A Copy of a Letter sent to the Reverend Dr. Beveridge, up-
on Occasion of the Second Edition of the Paper of Re-
marks upon his Sermon about Restitution.
|
SIR!
|
I Have here sent You the Second Edition, with Additions, of the Paper
|
with Remarks upon your late Sermon about Restitution, wherein, as in a
|
Glass, you may see your abominable Hypocrisy, in preaching up Restitution to
|
the wrong'd, and that upon pain of Damnation, and yet you yourself can
|
receive and enter upon the Right and Possession of another, an Innocent, Con-
|
scientious* Bishop of our Church, (yet in Being, and Uncanonically turned out
|
to beg his Bread) whose Bishoprick was setled on him for his Life, according
|
to the Laws of the Realm, (which setled St. Peters in Cornhil upon you)
|
which you have sworn to preserve and maintain to your power. You are
|
not ignorant that a Bishop, according to the Rules and Practice of the Church
|
in all Ages, cannot warrantably be depriv'd, or depos'd, but by a Synod of
|
Bishops, either General, or Provincial. But was there any such Method of
|
Proceeding in the Case of our deprived Bishops? It being never heard of
|
old, that Bishops were deposed, or deprived by mere Lay-men (who might in-
|
deed as legally depose Bishops, as the People might an Hereditary King) no,
|
not in the Arian Persecution.
|
*Dr. Tho. Ken,
|
Lord Bishop
|
of Bath and
|
Wells.
|
Reflect, I beseech You, on the dismal Fate (as a just Punishment of the
|
Sin, much like that of Corah) of those Ecclesiastical, Schismatical * Usurpers,
|
Gregory and George of Cappadocia, who unjustly invaded the See of Alexan-
|
dria (which was wisely and honestly refus'd by Eusebius Emisenus, when
|
proffer'd to him) upon the deposing of Athanasius, the Orthodox Bishop there,
|
for no other Crime, than that of his Conscience, (your deprived Bishop's
|
Fault) refusing to comply with the Wickedness of the Time, and vigorously
|
opposing the prevailing Arian Faction. But the Good, Conscientious Bishop was
|
by the Providence of God, with Honour restor'd to his See, to the Joy of his
|
Friends, (who faithfully stuck to him in Banishment) and the Shame and
|
Confusion of his Enemies.
|
* Two Arian
|
Priests, who
|
died miserably
|
and unpitied.
|
To enter upon the Right and Possession of another, Is it, I pray, agreeable
|
to the Golden Rule, which, you observ'd, our Saviour recommended --- What-
|
soever ye would that Men should do to you, even so do ye to them. --- Read and
|
apply the Apostle's earnest Expostulation, Rom. 2. 21, 22, etc. Thou therefore
|
which teachest another, teachest thou not thy self? Thou that preachest a Man
|
should not steal, dost thou steal? Thou that abhorrest Idols, dost thou commit
|
Sacriledge? Thou that makest thy boast of the Law, through breaking the Law
|
dishonourest thou God? For the Name of God is blasphemed, through you. ------
|
O Sir! Consider what Occasion you give to the Enemies of our Religion, to
|
blaspheme that worthy Name by which we are called. ------ Is this worthy of the
|
Pious Dr. Beveridge, the Humble, Mortified, Self-denying, Heavenly-minded Dr.
|
Beveridge? Whom we esteem'd a Second Chrysostom in our Antioch, the Or-
|
nament of our Protestant City, a Main Pillar in our Church, the Beauty of our
|
Israel, a burning and a shining Light, a bright Star in our English Firmament,
|
and the great Reviver and Example of Primitive Piety, celebrating the bles-
|
sed Sacrament (the lively Memory of the Passion of our Lord, that heavenly
|
Feast of Love, which thinks and does no Ill to its Neighbor) every Sun-
|
day. And is it not strange that so worthy a Divine, and so good a Christian,
|
should be guilty of so scandalous, so shameful a Prevarication? But, O, how are
|
the Mighty fallen! --- How unaccountably prevalent and mischievous are the
|
Charms of that Sin, which the Spirit of God compares to the *Sin of Witch-
|
craft?
|
God Almighty open your Eyes, and your Brethren's, that you may see your
|
Errors, and repent, and break off your Sins by Righteousness, and so avert his
|
Wrath and Judgments, both from your Selves, and these trembling Nations. ---
|
Which is the earnest Prayer of,
|
REVEREND SIR!
|
|
|
|
|
|