Chap. VI. 7-he HISTORY of the PURITANS. 263 the molt powerful motives ; but he defiled to beexcufed, and in that refo- ..ueen lution remained immoveable : His reafons were taken from the largenefs Elizabeth, of the diocefes, which were too great for the inlpeEtion of one perfon ; for he was fo ftrongly poffeffed of the duty of bifhops, and of the charge of fouls, that was committed to them, that he could never be perfwaded to keep two livings, over bothof which he could not have a perfonal infpedtion, and perform all the offices of a pallor ; be added farther, that he had fo many friends and relations in thofe parts to gratify or connive at, that he could not continue an honeft man and be their bifhop. But though Mr. Gilpin would not be a bifhop, he fupplied the place ofone, by preaching, by hofpitality, by erecting fchools, by taking care of the poor, and pro. viding for deftitute churches; in all which he was countenanced and en_ couraged, by the learned and reverend yames Pilkington, then bifhop of Durham, by whom he was excu fed from jubfcriptions, habits, and a arid obfervance of ceremonies, it being his fixed opinion, that no human in- vention fhould take place in the church, inftead.ofa divine infiitution. After bifhop Pilkington's death, Dr. Barnes was chofen his fucceffor,- who was difgufted at Mr. Gilpin's popularity, and gave him trouble : Once when he was letting out upon his annual vifitation to Riddefdale and Tindale, the bifhop fummoned him to preach before him, which he excufed in the handfomeft manner he could, and went his progrefs ; but upon his re- turn, he found himfelf fufpended for contempt, from all eccleaftical em- ployments. The bifhop afterwards Pent for him again on a fudden, and commanded him to preach, but then he pleaded his fufpenfion, and his not being provided ; the bifhop immediately took off his fufpenfion, and would not excufe his preaching, upon which he went into the pulpit, and. difcourfed Upon the high charge of a chriflian bifhop; and having expo- fed the corruptions of the clergy, he boldly addreffed himfelf to his lord- Chip in thefe words ; " Let not your lordfhip fay, : thefe crimes have been- " committed without my knowledge, for whatfoever you yourfelf do in perfon, or fuffer through your connivance to be done by others, is " wholly your own ; therefore in the prefence of God, angels and men, I pronounce your fatherhood to be the author of all thefe evils; and I " and this whole congregation, will be a witnefs in the day of judgment, " that thefe things havecome to your ears," All men thought the bithop would have deprived.Mr. Gilpin for this freedom, as foon as he came out of the pulpit, but by the good ,providence of God, it had a quite diffe- rent effeét, the ".bifhop thanked him for his faithful reproof;. and after this fuffered him to go on with his annual progrefs, giving him no further difturbance. At length his lean body being quite worn out with labour and travail, and feeling the approaches of death, he commanded the poor to be called together, and took a folemn leave of them ;, afterwards he .did. the
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