Work for a Cooper, Response 3 – Statement 8

Work for a Cooper · Response 3 – Statement 8

p. 4Reverend Martin.

Why T. C. say Eulojin for Eulogein as often as you will, and I will never spight you, or the Bishop of Winchoster eyther for the matter. But doe you thinke our Church government, to be good and lawfull, because p. 5his Maiestie and the …, who maintain the reformed religion alloweth the …? Why the Lord doth not allow it, therfore it cannot be lawfull. And it is the Fault of such wretches as you Bishops are, that his Maiestie and the state alloweth the same. For you should have otherwise instructed them, they know you not yet so thorowly as I doe. So that if I can prove, that that the Lord disliketh our Church government, your endeavours to maintaine the same, shew that thereby you cannot chuse, but bee traytors to God and his word, whatsoever you are to his Maiestie and the State. Now T, C. looke to your selfe for I will presently make all the hoopes of your Bishopricks fly assunder

Therefore

Our Church government, is an vnlawfull Church government, and not allowed in the sight of God.

Because

That Church government is an vnlawfull Church government, the Offices and Officers whereof, the civill magistrate may lawfully abolish out of the Church, marke my craft in reasoning brother T. C. I say the Offices and Officers; for I grant that the Magistrate may thrust the Officers of a lawfull Church governmēt out of the Church if they be Diotrepheses, Mar…elmes, Whitgifts, Simon Magustes, Coopers, Pernes, Renoldes, or auy such like Iudases, (though the most of these must be packing Offices and all) but their Offices must stand, that the same may be supplyed by honester men. But the Offices of Archbishops and Bishops, and therefore the Officers much more, may be lawfully abolished out of the Church by his Maiestie and our state. And truely this were brave weather to turne them out: it is pitty to keep them in any longer. And that would do me good at the hart, to see Iohn of London, and the rest of his brethren so discharged of his businesse, as hee might freely run in his cassocke and hose after his bowle, or florish with his two p. 6hand sword, O tis a sweet trunch f…ddle.

But the Offices of Archbishops and Bishops, may be lawfully abolished out of the Church by his Maiestie, and the state, as I hope one day they shall be; Therefore (marke now T. C. and cary me this conclusion to Iohn of Lambehith for his breakefast) our Church government. by Arohb. & Bishop…, is an vnlawfull church governmēt▪ You see brother Cooper, that I am very courteous in my minor, for J desire therein no more Offices to bee thrust out of the Church at one time, but Archbs. and Bishops, as for Deanes Archdeacons, and Chancellors, I hope they will be so kind vntounto my Lords grace, as not to stay, if his worship and the rest of the noble clergie Lords were turned out to grasse; I will presently prove both maior and minor of this syllogisme. And hold my cloake there some body, that I may goe roundly to worke, for ile so bu…eg the Cooper as it had beene better to have hooped halfe the tubs in Winchester, then write against my worships pistles.

No civill Magistrate may lawfully either maime or deforme the body of Christ, which is the Church, but whosoever doth abolish any lawfull Church Officer, out of the church government, he doth either maime or deforme the Church: Therefore T. C. no civill Magistrate, no Prince, no state, may without sinne abolish any lawsull Officer, together. with his office, out of the government of the Church, and p… consequens, the Offices of Archbishops and Lordbishops, which his Maiestie may without sinne lawfully abolish out of the Church, are no lawfull Church Officers, and therefore also, the Church government practised by Iohn Whitgift, Iohn Mar-…lme, Richard Peterborow, William of Lincolne, Edmond of Worcester, yea and by that olde stealecounter masse priest, Iohn of Glocester with the rest of his brethren, is to be presently thrust out of the Church▪ And me thinkes this geare cottons p. 7indeed my masters. And I tould you T. C. that you should be thumped for defending Bishops. Take heed of me while you live. The minor of my last syllogisme, that whosoever doth abolish the Office of any lawfull Church Officer out of the church, he either maimeth or deformeth the church, I can prove with a wet finger. Because every lawfull Church Officer, even by reason of his Office, is a member of the body of Christ Iesus, which is the church, and being a member of the body, if the Magistrate doth displace him by abolishing his Office, and leaveth the place thereof voide, then the Magistrate maimeth the body, if hee put another Office vntounto an Officer in stead thereof, he deformeth the same. Because the Magistrate hath neither the skill nor the commission, to make the members of the body of Christ. Because hee cannot tell to what vse, the members of his making may serve in the Church. Doe you thinke T. C. that the Magistrate may make an eye for the visible body of the Church? (For you must vnderstand, that we all this while speake of the visisible body) can he make a foot or a hand for that body? I pray you in what place of the body would you have them placed? If our Saviour Christ hath left behind him a perfect body: surely he hath left therein no place, or no vse for members of the Magistrates making and invention: if an vnperfect and maimed body. I am well assured that the magistrate is not able to perfect that which he left vnfinished. But I hope T. C. that thou wilt not be so mad, and wicked, as to say, that our Saviour Christ, left behind him heere on earth an vnperfect and maimed body. If not, then where shall these offices, namely these members invented by the Magistrate be placed therein.?

Would you have the naturall eyes put out (as your brethren the bishops have done in the church of England, euer since Iohn of Canterbury vrged his wretched subscription) and vnnaturall squint gogled eyes put in their stead: when the body cannot see with any eyes, but with the naturall eyes thereof, displace them howsoever you may seeme to helpe the matter, by putting others in their stead, yet the body shall be still blind and maimed. What say you T. C. may the Magistrate cut off the true and naturall legges, and hands of the body of Christ, under a pretence to put woodden in their stead? I hope you will not say that he may. How then commeth it to passe T. C. that you hold Iohn of Canterbury his office, and Iohn Mar…elmes to be true and naturall members of the body, that is true officers of the Church, and yet hold it lawfull for his Majesty to displace them out of the church. J cannot tell brother what you hold in this point. Me think J have disturbed your sences. Doe you thinke that the magistrate may displace the true members of the body of Christ, and place woodden in their stead. Why this is to hold it lawfull for the Magistrate to massacre the body. Doe you thinke he may not? Then may not his Maiesty displace Iohn of Canterburies office out of our church: if hee may not displace his office, then either he by vertue of his office, is a lawfull Pope aboue all civill magistrates, or else the Church government is so prescribed in the word, as it is not lawfull for the magistrate to alter the same. But Iohn of Canterbury, as the Puritans themselves confesse, is no Pope. Then either the church government is so prescribed in the word as it may not be altred, or else the maiestrate may abolish a lawfull church government, and place another in stead thereof. If the Church government be so prescribed in the word, as it cannot be altered then either our government is the same. which was therein prescribed, or our Church government is a false Church government. If ours be the same which is mentioned in the word: Then Paul and Peter were either no true Church governours, or else Paul and Peter, and the rest of Church governours in their time were p. 9Lords, for all our Church governours are Lords. But Paul and Peter, &c. were no Lords, and yet true church governours. Therefore our church government is not that which is prescribed in the word, and therefore a false and vnlawfull church government. If you thinke that the Magistrate may displace the lawfull Offices of the body, then as I said before, you hold it lawfull for the Magistrate to maime or deforme the body. Because what soever hee putteth in the roome of the true and right members, must needs be a deformitie, and what place soever he leaveth vnfurnished of a member, must needes bee a maime. And this is the onelyonly and sole office of Christ onelyonly, to place and displace the members of his body: to wit, the Officers of his Church, he may lawfully doe it, so cannot man. And therefore the sots (of which number you T. C. and you Iohn Whitgift, and you Deane Iohn, and you D, Coosins, and you D. Copcot with the rest of the ignorant and wretched defenders of our corrupt Church government are to be accounted) which thinke that the Offices of Pastors, Doctors, Elders and Deacons, or the most of them, may be aswell now wanting in the Church, as the Offices of Apostles, Prophets and Evangelists: doe notably bewray their vile ignorance, but the cause they doe not hurt. For the beasts doe not consider that the Offices of Apostles, Evangelists and Prophets, were removed out of the church, not by man, but by the Lord, because he in his wisdome did not see any vse ofThe Apostles chose men in stead of Iames being beheaded as they did in stead of Iudas, Act. 1. which they would have done if the Apo stolicall calling had beene permanent.Acts 1 such members in his body, after the time of the first planting of the Church. I say they were removed by the Lord himselfe and not by man: because, partly the gifts wherewith they were endued, partly the largenesse of their commission, with certaine other essentiall properties to them belonging, were by him abrogated and taken away, which no man could doe, againe, the Apostolicall, Evangelicall and Propheticall callings, were either p. 10lawfully or vnlawfully abolished out of the Church, if lawfully, then they were abolished by the Lord: and therfore they are neither to be called backe vntill he sheweth it to be his pleasure that it should be so, neither can the church be truly said to be maimed for want of them: because he which could best tell, what members were fit for his Church did abolish them. If vnlawfully, then those callings may bee lawfully called backe againe into the Church, and the Church without them is maimed, that is, wanteth some members. For if their callings were injuriously abrogated, they are as iniuriously kept out of the Church, and being members of the church, the church is maimed without thē, vnlesse the Lord hath shewed, that the time of their service in the body is expired. But they are not injuriously kept out (for so his Maiestie should be said to injury the Church, vnlesse hee would see Apostles, prophets and Evangelists planted therein) neither can the church be said to bee maimed for want of them, because the Lord by taking them away hath declared, that now there can be no vse of them in the body; therefore the Lord abrogated them. Therefore also they may be wanting, and the Church neither maimed nor deformed thereby. Whereas the keeping out of either of the former offices of Pastors, Doctors, elders and Deacons, is a maiming of the Church, the placing of others in their stead, a deforming. Now reverend T. C. I beseech you entreat mistresse Cooper, to write to M, D. Day, sometimes of Magdalins, that he may procure D. Cooper, to know of him that was the last Thomas of Lincolne, whether the now B▪ of Winchester be not perswaded, that Reverend Martin hath sufficiently proved it to be vnlawfull, for the civill Magistrate, to abolish any lawfull church Officer out of the church. Because it is vnlawfull for him to maime or deforme the body of Christ, by displacing the members thereof. But it may be, your Coopers noddle, p. 11profane T. C. doubteth, (for I know you to be as ignorant in these points, as Iohn Whitgift, or De…ne Iohn their selves.)

Whether a lawfull Church officer in regard of his office, be a member of the body of Christ, which is the church.

Therefore looke Rom. 12. Uerse 4, 5. &c. and there you shall see, that whosoever hath an office in the body, is a member of the body. There also you shall see, that he that teacheth, which is the Do & or, he y^• exhorteth, which is the Pastour, he that ruleth which is the Elder, hee that distributeth, which is the Deacon (as for him that sheweth mercy that is there spoken off, hee is but a church servant, and no church officer) There I say, you shall also see, that these 4 Offices, of Pa…tours, Doctors, Elders, and Deacons are members of the body: and 1 Cor. 12, 8, & 28, you shall see that God hath ordained them: Out of all which hitherto I have spoken T. C. I come vponupon you, & your Bishoprickes with 4 or 5 (yea halfe a dozen and need bee) such dry soopes, as Iohn of London with his two hand sword never gave the like. For they answere your whole profane booke. First, that the platforme of government, by Pastours, Doctors, Elders, and Deacons, which you say was devised you know not by whom, is the invention of our Saviour Christ. For God ordained them saith the Ap…stle, 1 Cor. 12, 8, 28, And therefore vnlesse yo… will shew yourselfe, either to …e a blaspemer, by terming Iesus Christ to be you cannot tell whom, or else to be ignorant who is Iesus Christ: you must needs acknowledge the platforme of government, which you say, was invented by you know not whom, to have Christ Jesus for the author thereof,

Secondly, that the word of God teacheth, that of necessity,This T. Cooper gain…aieth pag. 2. of his Epistle. the government by Pastours, Doctors, Elders, &c. ought to be in every Church, which is neither maimed …or deformed. Because that church must needs be maimed p. 12which wanteth those members, which the Lord hath appointed to be therein; vnlesse the Lord himselfe hath, by taking those members away, shewed that now his body is to have no vse of them; But as hath beene sayd, God hath ordained Pastors, Doctors, Elders and Deacons to be in his Church, proved out of Rom. 12, 6, 7, 8. 1 Cor. 12. 8, 28. Ephe. 4, 12. And he hath not taken these officers away out of his church, because the church hath continuall need of them: As of Pastors to feed with the word of Wisedome: Of the Doctors to feed with the Word of knowledge, and both to build vp his body in the vnitie of faith, of Elders, to watch and oversee mens manners, of Deacons, to looke vntounto the poore and church treasurie. Therefore, where these 4. Officers are wanting, there the Church is imperfect in his Regiment.

Thirdly, that this government cannot be inconvenientCooper saith his page se… …nd Epistle. for any State or Kingdome; For is it inconvenient for a State or Kingdome, to have the body of Christ perfect therein?

Fourthly, that every Christian Magistrate is bound to receive this government, by Pastors, Doctors, Elders, and Deacons in the Church, within his dominions, whatsoever inconvenience may be likely to follow the receiving of it. Because no likelihood of inconvenience ought to induce the Magistrate willingly to permit the church vnderunder his government, to be maimed or deformed?

Fifthly, that the government of the church by Lord Archbishops and Bishops, is a government of deformed and vnshapen members, serving for no good vse in the church of God. Because it is not the government by Pastors, Doctors, Elders and Deacons, which as I have shewed are now the onelyonly true members, that is, the onelyonly true Officers of the visible body.

Sixtly and lastly. That they who defend this false and bastardly government of Archbishops and Bishops, and p. 13withstand this true & naturall government of the church, by Pastors, Doctors, Elders and Deacons are likely in a while to become Mar-prince, Mar-state, Mar-law, Mar-Magistrate, Mar-common wealth. As for Mar-church, and Mar-religion, they have long since proved themselves to bee.

These sixe points doe necessarily follow; of that which before I have set downe, namely that it is not lawfull for any to abolish or alter the true and lawfull government of the church. Because it is not lawfull for them to maime or deforme the body of the church.

And I chalenge you T. C. and you Deane Iohn, and you Iohn Whitgift, and you D. Coosins, and you D. Cop…ot, and all the rest that will or dare defend our established Church government, to be tryed with me in a Judgement of life and death, at any barre in England in this point. Namely,

That you must needs be, not onelyonly traytors to God and his word, but also enemies unto his Maiestie and the land, in defending the established church government to be lawfull.

You see the accusation which I lay to your charge, and here followeth the proofe of it. They who defend that the Prince and state, may bid God to battell against them, they are not onelyonly traitors against God and his word, but also enemies to the Prince and state. I thinke Iohn of Glocester himselfe, will not be so senceles…e as to deny this.

But our Archbishops and Bishops, which hold it lawfull for his Majestie and the state, to retaine this established for me of government, and to keepe out the government by Pastors, Doctors, Elders and Deacons, which was appointed by Christ, whom you profane T. C. call you know not whom, hold it lawfull for his Maiestie and the state to bid God to battell against them. Because they bid the Lord to battell against them which maime and deforme p. 14the body of Christ, viz. the church. And they as was declared, maime & deforme the body of the church, which keep out the lawfull offices, apointed by the Lord to be members therof, and in their steed, place other woodden members of the invetnion of man. Therefore you T. C. & you Deane Iohn, and you Iohn Whitgift, and you the rest of the beastly defendors of the corrupt church government are not onelyonly trayters to God and his word, but enemies to her Maiesty and the state. Like you any of these Nu… I…hn Canterbury? I am not disposed to jest in this serious ma…ter. I am called Martin Mar-prelat. There be many that greatly dislike of my doings, I may have my wants I know: For I am a man: Bot my course I know to be ordinary and lawfull. I saw the cause of Christs government, and of the Bishops Antichristian to be hidden. The most part of men could not be gotten to read any thing, written in the defence of the one, and against the other, I bethought me therefore of a way whereby men might be drawne to doe both, perceiving the humours of men in these times (especially of those that are in any place) to be given to mirth, I tooke that course, I might lawfully doe it, I, For jesting is lawfull by circumstances, even in the greatest matters. The circumstances of time, place and persons vrged me therevnto, I never profaned the word in any jest. Other mirth I vsed as a covert, wherein I would bring the truth into light, the Lord being the Author both of mirth and gravity. Is it not lawfull in it selfe, for the truth to vse either of these wayes, when the circumstances doe make it lawfull?

My purpose was and is to doe good, I know I have done no harme, howsoever some may iudge Martin to mar all. They are very weake ones that so think. In that which I have written J know vudoubtedly that I have done the Lord and the state of this Kingdome great service. Because I have in some sort, discovered the greatest enemies p. 15thereof. And by so much the most pestil…nt enemies, because they wound Gods religion, and currupt the State with Atheism and loosenesse, & so call for Gods vengance vponupon vsus all, even vnderunder the colour of Religion. I affirme them to be the greatest enemies that now our state hath, for if it were not for them, the truth should have more free passage herein, then now it hath. All states thereby would be amended, and so we should not be subject vntounto Gods displeasure, as now we are by reason of them.

Now let me deale with these are in authority, I doe make it knowne vntounto them, that our Bishops are the greatest enemies which we have. For they doe not onelyonly goe about, but they have long since, fully perswaded our state, that they may lawfully procure the Lord, to take the Sword in hand against the state: if this be true, have J not said truly, that they are the greatest enemies which our state hath. The Papists worke no such effect, for they are not trusted. The Atheifts have not infected our whole state, these have. The attempts of our forraine enemies may be pernicious. But they are men as wee are, But that God, which when our Bishops have, and doe make our Prince, and our governours to wadge war, who is able to stand against him?

Well to the point, many have put his Maiestie, the Parliament and counsell in mind, that the church officers now among vsus, are not such as the Lord alloweth off, because they are not of his owne ordaining. They have shewed that this fault is to be amended, or the Lords hand to be looked for. The Bishops on the other side, have cried out vponupon them, that have thus dutifully moved the state. They with a loud voyce gave out, that the magistrate may lawfully maintaine that church government, which best fitteth our estate, as living in the time of peace, What doe they else herein, but say that the magistrate in time of peace, may maime and defor…e the body of Christ his p. 16church. That Christ hath left the government of his own house vnperfect, and left the same to the discretion of the Magistrate, whereas Moses before whom in this point of government, the Lord Crhist is justly preferred, Hob. 3, 6. made the government of the legall policy so perfect, as hee left not any part thereof to the discretion of the Magistrate. Can they deny church Officers, to bee members of the church, they are refused by the expresse text, 1 Cor. 12. will they affirme Christ to have left behind him an vnperfect body of his Church, wanting members at y^• least wise, having such members as were onelyonly permanent at the Magistrates pleasure. Why Moses the servant, otherwise governed the house in his time. And the sonne is commended in this point for Wisedome, and faithfulnesse before him, Heb. 3. 6. Either then, that commendation of the sonne before the servant, is a false testimony, or the sonne ordained a permanent government in his Church, If permanent not to be changed. What then, doe they that hold it may be changed at the Magistrates pleasure, but advise the Magistrate by his positive lawes, to proclaime that it is his will, that if there shall be a Church within his dominions, he will maime and deforme the same, hee will ordaine therein, what members he thinketh good. He will make it knowne that Christ vnderunder his government, shall be made lesse faithfull then Moses was: That he hath left the placing of members in his body vntounto the Magistrate. Oh cursed beasts, that bring this guilt vponupon our estate: Repent Caitifes while you have time, you shall not have it I feare when you will, And looke you that are in authority vntounto the equity of the controversie, betweene our wicked Bishops, and those vho would have the disorders of our Church amended. Take heed you …e not carryed away with slanders. Christs government is neither Mar-prince, Mar-state, Mar-law, nor Mar-magistrate. The living God p. 17whose cause is pleaded for, will be reuenged of you, if you give eare vntounto this slander, contrary to so many testimonies as are brought out of his word, to prove the contrary. He denounceth his wrath against all you, that thinke it lawfull for you, to maime or deform his church, he accounteth his Church maimed, when those Offices are therein placed, which hee hath not appointed to bee members thereof: he also testifieth that there be no members of this appointment in the Church, but such as hee himselfe hath named in his word, and those that he hath named, man must not displace, for so he should put the body out of joynt. Now our Bishops holding the contrary, and bearing you in hand, that you may practize the contrary, doe they not drive you to provoke the Lord to anger against your owne soules? And are they not your enemies, they hold the contrary J say, for they say that his Maiestie may alter this government now established, and thereby they shew either this government to be vnlawfull, or that the magistrate may presume to place those members in Gods Church, which the Lord never mentioned in his word. And I … you marke how the case standeth betweene these wretches, & those whom they call puritans.

1 The puritans (falsely so called) shew it to be vnlaw full for the Magistrate, to goe about to make any members for the body of Christ.

2 They hold all officers of the Church, to be members of the body, Rom. 12, 6. 1. Cor. 12. 8. 28.

3 And therfore they hold the altering, or the abolishing of the offices of church government, to be the altering … abolishing of the members of the Church.

4 The altering and abolishing of which members, they hold to be vnlawfull, because it must needes be a maime vntounto the body.

5 They hold Christ Iesus to have set downe as exact, p. 18and as vnchangeable a Church government, as eve… Moses did Heb. 3. 6.

These and such like are the points they hold, let their cause be tryed, and if they hold any other points in effect but these, let them be hanged every man of them.

Now I demand, whether they that hold the contrary in these points, and cause the State to practize the contrary, be not outragious wicked men, and dangerous enemies of the state, it cannot be denyed but they are. Because the contrary practize of any the former points, is a way to worke the ruine of the state.

Now our Bishops hold the contrary vntounto them all, save the 3. and 2. points, wherevnto it may be they will yeeld, and cause our estate to practize the cōtrary, whence at the length, our destruction is like to proceed▪ For

1 They deny Christ Iesus to have set downe as exact, and as vnchangeable a forme of Church government as Moses did. For they say, that the Magistrate may change the church government established by Christ, so could he not doe that, prescribed by Moses.

2 In holding all offices of the church to be members of the body, (for if they be not members, what should they do in the body) they hold it lawfull for y^• Magistrate to attempt the making of new members for that body.

3 The altering or abolishing of these members by the Magistrates they hold to be lawfull, And therefore the maiming or deforming.

Now you wretches (Archb. and L. Bishops I meane) you Mar-state, Mar-law, Mar-Prince, Mar-magistrate, Mar-commonwealth, Mar-church, and Mar-religion, Are you able for your lives, to answere any part of the former Syllogisme, whereby you are concluded, to be the greatest enemies unto his Majesty and the State? You dare not attempt it I know. For you cannot deny, but they who hold it and defend it lawfull (yea enforce the p. 19Magistrate) to maime or deforme the body of Christ, are vtter enemies vntounto that Magistrate, and that state, wherein this order is practized. You cannot deny your selves to doe this, vntounto our Magistrate and State: because you beare them in hand, that a lawfull Church government may consist of those offices, which the magistrate may abolish out of the Church without sinne, and so, that the Magistrate may lawfully cut off the members of Christ from his body, and so may lawfully massacre the body. You are then the men by whom our estate is most likely to be overthrowne, you are those that shall answer for our blood which the Spaniard, or any other enemies are like to spill, without the Lords great mercy: you are the persecutors of your brethren, (if you may bee accounted brethren) you and your hirelings are not onelyonly the wound, but the very Plague and pestilence of our Church. You are those who maime, deforme, vex, persecute, grieve, and wound the Church. Which keep the same in captivity and darkenesse, defend the blind leaders of the blind, …lander, revile and deforme Christs holy government, that such broken and woodden members as you are, may bee still maintained, to have the roomes of the true and naturall members of the body. Tell me I pray, whether the true and naturall members of the body may be lawfully cut off by the Magistrate. If you should say they may, I know no man would abide the speech. What? May the Magistrate cut off the true and naturall members, of the body of Christ? Oh impudency not to be tolerated. But our magistrate, that is his Maiesty and our state, may lawfully by your owne confession cut you off, that is, displace you and your Offices out of our church, Deny this if you dare. Then indeed it shall appeare, that Iohn of Canterbury meaneth to be a Pope indeed, and to have the soveraignty over the civill Magistrate. Then will you shew your selfe indeed, to be Mar-prince, Mar-law, and Mar-state: p. 20Now if the Magistrate may displace you as he may, then you are not the true members. Then you are (as indeed you ought) to be thrust out, unlesse the Magistrate would incurre the wrath of GOD, for maiming and deforming the body of the Church, by joyning unnaturall members thereunto.

Answer but this reason of mine, and then hang those that seeke reformation, if ever againe they speake of it, if you doe not, I will give you little quiet. I feare you not. If the Magistrate will be so overseene as to beleeve, that because you which are the maime of the church are spoken against, therefore they, namely our Prince and state, which are Gods Lieutenants, shall be in like sort dealt with, this credulity will be the Magistrates sinne. But I know their wisedome to be such as they will not. For what reason is this, which you profane T. C. have used. page 103.

The sinfull, the unlawfull, the broken, unnaturall, false and bastardly governours of the church, to wit, Archb. & Bishops, which abuse euen their false Offices, are spoken against, Therefore the true, naturall and lawfull, and just governours of the Common wealth, shall bee likewise shortly misliked. Ah senslesse and undutifull beasts, that dare compare your selves with our true Magistrates, which are the ordinances of God, with your selves, that is, with Archbishops and Bishops, which as you your selves confesse (I will by and by prove this) are the ordinances of the Divell.

J know I am disliked of many which are your enemies, that is of many which you call Puritans. It is their weaknesse, J am threatned to be hanged by you. What though I were hanged, doe you thinke the cause shall be the better. For the day that you hang Martin, assure your selves, there will 20 Martins spring in my place. I meane not now you grosse Beasts, of any commotion as profane T. C. like a senslesse wretch, not able to understand p. 21an English phrase, hath given out upon that which he calleth the threatning of fistes. Assure your selves, I will prove Marprelat ere I have done with you. I am alone. No man under Heaven is privy, or hath bin privie unto my writings against you, J used the advice of none therein. You have and do suspect divers, as Master Pagget, Master Wiggington, Master Vdall, and Master Penri, &c. to make Martin. If they cannot cleare their selves their sillinesse is pittifull, and they are worthy to beare Martins punishment. Well once againe answer my reasons, both of your Antichristian places in my first Epistle unto you, and these now used against you. Otherwise the wisedome of the Magistrate must needes smell what you are: And call you to a reckoning, for deceiving them so long, making them to suffer the Church of Christ under their government to be maimed and deformed.

Your reasons for the defence of your Hierarchie, and the keeping out of Christs government, used by this profane T. C, are already answered. They shew what profane Beasts you are. I will heere repeate them. But heere first the Reader is to know what answere this T. C. maketh unto the syllogismes, whereby I prove all L. Bishops to bee petty Popes and petty Antichrists. I assure you no other then this, he flatly denyeth the conclusion, wheras he might (…f he had any learning in him, or had read any thing) know that every Dunsticall Logician, giveth this for an inviolable precept, that the conclusion is not to be denied. For that must needs be true, if the Major and minor be true, he in omitting the Major and minor, because he was not able to answer thereby, granteth the conclusion to be true: His answer unto the conclusion is, that all Lord B. were not petty Popes▪ Because page 74 Cranmer, Ridley, Hooper, were not petty Popes: They were not petty Popes, because they were not Reprobates. As though you block you, every petty Pope and petty Antichrist p. 22were a reprobate. Why no man can deny Gregory the great, to be a petty Pope, and a petty Antichrist, For he was the next immediate Pope before Boniface the first, that knowne Antichrist: and yet this Gregory left behind him vndoubted testimonies of a chosen child of God, so might they, and yet be petty Popes in respect of their Office: Profane T. C. his first and second reason, for the lawfulnesse of our church government: And what though good men gave their consent vntounto our Church government, or writing vntounto Bishops, gave them their Lordly titles? Are their offices therefore lawfull? Then so is the Popes office: For Erasmu… was a good man you cannot deny, and yet he both allowed of the Popes office since his calling, and writing vntounto him gave him his titles: So did Luther since his calling also, for hee dedicated his booke of Christian liberty vntounto Pope Leo the tenth. The book & his Epistle vntounto tbe Pope are both in English. Heere I would wish the Magistrate to marke what good reasons you are able to afford for your Hierarchie.

Thirdly, saith profane T. C, page 75. All Churches have not the governmene of Pastors and Doctors: but Saxonie and Denmarck, have L. Bishops. You are a great State man vndoubtedly T. C. that vnderstand the State of other Churches so well▪ But herein the impudency of a proud foole appeareth egregiously. As though the testimony of a silly Schoolemaster, being also as vnlearned as a man of that trade and profession can bee, with any honesty, would be beleeved against knowne experience. Yea, but Saxonie and Denmarc… have Superintendents, what then? ergo L. Archb. and Bishops. I deny it. Though other Churches had L. Archb. and Bb… this proueth nothing else, but that other Churches are maimed and have their imperfectious, Your reason is this, other good Churches are deformed, therefore ours must needes bee so too. The Kings sonne is lame, therefore the p. 23children of no subjects must goe vpright. And these be all the good reasons which you can bring for the government of Archb. and Bishops, against the government of Christ. You reason thus. It must not be admitted into this Kingdome, because then Civilians shall not be able to live in that estimatron and wealth, wherein they now do, Carnall and senslesse Beasts, who are not ashamed to preferre the outward estate of men before the glory of Christs Kingdome. Here againe, let the Magistrate and other Readers consider, whether it be not time, that such brutish men should be looked unto. Which reason thus: The body of Christ which is the Church, must needes bee maimed and deformed in this Commonwealth, because otherwise Civilians should not be able to live. Why you enemies to the state, you Traytors to GOD and his Word, you Mar-prince, Mar-law, Mar-magistrate, Mar-Church, and Mar-common wealth: doe you not know that the World should rather go a begging, then that the glory of God by mayming his Church should be defaced? Who can abide this indignity. The Prince and state must procure God to wrath against them, by continuing the deformity of his church, and it may not be otherwise, because the Civilians else must fall to decay. I will tell you what, you monstrous and ungodly Bishops, though I had no feare of God before mine eyes, and had no hope of a better life, yet the love that I owe as a Naturall man unto his Majesty, and the state would inforce me to write against you: his Majesty and this Kingdome (whom the Lord blesse with his mighty hand, I unfamedly beseech) must endanger them selves under the perill of Gods heav…e wrath, rather then the maime of our Church government must be healed for we had rather it should be so, say our Bishops, then wee should be thrust out, for if we should be thrust out, the study of the civill Law, must needs goe to wracke Well, if I have lived sometimes a Citizen, in that old and ancient p. 24(though Heathenish) Rome, and had heard King Dojotarus, Caesar, yea or Pompey himselfe give out this speech, namely, that the City and Empire of Rome must needes be brought subject unto some danger, because otherwise, Catolin, Lentulus, Cethegus, with other of the Nobility could not tell how to live, but must needs goe a begging, I would surely, in the love I ought to the safety of that, state, have called him that had vsed such a speech, in judicium capitis, whosoever he had beene: and I would not have doubted to have given him the overthrow. And shal I being a christian English Subject, abide to heare a wicked crue of ungodly Bishops, with their hangones and parasites, affirme that our King and our state must needs be subject unto the greatest danger that may be viz. the wrath of God for deforming his Church, and that Gods Church must needes bee maimed and deformed among us, because otherwise, a few Civilians shall not be able to live. Shall I heare and see these things professed and published; and in the love I owe unto Gods religion and his Majesty, say nothing? I cannot, I will not, I may not bee silent at this speech: come what will come of it. The love of a Christian Church, Prince and State, shall I trust, worke more in me, then the love of a Heathen Empire and State should doe. Now judge good Reader, who is more tolerable in a Common-wealth, Martin that would have the enemies of his Majesty removed thence, or our Bishops which would have his life, and the whole Kingdomes prosperity hazarded, rather then a few Civilians should want maintenance. But I pray thee tell me T. C; why should the government of Christ impoverish Civilians? Because (saith he) page 77. the Canon law by which they live, must be altered, if that were admitted. Yea but Civilians live by the Court of Amralty, and other courts as well as by the Arches, viz. Also the Probats of Testaments, the controversies of Tythes, Matrimony, and many p. 25other causes, which you Bishops Mar-state, do usurpingly take from the Civill Magistrate, would be a meanes of Civilians maintenance. But are not you ashamed to professe your whole government, to be a government ruled by the Popes Canon Lawes, which are banished by statute out of this Kingdome? This notably sheweth that pou are Mar-prince and Mar-state. For how dare you retaine these Lawes, unlesse by vertue of them, you meane either to enforce the supremacy of the Prince to goe again to Rome, or to come to Lambeth. It is treason by statute, fot any subject in this Land to proceed Doctor of the Canon law, and dare you professe your Church government to bee ruled by that law. As though one statute might not referre all matters of the Canon law, unto the temporall and common law of this Realme: and is this all you can say T. C.

2 Yes saith he, the government of Christ would bring in the judiciall law of Moses. As much as is morall of that law, or of the equity of it would be brought in. And doe you again say it. But you sodden headed Asse you, the most part of that law is abrogated. Some part thereof is in force among us, as the punishment of a Murtherer by death, and presumptuous obstinate Theft by death, &c.

3. His Majesties prerogative in Ecclesiasticall causes, should not be a whit diminished; but rather greatly strengthened by Christs government. And no law should be altered, but such as were contrary to the Law of God, and against the profit of the Common wealth: and therefore there can be no danger in altering these.

4 The Ministers maintenance by Tythe, no Puritane denyeth to be vnlawfull. For Martin (good Mr. Parson you must understand) doth account no Brownist to be a Puritane, nor yet a sottish Cooperist.

5. The inconvenience which you shew of the government which is, that men would not be ruled by it, is answered afore. And I pray you, why should not they be better obedient p. 26unto Gods Law, if the same also were established by the law of the Land, then to the Popes Law and his Canons. You thinke that all men are like your selves: that is like Bishops, such as cannot choose but break the Lawes and good orders of God and his Majesty.

7 The lawes of England have beene made, when there was never a Bishop in the Parliament, as in the first yeare of Qeen Eliz. And this reason as all thu rest, may serve to maintaine Popery, as well as the hierarchy of Bishops.

8 The government of the Church of Christ, is no popular government, but it is Monarchicall, in regard of our head Christ, Aristocraticall in the Eldership, and Democraticall in the people. Such is the civill government of our Kingdome: Monarchicall in his Majesties person: Aristocraticall in the higher house of Parliament, or rather at the Counsell Table: Democraticall in the body of the Commons of the Lower house of Parliament. Therefore profane T. C. this government seeketh no popularity to be brought into the Church, much lesse intendeth the alteration of the Civill state, that is but your slander, of vvhichwhich you make an occupation, And I will surely pay you for it. I must be briefe now, but more worke for Cooper shall examine your standers. They are nothing else but proofes, that as, by your owne Confessions, you are Bishops of the Divell, so you are enemies unto the state. For by these slanders, you goe about to blind our State, that they may never see a perfect Regiment of the Church in our dayes. I say that by your owne Confession, you are Bishops of the Divell. I will prove it thus: You confesse that your Lordly government, were not lawfull and tolerable in this Common vvealth, if his Majesty and the state of the Land did disclaime the same. Tell me, doe you not confesse this, deny it if you dare. For will you say, that you ought lawfully to be here in our Common wealth, whither his Majesty and the Counsell will or no. Is this p. 27the thankes that his Majesty shall have, for tolerating you in his Kingdome all this while, that now you will say, that you and your places stand not in this Kingdome by his courtesie, but you have as good right vntounto your places, as he hath vntounto his Kingdome. And by this meanes your Offices stand not by his good liking, and the good liking of the state▪ as doe the Offices of our Lord high Chancellor, high Treasurer, and high Steward of England. But your Offices ought to stand and to bee in force in spight of his Majesty, the Parliament, Counsell, and every man else, unlesse they would doe you injury. So that I know, J, you dare not deny but that your Offices were unlawfull in our Common-wealth, if his Majesty, the Parliament, and the Counsell would have them abolished. If you grant this, then you doe not hold your Offices as from God, but as from man. His Majesty hee holdeth his Office, and his Kingdome, as from GOD, and is beholding for the same▪ unto no Prince not State under Heaven. Your case is otherwise, for you hold your Offices as from his Majesty, and not from God. For otherwise▪ you needed not to bee any more beholding unto his Majesty for the same in regard of right, then hee is bound to bee beholding unto other states in regard of his right: and so you in regard of your Lordly superiority, are not the Bishops of God, but as Ierom saith, the Bishops of man. And this the most of you confesse to be true, and you see how dangerous it would be for you, to affirme the contrary, namely, that you hold your Offices as from God. Well Sir, if you say that you are the Bishops of man. Then tell mee whether you like of Deane Iohn his Booke.

O yes, saith T. C. For his grace did peruse that book, &T. C. 38▪ we know the sufficiency of it to bee such, as the Puritans are not able to answer it. Well then, whatsoever is in this booke is anthenticall. It is so, saith T. C. otherwise his grace would not have allowed it. What say you then to p. 28the 140 pag. of that booke, where he saith (answering the …rertise of the Bishop of God, the Bi. of Man, and the Bishop of the Divell) that there is no Bishop of man at all, but every Bishop must bee either the Bishop of GOD, or the Bishop of the Divell. He also affirmeth none to be the Bishop of God, but he which hath war…ant, both inclusively and also expresly in Gods Word. Now you Bishops of theDeane Iohn, … 1▪ pag… 40 line 7▪ Divell, what say you now, are you spighted of the Puritans, because you like good subjects defend the Lawes of his Majesty, or else because like incarnate Divels you are Bishops of the Divels, as you your selves confesse.

Here againe, let the Magistrate once more consider, what pestilent and dangerous Beasts these wretches are unto the civill state. For either by their owne confession they are the Bishops of the Divell (and so by that meanes will bee the undoing of the state, if they bee continued therein) or else their places ought to be in this Commonwealth whether his Majesty and our state will or no…: because they are not (as they say) the Bishops of man, that is, they have not their superiority, and their Lordly callings over their brethren by humane constitution, as my Lord Chancellor, Treasurer, and other honourable personages have, but by divine ordinance, Yea, and their callings they hold (as you have heard) not onelyonly to be inclusively, but also expresly in the word. What shift will they use to avoid this point? Are they the Bishops of men, that is, hold they their jurisdiction as from men. No saith Deane Bridges, no saith Iohn of Canterbury and the rest of them (for all of them allow this Booke of Iohn Bridges) for then wee are the Bishops of the Divell, wee cannot avoid it. Are …hey then the Bishops of God, that is, have they such a calling as the Apostles, Evangelists, &c. had; that is, such a calling as ought lawfully to be in a christian Commonwealth (unlesse the Magistrate would injury the Church, yea maime, deforme, and make a Monster of the Church) whither p. 29the Magistrate will or no. We have, say they, For our calling▪ are not only inclusively, but also expressely in the word▪ So that by Deane Bridges his confession, and the approbation of Iohn Canterbury, either our Bishops are Bishops of the Divell, or their callings cannot bee defended lawfull, without flat and plaine Treason, in overthrowing his Majesties supremacy. And so Deane Bridges hath written, and Iohn Whitgift hath approved and allowed flat Treason to be published.

Is Martin to be blamed for finding out and discovering Traytors? Is hee to be blamed for crying out against the Bishops of the Divel? If he be, then indeed have J▪ offended in-writing against Bishops. If not, whether is the better Subject Martin or our Bishops: whether I be favoured or no▪ J will not cease, in the love I owe to his Majesty, to write against Traytors, to write against the Divels Bishops. Our Bishops are such by their owne confession.

For they protest themselves to be the Bishops of the Divel If they should hold the pr…heminency to be from man, If they hold it otherwise then from man, they are Traytors. And untill this Beast Doctor Bridges wrote this Booke, they never as yet durst presume to claime their Lordships any otherwise lawfull then from his Majesty, yea and D. Bridges about the 60. page saith thosame▪ But they care not what contrariety they have in their writings, what Treason they hold, as long as they are perswaded that no man shall be tolerated to write against them. I have once already shewed Treason to be in this Booke of the Deane of Sarum, page 448. I shew the like now to be page 340. Because Deane Bridges durst not answer mee. They have turned unto me in his stead, a Beast whom by the length of his Eares, I gesse to bee his Brother, that is, an Asse of the same kind. But I will bee answered of the Deane himselfe in this and the former point of Treason, or else his Cloister shall smoake for it. And thus profane T. C. you p. 30perceive what a good subject you are, in defending the established government. Thus also I have answered all your Bookes in the matters of the lawfulnesse of the government by Pastors, Doctours, Elders, and Deacons, and the unlawfulnesse of our bastardly Church government, by Archbishops and Bishops▪ where also the Reader may see, that if ever there was a Church rightly governed, that is a Church without maime or deformity, the same was governed by Pastours, Doctours, Elders and Deacons.

Whau, whau, but where have I beene all this while? Ten to one among some of these Puritans. Why Martin? Why Martin, I say hast tow forgotten thy selfe? Where hast ti beene, why man, cha bin a seeking for a Samons nest, and cha vound a whole crue▪ either of Ecclesiasticall Traitors, or of the Bishops of the Divell, of broken and maimed members of the Church: never wink on me good fellow, for I will speake the truth, let the Puritans doe what they can. I say then that they are broken members, and I say Iohn of Canterbury, if he be a member of the Church, I say he is a broken member, and that Thomas of Winchester is a Choleri…ke member. Yea, and cha vound that profane T. C is afraid lest his Majesty should give Bishops livings away from om. And therefore shutteth his booke with this position, viz. That it is not lawfull to bestow such livings upon Lay men, as are appointed by Gods law upon Ministers. But hereof more warke for Cooper shall learnedly dispute.

Reverend T. C. Admonition page 1, 2, 3.

Wee use the Ministers most vil…ly now a dayes. God will punish us for it, as hee did those which abused his Prophets.

Reverend Martin.

Looke to it T. C. then. For out of thine own mouth shalt thou b… judged, thou unrighteous servant. Our Bishops are they which abuse the Ministers. Our Bishops were p. 31never good Ministers as yet, and therefore they are not to be compared with the Prophets.

Reverend T. C. page 4.

Some men will say, that I doe great injury to the Prophets and Apostles, in comparing our Bishops unto them. But we may be happy if we may have tolerable Ministers in this pe…ilous age.

Reverend Martin.

I hope T. C. that thou dost not mean to serve the Church with worse then we have: what worse then Iohn of Canterbury? worse then Tom Tubtrimmer of Winchester? worse then the Vick…rs of Hell, Sir Ieff…ry Iones, the parson of Micklain, &c. I pray thee rather then we should have a change from evill to worse, let us have the evill still But I care not if I abide the venture of the change. Therefore get Iohn with his Canterburinesse removed, &c. whom thou acknowledgest to be evill, and J doe not doubt, if worse come in their stead, but the Divell will soone fetch them away, and so wee shall bee quickly rid, both of evill and worse. But good T. C. is it possible to find worse then we have? I do not marvell though thou callest me libeller, when thou darest abuse the Prophets farre worse, then in calling them libellers: for I tell thee true, thou couldst not have any way so stained their good names, as thou hast done in comparing them to our Bishops. Call me Libeller as often as thou wilt, I doe not greatly care, but and thou lovest me, never liken me to our Bishops of the Divell. For J cannot abide to be compared unto those, for by thine owne comparison in the 9. page, they are just Balaams up and downe.

Reverend T. C. page 8, 9, 10.

Though our Bishops be as evill as Iudas the false Apostles, and Balaam, yet because they have sometimes brought unto …s Gods message, wee must thinke no othetwise of them, then of Gods Messengers. For GOD p. 32will not suffer divellish and Antichristian persons to bee the chiefe restorers of his Gospell.

Reverend Martin.

First T. C. I have truly gathered thine argument, though thou namest neither Iudas nor the false Apostles. Prove it otherwise. Then hast thou reverend Martin proved thy selfe a lyar. Now secondly then seeing it is so, I pray thee good honest T. C. desire our Judasses (who was also one of the first Apostles) not to sell their Master for money, desire our false Apostles (who preached no false doctrine for the most part) not to insult over poore Paul) and desire our good Balaams, not to follow the wages of unrighteousnesse. The counsell is good. For Iudas, though one of the first publishers of the Gospell (so were not our Bishops in our time) yet hung himselfe. The false Apostles had their reward, I doubt not. And Balaam as soon as ever the Israelites tooke him, was justly executed for his wickednesse. The forced blessing wherewith hee blessed them saved him not.

Reverend T. C. page 10, 11, 12, 13.

May conjecturall speeches flye abroad of Bishops, as that they are covetous, give not to the poore, hinder reformation, Simoniacks, &c. but the chiefe Governours ought to take heed, that they give no credit to any such things. I trust never any of them committed Idolatry, as Aaron did.

Reverend Martin.

Yea, I beseech you that are in authority in any case, not to beleeve any truth against our Bishops. For these Puritans (although the Bishops grant themselves to bee as evill as Balaam) could never yet prove the good fathers, to have committed Idolatry as Aaron did. And as long as they be no worse then Balaam was, there is no reason why they should be disliked. You know this is a troublesome world, men cannot come unto any meere living without p. 33friendss And it is no reason why a man should trouble his friend and give him nothing, a hundred pounds and a gelding, is yet better then nothing. To bowle but seven dayes in a weeke, is a very tolerable, recreation. You must know that Iohn of London, hath sometimes preached (as this profane T. C. hath given out to his no small commendations) th…ise in a yeare at Paules-crosse. A sore labour, it is reason that he should bestow the rest of the yeare, in maintaining his health by recreation, and providing for his family: give him leave but to keepe out the government of the Church, to sweare like a swag, to persecute, and to take some small ten in the hundred, and truely he will be loath ever to commit idolatry as Aharon did. I hope though Iudas sold his Master, yet that it cannot bee proved since his calling, that ever he committed Idolatry.

Reverend T. C. page 16, 17.

Though Bishops should offend as Noah did in drunkennes, yet good children should cover their fathers falts. For naturall children, though they suffer injuries at their fathers hands, yet they take their griefes very mildly.