Speeches in the High Court of Parliament
The source for this document is https://quod.lib.umich.edu/e/eebo2/A92070.0001.001
Project Note
This is licensed under Creative Commons CC BY-NC-ND. This license allows reusers to copy and distribute the material in any medium or format in unadapted form only, for noncommercial purposes only, and only so long as attribution is given to the creator.
The source of this document is the Early English Books Online (EEBO-TCP) website. Those books were transcribed in a character for character manner and can be very cumbersome to read since there was no standard spelling during that time. Many spelling variations such as "unlesse", "vnlesse", and "vnles" regularly appear.
This project was conceived to clean up those books as much as possible and make them more accessible to the interested reader, leading to the creation of a massive list of variant spellings and their corrections. This was used to clean up the text, but is of course only as complete as the list itself. Because of the nature of the original transcription, some words have missing characters or places where the original language (e.g., Greek) was not transcribed. This effort does not change that. Be aware that the original transcription can also be faulty and in some cases entire sentences may be missing.
Although this is no substitute for a properly compared, proofed, and scholarly edition, I believe that the result is a document which is far more accessible, particularly for searching for terms using standard spelling. The document has been cleaned and presented in what I hope is a pleasing and useful format for the vast majority of Christian brothers and sisters who just want access to read these spiritually nourishing works.
However, a word of warning: The Puritans were a very diverse group of people and their age was characterized with godliness, but also much upheaval, disputation and strife. They disagreed on many doctrines and some of these works contain less orthodox or Scriptural views than others. The reader is strongly advised to read with discernment, particularly if it is unknown whether author is trustworthy.
This project took a huge amount of time and skill to bring to fruition. I would particularly like to thank David Jonescue for the initial list of Puritans he found on EEBO and the concept behind this project as well as the continuous, unceasing efforts toward seeing this complete. Without his labor, this would not be available. Alex Sarrouf was invaluable in providing the initial list of over 7,000 spelling variations he had identified and corrected, as well as continuing to review more than 16,000 additions to that list for any typos.
Logan West
(with David Jonescue and Alex Sarrouf)
www.puritansearch.org
ANOTHER SPEECH OF S r . BENIAMIN RVDYER in the High Court of PARLIAMENT.
Mr. Speaker,
I Do verily believe, that there are many of the Clergy in our Church, who do think the simplicity of the Gospel, too mean a vocation for them to serve-in: They must have a spescious, pompous, sumptuous, Religion, with Additionalls of Temporal greatness, Authority, Negotiation: Notwithstanding, they all know better then I, what Fathers, Schoolmen, Councils are against their mixing themselves in secular affairs.
This Roman Ambition will at length bring in the Roman Religion, and at last a haughty Insolence even against supreme power it self, if it be not timely and wisely prevented.
They have amongst them an Apothegm of their own making, which is, No Miter, No Scepter; when we know by dear experience, that if the Miter be once in danger, they care not to throw the Scepter after, to confound the whole Kingdom for their Interest.
And Hystories will tell us, that whensoever the Clergy went high, Monarchy still went lower: If they could not make the Monarch the head of their own Faction, they would be sure to make him less: witness one example for all, The Popes working the Emperor out of Jtaly.
Some of ours, as soon as they are Bishops, adepto fine, cessant Motus, They will Preach no longer, their office then is to govern, But in my opinion they govern worse then they Preach, though they Preach not at all; for we see to what pass their government hath brought us.
In conformity to themselves, They silence others also, though Jerome in one of his Epistles saith, that even a Bishop, let him be of never so blameless a life, yet he doth more hurt by his license, then he can do good by his example.
Mr. Speaker, It now behooves us, to restrain the Bishops to the duties of their Function, as they may never-more hancker-after heterogeneous extravagant employments: Not be so absolute, so single and solitary in Actions of Moment, as Excommunication, Absolution, Ordination, and the like: but to join some of the Ministry with them, and further to regulate them according to the usage of Ancient Churches, in the best times, that by a well-tempered Government, they may not have power hereafter, to corrupt the Church, to undo the Kingdom.
When they are thus circumscrib'd, and the Public secured from their Eruptions, then shall not I grudge them a liberal plentiful subsistence else I am sure, they can never be given to Hospitality.
Although the calling of the Clergy be all glorious within, yet if they have not a large considerable, outward support, they cannot be freed from vulgar Contempt.
It will always be fit, that the flourishing of the Church, should hold proportion with the flourishing of the Common-wealth wherein it is. If we dwell in Houses of Cedar, why should they dwell in skins? And I hope I shall never see a good Bishop left worse then a Parson without a Gleab.
Certainelie Sir, the superintendencie of eminent Men, Bishops over divers Churches, is the most Primitive, the most spreading, the most lasting Government of the Church. Wherefore whilst we are earnest to take away Innovations, let us beware we bring not in the greatest Innovation that ever was in England.
I do very well know, what very many do very fervently desire. But let us well bethink ourselves whether a popular Democratical Government of the Church (though fit for other places) will be either suitable or acceptable, to a Regal, Monarchical Government of the State.
Every man can say (It is so common and know a Truth) that sudden and great changes both in natural and Politique bodies have dangerous operations: and give me leave to say, that we cannot presently see to the end of such a consequence, especially in so great a Kingdom as this, and where Episcopacy is so wrapped and involved in the Laws of it.
Wherefore Mr. Speaker, my humble Motion is, that we may punish the present offenders, reduce and preserve the Calling for better men hereafter. Let us remember with fresh thankfulness to God, those glorious Martyr-Bishops who were burned for our Religion, in the times of Popery, who by their learning, zeal, and constancy, upheld and conveyd it down to us.
We have some good Bishops still, who do Preach every Lord's Day, and are therefore worthy of double Honor; they have suffered enough already in the Disease: I shall be sorry we should make them suffer more in the Remedy.