A SHORT DISCOURSE Concerning the READING His Majesty's Late DECLARATION IN THE CHURCHES.  
Set forth by the Right Reverend Father in GOD HERBERT Lord Bishop of HEREFORD.  
Published by Authority.  
LONDON: Printed for Charles Harper, and are to be sold by Randal Tailor near Stationers-Hall. 1688.   

A SHORT ACCOUNT Concerning the READING His Majesty's Declaration IN THE CHURCHES.  
WHen the Command for Reading the King's Declaration came down first, accompanied with the Petition of my Lord Archbishop of Canterbury, and several other Bishops, humbly praying to be excused from the Publishing those Declarations, I disputed with myself so long, that I grew into a perfect Agony at last, and could take no Rest all that Night. For two great Evils appeared before me, both contrary one to the other, and yet an absolute necessity of my falling into one of them, either Disobedience to the King's Commands, or a Separation and Schism from my Metropolitan and other worthy Bishops, whose Judgements I truly reverenced in most things, and whose Integrity in all things. This made that Night very dismal to me, till at length, the day coming on, I got up and began to consider things with less troubled Thoughts, and more calmly and seriously to weigh the whole Matter. And the first thing that represented itself unto me, as an Anchor to fix and hold fast my Soul, and compose my Conscience, was that saying, Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lords sake. 1 Pet. two. 13. and again vers. 17. Fear God, honour the King. This was said by St. Peter, who, we believe, was guided by the Holy Ghost, and therefore we take it as the express Command of God, and aught to observe it in every thing that is not flatly contrary to the Word of God, or, at least, most evidently deduced from the Word of God, so that every common understanding must needs see it. Now the King expressly commanding his Declaration to be Read in all Churches, without requiring him that Reads it to declare either his Consent, Assent, Allowing or Liking of it, I would gladly know how any man can show me that to do this is contrary to God's Holy Word. If you say, that this Declaration contains a Dispensing Power contrary to the Laws of the Land, as is declared in the Parliament 1662. and 1672. Let it be so. Is it therefore contrary to the Word of God? Show it me. If the King would vouchsafe to ask my Judgement, I would humbly and earnestly beseech him not to use his Dispensing Power in that high manner. And I farther call God to Witness that I would readily and cheerfully lay down my life to Compose the miserable Breaches that are in these Nations on this account. But if after all, the King tells me, he hath this Dispensing Power inherent in his Majesty by Right, and will use it whether I will or nill; What can I poor wretch do? Or what can all my Brethren, the Bishops, lawfully do, but submit unto his Majesty's Will and have patience? But, as a Paper lately come forth saith, In Reading this His Majesty's Declaration in the House of God, I do thereby declare my Consent unto it: for I ought to Read nothing there but what I do approve of. Where doth he find this so expressed in the Word of God? Or from what Text doth it necessarily and evidently follow? Can this be as clearly deduced from thence, or is it as plainly expressed as that on the contrary side, that I am to submit to every Ordinance of man: This is the saying I stick close to, and require him to show me out of the Word of God, that to read any thing in the House of God, is declaring my Consent unto it: and therefore his affirmation without some such proof from Scripture signifies nothing. Nay, to set Scripture aside, and to discourse of matters by common understanding: If I should read unto the people in the Church a Paper declaring that the King of France doth Persecute several Protestants, and deprive them of their Estates, doth my Reading this Paper any way declare my Consent to his Persecution? So, should I read a Paper in the Church declaring the King's Toleration of Sectaries, doth it any way declare my Consent unto it? No certainly. This Argument is very frivolous and vain. But you ask me, why do I Read this in the Church? and I answer, because the King Commands it, and I know nothing in Scripture that forbids it, and therefore I am bound to obey it. But that Paper farther asks, if the King command a Popish Homily for Transubstantiation to be Read in the Church, would I read it? No certainly, unless I read it so as to confute it, and show the absurdity of it. The Case is very different: this is a Doctrine I am necessarily to instruct the people in, and to show them either the Truth or Falsity of it. And the Case is the same in all Doctrines taught in the House of God. But in Reading the King's Declaration, there is no Doctrine Taught, only matter of Fact declared. But you will say, that was known before, and sure there must be some other intention in requiring me to Read it. 'Tis true, perchance it is to try my Obedience. And our Enemies having some guess by our late not giving thanks for that part of His Majesty's Declaration, which was to maintain the Church of England, because Liberty for Dissenters was then also granted, that we will likewise refuse the Reading of the Declaration for the same Reason, and thereby displease the King, they therefore persuade His Majesty to require it of us. But for my own part I was then as urgent for our giving of Thanks, as a necessary and grateful Duty; which, had we then performed, it would probably have prevented this Command of Reading it: which is likely to have a very sad Consequence, and I hearty lament it, but know not how to remedy it. Yet on this occasion I beg leave of my Brethren to tell them my whole Sense of this Matter. When the King's Majesty first of all declared his Resolution to maintain the Church of England in the clear Profession of its Doctrine, with its Rights and Discipline, this was such unexpected and surprising News, that I stood long amazed at it: and when at length I had Composed my Mind and settled myself in full belief of it, I did then also in all humble gratitude resolve to comply and serve His Majesty in every thing that I could with a safe Conscience perform, and thereby preserve His Majesty's most favourable intention and kindness towards us. And for so good an end as the free enjoyment of our Religion, and the True Worship of God to be publicly continued and defended, I was ready both then to give Thanks, and now to Read (in both which I see no apparent evil) and to perform such other things as shall be proposed, which shall appear unto me as harmless as I take them to be. Yea I confess I should yet go farther, and in doubtful Cases beg leave of God (as Naaman the Syrian did of Elisha, that when he bowed down in the House of Rimmon, with the King leaning on his Hand, the Lord would pardon his servant in this thing: so) that he would graciously pardon me in complying with His Majesty in some things, wherein there might be some shadow, though no real substance of Offence: and I should never doubt of God's merciful Pardon in it, seeing I did it out of pure Obedience to my King, upon God's Command, and to so good an end, as the preserving of Truth and Peace among us. Which if we lose on this occasion, they will have much to answer for, who are the Authors of it. Yet I verily believe, and durst lay down my life for the Truth of it, that my Brethren who refuse the dispersing of these Declarations, are very far from having any evil intention in it; but will as readily Obey the King as myself, in what is as agreeable to their Consciences, as these things are to mine. And had I had the good fortune to have been amongst them at their Consultation, I should not have doubted of good success in persuading them to this business: which, although it comes now too late for this; yet by the Grace of God it may prevent some future evil accidents. However I resolved to publish it, to give as much satisfaction to the World as I can upon what reason I descent from my Brethren, who, I am confident, aim at the same thing, though we go clean contrary ways unto it. And I most humbly implore His Gracious Majesty to believe so of them, and not to give way to Passion, or to hearken unto those who would exasperate him against them: for 'tis impossible a True Son of the Church of England should have any Disloyal thoughts in his Heart, his Principles commanding him unto entire Obedience, either Active or Passive, without any Equivocation, or Mental Reservation in any Case whatsoever. And therefore a true generous Heart cannot but be kind and merciful to such submissive Subjects, according to that, Parcere subjectis & debellare superbos.  
FINIS.