A Discourse Apologetical, Text

A Discourse Apologetical · Text

p. 1A Diſcourſe Apologetical, concerning ſome notorious Falſhoods in LILIES Merline for the year 1654.

NO ſooner did Lilies Paſqil (for no other then ſuch are his Anniverſary Merlins) for the year 54. come flying abroad, but being informed, that therein after his wonted guiſe he had again fallen foul upon me, I was deſirous to have a ſight of it, that I might ſee what he had ſaid in his own defence, concerning thoſe things that I had charged upon him, both in mine Annotations, and in my Vindication thereof, and what he had returned to my freſh charge, or purſuit in the latter, of my firſt charge in the former. But when it came to my hands upon peruſal of it, I ſoon perceived, that I had proved a tru Prognoſtes, and much truer then Lilie; albeit I had not at all conſulted with the Stars, as he profeſſeth and pretendeth to do; nor indeed was there any need at all that I ſhould.

For in the firſt place I found that to be tru, which I had foretold, that Lily would, if my Vindiciae ever came to his hands, put off all in the ſame manner, as he had all other before, whom he was pleaſed to take notice of, that had written ought againſt himſelfe, or his Trade, with a few ſcurrilous Jeers; and juſt ſo he doth here; to wit, in theſe termes, An impudent Pamphlet p. 2writ againſt me by that old ſilenced or dumb Miniſter, containing twenty ſix ſheets of ſcolding.

Nor found I that alſo to have falne out otherwiſe then as I had preſaged, (according to the advice that I had given him as a friend, and foreſaw that he would be ſo wiſe as to follow) to wit, that he would wholly let ſlip, and bury in ſilence, whatſoever had been formerly with ſo much confidence averred by him, concerning the pretended grounds of his Art and Trade; how the good Angels (ſuch as he conſults with) were the firſt Teachers of it, and that by them it was revealed to holy men. (ſuch no doubt as himſelf and his Aſſociates now are) which tho both in the Annotation, and Vindication being inſtantly urged, and eagerly preſſed upon, his credit lying at the ſtake, out of ſome authentik Record, one or other to make good, unleſs he would be reputed (as otherwiſe he juſtly deſerves, and by his ſilence may deſervedly be deemed to acknowledge) to be a coyner and broacher of fictions and fables, to gain credit thereby to his cheating Trade, and to gull poor people with, by telling them ſuch fond tales, and frivolous ſtories, as himſelf well knows, and his own Conſcience (if he have any at leaſt,) told him, that he had no proof at all for: Yet throughout the whole heap here of his frivolous Calculations, fabulous Relations, ridiculous Predictions, forged and coyned, like the Sabine, or Jewiſh Dreamers, dreams, to comply Sabini qod volunt ſomniant. Feſtus. Qaliaeun que voles Judaei ſomnia vendent, Juven.with the current, and fit the fancies of thoſe whom he would cury favor with, and ſcurrilous girds at thoſe whom he deſires to diſgrace or deems to be out of grace with ſome great ones, he hath not one word, wiſe or other, concerning this matter, that ſo nearly concerned him; much leſs ought to confirm that his, as groundleſs, ſo ſtill deſerted, and leaſt guardleſs, aſſertion, upon which he made choyſe before to bottom the tottering Fabrick of his whole Trade.

After a ſurvey therefore taken of it, I was at a ſtand with my ſelf, in doubt whether I ſhould aſſay to deal at all further with ſo ſhameleſs a creature, who knew not how to reaſon, but to rail onelyonly. The rather having been told by divers of my friends, that I had already ſtooped too low, and graced him too much, by entring into the Liſts with ſo baſe a fellow, unfit for any man of gravity or ingenuity to deal with: And that they could not therefore without indignation, read my name in the Frontiſpice of my book, as having ought to do with Lilie.

p. 3And indeed as one in the Greek Comick ſaith, foreign Menander. Cyril. adv. Julian. l. 7.foreign, Dura nimis eſt ingenuae cum meretrice conteſtatio. It is a verie hard task for an honeſt woman to be driven to conteſt with a common ſtrumpet: And the reaſon of it, is wel rendred by that Noble Roman Cenſor, when he Plutarch. in Caton. Major.told a lewd fellow that railed on him, foreign. There is an unequal encounter between thee and me; thou haſt herein the odds of me; for it is a rife matter with thee to hear ill language from others, and as ready a matter to return the like again; whereas with me it is both unpleaſant to do it, and unwonted to hear it. In like manner, may I wel ſay, doth the caſe ſtand here between Lilie and my ſelf. I ſhal herein willinglie yeeld him the bucklers; I liſt not to contend with him in ſcurrilitie and bad language; herein, I confeſs, he hath the better of me. But as he ſaid ſometime of a Dicer, Aleator qanto in arte melior, tanto pejor eſt; the better Syrus Mim.Dicer, the worſ man: So he that is the beſt at railing, is the worſt in diſpoſition; and as bad and foul language is a practiſe verie rife with him, ſo it ſeems that no leſs frequentlie he meets with his mates, and it may be ſometime with his matches, being repaid in coyn of the ſame ſtamp with his own, having the like language returned him from others. For he makes grievous complaint elſwhere of ſcurrilous Mercuries, that vie it with his ſcurrilous Merlins, and overload them with their multitudes, and that may ſeem to have befaln him, that Seneca ſaith of Vatinius, De Sap. Conſtant. c. 17.Convitiis aſſiduis depudere didicerat. That by frequency of hearing bad language, tho not undeſervedlie, from others, he is grown to that height of impudencie, that he hath ſtript himſelf of all ſhame, laid aſide all ingenuitie, and abandoned himſelf to the baiting of everie one that comes in his way; laying at them with broad language, and the worſt of words, without all regard whether they deſerv wel or ill, or whether that wherewith he beſpatters them, be tru or falſ.

In this manner of conteſtation and debate therefore Lilie and I ar not even matches. Neither hav I been accuſtomed to entertain others with foul language; neither hav I, I thank God, been much encountred with it my ſelf; not ſo much, at leaſt, as manie others, by much better then my ſelf. In this regard therefore to p. 4go forth into the field, and enter the liſts on ſuch …ns, wherein the encounter is ſo uneqal, and yet better be beaten then beat; I concluded that it was beſt to lay down the cudgels, or to let them lie rather, and leav Lilie to rant and rail at his pleaſure.

And indeed for his ſcurrilous girds, broad terms, and bad language, I was wel content; and reſt ſtil reſolved, ſo to do. Let him rank and recken me by name in the liſt of the mute, dumb, and old doting Prieſts, which the late Comet ſaith, muſt be routed, or rooted out. And yet by the way, as one ſometime demanded of one of his complices, How it came to paſs, that they, who take upon them by the Stars, to tel everie draggle-tail'd Girl that comes to them to enquire after a Silver Spoon loſt, what was become of it, and which way it was gone; yet could not by their ſtar-skil foreſee and foretel the Scotch Kings defeat at Worceſter, his eſcape by flight, and which way he was fled: So would I fain know of this great Star-maſter, how it comes to paſs, that he who by this Comet can foretel us of ſuch great matters to be effected by it, could not by the Stars foreſee and foretel us of the coming of the Comet, and how long it ſhould laſt, being a matter of ſo great importance. But let this go for a Parentheſis, return we to our task. Let him tel me, That I prov all I write on Jer. 10. 2. by Strabo, Plinie, Lucian, and Cicero, &c. els I might go ſleep. Bid me go write another Commentarie on that Text, and prov mine Annotations Canonical by Strabo and Cicero, two pure Heathen Autors. Let him tel me, that in my late Vindication with much ſcurrilitie I qote Lucian … Scoffer, Papias and Balbus, two Logger-headed Grammarians and Heathens againſt Aſtrology, and ſo play the fool in producing the judgment of men diſaffected to the point in qeſtion. Let him ſtile me a covetous wretch, whoſe ſlanderous Pen would make the world believ, that Jacob Behmen was a Dutch Wizard; whereas his divine works give a beginning to new diſcoveries of knowledge; (to wit, telling us, what God did before the world began; of an endleſs number of tranſactions before this world was created, and of two co-infinite and co-eternal ones, God and the Abyſs; of which elſwhere more at large.) But this Wizard is no Wizard, forſooth, but a tru Prophet, and his writings Divine works or Oracles. For he foretold long ſince, p. 5that a Lilie ſhould bloſſom to us in theſe Northern Countries, and ſhould grow to a great flouriſhing tree among us, if we do not destroy it with the Sectarian contentions of our learned men, while we contend, and diſpute, and wrangle with it. Thus Lilie of him, out of him. And can anie wiſeman, think we, doubt, whom this Prophecie concerns? who no marvel then, if he cannot endure, to hear J. B. termed a Wizard, anie more then himſelf. But theſe ar all but pettie ſprinklings, and ſlight daſhes of his he ſparrows qil. Let him tel me, breaking out into broader terms, and far larger letters, making uſe of his great Turkies Text Pen; That I am an old, covetous, ſtiff-necked Churl, who having given over preaching, now like a childe teach, or am taught a new mode of ſpelling to my Proſelytes, and cant the art of lying and ſcolding to the Wives of Billingſgate, being my ſelf unmarried. Yea, to theſe let him add as manie more reproachful epithits as he wil, and load me with as manie more contumelious terms as he pleaſes; all this wind ſhal ſhake no corn at all with me: As Symmachus ſometimes, (if my memorie fail me not,) Nullius neqitiatanti eſt, ut …t… me o digna ſit. None of all his ſcurrilitie, at the moſt, and the higheſt, ſhal mov me one jot. I ſhall but ſmile at the mans ſimplicitie, and laugh at his follie, if he be ſo ſillie, as to ſuppoſe anie that read him ſo ſenſeleſs, that they can by him be induced to believ the things to be tru and real, that here he writes of me. So that herein he doth but (as Jude ſpeaks) foam out his own filth, and (as Jude 13.Jude 1:13Solomon of the fooliſh) proclaim his own folly. For mine own Prov. 12. 23.Prov 12:23part, I account them but as words of courſ with Mr. Lilie, and as Bio ſaid in the like caſe, am no more affected with them, then as Plut. deſign. profect.if he bid me, Good morrow. No… would I blot paper with ſuch baſe unſavory ſtuff, ſave onelie to let thoſe ſee, who it may be have not light on his Book, or looked into it, what ſweet flowers of his uſual rhetorick they ar like to find it fraught with; and that ſuch as otherwiſe do not ſo wel know him, may judg of the man by the manner of his writing.

To call a man Theif, or a woman Whore, I have heard ſome ſay, wil bear no action at Law; but to ſay, You are a theif, and ſtole ſuch a matter from ſuch an one; or, You are a whore, and were taken in bed with ſuch a man, wil. And the reaſon hereof ſeems, becauſe thoſe general and indefinite terms ar deemed p. 6ſtomackful words onelie, whereas in the other there is a charge with particular matter of fact. Had this Railer therefore kept himſelf within this compaſs, and contented him with ſuch general, baſe, and foul terms, I ſhould never have troubled either my ſelf with writing, or anie other with reading theſe lines. For as for thoſe particulars, that he ſnaps at, concerning ſome Autors that I qote, how ſorry, poor, idle, frothie, frivolous, yea, and falſ, his exceptions and allegations ar, wil ſoon appear unto anie, that ſhal be pleaſed to take ſo much pains, as to conſult the Annotations and Vindication of them that ar everie where together abroad.

For example, All I write on Jer. 10. 2. he ſaith, I prov by Strabo, Lucian, Plinie, and Cicero; whereas of Lucian I have not anie one word there; the other three I cite joyntlie, onelie to ſhew, That Aſtrologers were ancientlie termed Chaldeans; and Plinie apart, to ſhew, What antiqitie of obſervation the Heathen Diviners pretended for their ſuperstitious divinations by the flight of fouls, and from the bowels of beasts; That in my Vindication I qote Lucian, a Scoffer: But to what purpoſe? To prov ought in controverſie by him? No. But to ſhew, That an Impoſtor in his times uſed the like ſhifts that Lilie now doth, tho in ſome kind more wiſelie, and warilie then he. But I qote alſo there, two Logger-headed Grammarians and Heathens. If his meaning be in ſenſu compoſito, that thoſe two Grammarians were Heathens, it is falſ; they were both Chriſtians, tho they lived in an obſcure and corrupt age. But what do I cite them for? To ſhew, that they were ſounder, coneurring therein with the learned of other, and better ages, in the notation of ſome words, and diſtinction of ſome terms, then ſome of Lilies Patrons, and Advocates; and the more ſhame then for them, profeſſing much learning, and charging others with ignorance, to come ſhort in ſuch pettie matters of ſuch Logger-headed Grammarians, as their Client ſaith they were. Or, if he mean in ſenſu diviſo, that I qote other Autors, that ar pure Heathens (as elſwhere he ſaith of Strabo and Cicero) against Aſtrologie. I might demand of him, Whether Strabo and Cicero ar more pure Heathen, or anie that I qote againſt Aſtrologie, then Thales and Solon, whom his Advocate qotes for it; or whether Hermes, Proclus, Plotinus, Ptolomie, Albumazar, p. 7Hali Rodoan, Baranzanus, &c. be anie better then ſuch, whom he qotes for his practiſe, and on whoſe autoritie, next to his good Angels, of whom by his ſilence, he now ſeems aſhamed, he principallie reſts and relies. I qote Heathen Autors indeed; but to what purpoſe? To ſhew, that the wiſer ſort even among the Heathen diſcovered the vanitie and follie of this pretended skil: As Clemens, Auguſtine, and others of the Ancients, produce the like, to ſhew, that the wiſer ſort of them diſavowed the multiplicitie of their counterfeit Deities. Yea, but I play the fool in producing the judgment of men diſaffected to the point in qeſtion. Not, I hope, when I produce them to prov, that they ar not all ſuch ſillie Ignoramuſſes, as Lilie and his Advocate would bear the world in hand, that tax his trade, and that it is not out of meer ignorance that they diſallow and condemn it; unleſs he can prov, that they ar all alſo ſuch Logger-heads, as he ſaith thoſe two were.

But in all theſe particulars thus ſpecified, and here carped at, there is nothing of much moment, nor ought that contains in it anie matter of ſcandal. One or two other things there are, wherewith albeit they no way at all concern, either my Charge againſt him, or his Defence of his own Cauſe, wherein he is as mute as a fiſh; yet he ſtrives what he can, to aſperſe my good name, endeavoring to faſten ſome particulars upon me, that may tend unto ſcandal; which I ſuppoſe therefore, it may concern me to take notice of, and to clear my ſelf from his falſ imputations: that which divers of my Friends alſo have incited me to do.

One of the wiſeſt of meer men, that ever was ſince the fall, telleth us, foreign That a good name is a matter Eccleſ 7. 1.Eccl 7:1of more worth, then a pretious ointment; (which were ſaid to be foreign and foreign, very highly prized in thoſe parts) Matth. 26. 7. John 12. 3. Prov. 22. 1. Liv. l. 3.Matt 26:7John 12:3Prov 22:1and more to be eſteemed of then riches and much treaſure. And a Heathen man therefore ſaith, Famae & fidei damna majora ſunt qod q… aeſtimari poſſunt; That the wrongs a man receives in his good name and credit, ar greater damages then can be valued. We have a common ſaying among us, That for a man to have a bad name, it is as good, or bad rather, as to be half hanged. But the Greek Orator goes further then ſo, and ſaith, foreign p. 8Dio P…uſ. orat. 46.foreign, That it were not a greater penalty for a man to be ſtoned to death or burnt qick, then juſtlie and deſervedlie, to live in diſgrace: And the Greek Father, foreign, Greg. Naz. cont. Arian.That death it ſelf is more tolerable then diſgrace: Yea, the Apoſtle Paul himſelf profeſſeth to be of the … ▪ 1 Cor. 9. 15.1 Cor 9:15foreign, that it were better for him to die, that anie man ſhould take his life, rather then his glorying away from him. And he admoniſheth all Chriſtian men to be very charie in this kind, folowing foreign, ſuch things as ar of good Phil 4. 8. Rom. 12. 17. 2 Cor. 8. 21.Phil 4:8Rom 12:172 Cor 8:21report; providing foreign not good onelie, but goodlie, as the word properlie ſignifies; honeſt things, as we render it, not in the ſight of God onelie, but in the ſight of men alſo; Caventes & nobis à peccato, & ill is à ſcandalo, as Bernard ſpeaks; being careful to ſhun, as the offending of God by anie cariage▪ B…rn. de temp. 74. 1 Cor. 10. 32.1 Cor 10:32ſimplie evil, ſo of giving occaſion of offence to man, by anie courſ that may prov ſcandalous, foreign, ſaith Clemens of Alexandria, That they may not onelie Clem. Paedag. l. 3. 11. Julian. de Viduit. c. 12.be faithful in regard of God, but of credit alſo in regard of men. Hence it is, that Julian ſaith, No… is neceſſaria eſt vita noſtra, aliis fama noſtra; that Our good life is needful for our ſelvs, our good name for others, as wel as our ſelvs: And Austine, Opus eſt bona famâ apud homines, bona conſcientiâ apud Deum. Need have we as wel of a good report with men, Aug. ad fratr. erem. ſerm. 52.as of a good conſcience towards God. According to that of the Apoſtle concerning himſelf, that it was his constant endeavor and Acts 24. 16.Acts 24:16exerciſe to keep foreign a conſcience free from offence; that is, from giving occaſion thereof unto either, both towards God and men; and therefore, Qi conſcientiae fidens famam Ibid.negligit, crudelis eſt. For a man, ſaith he, relying upon his conſcience, to be retchleſs and regardleſs of his good name, it is a kind of crueltie both to others, and to himſelf.

In which conſideration, that renowned Roman Emperor Mark Antonine, albeit with the Stoick's he reckoned, foreign M. Anton. l. 2. ſect. 11.foreign, fame and report, good or bad, in rebus mediis; among thoſe things that were neither ſimply good, nor evil of themſelvs; and doth therefore admoniſh men to reſt principallie (as the Apoſtle alſo profeſſeth that he did) on the inward teſtimonie of their Id. l. 4. ſect. 12. & l. 6. ſect. 2. 22. 1 Cor. 4 3, 4.1 Cor 4:31 Cor 4:4own conſcience; contenting themſelves with that, where the other cannot be had; yea, adviſeth them to be content to ſuſtain reproach p. 9and infamie for the keeping of a good conſcience, and to be willing to part with the one for the retaining of the other; doing that that they know to be their dutie, foreign, tho it may Id. l. 5. ſect 3. & l. 11. ſect. 16.be deemed infamous, or foreign, tho they ſhall be defamed for the doing of it, as Pythagoras before him. That which not our Apoſtle onelie reſolvs with himſelf, to ſteer 2 Cor. 6. 8.2 Cor 6:8his courſ according to his card and compaſs, foreign, paſſing as wel, and as willinglie, through good report, and evil report; tho by ſome repu…ed foreign, as an impoſter, and a counterfeit, when he was in truth nothing leſs: 2 Cor. 13 7. Se…. Epiſt. 8….2 Cor 13:7But Seneca alſo, Ad honeſtum conſilium per mediam infamiam tendam: I wil break, ſaith he, through the midſt of infamie to the accompliſhment of an honeſt act; adding withal, That no man in his judgment ſets an higher rate on virtu and wel doing, then he, Qi boni viri famam perdidit, ne conſcientiam perd… ret; Ibid.Who hazards the loſs of being reputed a good man, that he might not looſe the realitie, and conſcientiouſneſs of it. And elſwhere inciting his friend to the like reſolution, he tells him. Saepe juſtus eſſe debebis cum infamiâ; & tunc, ſi ſapis, mala Id. epiſt. 113.opinio ſic parta delectabit: That if he wil do as he ſhould do, he muſt oft-times do that which is juſt and upright, tho he ſhal be ill thought of▪ or ill ſpoken of for it; (that which Antiſthenes, Epict…t l. 4 c. 6. Anton l. 7. ſect. 36. Plut. Apophth. Dio Pruſ. orat. 47.as ſome, Alexander, as others, uſed to ſay, foreign, that it was the lot of Kings to hear ill, when they did well;) and that, if he were ſo wiſe as he ſhould be, an evil report, or evil repute ſo gotten, ſhould be ſo far from daunting or diſturbing him, that it ought rather to delight him; as it is ſaid of thoſe two Apoſtles, Peter and John, after they had been baited Acts …5. 41.Acts 5:41and beaten in the conſiſtory, they went away, foreign, rejoycing, that they had been graced ſo foreign …lega…s. Caſaub.much as to be diſgraced for Chriſt; and of Moſes, that he reckoned, foreign the ſuſtaining of reproach for Chriſt, H…b▪ 11. 36.a greater honor then all the treaſures or royalties of Egypt could afford.

Yet notwithſtanding all this, of that worthy Emperor doth Julius Capitolinus, report, That he was famae ſuae curioſiſſimus, J. Capit. i… Ma…c.exceeding chary and regardful of his good name; in ſo much, That malè loqentium dict is vel literis, vel Sermone respondebat; Ibid.he was careful to return anſwer, either by word of mouth, p. 10or in writing, unto the ſayings of ſuch as had raiſed evil reports of him. Among other things, he ſaith, Nihil aliud magis timuit & deprecatus eſt qam avaritiae famam; do qâ ſe multis J. Cap ibid.epiſtolis purgat. He was ſolicitous to devolv and depel from himſelf nothing more then the note of avarice; (caſt upon him by ſome, it ſeems, as on Pius before him, for his frugalitie, and moderating of publick expences, that he might nor be overburdenſom Vid M. Anton. l. 1. ſect. 16. & l. 6. ſect 30.to the ſubject) whereof he labored to purge himſelf in divers of his Epiſtles. So careful ar good men, and have ever been, both to gain, and to retain a good report; and the Apoſtle reqires it, as a matter of much concernment in a Miniſter of the Goſpel, foreign, That he have 1 Tim. 3. 7.1 Tim 3:7a good report, even from thoſe that ar without; that he may be the fitter and better able to do good, as wel on thoſe without, by converting and bringing them in, as on thoſe within, by confirming and building them up, having a good repute with, and being wel thought of by either: To which purpoſe he adds, foreign, That he may not fall under Ibid.reproach, and into the ſnare of the calumniater or ſlanderer; as the ſame term would be alſo rendred in the ſame Chapter in thoſe words, Not a novice, foreign, leſt being puffed up, he fal under the cenſure of the calumniater; Ibid. V. 6. Epheſ. 4 27.Eph 4:27as alſo in thoſe words elſwhere, foreign, nor give place to the calumniater, back-biter, or talebearer: Such as ar wont by falſ reports, as with fewel, to Prov 26. 10, 12.Prov 26:10Prov 26:12foment and ſeed the fire of anger and ill wil, where they find it alreadie kindled; as alſo ar perſons ſo affected no leſs prone, lying in wait to that purpoſe, to take occaſion by anie flying, tho never ſo falſ report to traduce Gods Miniſters, and blaſt their credit, all they can. And as all Chriſtian people therefore, ſo Chriſtian Miniſters much more, ought to be verie charie and tender of their reputation: As the Apoſtle Paul apparentlie ſheweth himſelf to have been, when he takes ſo much pains, and ſpends ſo manie almoſt whole Chapters, in the Vindication of it, againſt thoſe falſ brethren, and counterfeit Apoſtles, who had at 1 Cor. 9. 2 Cor. 10 & 11 & 12 & 13.1 Cor 92 Cor 10Corinth endeavored to wrong him therein. And I ſuppoſe ſome neceſſitie lies upon me at preſent alſo to do.

For howſoever Lilies words ar, as we uſe to ſay, no ſlander; he is ſo wel known to be a moſt notorious lier, and one that regards p. 11not what he ſaith; and it is a received rule in the Civil Law, Mendax ſemel, mendax ſemper praeſumitur. He that hath been once taken in a lie, and much more, one that hath been oft taken (as he hath been) in falſ tales not a few, is never after to be credited. And again, A bad mans reproach is no diſpraiſe. The commendation of ſuch, is ſometime rather deemed a kind of diſpraiſe, making the partie whom ſuch commend, ſuſpected to be like thoſe by whom he is commended. And Seneca therefore, Non eſt infamia infamari ab infamibus. It is no infamie Sen epiſt. …2.for a man to be defamed, by thoſe that are infamous themſelves; And therefore, ſaith he, as it is meer fondneſs for a man, Laetari, Ibid.qod ab eis laudatur, qos non po…eſt ipſe laudare, to rejoyce when he is commended of thoſe, …hom himſelf cannot commend. So is it meer madneſs for a man, Vereri ne ab infamibus infametur, Id. epiſt. 91.to fear being traduced and defamed, by thoſe that are infamous themſelvs, and he wel knows to be ſuch. Yet becauſe, as Medius, one of Great Alexanders baſe Paraſites, and among his Sycophants, a cheif Maſter, is reported to have delivered this leſſon to his Schollers, foreign Plut. de adult.That they ſhould boldlie and confidentlie, touch or twich, and ſnap or bite men with calumnies or ſlanders, not regarding how untru, how unlikelie they were; for, ſaid he, foreign; that is, as Seneca De irá. l. 3. c. 6.renders it, Cum vul… ſanatum eſt, manebit cicatrix. Tho the partie bitten, lick the wound never ſo whole again, yet ſome ſcar wil remain upon the place that was hurt. And the Poet therefore, when he had ſaid,

Conſcia mens recti vulgi mendacia ridet.Naſo Faſt. l. 4.

A good conſcience ſets light by, and laughs at folks lying reports. Subjoyns yet withal,

Sed nos in vitium (and ſo, in vituperium) credula turba ſumus. People ar commonlie over-credulous, too prone to entertain evil reports, and to conceiv evil ſurmiſes; too manie men ar naturallie of a ſuſpitious diſpoſition; and as the Mimik hath it,

Seqiorem in partem ſtrenua eſt ſuspicio.P. Syrus.

Suſpition is wont to warp and bend more ſtronglie to the worſt ſide. Whence that ſaying ſo freqent in moſt mens mouths, There is ſeldom anie ſmoak, but where there is ſome fire; and p. 12yet in truth, there is ſmoak oft, yea, and much ſmoak, ſuch as the by word relateth to, even a great ſmother of foggie fumes, raiſed by ſlanderous tongues, where no ſmal ſpark of fire, or ember of truth at all is to be found.

The premiſes ſeriouſly conſidered, and all things wel weighed, after much debate to and fro within my ſelf, at length I reſolved to follow the precedent of that thrice noble and renowned Emperor; the more noble and renowned and worthie of imitation, becauſe ſo Philoſophical, and tho no Chriſtian, yet Chriſtian-like in moralities, as wel for practiſe as precept; and by ſome few lines at leaſt, to cleer my ſelf from thoſe ſoul, but falſ aſperſions, wherewith this Sycophants calumniating pen hath endeavored to ſtain my good name; the rather, for that my courſes and carriages, having lived in an obſcure corner, may in that regard be leſs known abroad; and my former works and writings, whereby ſome things objected here ar to be cleered, being now either wholie out of print, or not eaſilie procured, may not be obvious or read…e at hand for others, to make uſe of in the trial of the preſent debate.

The ſlanderous charges then of this Sycophant are principallie two. The former of them is thus delivered by him.

Mr. Gataker formerlie a ſtiff Prelate, preaching impudentlie for the Liberties or Sports of the Sabbath, viz. Cards, Dice, &c. Afterward in hope of Biſhops, Deans, or Chapter-Lands, a pretended Presbyterian; ſince its decay, the poor m…n is mute, &c. For what followeth wil be beſt fitted to his after-charge.

Principiis omen ineſſe ſolet. Beginnings ar deemed ominous. Ad limen offendere, or, In portu impingere. For a man to trip at the threſhold, when he is going abroad, and a ſhip to ſtrike on the bar, or run on ground, when it is ſetting out to ſea, have been by old ſaid Saws, pronounced to be but bad ſigns, and to bode little good. This charge therefore appeering with an apparent lie in the foretop, gives no good preſage of that, that enſueth: For when or where was Mr. G. ever a Prelate, can Lilie tell, think we? or any man elſ? and how could he be a ſtiff Prelate, that never was anie? This is therefore a manifeſt, and conſpicuous falſhood to begin with; and as the Greek Tragoedian ſometime ſaid.

p. 13foreign.Eurip. Ae…l.

That which goeth for a ruled Caſe in the Civil Law, Malum principium malus finis ſeqitur. A bad beginning is wont to bring forth a bad end. And the like is entred as an Axiome in Pett. Fons R…g▪ Jur. Leo Imp. ad Maurit. Ep. apud Grat. Cauſ. 1. Q…. 1.the bodie of the Canon Law, Principio q… ſunt inchoata malo, vix est ut bono peragantur exitu. Thoſe things that are ill begun ſcarce ever end wel. According to that,

Rarus principii eſt exitus bonus mali.

A bad beginning ſeldom comes to a good end. Where yet the Gloſs upon the place goes further then the Text, and ſaith, Vix. Jo. Sam. Gloſ. ib.i. Nunqam. Scarce ever, that is, Never. And the great Philoſopher to the ſame purpoſe ſticks not to ſay, foreign Ariſ… …. E…hic. l. 5 c. 1.foreign. It is impoſſible; but that that which is faultie at the first, ſhould prove il at the laſt. And that ancient Father, and ſtout Champion of Chriſt, Athanaſius, ſeconding Ariſtotle herein, yea, going further yet then he, foreign Anton. Meliſ. l. 1. c. 16.foreign. That that hath a bad beginning, can never be deemed ſound in ought, as being all ſtark naught. And Seneca therefore, from Bio an ancient Greek of great note, thus determines the point, Let everie man ſet it down for a poſition, S…. de tr…qil. c. 15.and know it to be an undoubted truth, which Bio ſometime ſaid, Omnia hominum negotia ſimilia init iis eſſe; That all mens affairs wil prove good or bad, according as their beginnings are. And yet more expreſlie and particularlie to our preſent purpoſe, I ſidore the Egyptian, one of Chryſoſtoms cheif Iſid. Pel. l. 2. epiſt. 229.Scholars, foreign. He that in the beginning ſwarveth from the truth, wil in his proceedings roll further away from it, and end at laſt with ſome foul and ſhameful cataſtrophe or other. Lilie therefore beginning his charge thus with a notorious lie, foretelleth thoſe that read him by what they find in the front or forehead of it, how little truth they may look for in the reſidu of his enſuing relation, and that as it begins, ſo the progreſs of it ſhal be, and the cloſe anſwerable to either.

But Mr. G. ſaith he, formerly a ſtiff Prelate. I might demand of him, if Mr. G. were ever a Prelate, ſtiff or ſlack, how or when was he depoſed, or by what means came he to be beref… p. 14of his Prelacy? for now ſure, it is wel known, he is none: But to let that paſs. When he was ſuch an one, what then did he? Why, When he was ſuch a Prelate, he then impudentlie preached for the libertie. of Sabbath ſports. Verie tru indeed, if you take it in ſenſu compoſito, it is a moſt certain and undeniable truth; when he was the one, he did the other. But take it in ſenſu diviſo, as he intends here and doth, that I was once a Prelate, and that I did ſometime ſo preach; and the one is as tru as the other, either of them a moſt ſhameful, or ſhameleſs lie rather, both as falſ as God is tru But, as he ſometime ſaid, Qi ſemel verecundia fines tranſierit, eum ben… & gnaviter impudentem Cicer. ad Luceium.eſſe oportet. When a man hath once gone beyond the bounds of truth and modeſtie, it ſtands him upon then to break further out, to grow impudent to the purpoſe, and to lie beyond meaſure.

For what proof can he produce of Mr. G. ſo preaching, or who ever heard him preach for Libertie of Sports on the Lords day? or, for Libertie to profane the Lords day, in one kind or other? Nor let anie take exception, as ſome have done, that I ſtyle it the Lords day, rather then the Sabbath. I remember a Speech of Dr. Oldiſworth, my worthie Friend, living then in mine Honorable Patron the Lord Hobarts houſe, (as eager an urger of the ſtrict obſervance of that day as the moſt) upon occaſion of diſcourſ of ſome debate then about it. The day, ſaid he, hath three Names in common uſe given it, the Sunday, the Sabbath day, the Lords day. The firſt an Heatheniſh name, the ſecond a Jewiſh, the third a Chriſtian; and why ſhould not, ſaid …e, this laſt be preferred before either of the former. And the firſt indeed is a name that came at firſt from the Heathen, yet is it found uſed by Juſtine Martyr in his Apologie to the Roman Emperor, in behalf of the Chriſtians, mentioning it as the day of foreigntheir meeting; no… dare I utterlie condemn the uſe of it: The Sunday for the name of a day, the firſt day of the week, as it is termed Acts 20. 7. anie more then Bethſhemeſh (tho from an idolatrous or ſuperſtitious at leaſt, original) the Suns houſe or place, for the name of a Citie, 1 Sam. 6. 12, 13. The ſecond may be termed Jewiſh, becauſe a term peculiar to them in times paſt, but common to us now with them, tho differing in the day, and ſuppoſed by ſome to be by the Evangeliſt, Matth, 24. 20. uſed of p. 15our day; which tho it ſeem not ſo probable, yet may qeſtionleſs not unfitlie be uſed of it, ſeeing it is, and ought to be a day of holie reſt unto us, as was their Sabbath then to them, Iſa. 58. 13. The third and laſt, is the name peculiar to Christians, not common either to Heathen or Jews with them; that which the Lords beloved Diſciple gives it, the Lords Day, Revel. 1. 10. foreign, the Lords day, fanctified and ſet apart for the Lords ſervice, as foreign, the Lords Table, 1 Cor. 10. 21. and foreign, the Lords Supper, conſecrated and ſet apart for the memorial of Chriſt, and by his Inſtitution; which to me therefore, ſeems the fitteſt term for it. But cal the day by which, or whether term of them you pleaſe, I have, whereſoever I exerciſed my Miniſterie, as occaſion was offered, been a conſtant pleader for, and inſ…ant preſſer of the du obſervation of the day; as that which I ever eſteemed to be a main pillar and ſupport of the practiſe, yea, a principal means both of the maintenance and advancement of the power of Pietie, among Gods people.

It is a Rule preſcribed by ſome of the great Maſters of Phyſick, Medicus m…rbos obſervet epidemios, That a Phyſitian ſhoul▪ obſerv what diſeaſes ar rifeſt in the t…mes or places he lives in, and applie his ſtudies and courſes princ pallie to the cure of them. And according to that direction, appliable to our Function, conſidering the freqencie of abuſes among people in miſpending a great part of that day in moſt places where I came, I did the rather uſuallie bend my ſelf in my teaching, to diſſwade and deter thoſe that I ſpake to, from thoſe abuſive courſes, whereby I perceived the day, or any part of it, to be commonlie profaned by them.

To this purpoſe, before I came to Lincolns Inn, while I lodged in the Houſe of that Religious Knight, my worthy Friend and Kinſman, Sir William Cook, neer to Charing-Croſs, being reqeſted to Preach now and then at Martins in the Fields, and having taken notice how the Gentrie, manie of them thereabout ſpent much of the Lords day in Complemental Viſitations, I took occaſion one day, out of Iſa. 58. 13. to handle the Doctrine of the Sabbath or Lords day; and among other things endeavored to ſhew, That it was not to be ſpent in ſuch Civil Complements, but in Religious Imployments. And this I remember the rather by a p. 16good token, which it wil not be amiſs to relate. It fel out the Lords day, next enſuing,, that an ancient Gentlewoman, one of that Congregation, being returned home from the Afternoon Exerciſe, while ſhe ſat in an upper Room, ripping off ſome Lace from an old Garment, which ſhe intended to make uſe of otherwiſe, heard a Coach to make ſtay on the other ſide of the ſtreet, and looking out at the Window to ſee whoſe it was, when ſhe eſpied a Ladie her Neece, whom it ſtaid for, entring it, to go abroad in it for ſuch purpoſe. Oh, qoth ſhe, to her waiting Maid, then attending upon her, did not my Neece N. hear Mr. G. the laſt Lords day, and is ſhe now going out to viſit again. Whereupon one of that Familie afterward occaſionallie meeting me, thus merrilie ſaluted me, Sir, when you Preach next of the Sabbath, be pleaſed to tel our Gentlewomen, that they muſt not …it ripping Gold-lace off their old Peticoats upon the Lords day; and withal told me the ſtorie. But for which, I ſhould not in likelihood have called to mind again that Sermon being preached ſo long ſince.

At my coming to Lincolns Inn, there was on the Lords day one Lecture onelie at ſeven in the morning, nor had there been anie other before. There being ſetled ſome ſpace of time, when I obſerved that divers of the great practiſers ſpent a great, if not the greateſt part of the day, the Afternoon eſpeciallie, in entertaining of their Clients, I took occaſion in my teaching, to ſtep a little aſide out of the road I was then in, to ſpeak ſomewhat of that ſubject, endeavoring to ſhew them, That it was as lawful for the Husbandman to hedg and ditch, or to folow his Tillage on that day, as for the Lawyer to employ it in conſulting with, and attending his Clients. And I preſſed the point ſo far, that through the good hand of God, going along with it, and carrying home his own Ordinance to the hearts of the hearers; it made ſo deep an impreſſion upon them, that upon a motion made by ſome of the cheif ones at the next meeting after it, a conſultation was had, what courſ might be taken for the future prevention of ſo common and irregular a practiſe: And after advice therein taken with me, it was by common conſent, agreed on, That the Morning Lecture on the Lords day, ſhould be drawn down to the uſual hour in other places, and the Wedneſday Lecture transferred to the Afternoon of the Lords day. Which, howſoever it were a matter of p. 17much more labor to my ſelf to ſpeak twice in one day (which, as I am informed, in the French and Dutch Congregations is ſeldom or never done; and ſome of my Succeſſors have complained of, and blamed me, for giving way thereunto) and by means thereof I was abbridged of that libertie of hearing others abroad, which I had formerlie enjoyed; yet for the atcheiving of my main ay… herein, of gaining a more du and diligent obſervance of the day, I right willinglie diſpenſed with mine own eaſe and advantages, and condeſcended thereunto. And this was the ground of the alteration of the Lectures in that Houſe; which, I ſuppoſe, in that manner, in which, upon this occaſion they were then ſetled, continu ſtil to this day.

During mine abode at Lincolns Inn, the time approaching for my taking the degree of Batchelor in Divinitie, I procured a courſ at St. Maries in Cambridge, for mine Engliſh Sermon; the firſt and laſt that I ever preached there, having never had the boldneſs before to appear in that place. This fel out to be the verie next day after Qeen Elizabeths deceaſe; which being not known yet at Cambridge, the Qeen, as ſtil ſurviving, was at the Forenoon Sermon ſolemnlie prayed for by him that preached that day at Kings Colledge: But about Noon the report came down of the Qeen departed this life, and King James proclaimed, which cauſed an exceeding great concourſ of people at the Afternoon Sermon, though it were no Lords day: When by advice of the Vice-Chancelor, in regard that no publick notice of it was as yet ſent down, I conceived my Petition for the King, in a kind of circumlocution, For the preſent Supream Governor, without expreſſion of his name: At that branch of my Prayer, the tears trickling down my Cheeks, and ſcarce any one drie eie in the whole Aſſemblie, as I was afterward informed. This Sermon then had on 1 Tim. 6. 6. at the reqeſt of ſome Friends, who had ſeen ſome Copies of it, was manie yeers after publiſhed under this Title, The Gain of Godlineſs; wherein is extant the enſuing paſſage concerning the Lords day, p. 36-38.

For worldlie wealth, men can toil and moil all the week long, and yet ar they not wearie, they think not the whole week long neither; but for the heavenlie gain, for the ſpiritual thrift, we have but one day of ſeven, and we think that to much too; we think the day all to long, the labor all loſt, and the whole p. 10time caſt away, that we imploy and ſpend to this purpoſe: We ſay as the profane Jews ſometime ſaid, When wil…he New Moon Amos 8. 5.Amos 8:5be paſt, and the Sabbath once over, that we may return again to our worldlie affairs? Yea, manie among us have not the patience to tarry ſo long, but ſpend a great part of the Sabbath, that is Gods Market, or Market-day, for the getting of this ſpiritual Gain, either about their worldlie affairs, or their bodilie delights.

The Sabbath day, I ſay, is Gods Market-day; and thoſe that ſeek to take away the Sabbath, attempt to put down Gods Markets, and ſo do the Devil good ſervice, whatſoever their intent be. As freqenting of Markets makes a rich man, ſo keeping of Sabbaths makes a rich Chriſtian; and as we count him a bad Husband, that foloweth game on the Market-day, ſo may we as wel count him a ſpiritual unthrift, that ſpends the Sabbath in that ſort.

But may ſome ſay, When we have been at Church, and heard the Sermon and Service, is not Gods Market-day then done?

I anſwer, If the Sabbath be a day, then it is not ſo ſoon done; Gods Market laſteth all day long. Yea, grant the principal, becauſe the publick of it be paſt; yet, as Market-falks returning from Market, wil be talking of their Markets as they go by the way; and be caſting up of their penny-worths, when they come home; reckon what they have taken, and what they have laid out, and how much they have gotten. So ſhould we, after we have heard the Word publickly, confer privatelie of it with others, at leaſt meditate on it by our ſelvs; and be ſure to take an account of our ſelvs, how we have profited that day, by the Word that hath been ſpoken unto us, and by other Religious Exerciſes that have been uſed of us. And us the Marketman counteth that but an evil Market-day, that he hath not gained ſomewhat on, more or leſs; ſo may we wel account it an evil Sabbath to us, whereon we have not profited ſomewhat; whereon we have not either increaſed our knowledge, or been bettered in affection; whereon we have not been further either informed in judgement, or reformed in practiſe; whereon we have added no whit at all to our Talent. Thus then and there.

p. 19After my leaving of Lineol…s Inn, being reqeſted by my Right Honorable Lord, the Lord Hobart, to beſtow a Sermon on them one Lords day at Serjeants Inn in Fleetſtreet, before the Judges and Serjeants at Law of that Houſe: I preached unto them on Pſal. 82. 6, 7. That which came forth in Print ſhortlie after, about the ſame time with the former, under the Title of Gods Parley with Princes. In it pag. 12-14. theſe words may be ſeen and read;

Here let me more particularlie, as from God, and in Gods Name, entreat you, to have a ſpecial regard of obſerving Gods Sabbaths. You that are to ſee them obſerved by others, ought you not much more to obſerv them your ſelvs? Your cariage is a kind of cenſure; that all men fix their eyes upon; that moſt men ſhape their courſes by. If others then ſhal ſee you riding in your Circuits on the Sabbath, wil they not think within themſelvs? And why may not I ride as wel on the Sabbath to a Fair, as the Judg may to the place of Aſſize? If they ſhal be warned to appear before you for ſome hearing, by themſelvs, or by their Counſel upon the Sabbath, wil they not be readie to argu from the works of your calling, to the works of their own? And why may not I as wel be about my work, as they about theirs? And in truth (to ſpeak plainlie as the thing is) why may not a Smith as wel work at the Forge, or an Husband man at the Plough, as a Judge ſit to hear Civil Cauſes on the Sabbath? The one hindereth the Sanctification of it, as wel as the other.

And if it be alledged, That the one is (as before was proved indeed) more ſpeciallie Gods work. So were the repairing of a Church, which yet the Maſon or Plummer may not work about on the Sabbath; no more then Beſaleel or Aholiab might Exod. 31. 2, 6, 11, 13, 15.Exod 31:2Exod 31:6Exod 31:11Exod 31:13Exod 31:15about the work of the Tabernacle; for the furtherance whereof, God would not admit, or give way to the leaſt violating of his Sabbath. Thus alſo there.

Yea, but Mr. G. tho he pleaded ſo hard for reſtraint of work on the Lords day, yet he preached as earneſtlie for play, and in particular, if Lilie may be believed, for Carding and Dicing upon the Lords day. For ſo run the words of his charge here, Preaching impudentlie for the Liberties or Sports of the Sabbath, Cards, and Dice, &c.

Which parcel of his Charge being of the ſame ſtamp with the p. 20reſt, is not unlike ſome ſhort skirt of a beggers coat, made up of a few ſory ſnips and ſhreds, unhandſomlie ſtitcht up and il-favoredlie patcht together; having reference, in part to King James his Book of Libertie for Disports on Sundays and Holidays, and in part to my Treatiſe of the Nature and Uſe of Lots; but ſo blended together and entermingled the one with the other, that they make a meer medley.

For, as for the former, King James indeed in the year 1618. the Sixteenth of His Reign, publ ſhed a Declaration, wherein he gave Libertie, for ſome Disports that might be uſed on the Sabbath or the Lords day. But what ones were they, that therein he gave way to? Cards and dice? &c. No: There is not one word or title at all concerning them in the whole Book; but they are expreſly therein named theſe, Dancings men or women, May-games, Whit ſun-Ales, Morrice-dances, Ruſh-bearings, ſetting up of May-poles, and other ſports therewith uſed. Theſe ar the Disports by name there deſigned, wherewith leav is given and autoritie to ſolemnize and celebrate the Lords day. An Act il-beſeeming ſo prudent and underſtanding a Prince. And ſuch, it may ſeem, as afterward himſelf was aſhamed of, and unwilling to own: For I have heard it reported, that when a Copy of his Works gathered together, newlie printed, and richlie made up, was preſented unto him, before anie of them ſhould go abroad, having upon the opening of it, lighted upon this peice, not without expreſſion of much indignation he tore it out with his own hands, and gave ſtrict charge to have it done out of the whole impreſſion, where now none of it appears. Which if it were tru, (for I dare not confidentlie avow it, having it onelie by hear-ſay) the greater and more grievous was the ſin and ſhame of thoſe great Prelates; who whither to pleaſe the King and Court, or to croſs, vex, curb, and enſnare the Conſcientious Miniſters; not then onelie approved the practiſe, but long after renewed afreſh the memorie of it, and preſſed his Son King Charls to revive it again, and to enjoyn the publiſhing of it by the Miniſters of the Word in their ſeveral places, upon pain of ſuſpenſion; which not a few of them ſuſtained for the refuſal thereof.

Now in defence of this Declaration, and in juſtification of ſuch Sports uſed on the Sabbath, whereas this Lier affirms, that I preached, it is a moſt notorious untruth; for neither did I p. 21ever ſpeak, write, or preach word in defence or allowance thereof, or of anie ſuch Sports uſed on that day; neither was that Declaration ever publiſhed firſt or laſt, either by my ſelf, or anie aſſiſtant of mine: Yea, that I did in writing directlie oppoſe, and expreſly condemn it, may appear plainlie by what was before related, tho preached indeed before that Declaration came out, yet printed at firſt two yeer after it, Anno 1620. and reprinted without alteration of ought, in the yeer 1637.

But paſs we on to the other Book here related to, my Treatiſe of the Nature and Uſe of Lots, which is girded at in the terms of Cards and Dice, ſhuffled in under the diſguiſe of Sabbath Sports, there by to wind and ſcrew in my Treatiſe within the verg and compaſs of the ſubject matter with allowance, admitted in that other deſervedlie abhorred Book. Tru it is, I acknowledge it, and am not at all aſhamed to own it, that I publiſhed ſometime a large Treatiſe of the Nature and Uſe of Lots, having in the Pulpit before, more briefly delivered ſomewhat of that ſubject; and I publiſhed it the rather, being by divers of my Reverend Brethren, unto whom I had imparted the ſum of what I had delivered, encited ſo to do: To refel the miſreports that ſome other, from whom, in ſome particulars I diſſented, had raiſed concerning the Doctrine therein taught by me. In this Diſcourſ I make it evidentlie to appear, that a Lot in the genuine nature and ordinarie uſe of it, (and with extraordinarie, without ſpecial commiſſion and injunction, we have nothing to do) is no ſacred matter, nor divine Oracle; and may therefore be uſed indifferentlie, as wel in light and ludicrous, as in more ſerious and weightie affairs: And that in regard hereof, Diviſorie and Luſorie Lots, ar lawful and warrantable; Conſultorie and Divinatorie, unlawful and damnable: And that it is therefore as wel a ſuperſtitious conceit on the one hand, to condemn anie game in regard of a Lot uſed in it; as it is on the other hand, a ſuperſtitious and irreligious practiſe, to make uſe of a Lot, for the diſcoverie of Gods wil and purpoſe, either what he would have done by us, or determineth himſelf to do. And in this judgment I ſtil reſt, having, as occaſion hath been, ſufficientlie and fullie (as I conceiv) refelled and anſwered the Arguments and Objections of all, who have either publiſhed ought herein againſt me, that ever came to my hands, or by writing delt in private with me: So as that I have p. 22not received anie further Replie from anie one of them; yea, I have ſo far forth convinced ſome of the greateſt and moſt eminent among them, that they have been enforced to relinqiſh, and have refuſed to own, that ground, which together with the moſt of the other partie, they had formerlie with much confidence built on; to wit, That in everie caſualtie there is a ſpecial and immediate providence: (Seeing the palpable abſurditie thereof plainlie diſcovered) but in room thereof have endeavored to introduce another new conceit, no leſs abſurd then the former; as may be ſeen in the Second Edition of that concerning Lots in Engliſh, Chap. 4. pag. 52-59. and in mine Antitheſis to Dr. Ames his Theſes in Latine. Nor do I anie further juſtifie anie Game, Sport, or Paſtime, depending either in part, or in whole upon caſualtie, (of which kind Cards and Dice indeed ar) if they be anie way abuſed, or found otherwiſe faultie; ſave onelie, that they ar not therefore evil, or to be condemned, becauſe there is a Lot in them.

Yea but, tho I did not preach for Morrice dances and May-games, yet I did impudentlie Preach for Carding and Dicing, on the Lords day. For ſo much do this calumniaters words import, That I preached impudentlie for Sabbath ſports, as Cards and Dice, &c. So by his Et Caetera, indeed ſhewing himſelf not unwilling to have thoſe other alſo underſtood.

I need ſay no more here, but ſit liber judex, Let my Book decide it; that my Treatiſe of Lots, I mean, wherein that may be found, which I ſhal here thence tranſcribe, directlie oppoſite to either, Chap. 9. where I give Cautions for Game in general. Sect. 4. p. 293. & 295.

Pag. 293. Recreations are to be uſed as ſoberlie, ſo ſeaſonablie. Recreation is good, when it is ſeaſonable, when it comes in his du time; elſ, as it is with fiſh and fowl, when they come out of ſeaſon, that is evil, that is good otherwiſe. Now then do men uſe Game and Recreation unſeaſonablie, when they ſhould and ought to be otherwiſe employed, either in the works of their ſpecial Callings, or about the holy things of God, (to wit, as it foloweth more particularlie and fullie, Pag. 295.) when they ſhould be tending the holie things of God, either in publick or in private. And thus, it is a ſin to follow game on the Sabbath, as the Jews uſed to do, and do p. 23yet to this day; and as the Popiſh ſort ar noted ordinarilie to ſolemnize their Feſtivals. For this is not to ſanctifie or conſecrate the Sabbath as holie to the Lord. The Sabbath indeed is a day of reſt, but of holie reſt; of rest not to worldlie recreations, but to heavenlie meditations; of rest to religious and ſpiritual employments. It is ſacriledge therefore to folow game on the Sabbath; at ſuch time as we …ould be plying the ſervice and worſhip of God; it is time ſtoln from God, that we ſpend ſo on our ſports: Which it were leſs ſin therefore for us to ſpend on ſome ſerious affairs, according to that which one of the Ancients wel ſaith, Melius eſt Die Sabbati arare qam ſaltare. Aug. in Pſal. 91. & 32.Ps 91Melius totâ die foderent, qam totâ die luderent. It were better for a man in ſuch manner on the Sabbath, to plough then to play; and to dig and delv, then to dance all day. For the lighter the occaſion of ſinning is, where all other things are eq…l, the greater the ſin is. Where I cite alſo among others, in the Margin, the words of Robert Groſthed, ancientlie Biſhop of Lincoln, on the Decalog, Dies t… à Chriſtiano expendi debet in operibus ſanctis. The whole Lords day Chriſtian people ought to ſpend in holie employments. And this, as it was at firſt, both preached Anno 1618. and printed Anno 1619. which was not long after that Book of Libertie, or Licentiouſneſs rather, came abroad; ſo it was in the yeer 1627. reprinted in a ſecond Edition, with Addition and Emendation of ſome things, but without anie Retractation, Subtraction, Qalification, or Alteration of ought in this point. And let this therefore remain, as an impudent calumnie of a ſhameleſs Sycophant, upon record, That Mr. G. Preached impudentlie for Libertie of Sabbath Sports.

But this, ſaith he, Mr. G. did formerlie, when he was a Prelate. Of ſome Province, it may be in Sir Thomas Mores Ʋtopia; where Mr. L. in a trance be-like, being there one of his Auditors, heard him preach thus. But afterwards (to wit, ſince he either left or loſt his Prelates place) in hope of Biſhops, Deans, or Chapters Lands, he became a pretended Presbyterian.

He would, at leaſt, have men believ▪ that I was ſometime Prelatical; but have of late turned my coat or my copie, and gaping after ſome fat gobbets of the Biſhops or Deans Lands, pretended p. 24to be a Presbyterian. A calumnie as falſ as its Father is, or as his former Brat hath been convinced to be: And ſuch as he ſhall never be able to make good, tho his Maſter, that ſets him on work, joyn with him in it.

For my judgment concerning Church-Government, it is the ſame ſtil that ever it was, ſince I firſt began to enqire into matters of that nature. A dulie bounded and wel regulated Prelacie joined with a Presbyterie, wherein one as Preſident, Superintendent or Moderator (term him what you pleaſe,) whether annual or occaſional, or more conſtant and continual, either in regard of yeers, or parts, or both joyntlie, hath ſome preeminence above the reſt, yet ſo, as that he doth nothing without joint conſent of the reſt, (a module or patern, whereof I am enformed to have been ſometime repreſented unto the late King, by two worthy perſons, men of eminent parts, and moderate mindes, the one a Prelate, the other in ſome kind Prelatical, which had it been accepted and eſtabliſhed, how advantagious it might have proved, it is not for me to define; but as is reported, was then diſallowed and rejected by ſome great Prelates, and others, by whom the King was moſt ſwayed.) Such a manner of Prelacie, I ſay, I never durſt, nor yet dare condemn. But ſuch a Prelatical power, as was here conſtituted and exerciſed among us, wherein Biſhops and Arch-deacons were enabled and ordinarilie uſed by their Chancellors, Officials, and Surrogates, moſtlie meer Civilians, aſſuming to them anie ſorie felow in Orders to fit by, as a cipher or a ſhadow, to paſs the higheſt and heavieſt of all Church-Cenſures, beſides Civil Penalties in their Purſes, on the Perſons both of Paſtors and People, and for trifles and trivial things, meer matters of Ceremonie, oft-times ſilence, ſuſpend, and deprive, while ſcandalous, idle, or inſufficient ones, were little regarded or looked after; Viſitations being by either uſuallie held once onelie in a yeer, and then rather of Courſ and Cuſtom, or to receiv Procurations, then to anie effectual Reformation of ought. Such a Prelatical power ſo conſtituted, and ſo executed, I never could effect or approv; and trulie much leſs, when I came to ſee the manner of it, which I had heard too much of before, when living ſo long in a Pastoral Charge, I never in all my time ſaw the face of a Biſhop perſonallie preſent in Court, or Arch-deacon but once, (tho both conſtantlie exacting Fees of us.) And p. 25obſerved, how things were ſhuffled up, when Preſentments were made, and in that manner managed; without anie courſ taken to bring anie Delinqent, to a ſerious ſight of, or ſincere ſorow for his ſin; that their Viſitations might wel be deemed to be held, as one ancientlie complained, Non tam morum, qam nummorum gratiâ; Rather to emptie mens Purſes, then to mend their manners.

And my judgment thus formed, I accordinglie paſſed my vote, and gave my conſent with others, for the removal of that Bodie of Government, that was then eſtabliſhed with us. Yet (which I then alſo did not forbear to profeſs, as wel in deliverie of mine own ſenſe, as in endeavor to give ſatisfaction to others, ſeeking to me for advice,) withal conceiving, That howſoever ſuch a Syſtem or Fabrick, as was then repreſented, were juſtlie and deſervedlie deemed not unmeet to be diſſolved and demoliſhed; yet if anie peice of timber or ſtone-work were found ſound and uſeful in that frame, it might ſtil be retained, notwithſtanding ought, condeſcended unto and agreed upon in that Article.

On the other ſide, I could not but affect and approv of that Form of Diſcipline ſetled in the Reformed French and Dutch Churches, wherein the main courſ of Government is ordinarilie exerciſed, caried on by a conſtant attendance of the Miniſters in their ſeveral Congregations, having for inſpection of mens cariages, ſome of the diſcreeteſt and moſt underſtanding among their people, in way of aſſiſtance, adjoyned unto them; which might wel be a ſpecial means, both to eaſe the Miniſter of much labor and diſtraction, and to further the Reformation of things among the people amiſs. Matters more weightie, that reqire further advice, being referred unto, and tranſacted by the joint concurrence of the ſame perſons of both ſorts before mentioned, either at ſet-times or occaſionallie convening to that purpoſe. Herein I was the rather confirmed by the ſucceſsful fruits and effects that this Form of Government is reported to have produced, for the advancement of pietie and repreſſing of diſorders in ſome places, where it hath been eſtabliſhed, even by the confeſſion and acknowledgement of ſome Papiſts themſelvs, who (as I have formerly elſewhere ſhewed) have given Teſtimonie thereunto. See Vindicat. p. 17, 18.Tho it cannot be expected that anie Churches ſhould enjoy ſuch a flouriſhing eſtate, in regard of outward accommodations p. 26and ſecular endowments, where the Civil Powers do rather d…ſtaſt and diſ-favor, then affect the Profeſſion. And this way therefore I gave my Vote in the Aſſemblie, as divers other, if not the greater part, did; not as deeming it abſolutelie neceſſarie, but as agreeable to Gods Word, and ſuch as I conceived might be moſt advantagious for the carrying on of Gods work, with hopeful expectation of a ſucceſsful iſſu, had that Form of Government, as it was from the Aſſemblie to both Houſes propounded, been ſoundly eſtabliſhed, and backed by their Autoritie, who had begun to erect it.

My deportment therefore and cariage herein, did no way ſwar… or warp from my former judgment; which both in times paſt I held, and do ſtil retain, as wel concerning Prelacie, as concerning Presbyterie, even the ſame that at preſent I here ingenuouſlie and freelie profeſs. In regard whereof alſo in thoſe fore-paſſed troubleſom times under the Prelates, I maintained a good correſpondence, and ſome inward familiaritie with the moderater ſort on either ſide; as wel with ſome few of the Prelatical partie, who tho ſtiff for the Ceremonies legallie eſtabliſhed, yet miſliked thoſe innovations that in the latter times began to creep in; nor did approv the cariage of buſineſſes with that rigor and extremitie againſt ſuch as refuſed conformitie, being pious and peaceable; as alſo with divers of thoſe, of the Presbyterian partie, that either openlie oppoſed, or were known to condemn as wel the Ceremonies as the Prelacie, as things altogether unlawful, and deemed the Presbyterie ſuch as before was deſcribed the onelie tru Government of Chriſt. Howbeit, by this means that befel me, which that noble Hiſtorian ſometime ſaid, foreign, Ʋtrin que caedi mos eſt in medio fitos: Thoſe that dwel in the middle, between two adverſe parties, ar wont to be beaten Thucydid.on both ſides; and that Gregorie that bears the name of the place where his Father was Biſhop, tho he never enjoyed the Biſhoprick it ſelf, a man of a modeſt and peaceable diſpoſition, tho as zealous and eager as anie againſt Hereticks, complains of the times …e lived in, that amidſt the vehement diſſentions and violent oppoſitions, with much eagernes upheld and purſued by either againſt others, even between and among thoſe, that were otherwiſe Orthodox, foreign, All that ar peaceable and keep in the mean, becauſe they run not out p. 27Greg. Naz. de pa…e orat 3.into the one or the other extremitie, ſuffer ill from either partie. So fared it then with me, by endeavoring to walk evenlie, ſo far, as with ſafetie of conſcience I could, between two extreams on either hand, it was my lot to incur il wil, and to ſuffer from the overeager on either ſide; from the one partie, becauſe I came not up whollie to them, and becauſe ſome of their people repaired to my teaching, while they either taught not at all, or verie ſeldom themſelvs, and ſubſtituted ſuch as taught ſo unprofitablie, that their people could receiv little benefit by them; which they therefore being vexed at, wrought underhand againſt me, and ſought to procure a reſtraint of my Miniſterie; wherein yet, through Gods goodneſs, their plots and deſigns were ſo fruſtrate, that ſave once, and that for a verie ſhort time onelie, they never took effect according to their as wel endeavors, as deſires; and again from ſome of the violenter ſort of the other partie, ſuch of them eſpecially as endeavored to work a Separation from our Aſſemblies, being deeplie taxed by them of unſoundneſs and inſinceritie, becauſe I complied not in all particulars, either for opinion or practiſe with them, nor did encite and animate others to do as they did. Mean while I have endeavored to ſhape my courſ, as near and as evenlie as I could, by the card of Gods truth diſcovered in his Word, and the compaſs of mine own Conſcience, from thence enformed and directed thereunto, without declining to anie bypath, either on the right hand, or on the left. In which tenor the Lord in mercy and goodneſs be pleaſed ſtil to keep me, and to lead me on to the laſt, which muſt needs be ere long.

But what was it, think we, ſaith this my Traducer, that from a profeſſed Prelate, induced me to turn a pretended Presbyterian? It was the hope forſooth, ſaith he, of ſome Biſhops or Deans Lands? And how doth that appear? Why? ſince its decay the poor man is mute.

I marvel much, when or where I was ever diſcovered, either formerlie, or of late, to gape after ſuch gobbets. The time was, when by occaſion of ſome employment about the Edition of a learned mans works of another Profeſſion, left by him to be firſt ſurveyed and perfected in part by me, and then publiſhed with the joynt advice of an ancient Doctor verie intimate with the Archbiſhop that then was, and living moſtlie in houſe with him, I had tender of preferment made me by the Doctor at firſt from p. 28him, and upon preſentment of the work by word of mouth, after ſeconded in the preſence of ſome great ones, if I would have been biting at ſuch baits; which I fairlie waived, conſidering what hooks might lie hid under ſuch profers, and how manie have been taken therewith to their prejudice in matters of greateſt concernment.

Nor, had I been greedie of anie ſuch fat collops, out of the Biſhops or Deans Lands, would I have refuſed one of the prime places in the Univerſitie, of which, further hereafter, wherein no ſuch ſnare was, when it was freelie offered me, being in yearlie revenue, I ſuppoſe, not below divers Deanries, if not above ſome meaner Biſhopricks.

But the proof ſubjoined, is wel worth the obſerving; tho he jabbers ſo, that one can hardlie tel from his words, what he would have. Since its decay, ſaith he. Whats decay, think we? the decay of the Presbyterie? or the decay of the Lands? or, what other decay is it? For we have need of ſome Oedipus, to aread us his riddles. But, ſince its decay, (be it what it wil be, or what ever he wil have it to be) the man, ſaith he, is become mute. His meaning is, it may be; (for we muſt go by gueſs, as the moſt and the beſt ar ſaid to do of his trade) that ſince thoſe Lands he looked after, and lived in hope of, ar gone another way, and ſo he ſees his hopes fruſtrate, the poor man (and yet not verie poor, if, as he affirms, he receivs ſtil from his Rectorie Two hundred pound a year) is grown mute. But ſure, if he had faln from the Prelatical to the Presbyterian partie, or pretended onelie ſo to do, in hope of getting ſome ſuch Lands thereby, one would think, he ſhould now again deſert that partie, when he perceivs that there is nothing to be gotten by adhering thereunto, yea, when he ſuſtains, as ſhal hereafter appear, no ſmal damage thereby, and be mute indeed, in forbearing to ſpeak or write ought in behalf of the Presbyterie, eſpeciallie now ſeeing, finding, and feeling it to be a courſ ſo diſadvantagious. But the man finds it to be otherwiſe, to his grief, it may be in part; for neither am I yet ſo mute, but that he hears on both ears from me, much more, I ſuppoſe, then he can wel indure to read, or is willing to hear; nor have I ſealed up my lips yet, from owning and pleading for the Presbyterian partie. For which cauſe alſo, belike he ſtiles me, as before a ſtiff Prelate, ſo now a ſtiff-necked, or (as p. 29one of his Vouchees is pleaſed to ſtile me) a ſtiff-hearted Presbyterian; R. Carpenter, Adve. t. p. 436.who, tho the Presbyterians be under a cloud with him, and with the State too, as he deems, yet perſiſts ſtil in defending of them againſt his calumnies; and is neither mute nor meal-mouthed with him, for his ſhameleſs, immodeſt, and malitious, dealing with them.

That his Vouchee, Auto…, or Advocate (cal him which you pleaſe, of whom before, and further hereafter) in a Pamphlet ful of ſcurrilitie, and not free from Poperie, telleth his Auditorie a Tale, or a Parable, as he terms it, That the Church of England in the non-age of this latter age, being with childe, brought R. Carpenter, S…rmon and no Sermon, &c. p. 176 178.forth her eldeſt ſon, the Biſhop; who grew apt to learn, and to make a good Scholar; and to him ſhe gave her Lands: Speedilie after ſhe brought to light another boy, the Prebend; and to him ſhe gave goodlie houſes annexed to Cathedral Churches, and fit penſions: She grew big again, and with more haſt then good ſpeed, brought into the world, a poor, weak, raſh, dul, ſimple boy, the poor Curate, accordinglie provided. For having alreadie given away Lands and Houſes, ſhe gave him freelie the Wallet behind the door. Then having for manie yeers laid down her humor of Child-bearing, at length the humor took her again, and ſhe conceived, bore with great pain, and brought forth in a fright, with much trouble and imminent danger of life, her laſt boy, to whom ſhe gave a moſt hard Greek name foreign. I wil not cal it Nomen abſoletum (obſoletum, it is like he meant) & velut rubigine infectum, a name grown out of uſe, and ruſtie, but confidenter dicam; I wil ſay with courage, (and he had need of ſome courage or confidence at leaſt, as his Latin ſounds rather, to utter ſo notorious an untruth) that it was never acknowledged before in the pretended ſenſe. His education was mean; for he was not brought up to much learning; yet experience and practiſe wrought him into a pert, but a moſt unhappie Knave, in the ſenſe of all Engliſh, new and old; one that could act a part notablie, and make faces and mouths, &c. This being his Mothers fourth and laſt child, and having before given her Lands to the firſt, her Houſes to the ſecond, her Wallet to the third; and having nothing left to bestow on him, ſhe left him to ſhift for himſelf.

p. 30I let paſs his ſcurrilitie for the preſent, related onelie here to preſent the Reader with a taſte beforehand, of what he ſhal further hear more in the cloſe; onelie this now. If it be as he ſaith, that the poor Presbyter is left ſo needie, nittie, bare, and worſ then beggerlie, without Houſe or Land, or ſo much as a Wallet to go a begging with, but is utterlie abandoned by his own parent, and left to the wide world to ſhift for himſelf; then ſure I, who was never yet (I praiſe God) acqainted with ſhifting; what himſelf hath been, I know not: Tho he report as trulie as ſome other things here, whereof that of the name Presbyter never acknowledged in the pretended ſenſe, til bred and brought forth here: And how do they then, himſelf among others, fetch the pedegree of it from Geneva? that I ſhould ſay, He came over hither, with never a pennie in his purſ. But if it be, I ſay, as he ſaith, I ſurelie muſt needs be either a ſtark fool, in pretending to Presbyterie, or a ſtiff and faſt friend to that partie, or the former rather, becauſe the latter, if preferment and lucre be the end of my pretenſion, in adhering ſtil ſo cloſe to it, and pleading ſo much for it, when it is in ſo low, bad, bare, baſe, dejected, and deſpicable condition, even below the Beggers Wallet.

And thus having diſpatcht this former ſcandalous charge, wherein the principal point charged upon me was Profaneneſs, I ſhall proceed on to his latter ſlanderous aſperſion, wherein the main matter objected againſt me, is Covetouſneſs.

That old covetous Churl, ſaith he, the Parſon, Rector, or rather Receiver of the Tithes, Profits, and all Appurtenances of Church duties at Redriff, near London, that is now mute and hath willinglie ſilenced himſelf from Preaching, receivs Two hundred pounds per annum, and yet Preacheth not for it.

The Noble Emperor before-mentioned, was more careful, as was above related, of clearing himſelf from the imputation of that moſt hateful vice of Covetouſneſs, then of anie other crime. And I ſhal accordinglie, treading in his ſteps, take ſomewhat the more pains herein; reqeſting my Readers patience and pardon, if I ſhal ſeem to detain him over-long, in relating ſomewhat more particularlie, and a little more largelie, tho not ſo neceſſarilie otherwiſe, both mine entrance into, continuance in, and receipts from, the places of my ſet led Miniſterie, from the firſt to the laſt; nor am I ſorrie, that by this ſhameleſs Sycophants palpable ſlanders, p. 31I have occaſion given me of rendring ſome account to the world, of divers paſſages in my Miniſterial employment, whereby it may appear, how free I have ever been from anie ſuch fordid diſpoſition.

It was by ſome ancient Philoſophers held, that in every generation Ariſtot. de gen. annimal. l. 4. c. 3or production of ought, there was a foreign, a general mixture of the ſeeds or principles of all things: and of the affection of anger, a grave Author ſaith, that there is in it foreign, a general mixture of the ſeeds of all other evil affections. But of mans Soul we may truly ſay, that it is by nature Plut. foreign.like an untilled ſoil: as il weeds of all ſorts pomiſcuouſly growing in the one, ſo wicked and corrupt affections of all kinds harboring in the other; ſo that it may wel, not unfidie be termed a foreign, a ſeed-plot, or (if you wil) ſentina, a ſink, and commonſewer of all ſorts o… ſin. Howbeit, as Seneca alſo wel obſervs; Stultus omnia vitia habet; ſed non in omnia natur â Sen. de berefic. lib. 4 c. 26 & 27pronus eſt. Omnia in omnibus vitia ſunt: ſed non omnia in ſingulis extant. Omnia omnibus inſunt; ſed in qibuſdam ſingula eminent. The fooliſh heart of man though fraught with all manner of vice; yet is not by nature alike prone or addicted to all. All vices, tho exiſtent in all, yet are not extant in each one, but ſome of them are more eminent then the reſt in ſome, and other of them in others. As in a ground untilled, tho great varietie of weeds, there is uſuallie ſome maſter weed, ſome one among the reſt, that is rifer and ranker then any of the reſt. And as it is in the bodie of man, that altho in ſome degree or other, more or les, there be a mixture of all the four humors, not anie of them whollie wanting; yet there is ſome one of them predominant, that gives the domination, in regard whereof ſome are ſaid to be of a Sanguine, ſome of a Phlegmatick, ſome of a Cholerick, and ſome of a Melancholick Conſtitution; ſo is it alſo in the ſoul, tho there be a general mixture and medlie of al evil, and corrupt qalities; yet is there ſome one uſuallie more powerful and prevalent, that ſwayeth and ſheweth forth it ſelf more eminentlie and evidentlie then anie other of them do: and from this therefore, more frequentlie and apparentlie diſcovering it ſelf, is the denomination wont to be given, whereby ſome ar ſtyled ambitious, ſome covetous, ſome laſcivious, ſome envious, ſome malicious, ſome haughtie, ſome hastie, and p. 32the like. Yea, according to this conſideration, even after the gracious work of regeneration, there remains as a ſmatch of all ſin in ſome degree or other, ſo more freqent ſproutings out of that master corruption, that bare moſt ſway before, even in the moſt renewed, and beſt reformed; as in a peece of ground, even after the beſt and moſt accurate tillage, ſome ſeeds and roots of thoſe noiſome weeds, wherewith it was formerlie much peſtered, w…l ſtil remain, and wil be ſpringing up, be it never ſo ſedulouſly and aſſiduouſly managed. Hence it is, that, not Proclus, or Proculus rather, an old rotten Heretick, as ſome Popiſh writers Bellarm. de Concil. l. 4. c. 9. & Biſhop. ag. Perkins. Method de reſurr, apud Epiphan. hoereſ. 64. Sect. 28.would have it, but Methodius, an ancient Biſhop, and valiant Martyr, compares inbred corruption in mans heart to a wild fig-tree growing upon the wal of ſome goodlie Temple or ſtatelie Palace, whereof albeit the main trunk of the stem be broke off, and ſtump of the root plucked out, yet the fibrous ſtrings of it piercing into the joynts of the ſtone-work wil not utterlie be extracted, and wil be ever anon ſhooting and ſprouting out, until the whole frame of the building be all diſſolved, and the ſtone-work thereof diſ-joynted and pulled all to peeces. But of this more elſwhere.

Howſoever therefore, I dare not preſume to challenge to my ſelf an immunitie from the common condition of all Adams ſinful poſterity; but muſt needs acknowledge in my ſelf a general taint, and that a deep one, of all ſin whatſoever: Yet for this particular corruption of Covetouſnes, wherewith this falſ traducer ſo freqentlie upbraideth me, and ſo virulentlie chargeth me, I hope, I may in the ſight and preſence of God trulie and ſincerelie profeſs, that it, of all other, ever had the leaſt power over me, or in me; And I hope, there are none, that have thoroughlie known me, but wil teſtifie for me, how far my courſes and carriages have always been from giving cauſe to ſuſpect in me a mind ſubject thereunto: Wherein therefore I ſhal endevor to cleer and approv my ſelf, not to them ſo much as unto others.Canon. Apoſt. qi dicuntur, can. 13. Concil. Sardic. can. 1. Carthag. 3. can. 38 Brace…. 2. can 6. pelag. 2. apud Gratian c. 7. q. 1

I find in divers Ancient Canons and Councels a reſtraint of remoovals of Miniſters from Charge to Charge. And howſoever I make no qeſtion, but that in many caſes it may be, not lawful onelyonly, but even neceſſary, in which Caſes the Canon ſaith, Non mutat ſedem, qi non mutat mentem. He changeth not his ſeat, that changeth not his mind. The meaning I ſuppoſe is, p. 33that he comes not within compaſs of that change which the Canon inhibites and condemns. I would rather, ſpeaking more plainly, ſay, as he, Coelum, non animum, ſo, Sedem, non mentem, Flacc. lib. 1. Epiſt. 11.mutat, In ſuch caſes a man, tho he change his Charge, yet may not change his affection, tho he retain not ſtil the ſame ſeat, yet may he retain ſtill the ſame mind and diſpoſition; and ſuch changes therefore do not neceſſarilie argu anie evil or corrupt habit in the heart; yet freqent removals upon unneceſſarie occaſions have been ever eſteemed to have ſome ſmatch, as one of the Ancients obſervs, Aut avaritiae, ant ambitionis; Either of Hoſius in Conc. Sardic.…varice or ambition: And that the rather, ſaith he, Qia nullus hac in re invent us ſit, qi de majore ad minorem tranſier it; Becauſe never ani… had been found to remov, but from a leſs place to a greater, from a poorer to a richer. And indeed to remov oft from place to place for ſome ſmal advantage thereby to be atchieved, no other conſideration of moment reqiring or enforcing a change, may give juſt ſuſpition, either of an unſetled brain, or of a covetous diſpoſition.

Now for mine own part, I cannot be charged to have been faultie in this kind. In two places onelie have I exerciſed a ſetled Miniſterie for theſe Two and fiftie years, ſeated Ten years in the one place, and Fourty two in the other.

The former place, wherein I was ſeated, was the worthie Societie of the Profeſſors, Practiſers, and Students of the Common Law of this Land in Lincolns Inn. For mine entrance whereunto, that I may not be taxed of ambition for undertaking ſuch a place at ſo few years, after ſo famous men, as had with much credit formerlie held and diſcharged it, I ſhal to free my ſelf from that aſperſion, give a tru account how I came to it. Having upon ſome occaſion obtained Licence of diſcontinuance from the Colledge, whereof I was Fellow, from the Earl of Kent, and the Lord Harrington, the Counteſs of Suſſex her Truſtees for the founding thereof, and abiding now with Sir William Cook, my Kinſman, at London, the Preachers place at Lincolns Inn became vacant; Whereupon a Gentleman of that Houſe, to me a meer ſtranger, but of my reverend and inward Friend Mr. Stocks acqaintance, at whoſe Church he had ſometime heard me Preach, together with him repairing to me, acqainted me with the buſineſs, encited me to put in for it, aſſuring me, that by the Lord p. 34Chief Juſtice Pophams mediation, whom he knew to favor me, it might eaſilie be obtained. I was verie averſ to the motion; albeit, that Mr. Stock alſo inſtigated and encouraged me thereunto. But my counter-plea to them both was, That I durſt not adventure, ſo young and raw, to look ſo high. While we were to and fro debating the buſineſs, in that verie conjuncture of time, Dr. Mountague, Maſter of the Colledge, being come up to the Citie about ſome Colledge affairs, was pleaſed to vouchſafe me a viſit, deſirous to draw me back to the Colledge; and telling me, That he had prevailed with the Lord Harrington to allow a Salarie for an Hebrew Lecture, which he would have me to read. But being enformed by Mr. Stock, upon what account they were with me, he earneſtlie preſſed it, that I ſhould in no wiſe refuſe it; it would be a grace to the Colledge, to have the firſt that went out of it, to ſettle in a place of that note; nor ſhould I need to ſeek or ſu for it, or to be ſeen at all in it: He, being the next day to attend the Lord Popham about a Colledge buſineſs, would break the matter to him; which being accordinglie performed by him, his Lordſhip immediatelie ſent his Secretarie to the cheif of the Houſe; by whom being invited to Preach the next Lords day with them, I was within few days after choſen their Lecturer. And indeed had it been of mine own ſeeking, I could hardlie have ſatisfied or juſtified my ſelf in a ſpontaneous undertaking of ſuch a charge. For the truth is. I was but young, and ſeemed younger then indeed I was. In regard whereof, it might not altogether undeſervedlie have been deemed of me, that I had flown out of the neſt, before I was wel fledged; and that it had been better for me, as David willed his Embaſſadors returning from the Ammonites, to have ſtayed at Jericho among 2 Sam. 10. 5.2 Sam 10:5the ſons of the Prophets, until my Beard had been better grown. Nor may it be amiſs here, to recreat my Reader, with a plain Corydons cenſure, about that time, paſt on me. Mr. Leigh, afterward Sir James Leigh, and Lord Treaſurer, was that yeer Reader at Lincolns Inn, and having his familie in Town, both he and his wife heard me Preach one Lords day at Martins in the Fields. Whence after return from the Sermon, Miſtreſs Leigh was pleaſed to ask an old Servant, with whom, by reaſon of long continuance in the familie, they were wont to talk more familiarlie, How he liked the Preacher; who returned her this blunt anſwer, p. 35That he was a prettie pert Boy, but he made a reaſonable good Sermon. Not manie weeks after Mr. Leigh returning from Lincolns Inn, told his wife, he would tel her ſome news, That Yong man, ſaid he, whom you heard at St. Martins, is choſen our Lecturer at Lincolns Inn; which the old felow ſtanding by, when he heard, askt Whether the old Benchers would be taught by ſuch a Boy as he. Howbeit, it pleaſed God ſo to diſpoſe of it, that I was courteouſlie entertained by them; nor was my youth in contempt with them, but I received as much reſpect from them as I could deſire, yea, much more then I could expect. Which kind and courteous uſage tied me ſo faſt to them, (as to ſuch bands may that of him in the Comick be wel-applied, Qam Plaut. Menaeth. 1. 1.magis extendas, tanto adſtringunt arctiùs, The more they are let out, the ſtraiter they bind, the ſtronger and faster they hold.) That they kept me a longer time with them, then anie one, yea, then divers put together, that had been before me, had made ſtay among them. For, as I have been enformed, Mr. Cha…k, who is ſaid to have been the firſt ſetled conſtant Preacher at Lincoln Inn, as Dr. Crook at Greys Inn, and Father Lever (for ſo by my Father, and others, I always heard him ſtyled) at the Temple, continued not above eight year with them; being removed, as was ſuſpected, through the ſecret undermining of one of prime note then in the Houſe, who upon a private grudge, wrought underhand with the Archbiſhop for his removal. After him ſucceſſively folowed Mr. Field, Mr. Eglionbie, Mr. Crakenthorp, Mr. Pulley; whoſe times all put together, ar ſaid ſcarce to have made up ſo manie yeers, as amounted to my Ten.

But it may be ſurm ſed, that either the largeneſs of the allowance, or the want of means to mend my ſelf, kept me ſo long with them.

Surelie, neither of both. For my Salarie for the firſt five yeers or thereabout, was but Fourtie pounds per annum; yet as much as anie of my Predeceſſors had formerlie received. Howbeit after, when I married, and had a Familie in the Citie, they raiſed it to Threeſcore of their own accord, without anie motion of mine; but withal they reqeſted me to Preach once a day in the Vacation time, when anie ſtore of companie was in the Houſe; as in the two ſhorter ones conſtantlie, and in the two longer, until the ſolemn Readings were over, uſuallie there was. That which I alſo was p. 36right-willing to do, making mine abode in the Citie, whereas formerlie I was wont to ſpend the Vacations with a Knight, my Kinſman, in the Countrey.

Nor wanted I opportunitie more then once or twice, while I ſtaid there, to have mended my means, had I been eagerlie bent, or had but a minde thereunto. For I had places more then two or three offered me, both from Gentlemen in the Houſe, and from others abroad.

Firſt, The Lectureſhip at the Rolls being vacant, offer was made to me of it from Sir Edward Philips, then Maſter of the Rolls, by Sir Robert his Son, and Mr. Whitakers his Secretarie, who both uſed to hear me; ſuppoſing that I might wel enough diſcharge both, being no farther aſunder, and but for once a day with either, and that at the Inn at ſeven in the morning; which I waived, willing to reſerv my ſelf whollie to the place where I was. But this was no motion for removal; ſome addition to my means onelie: That which foloweth was,

After that my Morning Lecture was reduced, or deduced rather, to the ordinarie hour in moſt places, Mr. Maſters Maſter of the Temple (for that Title his place there bare) his own Lecture continuing at the wonted hour, uſed, after that diſpatched, to repair to mine, as I did to Dr. Leyfields at Clements, until that courſ was in the Inn altred, as before hath been related. Mean while the Lecturers place falling void at the Temple, he by a wile drew me to Preach one Afternoon on the Week Lecture day there; And ſhortlie after (I little dreaming ought of his intention therein) repaired to me with a motion from ſome of ſpecial note and power there, to remove thither; withal aſſuring me, that the place would be of double value to me, to what I had where I was. But my Anſwer to him was, that I would not on anie terms ſhift from one Inn of Court to another.

Much about the ſame time, that hopeful Prince Henrie, whoſe life in likelihood the ſins of this Land, and of thoſe times ſhortned, keeping his Court at St. James, where abode with him that Mirror of Nobilitie, the young Lord Harrington, and attended on him that Religious Knight Sir Robert Darcie, theſe two with ſome other Gracious Ones of His Graces Court, freqented my Miniſterie in the Afternoons eſpeciallie; which for ſome ſpace of time I then ſpent in handling of ſome Points in Controverſie p. 37between us, and the Papiſts, being enformed that divers Popiſh Prieſts, or Sprites, if you pleaſe, hanted the Houſe, and were verie buſie in laboring to pervert the yong Gentlemen. The Notes of one of thoſe Sermons Sir Robert Darcie, by mine inward and entire friend, Mr. Bradſhaw, got from me, under the Title of The Popes Pride, and Papiſts Idol. This he and the yong Lord imparted to the Prince; and upon ſuch further terms of recommendation, as they were pleaſed to adjoin, and his good opinion of me, as they conceived, thereby produced, they took the boldneſs by my worthie Friend Mr. Hilderſham, and Mr. Jacob joining with him, to ſolicite me to come and Preach one day before the Prince at his Court; not doubting to prevail with him to bring me in to be his Chaplain, and by the aſſiſtance of Biſhop Mountague, then in favor with the King his Father, to procure for me that place of conſtant attendance in that kind about him, that was ſometime deſigned to Mr. John Burges, had not the deſign miſcarried by a Sermon which he preached before the King, and coſt him much trouble. Unto which motion, I deſired by them to be returned, after thankful acknowledgment of deep engagement to thoſe worthy perſons, for their good opinion of me, and affection to me, That as I deemed my ſelf unworthie of ſo great a favor, ſo I wel knew my ſelf verie unfit for ſuch an employment, being naturallie of a verie baſhful diſpoſition, and finding in my ſelf a great indiſpoſition and averſneſs to Courtlie attendance, and reqeſted therefore of them, that no motion or mention might be further made of ought in that kind.

Among others of note that were there my frequent Auditors, by reaſon of the Vicinitie of his Houſe in Holborn, was the Right Honorable Lord Rich, Father to the preſent Right Honorable Earl of Warwick, whoſe freeneſs and conſcientiouſneſs in the donation and diſpoſal of ſuch Eccleſiaſtical places as he had intereſt in, is to all that knew him not unknown. In his gift a living of good valu being vacant, which after one Dr. Tabor, Dr. Harris enjoyed, notice was given to me of it, with ſignification that I might have it, if I would accept of it, but my anſwer was, That I deſired not to undertake a Paſtoral Charge, nor to leav Lincolns Inn. And indeed the times under King James, contrarie …o expectation, and to what moſt men, tho on weak grounds (as to me …er ſeemed) promiſed unto themſelvs, eſpeciallie after that p. 38formal Conference at Hampton Court, proving more troubleſom, then formerlie they had been, made me the rather willing to reſt contented with a ſmal portion in a priviledged place, then by removing to a place of larger revenue, to attract more diſtraction, and expoſe my ſelf to the hazard of greater diſturbance. In reference to this refuſal, that Noble Lord, being preſent at a Sermon at Lincolns Inn, wherein I took my leav of them, being then upon departure (tho conſtrained afterward for ſome unexpected occaſion to ſtay a Term, or two longer) demanded of ſome of the Ancients of the Houſe, among whom he there ſat, Whether I were leaving them; as marvelling, how my mind came to be changed from that which I had formerlie profeſſed.

During the time of mine abode there, there lived much in the Houſe, not as Practitioners in the Law, but as Aſſociates with the Bench, two worthy Knights of eminent parts for variety of lerning and reading, Sir Roger Owen, and Sir William Sidley; and I was for their entire affection much beholden to them both. Sir R. Owen would gladlie had me ſeated in Shropſhire, where my Father was born in an ancient Houſe, the name whereof our Familie beareth, being allied unto moſt of the ancient Gentrie in that Countie; wherein alſo a Living of good revenue was offered me by a Merchant, that Contrey-man by birth, in the City, if I would have gone to it. But Sir W. Sidley was very deſirous rather to draw me down into Kent, and to that purpoſe, a great Living, not far from the place of his cheif reſidence, falling void by the Incumbents deceſs, tho being not in his own gift, but in the gift of one, whom he had ſpecial intereſt in, preſuming therupon, he offered to procure it for me. This motion to waiv, when I alledged my loathnes to leav Lincolns-Inn; he replied, that his intent was not, that I ſhould leav my place there; that in Kent would afford means to maintain an Aſſiſtant, who might for the Term time diſcharge all there, while I was employed here. But I told him, the burthen between both would be too heavie for my infirm ſhoulders to bear. And ſo that buſineſſe broke alſo off.

Men that are of a free and ingenuous diſpoſition, are wont to conceiv (according to that of the Mimik,

Beneficium dando accepit, qi digno dedit)Publ. Syr.

that they receiv a benefit themſelvs, in doing others a pleaſure. That which even a cruel Tyrann (tho in all likelihood diſſemblinglie) p. 39profeſſed ſometime in theſe words; foreign Phalaris Epiſt. 17.foreign. In giving to good men, I make account that I receiv a greater courteſie by much from them, then I beſtow upon them; And that M. Antonin. l 7. ſect. 74.trulie noble-minded Emperor, foreign, that a benefit rightlie beſtowed was no leſs advantageous to him that gav it, then to him that received it. And no marvel then if with ſuch foreign, It is a pleaſure to do a pleaſure, Ibid. ſect. 13.and a delight to exerciſe themſelvs in wel-doing; Yea, as an ancient grave Autor, foreign Plut. de vit. Epitcur. Id de convict. trincip. cum Pbiloſ. Id ibid.foreign, It is a more cheerful thing to do good, then to have good done one: and the inward joy of the mind is greater, more pure, more immixt in that, then in this; Since that foreign, there is ſome kind of baſhfulneſs oft in receiving, but meer cheerfulneſs with ſuch in giving. And on the other ſide, hence it comes to paſs, which the ſame Autor alſo obſerves, foreign Id de Socrat. Genio.foreign, t…t as it is matter of much joy and gladneſs to them, when their gift is received, and their kindneſs accepted, as it is with an Archer, deſirous to ſhew his skil in ſhooting, when he hath hit the white or cloven the peg; becauſe they do foreign, as that Noble Emperor ſpeaks, M. Anton. l 7. ſect. 23 & l. 9. ſect. 42. Sen▪ de Ren. l. 1. c. 2. & l 4. c. 13.that is, as Seneca expreſſeth it, dare ut dent, or, ut ne non dederint, their main aim in giving, is, that they may have given, in doing a courteſie, that they may have done one a good turn; ſo, becauſe that cannot be, unleſs the gift be received, and their kindneſs accepted, it is no leſs matter of grief unto them, and they ar wont to take it ill, when it ſo falleth out, that their gift is rejected, their kindneſs refuſed; as it is in ſuch caſe to the archer, when he miſſeth the mark he ſhot at; (that which made the Indian, Plut. in Apoph.reported to Alexander to be ſo expert in that facultie, that he could at a great diſtance ſhoot thorow a narrow Ring, refuſe before the King to ſhew his skil, tho his life lay upon it, fearing, leſt through diſuſe, he might fail in the deſign) becauſe they miſs of that which was their main aim and end in that their aſſay, not taking effect according to their deſire, to do the partie a pleaſure. And thus indeed it fared with that Noble and Noble-minded Knight Sir W. S. before mentioned, who acquainting ſome of the Bench with what had paſſed between him and me, he ſeemed to p. 40them to relate it not without ſome ſhew and ſemblance of reg… and offence, as not ſo wel reſenting my refuſal of his ſo free and kind offer; that which I was informed of by Mr. Tho. Hitchcock one of the Bench, and of thoſe to whom he had broken his mind concerning that buſineſs; and who merrily afterward in familiar diſcourſe was pleaſed to put the fool upon me for it. For being a man of a pleaſant wit, at the Table ſometime diſpoſed to be merry (as his manner oft, but without offence, was) upon occaſion of ſuch diſcours as came in the way, he told thoſe his fellow-Benchers that were in the ſame Meſſe with him, that he had in his Study a Book called the Ship of Fools, and that they ſhould all three of them go into it, one for refuſing a large fee offered him in a great mans cauſe, which he liked not, another, for returning his Clients Fee, having waited at the Bar; when the Cauſe could not be heard; a third for ſome other ſuch like matter, which I now remember not; and being demanded by one of them concerning me, being in the ſame Meſs, whether I were therein to bear them company too: Yes, (quoth he) he muſt in upon a double account; Firſt, He ſits here among us, and takes a great deal of pains with us for a ſmal confideration, and being by Sir W. S. offered a far better Place elſwhere, he refuſeth to accept it, when it may be he may ſit long enough here, ere he have the like offer made him again; and again, what he here receivs he laies out in Books, and cannot read over the one half of them, when he hath done. To the latter whereof, I replied merilie, waving the former, that a Workman that makes uſe of many Tools, muſt buy ſome to ly by him, tho ſcarce in ſeven yeer he have uſe of them, that he may have them at hand when he ſhal need them, and may otherwiſe hardlie get them elſwhere. And if Mr. Lilie ſhal think good to put me into the ſhip, for taking ſo much pains to waſh my ſelf from his groundles eſperſions, I ſhal not be angrie with him for it, nor troubled at all with it.

Divers of theſe both offers and refuſals were not unknown to the Bodie of the Bench, who therefore at one of their meetings, ſome ſpeech falling in concerning me, by joynt conſent agreed to take a cours for the procuring of a Prebendſhip for me either at Pauls or Weſtminſter; for the effecting whereof, Mr. Atturney General, Sir Henry Hobart, undertook to make uſe of his utmoſt power, when opportunity ſhould be; as alſo for the providing p. 41of one, in room of their old Reader entertained to be Dr. Whites Curate at Dunſtans, that might eaſe me of my pains with them in the Vacations; which to incourage my ſtay with them, they cauſed Mr. Rondolf Crew, afterward Lord Chief Juſtice of the Kings Bench, to give notice of to me; and withal to teſtifie their affection to me, admitted and entered me in their Leagier Book as a Member of the Societie; which to ſome of my Predeceſſors in the place had not been done. The latter indeed of their reſolutions took not its deſired effect, through the humorous diſpoſition of one that was recommended unto them; but was afterward effected for thoſe that ſucceeded me. The former could not ſo ſudainly be compaſſed; and my removal prevented the accompliſhment of it; that which I am not ſorrie for.

Much about the ſame time, my time came in the Univerſity, for taking the Degree of Doctor in Divinitie: which being known in the Houſe, divers of the Ancients with whom I was moſt familiar, incited me to the undertaking of it; alleging that it might be a ſtep for me to further preferment, or (as other ſome phraſed it) a ſtirrup to help up into the Saddle; which mention of the Saddle might well have minded me of what one in the Greek Comik ſpeaking to an old man, that would needs be a Cavalier, ſaith,Eupolis Amicis.

foreign

foreign

that he did not wiſely, nor adviſedlie, in liſting himſelf in a Regiment of horſ, and getting up into the Saddle before he had got skil to manage his Hors wel, that he might ſit ſure in the Saddle. But to encourage me hereunto, they aſſured me, that the Houſe would no doubt contribute liberallie toward the charge of my Commencement; withal relating what they had ſent as a gratuitie to Dr. King, when he took that Degree, becauſe the Houſe ſtood part of it in his Pariſh, and divers of them uſed to hear him, and he was wont before he was Dean of Chriſts-Church in Oxford, to beſtow a Sermon once or twice a yeer upon them, as he did alſo twice at two ſolemn Feſtivals in my time, when he was Biſhop. But I told them merilie, They muſt firſt make me a Doctor-like maintenance, ere I would take the degree of Doctor; that threeſcore pounds a yeer would not maintain that ſtate, that the Degree of a Doctor reqired. And being afterwards by ſome of my frends p. 42blamed for letting ſlip that opportunitie, and ſome others, wherein the Degree might have been had, with more eaſe and leſs charge then ordinarie, as at the time of His Majeſties viſiting the Univerſitie, what time were divers created Doctors without attendance to keep Acts; and not manie yeers after, when the plague was hot in the Town there, not a few, that would adventure thither, obtained the Degree, without wonted performance of Acts, or uſual charge of entertainment: Unto them I made anſwer, That if ever I took the Degree of Doctor, I would ſo do it, as that I would not be ſtyled either a Royal, or a Pestilential Doctor; which by names were in common ſpeech given unto thoſe that had taken that Degree, at either of thoſe times. As alſo to others, who demanded of me, why I took it not together with three other of my Reverend Brethren here about the Citie, coming ſhort of Dr. Gowge. Dr. Taylor. Dr. Sibbes.me all more or leſs in age, and in our Univerſitie ſtandings much more, all three now at length deceaſed before me; I returned anſwer then as merilie, that I was of that Old Romans mind, who uſed to ſay, He would rather have people, when he was gone, Cato Cenſor. P…ut. in pracept. polit. in Apophth. … Cat. Maj.enqire why he had no ſtatu ſet him up, then why he had anie; So I would rather have men hereafter demand a Reaſon, why I took not the Degree, then to mov qeſtion why I did. As alſo, according to that of the Philoſopher, who being urged by his Thales. Laert. l. 1. Stob. …it. 68.Mother to marrie, when as yet but yong, told her, foreign, it was not time yet; and again preſt by her, when further in yeers, foreign, it was paſt time then: To ſome that manie yeers after renewed the former motion to me, I returned, That I was now ſuperannated, and having waived the Degree, when I might have had it at thirtie five, would not now ſure ſeek or look after it at threeſcore. At which yeer alſo giving over mine Anniverſarie Viſitation of the Free-School at Tunbridge, which (at the reqeſt of the Worſhipful Societie of Skinners in London, the careful and faithful Truſtees of Sir Andrew Jud, the Founder thereof) I had conſtantlie for manie yeers together diſcharged, in taking my leav of them, I told them, that being now Sexagenarius, I might by future repair thither, run the hazard of being Depontanus, or De ponte dejectus, as men of thoſe yeers ancientlie Feſtus. Cicero pro Qu….were at Rome.

But I digreſs to far, and yet theſe digreſſions as analecta qaedam ſcattered here and there by the way, I ſuppoſe will not be p. 43unpleaſing to a Reader of no over-rigid and unpleaſant Diſpoſition, nor offenſive, I hope, to anie.

But, è diverticulo in viam, to return again into the road. By what hath been related, concerning the means of my maintainance at Lincolns Inn, but withal, the courteous entertainment there conſtantlie afforded me; it may appear, that it was neither the largeneſs of the ſtipend that ſtaid me ſo long with them, nor yet anie diſreſpect, or diſcontent, that moved me, as ſome before me, to leav them.

For the truth is, for mine Auditorie there, the generalitie of them, were not a people that affected change, either noveltie or varietie; but reſted wel-ſatisfied with my conſtant courſ and tenor of teaching; and verie ſeldom therefore brought in anie to Preach in my room; in ſo much (I may trulie ſay it) that ſcarce above Twelv Sermons in all my Ten yeers with them, were preached there by anie beſide my ſelf. Nor were they addicted to ſtray much abroad, one or two taken much with Dr. King, then Dean of Chriſt-Church in Oxford, and Parſon of St. Andrews in Holborn, uſed to repair thither to hear him, when they knew that he preached; and ſome few would now and then ſtep to Pauls Croſs. Among whom that pleaſant Gentleman before ſpoken of, tho it were not freqent with him, being miſſed one day at Chappel by ſome of thoſe that uſed there to fit neer him, and coming late into the Hall at dinner, and being thereupon demanded by one of them, where he had been ſtraying abroad; I have been, qoth he, at Pauls Croſs. Thou wentest thither ſure to hear ſome news, ſaid the other: No trulie, replied he, I went upon another occaſion; but I learned that indeed there, which I never heard of before, how the Aſs came by his long ears; for the Preacher there told us a ſtorie out of a Jewiſh Rabbin, that Adam after he had named the Creatures, called them one day again before him, to try whether they remembred the names that he had given them; and having by name cited the Lion, the Lion drew neer to him, and the Horſ likewiſe, but then calling to the Aſs in like manner, the Aſs having forgotten his name, like an Aſs ſtood ſtone ſtil; whereupon Adam having beckoned to him with his hand, ſo ſoon as he came within his reach, caught him with both hands by the ears, and plucked him by them ſo ſhrewdlie, that for his ſhort wit he gave him a p. 44long pair of ears. Upon this ſtorie told them, one of them told him, he was wel enough ſerved for his gadding abroad; he might have heard better and more uſeful matter, had he kept himſelf at home. But this by the way, not to lengthen, but to lighten the tediouſneſs of this long diſcourſ, undertaken not ſo much to repreſs Lilies lying tongue, as to render an account of my courſes, for better ſatisfaction both to others, and to my ſelf.

But if neither enlargement of means drew me, nor diſcontent from mine Auditorie drave me away from them, what was it then that either cauſed or occaſioned my removal? This alſo I ſhal trulie and ſincerelie relate. The Rectorie of Rotherhith, or as it is commonlie called Rederith, becoming vacant by the deceaſe of the Incumbent, there was ſome ſtickling in the Pariſh about a Succeſſor. For the legal right to preſent being preſumed to reſt in two Orphans, tho it was afterward diſcovered to reſide in a third partie, divers of the better affected in the Pariſh began to negotiate with the Gardian and Friends of thoſe two children under yeers, and from them having obtained a promiſe, that none ſhould be preſented to it, but ſuch an one as they ſhould nominate, repaired unto me, and were earneſt with me, that I would accept of it. But I acqainted them with my reſolution of not leaving the place where I was; whereupon they departed, and made trial of bringing in ſome other. But in proſecution thereof, they found the paſſage ſo obſtructed, that they were not able to proceed.

For a perſon of no parts, but of verie ſcandalous life, while the Doctor Incumbent lay ſick, had been tampering with the ſame parties, with whom they were then dealing, before them, about the ſale of the Patronage, and the Mother of the Orphans had received ſomewhat as a gratuitie from him, to deal with them and their Gardian, to bring the buſineſs about. And albeit, that the Incumbent dying, ere ought was tranſacted, the negotiation in regard of anie power to preſent that could thereby accrew unto him, if they had proceeded then therein with him, would have been of no effect; and the money were returned him, that the Mother had taken of him; Yet he perſiſted in purſuit of a troubleſom ſuit, to draw them to ſome agreement with him, whereupon he might be preſented by them, being underhand backed and fed with money by two Tenants of Sir H. Hobart, then Attorney General to King James, who occupied a great qantitie of Land held from p. 45him in the Pariſh, and had covenanted with that partie to have it tithe free, if he were once poſſeſſed of it. The difficultie was much improved by a Caveat they found entred in the Biſhops Office, by a Gentleman, one of the Petti-Bag, who pretended a Title; as alſo for that Mr. Attorney ſolicited by his Tenants, and not wel underſtanding what manner of fellow he was whom they delt for, did in their behalf ſomewhat countenance their proceedings, and was indeed deſirous himſelf to deal for the Patronage, having much Land in the Pariſh, with intent in ſome future vacancie, thereby to have opportunitie of preferring a yong Scholar, who was then School-maſter in his Familie. Thoſe wel-minded perſons therefore, fearing that either that ſcandalous partie would be obtruded upon them, or ſome other might chop in, while they were bickering with him; as it had faln out in a former vacancie, wherein one by a wrong title got in, and held the place ful two yeers ere he could be ejected; and ſuppoſing withal, that if I would accept of it, Mr. Attorney would not onelie ſurceaſe to countenance the other partie in that buſineſs, but would alſo help to cleer the way for my entrance; repaired to Mr. Stock, whom they knew to be inward with me, reqeſting him to deal with me, and perſwade me to embrace the motion by them formerlie made to me. Who thereupon tendring the condition of the place, accompanied them to me, and was verie earneſt with me in it, preſſing hard, what a miſerable eſtate that people were likelie to be in upon my refuſal, whereas they where I then was, were able enough to furniſh themſelvs again, to their own contentment upon my removal. At his importunitie, upon ſuch grounds ſeconding and backing their ſuit, I condeſcended ſo far forth, as to make an aſſay to try how Mr. Attorney would reſent the buſineſs, and how far forth he would interpoſe in it. To this purpoſe I made uſe of Mr. Crew, afterward Lord Cheif Juſtice, a man of tried and known integritie, to break the matter to him. Unto whom his anſwer was, That he would do anie thing in his power, that ſhould be to my content, and willed that I ſhould come to him. So I did, and told him, that I had upon a motion made to me from ſome Inhabitants of Rederith, engaged my ſelf to come to them, and ſettle with them, if the paſſage were free, the cleering whereof they ſuppoſed might depend much upon him. Who, after ſome Speech had, how glad he ſhould have been of my continuance with them, p. 46and in part blaming himſelf, that nothing had yet been done for the enlargement of my means, If they mean, ſaid he, reallie, as they pretend, and you deem it may be behoveful for you, let them procure you a preſentation, and upon ſight of it, you ſhal ſee what I wil do. This being ſignified to them, they having by ſome counſel been enformed, that albeit the Father had by wil beqeathed the perpetual Advocation to his yonger Sons, yet the right thereof by courſ of Law reſted in the Eldeſt, which for ſome cauſes was as yet deemed fit to conceal, drew him to join with his Brethren, and brought me a Preſentation under the Hands and Seals of them all three; which being repreſented to Mr. Attorney, he forthwith wrote a Letter to the Biſhop, whereby all obſtructions were removed, and I admitted without further ado to the place. After it was noiſed in the Houſe, that I was upon removal, divers of them repaired to me, of whom ſome out of their private, offered to engage themſelvs for ſuch a further ſupplement, to what I there then received, as ſhould eqal the Revenue of the place motioned to me; others endeavored to perſwade me to retain the place ſtil, being for the Term time onelie; to which purpoſe alſo ſome of my Reverend Brethren in the Miniſterie were inſtant with me. But to the former I anſwered, That I had paſſed my word to come to them, and that upon other grounds then means of maintainance onelie; to the other, That the burden would be too weightie for me: And trulie ſoon I ſo found and felt, being compelled to continu but a Term or two with them, until they were fitted to their mind. Howſoever divers of thoſe that ſucceeded me, held other places together with it, ſome in the Univerſitie, and ſome in the Citie; and indeed my Reverend Father-in-Law Mr. Charls Pinner, whoſe Daughter I was to marrie, by all means diſſwaded me from hearkning unto thoſe that would have perſwaded me thereunto, affirming, That either place reqired a whole man. Who was alſo right glad, that by my removal I had eſcaped the promiſed preferment to a Prebendarie; nor was he ſorrie, when he underſtood, that Mr. Attorney had profered me the Title of being his Chaplain; which I willinglie accepted, being but a titular matter, reqiring no conſtant attendance, onelie a viſit now and than, and a Sermon ſometime upon ſome ſpecial occaſions, the rather that by his power and countenance, I might ſit the more qietlie, and exerciſe my Miniſterie p. 47more freelie, in ſuch a place eſpeciallie, where he had Lands of much value, and Tenants deemed to be of the greateſt abilitie; but my Reverend Father in Law, becauſe it might, he ſaid, Keep me from being Chaplain to anie Biſhop; for he uſed to ſay, That as the times then were, a Prebends place, and a Biſhops Chaplainſhip, were two ſhrewd ſnares: Both which, I bleſs God for it, I hereby eſcaped.

Nor indeed were my means ſo much, as manie imagined, improved by removal to the place where as yet I abide, and have now for ful fortie and two yeers reſided. For beſides that I came to a dwelling houſe wilfultie much mangled and defaced by the late Incumbents Widow, out of meer ſpight and ſpleen, not ſo much againſt him that was to ſucceed, being then uncertain, as againſt ſome of the Pariſh, with whom her Husband had had much contention, and the Wharf before it (a chargable piece) readie to drop down; toward the charge whereof albeit ſome two or three contributed ſomewhat, yet the main matter came out of mine own purſ; and the firſt fruits that were to be paid; as alſo that the main Fabrick of the Church ſupported with Chalkie Pillars, of ſuch a bulk as filled up no ſmal part of the room, and were found verie faultie, threatning a fail, if not a fall, unleſs ſpeedilie prevented, to the ruine of the whole; which to remov and place ſtrong Timber Columns in the room of them, would prov a verie great charge; albeit, the repair of the Bodie of the Church were no way chargable upon the Rector, yet to encourage others to a freer and larger contribution thereunto, I lanched out of mine own accord ſo far, having as yet received little benefit of my place, that none out-went me, few to ſpeak of came neer me. Add hereunto, that not long after this a ſhip firing on the River, juſt againſt my houſe, much endangered it, being covered, as from its firſt building it had been, with Reed; which to prevent the like hazard that might, (as it did alſo ſome time) after enſu, I therefore took away, and in ſtead thereof (which was no ſmal charge to me) covered it all over with Tile. Theſe things, I ſay, ſet aſide, which yet ſhrewdlie drained my ſmal ſtock, becauſe they were not a conſtant charge; come we to the Annual Revenue in either place, and ſee what addition was made by this latter to the former. In the place that I left, I received Threeſcore pounds by the yeer cleer: In the place I came to, finding it a troubleſom p. 48buſineſs to take up Tithes, being paid, except ſome four of the Pariſh, by Butchers and Graſiers moſtlie, living either in the Borough, or in the Citie, I let out my whole Tithe and Gleab for One hundred pounds by the yeer. Whence deducting the Annual payments of Tenths and Subſidies to the King, the Procurations to the Biſhop and Arch-deacon, the Aſſeſsments for the poor, wherein I was rated as deep as anie in the Pariſh, for his perſonal eſtate, the yeerlie Salarie to the Curate whom I found in the place, the ſame that the Doctor had before allowed him, which, tho in regard of his mean parts I could have in my teaching, no help or eaſe from him; yet in reſpect of his povertie, having a Wife and Children, I was fain for divers yeers to continu unto him, until he could furniſh himſelf with ſome place elſwhere, and when he left me, larger means to one of better abilities, from whom I might have ſome aſſiſtance in the work of my Miniſterie. Theſe disburſments, I ſay, deducted, and laid altogether, the improvment, I ſuppoſe, wil appear to have been no ſuch great matter.

And this was the main matter that I enjoyed here for Ten yeers together; not receiving ought of conſtant payment from the main Bodie of the Pariſh, ſave from ſome three or four for the Land that they held. There had indeed been ancientlie a Rent-tithe paid upon the houſes; as in the neighboring Pariſhes alſo then was, and ſtil is: And that even then alſo, as by the Church-Book appeared, under ſome not-preaching Miniſters, when the Inhabitants beſides that payment were fain to maintain one to Preach with them at their own charge. But this had been intermitted, and my Predeceſſor, after ſome yeers enjoyment of it, by his own miſcarriage of the buſineſs, put beſide it. For there falling o…t much contention between him, and ſome of the cheif of the Pariſh, they ſet ſome of the poorer ſort on work to denie him payment thereof. Whom he thereupon ſued in the Eccleſiaſtical Court, and made proof there by ſufficient witneſſes of the conſtant payment of it, for above Threeſcore yeers paſt. But when ſentence was readie to paſs, a Prohibition came out of the Common Pleas. Whither the buſineſs being transferred, the Doctor not wel adviſed, joined iſſu amiſs with them, and ſo being caſt in the Suit, was debarred from recoverie of ought for himſelf, tho it were no bar unto anie his Succeſſor.

p. 49For Ten yeers it thus lay aſleep or dead rather after his deceaſe, and mine acceſs to the place. Nor did I receiv a pennie all that while in lieu of it, from the main bodie of thoſe among whom I conſtantlie exerciſed my Miniſterie. But having ſat ſo long qietlie, and my charge encreaſing; and being enformed of a Record in the Firſt-fruits Office, whereby it appeared, that in the valuation of my Rectorie, taken upon Oath in King Henry the Eighths time, the Tithe on Houſes was included as a third part of its valu at a certain rate, according to which valuation I paid my yeerlie Tenths to the King for it; I made a motion to my people, that ſince it was agreeable to conſcience and eqitie, that the Miniſter of the Word, who took pains conſtantlie in the exerciſe of his Miniſterie with a people, ought to receiv a conſtant maintainance and conſideration for it from them; And that, as I conceived, even by the Law of the Land, ſuch a particular conſideration was du unto me, and had from time to time been made good to my Predeceſſors; My reqeſt therefore was, That I might without ſuit, or trouble, either to them, or my ſelf, with mutual love and agreement, receiv it, or ſomewhat in an eqitable manner proportionable to it. To this the anſwer of the moſt was, That for my ſelf they were wel content, and willing to do ſomewhat that way; but they knew not who might come after me, and were loath therefore to oblige themſelvs to ought as a du.

While thus the buſineſs hung in ſuſpence, and nothing done, good words onelie given, that ſeemed to be as a dilatorie plea; ſome of the better affected, moved, that without breach of Charitie, or offence taken on either ſide, a Trial at Law might be had, in a peaceable and amicable proceeding, whereby the right of the demand might appear what it was, and either ſide reſt in the iſſu thereof. To this purpoſe a …uit was ſet on foot by a Bil in the Excheqer Chamber; Wherein it was evidentlie ſhewed, and in a fair and ſolemn hearing made to appear, That ſuch a Tithe as was before-mentioned, was du to the Rector of Rederith; as alſo it was diſcovered, (which Mr. Noy then but a yong Lawyer, pleading in my behalf, ſo cleared, that all the Barons▪ to the Lord Treaſurer, reqiring their opinion therein, atteſted that he was in the right) that the Doctor, my Predeceſſor, had miſcarried in his ſuit by joining iſſu amiſs, and the judgment therefore given againſt him, nothing concerned us, our plea being p. 50on a diverſ ground. Upon the cauſe thus heard, a Decree was paſſed, to put me in Poſſeſſion of the Tithe upon the Rents of Houſes, as in other the Neighbor Pariſhes it had been, was then, and is ſtil paid. Howbeit, when it came to be demanded, ſome being willing to pay, and ſome refuſing, to prevent further ſuits, that might after ariſe, it was by mutual conſent on both ſides agreed, that the buſineſs ſhould be referred to certain Arbitrators on either ſide choſen, and what was by them concluded, ſhould by a new Decree in the ſame Court be confirmed; which was accordinglie done, and an Agreement ſo made and ratified, that in lieu of Tith on Houſes, Fortie pounds ſhould be paid me yeerlie by Ten pounds a qarter, to be aſſeſſed upon the wealthier ſort of Inhabitants, the poorer people being ſpared, and to be gathered by the Church-Wardens for the time being, and by them qarterlie paid in to me. Which yet for the moſt part came ſhort more or leſs everie qarter, as by my Receipts may appear. And this, when fullie paid, added to the former, was the greateſt ſum that I yeerlie received all the time of mine Incumbencie; which yet comes nothing near to that, which this mans ſlanderous tongue ſays I receiv. And I may trulie and boldlie avow it, That during all the time of mine abode in this place, what in maintainance of my Familie, (nor was either my ſelf or anie of mine ever noted for exceſs, either in daintineſs of fare, or in coſtlineſs of attire) in affording a competencie to an able Aſſiſtant for me in the Work of my Miniſterie, (whereof three of Mr. Joſ. Simonds. Mr. Edw. Goodal. Mr. John Grail.eminent parts have within theſe few yeers, not long one after another deceaſed, and ſome other yet ſurvive) and …o a yong Scholar to write out divers things for me, whereof ſome lie ſtil by me, and ſome are abroad; in enlarging of my Houſe, which was ſomewhat ſcantie, (but is now verie neer as large again as I found it, as may be gueſſed by the number of Chimneys in it, which were no more than four, when I came to it, the Doctor making onelie a Summer-Houſe of it, and ar now no leſs then twelv) for the more convenient lodging of mine Aſſistant and Scribe, and a Student one or two, ſuch of our own Countrey as had left the Univerſitie, and were fitting themſelvs for the Miniſterie; or Strangers, that from forain parts came over, to learn our Language, and obſerv our Method of Teaching, (whereof I was ſeldom without ſome, and might have had more, had my Houſe been p. 51more capacious) and gaining a room of more capacitie for the beſtowing of my Librarie; in reparations of my dwelling Houſe, and the Wharf before it, which was no ſmal charge; in furniſhing of my ſelf with Books, which to a Scholar and Miniſter at as the tools of his trade; in releif of the poor, wherein I ſhall ſpare to ſpeak what I added voluntarilie in a conſtant courſ (beſides what upon emergent occaſions) unto that I was aſſeſſed; in theſe and the like put together, with what went to the higher Powers, Civil and Eccleſiastical, as before; I ſpent, Communibus annis, one yeer with another, all that ever I received in right of my Rectorie, as by proof ſufficient I could make to appear.

Yet neither did I want opportunitie to have enlarged and advanced my Means, while I abode here; no more then I did, before I came hither.

I had not ſat manie yeers here, when Dr. Featlie coming to abide in the Archbiſhops Houſe at Lambeth, offered me in way of exchange for this, a place of far greater value then it, tho more remote, becauſe mine nearer at hand; To whom I made anſwer, That here I was fixed, and deſired not removal, and that the vicinitie of it to the place of my Nativitie, made me the rather to affect it.

That which I ſhal add, is a matter of no great moment; yet men covetouſlie-minded, ar readie to catch at, and lay hold on ought that may ſeem anie way advantagious, that may bring in gain, tho never ſo ſmal, and add ought to the heap; they ar wont to have that of the old Epik oft in their mouths, foreign Heſiod.foreign, That light gains makes heavie purſes. From Dr. Winnith, Dean of Pauls, by Mr. Cooper of Thomas Apoſtles, his Allie, was the Lecture at Pauls offered me upon Dr. Days leaving it, it being but on the week day, and for the Term time onelie; and I could, if need were, name the man, who having two Paſtoral charges in the Citie, yet had not refuſed it, but undertook it, and held it to his dying day; but my Anſwer was, That I found work enough at home for my weakneſs to wield wel: And he found me▪ verie weak indeed at his acceſs to me; but it was in the long Summer Vacation; and he doubted not, but I might recover ſtrength enough ere the Lecture was to begin; but I to waived it.

p. 52Nor did I want means of attaining further preferment by the favor of Biſhop Mountagu, Maſter formerlie of the Colledge whereof I had been Fellow; who alſo, when I viſited him now and then, being become our Dioceſan, would ask me, why I came not about ſome place of preferment, ſuppoſing as he ſaid, my means here not to be great, and that I lived in an obſcure corner. And I remember, that being called over by the Lord Cheif Juſtice of the Common Pleas, to whom, as before was ſaid, I had ſome relation, lying then very ſick, and reqeſted to ſtay a Sabbath day with him, I heard at the publike Aſſemblie in the forepart of the day, Dr. Donne one of my Succeſſors at Lincolns-Inn, then lately preferred to the Deanrie of Pauls; When after my return from the Sermon, his Lordſhip having demanded of me whom I had heard? you ſee, ſaid he; how ſome of your Succeſſors riſe, and why do not you ſeek for ſome Prebend at leaſt? which he ſuppoſed might be with no great difficultie attained, withal intimating a forwardnes ſtil to be imployed on anie occaſion in that kind, whenſoever opportunitie were offered, as wel as while I was at Lincolns-Inn with them; Unto whom I ſincerelie and ſeriouſlie then profeſſed, that might I but qietly hold and enjoy what in the place of my preſent abode I had, I could, and (as I ſuppoſed) did live, as comfortablie and contentedlie, if not more, then moſt, not of the Prebends or Deans onlie, but of the Biſhops alſo, even the Archbiſhop himſelf not excepted. And trulie what the Heathen man ſometime, ſpeaking in his Heatheniſh ſtile and tone, ſaid,

Dii bene fecerunt, inopem me, qod que puſilli

Finxerunt animi.Flac. 1. l. Sat. 4.

the ſame with ſome ſmal alteration may I ſay of my ſelfe, that I acknowledge it oft as a favour of God, animi anguſti at que puſilli qod fecerit, that he was pleaſed to frame me, not of an haughtie, bold, cut-ſtretching, and ſelfe-confiding ſpirit; but of a low, baſhful, ſtreitned, ſelf-diffiding, and in ſome ſort puſillanimous diſpoſition; For I ſuppoſe that this my native frame hath been a means (God ſo diſpoſing it) to keep me from ſuch undertakings, as might bring with them grievous inconveniences, and expoſe to ſore temptations, which otherwiſe I might have been ſubject unto, and peradventure foiled with; and which the lower I kept, and the les I looked after great matters, the les was I endangered to p. 53be aſſalted with, and to fal by, as I obſerved in my time not a few to have done, to their ſcandal ſome, to their utter overthrow others; while their very raiſing proved their ruine. Upon which conſideration, neither did I ever make, or deſire to make anie further uſe, either of the Biſhop my conſtant friend's favor, ſave to keep my ſelf and mine Aſſiſtants free from ſuch undu moleſtations, as Miniſters in thoſe times were ſubject unto; or of that my deſervedlie much honored Patrons power, either while he was Atturney General, or Lord Cheif Juſtice, ſave for the procuring of the qiet enjoyment of a few Tenements in Rederith, purchaſed with ſome moneys which I had in marriage with my wife, being therein diſturbed by a buſie fellow, as alſo divers others of my neighbors were, who groundleſlie ſought to find flaws in our eſtates, and drew monie from other of them; and for the reſtoring of me to my libertie, and free uſe of my Miniſterie, (when for a ſhort time I had been impriſoned in the Fleet, whence, in the Kings abſence I was releaſed by the Right Honorable Earl of Mancheſter then Preſident of the Privie Councel, through the mediation of S…r Charls Montagu, Brother both to him and the Biſhop then deceſſed; and afterward by his Majeſties ſpecial command for a longer time confined to my houſe, and ſo reſtrained from my Paſtoral employment, in reference to an Epistle, or Preface prefixed to Mr. Eltons Catechiſm publiſhed after his deceſſe, in which buſines others far greater then my ſelf, even the Archbiſhop himſelf, were aimed at) which yet by his intervention with ſome great ones near about his Majeſty, was effected in my behalf.

It is commonlie ſaid of ſuch as are greedie of the world, that they deſire to gripe more then they ar wel able to graſp, and are readie to undertake more then they ar able to undergo, or to go thorough with. And men of aſpiring minds and ſpirits, ar wont to be over forward, either to obtrude themſelvs into, when they cannot otherwiſe be compaſſed, or to imbrace. when they ar tendred to them by others, ſuch places as ar of reſpect and repute, albeit they find and know themſelvs altogether unfit and unable to diſcharge them. Yea, it is obſerved by a grave Autor, foreign Plut. de Adul… dignoſc.foreign, that each one uſuallie, is the firſt and greateſt flatterer of himſelf; & that other folks flatteries could never faſten upon men, if men did not in the firſt place flatter themſelvs, and were willing therefore to be flattered by others. p. 54Yea, ſo far doth th…s deſire of repute, above truth or deſert, prevail with perſons ſo affected, that other mens votes and opinions of them, either fawninglie fained to ſooth them up in their vain fancies and fond conceipts of themſelvs, or reallie and ſincerelie, according to their apprehenſions and opinions, but erroneous and groundles, concerning them and their endowments, conceived and expreſſed do ſo bewitch them & work them to ſuch an over-weening & over-valewing of themſelvs that they deem themſelvs worthy of, and fit for anie place or employment of reputation and credit, tho their wants and weakneſſes wel weighed might eaſilie inform them the contrarie. Had I therfore been either covetouſlie affected, or ambitiouſlie minded, I would never have reſuſed (as conſcious to my genius its averſnes to, and ſpirits unfitnes for ſuch a place, I did) the Hedſhip of one of the principal Colledges in that Ʋniverſitie, whereof I was ſometime a Member, being as it is wel known, while I ſat in the Aſſemblie at Weſtminſter, both freely offered, and deſigned me by that Noble Earl of Mancheſter, who had then the diſpoſal of ſuch places there in his power, and eagerlie with much importunitie urged by divers of my Reverend Brethren of the Aſſemblie, and the Heds of other Houſes, (which ſome of them yet ſurviving ar able to teſtifie) to accept of it, alledging, when I pretended mine unfitnes for ſuch a place and imployment, that of my abilities and fitnes for it others muſt judge; It being a place both for repute and Revenew ſo far beyond this that I here held, and being put to my choiſe, whether I would leav this for that, or keep this ſtil with that, as ſome others then did, and ſo yet do; (and that one among others, who preacheth againſt taking of Tithes, as one mark of a fals Teacher, when yet he either exacts, or at leaſt receiveth Tithes himſelf, and againſt Ʋniverſities remanding them back to the pit of darknes from whence they came (ſaith he) at firſt, when as himſelf holds the Hedſhip of a Colledge in the Univerſitie, and receivs the maintenance belonging to it.) Yea, my ſelf ſometime perſwaded one of thoſe that ſucceeded me, adviſing therein with me, upon ſome important conſiderations, as I conceived them, to do that which my ſelf yet refuſed, and durſt not do.

To draw this long Diſcours then to a brief ſum, by what hath hitherto been related, it may eaſilie appear, how far I have been from giving anie juſt ground for Lilie or anie other to charge p. 55me with, or ſuſpect me of, a mind covetouſlie affected, or ambitiouſlie dispoſed, either by oft flitting from place to place, or by taking and holding divers places together, (which either yet in ſome caſes, I doubt not, but a man lawfullie may do) or by exacting with extremitie, what hath been du to me. Whereof further yet more anon.

But my mind, it ſeems, is altred with my yeers; and I am grown more gripple and covetous, at leaſt, in mine old age, then formerlie I have been; And it is tru indeed, that Avarice is Rolloc, in 1 Tim.commonlie deemed, Morbus…ſenum proprius, The peculiar vice of old age. And the Philoſopher therefore makes it one of the Characters of Old Men, that they ar foreign, illiberal Ariſt. Rhetor. l. 2. c 13.and cloſe-fiſted; yea, the Old Man in the Scene confeſſeth as much,

Ad omnia alia aetate ſapimus rectius:Ter. Adelph… 5. 3.

Solum unum hoc vitium affert ſenectus hominibus,

Attentiores ſumus ad rem omnes qam ſat eſt.

For other matters men by age grow wiſer; but this one vice old age brings with it, that it makes men generallie more worldlie then is meet. It is reported by Ammian, that Julian the Emperor was wont to ſay, Fiſcus ut lien, That the Excheqer Ammian. Hiſt▪ l.in the State, was as the Spleen in the Bodie: When it grew great, the main Bodie grew leſs. And ſome other, tho I remember not who, have ſaid of pride, Faſt us ut lien, faſtus ut fiſcus, Pride in the Mind, is as the Excheqer in the State, as the Spleen in the Bodie. When other Vices ar decayed, then Pride uſeth to get head; yea, it feeds upon, and gains growth by the decay of other Vices. But what they ſay of Pride, the ſame others of Avarice; hither drawing that of the Apoſtle, where 1 Tim. 6. 10. Rolloc. ib.1 Tim 6:10he compares this evil affection to a root, Qia ut radix hyeme vim ſuccum que retinet, cum reliqae plantarum partes vigorem viroremque amiſerint, ſaith that learned Scot: Becauſe, as the root in Winter retains its ſap and force, when the other parts of Stob. Tom. 2. tit. 115. Anton▪ Meliſ. l. 2. c. 17. Laert. l. 8. in Pythag. Gal. de Dogm. Hip. & Plat. l. 8.the plant have loſt all their wonted vigor and verdure: So this vice in old age, which the Ancients call foreign Hyemem vitae, the Winter of mans life, retains its force and ſtrength, when other vices become more invalid and leſs vigorous. For, as the ſame Autor wel, Libidinis ignis paulatim extinguitur, & cum ſenectute conſeneſcit: At avaritia augeſcit continu…, p. 56& cum ſenectute juveneſcit, qando vitia ſeneſcunt reliqa. The heat of lustfulneſs abates by degrees, and waxeth old with old age; whereas Avarice is ſtil growing, as ſome ſay of the Crocodile, Plin. l. 8 c. 27. qo… refutat. Scal. de ſubtil. exerc. 196. ſect. 7 Aug. de temp. 246. Cic. de Senect.and in old age is yong and lustie: Et in frigidis ſenibus vehementius inardeſcit; Yea, in cold old-men burns hotteſt, ſaith Auſtin; And when proſuſeneſs and looſneſs ceaſe, then this corruption of covetouſneſs begins to creep in. So that, howſoever it be a thing contrarie to reaſon, ſaith that famous Orator, Qo minus viae, eo plus viatici, For a man to encomber himſelf with larger proviſions, the leſs way he hath to go; And a ſtrange madneſs, ſaith that Ancient Father, for a man to be then Aug. ibid.moſt eager of ſcraping and gathering goods together, when he is ſooneſt to leav them; and to endeavor with moſt travel to lay on load, when he is neerest to his journeys end. Yet, it ſeems, this mad follie and unreaſonable affection hath, among manie other, ſurpriſed and ſeized on Mr. G. that like thoſe of whom Plutarch ſpeaks, who ar of the mind, That unleſs they Plut. de avar.add dailie to the heap of what alreadie they have, foreign, they ſhall want meat to feed them while they live, and money to bu…y them when they ar dead: So he, tho he be, foreign, in vespera vitae, in the evening of his life; yea, Ariſt. Poet. c. 21.as Empedocles, foreign, ad occaſum, at the verie Sun-ſet; foreign, Pedem alterum in capulo, or as we Lu…ian. de Sectis. Pomp. Eigeſt. l. 40 tit. 5. l. 28. Diogen. Adag. …13.uſe to ſpeak, In ſepulcro, habens, And have one foot in the Coffin, or in the Grave alreadie; yet as the Proverb hath it of the Athenians, foreign, Athenienſis moriens porrigit manum, An Athenian can put out his hand to take money, even when he lies adying: So (it ſeems) is it with him; he is now grown more gripple and greedie of the world then ever. For whereas heretofore, when he did moſt, and had moſt, he neither reqired, nor received more then an hundred and fortie pounds yeerlie; now the old covetous Churl, when he hath willing lie ſilenced himſelf from Preaching, he exacteth and receiveth Two hundred pounds per annum from his people, and yet preacheth not at all for it. For ſo this lying Sycophant moſt untrulie affirms.

Where firſt a word or two concerning my wilful ſilencing my ſelf, after that of my Receipts. It is wel known that in the yeer 1643. I was called to ſit in the Aſſemblie of Divines, and others p. 57of either Houſe at Weſtminſter. Where notwithſtanding the remoteneſs of my place, for above two yeers and upward, I attended as conſtantlie as anie other of the Aſſemblie; and yet neglected not therefore my Paſtoral employment, but preached ſtil conſtantlie everie Lords day, ſave when ſome of my Reverend Brethren and Colleages did now and then, yet not freqentlie, afford me ſome help. For which my attendance, albeit ſome of the Antinominan partie buzzed it into the ears of my people, that I received an hundred pound a yeer; and by Ordinance of Parliament indeed we were to receiv each one of us Four ſhillings a day; yet I never either demanded a pennie, nor when I was ſometime a Committee, and in the Chair, for the diſtribution of ſuch ſums of money, as they came in, did I ever ſet apart, or cauſe to be ſet apart, anie part thereof for my ſelf; regarding the indigence of ſome who had been either plundred, or driven from their places; and the juſt claim of others, who upon good ground reqired as of right du to them, a proportionable ſhare in the moneys brought in; nor did I ever receiv of what was by others unſought to aſſigned me, ſo much as half the charge of my Boat-hire (ſetting aſide other expences) amounted unto.

From this employment I came home, arreſted with a ſharp fit of the Wind-Colick, the violence whereof, after grievous and tedious pains undergone, and not ſuddenlie removed, ſo looſed and weakned the whole frame of my feeble bodie, that it conſtrained me to keep Bed for a long time together. After which extream weakneſs, when I had recovered ſo much ſtrength, as but to ſit up a little, by ſome cold taken, I fel back into ſuch a deep and dangerous relapſe, as made my recoverie verie doubtful, not to my friends alone, but even to the Phyſicians themſelvs. This affixed me for a longer ſpace of time, then before, to my Bed; mured me up a far longer time in my Chamber, and confined me yet a far longer time to my Houſe. And this, I ſuppoſe, was no willing or wilful ſilencing of my ſelf.

Howbeit, ſo ſoon as I had gotten anie degree of ſtrength, and was able to creep or craul out to the Publick Aſſemblie (of my own people, I mean; for unto that at Westminster, I was never able to return) I returned to my wonted courſ of Teaching, and therein continued for ſome good ſpace of time, until by intention p. 50of ſpeech a vein opening in my Lungs cauſed ſuch a flux of blood, as that, when it could not otherwiſe be ſtaid, I was conſtrained by advice to open a vein elſwhere; which double expence of blood could not but exceedinglie weaken one of my yeers, never of anie ſtrong conſtitution, and by a foregoing maladie brought ſo low as I la… been. Notwithſtanding, after that I had for ſome few months forborn preaching, ſuppoſing that all in my Lungs was now perfectlie cloſed up and healed, I betook my ſelf afreſh again to my wonted imployment, and perſiſted therein, until either the former or ſome other vein in the ſame part, reſerated the ſecond time, and with more violence diſgorging it ſelf then before, I was enforced to have recours to the former remedie again; but found it a work of more difficultie now by that courſ (albeit a double qantitie almoſt of blood to what before, was then drawn from me) and other means adjoyned thereunto, to effect a reſtraint, and repreſs the efflux, then formerlie it had been. And I was then told by the Phyſician, that I muſt whollie forbear Preaching, unles I would wilfullie make away myſelf; and this is the wilful or unwilling ſilencing of my ſelf from Preaching. Which howſoever I therefore forbear, that I may not thereby make my ſelf guiltie of ſelf-murther; yet do I not whollie neglect my Paſtoral employments, ſo far as with ſafetie I may perform anie (for this voidance of blood doth at times ſtil ſurprize me, tho not with ſuch vehemency, as at thoſe other times it did) in Administration of the Sacraments with ſuch ſhort Collations as ar ſuitable to the preſent occaſion, in Viſitation of the ſick, and other like Offices, as abilitie ſerveth, and my weaknes wil permit.

Yea but, When I preach not at all, yet I exact, or at leaſt receiv from my people Two hundred pounds a yeer.

Suppoſe that being now unable to preach, and take thoſe pains with my people that formerlie I had done, I ſhould yet admit from them, ſome good portion of that which I did formerly receiv; eſpeciallie at mine own charge providing and procuring ſome able perſons to perform what is reqiſite to be done, but am not able to do my ſelf; (that which I have been careful of ever ſince this infirmitie hath held me, ſo far as in me lay ſo to do) ſuppoſe, I ſay, I ſhould ſo do, I am of the mind, that no ingenuous people would deem it a thing unjuſt or uneqal, or could upon any eqitable ground denie it to one, that had ſpent himſelf and p. 51his ſtrength among them, and upon them; ſo long as God was pleaſed to continu abilitie to him. Sure I am that by Gods own Ordinance and appointment, the ſons of Levi, who had undergone the ſervice of the Tabernacle, until they were fiftie yeers Numb. 4 3. and 8. 25, 26.Num 4:3Num 8:25Num 8:26old, ſhould then, growing in yeers, be diſcharged of a great part of their wonted ſervice; and yet were not then to loſe their livelihood, or their part in the Tithes and other annual allowances to that Tribe and Function aſſigned, albeit they did no toilſom work for it.

But whether I reqire it or no, certain it is that I receiv it, and that it is no leſs then two hundred a yeer.

Belike, tho I be not ſo gripple to exact or reqire it; (and where is the old Churls covetouſnes then?) yet my people ar now grown on a ſudden ſo wonderful open-hearted and open-handed, as to bring or ſend at leaſt in to me more by much then ever at anie time they afforded me. And Qis niſi mentis inops oblatum reſpuat? what a follie were it for me to refuſe and return it? what a diſcourteſie had it been not to receiv and accept ſo large, or laviſh rather, a courteſie, ſo freely and profufelie tendered? As upon my refual of that Place in the Univerſitie before-mentioned, which was then conferted on a worthie Brother far fitter for it then my ſelf, whom to the great loſs not of that Colledge alone, but of the whole Univerſitie, and the no leſs grief of al his wel-affected Brethren of the Miniſterie, unto whom his worth and parts were known, the Lord hath latelie taken from us; when upon the publication thereof in the Aſſemblie, he out of his ingenuous modeſtie ſtood up, and made an Apologie for himſelf, that he had not ſought for the place, as I verilie beleiv he had not, and by the partie Mr. S. M.that publiſhed it to clear him therein, it was averred, that if that Reverend Father (ſo was he pleaſed to ſtile me) that ſat over againſt him, had not refuſed it; he had not been thought upon for it. As I ſay, an ancient Doctor now deceſſed, Mr. P. S.ſaid then to me, as we went out of the Aſſemblie, I would my Lord of Mancheſter would have graced me with the refuſal of the Maſterſhip of Trinitie Colledge; as intimating that he would alſo have refuſed it, as I did: ſo ſay I here, I would my people would have graced not me with the refuſal of ſo great a ſum (which I am wel aſſured I ſhould never have-received) but graced themſelvs with the free tender of ſo much as was du to me, or ſo p. 60much at leaſt as would have amounted to that which he received from me, who officiated for me, to try whether, or how far forth I ſhould have accepted of it, or received their free offer. But this on a liers, Lilies word, I ſhould ſay, they that liſt may beleiv. What I receiv is ſoon-known; for it comes not to me by manie hands, nor need I fear, or be loath to have it known what it is; I receiv qarterlie, for all the Tithes of the grounds, Seventeen pound ten ſhillings, and for all my Gleab, five pounds ten ſhillings; which all put together, wil not make up One hundred a yeer. For as for Tithe-rent for houſes formerlie paid, I have for divers yeers paſt not receiv'd one pennie, nor ought in lieu of it; the pretence of the moſt is, that I admit not all promiſcuouſlie to the Lords Table, but according to Ordinance of Parliament in that behalf enacted, nor as yet, that I know, repealed, reqire of thoſe, whom I admit, ſome account of their Faith, but of neither ſort, the one or the other do I in this kind receiv ought, tho recoverable in the Court of Excheqer.

Now out of the ſum above ſpecified, which I receiv quarterlie, do I conſtantlie iſſu thirteen, and ſometime fourteen pound a qarter unto him that performs thoſe Offices for me, which with ſafetie my ſelf cannot. Whereunto when there ſhal be added, what in right of my Rectorie I part with in Tenths and Taxes to the State, Aſſeſments for the poor, with other like neceſſarie payments, wherein I ſtand as deeplie charged, as if I enjoyed the whole, and as when I received moſt; it will eaſilie appear how ſmala portion or poor a pittance rather, of what I receiv, comes into mine own purſ. So that I may wel ſaie of my Rectorie, as Luther ſometime of Free-wil, it is Titulus ſine re. I hold a bare Title of a Rectorie; a ſorrie pittance of ought that may fitlie bear that name.

But why do you retain the Title then, may ſome ſay, if you reap no more benefit by it?

I Anſwer, It is much againſt my mind, as not a few wel know. I have a long time been deſirous to deveſt my ſelf of it: I made divers yeers ſince my mind known to my people, concerning my not willingneſs onelie, but erneſt deſire, in regard of mine imbecillitie, to reſign it, and reqeſted them to take ſome ſpeedie courſ for the bringing in of a faithful and able p. 61Paſtor, under whoſe Miniſterie my ſelf might live comfortablie together with them. One was nominated by the partie, who bears the Title of Patron. Some exceptions were taken againſt him, and I erneſtlie preſſed to retain the Title, til ſuch an one might be had as was generallie approved. I growing daylie as more weaklie, ſo more wearie of the Charge, have ſince that time again, and that ſome good ſpace of time ſince, cauſed it to be motioned to the partie, in whom the right of Preſenting is deemed to reſt, that if he would nominate anie one that ſhould for Life and Abilities be approved of by the Claſſis whereof I am an uſeles Member, or by any three of them, I would, upon their approbation ſignified, readilie reſign; But of any ſuch I could never yet hear from him. I am now put in hope that another way the burden may be wholie taken off from my ſhoulders, and one of better Abilities placed in my room; the day whereof I long to ſee, as that which wil be a day of libertie, and much eaſe of mind to me.

Thus having, I hope, to anie, not totallie cloſed, or wilfullie winking eie, evidentlie diſcovered, the notorious untruth and vanitie, of thoſe ſlanderous calumnies, that this lying Varlet hath endevored to faſten upon me,

That I was ſometime a Prelate.

That I preached then for Sabbath Sports:

That I have willinglie ſilenced my ſelf from Preaching.

That I receive Two hundred pounds by the yeer, tho I preach not for it.

I ſhal from henceforth willinglie ſilence my ſelf from dealing anie further with him, and leav him to his Father and Maſter, with whom he dealeth, and whoſe work he doth, even to him who was the firſt coyner of lies, and is the Father of John 8 44.John 8:44Lyars, to receiv his Childs Portion from him, together with them (among whom he ſeems ambitious of a principal place) who by their forging and loving of lies, ſhew manifeſtlie Rev. 21. 8. and 22. 15.Rev 21:8Rev 22:15of what Stock they ar deſcended, and what Houſe they belong unto.

I ſhal onelie add, for further manifeſtation, not of his virulent and ſlanderons language onelie, but of his malicious and p. 54miſchievous mind, that he may ſhew himſelf to be a right. Schollar, and a genuine Child of him, that was not a Lyar onelyonly, bu… a Murtherer from the beginning, what he hath in the cloſe of his Februarie Obſervations, where theſe words ar found.

The Common Law neer this time, or the practical part thereof, ſeems ſomewhat curbed;—whilſt malicious Presbyterie, without a general Maſſacre, never wil.

And yet further to ſhew the extent of this his murtherous mind to reach not the Presbyterie alone, but the whole bodie of the Miniſtrie, and his longing deſire, impatient of delay, to have ſome ſuch bloodie and barbarous deſign, or helliſh project put in execution out of hand, as in his laſt yeers cloſe he complained of them in theſe terms, We are eternallie plagued with a mutinous and ſelf-ſeeking Clergie, whoſe avarice hath no bounds, or pride anie limits.

So thus now he concludes his Mayes Obſervations,

The Saint-ſeeming Divine underhand undoes both People, Authoritie, Souldiers and Themſelvs, by crawling, and creeping, and ſtealing Mens affections from the preſent Army and Government. Parlament of England, how long wilt thou ſuſſer theſe to reign?

Thus this gallant-ſpirited (as he ſeems to account himſelf) or rather murtherous-minded man (as he may juſtlie and deſervedlie be deemed) like another Haman, who becauſe ſtout Mordecay Eſter 3. 5. 6.the Jew wil not bow to him, thought ſcorn to wreck his wrathful rage upon him alone, but would have the whole Nation of the Jews rooted out and deſtroyed; ſo he, becauſe T. G. a ſtiff-necked Presbyterian (as he is pleaſed to ſtile him, and ſome other of the like ſtrain) wil not ſtoop to him, would have the whole Presbyterie, yea, and Miniſtrie to be murthered and maſſacred, and encites (what in him lies, nor I hope wil he pretend without good warrant from the Book of Heaven, where in the Stars he finds it entred and engroſſed, ſo to do) either the Higher Powers (for to the Parlament of England he cals for it) like tyrannous Saul, or the rude and raſh multitude and the Souldierie (whom Sam. 22. 16, 18he ſays they undo) like ſo many Edomitical Doegs, not to fal ſoul p. 55upon and murther ſome fourſcore or thereabouts of Gods Prieſts in ſome one Citie, but to maſſacre & make away ſo manie hundreds of Chriſts Miniſters diſperſed through al parts of the land, as being ſuch, as without a general maſſacre of them cannot be curbed. And I ſhal onelie propound it in ſober ſadnes to the ſage and ſerious conſideration of thoſe Worthies who have the Rains of Government in their hands, whether ſuch helliſh Counſels and devi…liſh Deſigns as theſe do conduce to the ſetling of peace in the Nation, or ar documents fit to be inſtilled into peoples, and Swordmens minds; or rather whether the publiſhing and divulging of ſuch projects as found written and enrolled in the Celeſtial Records being permitted to paſs without check or controle, may not prove in time, means of working much miſchief, and of drawing down the wrath and vengeance of God upon the whole body of the State, Read Jer. 26. 15. and 2 Chron. 36. 16, 17.