Five Speeches, Speech 5
Concerning BISHOPS, DEANES, AND CHAPTERS: At a Committee of the whole Houſe by Sir Beniamin Rudyerd.
M. Hyde,
WE are now upon a very great buſineſſe, ſo great indeed, as it requires our ſoundeſt, our ſaddeſt conſideration, our beſt iudgement for the preſent, our utmoſt foreſight for the futuer.
But Sir, One thing doth exceedingly trouble me, it turnes me quite round, it makes my whole reaſon vertiginous, which is, that ſo many doe beleeve againſt the wiſdom of all ages, that now, there can he no reformation without deſtruction, as if every ſick body muſt preſently be knock'd in the head as paſt hope of cure.
Religion was firſt and beſt planted in Cities. God did ſpread his net where moſt might be caught. Cities had Biſhops and Preſbiters. Preſbiters were the Seminaries out of which were ſent labourers by the Biſhops to propagate and cultivate the Goſpell. The Clergy then liv'd wholly upon the free-will-offerings and bounty of the people.
Afterward, when Kings and States grew to be Chriſtians, the outward ſettlement of the church grew up with them. They erected Biſhopricks, founded Cathedrall churches, endowed them with large poſſeſſions. Land lords built pariſh churches, gleabd them with ſome portion of land, for which they have ſtill a right of Preſentation.
I do confeſſe that ſome Biſhops have had ambitious, dangerous aymes, and have ſo ſtill. That in their government there are very great Enormities."Regeneration doth neither deſtroy the man nor the faculties, but doth rectifie and reforme them: ſo the calling of Biſhops may, &c. But I am not of their opinion, who beleeve that there is an innate ill quallity in Epiſcopacy, like a ſpecificall property, which is a refuge, not a reaſon. I hope there is no originall ſin in Epiſcopacie, and though there were, yet may the "Calling be aſwell reformed, as the perſon regenerated. Biſhops have govern'd the church for fifteene hundred yeeres without interruption and no man will ſay, But that God hath ſaved ſoules in all thoſe times under their government. Let them be reduced, according to the uſage of ancient Churches in the beſt times, ſo reſtrayned, as they may not be able hereafter to ſhame the calling. I love not thoſe that hate to be reformed, and doe therefore thinke them worthy of the more ſtrict, the more cloſe reformation.
We have often complaind that Biſhops are too abſolute, too ſingular. Although Cathedrall, churches are now for the moſt part but receptacles of Droanes and Non-reſidents, yet ſome good men may be found or placed there, to be Aſſeſſours with the Biſhops, to aſſiſt them in actions of moment, in cauſes of importance. There is maintenance already provided for them. If either in Biſhopricks or Cathedrall churches, there be too much, ſome may be pared off, to relieve them that have to little. If yet more may be ſpared, it may be employed to the ſetting up of a preaching miniſtery thorow the whole kingdome, and untill this be done, although we are Chriſtians, yet are we not a Chriſtian State. There are ſome places in England, that are not in Chriſtendome; the people are ſo ignorant, they live ſo without God in the world; for which, Parliaments are to anſwer both to God and man: let us looke to it, for it lyes like one of the Burdens of the Prophet Eſay, heavy and flat upon Parliaments.
I have oftentimes ſeriouſly conſidered with my ſelfe, what ſtrong concurrent motives and cauſes did meet together in that time, when Abbeyes and Monaſteryes were overthrown. Certainly Gods hand was the greateſt, for he was moſt offended. The prophane ſuperſtitions, the abhominable Idolatryes, the filthy nefandous wickedneſſe of their lifes, did ſtink in Gods noſtriles, did call downe for vengeance, for reformation. A good party of Religious men were zealous inſtruments in that great work. As likewiſe many covetous ambitious Perſons, gaping for fat morſells, did luſtily drive it on.
But Maſter Hyde, there was a principall Parliamentary motive, which did facillitate the reſt. For it was propounded in Parliament, that the Acceſſion of Abbey lands would ſo in-rich the crowne, as the people ſhould never be put to pay Subſidies againe; this was plauſable both to court and country beſides with the overplus, there ſhould be mainteyned a ſtanding army of forty thouſand men, for a perpetuall defence of the kingdome; this was ſafety at home, terrour and honour abroad. The Parliament would make all ſure.
Gods part, Religion by his bleſſing hath been reaſonably well preſerv'd: but it hath been ſaved an by fire, for the reſt is conſum'd and vaniſh'd. The people have paid Subſidies ever ſince; and we are now in no very good caſe to pay an Army.
Let us beware, Maſter Hyde, that we do not look with a worldly, carnall, evill eye upon church lands. Let us cleare our ſight, ſearch our hearts, that we may have unmixt and ſincere ends, without the leaſt thought of ſaving our own purſes. Church lands will ſtill be fitteſt to maintaine church men, by a proportionable and orderly diſtribution.
We are very ſtrict and curious to uphold our own propriety, and there is great reaſon for it: Are the Clergy only a ſort of men who have no propriety at all in that which is called theirs? I am ſure they are Engliſhmen, they are Subiects.
If we pull down Biſhopricks, and pull down Cathedrall churches, in a ſhort time we muſt be forc'd to pull downe Colledges too: for ſchollers will live and die there as in cells, if there be no conſiderable preferment to invite them abroad, and the example we are making now, will be an eaſie temptation to the leſſe preſſing neceſſities of future times.
This is the next way to bring in Barbariſine, to make the Clergy an unlearnd contemptible vocation, not to be deſir'd but by the baſeſt of the people; and then, where ſhall we finde men able to convince an adverſary?
A Clergy man ought to have a farre greater proportion to live upon then any other man of an equall condition. He is not bred to multiply Three-pences, it becomes him not to live mechanically and ſordidly. He muſt be given to hoſpitality. I do know my ſelfe a Clergy man, nodignitary, whoſe books have coſt him a thouſand pounds, which when he dyes may be worth to his wife and children, about ſome two hundred.
It will be a ſhamefull reproach to ſo flouriſhing a kingdom as this, to have a poore beggerly Clergy. For my part, I think nothing too much, nothing too good for a good miniſter, a good Clergy man. They ought leaſt to want, who beſt know how to abound. Burning and ſhining lights, do well deſerve to bee ſet in good candleſticks.
Maſter Hyde, I am as much for reformation, for purging and maintaining Religion, as any man whatſoever: But I profeſſe, I am not for Innovation, Demolition, nor Abolition.
FINIS.
End of the text · Benjamin Rudyerd, Five Speeches (1641)