ANOTHER SPEECH OF Sr. BENJAMIN RUDYER in the High Court of PARLIAMENT.  
Mr. Speaker,  
I Do verily believe, that there are many of the Clergy in our Church, who do think the simplicity of the Gospel, too mean a vocation for them to serve-in: They must have a spescious, pompous, sumptuous, Religion, with additionals of Temporal greatness, Authority, Negotiation: Notwithstanding, they all know better than I, what Fathers, Schoolmen, Counsels are against their mixing themselves in secular affairs.  
This Roman Ambition will at length bring in the Roman Religion, and at last a haughty Insolence even against supreme power itself, if it be not timely and wisely prevented.  
They have amongst them an Apothegm of their own making, which is, No Mitre, No Sceptre; when we know by dear experience, that if the Mitre be once in danger, they care not to throw the Sceptre after, to confound the whole Kingdom for their Interest.  
And Histories will tell us, that whensoever the Clergy went high, Monarchy still went lower: If they could not make the Monarch the head of their own Faction, they would be sure to make him less: witness one example for all, The Pope's working the Emperor out of Italy.  
Some of ours, assoon as they are Bishops, adepto fine, cessant Motus, They will Preach no longer, their office then is to govern, But in my opinion they govern worse than they Preach, though they Preach not at all; for we see to what pass their government hath brought us.  
In conformity to themselves, They silence others also, though Hierom in one of his Epistles saith, that even a Bishop, let him be of never so blameless a life, yet he doth more hurt by his licence, than he can do good by his example.  
Mr. Speaker, It now behoves us, to restrain the Bishops to the duties of their Function, as they may never-more hancker-after heterogeneous extravagant employments: Not be so absolute, so single and solitary in Actions of Moment, as Excommunication, Absolution, Ordination, and the like: but to join some of the Ministry with them, and further to regulate them according to the usage of Ancient Churches, in the best times, that by a well-tempered Government, they may not have power hereafter, to corrupt the Church, to undo the Kingdom.  
When they are thus circumscribed, and the Public secured from their Eruptions, then shall not I grudge them a liberal plentiful subsistence else I am sure, they can never be given to Hospitality.  
Although the calling of the Clergy be all glorious within, yet if they have not a large considerable, outward support, they cannot be freed from vulgar Contempt.  
It will always be fit, that the flourishing of the Church, should hold proportion with the flourishing of the Commonwealth wherein it is. If we dwell in Houses of Cedar, why should they dwell in skins? And I hope I shall never see a good Bishop left worse than a Parson without a Gleab.  
Certainly Sir, the superintendency of eminent Men, Bishops over divers Churches, is the most Primitive, the most spreading, the most lasting Government of the Church. Wherefore whilst we are earnest to take away Innovations, let us beware we bring not in the greatest Innovation that ever was in England.  
I do very well know, what very many do very fervently desire. But let us well bethink ourselves whether a popular democratical Government of the Church (though fit for other places) willbe either suitable or acceptable, to a Regal, Monarchical Government of the State.  
Every man can say (It is so common and know a Truth) that sudden and great changes both in natural and Politic bodies have dangerous operations: and give me leave to say, that we cannot presently see to the end of such a consequence, especially in so great a Kingdom as this, and where Episcopacy is so wrapped and involved in the Laws of it.  
Wherefore Mr. Speaker, my humble Motion is, that we may punish the present offenders, reduce and preserve the Calling for better men hereafter. Let us remember with fresh thankfulness to God, those glorious Martyr-Bishops who were burned for our Religion, in the times of Popery, who by their learning, zeal, and constancy, upheld and conveyed it down to us.  
We have some good Bishops still, who do Preach every Lord's Day, and are therefore worthy of double Honour; they have suffered enough already in the Disease: I shallbe sorry we should make them suffer more in the Remedy.  
FINIS.