302 The LIFE of the .LIB. I. to get away, thatindeed the Noifeof theFeetin the Galleries founded like the fat- ling of theStones ; fo that the People crowded out of Doors ; the Women left fome of them a Skarf, and fome a Shoe behind them, and tome in the Galleries cart themfelvesdown upon thofe below, becaufe they could not get down the Stairs. I fate frill down in the Pulpit, feeing and pitying their vain Difemper, and affoonas I could be heard, I intreated their Silence, and went on. The Peo- ple were no foonerquieted, and got in again, and the Auditory compofed , but Tome that flood upon -a Wainfcot-Bench near theCommunion Table,brake the Bench with their weight, fo that the Noire renewed the Fear again,and they were worfe difordered than before ; fo that one old Woman was heard at the Church Door asking forgivenefsof God, for not taking the liiefl warning, and promifing if Godwould deliver her this once, Ilse would take heedof coming thither again. Whgn they were again quieted, I went on. But the Church havingbefore an ill name ( as very old, and rotten, and dangerous) this put the Parifh upon a Refòlu- tion to pull down all theRoof and build it better, which they have done with fo great Reparation of the Walls and Steeple, that it is now like a new Church, and much more commodious for the Hearers. § cha. While I was here alto thedaily Clamours of Accufers even wearied me : Noone ever queftioned me ; nor inftancedin any culpable words, but in general all war again; the Church andGovernment t Upon which ( and the requel of the Countefs of Balcan es, one ofmy Hearers, a Perlon of exemplary worth) I was fain to publifhmany of my Sermons verbatim, on a Cor. e;. q. in a Book called [ The Mifcbiefr of Self ignorance, andBenefits of Self -acquaintance ] : And when the Bookwas printed (without alteration) then I heard no more ofanyFault. § e6.;. Upon this Reparation of Dunflan'sChurch, I preached out my Quarter at Bride: Church in the other end of Pleetftreet ; where the CommonPrayer being ufed by the Curate before Sermon, I occafioned abundance to be at Common Prayer which before avoided it : And yet my Accufations hill continued. § 064. On the Week days, Mr. Afhurjb with about Twenty more Citizens, de- fired me to preach a Leecurein Milkftreet ; for which they allowed me 404 per Annum, which I continued near a year,till wewere all Silenced. And at the fame time I preached once every Lord's Day at Blackfryars ( where Mr. Gibbons a judi- cious Man was Minifler.) In Milk reel I took Moneybecaufe it came not from the Parilhioners, but Strangers, and fo was no wrong to, the Minifter (Mr. Vincent, a very holy, blamelefs Man) : But at Blackfryars I never took a Penny, becaufe it was the Parifhionerswho called me, who would elfe be lefs ableand ready to help their worthy Paftor ( who went to Godby a Confumption a little after he wasfslenced and putout). At thefe two Churches I ended the Courfe of my Publick Miniftry (unlefsGod caufe an undeferved Refurre&ion). § eBq. Here alto my Accufations followed me as malicioufly and fal(ly as be- fore ;' and I was fain toclear my felf by printing force of my Sermons , in a little Book called Now or Never, and in part of another called aSaint or a Bruit. § r 66.Before this I refòlved to go to the Archbifhopof Canterbury (then Bithop of London) to ask him for his Licenfe to preach in his Diocefe : Some Brethren bla- med Inc for it, as being an owning of Prelatical Ufurpation. Itold them that the King had given him a power toInfer or binder me; and if he had no powerat all, I might lawfully delire any Man not to hinder me in my Duty ; much more having power as the Church-Magiltrate or Officerof the King : And though I was un- der no neceflity, I would not refute a lawful thing, when Authority required it. The Archbifhop received me withvery great expreffron of Refpe&s; and offered me his Licenfe, and would let his Secretary take no Moneyof me : But he offered ore the Book to Sdblcribe in : I told him that he knew that the King's Declaration exemptedus from Subfcription:He bid me write what would: I told him that what I refblved to do,and I thought meet for him toexpe&,I Add do of choice,though I might forbear: And fò (in Latin) Ifubfcribed my protülfe not to preach again! the Do&ritie of the Church, or the Ceremonies eltablifhed by Law,in hisDiocefs, while I ufed his Licenfe. And I told him how grievous it was tome tobe daily haunted with fuch general Accufations behind my back, and asked him why I was never accufed of any Particulars: And he confeffed to nre, That if they had got any Particulars that would have deferved it, I lhould have heard particu- larly from him. I fcarce think that I everpreached a Sermon without a Spy to give them his report of it. § 161.
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