Immagini della pagina
PDF
ePub

But fome few days after, the Bishop fent for him, and gave him his Titles without exacting Fees of him; and fo he removed to that place, where he ftayed Twelve Years, during which time he was a great honour to the "Church, as well as a pattern to all Churchmen. His habit and way of living was very plain, and becoming the fimplicity of his Profeffion. He was very tender of those that were truly poor, but was fo ftrict in examining all Vagabonds, and fo dextrous in discovering counterfeit Paffes, and took fuch care of punishing thofe that went about with them, that they came no more to him, nor to his Town. In all that time no notice was ever taken of him, though he gave a very fingular evidence of his great capacity. For being provoked by his old acquaintance Waddefworth's Letters, he writ upon the points in controverfie with the Church of Rome, with fo much learning and judgment, and in fo mild a ftrain, that no wonder if his Book had a good effect on him, for whom it was intended: It is true he never returned and changed his Religion himself, but his Son came from Spain into Ireland, when Bedell was promoted to the Bishoprick of Kilmore there, and told him, That his Father. commanded him to thank him for the pains he was at in writing it: he faid, It was almoft always lying open before him, and that he "had heard him fay, He was refolved to fave one. And it seems he inftructed his Son in the true Religion, for he declared himfelf a Proteftant on his coming over. This Book was

[ocr errors]

printed,

printed, and dedicated to the late King, while he was Prince of Wales, in the Year 1624. The true Reasons that obftructed Bedell's preferment feem to be thefe; He was a Calvinift in the matter of Decrees and Grace; and Preferments went generally at that time to thofe that held the other Opinions. He had alfo another Principle, which was not very acceptable to fome in power; he thought, Conformity was an exact adhering to the Rubrick; and that the adding any new Rite or Geremony, was as much Nonconformity, as the paffing over those that were prescribed: So that he would not use thofe Bowings or Gefticula tions that grew fo much in fashion, that Mens affections were measured by them. He had too good an understanding, not to conclude, That these things were not unlawful in themfelves; but he had obferved that when once the humour of adding new Rites and Ceremo nies got into the Church, it went on by a fatal increase, till it had grown up to that Bulk, to which we find it fwelied in the Church of Rome. And this began fo early, and grew fo faft, that S. Austin complained of it in his time, faying, That the condition of Chriftians was then more uneafie by that Yoke of Observances, than that of the Jews had been, And therefore Bedell thought the adhering to eftablished Laws and Rules was a certain and fixed thing; whereas Superftition was infinite, So he was against all Innovations, or arbitrary and affumed Practices; and fo much the more when Men were diftinguished and markt out

[blocks in formation]

for preferment, by that which in ftrictness of Law was a thing that deferved punishment. For in the Act of Uniformity, made in the first Year of Queen Elizabeth's Reign, it was made highly penal, to use any other Ritė or Ceremony, Order or Form, either in the Sacraments, or in Morning or Evening Prayers, than what was mentioned and fet forth in that Book. And this was particularly intended to restrain fome that were leavened with the former Superftition, and yet for faving their Benefices, might conform to the New Service, but retain ftill with it many of the old Rites in facred Offices. And it seems our Legiflators were of the fame mind, when the laft Act of Uniformity was paft; for there is a fpecial Provifo in it, That no Rites or Ceremonies bould be openly ufed in any Church, other than what was prefcribed and appointed to be used in and by the faid Book.

Therefore he continued to make the Rubrick the measure of his Conformity, as well before his promotion as after it.

But he was well fatisfied with that which the Providence of God laid in his way, and went on in the duties of his paftoral care, and in his own private Studies; and was as great a Pattern in Suffolk, of the paftoral care, in the lower degree, as he proved afterwards in Ireland in the higher Order. He laboured not as an Hireling that only raised a Revenue out of his Parish, and abandoned his Flock, trufting them to the cheapest Mercenary that he could find; nor did he fatisfie himself with a flight perfor mance of his duty only for fashion's fake; but

he

he watched over his Flock like one that knew he was to answer to God for thofe Souls committed to his charge: So he preached to the understandings and confciences of his Parish, and catechifed conftantly. And, as the whole course of his own moft exemplary behaviour was a continued Sermon; fo he was very exact in the more private parts of his Function, vifiting the Sick, and dealing in fecret with his people, to excite or preferve in them a deep fenfe of Religion. This he made his work, and he followed it fo close, and lived fo much at home, that he was fo little known, or fo much forgot, that when* Diodati came over to England, many years after this, he could hear of him from no Perfon that he met with; though he was acquainted with many of the Clergy. He was much amazed at this, to find that fo extraordinary a Man, that was fo much admired at Venice, by fo good Judges, was not fo much as known in his own Country; and fo he was out of all hope of finding him out, but by a meer accident he met him on the Streets of London, at which there was a great deal of joy on both fides. And upon that Diodati prefented him to † Morton the learned and ancient Bifhop of Durefme, and told how great a value P. Paulo fet on him; upon which that Bifhop treated him in a very particular manner. It is true, Sir Henry Wotton was always his firm and faithful Friend; but his Credit at Court had funk: For he fell under neceffities, C 4

Diodati. † Merton. § Sir Henry Wattan

having

having lived at Venice in an Expence above his appointments, And as neceffitous Courtiers muft grow to forget all concerns but their own; fo their intereft abates, and the favour they are in leffens, when they come to need it too much. Sir Thomas Jermyn was in more cre dit, though he was always fufpected of being too favourable to the Puritans; fo that his inclinations being known, the character he could give of him, did not ferve to raise him in England.

While he was thus neglected at home,his fame was spread into Ireland; and though he was not known either to the famous Bifhop Uber, or to any of the Fellows of Trinity College in Dublin, yet he was chofen by their unanimous confent, to be the Head of their College, in the Year 1627. and as that worthy Primate of Ireland, together with the Fellows of the College, writ to him, inviting him to come and accept of that Mastership, so an Addrefs was made to the King, praying that he would command him to go over. And that this might be the more fuccefsful, Sir Henry Wotto was moved to give his Majefty a true Account of him, which he did in the following Letter.

May it pleafe your moft Gracious Majefty,

H fons baci, by the good Wifes of the

Aving been informed,That certain Per

Archbishop of Ardmagh, been directed hither, with a most humble Petition unto your Majefty, That you will be pleased to make Mr. William Bedell

*Six Thomas Jermyn. + An Account of Bedell.

« IndietroContinua »