Ten Modest QUERIES, HUMBLY OFFER'D To the most serious Consideration of the Right Reverend Father in God, THOMAS Lord Bishop of Saint Davids; AND That they may be Communicated to the rest of the Clergy, at his Primary Visitation now held for that Diocess.
QUERY I.
WHether every Bishop and Clergy-man take not an Oath of Canonical Obedience to his Metropolitan the Arch-Bishop.
If so, Whether a Bishop or inferiour Clergy-man, can without incurring the Guilt of Perjury, disobey his Metropolitan in licitis & honestis.
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QUERY II.
Whether every inferiour Clergy-man is not bound in a Stricter Tye of obedience to his Metropolitan, whom he knows to be stanch, and firm to his Religion, than to his Diocesan, whom he has some reason to suspect, because he has only his own word for his Integrity, tho' his Actions may declare the contrary?
QUERY III.
Whether a private Ministers refusing to read a Thing publickly in his Church, because he knows it to be contrary to his Conscience, and destructive to his Religion; be a sufficient Reason for a Protestant Bishop to abstain from Church, and turn his back on the blessed Sacrament on the Lord's day?
QUERY IV.
Whether a matter of Conscience, or scruple ariseing at any time in Gods Church, the inferiour Clergy are to follow the Opinion of 20 Bishops whom they know to be stedfast and firm in their Religion, and that value less their preferrment, then their Consciences, and the displeasure of their Prince (for whom they are ready to sacrifice their Lives, and Fortunes) less then the displeasure of their God, whom they cannot, whom they dare not offend; Or else to follow the Opinion and Judgment of four temporizeing Bishops, who under hand endeavour the ruin and destruction of the best of Churches, like so many Wethercocks turning every way with the Fickle and inconstant Wind?
If so, whether the 20 Prelates that are eminent for their Piety and Learning; Or the four which are eminent for neither be guilty of the present Schism, that's unhappily set on foot by he Enemies of our Church.
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QUERY V.
Whether after his Majesties gracious Declaration for Liberty of Conscience, a Protestant Bishop ought to force his Clergy to Act contrary to their Consciences, and what is most Sacred to them; their Religion.
If so, whether our Swearing to observe, the 39 Articles do's not oblige every Clergy-man to stick stedfast, and firm to the Faith therein contain'd; and not to bring our Religion, which is so Primitive and Apostolical into scorn and contempt, through any unjust Compliance for Temporal advantage?
QUERY VI.
Whether the kind, and endearing Expressions of Fellow Brethren, and Fellow Labourers in Gods Word, as us'd by the Apostles themselves; be not more decent and more becoming the Gravity of a Bishop to his Clergy, then the Billingsgate Scoundrel Expressions of Seditions, Scandalous, and perjur'd Varletts?
QUERY VII.
Whether the same Charge that
Paul gave to his Son
Timothy, do's not stand good still,
That a Bishop must be sober, of good Behaviour, given to Hospitality, apt to Teach, not given to Wine, no Striker, not Covetous?
QUERY VIII.
Whether the same Persons that have Commanded the Clergy of late to read the Declaration, huffing some of them into a Compliance by threats, and hard words, wheedling others
[Page 4] into it by fair promises and good words to Act contrary to their Inclinations, are to be look'd on at this time, as friends to the Church of England? Or if they should at another time, when it stands more for their Interest oblige the same Clergy to read Mass in their respective Churches, whether the Oaths then of Canonical obedience may oblige such to obey their Diocesan?
QUERY IX.
Whether such who have of late comply'd herein, in obedience to his Majesties Command, and at the same time declar'd their dislike of it, are not guilty of the silliest Equivocation, such as a
Jesuit himself wou'd be asham'd to own, being the greatest hypocrisy that cou'd be offer'd both to God and Man?
QUERY X.
Whether the wicked
Tenet of the Heathen Emperour
(Timeri Mallem quam Amari) be not more becomeing a primative Persecutor than a Christian Prelate; whose best way to make his Lawn sit easy is to Merit the love of all good and virtuous Men, and not to value the hatred of the vitious and prophane? For as benefits and rewards will oblige the one to Reverence and admire his Person; so will Punishments, and the fear of Justice deterr others from casting any dirt, or aspersion on him in the discharge of his sacred function.