee so , for neare 30 yeares together . And that I have been so , I meane not discouraged to keep up , as close as I could , to the Church's Rules ( tho I have wanted the Example , & Company of any right and thorough-paced Conformist since the decease of my ever honour'd Brother , Archdeacon Basire ) is at this Juncture no discomfort to mee . For if God had not endowed mee with Grace , and Resolution to have perform'd my Duty , in a Time of PEACE & QUIET , I should never have been enabled to do it in a Time of Trouble ; and to Withstand that Raging Torrent which hath over-flowne our Church and state . A Letter to Mr. Iames Hope Curate of the Parish of Easington , & Mr. Wm. Kingford Curate of the Parish of Sedgefield , in the Bishoprick of Durham , substituted by Dr. Granville to serve the aforesaid Cures . BRETHREN , Amidst all the mortifications & exercises of Patience , which have been occasion'd to me , by the late Revolution of affairs in Church & State , & more particularly by the Defection of the Clergy of my own Jurisdiction , nothing has created so much disquiet , & so lasting a disturbance to my mind , as that there should happen any scandalous failure in either of you , my more peculiar Deputies , & fellow Labourers in the Gospell of Christ . Tho the members of that Community whereof I am Head , together with the Clergy of my Archdeaconry , began to take different measures from mee , which gave mee too just grounds to fear that they would , ( as they afterwards did , ) Bovv dovvn to Baal , in shaking off their Allegiance to their Leige Lord and Soveraigne , & submit to an Usurper , yet I did comfort my selfe with strong hopes , that you , my immediate Supporters , would stick by me , & endeavour to the uttermost of your powers to uphold me ( against the violence of that storme which threatned ▪ ) notwithstanding our different sentiments , & apprehensions touching some matters in relation to the transactions of the year past . But , after all those my Expectations , that one of my Crutches ( give me leave so to terme you since I did so esteem you ) should break , in a time of Danger & Difficulty , is to me great ground of greife & trouble . That about the begining of the year 1688 , I & you should sometimes differ in our opinion of things , ( when there began to bean unhappy Division among the Clergy , not exceptting the very Fathers of the Church of England , ) afforded no great matter of wonder or admiration , But in the month of December following , when all eyes were ( or ought to be ) open'd , by a real unnaturall Invasion , & saw all the haste imaginable made violently to usurp the Crown , by the Dethroning of a Lawfull & gracious Prince , strikes me with great astonishment ; especially considering my earnest & unwearied endeavours , by the utmost condescention & reasonings , to informe you of the ill designes carried on ( which I had the good luck you must now acknowledge to foresee better than your selves ) against the Church as well as King of England ; that one of you , I say , ( God be prais'd it is not both ) with whom I had taken so much pains to keep steddy , should after so plain a Discovery of the bottome of ill men's intrieges , to involve the Nation in that deplorable misery under which it doth at present groane , should , I say , not only totter , but at last fall into so abhorr'd a Crime as Perjury , doth pierce my very soule to think on 't ; since by such ill example there is an irreparable injury done to my Flock , & to the young Clergy of my Jurisdiction , like to be influenc'd by the Example of the Archdeacon's Curate , who till this late Epidemick Apostacy had been very exemplary in keeping up good order & Discipline , according to the good old right principles of those venerable * Prelates , under whom , by God's Providence , I had my education . I cannot reflect on so unpardonable a Breach of Trust , tho never so much varnish'd over , with the false paint now vented in the Kingdome , without sore indignation ; nor cease to charge the guilt of so great a sin upon you , my Representative in my Parish of Sedgefield , ( to whom I now singly speak ) who have committed the same with many high Aggravations , as the following particulars will make appeare . First you being a Person , that was happyly train'd up not only in a [ hitherto ever ] * loyall County , & more particularly in a * Parish , where there had been much seed sown , which ought to have brought forth other grain , but under a * Family whose Loyalty till the fatall month of Nov. 1688 was never blemish'd with the least staine . In the next place after a loyall Education in the University , & the happyness to escape , by God's blessing , those dangerous rocks , on which youth there most commonly split , ( to witt : Corruption in principles or moralls , ) were seasonably transplanted into the Curacy of a very considerable Parish in Worstershier , where the Rector kept up exactly the Order of the Church of England ; the strickt practice whereof ( however things have fallen out ) was the most likely means to have kept Clergy-men steddy , in such a day of tryall & temptation as our present miserable generation have liv'd to see . Thirdly were , with much affection & honest intention , singl'd out , & pitcht on , by me ( I having a great opinion of your Loyalty ) to be my Co-adjutour , in * one of the most considerable Country Parishes of England , the burthen of which trust , as well as my great concern for the spirituall wellfare of that my flock , you ought to have learn'd , from the extraordinary zealous applications , which I us'd at first coming to set you , & all along after to keep you , right , in my honest Particular notions of obedience to the orders of the Church , & of subjection to all sorts of lawfull Authority . Which notions I am not ashamed to stile now particular , since the issuë of things proclaimes them to be right , as well as the opposers of them notoriously in the wrong , & must be so acknowledg'd by all persons , who are not unhappyly besmear'd with the present [ religious ] Rebellion of England , or blinded by the mist , or fumes of an unsupportable Usurpation . Lastly had more reason than others to have resisted those temptations , which overthrew the generality of the Clergy of the Diocess , since you had in one person your Rector's Dean's , & Archdeacon's continuall example , in your eye , to the very last minute ▪ to uphold you . Nay , moreover , had a pathetick letter written joyntly to your selfe ▪ & your ) Brother ( directed to the Curates of Easington & Sedgefield from the Deanery , the very night of my Departure ▪ which carrying with it my last & best advice & sentiments , immediately before ▪ I lanch'd forth into a kind of sea of trouble , likely to attend that persecuted righteous Cause , whereto I was resolv'd to adhere , ought to have had as much force at Sedgefield , as it had at Easington , in inspiring one , as it did the other to withstand the Shock , which hath furiously overturn'd so many of the elder & stronger Clergy , both in the Cathedrall & Diocess , & scar'd them out of their Allegiance unto their Lawfull Prince , into submission to a Forrain Usurper . The last words of a Dying man are usually very powerfull with all his Relations . And surely the last exhortations of a Departing Visitor , in such a manner , & for such a cause , should have had the like effect ▪ If my late example , as well as zeal , express'd in my address to the Clergy in my conclusive Visitation [ in the Church of St. Mary-le-Bow Nov. the 15 1688 ] ▪ proved unsuccessfull , & ineffectuall to perswade the Rectors of the Parishes of my Jurisdiction , to espouse the Cause of an oppress'd Prince & imitate an honest Leader , & faithfull Servant to the Crown , who was resolv'd to sacrifice all rather than desert his Soveraigne in misery , Yet it ought not to be so contemptible with either of you , my own Cutates , as to be rejected ; but should have stopp'd you in your Carreer , had you been bent to run , with never so much eagerness , into slavery under a Belgick yoke ; nay ought to have been esteem'd so forcible to such immediate Dependants , as you , to whom I now speak , that it should have been hardly possible for either of you to resist it . And that either of you should , & date thus to rebuke me by your practice , & abandon all hopes & expectations of kindness from me , by betraying me ( it deserves no milder expression ) I look on as a high act of contempt , & receive with all those resentmens of Displeasure that are allowable in a Christian . I did not expect that both , or either of you , should have immitated me , so far then as to have deserted your Stations ( tho I am perswaded that my doing so was the best & wisest action of my whole life ) but if both of you , ( rather than renounce your sworn fidelity to King Iames , & swear Allegiance to an ambitious Prince , his son in law & Nephew , who had by fraud & force depos'd his Uncle , nay Father ) had been forced so to do , & desert the Nation , ( as I did , ) as well a my Floks committed to your Care , it would have been a thing very edifying , & gratefull unto me , & oblig'd mee to have taken care of you , & allow'd you , a share of whatsoever ▪ I had to support me ; not suffering you to want bread as long as I had it , which yee had no reason to suspect that God's Providence , & a gracious Master's kindness would deny me in the deepest adversity abroad . I am sure that yee two , who have not only been long resident in my house & family , but often admitted into my closet , & sometimes into my very bosome , ought to have conceiv'd such an opinion ; & should have taken it for granted , by great experience of me , without any farther Declaration . Tho you had not such particular & positive assurances thereof , as I seasonably gave a certaine Divine ( I much valued ) to deliver him out of those temptations , whereinto hee ( being unhappily Metamorphosed in another Region ▪ ) did however willfully run himselfe , to the Injury of his Conscience , and dishonour of himselfe & freinds . You therefore ( my lapsed Assistant ) whom I had drawn away from my native soile ( hoping , that , as you have breathed the same air , you would always profess the same principles ) to be my comfort & support , in a remote part of the Nation , for the remainder of my life , do strangely disappoint my hopes , & are so much the more blame-worthy , since God Almighty did assist me ( poor weak & unworthy Labourer in his Vinyard ) with such a happy fore-sight of matters , relating to the late unfortunate change in government , that I was instrume●tall in the bringing to the view of all those , who related to me , such a Prospect of the things ( that did at that time portend ill , as well as future 〈…〉 might render a person stupid , who should dispise , or 〈…〉 . Your 〈…〉 who has done his part faithfully to discharge his Trust in a criticall juncture , ( & thereby has help'd to save the honour of the young Clergy under my Conduct , ) will be willing ▪ I know , to hear testimony ▪ that I did , to my utmost , diligently discharge the part of a faithfull vvatchman ▪ penning down my thoughts almost dayly , ( using him sometimes for an Amanuensis , ) to fortify all Persons under my care , against the dangerous inveiglements of ill men , & the plausible , rather than reall , arguments of deluded goodmen ; who have , by their Reputation ▪ contributed more to the present sad state of things , ( I must take the liberty to tell them ) than the more malicious sinners , that did originally designe to trample on the Crown & Mytre . And that I was no bad Prognosticatour , in the month of August 1688 , you your-selfe , & every body else , may without all contradiction be convinced , by a coppy of a Paper which I penn'd at Durham , the 27 of the aforesaid month , according to my usuall manner of dictating to one of my Clerks , in my chamber , at my uprising . Which Paper only contains some floating thoughts of my brain , but relating to mattets of so great importance , as did , according to its title , portend very fatally to the Government & Church of England . And it being the only sheet of some hundreds , ( penn'd in such manner & much to the same purpose , ) that I did by great accident bring away with me , I shall here , to this my letter , annex a printed Coppy thereof ; which will , at least , demonstrate , to all who shall seriously consider it , that I gave a better guess , how things would go , than any of my Censurers or Opposers , who thought them selves greater Politicians , but have so much faild in their Politicks , that they ( as well as others ) are by this time , I suppose , convinced how their zeale , which run so Counter to mine , was very preposterous : viz , That the irregular & unaccountable method they took , to be deliver'd from Popery and Arbitrary Power , hath brought the whole Kingdome , absolutely under the one , and in greater danger , than ever it was , of the other . And that I may do all that in me lyes to clear my selfe , both in the sight of God & man , from being the least ways accessary to the horrid guilt , many , who have depended on me in my parishes , or else where , have contracted , by forsaking our Churche's Doctrine , & the good Rules which I have set them , I shall embrace this occasion to add another paper to the former , containing the Order & Directions which I required strictly to be observ'd in my parishes , respectively , which , will be sufficient to evince , that I did honestly , tho imperfectly , endeavour to have prevented the Apostacy of any committed to my charge ; Always looking on a strict observation of the Discipline & Rubricks of the Church , as the best means , by Gods blessing , to have strengthen'd them against those temptations that have , at last , overcome them , for which I now begin to value my selfe . And a serious consideration of this Method enjoyn'd in my Parishes , added to the manner of my parting with my Brethren of the Cathedrall , & Clergy of my Archdeaconry , set forth in those Fare-vvell-Discourses I made to them , in the months of Nov● & December 1688 , will sufficiently proclaime , to all unbiass'd persons , that I was , at least , an Honest man , so far , in all my capacities , as to have no fingar at all in the Invitation of a Forreigne povver , & the unnaturall Invasion which attended thereon , which I am desirous should remaine to Posterity upon Record . If the publication of such papers , as were never design'd for the press , seem to savour any thing of vanity , & cause to beleive , that I glory in having been more regular ▪ & constant , in my duty , than the generality of my Brethren , let them give a Looser leave to speake , and desire them to remember , & consider , that the Apostle St. Paul himselfe was compell'd to boast , in a less day of temptation than the fifth of November 1688 , which did , in a manner , blow up the foundations of three Kingdoms . I confess that I do glory with the B. Apostle , but it is , as he did , in my vveakness , & the grace that Almighty God has manifested therein , carrying me through the manifold temptations which have prevailed over my Stronger Brethren . I do bless & praise God's holy name , & will do it , by his assistance , for ever & ever , that he did endow me with resolution to stick close to all the Churches Rules & Orders , ( whereto I gave my assent & consent at my first entrance into the ministerial function in the year 1661 ) without governing my selfe by example , of any Clergy , high or low , in the citty or in the country : Living by the example of those who contradicted their excellent Rule , being a sort of Complaisance which , I bless God's holy name ▪ I have never been guilty of , tho it has been , God know ▪ s , too frequent among my Brethren , and prov'd fatall to the poor church of England . To take no comfort & satisfaction in my owne innocency , ( which God has in a manner miraculously preserv'd , when he has suffer'd such a multitude of abler Divines to faile , who were furnish'd with greater qualifications to have borne vvittness to his truth , ) I should look on as an act of meaness of spirit , savouring more of spirituall ingratitude than true humility , who desire rather to be really thankfull & humble than appear either . Let my censurers be contented with my revenue , which I have left to their mercy , ( choosing to do so rather than betray my conscience , ) without depriving me of that precious ointment , & more valuable treasure , a good name , which I shall , in spight of all my enemys , endeavour , by the aid of Gods holy spirit , to secure my title to , in approving my selfe , to the very end , as I have hitherto as much as in me lay , a Genuine son of the Church , & Loyall subject to the Crown of England . If the present Generation , who favour none with their good opinion but those who concurr to the support of the present Fabrick in England , will not allow me the aforesaid satisfaction , but load me with obloquy or contempt , ( & one of these Fates I expect from the North where so few have followed my example , ) there remains , yet , one thing , that I am sure they are not able to deprive me of ; I mean the internall Peace and Quiet of my conscience , which I have enjoy'd since I was driven from my Station ( to Heavens eternall praise I speak it ) in a more plentifull measure than ever I did heretofore , when I was in the actuall possession of some of the best preferments , of their kind , in England . This supports me under my present pressures , and will be continued unto me , I trust in God , while I continue , as I pray I may , faithfull to my mother the Church , & unalterably obedient to the father of my Country . Of these things I require you , to assure the flocks I have committed to your charge ( whom I do not faile to commend unto God in my constant prayers , & ) to whom , besides my devotions , I have nothing to bequeathe but vvholsome counsell & a good example . And since I have no way left to convey unto them the first , but by writing ( & that with great difficulty too ) not to deprive them of the latter is become a duty of higher obligation . Example is often more prevalent than precept . Whether the wise God will render mine so unto my people , He alone knows , & it depends on his good pleasure . Sure I am , that when I departed from my Cures , with a sorrowfull heart , I did conceive it the best way left me to preach unto them , by putting into actual practice that peculiar sort of Religion & Loyalty ( to use the very phrase of some of my censurers ) which I had ever taught to others , & wherein I did incessantly labour to establish you , ( as before rehears'd , ) against the then fashionable [ upstart ] Divinity , & Allegiance of the Age ; & Whereto I should not give this , nor the former epithet in the beginning of this letter , ( my religion & loyalty , let men call them what they please , being no other , I bless God , than the naturall Result of the pure uncorrupted Doctrine of the right Genuine Church of England ) had they not been , you know , to my reproach often so stiled , by that Generation of Semi-conformists & Loyalists , who could then but halfe comply with the reasonnable demands of a Lawfull Prince , but can now wholy conforme to the will of an Usurper . I recommend you both , with all my sheep , to Almighty God's mercy & direction , praying with all fervency to our Heavenly Father in the Churche's Littany [ part of my dayly devotions as I suppose it likewise is of the small number of Othodox Clergy men in the nation ] That it may please God to strengthen such as do stand , to comfort & helpe the vveak-hearted , to raise up them that fall , & finally to beat dovvn Satan under our feet . Applying it more especially to the case of you my Substitutes , who are unhappyly divided , to my unspeakable trouble , in your principles & practices , which renders this my present way of application , very difficult to me , since it is not easy in one joyntaddress , at the same time , to praise & dispraise ( according to the designe of this paper ) you to whom I write . You then ( to conclude ) who have continued faithfull in your Trusts , & discharg'd your Conscience , I do ( as the best reward you can for a●hile expect ) Praise & pray for ; earnestly beseeching God to strengthen you dayly , & to carry you through the remaining difficulties , you shall meet witthall . And must Blame ( tho I pitty ) you that are fallen , conjuring you to reflect on what you have done , and desiring you to be assur'd , that I can never have any complacency in your services , till you bring forth undeniable fruits of Repentance . Hoping that my censures of one , as well as praises of the other , will have that kindly operation on your soules which I designe , I do , with much christian charity & compassion , subscribe my selfe ▪ Roüen Oct : the ● . 1691. Your very lov : Brother in CHRIST JESUS , DENIS GRANVILLE . FINIS . COPY of a Paper mention'd in the foregoing pag. 38. and penn'd at Durham , by the Authour , Aug. 27 ▪ 1688 , by vvay of reflection on the , then , Dismal Prognostiks of the Times . Things vvhich portend very fatally to the Government and Church of England . 1. AN Vniversall Aptitude in men to receive , multiply , and magnify Fears and Iealousies of the King. 2. The generality of the subjects of England ( contrary to the Rule of Charity ) putting the vvorst Construction on the Designs and Actings of their SOVERAIGNE . 3. Mens discovering by their preposterous courses ( tho hey dare not speak it vvith their mouthes ) that they think their Allegiance to the King ( because of a different Religion ) not the same that it vvould be to a Protestant Prince 4. An industrious endeavour , for a long time , throughout the land , to alienate the subjects Affection from their Soveraigne . 5. The Spirit of Popularity , at present , so universally reigning , as to overthrovv many Honest & Good men , vvho seem afraid , any longer to do their Duty to the King , and act according to their Principles , for fear of the Mobile . 6. An extraordinary forvvardness , both in Clergy as vvell as Gentry , to dispute , and rudely to contend vvith their Prince ; nay insoleutly to insult over him upon the least success , made too apparent by the Issue of the late Triall of the Bishops , in VVestmunster Hall. 7. The itch of disputation infinitely prevailing , in this age , above the spirit of Divine Charity & true Devotion , men relying too much on their Arguments & too little on their Prayers . 8. Men being novv agitated more than ever by an intemperate zeale against Popery , as heretofore against Fanaticisme , shevving much more Aversion to their Adversary's , than love to their ovvn Religion . 9. Most men , even Divines , manefesting an excessive fear that Popery vvill come in , and yet all the vvhile neglect to betake themselves to the most assured means to keep it out ; to vvit , Amendment of life , and exact conformity to the CHURCHES RULES , and training up the young Generation by the due exercise of Catechisme . 10. Too many flying to unjustifiable means to preserve their Keligion , and proclaiming by their actions , that they are resolved to Rebell rather than let it go . 11. Peaple ▪ using their strength and number to bring their Soveraigne to Terms , and endeavouring by all means possible ta Hough band him , ( if I may be permitted to speak in the Northern phrase , ) I meane not to leave it in his Rovver to hurt them , either in their Religion , Lawes , Lives , or Estates , vvhich is , in plain English , to Unking him . Durham Aug. 27. 1688. COPY of another Paper , mention'd p. 39. that the Authour publishes to shew how the Singularity , for which he was , censured by some , as before related , and despised by Others , ( for hee knows himselfe guilty of no other ) was for practising this very following Method , himselfe , when present , and imposing it on his Curates , when he was absent , to be by them also used in his Parishes : Or for other such-like unfashionable observation of the Churche's Rules , & performance of his Duty . Which upon strict Enquiry into the Authour's Discharge of his Offices , ( since his first settlement in the North of England , ) will be found to be true ; and may serve to evince , that as hee hath had the hard Fate to be Deposed , for following his Soveraign into France , & sticking to the Crovvne ; so hath hee had as hard a Fate , heretofore , for cleaving to his Mother , [ & regarding , more than Others , the Precepts of the Church ] even to be oftentimes unjustly Opposed , and sometimes reproached , by his Brethren [ Citty & Country-Clergy ] merely for his Over doing , as they have usually term'd it . That is , in plaine English , because his Conscience would not give him leave to omit those Duties , which they , and the generality of the Clergy in the nation , ( I will , & may , now take more liberty than ever to speak out ) have , to their everlasting shame , scandalously neglected . And by the neglect whereof ( in a word ) have betrayed their Mother the Church of England , the Head of Reformed Christendom ; A very Odd kind of way to accomplish , what people pretend , the Support of the Protestant Religion . DIRECTIONS VVhich Dr. Granville Archdeacon of Durham , Rector of Sedgefeild & Easington , enjoins to be observ'd by the Curates of those his Parishes , given them in charge , at Easter visitation held at Sedgefield , in the yeare 1669. THAT the Mattens & Even-Song shall be ( according to the Rubrick ) said dayly , in the Chancells of each of his Parish-Churches , throughout the yeare , vvithout the least Variation . That the houres for dayly Prayer , on VVorking-dayes , shall be six in the morning , & six in the evening , as the most convenient for labourers , & men of business . Except as folloveth . On all Vigills & Holy-day-Eves , as also on all Saturday-afternoons ( which anciently were half-holy-dayes ) three of the clock shall be the houre for Evening-Prayers On all wensday & friday-mornings , both throughout Advent & all Lent , and on the three Ember-Dayes in each Ember-week ▪ the hour shall be nine . On the Rogation-Dayes , one houre , at least , earlier by reason of the Perambulation . That allvvayes , as nine of the clock & three of the clock-prayers aforesaid , ( vvhen there shall be some additionary exercise of Devotion requiring a greater number than ordinary ) tvvo bells shall chime , to intimate the same to the People . That at fix of the clock-prayers , one bell only shall toll beginning a quarter of an hour before . That there shall be allvvayes * Catechisings , after the second lesson , on sunday and Holy-day-Afternoons , vvith some explanation of the Church-Catechisme [ after the third collect lighten our Darkness ] unless there be some exposition of the Scripture or Rubricks , some profitable exhortation , or discourse de tempere , dravvn from the service of the church , or else that the 39 Articles of Religion , or Canons , are to be read according to Order . That one quarter of an hour is sufficient for such Exposition , Exhortation , or Discourse , & that it never shall exceed an halfe hour . That on all aforesaid dayes , vvhen there are prayers at nine in the morning & tvvo bells chime , there ought to be some additionary exposition , or discourse to the people , ( & if de tempore the better ) vvhich ought not to exceed the time appointed , for the explanation of the Catechisme . That there shall be sermons on all Festivalls or Holy dayes . [ Except there be an * Homily vvhich shall not be oftenner than to countenance the book , or assert the King ▪ s supremacy , according to the Canon , vvhich may very commodiously be done , in some of the Homilies Concerning Obedience , or against Disobedience , being the very vvords of the Church ] vvhich sermons shall never exceed an halfe hour . That the sermons , even on Sundayes , shall be shorten'd to an halfe hour , vvhen there happen's any concurrent offices vvhich require it ; but never the least omission of one tittle of the service , or variation from the Rubricks . That the Curate , vvhen he bids Christmass , Easter ▪ or Pentecost ▪ vvith their Festivalls ; as also vvhen he gives notice of Ember-vveek , Passion-vveek , or Perambulation on Rogation-dayes , or other times extraordinary , he shall come dovvn to the desk [ after the Niceene Creed ] & do it in a more solemne manner , than vvhen he bids the ordinary Holy-dayes at the table , making a short speech de tempore to quicken the People's Devotion . That on Advent-sunday , & Quinquagesima-sunday , he shall do the like to prepare the People for the Devotion of the follovving holy seasons . That besides the severall Sacraments at Christmass , Easter-day , Holy-Thursday & Pentecost , there shal be , at least , * 5 ▪ other Sacraments , vvhich Sacraments shall be administer'd on the severall dàyes here nominated viz : on Nevv year's-day , on the first sunday in Lent , on the first Sundays in July , October , & November . That Easter shall be the time alvvayes for admission of Youth , first at the Communion , vvho are never to be admitted till they have repair'd , upon summons , to the minister to receive private instruction , on vvenssday & Fryday-mornings , after service during Lent. That the young people be confirm'd after due instruction , before they receive , if possible , but vvhen that cannot be contriv'd by reason of the Bishop's absence , or othervvise , that they , & their friends , be enjoyn'd faithfully to send them to the first confirmation , vvhereof they shall have notice . That none shall be admitted to the Sacrament till 16 years of age , unless the minister shall see extraordinary cause for the same . That the 39 articles & Cannons be read according to Injunction . That the Canon about Excommunication be read , & excommunicates denounced according to the said Canon . That his Majestie 's Directions to preachers be read in the Congregation , at least once in the yeare , vvhich I , by my ovvn authori●y , take upon mee to injoyne , as Ordinary of the PLACE . That vvhen Citations , Excommunications , or Absolutions are read , the Curate shall consider vvhether he may , by any occasionnall reflection out of the Desk , or from the pulpit , improve the same to the People to the deterring of them from the like offe●ces ▪ for vvhich the persons mention'd in the said Acts of Court are proceeded against . That the Curate do summon the Church-vvardens , tvvice at least bevveen visitation & visitation , to read & consider the visitation-articles , & to quicken & assist them in the due discharges of their offices . That he doth , in particular , frequently mind the Church-vvardens to go out of the Church at convenient times , for the prevention of disorders in tovvn and ale-houses , during SERVICE . That the Curate takes a particular notice of the Absence of Church-vvardens from the Church on sundays & festivalls , and signify the same to the Rector their Archdeacon . That vvhen the Church-vvardens are negligent , & suffer irregular behaviour during Divine service ▪ that he admonish them of such their neglects , & cause them to go out of their seats , sometimes , in the very time of service , to mind people publickly of their disorder , & so shame them into a compliance , if milder & private admonitions prove ineffectuall . That the Curate makes enquiry , oftentimes , of the Church-vvardens , vvhat persons are sick , or detain'd from the Church by any infirmity ( people being negligent to informe the Minister voluntarily ) & to repair to them accordingly ( tho they should not give notice ) to assist them in reference to their spirituall estate . That the Curate shall on sundayes & Holy-dayes ( at least ) observe a course of personnal application ( according to his promise at ordination ) to the vvhole as vvell as sick , visiting after evening-prayer , one family ( if not more ) on that account , observing , as far as hee shall be able , the venerable Mr ▪ George Herbert's method & rule to that purpose prescribed in his Country-Parson , or Character of an holy Preist . VVhich book , as I recommend to all the Clergy in my Jurisdictions , so do I more especialy to my Curates , for their rule & direction , in order to the exemplary discharge of their Function , having allvvayes made it mine . That the Curate shall consider frequently , at least ▪ once a quarter , vvhat Rubricks or Canons be most neglected , & contemn'd by the parishoners ; and that he doth ▪ ( besides the ordinary explanation of the service once a year , in obedience to his Majestie 's Directions to Prearchers , read at convenient times the said Rubricks to the people , that is to say betvveen the frist service & Litany , or betvven Litany & second Service , or before , or after sermon , ( omitting if occasion require the psalm then usually sung ) & that he shall Zealously ( but mildly ) stirr up the people to the better observation of the same ; & that vvhen he discovers these publick admonitions ineffectuall , that he make it part of his labour , in private , vvith personnall applications to reforme such irregularitys . And that he shall as frequently as he can ( vvhen presentments are to be made ) make such applications , publick & private , ( as shall appear most convenient ) to the offenders , in order to the prevention of their shame & expence , vvhich I desire alvvayes may be done , vvithout further prosecution , unless the thing cannot othervvise be reform'd . That such discourses as he makes , about the Rubricks & Constitutions , may be usually out of the Desk , or if occasion require in the pulpit , after the sermon , vvhich I vvould not have burthen'd often vvith these smaller matters relating only to good order ; but reserv'd for more substantial & essential truths , as the Doctrins of Faith , Repentance , Love , Obedience , Temperance , &c. That he doth not take notice of the People's breach of Rubricks , or such disorders , in publick , vvhen he can reforme the same easily in private , unless they are notorious & scandalous , in vvhich case he is sometimes to give particular persons even publick reproofs , in the very Congregation . That vvhen there is ground of suspition that the Church-VVardens vvill not faithfully do their dutys in searching the Alehouses , &c , that he go out of the Church sometimes vvith them , for the more effectual prevention of disorder . That hee cause the Clarck to inquire ( vvhen notice is given of Baptisme ) vvhether the vvitnesses have all receiv'd the Sacrament , & also to informe the Parson ( if the Church-vvardens do not ) vvhen any excommunicat'd persons enter the Church or Church-yard , to vvhich end & purpose there shall be a list kept in the Vestry of all persons excommunicated . DENIS GRANVILLE . IN REFERENCE TO THE FORE-GOING DIRECTIONS , Letters , & Discourses , the Reader is desired to note those matters follovving . FIRST , that here were intermingled , with the abovesaid Directions for the Curates , sundry advices for the Church-wardens & Parish-Clarks , not judged so necessary to be printed . These being sufficient to accomplish the fore-mentioned end of their printing , ( p. 39. ) and convince those Clergy ( and others ) who would not allow the authour to bee worthy of his station ( when he was admitted into his Deanery ) that he did notwithsstanding the great power of their evill example ( whose semiconformity first poison'd the nation ) at least endeavour to be what hee all along cheifly aimed at , that is to say a Diligent COUNTRY-PARSON , if not good Archdeacon : He taking effectuall Care ( and with no ill success ) that these his Rules should be , as they were , better obser'd by his Curates , then the Church-Cannons or Rubricks were by them , & the generality of the Clergy of the nation ; and consequently in due time might have become a tollerable Deane , by Gods blessing , if the CITTY-REBELS , Joyning with the Invaders , had not driven him with his master out of England . SECONDLY , the Reader is desird to take further notice , that this ▪ last ▪ ●etter , ( to wit to his Curates ) was not printed when the others were , ( as first intended and mentioned in the Title-Page , ) in the yeare 1689 , but was , for certain reasons underwritten , deferr'd to be put into the Press , till the month & yeare mark'd in the conclusion of the said letter , to wit Oct : 1691 , some months after the Dean's Deprivation ; Which delay , among other things , hinder'd the more speedy Publication of all the other papers , and was occasiond upon the three ensuing accounts ; 〈…〉 First , the Deane imagined , on second thoughts , 〈…〉 that so plaine a Rebuke as the faithfull discharge of his 〈…〉 Conscience , in the delivery of the Discourses hee hath printed ▪ & the penning of the fore-going letters hee hath publish'd , in his own name , did , by reflection , cast on many considerable [ Spirituall & Temporall ] Supporters of the Usurped Authority in Churc● & State , was an Underaking too mighty for him , who never delighted to expose or reproach his Superiours in any manner ; nor should have dared thus to have done it , at this time , had not too many of them , manefestly departed from and contradicted the very Doctrine of the Church of England , which they , as well as hee , had sworne to maintaine . Secondly , He long expected that some eminent person in England , better qualified , would have saved him the labour of such an application , as he hath here in print made to the people under his authority , by publishing , ere this , some substantiall work that should have strenuously asserted the Cause of King James the 2 , & that Church of England whereof he is supreme Governour , by unmasking the wickedness , injustice , and ingratitude , nay unnaturallness of Dethroning their lawfull Soveraign , and under a religious pretence usurp his Crowne ; The afore-said Person not sticking , to set his name thereto , tho it might have cost him his life , to proclaime undeniably to the World , that what hee writ hee beleived to be such truth of God , as hee did dare seale with his Bloud . Which desireable peice of Charity to the soules of the poor people , who were unhappily drawn into Perjury , by the powerfull Example of their leaders , the authour hath not yet discover'd to be done by any , tho he thinks ought to have been performed long ago ( what ever had been the issue ) to have given right measures to the People of the Land , while they were staggerring , & not quite fallen into the abominable sins of Perjury , and Renouncing their Allegiance . Which Christian work , if it had been acted , in due season , would , among other good effects , have edified also the Dean's Flocks , and render'd unnecessary what hee ▪ hath said to keep those steddy who stand , & to restore those who are fallen , for want of timely under-propping . The authour's earnest longing , and waiting with great impa●ience ▪ to have seen such desireable fruit of Primitive zeale , did detaine him a while from plunging himselfe over head & ears , ( tho hee made many offers so to do ) into that Deluge which did over-spred the land ; thinking himselfe a bad swinmer in such Troubled waters ; & moreover ( like Elihu Job . 32. 4. ) being very unwilling to speake out thus boldly , & shame the silence of his Elders , till hee had given them all sufficient opportunity to speak and write ; Tho his boldness & zeale ( as may be observ'd , by the way , & is before noted , ) was not levell'd , directly , to any but those under his own Charge & Care ( or nearly related to him ) to whom such a hearty application , and such plain Reproofs , even in the very language of the letters , became so necessary , that hee could not , in good Conscience , have wav'd them . And therefore he conceiv's that people have the lesse reason to be disturbed thereby . Thirdly , after the authour had made a considerable progress in printing the letters and other discourses he was forced to undertake a hazardous Journey into England Feb. 1689 ( whereby hee got a small suply of money to subsist a while abroad without defiling himselfe with any Oath of fidelity to the Prince of Orange , ) tho with much trouble and Danger , occasion'd him by an impertinent and malitious Postmaster , who discover'd him in Canterbury . Which voyage made it absolutely necessary to lay aside , till his returne , his designe of publishing the papers he had penn'd at his first Coming over , unless he would willfully , and unavoidably , have run his neck into a halter . Which , all know , was the Fate lately of a * right honest and loyall man. THIRDLY , all sorts of Readers may hereby be informed , that these papers are , at this time , the more hastily published without polishing , because the authour , hath had this summer after a long intervall , some returne of those infirmities that he brought out of England ▪ which being seasonable memento's of the mortality of his condition , and uncertainty of his life , have caused him , without any more ado , or longer delay , thus plainly and honestly to deliver his soule : the comfort of which doth to him abundantly ballance the uneasiness of any obloquy , which may accrew from the provoked friends of the new government in England , where he desires to appeare no more , ( unless it please God to restore his Soveraign , ) as all may be perswaded easily to beleive , by his present manner of proceeding . Fourthly . All those who shall blame the Dean's undertaking , may , in a word , satisfy themselves , that hee had never thus exposed himselfe to their censure , if hee had beleived that a a Dignified Divine in his circumstances ( being the onely one here abroad out of the Reach of England , and whose Conscience would not permit him to swallow any new dispensatory oathes , or distinctions ) could without the just censure of all right Church ▪ of England-men , and loyall subjects to King James 2. , have remained silent . Since hee hath not now those prudentiall considerations , that others have , to stop his mouth , or stay his pen : His own person being secure & his Revenue lost . Whereas honest Divines & men in England ( where hee hopes there be many that never bovved the knee to Baal , tho hee be ignorant who they are ) cannot attempt what hee does , without the hazard of their lives , or ruine of their familyes . And therefore concludes that a weak and bad performance , as this , of so good & spirituall a designe ( the more incumbent on him ) would be better than none at all , and be gratiously accepted , through JESUS-CHRIST , by that ALMIGHTY GOD who can make the poorest enterprises in his name , successefull to accomplish his will. Fiftly , & lastly , the Dean's innate indignation to many former , & late preposterous unaccountable procedures in the Subjects of England : to wit , First the Non-conformity , or rather Semi-conformity , of the Clergy ( who did with zeale more than enough , & sometimes too bitterly , inveigh against nonconformists ) which ingendred that Brood which are the authours of our Misery : Secondly their Forvvardness to dispense throughout the Nation , with the Church-Discipline , as they pleas'd , where & when , there appear'd no necessity ; nay with the very Rubricks of the Liturgy , whereto they had all , since the late review , given a solemne Assent & Consent ▪ sadly presaging that in time of distress they would , as they have done , dispense with the very Doctrine , tho they would not allow his Majesty in extraordinary cases , à less dispensing Power : Thirdly the Pragmaticallness of most Common-Lavvye●s ( whose duty and intrest it was , as well as of the Ecclesiasticks , to joyne in the support of the crown of their Soveraign , the Fountaine whence all their Law did proceed ) in endeavouring industriously by all manner of quirks , to diminish the King's Prerogative & Authority , even coining wicked distinctions , & taking up obsolete lawes to dethrone him ( when there were enough of such which they would not willingly have reviv'd against the People or themselves ) nay flying to the Reign of an Usurper for Acts of Pa●iament to justify and colour over their fullsome proceedings ; as if a Dispensing power in the People was like to be found more tollerable than in the King , or that such a kind of supremacy as the multitude contended for , ( and which must be either in Prince , or subject ) is less liable to Tyranny , and other abuses , when it is in the subject , than in the Soveraign . These , and the like , perversions of Law and Religion , did cause , ( the authour professeth & is desirous to proclaime ) so much disgust in his Soule , as hurried him over all the difficulties and dangers that he met with , in his way to this publication , in such a degree , that the consideration of his book 's reflecting on the new Government ( which was designed to edify the people within his own province ) hath push'd him on , instead of deterring him ▪ to send it forth into the light ( committing it and his reputation to the mercy of a Gratious God ) amidst a crooked and perverse Generation , which hee is willing may learne thus much by his boldness , ( or fool-hardiness as it will be possibly termed , ) to wit , that God hath given him ( among a multitude of infirmities , ) the Grace not to be afraid or ashamed to do his duty or discharge his offices faithfully , who ever may be rebuked by the doing thereof ; and that hee is sure , hee had done neither , if hee had not , as hee hath done , deliver'd his soule , without mincing , in such plaine and intelligible language , at such a juncture , as to allot , every thing its right epithet & appellation ; giving the very names of REBELLION & USURPATION to what , hee was perswaded in his conscience , deserv'd such denominations ; and that are so , [ even REBELLION & USURPATION , ] if ever there were such things in the World. Yea such a REBELLION & USURPATION that no good Christian can , hee is also satisfied in his Conscience , joyne in the first , or uphold the later , and consequently , that no body can receive the communion , without injury to his soule , in the use of those prayers , which pray for the maintaining of both ; since hee that receives the blessed Supper of the Lord , in the office of any Church , sets his seale to all the corruptions that are crept into that Church , and doth , in a higher manner ▪ , profane Gods sacred name , by using that holy ordinance to so impious an end ( as to beg of God , by vertue of his saviours body and blood , the distruction of his lawfull Prince ) than hee that barely swears allegiance to an Usurper , Which , yet by the way , who ever does , ( let him understand ) doth in a manner , Abjure his lawfull Soveraign . Which is a Case of Conscience that the Authour will , in Gods name , now venture here publickly to decide ( as hee hath long since don to some in private ) and put his name to the decision , what ever comes of it , since no body else hath done so , for the sake of those many thousands of soules , under his authority , in the Jurisdictons belonging to the Archdeacon & Deane of Durham ; whereof none can deny but that hee hath a Call from God to take care . And consequently to undertake this difficult province , since no body else do●● Who , if they are not satisfied with his Judgement in this particular ( which , as poor as they may esteeme it , will yet hee trusts , in reference hereto , be found Orthodox ) ought to consult , as it concernes them , some abler Casuist : without being scared , ( as heretofore in some other cases , ) with frightfull consequences , administred by the Universality of the DEFECTION & such like considerations ; to wit , Empty Churches & thin Altars . For if it be a wholesom truth which is recomended , by the Authour , to their thoughts , it cannot , he is sure , in the conclusion , produce ill effects to be repented of . And he begs pardon , if he cannot prevaile with himselfe to judge , the last recited effects to be ill , as matters go , & things stand . For hee makes no doubt , but that the Churches in England must become Empty , & the Altars thin &c. before his Soveraign is like to return to Whitehall , Notes, typically marginal, from the original text Notes for div A42096-e1950 Introduction . Fidelis vox est non desperati non eiulautis . Luther . Plangi● affectus , sed fides exultat . id . Natural Quest . l. 2. c. 37. Cum crescerit Gratiae time , ●ū abierit time , eum revertetur time . S. Bern. Lib. Cur bonis viris mala accidunt . c. 4. Ps . 66. v. 12. Applica●ion . A cessation granted in order to treat ▪ * N● . Notes for div A42096-e11470 Dec. 11. 1688. * Gandelop . Notes for div A42096-e11780 Introduction . Notes for div A42096-e13140 D ▪ B. Dr. Hen. Hamond . Notes for div A42096-e15500 * The crovvn offer'd to the Prince of Orange on Ashvvensday * Cromvell declar'd Protector on Ashvvensday 16●3 . * Prince of Orange's Declaration . * Preachers in the Cathedrall Church of Durham , as vvel as elsevvhere , began to Caution their hearers against implicite Obedience , vvhereby they did , at that time , meane all Complian●s vvith K. I. Iames. 2. Notes for div A42096-e16370 * Bishop Cosins . Notes for div A42096-e17040 * Bp. Gunning Bp. Cosins . * Cornvval . * Kilkhampton . * The-Granvilles . * Sedgefield . Notes for div A42096-e18250 * Note . That the Dearn's injoyning here , & in some other places , things vvhich vvere before expressly commanded by the Church , vvas to declare that the judged them of such moment , as that he vvould never dispense vvith the non ▪ performance of them in his ovvn Parishes hovvever others did too frèqnently elsvvhere . * As people grevv more fond to hear Sermons than to amend their lives Homilies vvere mor● frequent . * This practice changed into a monthly Sacrament , at the Combustions , in the yeare 1679. Notes for div A42096-e18870 * Mr. Ashton .