Five Speeches, Speech 4
Concerning BISHOPS.
Maſter Speaker.
I do verily beleeve, that there are many of the Clergy in our Church, who do thinke the ſimplicitie of the Goſpel too meane a vocation for them too ſerve in. They muſt have a ſpecious, pompous, ſumptuous Religion, with additionalls of Temporall Greatneſſe, Authority. Negotiation; not withſtanding they know better then I, what Fathers Schoolmen, Counſells are againſt their mixing themſelves in ſecular affaires.
This Romane ambition, will at length bring in the Romane Religion, and at laſt a haughty inſolence even againſt ſupreme power it ſelfe, if it be not timely, and wiſely prevented.
They have amongſt them and Apothegm of their own making, which is, No Miter, no Scepter: when we know by deare experience, that if the Miter be once in danger, they care not to throw the ſcepter after, to confound the whole kingdome for their intereſt.
And hiſtories will tell us, that whenſoever the Clergy went high, Monarchy ſtill went low: if they could not make the Monarch the Head of their own faction, they would be ſure to make him leſſe; witneſſe one example for all, the Popes working the Emperour out of Italy.
Some of ours aſſoone as they are Biſhops, Adepto fine, ceſſat motus, they will preach no longer, their office then is to governe: but in my opinion they govern worſe then they preach though they preach not at all; for we ſee to what paſſe their government hath brought us.
In conformity to themſelves, they ſilence others alſo, though Hierome in one of his epiſtles ſaith, that even a Biſhop let him be of never, ſo blameleſſe a life, yet he doth more hurt by his ſilence, then he can do good by his example.
Maſter Speaker, It now behooves us ſo to reſtrayne the Biſhops to the duties of their function, as they may never more hanker after heterogenious extravagant imploiments. Not be ſo abſolute, ſo ſingle and ſolitary in actions of moment, as Excommunication, abſolution, ordination, and the like: but to joyn ſome of the Miniſtery with them, & further to regulate them according to the uſage of ancient Churches in the beſt times; that by a well temper'd government, they may not have power hereafter, to corrupt the church, to undoe the kingdome.
When they are thus circumſcrib'd, and the publique ſecur'd from their eruptions, then ſhall not I grudge them a liberall, plentifull ſubſiſtence; elſe I am ſure they can never be given to hoſpitally.
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 alwayes be fit, that the flouriſhing of the church ſhould hold proportion with the flouriſhing of the Common-wealth 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 then a Parſon, without a Gleabe.
Certainly Sir, the ſuperintendencie of eminent men, Biſhops over divers Churches, is the moſt primitive, the moſt ſpreading, the moſt laſting government of the Church. Wherefore, whileſt we are earneſt to take away Innovations, let us beware we bring not in the greateſt Innovation that over was in England.
I do very well know what very many do very ſervently deſire; But let us well bethink our ſelves, whether a popular, democraticall government of the Church (though fit for other places) will be either ſutable or acceptable to a Regall, Monarchicall government of the State.
Every man can ſay (it is ſo common and known a truch) that ſudden and great changes, both in naturall and politique 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 Epiſcopacie is ſo wrap dane involv'd in the Laws of it.
Wherefore, Maſter 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 thankfulneſſe to God, thoſe glorious Martyr. Biſhops who were burn'd for our Religion in the times of Popery, who by their learning, zeal, and conſtancle, uphold and convay'd it down to us.
We have ſome good Biſhops ſtill, who do preach every Lords Day, and are therefore worthy of double honour. They have ſuffer'd enough already in the diſeaſe, I ſhall be forry we ſhould make them ſuffer more in the remedy.