A Defense of the Sermon Preached at the Consecration of the Bishop of Bath, Answer to the preface
An Ansvvere to the Preface.
THE scope of the refuter in his preface is as of Orators in their Proemes, to prepare the Reader, and if he be such a one as will be led with shewes to draw his affections to himselfe, and to withdrawe them from me.
It containeth a Prologue to the Reader, & an Epilogue concluding with prayer, and with praise to God. The former consisteth of a declaration, and of a direction, to the Reader. He declareth three things, first, the weightie causes mouing him to vndertake this worthie worke: secondly, his valiant resolution in vndertaking it; thirdly, his manner of performance.
As touching the first:Ad pag that you may not thinke him, after the manner of factious spirits, blinded with erroneous conceits, and transported with vnquiet passions, vnaduisedly or headily to hauehave attempted this busines; he telleth you, that there were two motiues, that moued him thereto; the one, his strong opinion, pag. 3: the other, his vnquiet desire, pag. 7. His opinion was, that my sermon, defending the honourable function of Bishops, was most needfull to be answered: for so he saith, I deemed it as needfull to be answered, as any booke our Opposites hauehave at any time set forth. And that no man should thinke this his opinion to be fantasticall or erroneous, hee confirmeth it with diuers reasons: but such, as who shall compare them either with the truth, or with his opinion (for the proofe whereof they are brought) or one with another, he shall see a pleasant representation of the Matachine, eueryevery one fighting with another. The first reason;¶ because he sawe the Sermon tended directly to proue, that the calling of our L. BB. (as they now exercise it in the Church of England) is to be holden Iure diuino, by diuine right, not as an humane ordinance, their ancient and wonted tenure, &c. In which speech are diuerse vntruthes. For first, with what eye did hee see that directly proclaimed in the Sermon, which directly and expressely I did disclaime, pag. 92. where I did professe, that although I hold the calling of BB. in respect of their first institution, to be an Apostolicall, and so a diuine ordinance; yet, that I doe not maintaine it to be Diuini juris, as intending thereby, that it is generally, perpetually, and immutably necessarie; as though there could not be a true Church without it, which himselfe also acknowledgeth, pag. 90. of his booke. 2. where I spake of the substance of their calling,pag. 2. & 52. with what eye did he see me defending their exercise of it? As if he would make the reader belieue, that I went about to iustifie all the exercise of their function, which in all, euen the best gouernements whatsoeuer, is subiect to personall abuses. 3. Neither is it true, that the ancient tenure of BB. was onelyonly Iure humano, vnlesse he restraine the anciētnesse he speakes of, to these latter times, which are but as yesterday. For in the primitiue Church as hereafter shalbe plainely proued, the function of BB. was without contradiction acknowledged to be a tradition or ordinance Apostolicall, and the first Bishops certainely knowne to hauehave bene ordained by the Apostles.
And as his first reason fighteth with the truth, so the second both with his opinion, and with it selfe. For why was the sermon most needfull to be answered? because saith he, it is euident that the doctrine therein contained, howsoeuer M. D. saith it is true, ¶profitable and necessarie, is vtterly false, very hurtfull and obnoxious, necessarie indeed to be confused, at no hand to be belieued. In which words 3. reasons are propunded, which now come to be examined.¶ It is euident saith, he that the doctrine in the sermon, is vtterly false, therefore it is most needfull to be confuted. But say I, if it be euidently false, it needs no confutation. Things manifestly false or true, are so iudged without disputation or discourse. Neither doth any thing need to be argued or disputed, but that which is not euident. This reason therefore if it were true, would with better reason conclude against his opinion. It is euident, saith he, that it is vtterly false, therefore it needeth not to be confuted. The second br…anch: It is very hurtfull and obnoxious, therfore &c. Obnoxious? what is this? subiect or in danger to be hurt with euill tongues, subiect to sophistical cauillations, and malicious calumniations. But hurtfull it is not, for I not onelyonly said but proued also both in the preface & conclusion of the sermon, that it is both profitable and necessarie. The third, It is necessarie indeed to be confuted. As if he had said, it is necessarie indeed to be confuted, therefore it is most needfull to be answered.
Of these reasons, the two first he proueth in the words following, the third being as you see, nothing else but an absurd begging of the question.
The first he proueth by diuerse arguments, such as they be. First then the doctrine of the Sermō is proued to be vtterly false, because, it is repugnant to the truth, to the word of truth, to the scripture of truth. But how, after al these ridiculous amplifications, is the doctrine of the sermon proued to be repugnant to the word of truth? he had rather take it for granted, then that you should put him to proue it. But I shall make it cleare in this defence of my sermon, that as there is not a sillable in the scripture to proue the pretended discipline, so the Episcopall function hath good warrant in the word of God. But when in the second place he proueth the doctrine of the sermō to be vtterly false, because it is cōtrary to the iudgement & practise of the prime Churches next after Christ, Ad pag& his Apostles, I cānot tel whether to wōder at more, the blindnesse or the impudencie of the man. Seeing I hauehave made it manifest that the gouernement of the Church by BB. hath the full consent of antiquitie; there being not one testimonie of the ancient writers for their Iudgement, nor one example of the primitiue churches, for their practise, to be alleadged to the contrarie. How durst he mention the iudgement and practise of the primitiue Church, for the triall of the truth in this question, when there is not one testimonie for the pretēded discipline, nor one example of it, in all antiquitie? let them bring any one pregnant either testimonie or example, and I will yeeld in the whole cause.
And where he addeth, that it is contrarie to the iudgement and practise of all reformed Churches, ¶since the reestablishing of the Gospell by the worthies in these latter times: is it not strange, that a mā professing sinceritie should so ouerreach, seeing a farre greater part of the reformed Churches is gouerned by BB. and Superintendents, then by the presbyterian discipline, as I hauehave shewed in the latter ende of this booke. But he addeth foure notorious vntruthes, concerning our owne land,¶ saying, that it is against the doctrine of our Martyrs, contrarie to the professed iudgement of all our worthie writers, contrariant to the lawes of our land, and contrarying the doctrine of the Church of England. The first he expresseth thus,See the whole storie in the acts and monuments, and in the booke called the B B. booke. Reformat. legum ecclesiast. tit. de diuin. officijs. Cap. 10.11. Against the doctrine of our immediate forefathers (some of whom were worthy Martyrs, he quoteth in the Margent, Latimer, Cranmer, &c) who in their submission to king Henry the 8. at the abolishing of the Popes authoritie out of England, acknowledge with subscription, that the disparitie of Ministers & Lordly primacy of B B. was but a politicke deuise of the Fathers, not any ordinance of Christ Iesus: and that the gouernement of the Church by the Minister, & certaine Seniors or Elders in eueryevery parish, was the ancient discipline. Which allegations would make a faire shew, if they might passe vnexamined. The witnesses which he quoteth for both, were Archbishop Cranmer, & other BB. who allowing the Episcopall function both in iudgement and practise, it is almost vncredible, that any testimonies can from them be soundly alleadged against the same. And I doe greatly wonder at the large conscience of our re…uter in this behalfe, who throughout the booke taketh wonderfull libertie in citing Authors, alleadging as their testimonies his owne conceits, which he brought not from their writings, but to them. For the former, he alleageth the booke of Martyrs, whereunto that part of the BB. booke, which he mentioneth, is inserted; which hauing pervsed, I finde nothing at all concerning the superioritie of BB. ouer other Ministers:Pag edi… 157 Cypr. simpl… lat. Hiero euag. that which is said, concerneth the superioritie of BB. among themselues, all whom, with the ancient Fathers, I do confesse in respect of the power of Order to be equall, as were also the Apostles whose successours they are. But we may not inferre, because the Apostles were equall among themselues, that therefore they were not superiour to the 72. disciples; or because BB. are equall among themselues, that therefore they are not superiour to other ministers. For the latter, he quoteth the book called Reformatio legum Ecclesiasticarū. Which was a proiect of Ecclesiasticall lawes, which, if King Edward the 6. had liued, should hauehave been set forth by his authoritie, drawne by Archbishop Cranmer, B. May, & other Commissioners, and penned (as is supposed) by D. Haddon. In alleadging whereof, whiles the refuter goeth about to make the reader belieue, that they stood for Lay-Elders, and the pretended parish-discipline, he plaieth the part of an egregious falsifier. And forasmuch as sometimes in his booke he citeth the 10. and 11. chapters, I will transcribe the same, the bare recitall beeing a sufficiēt cōfutation of his forged allegatiōs. For amōg other orders to be obserued in parochijs vrbanis, in parishes which be in cities, which begin at the 6. chapter of that title de diuin. off: in the tenth this order is prescribed. Cōfectis precibus vespertinis,Reform eccl. tit. diu. offic… Cap. 10. &c. euening prayers being ended, whereunto after the Sermon there shalbe a concourse of all in their owne Churches, the principall Minister, whō they call Parochum, the Parson or Pastor, & the Deacon if perhaps they be present, or in their absēce the Ministers Vicar & Seniors are to cōsult with the people, how the money prouided for godly vses may best be bestowed, and to the same time let the discipline be reserued. For they who hauehave committed publike wickedness to the common offence of the Church, are to be called to the knowledge of their sinne, and publikely to be punished, that the Church by their holesome correction may be kept in order. Moreouer, the Minister going a side with some of the Seniors (or Ancients of the parish) shall take counsell how others whose maners are said to be naught, and whose life is found out to be wicked, first may be talked withall in brotherly charity, according to Christs precept in the Gospell, by sober and honest men, by whose admonitions if they shall reforme themselues, thankes is duely to be giuen to God. But if they shall goe on in their wickednes, they are to receiue such sharpe punishment as we see in the Gospell prouided against their contumacie.
Cap. 11.Then followeth the 11. chapter, how excommunication is to be exercised.
But when the sentence of excommunication is to be pronounced, first the Bishop is to be gone vntounto, and his sentence to be knowne. Who if he shall consent and put too his authoritie, the sentence of excommunication is to be denounced before the whole congregation, that therein so much as may be, we may bring in the ancient discipline. Where indeed we see mention of Seniors and of ancient discipline; but that they meant nothing lesse then to bring in Lay-elders, or to establish the pretended parish-discipline, or to acknowledge that it was the ancient discipline of the Church, I will out of the booke it selfe make manifest. Wherein the whole gouernement and discipline of our Church, by Archbishops, Bishops, Archdeacons, rurall Deanes,Tit. de Ecclesia, & ministris eius, eorumque officys. Cap. 12. &c. is established. And cōcerning BB. this is there decreed, that the B. is at fit seasons to giuegive holy orders, to institute fit Ministers to Ecclesiasticall benefices, to remoue vnfit, to heare the testimonies of the Church, and complaints of their Pastors, to compound controuersies arising betwixt the Ministers and the Churches, to correct by Ecclesiasticall censures, vices and corrupt manners; to prescribe orders for amendment of life, to excommunicate those which wilfully and obstinatly resist, to receiue into grace those which be penitent, to visit the whole Diocesse, as well in places exēpted, as not, eueryevery third yeare. And finally, let BB. take care of all things which ex Dei prescrpto by the ordinance of God belong to them, and which our Ecclesiasticall lawes hauehave committed to their knowledge and iudgements. *Tit. de Ecclesia, & ministris eius, eorumque officijs. Cap. 1.2.3.4.5.6.7.8.9.10.11.And that by Seniors they did not meane any Ecclesiasticall officers, it is apparant, for where they reckon vp all Ecclesiasticall officers, prescribing their duties, beginning at clearks or sextons, & so proceeding to Church-wardens, to Deacons, to Presbyters, or Ministers, to archpresbyters, or rural deanes, to archdeacōs, & so to Cathedral Churches, to Deanes, to Prebendaries, to BB. prescribing the obedience which must be yeelded to them, they doe not once mention Seniors, or their office. If therfore it be asked, whō they vnderstand by Seniors in the place alleadged, I answer, that they vnderstand some of the principall housholders in eueryevery parish, whom in some places they call Vestry-men, in some maisters of the parish, in some ancients of the parish. With what conscience therefore that booke was alleadged as approuing Lay-elders, or acknowledging the new-found, parish-discipline for the ancient discipline, let the reader iudge.
The second he setteth downe in these words: A doctrine, I say, cleane contrarie to the professed iudgement of all our worthy writers, who in their answeres to the Papists, that plead for their Hierarchie, with the same reasons that M. D. doth for his, doe determine, that the gouernement our BB. exercise ouer other ministers, is Iure humano, by the positiue law of men onelyonly; the which if M. D. saith true, is false: & so the Papists are left vnanswered. Whereunto I answere, first, that the popish opinion is farre different from that which I hold. For they hold the order and superioritie of BB. to be Iure diuino, implying thereby a perpetuall necessitie thereof. Insomuch that where BB: are not to ordaine, they thinke there can be no ministers or priests,Pag. 90. fine. & consequently no Church. I hold otherewise as the refuter himselfe else-where acknowledgeth, in whose words I will relate my opinion, as he hath set it downe, that I make the calling of BB.¶ no further of diuine institution, then as being ordained by the Apostles, it proceeded from God, without implying thereby any necessarie perpetuitie thereof. For which he quoteth pag. 92. of my Sermon. If therefore the Papists doe bring the like arguments to proue their opinion which is so vnlike to mine, nothing hindereth but my arguments may be good, though theirs be nought. For those arguments which demonstratiuely proue the Episcopall function to be of Apostolicall institution, doe not straightwaies proue it to be Diuini iuris. Wherefore my opinion being so different from the popish conceit, who seeth not that the iudgemēt of our Diuines which is opposed to the doctrine of the Papists, is not opposite to mine? for though they doe not holde the Episcopall function to be inioyned diuino iure, as perpetually necessarie; yet what man of sound learning doth or can deny, but that the first BB. were ordained by the Apostles.
Ad. Pag. 5.The third he deliuereth in these tearmes; Yea a doctrine contrariant, to the lawes of our land, which make it one part of the Kings iurisdiction, ¶to grant to our BB. that Ecclesiasticall power, they now exercise ouer vsus; Sir Edw: Cooke: de Iure regis Ecclesiast. fol. 8. In his premonition before one of his last bookes.and also to take it from them at his pleasure: the which his Highnes taketh to himselfe, and giueth to all Kings, where he professeth, that God hath left it to the libertie and freewill of Princes, to alter the Church gouernement at their pleasure. The iurisdiction which BB: exercise, is either spirituall, respecting the soule, as to binde or loose the soules of men; or corporall, respecting the outward man, as to binde and loose the bodies. The former is deriued to them from the Apostles, the latter is committed vntounto them by the King, to whose crowne all commanding and compulsiue power is annexed. Againe, wee are to distinguish betweene the power it selfe, and the exercise of it. For although the power it selfe, which is an habituall or potentiall right to exercise that which belongeth to the said power, be deriued to them from the Apostles as a diuine ordinance; notwithstanding, where is a Christian Prince, assisting and directing them by his lawes, they may not actually exercise their power, but, according to his lawes Ecclesiasticall. I call them his, because by whomsoeuer at the first they were decreed, yet so many as are in force with vsus, they are the Kings Ecclesiasticall lawe. As for the authoritie whereof the reuerend Iudge speaketh in the place quoted in the margent, it is the authoritie of the high Commission, which the BB: exercise not as they are BB: (for others who be not BB: hauehave the same,) but as they are the Kings Commissioners in causes Ecclesiasticall. As touching the other allegation; it seemeth the refuter whiles he talketh of libertie to alter at their pleasure, thinks it left to his libertie to alter the Kings words at his pleasure.Prefat: ad Lectorem in edit: latin… The King indeed doth say, that it is granted to eueryevery Christian King, Prince, and Common-wealth, to prescribe to their subiects that outward forme of Ecclesiastical regiment, which may seeme best to agree with the forme of their ciuill gouernement; but so, as they swarue not at all frō the grounds of faith and true religion. But that it may appeare how little the iudgement of our most Orthodoxall, and iudicious King, doth differ from that which I deliuered in my Sermon, I will craue leaue to recite his words.In hīnitio… 44. De p… Rom. c. 25. That BB. ought to be in the Church, I euer maintained as an Apostolike institution, and so the ordinance of God, contrarie to the Puritanes, and likewise to Bellarmine, who denieth that BB. hauehave their iurisdiction from God. Now then (to come to the point) this argument maketh wholy against the pretended discipline, and not against the gouernement of Bishops as I maintaine it. The gouernement of Bishops is by our lawes allowed; so is not the pretended discipline. And though I holde the gouernement Episcopall to be of Apostolicall and diuine Institution, yet not as generally, perpetually, and immutably necessarie. But the pretended discipline is held by the fauourers of it,T. C. l… part. 2.73. H. sert. 4. so to be enioyned by diuine right, that it ought generally in all places, and perpetually in all ages, and also immutably to be obserued, as being not chāgeable by man. And so farre doe they differ from the Kings iudgement, that whereas the King thinketh the Church may be framed to the Cōmon-wealth, they say the gouernement of the Common-wealth must be fashioned to the Church.T. C. l… 181. v… Whitg. But to fashion the Church to the Common-wealth, is as much to say, as if a man should fashion his house according to his hangings. And thus much hath he gained by his third vntruth.
The fourth remaineth.Iewell … fence of pologie. D. Whit… gainst … Car tw. Lastly, it is a doctrine contrarying the doctrine of the Church of England, professed euen by the BB. themselues, till of late da…es, &c. therefore vtterly false. To this Antecedent I giuegive no credit, though for proofe therof hee citeth B. Iewell, and Archbishop Whitgift ▪ at randon. For the doctrine of our Church appeareth best by the Articles and confession of our Church. First therefore the booke of consecrating BB. Priests, and Deacons (which is approued Article 36.) saith,In Prefa It is euident vntounto all men diligently reading holy Scripture and Ancient Authors, that from the Apostles time there hauehave beene these orders of Ministers in Christs Church, Bishops, Priests and Deacons.
aFol. 15. edit. 1552.Of which orders it is afterwards said, that God by his holy spirit hath appointed them in his Church.
bFol. 16.And againe, the Bishop is required to correct and punish according to such authoritie as he hath by Gods word, such as be vnquiet, disobedient, and criminous within his Diocesse.
cArtic. 5.Likewise the confession of the English Church collected out of the Apology thereof, written by Bishop Iewel: We belieue that there be diuerse degrees of Ministers in the Church, whereof some be Deacons, some Priests, some Bishops, &c.
And it is to be noted, that our Church acknowledgeth nothing as a matter of faith, which is not cōtained in Gods word, or grounded thereon.
Againe, if it were true that the Bishops hauing better informed themselues concerning their functions, had reformed their iugdemēts according to the holy Scriptures and other writings of Antiquitie: would it follow that their latter thoughts, which commonly are the wiser, (according to the old saying, foreign, were false and worthie to be confuted?
And lastly, if this be a true proposition, which in the refuters Enthymeme is vnderstood, that what is repugnant to the doctrines formerly taught in the Church of England is euidently false, though it agree with the present doctrine thereof; how worthy then is the pretended discipline to be reiected, which is contrarie to the perpetuall doctrine of this Church, both former and latter: especially the discipline of the newest stampe, I meane the new-found parish discipline published by the challengers of disputation, Anno, 1606 & maintained by this refuter, which neither agreeth with our Church, nor as I suppose with any other reformed Church in the world?
His second reason, whereby hee would proue that the doctrine contained in my Sermon was needfull to be confuted, is, because he saw it to be dāgerous. And that he proueth by 2. reasons. The former, because howsoeuer he had said in the former reason, that it is euidently false, and so not dangerous; now he saith the doctrine is by mee so handsomely and likely handled, that it is so farre from being euidently false,Pr… his … that eueryevery word I speake hath such an appearance and promise of truth, that, in imitation of Bishop Iewel against Harding, hee thinkes he may fitly vse Socrates his words against his accusers: or as I thinke more fitly, the words of Agrippa, to Paul (who had vttered no vntruth,) that I had almost perswaded him to be of my minde.Act. But more fitly may I alledge the very next words of Socrates, Socr… log.foreign &c. Among many things which my aduersarie hath obiected against me falsely, I maruell much at this one, that hee willeth the Readers take heed they be not deceiued by me, foreign, that is, as my aduersaries words may expound it, one that can tell his tale so handsomely, and carrie the matter so smoothly, likely, and confidently, that although he vtter neuer a word of truth, yet eueryevery word hee speaketh, hath an appearance and promise of truth. For both my Sermons and writings shewe, that I affect not the perswasorie words of humane wisedome and eloquence, but the plaine stile of simple truth. And therefore am no more then Socrates himselfe in that regard to be suspected, foreign, as hee saith, foreign. vnlesse my aduersaries call him an eloquent man and powerfull in speech who speaketh the truth.
Secondly, he proueth my doctrine to be dangerous,Ad pa… by an induction or particular enumeration of the hurts, which (as he imagineth) were like to come to the Church of God thereby, if it were not confuted.
The Papists (saith hee) would be much aduantaged, seeing that Antichristian doctrine (euen after the renewing and reuiuing of their ceremonies among vsus) so freely preached and published, tending to the vpholding of their Hierarchy from the Pope to the Apparitor, as well as ours; his reasons being indeed the very same with theirs, as in the answere to them it shall appeare.
The aduantage which ariseth to the Papists by this doctrine preached, and the ceremonies still retained among vsus, may through Gods blessing be this. That when they see vsus not so new-fangled as our Opposites, nor so carried with hatred to their persons, as to depart further from them, then they hauehave departed from the primitiue Church, but are content to obserue the ancient gouernement, and lawfull Ceremonies vsed in the primitiue Church, though retained by them, they may be induced to ioyne with vsus in reforming the Church according to the doctrine and example of the ancient and primitiue Church.
And whereas he calleth our doctrine, defending the calling of BB: Antichristian, and the ceremonies vsed among vsus Popish, it is meerely spoken out of faction, after the vsuall fashion of our Opposites, who call their owne doctrine and pretended discipline,Pag. 8. & 9. though lately deuised, Gods owne cause, the Discipline of Christ, their pleading for it, a giuing testimonie to this part of the word of his grace: but ours, though truely Catholicke and Apostolicall, they tearme Antichristian, and in their late writings they call the Hierarchy of our church, Dagon, the tower of Babell, the triple headed Cerberus, the restoring of BB: the building vp again the walles of Iericho: my self, & other Ministers of the Gospel pleading for the gouernement established, they compare to Achabs 400. prophets, and such as plead for Baal. Yea but our doctrine tendeth to the vpholding of the Popish Hierarchy from the Pope to the Apparitor, as well as of ours▪ God forbid! In the Popish Clergy aboue BB. and Archbishops, the Pope and his consistorie of Cardinals are set as gouernours of the vniuersall Church, in whom the Popish Hierarchy so farre forth as it is properly Antichristian, consisteth. For seeing it is proper to Christ alone to be the head and gouernour of the vniuersall Church, he is said properly to be Antichrist, who taketh vponupon him to be head and gouernour of the whole Church. And their gouernement is iustly called Antichristian who are his assistants in this vniuersall gouernement. As for the gouernours of Prouinciall and Diocesan Churches, that is to say, Archbishops and Bishops, in the Church of Rome, they are not Antichristian in respect of the large extent of their iurisdiction, but in regard of their subordination to the Pope, and dependance from him, as being members of that body whereof they acknowledge him to be the head. And therefore are no more Antichristian then their parish Priests. And as well might the refuter call the Persons or Pastors of parishes among vsus, Antichristian, because the Popish parish-Priests are Antichristian, as our BB. Antichristian, because the Popish BB. are such. Neither is the function of Bishops, more or yet so much to be ascribed to the institutiō of the B. of Rome, as that of parish Ministers. For Bishops, as we shall shew, were ordained by the Apostles, and set ouer Dioceses, but the parishes were first distinguished in the westerne Churches, and Presbyters peculiarly assigned to them by the ancient Bishops of Rome, whose example other Churches did imitate, as diuerse Authors report.
Againe, vnderunder the Deacons the Papists reckon fiue other orders which they esteeme so many Sacraments: whereas we, with the primitiue Church, and in the same sense with it, doe reckon onelyonly 3. orders or degrees of Ministers or Clergy men, Bishops, Presbyters, and Deacons. It is strange therefore that the doctrine of my Sermon concerning Bishops alone, should vphold the Popish Hierarchy from the highest to the lowest, or as they vse to speake, frō the Pope to the Apparitor, as well as our owne. This therefore was a shamelesse vntruth.
Besides, howsoeuer the same three orders or degrees in name are still retained in the Church of Rome, as well as in ours, yet with great difference. For their Priests be Sacerdotes, sacrificing Priests, ordained to offer a proper, externall, reall sacrifice. Ours, are not Sacerdotes, that is Sacrificing Priests, but (as the Scriptures and ancient writers call them) Presbyters, that is, Priests or Ministers, ordained to preach the word, and administer the Sacraments. Their Bishops are subordinate to the Pope, and hauehave their iurisdiction as they teach from him as the Vicar of Christ, succeeding Peter, not as he was an Apostle,Bellarm. de Rom. pontif. l. 4. c. 24. & 25. as all other Bishops suceed other Apostles; but as the head and chiefe gouernour of the whole Church, from whom, as the head and fountaine of all Ecclesiastical iurisdiction, the iurisdiction of other Bishops is deriued and doth depend. Our Bishops are not subordinate to the Pope, neither hauehave any depēdāce or deriuatiō of their iurisdiction from him, but from God, partly as it is spirituall by the ordinance of the Apostles, who ordained the first Bishops, leauing them as their substitutes or successors in the gouernement of the seuerall Churches, and partly as it is corporall, or coactiue, by the Kings Ecclesiasticall lawes, furnishing them with plenary power to enquire after disorders in the estate Ecclesiasticall,Statut. An. Eliz. 1. all manner errours, Heresies, schismes, abuses, offences, and enormities, and to punish them. Which differences being cōsidered betweene vsus and the Papists, it were more then a wonder, if the very same reasons which are brought to proue the Apostolicall gouernement of our Church, should also serue to proue their Antichristian Hierarchy.In Bruto. But as the young man that Crassus speakes of in Tully, hauing found in the strand a smal piece of a Galley, would straightway build a ship thereof: so out of one small agreement with the Romane Church concerning the superioritie of Bishops ouer Prebyters, wherein they retaine the doctrine of the primitiue Church, he would build a total consent and conformitie to their Antichristian gouernement.
Thus we hauehave heard what aduantage the Papists hauehave by my Sermon. Now let vsus see what harme was like to redound to others thereby. Others saith he would be much scandalized; those that were in louelove with their owne ease would easily crouch downe like Isachars asse, ¶&c: as for others, it would remoras obijcere ardentiorib. Cast blocks in their waies that ran well, or retardare zelum, make them slacke their pace: at least Sāctorum spiritus inquietare, disquiet the minds of all the Saints, to see a Sermō of that consequence, preached & published, by a man of that name & note in the Church. That is to say, if I vnderstād him aright: the Sermō if it might be let alone, were not vnlike to hauehave these effects in those that are accounted the forwarder sort. First, they that were more moderate then others, & desired the peace of the Church, hauing yet some scruples in their mindes, and somewhat doubting of the lawfulnes of our Church gouernement, were like enough to hauehave their doubts satisfied, and their consciences setled. Others that were more ardent, whose zeale ouerranne their knowledge, censuring and condemning they knewe not what, would be brought to suspend their iudgement, or at least to moderate their zeale: others who are factious and of the diuided brotherhood, whom he calleth all the Saints, would be grieued at the heart, to see such likelihood of peace and vnion (which is so contrarie to their humour) to be established in the Church.
But as hee had a strong opinion that my Sermon was needfull to be refuted, so had he as strong a aAd. p…desire it might be answered after some fashion, that the Schisme or rent which is in our Church, being so beneficiall as it is to some might not be healed, but yt people might be retained in the former tearmes of a factious and Schismaticall alienation from the state of our Church, and the gouernours thereof. Which his desire was much inflamed, when he vnderstood that this worke hauing beene vndertaken and committed to the presse, the answere and presse were taken, the Printer and concealer of the Author imprisoned. For then (good man) his soule was cast downe within him to see a truth so profitable and necessarie (as is the doctrine of their pretended discipline, hauing no ground neither in the Scripture nor antiquitie, obtruded as the ordinance of Christ, & the onelyonly lawful forme of Church gouernement) bThe … is to vn…stand, th… former … swere … not sup… sed, and … this re… (if he … the sam… …thor) … gotten …py then hath w… some c…ons and …tions pu…shed the … againe, … almost … thing to abortiue… (as may … gathere… those fe… sheets th… were pr… but an in… on of ga… bitterne…suppressed.
Being therefore thus possessed with so strong an opinion, and transported with so earnest and vnquiet desires, he grewe vntounto his most valiant resolution. Which in effect, though he guild it ouer with glorious words, was nothing else but this, to publish and disperse a malicious diffamatorie libell, and hauing so done, after the manner of other malefactors, to hide his head.
You hauehave heard the weightie causes mouing him to vndertake this busines, and his valiant resolution to vndertake it: now he wil acquaint you with his maner of performance, which in general he cAd pag. 8.confesseth to hauehave bene done in much weakenesse and many wants, neither do I denie it. But he might to his ouersight, proceeding from ignorance & weakenesse, hauehave added his wilfull falsificatiōs & deprauatiōs, his forged calumniations, his Sophisticall shifts and euasions to elude the light of truth conuicting his conscience. But though he would seeme to acknowledge much weakenesse and many wants, ¶it was but foreign, out of an affected modestie, for his conceit is which hee shameth not to vtter, that hee hath brought euidence sufficient (I warrant you) to make it manifest (hee doubteth not of it) that the doctrine in my Sermon is nothing lesse then true, ¶profitable, and necessarie: that my Preface is full of wittie calumniations to make them and their cause odious, and that my Sermon notwithstanding my great boasting, hath in it no one sound syllable of argument to proue my cause, and disproue theirs. What euidence he bringeth I shall not need here to relate, this defence of my Sermon will make it manifest. That I vsed either calumniations to make them and their cause odious, or any great boasting, which he talketh of, I vtterly denie. Who it is that vseth either calumniations, the examination of his booke will bewray, or boasting, the very forefront of his booke, this present place, and many others besides doe testifie. But I much disdaine that he should say that there was not a syllable of any sound proofe in my Sermō, ¶as before he had said, that in my sermō, I vttered scarse any one word of truth. ¶The proofes which I hauehave vsed are such (I take God to witnesse) as satisfie mine owne conscience. And I trust I may, without any great boasting, assume vntounto my selfe as good skill to iudge of an argument, as this refuter, or some others of his side. Of his blasphemie against the truth which I deliuered, I pray God giuegive him grace to repent. And what was it that he hath thus censured? A Sermon vttered in the presence of God, in the roome of Christ, before a most honourable auditorie, by a Minister of the Gospell, shall I say as sound and faithfull as himselfe, no I disdaine the comparison (for by his fruites in his booke whereby alone I can iudge of him, he hath to my seeming plainely bewrayed an vnsound iudgement, an euill conscience, and an vnsanctified heart) I trust I may say, by a Minister of the Gospell as sound and orthodoxall as his betters, as conscionable in all Sermons & writings, and as carefull to deliuer nothing but the truth of God. Me thinkes he should rather hauehave trembled to thinke of confuting a Sermon of such a one, as he (iudging according to the iudgement of charitie) cannot denie to be a faithfull Minister and Orthodoxall diuine, then hauehave dared thus to censure it, as hauing scarce one word of truth, and not one syllable of a sound proofe. Is this the reuerent estimation that you would worke in the peoples minds of the word preached, or must they thinke that none make conscience of preaching the truth, but your selues? But if it shall appeare to any indifferent and iudicious Reader, comparing this my defence with his refutation of my Sermon, that hee hath not beene able to disproue any one of my proofes, nor to cōuince me of any one vntruth throughout the whole body of my Sermon, as in my conscience I am perswaded he hath not; then doe those two censures of his, the one, that thereis scarce a true word, the other, that there is not one syllable of a sound proofe in all the Sermon, containe so many vntruthes, as there are sentences or proofes in the whole Sermon.
More particularly he telleth you,Ad pag. 9. both what he did not, and what he hath done. He hath made no large discourses to teach ouer anew the discipline of Christ (so hee doubteth not to call their owne deuises) onelyonly he hath said, what the Author of the abortiue booke, and himselfe with their Coadiutors were able to say, either for it, or against the gouernement by Bishops. The thing which he hath done, is that he hath fulfilled my desire, in applying distinctly his answeres to my arguments.
But my desire was not, that he should balke those which he could not answere, or depraue and weak on those which he did, by fitting them to his owne strength. Neither desired I alone that their answeres might be applied to eueryevery argument in order, but also that their proofes might be produced. But forasmuch as hee had none such as I told them theirs had need to be, that is to say, very pregnant and demonstratiue, whereby they might hope to perswade both the abolishing of that forme of gouernement which euen from the Apostles times hath beene perpetually obserued in the Church, and setting vp of another which was neuer heard of till now of late, therfore in the chiefe points of controuersie he hath beene (for prooe need) very sparing to vse any other proofe besides the testimonies of newe Diuines, who are incompetent witnesses in a question of story concerning things done or not done, 14. or 1500. yeares before their time, themselues also for the most part being parties in the cause.
Now follow his directions to the Reader. And first, that he should w…igh my arguments with his answeres, ¶and compare the one with the other, belieuing neither further then euidence truely produced leadeth him: the which direction I earnestly desire the Reader in the feare of God to follow, & not to regard his calumniation, whereby he seeketh to worke in him, a preiudicate opinion against me, most falselie charging me that as another Pythagoras, I seeke to be belieued vponupon mine owne word without authoritie, and good reason. For whether of vsus seeketh more to be belieued without proofes, I dare appeale to his iudgement, when he hath perused what is alledged on both sides. Howbeit I must needs say, he giueth the Reader a good proofe in this place of his dexteritie in alleadging testimonies,Ierom. Epist. 152. fame nemo credit, nisi inconsideratus. Tertull Apolog. c. 8. when to proue that in disputation, credit is not to be giuen to him that speaketh without good proofe, hee citeth Ierome and Tertullian, disswading men from giuing credit to fame an vncertaine rumors.
His second direction is vnreasonable, (a)Ad. pag. 10.and the reasons thereof such as both contradict what he said euen now, and are contradicted by that which he affirmeth afterwards. If thou findest (saith he) no sufficiencie in his reasons to inforce thee to acknowledge his doctrine for true, iustly thinke with thy selfe, it is not else where to be had.
This is an vnreasonable motion, that the weight of the whole cause should lye vponupon one short Sermon, vttered by so meane a man as my selfe. What reasons can he bring to perswade the Reader to accept this motion? forsooth, all men knowe me to be a Scholler. Not vnlike, for so hauehave I beene euer since I was fiue yeares old. But what manner of Scholler, our Refuter will tell you in the very beginning of the confutation of my Sermon, such a one as in this Sermon doe shewe my selfe to be little worth, ¶yea miserable poore indeed. His other reason is, that I hauing professed that I had read the chiefe treatises on both sides, ¶the Reader may be sure that in my Sermon is the pith and substance of all, ¶that all of vsus can say, either for our selues, or against them. But how can this be, seeing he chargeth me to speake without proofe, and that there is not one sound syllable of proofe in all the Sermon, and that I seeke to be credited vponupon my bare word, like an other Pythagoras, without authoritie or good reason? Neither is it possible, that all, which all of vsus can say, can be comprised in so short a Sermon. Wherefore if the Reader be not satisfied with that which I hauehave written, let him hauehave recourse to the writings of men more learned and iudicious, who are able to giuegive him better satisfaction. Howbeit, this offer I will make him, that if in my Sermon, and this defence thereof, there be not better euidence for the Episcopall gouernement, then is to be found for the pretended discipline, I say not in the refuters booke, but in all the writings of the Disciplinarians, I will be well content that he shall credit me in nothing.
There remaineth his Epilogue, consisting, partly of prayer vntounto God,¶ that he would open our eyes to see his truth, and sanctifie our hearts vntounto the louelove of it, and that hee would grant vsus his peace;¶ and partly of praise and thankesgiuing, in the last words. Whereunto, as I most willingly subscribe and say Amen, Psal. 17.1.so am I to giuegive this warning, that we pray not with fained lippes, asking that with our mouthes, which neither we desire in our hearts, nor seeke in our liues. For it will not suffice vsus in that day of the Lord, that we hauehave desired him either to open our eyes to see the truth, if we doe shut our eyes against it; or to sanctifie our hearts vntounto the louelove of it, if when our consciences be conuicted with the euidence of truth, we cease not to oppugne it; or to sue for peace, when we be so farre from ensuing it, that when our brethren either speake vntounto vsus of peace, we make our selues readie to battle, or secke to heale the rupture and Schisme which is in our Church, wee Sch…matically and factiously endeuour to make it worse.
And thus hauehave I answered his preface. As for his answere to mine, being a meere libell consisting of notorius cauillations, malicious calumniations, and personall inuectiues: forasmuch as there is not any materiall thing in it, which is not fully answered in the defence of my Sermon, I will not vouchsafe a reply vntounto it; the rather, because my defence of the Sermon it selfe being growne to a greater volume then at the first I intended, I should greatly wrong both the Reader and my selfe, if I should hold him, or trouble my selfe with personall discourses, which, if I should followe the refuters veine, would require a newe volume. In making whereof, I would be loth to be imployed, seeing personall quarrells breed endles & fruitles contentions, & being the chiefe blemish of all books of controuersie, ought in handling of controuersies wholy to be forborne. Besides, I doe consider, that he being in the darke, and my selfe in the light, it would be a very vnequall combat, for me to contend with him in this kind. Whereinto also though I did knowe his person, as indeed I doe not, I should be loth to descend: seeing thereby we should but present a pleasant spectacle to the common aduersarie, who would take no small delight in beholding vsus casting mire and dirt to besmere one another, to the disgrace of our common faith.
But if any shall obiect, that it is a great disgrace and disparagement vntounto me, to passe ouer in silence such reproaches as in the answere to my preface and confutation of my Sermon hee hath cast vponupon me: he shall say nothing, but what mine owne corruption hath alreadie obiected. Whereunto I answer, that it behoueth me to commit to the presse, and by it to commend, not onelyonly to the generation present, but also to the posteritie; not what my aduersarie deserueth to heare, but what becommeth me to write: that our Sauiour Christ, by his owne example and precept, hath taught vsus, when we are reuiled, not to reuile againe: that in this kind of contention it is better to be vanquished, then to ouercome: that the testimonie of mine owne cōscience, & of all that best knowe me, wilbe a sufficiēt defence against flanders: that it is a happie thing to be euill spoken of for well doing. For my conscience is clearely and vndoubtedly resolued, that I defend the truth; and it beareth me witnes, that the end which I propounded to my selfe in publishing that Sermon, was the peace of the Church; which I hoped to procure by giuing satisfaction to those that were of a contrarie iudgement. Neither doe I doubt, but my endeuour in this kind (though vngratefull to some whose good I intended) is acceptable to God and to his Church.
Wherefore in steed of answering that which is past, I will aduise them for the time to come, that if they would be esteemed men of sinceritie, who seeke to keepe their consciences cleare, both towards God & men; they would, when they publish any booke, (especially such as they dare not set their names vntounto,) hauehave especiall regard, that they seeke not to defame or disgrace any mans person; least they make themselues guiltie of that most base and odious crime of libelling, which is so much worse in print then in writing, as the presse is more fit to diuulge then the pen: least they subiect themselues to the fearefull curse of God,Deut. 2 for smiting their neighbour secretly; least by their bitternes and railing which are fruits of the flesh, they bewray thēselues not to be led by the spirit of Christ,Psal. 15 nor to be in the number of them which shalbe saued.1. Cor. 6. For howsoeuer they may perswade thēselues (as some of them hauehave professed in print) that in these secret practices both the Author and Printer are like Ieremie and Baruch hidden of God,Ier. 36.… ▪ yet they discouer themselues, to be such hiders of themselues,Psal. 64. as the Psalmist complaineth of, that hauing bent thier tongue, or that which is worse, their pen or presse as a bowe of slander, they shoote in steed of arrowes bitter words, shooting at the vpright in secret and feare not. Besides, they doe expose themselues to this inconuenience, that whereas those, who shall vouchsafe them answere, would if they knewe them, respect them according to the measure of Gods graces, which they should acknowledge in them: by these libelling courses, they drawe vponupon themselues such answeres, as are fit to be returned vponupon libellers. Truely for my part, if I had knowne the person of the refuter, and could (in the iudgement of charity) hauehave acknowledged him to be a man of a good spirit, I would hauehave answered him sometimes with better respect. But seeing I knowe him no otherwise but by his fruites, as he is the Author of this worke, wherein he hath shewed himselfe to be, in points materiall, a very cauilling Sophister; and in matters personall, a malicious libeller: let him take such answeres as doe not like him, not as directed to his person, which I knowe not, but to the person or vizard vnderunder which he masketh of a wrangling Sophister, and a spitefull libeller, to whom the sharpest answeres which I hauehave made, are but too milde.