No Sacrilege or Sin to Alienate or Purchase Cathedral Lands, To the reader – Errata
TO ALL Impartial Readers.
HAving heretofore been forced hastily to present to a Convention in Parliament, a Case touching Sacrilege falsly so called; that, fell into some bands, who threatened to confute it. This, put me upon the Revising, enlarging, and digesting thereof into a Treatise; which was published before I could see any Answer to the former Case. But, immediately after, came forth Dr. Gauden's huge Bulk of Words, in Folio, called The Tears, Sighs, Complaints, and Prayers of the Church of England. In which Book, he is pleased to bespatter me with so much virulency, and false calumnies, as take up five whole Sheets; in all which, he hath not bestowed one line in a solid, Scholarly Confutation of, or distinct Answer to any one part of that Case.
Indeed, in the Front of his 667. pag. he makes this flourish; Of the sin of Sacrilege, with the nature of it. But, neither in that page, nor in any other (which concerneth me) doth he afford so much as a word to set forth the Definition of it: instead whereof, he only spins out (more like a School-boy, then a Doctor) a sharp Declaration full of personal Invectives, and gross untruths; as namely, the charging my defence of Tithes, to have proceeded from my desire to uphold two fat Benefices; whereas I have had none at all (either fat, or lean) for above these sixteen years: his taking up, and publishing a false Report, that I should offer 1000 Marks to procure me a richer Benefice; whereas (my witness is in heaven) never any such base profer was made by me, nor came into my thoughts. It is true, that a Person of Honour came several times to my house, and offered me (in the year 1640) a fat Bishoprick; which when I refused, he then propounded another offer of 1000 Marks per annum for preaching, if I would then have done what he would have put me upon. This is true, and the Lord who knoweth all things, knows that Ilye not. Then, he thinks to pay me to purpose, for that I, being a Minister, &c. should plead for such Alienations, as he calleth Sacrilege; as if this were more improper for me, than for him (since that) to revile, and cast dirt upon the Solemn League and Covenant of God, which both Houses of Parliament; yea himself, and (which is more) his present Majesty had also religiously taken. Of which I resolve (God assisting) to let him, ere long, hear more, he being the Ringleader of all those foul Pamphlets against the Covenant, to intice and tempt those that have taken it to renounce it, and so to bring Zedekiah's punishment upon both King and Kingdom. Mean while, I am confident that whoever seriously and judiciously readeth that Declaration, will find, that rather than this Doctor would not make me his Dung-cart, be would himself be content to become a Scavenger, to rake up and cast all the filth and dirt he could, upon me: and, that this is the All of that his undertaking against me.
On the first of September, last, I wrote to him; and, with my Letter sent him one of my Books of the second Edition, intituled, No Sacrilege, nor Sin, to aliene, or purchase the Lands of Bishops, &c. that so, if be thought fit, be might answer it otherwise than he had done my Case: promising, to wait for his Answer till the end of Michaelmas Term, then next following. He was pleased on the fourth of that same monethmonth, to acknowledge the receit of my said Letter and Book, thanking me for it: on the 15 day of that monethmonth, he promised to Answer it. Allwhich, I have under his hand. But, in stead of Answering thereof, he still declaimeth against Sacrilege, at Pauls, the Temple, Westminster, &c. but never setteth forth what it is, nor one Argument to prove the late Purchases to be a sin. Nor can be hold in his Pen from blotting more and more paper with heaps of words, without matter, nor keep it from being as extravagant as his tongue.
This is one occasion of publishing this third Edition; which, because it was to be presented to the High Court of Parliament, I have (as much as I well could) contracted it, that it might be more willingly perused by those Honourable Persons whose weighty Affairs will not permit them to read copious Volumes. Yet, have I left out nothing material, or pertinent, but only pared off such pieces as might best be spared, without obscuring, or weakning the main subject here undertaken. If any have a mind to answer it, I desire them to do it soberly and solidly; and, if they will confute it, let them be sure to refute my Definition of Sacrilege, contained in the first Chapter of this Edition, which is the foundation of the whole Fabrick: else it will be to little purpose, to batter the Superstructives.
I know it to be too usual, where things cannot be clearly confuted, to make the loudest noyse upon a wrong sent: and, by personal reflections, quibbles, or by-confutations, of some occasional passages of History, Chronology, Criticisms, or the like, (wherein by following other Authors, there may possibly be some mistakes, or differences) upon which the stress of the cause is not laid, to eek out what they want in substantial Answers to the main Points they undertook to refute. Of which, I have bad some experience, and shall neglect them. But, if ought be offered in a substantial manner against the chief matters herein asserted, I shall carefully miud it; and, either ingenuously acknowledge my Error; or, civilly Reply, where I find my Antagonist mistaken.
If any shall thunder out Vollies of eminent Protestant Divines against what I have here undertaken, I resolve to strike sail to nothing but Scripture, or unto Arguments taken thence: and rather imitate one Athanasius, who chose to go alone with the truth, when all the world was turn'd Arrian; and one Paphnutius, when the generality of that first Grand Council of Nice, inclined another way; than to run with the stream; or, to joyn with the loudest out-cries of interessed parties, to admit that to be Sacrilege, which, upon due examination, appears not to be any sin at all.
It were to be wished, that such of the old imperious Prelatical Party, who yet remain, and such as now joyn with them to cry up all to as great an height as ever; and in order thercunto, to poyson all from the highest to the lowest, with a false and dangerous opinion of Sacrilege, in hope thereby to exasperate them against all Purchasers, which are many thousands; till they have brought all into new Combustions; would seriously and religiously reflect upon the former Calamities they have brought upon themselves, a pious King abused, and the whole Nation almost destroyed; and sadly to lay to heart, the occasions and means of all our Confusions; and, thereupon, to say and conclude with devout Ezra, (even after deliverance) Ezra. 9.14, 15. After all this is come upon us for our evil deeds, and for our great trespass, seeing thou our God hast punished us less then our iniquities deserve, and hast given us such deliverance as this; should we again break thy Commandments, and joyn in affinity with the people of these abominations, (that is, not onelyonly in strange marriages, but any other corrupt conversation, savouring more of Heathenism then of Christianity, which too palpably begins to break out again;) wouldst thou not be angry with us till thou hadst consumed us, so that there should be no remnant nor escaping? The good Lord set on this upon all their and our hearts, before the Decree bring forth, before the day pass as chaff; before the fierce anger of the Lord come upon us, before the day of the Lords anger come upon *Zeph. 2.6us, and overturn, overturn, overturn: I tremble to say, what; and, shall humbly and cordially pray for the preventing of it, as becometh the Loyalty, and real endeavours of
Aug. 25. 1660. Your faithful Friend and Servant in the Lord Jesus, C. Burges.
THE Contents of this Book.
1. OF the mistakes in, and about Sacrilege; and what it truely and properly is:
Chapt. 1.
2. That Cathedral Lands, as such, were never owned, or accepted of God, as Holy to the Lord; nor were either his, or theirs by Divine Right:
Chap. 2.
3 It is neither Sacrilege, nor other Sin, to aliene or purchase such Lands; especially, since 17. Car. I.
Chap. 3.
4. Answers to Objections brought to prove the Purchase of such Lands to be Sacrilege:
Chap. 4.
Errors of the Press Correct thus.
PAg. 7. lin. I0. r. Consecrations, P. 21. l. 2. r. 800. p. 44. l. I7. r. procured, p. 48. l. 33. r. plurimum, P. 50, l, 43, blotyea, l, 44. r. yea, all the Clergy then in Convocation, prayed.