CHAPTER III. Ken remains at Oxford after taking his Degree-Tutor of New College-Religious Difcuffions after the ReftorationKen admitted to Holy Orders-Appointed to the living of Little Eafton-Refigns the Cure-Made Chaplain to Bishop Morley-Fellow of Winchester College-Rector of Brighftone in the Isle of Wight-Prebendary of WinchesterRefigns Brighftone-Appointed to Eaft Woodhay. T required fome time for the University to fober down from the tumult of rejoicings which followed the Restoration of the King. "When Oliver was dead, and Richard difmounted, the scholars talked aloud, drank healths, and curfed Meroz in the very ftreets. Infomuch, that when the King came in, nay, when he was but voted in, they were not only like them that dream, but like them who are out of their wits, mad, starkftaring mad. To ftudy was Fanaticifm, to be moderate was down-right Rebellion: and thus it continued for a twelvemonth; and thus it would have continued till this time, if it had not pleased God to raise up fome Vice-Chancellors, who ftemmed the torrent which carried fo much filth with it."* It was, however, a great happiness to Oxford, that the men who were reftored to the offices of authority were defervedly efteemed for their public Stephen Penton's "Guardian's Inftruction," 1688, 12mo. p. 44. and private worth. They fet themselves with an effectual energy to re-establish the ancient difcipline. "In defiance of the loyal zeal of the Learned, the drunken zeal of Dunces, and the great amazement of young Gentlemen, who really knew not what they would have, but yet made the greatest noise, they reduced the University to that temperament, that a man might study and not be thought a Dullard, might be fober and yet a Conformist, a scholar and yet a Church of England-man; and from that time the Univerfity became fober, modeft, and studious as perhaps any in Europe."* Richard Allestry undertook one of the Lectureships of the city of Oxford folely with a view to instil principles of loyalty into the minds of the citizens; for he never received any part of the profits, but conftantly distributed them among the poor. † This improved condition of Oxford accorded well with Ken's quiet difpofition: he continued his studies, and took his degree of Bachelor of Arts on the 3rd of May, 1661. Mr. Bowles's fuggeftion, that he may have been Tutor in his College, is correct. It appears, from the Liber Burfariorum of 1661, that he received twenty-five fhillings for each of three terms, as Lecturer in Logic, and an equal fum for one term, as Mathematical Tutor; and ten fhillings for each of two terms, as Junior Moderator in Logic. Thus he could at the fame time train his brother Wykehamifts, and follow out his own plan of preparation for Holy * Stephen Penton's "Guardian's Inftruction," p. 45. Orders. And if at all times the Prieft's office demand a fpirit of self-sacrifice, it did so especially at this period, when the English Church had not yet recovered from her long depreffion. The return of kingly government had indeed hufhed the ftorm in which she had been well nigh swept away: * but if, after the lapfe of two centuries, she still suffers from the ravages of the Rebellion, her injuries were then recent and more keenly felt. Her difcipline was relaxed, her doctrines fet at nought, her fervices but partially reftored,† her revenues alienated, her unity broken into fragments. And we have feen how the people were tainted by the general disorder and profligacy of the civil war. Though the Church was in this fad ftate, Ken had refolved to devote himself to her fervice, and, with the zeal of a courageous and watchful Paftor, to obey the Good Shepherd's injunction, "Feed my lambs, feed my fheep." Oxford, freed from the turmoil of the Rebellion, was of all places best fuited for his purpose. Here he could pursue a course of All the Bishops had been deprived: there were but nine alive at the time of the Restoration. Had Cromwell lived, it is difficult to fay how they could have maintained the canonical fucceffion. This was a fubject of much anxious confultation among them. See Carwithen's Hiftory of the Church of England, 2nd edit. vol. ii. pp. 256-9. ↑ We may judge how effectually the Presbyterians had fucceeded in compelling the difufe of the Liturgy, from Pepys's Diary fix months after the Restoration, 4th November, 1660; "In the morning to our own Church, when Mr. Mills did begin to nibble at the Common Prayer by faying Glory be to the Father, &c.,' after he had read the two Pfalms : but the people had been fo little used to it, that they could not tell what to answer. After dinner I went to Westminster Abbey, where the first time that ever I heard the organs in a Cathedral." theology without interruption. The Bodleian, and his College library, afforded ample ftores of reference, especially in the works of the primitive Fathers, those venerable champions of Catholic truth, whom earnestminded Christians, and efpecially the Reformers of our own Church, have ever held in honour, as witneffes of the time when Chriftian religion was most pure, indeed golden."* In these retreats, cultivating his natural talents by a judicious course of study, he matured himself for his future calling. We cannot now expect to find many particulars of the life of an Oxford graduate two centuries ago. Ken's youthful character must be read in the account of his riper years, when his station in the Church called into public view the principles which he had imbibed. But every little incidental notice of his habits and difpofition prepares us for the future. Thomas Hearne mentions, that "he was even then, when young, and a B.A. of New College, very pious and charitable, and ufed always to have small money to give away conftantly, as he walked the streets, in pence or twopences, or more at a time, as he faw proper objects."† Ken was too young to take any part in the religious difcuffions that followed quickly upon the King's return. Had he been then a Bishop, he would have ufed his influence on the fide of conciliation, to moderate the violent reaction of public opinion against the Sectaries. Judging from his fentiments afterwards, that "the Church of England teaches me charity to * Homily against "Peril of Idolatry." Third part, edition 1844, p. 288. Thomas Hearne's MSS. Journals in the Bodleian, vol. cvi. p. 27. those who diffent from me," we may believe that he would have acted in the spirit of his own prayer :— "O my God, amidst the deplorable divifions of Thy Church, let me never widen its breaches, but give me catholic charity to all that are baptized in Thy Name, and catholic communion with all Christians in defire. O give me grace to pray daily for the peace of Thy Church, and earnestly to seek it, and to excite all I can to love and praise Thee."* If the law of "an eye for an eye" was to be exacted, the Sectaries met with a just retribution amid the triumph of the people. But if the Gospel be the law of love, which should quicken our whole being; if forgiveness of injuries be the nobleft prerogative of Christians, and entail the choiceft bleffings on those who exercise it, the English nation forgot the one and forfeited the other. The Prefbyterians, who had before "endeavoured, without refpect of persons, the extirpation of prelacy," + were forward to promote the Restoration, and now loft no time in exprefling their defire to be admitted into the Church. were willing to yield many points for fuch a reconcilement, and offered the late Archbishop Uffher's scheme of Episcopacy as the principle of accommodation. + They If, at the Restoration, the Royalifts and Churchmen had followed the example of Jacob, in the affecting history of his reconciliation with Efau, they might * Practice of Divine Love, edition 1686, 8vo. p. 50. † See the "Solemn League and Covenant." Collier's Ecclefiaftical Hiftory, vol. viii. p. 403. |