corruption in mee hath had any secret respect to these Idols beleeue mee my heart is not priuie vnto it I know there is no man in whom the seede of all sinne is not If I come to be examined before God I will protest with Dauid Lord enter not into iudgement with mee for in thy sight shall no flesh be iustified I know not mine owne soule many euils are in it which are hid from mee for God is greater then the conscience and knoweth many things of vs which our owne conscience knoweth not But so farre forth as a man can know himselfe in this whereof I am accused I may answere you boldlie My lips haue spoken no wickednesse and my tongue hath vttered no deceit It was not the loue of Gaine or Glorie that hath wrought this change of my minde In this you haue wrongfully and now after mine Apologie and oath of Conscience wickedly accused mee God forbid I should iustifie you vntill I die I will neuer take mine innocencie from my selfe I will keepe my righteousnesse and will not forsake it mine heart shall not reproue mee of my dayes This is Mr. Dauid the right application of this example But now you proceede THE ADMONENT NOW to looke backe but euen a little vpon this that wee haue alreadie said what is this wee see standing at the very entrie Is it not Fame and is not that a great Idoll as euer was in the World the cause of huge Idolatrie and yet haue you reared it vp here openly in a publike place THE ANSVVERE SVrely if you were not like an Idoll of the Nations that hath eyes and sees not I am sure you would not speake as you doe You complained in the preceding Section Alas we are blinde and truely you are much blinder then I supposed you had beene and now you say you see an Idoll and what an Idoll Fame Mr. Dauid it is but your dimme sight which causeth you to take one thing for another you are like that blinde man of whom wee reade in the Gospell when hee saw men hee thought hee had seene trees for his eyes were not yet well opened Stay a little iudge not out of your darke sight Pray IESVS to touch your eyes againe and you shall see more clearely what you thought to haue beene an Idoll and called so it is not so indeede it is a more excellent yea a most necessarie thing for a good name is as a precious Oyntment it is to be chosen aboue all riches Salomon said so hee saw as well as you and S. Paul will haue a Bishop well reported of euen of them which are without but if a good name had beene an Idoll hee would not haue so necessarilie required it Now you returne againe to your former blasphemous railings refuted by mee repeated now by you for so well is Mr. Dauid pleased vvith the tune of this Song that hee must sing it ouer oftner then once THE ADMONENT ANd that inconstancie with how blushfull things is it shielded how too like to Rahels Idols in her blushfull confession seeing for the eschewing thereof 1. Errour must be confessed 2. Erronious Doctrine 3. Rash affirming of vncertainties 4. Headinesse 5. Papisticke implicite faith 6. Falsifying of Gods Message 7. Prophaning the Chayre of Veritie 8. Carelesnesse of Calling THE ANSVVERE AND a mighty strong winde rent the Mountaines and brake the Rockes but the Lord was not in the winde and after the winde came an earth-quake but God was not in the earth-quake and after the earth-quake came fire but God was not in the fire Mr. Dauid now againe gathers his breath bends vp his bowels to bring out a mightie blast of winde out of the Desart and Wildernesse of a a barren heart against me not vnlike the winde wherewith Satan ouer-threw Iobs house and children at one blow so would this Reuiler ouer-turne my Name Ministrie Conscience and all with this one stroke and violent charge Many furious fierie and mightie boistering words of winde hath hee blasted out vpon mee but God is not in them I will abide with Elijah till the Lord come in a soft and peaceable voyce he speaketh peace to the hearts of his Saints The Lord will looke on mine affliction and doe me good for his cursing this day The refutation of them see Sect. 35. 36. 37. 38. 39. c. Certainely it is euill more then enough to see men degenerate into beasts through the want of reason but it is much worse to see a man become a Diuell by abusing his reason so maliciously that they Qui Angeli sily Dei esse debeant ne hoc quidem vt homines esse videantur sibi reseruarunt who should be Angels and Sonnes of God reserue not so much modestie to themselues as whereby they may seeme to be men or to put difference betweene them and beasts yea rather worse then beasts euery beast hath some one euill qualitie of the owne but you will finde a man so beastly that in him they are all collected in one Irascitur vt Serpens pungit vt Scorpio insidiatur vt Vulpes imo quasi Diabolus atrocia suscipit bella in fratrem And this hating abhorring deuouring one of another argueth it not saith the Apostle a carnall man yea truely Non humanae mansuetudinis sed immanitatis est belluarum it is beastly barbaritie and not that mansuetude which becommeth men The Lord who is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 manure by his grace the heart of Theagrius and all our hearts that these thornes and bryers may be rooted out of them and like a ground blessed of the Lord they may bring forth the spirituall fruit of Meeknesse Truth and Loue. Now you proceede to improue my Reasons and ere euer you doe it you take a Decree to your selfe to call them ridiculous and fectlesse but what is it which may not be labefacted by words THE ADMONENT THE first is to comfort the King for that you insinuate that his Maiestie may haue the comfort of his Subiects Alas what say you take you on a Bishopricke to comfort the King who will beleeue you and that it is not rather to comfort your selfe THE ANSVVERE YOV dispute with words not comely and with talke that is not profitable Shall a wise man speake words of the winde how vnlike your words are vnto mine the iudicious Reader will consider by reading mine Apologie My reason I doubt not will be thought weightie of all honest hearts this it is Seeing we haue a Christian King sustaining contradiction of the Aduersarie for the Gospels sake it is no reason his Highnesse should be grieued with the contradiction of his people also specially for a matter not so materiall as you would make it for a point of Discipline not of Faith wherein his Maiestie doubtlesse hath the best end of the cause also Is there no pittie nor compassion to such a Father of the Church and Common-wealth Shall his
Dauid deales not truely nor faithfully nor like a man defending a good cause but fore-seeing that these words would destroy his Assertion of purpose he leaues them out His second Reason is without reason and against the very rules of reasoning This is Petitio principij he begs the question and takes it for a principle which is the Controuersie it selfe as shall appeare in our improbation I will not be presumptuous to dispute that which is concluded alreadie and past in a Law Onely to cleare the proceedings of our Church from the wrongfull imputations of malecontents I giue an Answere to all their Obiections in these Positions following 1 Episcopall gouernment in it selfe is lawfull and of all other hath best warrants in the Word Mr. Dauid hath declined this question yet will I giue to him and others such light in it as God hath giuen mee 2 No Church since the dayes of Christ vnto our Fathers dayes was without Episcopall Gouernment and Mr. Dauid cannot shew one instance to the contrarie for howsoeuer in some reformed Churches Superintendents were placed the name being onely changed the matter remained 3 The Church of Scotland in her purest estate enioyed the Gospell with Episcopall gouernment for the space of twentie yeeres as may be proued out of the Monuments of our Church for there you will finde by Acts of generall Assemblie Ministers ordained to be subiect to Superintendents A Law craued from the Lords of secret Counsell for punishment of such as disobeyed Superintendents Power to hold Assemblies twice in the yeere giuen to Superintendents Power to transport Ministers giuen to Superintendents Power of diuorcements taken from Ministers and giuen to Superintendents Power to admit â—inisters and depose them giuen to Superintendents No religious Bookes to be printed but by adâ—ise of Superintendents This was the order of our Church all the dayes of Iohn Knox c. Here you obiect first that the offices of Bishops and Superintendents are not one and why I am sure you know in power of signification they are one in power of Iurisdiction they are declared to be one by Act of generall Assemblie Anno 1573. what power a Superintendent had by the law of our Church that same power a Bishop had by the same Law And those Countries which had Bishops of the reformed Religion president ouer them were neuer committed to the care of Superintendents but the Bishops exercised all points of Iurisdiction partaining to them vvithout any contradiction made to them by our Assemblies To â—ay yet further there was appointed by the generall Assemblie some Commissioners to be assembled with other Commissioners appointed by the Regent and Lords of Councell to entreat of Ecclesiastique Iurisdiction establish it Commissioners for the church beside sundrie Superintendents were Mr. Iohn Knox M. Iohn Craig M. Iohn Row M. Dauid Lindsay with others that were in the yeere 1564. The same Commission renued againe by the Church Anno 1567. and againe 1568. a Supplication from the Asâ—emblie to the Regent M. Iohn Willok Superintendent of the West being then Moderator was directed desiring that such as were appointed by the Lords of his Highnesse Councell and by the Church might meet for setling church-Iurisdiction After this in euery assemblie the same sute is renued till at length An. 1571. the gouerâ—ment of Bishops is ratified by act of assemâ—lie Thus M. Dauid you see Bishops willingly recâ—iued into our Church Your other Obiection is Superintendents had their Office from the Church did their Office by aduise of their Brethren and were countable to the Church for it Tell me I pray you what else see you in Bishops Their Office and power is from the Church their temporall preferment their rent and maintenance is conferred by the King yea good reason it is that his Maiestie haue the nomination of a Bishop out of lytes of honest men giuen in by the Church What nouation is here You will finde the nomination of Superintendents referred to his Highnes Counsell in his Maiesties minoritie becausâ— they gaue them their maintenance see Act of Assemblie An. 1562. Againe Superintendents did by aduise good reason see the Law prescribed to Bishops of olde An. 1573. that no Bishop admit any Minister without aduâ—se of three well qualified Ministers of the bounds The same stands now and can you say that any Bishop in our Church stands against this except onely that where the Law bindes them to vse the aduise of three they vse the aduise of sixe or tenne or thirteene if they may get them What can you say against this Mr. Dauid See you not here a constant forme of gouernment in our Church See you any other Bishops now then were in the dayes of Iohn Knox Here say you Superintendents were changeable but you should haue cleared your selfe not deceiued the simple people vnder ambiguitie of words Tell the truth were any of them changed in their time or was there any cause might haue taken from them the office of a Superintendent but such as might haue also depriued of the Office of Preaching and all other offices in the Church In which case Superintendents Bishops and Pastors both might and should lawfully be deposed but God be praised such examples feil not out in our Church Oh but Superintendents were subiect to their Brethren Here also you luâ—ke vnder the shadow of doubtfull speeches Will you say that Superintendents were subiect to the censure of Ministers ouer whom they had the inspection The contrarie is true our Fathers foresaw the perill of that and exempted them from it reseruing them to be iudged by the generall Assemblie as I haue cleared before and doubtlesse there could be no order where such as should correct the faults of others are put vnder the censure of thosâ— that should be corrected by them You still reply there is now say you no generall Assemblie to censure them but you may know that the same Law which restoreth the Iurisdiction of Bishops ratifieth also generall Assemblies howbeit in a reformed State the power to call it belongs to the Christian Magistrate and seeing it is the Parliament of the Church the great Ecclesiastique Councell of the Church the calling of it except vpon very vrgent occasions proueth often more hurtfull then helpfull but where great and weightie causes require it you may be sure the Prince will not refuse it But your great grudge is here that Bishops are not vnder the power of Ministers to be cast out of their places by pluralitie of voices You dreame of an assemblie that would finde the authoritie vnlawfull and depose them all but you are deceiued our Ministrie are not so affected they see the necessitie and vtilitie of this calling they who disliked it at the first are now brought by reason and experience to allow it and where you will finde one discontented with it I warrant you tweâ—tie who are pleased with it and thanke Goâ— for it Speake no more
THE BISHOP OF GALLOVVAY HIS DIKAIOLOGIE Contayning a iust Defence of his former APOLOGIE Against the iniust Imputations of Mr. DAVID HVME O what a griefe that hauing to doe with Enemies wee are forced to fight with Friends LONDON Printed by Thomas Snodham for Iohn Budge and are to be sould at the great South-dore of Paules and at Brittaines-Bursse 1614. TO THE CHRISTIAN READER AS I was on my iourney from LONDON homeward in the Moneth of May last I was ouertaken not farre from Darnetoune by our Country-man Mr. Dauid Hume Goodman of Gods-croft After we had saluted one another we fell incontinent to a conference of Church-gouernment hee excused himselfe that his leasure serued him not at that time to stay in our companie his vrgent affaires forcing him to post before but hee promised to send mee his doubts in writing and I promised him if it pleased the Lord an answere The point I tooke in hand to proue was that no substanciall point of Discipline was changed in our Church For Ecclesiasticke Synods vsed before are retained still the censures of Admonition Suspension Excommunication yea the Admission and Deposition of Pastors or what euer else pertaynes to the matter of Discipline these are not remoued but rectified and roborated in that the power to moderate and exercise these censures is not left free to euery one but restored againe to the Bishop to be vsed with aduise of his Brethren thus keepe wee still the same Discipline but more orderly vsed 〈◊〉 dined at Darneroune and parted in louing manner with all brotherly kindnes we ouertooke him againe at Dunbar where not finding his former humanitie I maruelled what it could be or from whom it câ—me that so small a change of the soile should make so great a change of the affection for in the one hee was most kinde where with reason he might haue beene more strange and in the other most strange where of dutie hee both might and should haue beene more kindly Since that time I fore-gathered not with him and I expected nothing but kindnesse from him and that the question should haue beene quietly and peaceably disputed by writing among our selues till now that he hath begunne the publike warre He had sent me some missiue Letters written by him to some others crauing resolution of his doubts concerning Church gouernment And as I was dispatching an Answere to him I was forced to plead for my Conscience by APOLOGIE against a lying Libeller which here Mr. Dauid against all dutie and reason hath publickely impugned First because I stood â—ound by promise to giue an answere to himselfe and reason would hee should haue expected it yea doubtlesse he had gotten it long ere now in more quiet and louing manner if he had not interrupted me Secondly I had written nothing against Mr. Dauid I touched him not in my Apologie and no other way gaue I him any cause to write against mee Thirdly hee being a priuate man it cannot be but a great Presumption to condemne by publike writing a Church-gouernment established by Law and that without knowledge if himselfe be true for he professeth to seeke instruction concerning it yea without eyther calling or lawfull commission Fourthly before euer he sent this Refutation of this Apologie to me or had discharged with me he published sundry Copies of it to be seene and read of others which in our Prouerbe we call Treason vnder trusting Fiftly his whole Admonitorie Treatise is full of Inuectiues in personam without regard of modestie yea of that feare of God which becommeth a Christian bringing nothing or else very little ad propositum Thus hath Mr. Dauid kept no faire warre with mee but hath very farre ouer-seene himselfe and wronged mee which that the indifferent may know I haue here published his Admonition in his owne words and mine answeres I haue omitted no materiall thing in it onely words of needlesse repetition wherein hee abounds If hee had contented himselfe to iustifie the Libeller in tramping my Name my Conscience my Ministrie vnder his feete it had beene a proofe of my patience great enough But where without reason or truth he will beare downe a common cause and increase offences in the hearts of simple people I cannot of conscience suffer it vnanswered specially seeing vnder pretence of impugning mee hee directly impugneth it If my heart in this had reproued mee of my wayes I might haue lurked in secret and past ouer the Libeller and him also with silence but an honest conscience feareth not the light but rather reioyceth in it Onely I craue of the modest minded Christian that if my speeches in the Answere at any time be sharper then becommeth it be imputed to humane infirmitie whereunto the loue of the cause and knowledge of mine owne innocencie hath carryed mee not want of loue toward him or others It is no pleasure to mee to offend any man if any such haue escaped mee I will not excuse my selfe in that which the wise godly and indifferent Reader shall thinke may iustly be reprehended Thine in the Lord W. B. of Galleway THE BISHOP OF GALLOWAY HIS APOLOGIE THere are two things requisite in a man that would doe good in a publike calling the one is a good Conscience the other a good Name the first commends him to God and obtaines a blessing to his labours the next commends him to men and procures him the greater credit to effectuate the good which hee hath intended for the which said Philo Sicut bonum ac honestum esse ita videri aâ— haberi prâ—dest As it is a good thing to be good and honest so is it also good that we should be esteemed good Nonitaque est â—â—gligenda fama restum ad custodian tuâ—â— ad dignitatem vitae vtilissimâ— A good name therefore is not to be neglected considering it is a singular helpe both for the custodie and dignitie of our life for this cause hath it alway beene one of Sathans customable policies who stands at the right hand of Iehâ—shuah to resist him in well doing to staine the Name where he cannot corrupt the Conscience that by disgraâ—ing the instruments he may destroy at least diminish the good which faine they would doe Hoc est Diaboli 〈…〉 seruos Dei mendacio laceret falsis 〈…〉 qui conscientiae suâ— luce clarescunt falsis ruâ—oribus sordidentur This is the worke of the Diuell to strike the seruants of God with the scourge of a lying tongue to abase their honest name in the hearts of others by wrongfull conceptions and by false reports to defile them who are honest in regard of their owne consciences 2 It is a difficult thing to liue in a publike calling and not to be calumniated So long as our Sauiour liued a priuate life we reade not that he was either tempted by Satan or traduced by men but from the time that by Baptisme he was consecrate to doe the great worke of the
promised Messiah then Satan set vpon him and the mouthes of all his cursed instruments were opened to blaspheme him Now we know that the seruant is not aboue the master Si aut 〈…〉 aut palmarom folia complicarem vt insâ—dore vultus mei panem comederem ventris opus sollicita mente pertrectarem â—â—â—lus morderet 〈◊〉 reprehenderet nunc autem iuxta sententiam Saluatoris volo operari cibum qui non perit geminus mihi error infigitur If were set said Hierome to weaue a basket of twigs with the bull-rush or to twist the leaues of I'alme-trees or by any such base occupation I had no more adoe but to care for my belly that I might eate my bread in the sweat of my brow I might doe it all my dayes and no man bite mee or reproue me for it but now because according to the saying of our Sauiour I labour in a spirituall calling to nourish my selfe and others with that bread of life which perishes not a double error is enforced vpon me Virum egregium sequitur proximorum inuidia Enuie alway followes vertue where it can hurt no otherway it impugnes by calumnie this is as Nazianzen calls it Malum grauissimum generosam enim 〈◊〉 um virorum constautiam labefactere nititur A most heauie euill for by it Sathan seekes to weaken the constancie of good men and so much the greater euill is it Quia non solum falsa componit sed etiam quae piâ—gesta sunt decolorat Because faies Ambrose it not onely forges false things but falsifies true things deforming and defacing that with her vncouth colours which is done sincerely and out of a good affiâ—ction 3 With the like of these weapons hath Sathan fought against mee in his peeuish instruments euer since the Lord called mee to be a Preacher and no maruaile Shall a man trample on a Serpent and not looke to be stinged I haue professed my selfe by the grace of my Lord a disquieter of Sathans Kingdome I thinke it not strange if hee doe what hee can to disquiet mee disquiet hee may dishearten hee shall not Shall I be mooued at his lying Libellers No Absit à seruo Christi tale inquinamentum vt patientia maioribus praeparata in minimis excid at Farre be that spot from the seruants of Christ that their patience prepared for greater should faile in so small tentations Quâ— cito iniuria mouetur facit se dignum videri contumelia Hee that is hastily moued with a contumely makes it to seeme that hee is worthie of it What then shall I vtterly neglect his false accusations No least by them any credit I haue to doe good vnto others be stollen from mee I will neither suffer an Absolom nor an Achitophel A Friend nor a Foe to steale away from mee the hearts of any of Gods people if I may stay it To such therefore as feare God I speake as Augustine did to his brethren Mihi sufficit conscientia mea vobis necessaria est fama mea To mee my conscience is sufficient but for you my good name is necessarie Of such as are mine Enemies either of weakenesse or wickednesse I demaund as Iacob did of Laban Now when yee haue searched all my stuffe what haue yee found bring it forth that we may see it 4 O forsooth yee were once otherwayes minded concerning Church-gouernement In some things I confesse I was in others not Paritie in Church-gouernment I euer thought the Mother of confusion neither can I see that God hath beene the Author of it in any of his workes yea by the diuersitie of his gifts he declares that hee allowes not equalitie in gouernment where here if any strife be about comparison of gifts I haue no more to say but that hee who in humilitie of minde cannot submit himselfe to obay any other was neuer meete to bee a Ruler of others how great so euer has gifts be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And that Preachers should haue place in Parliament to giue light out of the holy Oracle to the Prince and States of the Kingdome I euer thought it both reasonable and necessarie and did by my publike voice approue it in that generall assembly holden at Dundie wherein this matter was first motioned And in these publike Lectures which once in the moneth wee had in our Presbyteriall exercise for clearing the Controuersies of this time I did in my course openly declare how in Church-gouernment a happy meane were to be wished betweene Anarchie and Monarchie two fearefull euils in the Church the one proceeding from paritie wrought confusion as might be seene in the pitifull state of the Churches of Flanders the other breeding tyrannie and all sort of oppression a lamentable proofe whereof we might see in the Churches of Italy and other parts vnder the dominion of that Romish Vsurper thus is there not so great a cause to charge me with a change as is alleaged 5 But in that wherein before I misliked Episcopall gouernment fearing least tyrannie libertie and other euils should follow it if now perceiuing a Christian King most carefull out of his rare pietie and wisedome to see it vsed vnto the right end I haue changed my minde as many others both worthie Fathers and brethren in our Church haue done to whom the world cannot denie an honest testimonie what imputation should this be vnto me Cum mentem in melius mutare non leuit as sit sed virtus sith for a man to change his minde to the better it is no leuitie nor inconstancie as the lying Libeller termes it but vertue Episcopall gouernment was embraced of this Church ere I was borne and with it wee enioyed the Gospell for many yeares and some that were worthie and faithfull men in this same Ministrie of Perth wherein I haue now laboured by the grace of God almost this twentie yeares did discharge in effect the same office of a Bishop in the bounds of Galloway yea by imposition of their owne hands did ordaine Bishops of other Dioces If there were then a reason why the Episcopall gouernment once embraced being fallen in decay the Presbyteriall should be established is it not now possible thinke ye to get a reason why both of them should be reunited the one of them being ordained to honour and strengthen the other and being reduced to that order and vse for which anciently it did serue in the Primitiue Church Especially seeing it is done by the fatherly fore-cast and prouident care not without warrant of Gods word example of the Primitiue Church nor aduice of the present Church of such a King as God hath giuen vs a Professor a Confessor a Semi-martyt a Protector a Preacher a Propagator of the Gospell with vs whose power for any thing I can yet learne is greater in the externall gouernment of the Church then we haue well considered of 6 O but say you by this change the people are made vncertaine of
yet the most modest will encline to it Perceiue you not how you reele and roue and knowes not what you say Doth not one of your words dash and destroy another They suspend their iudgement say you and yet they encline to this as most apparent Sober men will not affirme it say you yet the most modest will and why forsooth Because saith Mr. Dauid It is most appearant I pray you doe sober and modest men encline their iudgement to and fro by appearance and since as you say Most modest men suspends their iudgement why are you not one of those most modest men why praecipate you and giues out rash iudgement O but sâ—y you you knew no change till the Bishopricke came What of that you knew it not nor your complices therefore it was not It was knowne clearelie enough to such as vvere familiar with mee it was knowne openlie in the Synods of Fyffe yea vnto manie that desired not to know it it vvas made knowne euerie day in the Presbyterie of Perth from the time that once the Episcopall gouernement was receiued againe by order of the Church by act of generall assemblie with approbation of his Maiestie I resolued to conforme my selfe and from that time declared it in communing reasoning disputing honouring Bishops priuatelie publicklie all that I could and willinglie would haue liued content all my daies to haue giuen honour to anie Brother of the Ministrie aduanced to that office rather then receiued it This is the verie truth though it was not published in Preston nor knowne to Mr. Dauid And where you say that Gaine and Glorie are the onelie apparant causes and most modest men enclines to them as most apparant and that whatsoeuer can be seene of men outwardlie makes all against me Now God be thanked it is but apparantlie and it is but the thought and sight of men and that of your men it is but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 mans day mans iudgement 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and of such men whose iudgement I set little by my reason is because by their owne confession it is but iudgement by appearance Will Christian Religion teach you to iudge by appearance Is not this the praise of our Lord who as he is a Prince of Saluation so stands hee also for a Paterne of righteousnesse vnto vs Hee shall bring out iudgement in truth why bring you out iudgement in vntruth he iudges not by the hearing of the eare why doe you giue iudgement vpon report hee iudges not by appearance and you spare not to condemne the conscience of your brother hauing no reason for you but appearance Is not this too weake a probation for so strong a calumnie Who may not see malice hath moued you no light hath led you you haue bewrayed by your speech the weakenesse of your cause the wickednesse of your heart which God forgiue you Now you conclude this point THE ADMONENT VVHo can say that will say any thing at all but it is the golden Hammer hath done the turne THE ANSVVERE HOw long will you vexe my soule and torment me with words you haue now tenne times reproached me and are not ashamed you are impudent towards mee Haue you forgotten what you said euen now Were not these your words Sober men will not say it modest men enclines to it but by appearance Yet now you will make vs beleeue that such as will say any thing can say no otherwise but as you say Mr. Dauid Mendacem oportâ—it esse memorem Frequently you bragge of this that all men whom you know thinke as you thinke and so with the terrible shew of your associates like an Armie of the stuffed skinnes of Indian Elephants you would afray vs. I am sure when your great multitude mustred vnder generall titles comes to be viewed they will be found as I haue said For doubtlesse godlie modest learned men howsoeuer they be minded concerning the cause it selfe will no way approue your carnall debating of it nor yet allow that which you haue said they will be loath I warrant you to come vnder your standard neither will they thinke their cause strengthened but dishonoured by your Patrocinie Thus will you be found but like Chaucers Cooke busie where you neede not taking paines for which no side will giue you thanks And these being remoued from you who with their iudgement in Church-gouernement retaine inward sobrietie and brotherlie loue vvith meekenesse the remanent that will stand vp with you to maintaine your carnall and contentioâ—s raylings will trie as I haue said Your great Vniuersalitie will be reduced to a small fellowship of strait-shod Gentlemen and to speake as it is A Diocie of Donatists of whom you may read what hath beene the iudgement of the godlie Horum spiritus homicida mendax Who thinke there is no Church no Religion no Conscience but with the men of their opinion and if any man be otherwise minded then forsooth hee is not a Brother you must keepe no companie with him you must not salute him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nor walke in the streete or way with them Fie vpon this pride what should such wickednesse doe in Sion away with it to Shinar meeter for Barbarians of Moroco then for Christians of the beloued I le In Africk it dwelt of olde I would wish if I might lawfullie it were there againe and this Church were quit of it Now in the third roome Mr. Dauid in most furious manner inuades my Ministrie not vnlike that fourth fearefull and terrible beast which Daniel saw in the vision with iron teeth deuouring breaking in pieces stamping vnder feet all â—â—at is before him Now he speweth out the superfluitie of his malitiousnesse and vvith most false and horrible calumnies he chargeth me THE ADMONENT ERrour must be confessed 2. Erroneous Doctrine yea false Doctrine 3. Rash affirming of vncertainties 4. Inconsideratenesse temeritie headinesse 5. Inconstancie 6. Papisticall implicite faith 7. Falsefying of Gods message speaking that whereof he had no warrant from him 8. Prophaning the chaire of veritie 9. Carelesnesse and sloath in your calling that in a great high and speciall question of it being so long a Pastâ—r you neuer searched to know the truth of that point THE ANSVVERE O Lord false witnesses are risen vp against mee they charge me with things which I know not O righteous God who trieth the hearts and the reines and hast proued and visited mine heart in the night plead thou my cause and let the lying lips be made dumbe which cruelly spightfully and proudly speake against the righteous The answere which our Sauiour gaue his Disciples when they willed him to bring fire from heauen vpon the Samaritanes is not vnproper here for Mr. Dauid for hee hath here multiplied against me so many grieuous imputations as if they were true might iustly make me worthie both of fierie wrath from God and of all indignation from man But M. Dauid you know not
comes of them when they begin to change Euen as the finest wine turnes into the sharpest vinegar How then shal a man be without feare but I nothing doubt it is in his Maiestie his chiefe cares to establish it and that by fensing it against all euils specially tyrannie libertie briberie partialitie sloath which you haue obiected and where desperately you insinuate that the Office of a Bishop will neuer doe good A Wolfe say you will be a Wolfe and all the world had sworne it and will worrie too when the Shepheards backe is turned you but speake of your owne either ignorance or euill set affection considering how many famous Bishops without the reuerence of a Christian King liued as Fathers to the Church faithfull Preachers of the Gospel and died constant Martyrs for the testimonie of Iesus but Mr. Dauid will haue all these rauening Wolfes The other cause why my feare should be greater followes THE ADMONENT THe Office of Bishops then pretended no preheminence now it doth then it was subiect to Presbyteries now it is freed from them then it was bound with caueats now it is let loose Then euery Preacher might speake against it now none reproues then were all alike friend and good fellow with their Pastors now his Lordship c. THE ANSVVERE MAster Dauid wee know better what was wont to be in our Church then you there was neuer all alike as you say in it our gouernement was alway Aristocratick for albeit by constitution for that time paritie was allowed yet was it not practised there was euer some leaders rulers honoured and reuerenced by other Pastors and good reason so should bee what else see you now if the persons liked you the purpose is the same Since the beginning of our Church Bishops Superintendents vvere neuer subiect to the iudgement of their brethren in the matter of their office nay not to their Synods but were reserued to be iudged onely by the generall assembly but you affirme the contrarie pertly enough looking for no controlement Bishops are not let loose suppose they be not left to your teddering But this offends you that they are called Lords let me enquire at you Is honour giuen to any in the Church but for the honour of all if they could looke to it with loue and humilitie euery one might say Honoris vestri participes et nos sumus Will any member of the bodie grudge to see another honoured or rather in the honour of one doe they not all reioyce and esteeme themselues to be honoured Mr. Dauid there is a pride which loueth honour and preferment Our Lord condemnes it there is another pride that disdaines to giue it and I may well say it is the worst pride of the two I will not thinke that either Elijah or Samuel were vaine-glorious when the one was stiled by Obadiah and the other by Anna My Lord Surely it is a weake and vaine minde that is puft vp with so small a winde and yet I am sure both Anna and Obadiah in giuing them this honour did but their dutie But I thinke M. Dauid in this will not be contentious for in the backe of his Letter directed to Bishops he writes To his verie good Lord And then in the subscription within Your L. or wisedomes What he meanes by this I know not he will giue his owne reason hee saith it is a nouation and corruption to call one Pastor a Bishop more then the rest yet hee doth it and here hee practises in secret that which he impugnes in publick and so decâ—iues his complices giuing honour himselfe to Bishops which he saith should not be giuen them they haue cause to feare least sometime hee forsake them Now you proceede THE ADMONENT YOu make a faire shew by bragges to corroborate all by the word of God and example of the Church Primitiue iolly words sooner said then proued strings much harped on by diuers but to little vse and wherein the more men diue the more they cleare the contrarie it may be easily seene through all the subtilties clouds and colours that they cast on it who haue busied themselues in that matter euen your Sarauia euen whosoeuer whom the more men reades the lesse effect they see in him they I say who haue not their eies blinded with some other thing such as blindes not the eies of the wise THE ANSVVERE VVHether it be a faire shew or a solid substance wee will trye when it comes to the point You will not haue it heard that the Primitiue Church had Bishops you may aswell denie that the Sunne shined vnto them you call this a Subterfuge and a large field whereunto we runne to eschew the chocke of the question which say you is this Whether these Bishops that now are and as they are now be lawfull in the Church of Scotland or if the oath hinder But prouoke at leasure ere we part you will finde vs by Gods grace at the chocke of the Question and your selfe chocked with it for all your boast but I must first goe through this hedge of Bryers and Brambles which you haue laid in my way You set light by our Sarauia as you call him but you deceiue your selfe if you thinke our strength is in Sarauia for mine owne part I neuer read him so much as I haue done you and of that which I haue read I see Sarauia will stand for himselfe for all you are able to say your little Dagger will not reach to him and it were shame for you now though you might to strike at a dead man as I heare hee is it were greater manhood to encounter with Downame you dissemble that you know him but if you doe and mislike him hee is readie to fight with you in that cause till your Logicke panne be cleane dryed vp or the cause renounced One thing you haue that no man can see any thing in Sarauia but Sophistrie and falshood except those whose eyes are blinded with some other thing such as blindes the eyes of the wise you would seeme here to be modest yet of purpose as mordent as you may be whom you would insimulate of briberie Aduise with your selfe if you be seeking any such here as the By-word is You are in the wrong Close I told you before you were acquainted with the Muses onely the Dorit Muse hath beene strange vnto you you were capable enough of her instruction but shee tooke no paines vpon you it is meetest you should meane you to Melpomene her mourning moodes might procure you pittie but out of your pride and male contentment to blot such as you are bound to honor and secretly to insinuate that they were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 such as gaue iudgement for gifts is intollerable presumption I protest before God I know none such in the Church I would not say it for all the world If any such be of all men they are the most miserable if they be not Mr. Dauid declareth what
is greater waight in other mens traducing then in his owne testimonie 12 Now here I know it is expected that as I haue declined the causes falsly imputed to me so I should declare the true causes that moued me which now shortly are these 13 First I perceiued a Christian King by all meanes possible seeking the aduancement of the Gospell for the which it is griefe enough that his Maiestie sustaineth the greatest hatred and contradiction of the aduersaries but more then enough his Highnesse should want the comfort of his subiects professors also which when I considered I thought it a matter of conscience to refuse to serue and follow his Maiestie in so good a course 14 Secondly I saw the weake hearts of many well affected Christians through misconception offended at the very name of a Bishop not able out of light and knowledge to giue any reason of their misliking notwithstanding though it be so highly honoured by the Apostle and commended by the famous lights of the Primitiue Church who not onely accepted the name but exercised the office thereof to the great good of the Church and that this offence might be remoued at least so farre as my credit may carrie me I haue embraced it 15 Thirdly I perceiued a perillous Schisme and vnnecessarie diuision in our Church for this matter of gouernment to the great aduantage of the common Aduersarie which gap I resolued for my owne part not to enlarge by contention but so farre as my weaknesse may to close it vp at least to make it the lesse 16 Fourthly I considered that the same reason that of old forced the Fathers of the Primitiue Church in the iudgement of Ierome to induce this gouernment in the Church that is in Remedium Schismatis did more then manifestly require that it should be restored vnto vs but of this the lesse I speake for duties sake the more I leaue to be considered of them who know the truth hereof 17 Fiftly the question among vs when I searched as narrowly as I could is about Ierusalems wall whether it should be circular or quadrangular round or foure-squared so the Citie be well is this a matter for which we should make contention it being better for the good of the Church that any one of them should be then that thus they should striue together to the great hinderance of the Gospell 18 Sixtly and I doe verily thinke that the most famous and reformed Churches in Europe who want this gouernment would be glad to accept it vpon this condition that with it they might enioy the puritie of the Gospel which they haue with vs together with that libertie fauour and protection of a Christian reformed King which we haue and they want 19 For these reasons as I was determined before in the priuate calling of a Preacher to reuerence and obey others my brethren clad with the office of Bishops the proofe whereof I gaue in these Prouinciall assemblies moderated by Bishops whereat I was bound to be present so haue I at length embraced it in my owne person being called there-vnto by the most Christian King and Church of this Kingdome without any motion affection or petition of mine owne if there be so much charitie in my aduersaries as to beleeue me I could with greater contentment and willingnesse of minde haue giuen obedience in all dutifull submission to any of my brethren nor to haue had any more publike charge in the Church if the matter had beene in my choice And this doe I witnesse out of the very truth and simplicitie of mine heart 20 If Shimei still will raile and charge mee with a corrupt affection let him be doing till his owne iniquitie reproue him I am sure no well aduised Christian will fight with any such armour for the weapons of our warfare are not carnall but spirituall As for others who like barking Dogges and Birds of the night chatter to themselues in secret confused sounds which can bide no triall back-biting those whom they dare not looke in the face for such as these why shall a man turne out of the way It is a sufficient punishment to such as this way with their will would hurt mee that against their will they shall helpe me Qui volens detrahit same mee nolens additmerâ—â—â—â— meae For he that with his will empaites my name against his will shall encrease my reward 21 But if such busie idle-bodies will come and labour with mee in the worke of God I hope to teach them to bestow their time more profitably not to disquiet as they do their vnsetled braines with such vanities as vanish so soone as they are conceiued and brought forth leauing nothing behinde them but a guiltinesse to themselues for mine owne part I haue determined not to be contentious for that is not the custome of the Church of Christ but haue resolued to spend my time and talent I haue saued to the vantage of my Master and good of my Brethren after my weake measure Aurâ—us vtluteas minuat sic malleus vrnas 22 As for others my Brethren whom I loue in the Lord and will alwaies reuerence for the graces of God in them I wish from my heart that precept of the Apostle were fulfilled in vs. That wee did all speake one thing and there were no dissension among vs but that we were knit together in one minde and one iudgement for since the first beginning of this question I euer thought it a lamentable thing that they whose hearts are ioyned in one resolution to die for Christ if so the Lord should call them vnto it cannot liue together in the vnitie of one minde But this hath in all ages beene Sathans policie where hee cannot disturbe the peace of the Church with externall euasion he creepes in like a subtile Serpent to disquiet it with internall perturbation that oft-times vpon vnnecessarie or small occasions where-vpon hath proceeded this great rupture in Ierusalems wall heere among vs which as it is seene of vs all and more then enough talked of by many so would to God our hearts did pitie it and all of vs endeuoured by humbled hearts toward our God by meekenesse of minde euery one of vs toward another to repaire and close it vp againe And seeing such in the condition of our humane infirmitie that our knowledge in this life is but in part and so our iudgements in all things cannot be vniforme let vs take heed to the next that difference of iudgements worke not distraction of affections remembring that the wisedome which is from aboue is peaceable and that the zeale of God fights not with the weapons of flesh such as hatred debate emulations wrath contentions Iâ— we liue in the Spirit let vs also walke in the Spirit expressing the fruits of it in our liues which are loue ioy peace long suffering meekenesse goodnesse wherewith the Lord more and more endue vs all for Christs sake AMEN Yours in
defence of your fame as you giue it out in your Preface and proues you should so doe by diuers authorities of diuers Doctours yet as good will thinke Fame should be despised or procured and retained by good actions c. THE ANSVVERE HVmano capiti ceruicem pictor equinam c. Mr. Dauid begins at right loued brother but that this agrees no better with the progresse of his Paralogie then a mans head set vpon a beasts body will be manifest in the own place The Locusts that came out of the bottomlesse pit had a face like a mans face but their teeth were as the teeth of Lyons and their tailes like vnto the Scorpion it becomes not a professed Christian to be like one of them Doe you not here come to mee as Ioab did to Amasa hee tooke him by the beard with the right hand to kisse him and said Art thou in health my brother and smote him with the left hand As siluer drosse ouer-laied vpon a pot-shard so are burning lips and a false heart if a louing heart had moued your lips in louing manner to call me Right loued brother you would haue spared to spew out such raylings as after followes but you haue bewrayed your selfe Salomon heere hath found you out to be but a guilt Pot-shard pretending by one word Christian brotherhood when all the rest of your words and deedes proues the contrarie as concerning me What euenture caried mine Apologie to you I care not I published it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 speaking truly on my conscience to men as conscience spake vnto me onely to remoue such offence as weake Christians might conceiue through the calumnies of a lying Libeller I did it with such moderation of words as I cannot thinke it offended any man if I were in the wrong to any it was to my Brethren who stand for Episcopall gouernment in that I set it lower to procure peace then I should haue done yet it offends Mr. Dauid though it no way concerne him he will be a busic-bodie and meddle with other mens matters where-vnto he hath neither calling nor commission What your Doctours are who mislike that a good name should be defended yea that it should be despifed I know not you say it but you cite them not as good you call them as Philo Tertullian Ierome Ambrose Nazianzene Augustine These men are small in Mr. Dauids conceit here in the very entry giuing vs a taste of that humour wherein you continue and encrease in the rest liberall enough in your as good a word frequently vsed of them who are scant of matter yet faine would be contending but this chaire is too high for you to be the Palemon of Doctours past and present can you tell their value can you match them rightly you still vsurpe it but will be found to take too much vpon you A name sayes your Doctors should be despised or else say you obtained and retained by good actions not by Apologies The first is true no man denies it a good name should be procured by good deedes but why seclude you the second Are not Apologies lawfull yea needfull to conserue a good name begotten of good actions when an euill tongue would destroy it For why will good actions stop the mouthes of backbiters Will innocencie it selfe fence a man against the strife of tongues No it kept not Iesus the iust from the scourge of the tongue Was not Samuel an vnrebukeable man among men yet forced to vse Apologie Behold here am I beare record of me before the Lord whose Oxe haue I taken or whose Asse haue I taken or whom haue I done wrong to or whom haue I hurt or at whose hand haue I receiued any bribe to blinde mine eyes therewith Mr. Dauid many a time in your admonitorie you charge me for a corrupt louer of gaine but I adhere to Samuels protestation before the Lord against you and against all creatures I could tell at how manie hands I haue refused gaine euen for a shew of vngodlinesse but that creature was not is not that can conuict me of receiuing it And was not Saint Paul a faithfull seruant of God a painefull man in the worke of the Ministrie yet compelled to plead his cause by Apologies before men What shall I say the Christians of the primitiue Church were men of a godly life yet so sore oppressed with calumnies that Iustin Tertullian other Fathers of the Church were forced to defend them by Apologies A worthy constant and couragious man of God was Athanasius was he not without cause accused as a Murtherer and Sorcerer that he had slain Arsenius cut off his right arme to vse it in witchcraft and so forced to purge himselfe by Apologie And is not this it which I tolde you so clearely in mine Apologie but that you can see nothing which pleaseth not your humour I tell you it now therefore ouer againe It is Satans policie to staine the Name where hee cannot corrupt the Conscience and to disgrace the person by contempt of men where he cannot dishonour them by trapping them in his owne snare Sore hath mine aduersarie thrust at mee from my young yeeres by change of tentations hath hee sought to winnow mee if you had read my little Dialogue it could haue told you I haue beene trained vp with the wrastlings of GOD. Many wayes hath the Enemie sought to snare me that he might shame me and in shaming me might shame the glorious Ministrie committed to me though least and vnworthiest of all his seruants But my Lord prayed for mee and his grace preserued me that Satan got no vantage against mee to the disaduantage of the Gospell but now hee hath changed his battell and heere is the point what Satan could neuer obtaine of mee by inward tentation hee would make the world beleeue by outward calumnie that he had obtained it and that he had made me a man of a corrupt conscience and of an vnhonest heart toward God and man Before he fought against mee with inward tentations and I resisted him by instant prayer now he impugnes me by outward calumnies he hath not I thanke God corrupted my conscience but he would make men beleeue that he had done it and here it offends Mr. Dauid I should resist the enemie and defend my selfe by Apologies Since he hath changed the manner of his on-set why may not I change the manner of my Defence for in all this I take him for my principall partie Thus stands the question betweene Satan and mee and I am sorie for you that you come in to second him and serue him for an instrument to carie his lies vpon the chariots of your tongue and penne to the eares and hearts of others for to speake according to truth this is the place vvherein you stand at this time you haue taken you to be Satans second in this combat against me at least he hath abused you to follow him ignorantly
into it But since there must be a winde and a firie Chariot to carie Elijah into heauen Since there must be an Angell of Satan to buffet Paul and keepe him from pride Since there must be a fire to purge the sonnes of Leui I meane of affliction which vnto the godly is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Purgatorie fire of Pisida since gold cannot be fined but by Lead which consumes and finishes it selfe in the fining of it let it come by any instrument by you or any other the Lord pleaseth to stirre vp so it bring forward his worke in me I care not THE ADMONENT MOreouer I am sure ye know it is with the oppugning of the Discipline of Scotland the defence of the office of Bishops This is more then any mans fame the fame of the whole Church of Scotland these many yeeres the fame of the best reformed Church in Europe It is yet more a matter touching the Church in lawfulnesse or vnlawfulnesse in obedience or disobedience to their God to their Prince as you would make men beleeue Also of the estate of the Church in profit flourishing or not flourishing and many such things of great importance of what weight should fame be here And againe If fame be ioyned with the truth and that which is right in the sight of God let that truth and that right haue the sway in our hearts let it appeare in our profession In our pretences in our actions let vs auow it before the Sunne and Moone not because of our fame but because of it selfe we shall haue no losse thereby our fame shall be cleared by clearing of it If our fame be ioyned with errour or what is wrong in the eyes of that diuine Maiestie so that it cannot be borne out but by bearing out of errour let vs not seeke to maintaine our fame by maintaining that errour let vs stoope to him and renounce that foolish fame and count it our honour so to confesse our shame THE ANSVVERE HE that is first in his owne cause saith Saloman is iust then commeth his neighbour and makes enquirie of him You haue heaped vp heere a multitude of words huing a faire shew not vnlike the words of the friends of Iob good enough in themselues but wrongfully applied as will be seene by mine answere Farre be it from mee Mr. Dauid to seeke honour with the dishonour of my good God I will still vse the words of those fortie Martyrs mentioned of Basile Nolo honorem vnde nascetur ignominia Neither will I maintaine my Name by impairing his Truth Nay nay God forbid I should so doe but it is for his truth and for the honour of his name that I contend to maintaine my poore name Since the Lord hath counted mee faithfull and put me in his seruice since he hath called me to be a witnesse of his truth and since he hath blessed my Ministrie to doe good by it will you not suffer me to defend the honestie of it against a lying Libeller that hath sought to dishonour it But I know where you are Satan would haue me a witnesse of no value nor credit because through grace I stand vnder the banner of Christ against him and so would you because I am against you in this question of Church-gouernement you seeke so farre as you may to disgrace the man that his testimonie may be the lesse regarded Here is your policie but it will not be for you I thanke God among men I haue more to stand with me witnesses of the honestie and effcacie of my weake Ministrie then you are able to bring against mee neither am I in doubt but the same also who for the present are with you if it pleased God I were knowne to them as I am to others who haue felt the comfort of my Ministrie would stand vp to iustifie mee against you But to leaue men and come before the Lord Mr. Dauid I dare not speake presumptuously since our Lord in the weakenesse of one haue pointed out the infirmitie of all yet in some measure I may say I haue name and life and all that I haue to giue vnto the Lord for the glory of his name and fealing vp of his truth if his Maiestie require it I trust hee will giue grace to performe it Neither care I what shame befall me so it may serue to hold vp the honour of my God If this inward testimonie of mine owne heart sustained mee not it had beene impossible for me to haue borne the manifold contempts of flesh I haue suffered and this of yours among the rest but to goe from my selfe The discipline of the Church of Scotland is not oppugned by Bishops as you would make the simpler sort beleeue but rather it is stablished and confirmed by them Neither will you euer be able to proue that the discipline of our Church at any time disalloweth the office of Bishops but onely fights against the corruptions thereof as the monuments of our Church search them when you will shall make manifest vnto you And if you be able to make it good that it is a hurt to a family to haue a kindely Father ruling ouer it then may you also proue that it is a harme to the Church to haue an honest Bishop president in it This is for the honour and name of the Church of Scotland which now I maintaine according to truth and set it downe in this assertion The Church of Scotland with the puritie of Doctrine not stained with any blot of Heresie hath also kept a sound and constant forme of gouernement without alteration of any point of Discipline in substance mending onely some circumstances as time required to make them serue for the greater edification of the Church This is the point I promised to cleare vnto you I hope to make it plaine or I end and should haue cleared before now if your Katagoric Pamphlet had not distracted mee This Mr. Dauid is the state of the controuersie This is a truth which neither you nor your Trident Fathers nor your Sorbon Doctors none with you none by West you none by East you none about you will euer be able to impugne And if you or they haue any compassion of this Church if you be her Sonne a Christian borne againe in her bosome if you haue sucked out of her breasts the milke of consolation then I am sure you will feare to impugne it Since as I said it is a truth it is the honour of your Mother who in all times hath kept one constant tenour of Doctrine and Discipline since it procures peace in her bowels since it stops the aduersaries mouth and remoues offences from the weaker ones THE ADMONENT I Am sure you know that this defence of your name is with the touch of many mens fame euen all those who are of a contrarie minde in matter of Discipline but you thinke you care not for that it is lawfull for you
to defend your owne though with the interest of theirs And againe you say That such as shall be liberall to speake against you appearingly you call them carnall contentious Spirits Demi-gods as if God had set his tribunall in their tongue or made them Iudges of mens Consciences Libellers of lies Shemeis Raylers Busie-bodies Night-birds c. THE ANSVVERE DOe you not here speake as one of the children of men set on fire whose teeth are speares and arrowes and their tongue a sharpe sword Are you not heere blowing at the coale to kindle if you can a fire among brethren To strengthen your feeble cause you cry for a partie and goes about not with the godly policie of S. Paul to deuide Pharisies and Sadduces but with the godlesse impietie of the Serpent to sowe the seede of dissention among brethren That euill-one doth it in the night when men are sleeping and you are not afraid to doe it in the day and all men looking vpon you Is it true which you haue said speake you iustly and haue you iudged vprightly Will you throw these words of mine against my brethren are you become so brazen-fac'd haue you shaken off all shame and taken libertie to say what you like yea euen against your owne light for you dare not say plainely to it but appearingly say you I call them so Are not my words plaine said I not in mine Apologie I am sure no well aduised Christian will fight with such armour if I thinke no Christian will doe it farre lesse will any brother of the Ministrie doe it Are they who are contrarie minded in Church-gouernment otherwise stiled by mee then Reuerend Fathers or Brethren God knowes they are so in my heart as I haue termed them in speech Yet you say I haue iniured them in their name My speech was then against a lying Libeller and some other professours whereof some are preposterously zealous others prophanely presumptious to giue out rash iudgement of all men I knew not then that you had beene one of that sort but since my words haue beene to you like the breath of the Hart to draw such a Serpent as you out of your denne and make you know your selfe in your owne colours I cannot but tell you plainely that you are one of them to whom all these Epithets rehearsed by you are competent a few onely excepted Carnally contentious a rayling busie-bodie a Demâ—god vsurping Gods tribunall you haue here declared your self but of others I cleare you that you are not a night-bird a chatterer in secret a biter behinde backes For the height of your pride and stoutnesse of your conceit carries you so farre that you thinke it too little for the greatnesse of your reputation to be a Pestilence walking in darknesse Nay for the honour of your name you must be daemonum meridianum a plague that destroyes at noone and an arrowe that flies by day to slay the innocent This is wickednesse more then enough and yet Vt sit supra modum peccans peccatum you will adde drunkennesse to thirst and not content to slay one you will as I said be a fire-brand in the Church to burne all kindling continuing encreasing fierie contention among brethren It became you rather of Christian dutie if you knew it to bring words of modestie truth and loue like water to quench the fire that is then by words of strife and contention to kindle it where it is not et sic oleum camino addere Thinke you Mr. Dauid to goe betweene vs and our brethren beleeue mee they neede not your patrocinie at our hands nor we yours or any mans at theirs euen the Lord knowes how wee haue tendred their names they are our brethren wee dare goe neerer them then you to liue with them to die with them where discrepance of iudgement is about things externall God knowes it is with our mutuall griefe where consonance is as blessed be the Lord it is in all points of Faith it is with our mutuall ioy And since the beginning of this Controuersie I did euer thinke it a lamentable thing to see such as agree in vnitie of faith disagree in a matter of Discipline and that those who could happily haue concorded on a scaffold to scale the truth of God professed by them both if so the Lord had called them vnto it should thus vnnecessarily discord for a question of externall Church-gouernement in it selfe not absolutely requisite to Saluation But this as I said in mine Apologie is the pittifull condition of humane infirmitie If I cannot mend it I shall at least mourne for it and will daily pray to my God that he would set peace in Ierusalems borders and vnite the hearts of his seruants into one Neither will I despaire of it but will pray the Lord to stirre vp in this Church such a man as Athanasius was and blesse the worke of this Vnion in his hands A powerfull instrument of the Lord was hee to conserue puritie of Doctrine by his singular constancie with peace among Preachers by his godly wisedome for this was he renowned as Columen Ecclesiae in his time Many times was hee banished by deceit and often-times forced to flie to eschew the furie of his enemie but none of all his sufferings purchased him such commendation as this that when hee came home and found a Schisme among the Fathers of the Church for a greater cause then any that is among vs praised be God yet he happily composed it Vtraque enim parte leniter humane accersita verborumque sententia diligenter accurrate perpensa postaquam Concordes reperit nec quantum ad doctrinam quicquam inter se dissidentes ita negotium transegit vt nominum vsum ipsis concedens rebus ipsos constringeret For calling both the parties with meekenesse and loue vnto him and iudiciously pondering either of their opinions he perceiued that concerning Doctrine there was no difference the diuersitie was about words the matter vvhich either of them beleeued one and the same hee did therefore so compose this discord that leauing vnto them free the vse of the words names hee bound them both with necessitie of the matter it selfe I wish againe that such an Athanasius were among vs for I can see nothing but strife about words and persons there being otherwise agreement both in the matter of Doctrine and Discipline The same power of gouernement that now is in our Church was alway in it now vnder the name of a Bishop before vnder a name equiualent to it And when both the names were silent yet the power of them both euer exercised by some When the name was not the matter remained the power I meane in substance But now contention is growne to such heat that an Office tollâ—rably lawfull needfull in it selfe is thought vntollerable vnder such a name and for such persons as are with it or against it A lamentable matter for the which I sigh within
my selfe and doe yet the third time cry for an Athanasâ—us But till the Lord send this I make knowne vnto you that you haue no cause to wrest my vvords against my Brethren of the Ministrie what euer their iudgement or opinion be concerning Church-gouernement I would be loath to speake of them as you haue alleadged and therefore because I see the heat of contention in you is yet encreasing remember that when I speake of men of your humour your sort your band your fellowship I meane of such as the Libeller and you haue declared your selues to be Men that sets by loue for a liking of their opinion that spares not to forsake the bounds of modestie yea and Christianitie debating their priuate iudgement with contention rayling lying backe-biting this is Satans armour and is not meere to be vsed in defence of the cause of God but now this first part of your Paralogie containing raylings against my name you conclude this way THE ADMONENT LOe Brother what I thinke right concerning your name THE ANSVVERE THis is the second and yet the last time that you vse any word of meekenesse and loue they stand alone in this your 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and thinkes shame of the rest As hee that faigneth himselfe madde casts firebrands arrowes and mortall things so dealeth the deceitfull man with his friend saith am not I in sport Mr. Dauid in a furie without rithme or reason strikes all that are about him friend or foe as you will heare and then will mend all with a word I am but in sport and am your brother Salomon sayth that this is to play the deceiuer THE ADMONENT YOur fame is in a hard case very hard to be cleared from some blemish c. Thus stands it with your fame which I cannot see how it shall be remedied And againe Chiefely that Idoll Fame which you trauaile so to maintaine beleeue me there is no remedie downe it must and best by your selfe your owne hand may pull it downe more easily others must more rudely Thinke not your Apologies will doe the turne Palmodies must doe it THE ANSVVERE GOod Mr. Dauid be not so sodaine be appeased but a little and I will pay you to the vttermost farthing if I doe not then pull all downe at your pleasure A righteous man saith Salomon hath compassion ouer his beast but the mercies of the wicked are crueltie Mr. Dauid why wil you be so cruell as at one stroke to slay both my selfe and my name yea to burie my name ere I be dead my selfe and that without anie pittie or compassion If you had anie loue you would haue mourned at least a little ouer it because once it did good once it smelled well Though there be not a Tribe cut off from Israel and euen they were sorie for it which had done it yet is there a man in your conceit cut off from Israel and you insult in the doing of it yea and haue triumphed with your complices during this interim of a none answere neither can you keepe it close but in your pride proclaime it that you haue slaine a man Yet it is but the Amalekites daunce your pray will quickly be taken from you what you thought you had done you will finde it vndone It but fareth with you as Philo saith it did with Cain Then Cain arose against his brother Abel and slew him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whom slew he not Abel no hee slew himselfe It seemes saith he 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an incredible Paradoxe yet is it true 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Abel is taken away in the foolish minde of Cain but he liues in God a blessed life and my name which in your conceit is past remedie I suppose with you it is perished cleane in Preston and you haue buried it there neuer to rise againe yet I am a man that beleeues the resurrection of the dead euen of them who are dead buried in Preston also But Mr. Dauid know you not that the Sunne shines clearely in some parts euen when it is obscured in others I am sure you cannot be ignorant of this that when the Sunne is obscured by clouds or smoake in Preston yet other parts of the Kingdome sees it clearely enough and there also where it is obscured for a time it will shine againe Who sent a winde and draue the Locusts of Egipt into the red Sea Who scattered the smoake that came from the bottomlesse pit to darken the Sunne Is it not the Lord who soweth light for the righteous hee brings to light things that are hid in darknesse I will still walke in the innocencie and simplicitie of mine heart and not spare to speake to men what I haue beene taught of God nothing moued either with your calumnies or other mens contempt And of these men that haue despised me shall I be had in honour when God shall plead my cause execute iudgement for me and bring me forth into the light But now as Satan in the tempting of Iob proceeded from a small tentation to a greater so Mr. Dauid not content to trample my name vnder foote at his pleasure makes corruption also vpon my conscience Hee iustifies the former Libeller in plaine termes and will needes haue mee guiltie of a corrupt loue vnto gaine and glorie for these are his words THE ADMONENT MEn searching what should haue moued you to change your minde lights onely on these two Gaine and Glorie as the onely appearant for what could you euen say your selfe if you saw diuers Hammers hammering a vessell and it endured them all and broke not till the golden Hammer come and so soone as it hits the vessell leapes asunder at the first stroke what would you thinke but that the golden Hammer had broken it c. THE ANSVVERE AS athorne in the hand of a drunkard so is a Parable in the mouth of a foole saith Salomon for a drunkard taking a thorne in his hand to strike others hurteth himselfe with it and a foole pierces himselfe with the Parable wherewith he thinkes to pricke another Mr. Dauid this false supposition of yours is answered by another which is true what if the vessell was broken or euer the golden Hammer touched it if they vvho could best see being neerest vnto it saw that it was so if the change was made or euer the Bishopricke came is he not a lyer that will say the golden Hammer did it What euer you had said of the cause it selfe or of my name might haue beene somewhat excusable these are things externall but how take you this boldnesse to iudge another mans conscience Who art thou that iudgest another mans seruant hee standeth or falleth to his Master My cause you thinke you know perfectly to be euill my name it pleases you to terme a vaine Idoll which you will haue pulled downe though the smoke of your pride darken your minde so
that you know none of them as they are but as for my conscience I am sure you know it not at all The iudgement of conscience belongs to him who iudges the highest things Who searches the râ—ines and the heart it is the Lord that makes the weight of the winde and weighes the waters by measure hee trieth the perfection of all things How then vsurpe you the Lords roome to iudge things that are secret Will you sit downe on his tribunall or otherwise Cum iudicare nescias cur vis calumniari Why will you calumniate where you cannot iudge why speake you euill of that which you know not Now euen the God of truth who hath the eies of fire to pierce into the soules of men knoweth that you haue giuen out false iudgement against me Deus font est omnis beatitudinis meae ipse finis omnis appetitionis meae As the Lord is the fountaine of my felicitie so is he the end of my desires Whom haue I in the heauen but thee and I haue desired none in the earth with thee my flesh failes mine heart also but God is the strength of mine heart and my portion for euer Quem stercoribus animum adijciam Shall I set mine heart vpon dung Was euer it so Lord since I knew thee This false accuser would foule the face of my soule with it looke vpon it O Lord and consider it Perceiue you not how like you are to the Diuell in this accusation what a false imputation was it which he laid to the charge of Iob the man of God Doth Iob serue God for nothing Hee accuses him not of any corrupt action he could not he accuses him of a corrupt affection that he was but a hireling and a mercenarie worshipper of God one that serued God not for loue of God but for loue of gaine which he got from God this is the voice of the accuser hee is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and how is this that you will be like him will you also be a false accuser of your Brethren imputing crimes to them which you nor no flesh can know farre lesse qualifie May it not content you to examine their actions how presume you to enter into their affections See you not how Satanicall this is to leaue the action and to iudge the affection Perswade your selfe Mr. Dauid the sinne in the world that hath had least credit or commandement of mine heart is Couetousnesse and loue of gaine it had neuer force to encline mine heart after it I thanke the Lord and yet you would blot mee with it you haue done me great wrong the Lord lay it not to your charge THE ADMONENT ANd to what effect serues such and so many words One onely argument had beene better then them all but you bring neuer a one onely for all arguments you appeale to the testimonie of your conscience which as it is the best comfort inwardly so the worst probation outwardly for may not any man purge himselfe of ambition and couetousnesse and whatsoeuer can be seene outward Men thinke all makes against you THE ANSVVERE BVt I pray you Is not the crime which the Libeller first and you next impute to mee an inward crime and how can it be cleared but by an inward purgation If the accusation were of an outward fact it behoued to be answered and auoided by outward proofes and arguments though euen in these oft-times the Oath must decide the controuersie for lacke of other probation but here it is an internall guilt of a corrupt affection wherewith you charge me and where can I goe to improue it but ad domesticum tribunal to the internall testimonie of anvncorrupt conscience Any equitable man may see how your preiudice blinds you to denie a principall when S. Paul retired to this defence I say the truth in Christ I lie not my conscience bearing me witnes in the holy Ghost Might not his aduersaries haue answered him as you doe me The testimonie of conscience is the worst probation outwardly yet he vses it My Apologie stands Apologetique for any thing you haue said and I meruaile not you doe what you may to make mine Apologie no Apologie Since you are so pert to doe what you should not to make my conscience no conscience It is more high then that you can reach vnto it more secret then that you can see it Tu vides in facie Deus in corde Man lookes into the countenance but God beholds the heart And if wee shall compare man with man it is certaine in this knowledge you can no way compare with me Certum est quod eo ipso mihi notior sim quam tibi quo propinquior ideoque magis credo mihi de me videnti me quam tibi oâ—inanti de me quod non vides in me Sure it is I know my selfe better then you can know me I am neerer mine owne hart then you and am priuie to my conscience which you cannot be and therefore haue reason to beleeue my selfe of that which I know and see in my selfe rather then you who are but an Opinator not a Spectator of mine heart and thinke you see that in me which I know you see not But since you are of this humour voide of loue which beleeueth all things that you will not credit a Brothers declaration of his conscience I must in this leaue you to your owne conceit vvhich I credit verie well to be such as here you haue declared it that is both lawlesse louelesse and truthlesse as will better appeare in that which followes wherein to strengthen your calumnie that the loue of gaine and glorie moued mee to accept a Bishopricke you vvould make vs beleeue that most part of honest men are as deepe in this contumely as you are for these are your words THE ADMONNET ANd howbeit some will indeede be sober and not so bold to affirme any thing precisely setting themselues as you plaine that Libeller doth iudge of you or any other mans conscience yet you may be sure the most modest knowing of no change come till the Bishopricke come thinking that the most yea the onely likely cause of the change can but suspend their iudgement and what they encline encline to that as most apparant Againe whatsoeuer can be seene outward men thinke all makes against you then a little after Who can say that will say any thing at all but that it is the golden Hammer hath done the turne THE ANSVVERE MAster Dauid beleeue me you are now like a man out of his owne element confused and perturbed in your thoughts if they be according to your words It were best you should hold you at your olde tune of cauilling talke There you speake like your selfe and it flowes best with you now you would come to speake words of modestie and they will not mouth for you for what language is this I pray though sober men be not bold to affirme it
that I haue learned that now which I knew not before M. Dauid it is the glorie of Angels that they are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 propter gratiam 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vnchangeable through the grace that is giuen them being otherwise of their owne nature 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 mutable of will With their first creation they receiued full vnderstanding of all truth which their Creator thought needefull to communicate to them and in it by grace they abide without change not subiect to any errour but is it so vvith man vpon earth attaine wee at the first to perfection of knowledge must we not learne and come to it by degrees I pray you whose words are these when I was a childe I spake as a childe I thought as a childe Now I haue put childish things from me Is it with euerie one as it was with the Baptist he was Renatus prius quam natus Regenerate ere he was borne he had not yet come into the world by the first birth he is made partaker of the second Were wee all with Ieremie sanctified in the wombe Get we all with Salomon knowledge of right and wrong in our younger yeeres he was wonderfull wise before hee was twelue yeeres olde Is it with all Preachers as with the Apostles who within fiftie dayes after that they were sent out by Christ his Ambassadours to the world they receiued the Spirit to leade them in all truth Thanks be to God when he entred vs into his holy Ministrie he gaue vs such measure of his Spirit as did teach vs all substantiall points of faith needfull to saluation and gaue vs gifts profitable in their measure for edification of the Church But Mr. Dauid it was spoken to one and it stands for all Attende lectioni intentus esto tibi ipsi doctrinae Take heede vnto learning Timothie had learned the holy Scriptures from his youth yet the Apostle will haue him to learne still for so saith he to him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that it may be manifest to all men how thou profitest and shall it then be a blame to mee to professe I haue learned that which I knew not Correct your selfe M. Dauid what you call inconstancie will be found 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not inconstancie but encrease of knowledge O but this Inquisitour will not take this for an answere he will needes haue me guiltie of negligence and sloath in my calling That in so great so high so speciall a question as it yet neuer searched to know the truth of that matter till now of late Mr. Dauid my calling is to be a Preacher my commission is the whole word of God whereof I acknowledge with Augustine Tantam esse profunditatem c. The depth to be so great that the quickest Engine though hee should liue Methusalems yeeres and doe no other thing but read it continually yet vvere not able to plum it nor to learne all the great and high and speciall questions concerning it There are many points in holy Scripture which most excellent Preachers know not and will you for that conuince them either for false Teachers or carelesse Students Know you not that Iacob at the first vvas called Israel the one 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the other 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the one a name of learning and profiting the other of perfection and preuailing Now is the time of our wrastling a time wherein we should learne and grow in knowledge Encreasing with the encreasings of GOD stepping forward euery day a new step and so walking till we appeare before the face of our God in Sion The time is at hand when wee shall come to the measure of perfect men in Christ No darknesse no error shall then be left in our mindes but we shall then know euen as we are knowne But it being a principall point of your calling and you so long a Pastor saith the admonent it cannot be but a great sloath that you haue neuer searched to know the truth of that matter Truly Mr. Dauid I doe verily thinke that a man may proue both a faithfull and fruitfull Minister in the Church all his daies and neither busie himselfe nor his people with any question of externall Church-gouernement that is amongst vs. I thanke God being now a man neere-by of fourtie and sixe yeeres I haue liued in the Church twenty and foure yeeres a Pastor without rebuke of any till the Libeller and you yoaked against me and beleeue me if this matter of Church-gouernement had not beene wakened to mine hand and the compassion I carie to this Church wherein I was borne a Christian and honoured to be a Pastor whose bowels are vnnaturally rent by vnnecessarie contention of some of her vnkindely children If these reasons I say had not moued mee I thought all my daies few enough to spend in the matter of Doctrine as being of greatest importance for edification of the Church and wherein I haue found greatest comfort to mine owne heart remembring that vvarning of Hippocrates 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vita breuis ars longa And in this though I haue not come with such speede as I would yet that I haue neither beene sloathfull nor carelesse I haue some workes for my witnesses which how weake so euer they be in themselues or little worth in your eyes yet are they the encrease of my talent wherein I haue found comfort to mine owne heart and others of the Saints of God in all parts of the I le haue found comfort also Ab homine exigitur vt prosit hominibus si fieri potest multis siminus paucis si minus proximis si minus sibi And where you tell me I could not but know this same matter to haue beene agitate before in the persons of Bishops Adamsone and Montgomrie This is like all the rest of your bold and rash assertions for they vvere both dead ere euer I was called to be a Preacher and what you would haue mee to learne at them I can hardly coniecture for if the equitie of their cause was obscured either by the iniquitie of their actions which I know not or the violent course of that time what is this to the matter now in hand The one of them I neuer saw that I know the other I heard when I was verie young at Schoole in St. Andrewes and now must tell you that if you were either so learned or such a louer of learning as you pretend you would haue spared to rake the ashes of the one for the honour of his learning There vvere sundrie other Bishops in this Church beside them who liued and died honest men and vnrebukeable but you passe by them still like the venomous Flie that lights vpon the sore part as if the faults of one or two were sufficient to discredit all the rest of the fellowship And I cannot meruaile how still you obiect the example of
two as vndoubted proofes in your consistorie to improue the honestie of all the rest Since in mine Apologie I remitted you to three renowned Bishops in our neighbour Church Latimer Ridley Cranmer lately euen in our Fathers daies honoured vvith the honour of martyrdome that you who cannot endure to see any honour vpon a Bishops head may lay downe your combe of contempt and thinke more honourably of them This cannot be but an euill affection in you that you haue an eye to see the euill of the one and not an eye to see the goodnesse of the other Nay you will not suffer it to be thought that such grace or godlinesse or conscience can be in a Bâ—shop as to make him a worthie Martyr of Christ but rather which I told you before as the ignorant Gentiles were seduced of olde to esteeme it a iust cause of persecution of a man if he had once been named a Christian so are the simple people abused by you and such as you to disdaine a Preacher were he neuer so honest otherwise if once he be named a Bishop Aâ—d because your horne cannot reach vnto all you thinke to trie your manhood in the killing of oâ—e and when you haue loadned me with your contumelies then you lay on this as one ouer-laid vpon it That I am an abhominable man for if so be not you haue done me wrong to conceiue so abhominably of me as you haue confessed you doe What shall I say Anger is cruell wrath is raging but who can stand before enuie But Mr. Dauid you are not the first Egyptian who hath esteemed an Israelite an abhomination nor the first Pharisie that hath abhorred a Publican Are you the great Chamberlaine of the house of God Are all the vessels of honour in it committed to your custodie Are â—ou keeper of the Booke of life wherein the names of the heâ—es of grace are registred Haue you the balance of the Sanctuarie or is the fan put into your hand to seperate Chaffe and Corne Speake no more presumptuously and let not such arrogancie come out of your mouth leasâ—it proue true vpon you which Augustine hath to Parmenian Quonâ—am patientiam miseri isti perdâ—derunt festinant se ante tempus velut a palea separare leuissimam paleam vento de area ablatam seipsos demonstrarâ—nt Because you haue lost patience and make hast before the time to separate the Chaffe and Corne counting at your pleasure some men abhominable and some men approued you haue declared your selfe to be but chaffe and most light chaffe carryed out of the compasse of charitie by the winde of your owne pride Trie your selfe M â— Dauid and see what spirit doth leade you It hath beene Satans pollicie in all ages to vent out his wares of hatred enuie and strife vnder colour of Religion and to cause weake Christians to breake the band of brother-hood and loue for small causes or rather conceits What pittie was it to see such a Schisme in the Church of Constantinople for the space of thirtie yeeres betweene some that allowed the banishment of Iohn Chrisosâ—ome and others who allowed it not that the one would not communicate with the other And againe to see such a pride in some Catharans of Ierusalems Church as to separate themselues from the fellowship of other Christians as vnworthie of their companie and all through a vaine conceit of their owne puritie and sanctitie beyond others wherein they proceeded so farre that they would not keepe companie with Gregorie Nyssen a worthie Bishop and excellent teacher the Brother of Basill the great who hauing come vpon the expenses of the Emperour Theodose for reformation of some Churches in Arabia and afterwards visiting by this occasion Ierusalem hee found a miserable Schisme in it and because the Schismatickes sought to strengthen their faction by drawing Ambrosia and Basilissa women reputed notable for pietie among the people vnto their opinion he preuented it by his Letter to them disswading them from fostering any diuision in the Church his reasons I wish were pondered by you I bring but one of them Vnum odium sanxit cum Serpente vitae nostrae Legislator at â—athari isti foedus cum Serpente faciunt odium mutuum in seipâ—os conuerâ—unt There is but one hatred which the Law-giuer of our life hath allowed namely that Christians should hate the Serpent but these Catharans make a couenant with the Serpent while they turne their hatred against Christians Perceiue out of this how farre oftentimes good men vnder a shew of godlinesse are carryed out of the compasse of Christian dutie Learne you by other mens example to become wise doubtlesse they were godly learned and professors of the truth yet you see to what extremitie the high conceit of their owne puritie and holinesse did carrie them I wish we had none like them in our bowels but though I would not point at you your owne words bewray that you are sicke of this same disease in that you dare call your brother abominable who worshippeth the Trinitie with you professeth and beleeueth all the Articles of Faith which you professe This in the iudgement of Nyssen will proue you to stand with the Serpent against Christ not with Christ against the Serpent Turne you turne you Mr. Dauid turne the penne and edge of your sword turne the hatreâ— of your abhorring heart against the Diuell not against any that stand for Christ Angues vorando sana fit Ciconia suffer not foster not nourish not such Serpents in your bosome worrie them deuoure destroy them with the Stroke so may you happilie recouer of this euill But now you proceede THE ADMONENT AND if you will needes delight in learning wee may by your learning learne to speake learnedly and shall not despise to take any good lesson from you concerning learned writing eyther of Grammer Rhethoricke or Logicke or any point of Philologie Shortly I lay open my stuffe and permits it to your cenâ—uring and I shall consider and correct at your admonition THE ANSVVERE COnsider I pray you whether it be your shame or no that your deedes should be so far contrarie to your words Here you say yee will not despise to take a good lesson and after this you pray mee to communicate to you any light that I haue but if it be as you say that you would be a Disciple how presume you to condemne your Master before you heare him Let your skill in Grammer Rhethoricke Logicke be as great as you suppose it and then I thinke no man shall match you yet you know these are but hand-maides to Theologie Though Hagar be with childe let her not despise her Dame shee is but a seruant and will neuer get that honour as to bring out an heire of the promise God hath learned me that which all the Grammer and Rhetoricke of East-Lowthan could not haue learned mee hath not learned you nor many others that brag with you
in word you might now make it knowne by your deedes But now my fourth reason you gaine-say in this manner THE ADMONENT THe fourth to enduce Bishops ad remedium Schismatis that is to say the Authors of Schisme for the remedie of Schisme if this be not mockerie I know not what is mockerie for are not Bishops the onely Authors of Schisme in our Church Were they not the first occasion formers mouers forgers ftirrers vp and yet entertainers of it It was not till they came put them away and it is gone loe the right remedie of our Schisme c. Mâ—tter not therefore these suspitious words which you professe to speake lesse of for duties sake THE ANSVVERE SHall men hold their peace at thy lies and when thou mockest others shall none make thee ashamed It was Ieromes iudgement that Episcopall gouernement vvas brought into the Church inremedium Schismatis and I said the like rupture now required the like remedie This argument you vnloose not with your tongue but your teeth biting at that after the manner of beasts which offends you not answering it with reason What is mockerie say you if this be not mockerie Is it mockerie to say that a Bishop was brought in inremedium Schismatis since it is Ieromes saying charge him as a mocker and not me and after your owne manner trample all men vnder your feete be they auncients or recents that agrees not with your humour this vvas Ieromes Iudgement but when wee come to the point Episcopall gouernement will be found elder then Ieromes dayes and maintained by greater authoritie where-vnto also that I doe him no wrong I thinke his owne words shall leade vs. But say you there was no Schisme till Bishops came they haue made it not remedied it This double calumnie is answered very well by affirmation of the contrarie and where you vrge mee not to vtter such suspitious words as to say the lesse I speake for duties sake the more I leaue to be considered of them who know the truth heereof Mr. Dauid you may prouoke as you please and tempt as you will but you shall neuer preuaile to make mee vncouer nakednesse which should rather be concealed and couered And if of weakenesse I were moued so to doe yet as Calanus the Indian Philosopher said to Alexander what praise were it to you to force me to doe that which I like not Where Bishops are reuerenced there is a comely vnitie pleasant to see such as should be in the Familie of God mutuall loue among brethren and of them all loue and reuerence to their Bishop as vnto their Father This haue I seene and haue reioyced in it What needlesse diuision hath beene before is knowne also but shall not be knowne for me to them who know it not Now you proceede to the improbation of my first Reason by sixe Interrogatories THE ADMONENT NOw of the fift what shall I say when you haue searched all the question is about Ierusalems wall whether it should be round or foure-squared euill searched certainely who searcheth well will finde more to-wit the first question is whether the wals that are built already should be pulled downe and built in another fashion Secondly which are strong built with stone and lime at the least I might say with brasse and Iron bands already if they should be pulled downe and built with sand and grummell THE ANSVVERE BOth these questions are resolued with one answere Let the auncient wals of our Church-gouernment stand where they decaied let them be repaired not with sand and grummell of promiscuall regiment these are weake defences for a besieged Citie but with Episcopall Authoritie which is able to procure greatest reuerence to Ecclesiastique Censures which otherwise by the impietie of this age men would draw into contempt and make them but like the Spiders Web hauing some strength to hedge in the weaker but easily broken through by the stronger And this the Aduersarie findes in experience that the wall which they haue besieged so long is stronger now then euer it was where-through many of their chiefe Captaines are moued to forsake their Campe and enter themselues into the Citie And if our good Ezechia had not thus carefully repaired the wall doubtlesse you had felt the weakenes of it long ere now the charge being so great that was giuen by the enemie and I may well say that all those who are not bewitched with some sinister conceit finde peace procured to the Citie in her owne bowels and greater strength against the common enemie so that others also of the meaner sort who oft before contemned our greatest censure of Excommunication in all parts of the Kingdome are faine now to render themselues obedient to Discipline this is a knowne truth howsoeuer Mr. Dauid would obscure it THE ADMONENT BVT if the question be light and of so small importance as you would make it seeme by that fashion of speaking as a difference onely betweene round and square why is so much trouble so much strife such trauell such charges â—â—ugre the indwellers with such compulsion of the worke men better let it stand as it stands then trouble all the Countrey or hurt a simple Labourer if there were no more c. THE ANSVVERE INdeede because you are the people onely Wisedome must remaine with you If the good man of Gods-Croft counsell had been craued and his consent obtained all should haue gone well But Mr. Dauid for all your malecontentment it is better then you apprehend it your errour proceeds from the wrong vptaking of the question if you had to do with your companion or the Controuersie were onely among the workemen themselues then to speake as you haue done were somewhat tolerable suppose-not absolutely best But here Mr. Dauid you haue to doe with your Master with your Soueraigne Lord with whom it becomes you not to stand vpon as good And here the question is feeing the great Maister of the worke vnder God with aduise of many skilfull and worthy workemen will haue the wals repaired and of circular made quadrangular knowing this to be best for the safetie of the Citie and that vpon his owne expences not troubling the whole countrey vnlesse you and your Diocie be the whole not maugre the indwellers but with consent and approbation of the most wise and auncient inhabitants in it Whether is it meeter that the rest of the Worke-men here should follow him or otherwise resist him and tell him to his face they will not doe it for him and not content onely to with-draw their owne seruice in this worke and obedience from him will not suffer if they may stay it any of their fellow-workemen to serue him in that worke or if any will doe murmure and grudge against them speake euill of them and esteeme them for enemies and so make a fearefull diuision in the Citie for a needlesse cause But to leaue the Parable and to speake plainely seeing a Christian
receiue it into your care but much more vndutifully to publish it in writing and spend so many words vainely vpon it for you haue made vp here a Commentarie of sixe score and sixteene lines vpon a false narration Now you intermixe a discourse against the riding of Bishops at Parliament no lesse foolish then the former for so you reason out of the Fable THE ADMONENT THat they were proud is argued by the effect riding now riding is not a fault in the person nor for the person in it selfe all the Lords rode and you call them not proud for that it became them it is of their place and due then it was the fault of the office you marked thereby for wee must take heede that the word ride is not taken nakedly for a simple action of riding that had beene no fault and as little wonder for so they had done when they were simple Ministers but imports all circumstances riding in Parliament riding in pompe of horse of harnessing of apparrell c. THE ANSVVERE NOW truely Mr. Dauid of a South-land Gentleman you are the worst rider that euer I heard of for you ride your selfe cleane out of the Saddle and casts your selfe to be dirided of all men I told you already your narratiue whereupon you build this is false and albeit it were true fectlesse to be vsed in such a purpose except you would shew your selfe ridiculous for why is riding and riding in pompe and fine apparrell an effect of pride tell mee Good man is it so with your selfe are you alwayes proud when you are mounted vpon your Courser and your courting garments vpon you or if it be not so with your selfe why will you not thinke of another as you finde it in your selfe May there not be an humble heart vnder an honourable garment Read you euer of Eligius Nouiomagensis Episcopus it is recorded of him Cum vestibus holosericis externe amictus esset intra vestimenta ad nudam cutem cilicio indutus erat when hee was clothed with Silke without hee had Sacke-cloath within nearest his bodie and yet out of an outward garment you will gather pride and as your owne words beare such a pride as is not referred to the countenance but to the heart But in all this Mr. Dauid you haue said nothing to proue Bishops proud Prelates and proud not in countenance onely but in heart also but haue still proclaimed your selfe a proud pratler puâ—t vp with highest pride that can be in that you will not rest in the countenance which is Mans part but you will iudge the heart which is reserued to God And now Mr. Dauid if you were there that day walking on foote in the streete and other two with you whom I might name there are many deceiued but three were more pride going on foote with you there then was riding on horse-backe with all the thirteene though they had beene there Your second argument is from a publicke speech of mine vttered in a Sermon at the Parliament of Perth there say yee I taught that the very stile of Bishops was to be abhorred with many other imputations of yours which admit they were as true as you would haue them yet are they but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a figgie Sword a weake weapon that neyther helpes you nor hurts mee Doubtlesse if your cause were as strong as you suppose you would bring stronger arguments to defend it then to leaue the purpose and fall vpon the person but your allegation is false I had as I declared mine owne misconceptions of that estate but neuer thought farre lesse taught that the stile and name of Bishops was to be abhorred And albeit you thinke I taught much in that Sermon against Bishops yet I remember more iudicious hearers then you who were familiar with mee maruelled I had spoken so little the iust copie of the Sermon is yet extant and when I looke vnto it I maruell at it and reuerence the Lords prouidence who then directed mee to a conclusion wherein yet I remaine for so were my words That we may espie the cause of this diuision let vs see what part of the wall hath gagged from the foundation whereupon the building stands and from that policie wee haue receiued from our Fathers let that be drawne in to the rest againe then shall arise an happy vnion which shall assure vs of the continuance and encrease of Gods worke in the middest of vs. These are the words whereunto the Lord led me and I yet stand to them And againe to this same purpose serues the words of my exhortation directed to such as stood for Episcopall gouernment that if they had nay new light which they had not before they would communicate it to their brethren that wee also might follow them c. This makes the matter cleare that I was not so farre miscarryed as to condemne eyther the name or office of Bishops as you alledge but offered my selfe readie and willing to follow better light if they would bring it or God otherwise should send it And these words as being mine owne you vse to my selfe in the end of this Treatise desiring that if I haue any new light I should communicate it to you which here I haue freely and truely done wishing it may moue your heart as it moued mine Your third Reason followeth THE ADMONENT I Might adde the admonition giuen in by you subscribed to this same Parliament where that office is called a slander to the Gospell a defection c. THE ANSVVERE YOur third argument is taken from an admonition as you call it but a supplication as I take it subscribed by mee for answere to this I will very plainely and truely declare the matter as it is that men may see there is no pith in your allegation to proue that which you intend That there was a supplication giuen in I heare who penned it or what was in it I know not where they assembled whether in the Church or in a priuate house I enquire not present at that meeting sure it is I was not It was brought to mee by a familiar brother to mine owne house I cannot remember whether before Sermon or when I had new come from it but well I wot at such a time wherein I had no leasure to reade it like as I neuer read it they tolde mee it contained nothing but a supplication for continuance of Church-gouernment that then was And as I haue said at that time I could willingly haue contented yea contended for it as I might that our gouernment might continue fearing euer least the intended course had beene to abolish it but from the time I perceiued that the course was not to disanull any substantiall point of Discipline which we had but onely to roberate it by restoring againe Episcopall power whereby I perceiued the Church not weakened but strengthened not preiudiced but confirmed in all her lawfull libertie I reproued my selfe of my former folly
manner of man hee is and woe will be to him that would bring such a shame vpon Israell without a cause if hee repent not As for mee I thanke God I was neuer stained with couetousnesse nor filthy lucre I defie all flesh Lord gather not thou my soule with the sinners nor my life with bloudie men in whose hand is wickednesse and their right hand is full of bribes but I will walke in mine innocencie redeeme me and be mercifull to me my foote stands in vprightnesse therefore will I praise thee O Lord in the Congregation Now you goe on THE ADMONENT TOuching our Church and Bishops being in it before you were borne if so be so is Popple among Wheate before it be shorne of great auncientnesse Coâ—uall springing vp with it and in the ground perhaps before it And incontinent You will finde it difficult enough to proue that Bishops were receuied in our Church wittingly willingly by choyse and free consent c. THE ANSVVERE IF I proue it not without difficultie and make it plaine to the iudicious indifferent Reader let mee be blamed Your refuge that Bishops were in our Church as Popple among Wheate will not relieue you for you will finde them planted in this soyle watred nourished and defended by the best Fathers of our Church In your scorning of vniting or revniting Bishops and Presbyters Weedes as yee call it with wine speaking oft-times so barbarously for want of better you doe but shew your selfe most worthy to be scorned as ignorant of all Antiquitie which could very well informe you that a Bishop without a Presbyterie is an head without a bodie and a Presbyterie without a Bishop a body without an head Where by a Presbyterie I vnderstand that which Ignatius cals 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Consistorie of a Bishop subordinate to him afterward called his Chapter because they were instar Capituli Episcopo which serue for assistance of him in waightie matters as also to take care that the possessions of the Bishopricke should not haue beene dilapidated Then is it well when they both goe together euery one in their owne place to doe the worke of God But no maruell Mr. Dauid denies that Bishops were in the Primitiue church or that our owne church once allowed them for hee is bold to denie that any Father or Brother of our present Church approueth the Office of Bishops but esteemes it as followeth THE ADMONENT 1 THe Office of a Bishop is vnlawfull in it selfe 2. More vnlawfull in this Church of Scotland 3. Vnprofitable in it importing tyrannie and is it selfe tyrannie 4. Doth and shall import more libertie and loosenesse of life in it selfe and in the Countrey with Papistry senslessenes Atheisme some that thought wel of it in the beginning thinke worse of it now Consider the experience in boldning Papists in so vnlookt for manner so many witnesses in our chiefe Towne since Bishops got gouernment as was not nor durst not be in all Scotland when Presbyteries had gouernment Now Corruption flowes and ouer-flowes the whole Country and defaceth the face of a most beautifull Church THE ANSVVERE MAster Dauid continues yet in his humour adhuc in Aegiptum euagatur patitur se in Assyriam pertrahi framing himselfe to the manners and fashions of Egypt and Assur hee raileth against Israell forgetting all pietie and modestie and truth that becommeth the holy people whereof hee professeth himselfe to be one Hee denyes that any eyther Father or Brother of the Ministrie in Scotland allowes the office of Bishops except it be Bishops themselues this is a notorious vntruth hee still affirmes it is vnlawfull and vnprofitable but vpon what reason wee will see when we come to the Question If yee had spoken this out of knowledge that the Episcopall Office in it selfe is vnlawfull and tyrannicall you would haue giuen some reason for it but when you come to the point you shew your selfe a coward turnes your shield on your shoulder and farely flyes the combat You would seeme a great Captaine and make your fellowes beleeue that you were matchlesse but strike not one stroke to defend their cause or hurt the contrarie but if crying may win the field then should be beare away the victorie for still hee cries it is vnlawfull tyrannicall and what not the reason is Mr. Dauid saith so and any silly wife could say as much to a cause as you doe here for you bring but words and so could shee suppose hardly so many as you In your other speeches you shew your selfe so full of malice that before you want doung to cast on the face of your Brethren whom you seeke to disgrace you had rather rake it out of the bellie of your Mother for what say you Is not the whole Church ouerflowed with Papistrie God forbid but rather the deluge of waters which was before is begunne to fall See you not the tops of many mountaines discouered and by all appearance if the Lord by the care of a prudent Prince had not prouided this remedie of Episcopall authoritie it might well haue fallen out as you say that the spawne of Papistry would haue ouer-flowed all Otherwise tell mee what would you haue done to preuent it Excommunicate them so might you quickely haue equalled the sicke wiâ—â— the whole or 〈◊〉 haue infected the whole with the sicke What else could you doe vnlesse it had beene to draw the matter to the needlesse hazard of a battell as seemes by you words They durst not say you what is it to keepe a man that hee dare not The Ecclesiastique sword you know was contemned the 〈◊〉 sword that is the last remedie praised be God wee haue a better all your Physicke is violent Cut off cut off but a prudent Prince in more moderate manner can effectuate peace giue authoritie to truth and falshood fals to the ground And where you say that the face of a most beautifull Church is defaced meaning the Church of the first towne in the Kingdome how vnrighteous vndutifull and inconsiderate are you Is it your pleasure to spit in the face of your Mother delight you to vncouer her shame if you could finde it and where you cannot is it your sport to blacke her face with the soote of your calumnie and then call enemies to looke vpon it What say you Mr. Dauid to the Church of Edenburgh Is it not still a Mother Church Is not the way of God truely taught in it Hath it not learned and famous Preachers of whom you are vnworthie Is there any defection in it from any point of truth How then defaced By Masses say you said in it Were they publicke You dare not affirme it Were they stollen in secret You cannot denie it and yet discouered by the vigilant care of their Bishop and Pastors Thankes to God such abhomination dare not be auouched there Is this a defacing of that Church No it is a detracting of yours no defacing of
good of his Brethren as if I had so spoken of my selfe confirmes me in that which I perceiued before that you are but a vaine discourser pleasing your selfe in Argutijs silly fectlesse and impertinent conceptions and speeches And therefore being loath to wearie the Reader and my selfe both any longer with your Battâ—log-Tautolâ—gies I presently commit them to the South winde to be carried away from your Peele-house at Preston with the remaâ—ent smoke of your pannes to the water of Forth and so bid farewell to Mr. Dauid in his furie and now turne mee to speake with him in his more sober minde THE ADMONENT VVHat is there then to be done here will you say euen this certainely as you said sometime your selfe If you haue gotten new light which you had not before communicate it to others your Brethren that they also may follow you in their hearts and know they yeeld to you in a good conscience c. Let bitternesse be remoued let the cause with calmnesse and meeknesse be considered THE ANSVVERE NOw at length M. Dauid the euill blood begins to fall from your heart God be thanked and you are come to some coolnes suppose not kindly enough yet of your former Feauer wherein you raged yet it puts vs in hope you may recouer of this disease betime what you haue here said I receiue â—buijs vlnis any light I haue I will willingly communicate bitternesse â— agree be remoued Perit enim iudicium vbires transit in affectum I wish therefore perturbate and preiudicat affection may be laid by It is onely these two 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that fights against Episcopall gouernement To be short I embrace all your conclusion and euery condition of it except onely where you will me not to disguise my speech by sought out sentences and oâ—tentation of reading to iuggle the iudgement of the simple I must warne you that whether your word stand for a iâ—gulator or a deceiuing Iugler your deede comes too soone against your protestation euen now you craued bitternesse may be remoued and you cannot leaue it but to vse your owne Prouerbe A Wolfe will be a Wolfe Naturam expellas furcalicet vsque recurret And as to my manner of writing I cannot change it I want not my owne reasons neither haue you any cause to complaine of it Now we goe to the question THE ADMONENT I Goe from all that long disputation 1. Whether Bishops be lawfull 2. Whether they were and how they were in the Primitiue Church which you claime to 3. How they were in our owne Church at the beginning or leaues it to a fitter time and alledgeth how euer these things were they are not lawfull now to vs 1. In respect of our oath since our oath 2. in respect of our Discipline more profitable for vs. THE ANSVVERE NOw Mr. Dauid hauing of a long time trauelled with wickednesse and conceiued mischiefe at length bringeth forth a lye When all is reckoned and counted the matter comes to iust nothing Et magno conatu murem tandem peperisse videtur Who could haue looked but that Mr. Dauid who so largely and liberally hath condemned Bishops in word would haue brought at least one argument against them hee doth it not but rather destroyes all that hee hath said before You cannot eschew this you haue multiplyed words and by most sharp Inuectiues haue condemned Episcopall gouernment you haue called it tyrannie and vnlawfull in it selfe and now you remit the lawfulnesse or vnlawfulnesse of it to be disputed Truely good man you haue wronged the partie and abused the Reader for according to reason you should haue disproued Episcopall gouernment before you had condemned it but after that you haue condemned it is it not your shame to remit it to further reasoning In the one you haue shewed superfluitie of malice mouing you to speake euill of it in the other penurie of knowledge that you haue no reason to iustifie you in the condemning of it Thus haue you shewed your selfe in initio confident em in facto timidum one that feareth to fight but is bold to bragge You will not simplie giue ouer the combat but declines it farely for this time and puts it off to a better time but in my minde a better time could you neuer haue had then this seeing you haue gathered your friends and haue mustered you Armie and ordered it out of your ripest wits in sixe sheetes of paper before you what a shame is it that in so feeble manner you should turne your backe and leaue all that you haue sent and said before You haue braued a Bishop in presence of your friends now hee stands before you and you dare not looke him in the face nor strike one stroke at him in this quarrell that the office of a Bishop is vnlawfull in it selfe But to pursue you euen to the vttermost point wherevnto you haue fled in this also you shew your selfe weake yea ridiculous for now you haue drawne all your speech to this Assertion and I pray the iudicious Reader to consider it Howsoeuer Episcopall Gouernment in it selfe be lawfull or vnlawfall to other Churches or sometime lawfull in our owne Church yet it is not lawfull now A Paradoxe indeede I thinke Mr. Dauid speakes not simplie but grants it by concession But taking it as hee giues it let vs heare it ouer againe Though Episcopall gouernement in it selfe were lawfull lawfull to other Churches lawfull once to our owne Church yet now it is not lawfull To proue this Mr. Dauid brings two Reasons which had neede to be very strong it being a strange Position they haue to defend but the Reader shall by Gods grace see it made plaine that there is no more truth worth nor value in his two Reasons then in the rest of his Assertions And since the whole weight of the Controuersie stands vpon these two Reasons I set them downe truely to you as Mr. Dauid hath set them downe to mee The first REASON We may not receiue Bishops because the oath in conceiued word is against Hierarchie The second REASON In respect of our receiued Discipline more profitable for our Church The Confutation of these reasons BEfore I come to a iust examination of these Reasons I will onely present a view of their weaknesse to the Reader in these words In the Confession of faith sworne and subscribed by the Preachers and Professors of this Land they haue abiured the Popes wicked and worldly Hierarchie Mr. Dauid leauing out the differences of Papall wicked worldly makes mention onely of Hierarchie which in it selfe signifies an authoritie or imperatiue power in things sacred Who will abiure this but to declare their meaning they added these three differences Papall worldly wicked but Mr. Dauid to declare how hee distrusts his owne cause deceiueth the simple by putting in into his Reason the Word Hierarchie onely By this any indifferent Reader may see that Mr.
gouernement was in greatest disdaine and at that time being vnacquainted with Church discipline I thought strange to heare it And here againe Mr. Dauid I am in doubt with my selfe what to thinke of you seeing I know no other oath you meane of and you haue touched none other in your Treatâ—se admonitorie what hath carried you to tâ—is absurd affirmation that the oath conceyued against Papall vsurped wicked wordly Monarchie and Hierarchie is against Episcopall authoritie shall I thinke ignorance hath done it You are giuen out and bragged of for a learned man and a Writer Or shall I thinke malice hath done it you are counted for a Christian and so I thinke you be what euer hath moued you sure I am it hath miscarryed you for let mee tell you when Zorimus Bishop of Rome sent ouer his Legates to the councell of Africke wherein were assembled two hundred seauenteene Bishops among whom it is thought Augustine was one to proue that it was lawfull to appeale vnto him from all Bishops in the world alleadging this power was giuen by the Councell of Nice after long deliberation and inquisition of the most auncient Copies of the Councell of Nice his fraudulent vsurpation was discouered and he warmed by these Fathers neuer to attempt any such thing in time to come Many reasons they gaue him as indeede they had all reason for it specially this that the grace of the holy Ghost had not with-drawne it selfe from all other Prouinces to rest in one alone to discerne there the right of all causes wherefore they willed him to abstaine from such ambition Ne fumâ—sum saeculi typhum inducere in Ecclesiam Dei videatur Here Mr. Dauid you see a solemne reiection of the wicked Hierarchie of the Bishop of Rome Did these Fathers by so doing reiect Episcopall authoritie exercised by themselues allowed accepted embraced and reuerenced in their Churches Thus haue I made cleare that you haue fained a sense of that article contrarie to his Maiesties minde contrarie to the minde of the first Fathers of our Church contrary to the minde of the present Fathers of our Church and contrary to the mind of the ancient Fathers of the Church primitiue in the foure hundreth yeere And if I should draw you vp higher are you able to denie that Episcopall gouernment was in the Church before that Romish Hierarchie was hatched out of the the shell What hath the one of them to doâ— with the other Hath the Romish Church beene more impugned by any then Orthodoxe Bishops Or hath any sort of men beene more persecuted by the Romish Hierarchie then reformed Bishops Why are you so vnrighteous as to oppresse the one vnder the name of the other Were all the Bishops who suffered Martyrdome in the first three hundred yeeres guiltie of that Hierarchie which you haue condemned And if I should draw you yet vp higher I see as much light in the word of God as giues warrant to me of the lawfulnesse of Episcopall Gouernment and I doubt not will serue to content reasonable men when they shall heare it You prouoked me to this point but you turne your backe and flie from it and I haue not any leasure to pursue a flying man hauing better studies I would more gladly ouer-take yet something will I subioyne for discharge at least of my dutie 8 These things therefore so standing the Question will be thus Seeing Episcopall gouernment in it selfe is lawfull seeing all Christian Churches haue had it seeing our owne Church had it ratified by acts of generall Assemblie for many yeeres with an happie successe of the Euangell seeing it was laid by against the will of a Christian King in his minoritie against the will of his Highnesse Regent and Lords of Councell well affected to Religion and that not simplie but with a power of reuocation queritur whether if or not a Christian King in his maioritie requiring a restitution of it the present Church hath done well to receiue it in againe especially seeing it is done without destruction of that policie so long aduised and added at length by the Fathers of the middle age of our Church for strengthening of our Discipline To contract then all the matter which you haue spread out with a multitude of idle words into a short summe There is no new Discipline brought into the Church but the auncient restored to thâ— former strength no point of later policie abolished but established and an happy vnion made euery way betweene them who should agree in one to do the worke of God This is my iudgement and I esteeme by it the name of the Church of Scotland honoured a Christian King in his most reasonable desire satisfied the peace of the Church happily procured the mouths of aduersaries stopped offence from weake and simple ones remoued and much more good easily effected if contentious and vaine spirits would not hinder it Thus is the very state of the question cleared vnto you so that you haue no cause to cry out as you doe Who should teach vs but Bishops and if they will not our bloud be vpon their heads You seeme to be very earnest here but all men may see it is but your Orpit or Ironic conceit so like as M. Dauid will be taught of Bishops a sort of profane men without either learning or grace in your account But you neede not make the halfe of this stirre you might be ignorant of Church-gouernement and your bloud in no danger for all that but if indeede you stand in feare least you loose your soule follow our counsell and we shall lay our life for yours Repent of your sinnes Beleeue in Iesus the Sauiour of the world Amend your life Decke the hid man of your heart with a meeke and quiâ—t spirit which before God is a thing much set by Put on loue and meeknesse leaue off strife and contention be content with your owne calling meddle not with things without your compasse whereunto albeit you might reach yet are they not so profitable as to repay your paines nor yet absolutely necessarie for your saluation doe this and it shall be well with you if not your bloud shall be vpon your owne head and none of the Bishops of Scotland shall be guiltie of it The rest of your discourses of paritie and imparitie in Church-gouernement are answered by that which I haue said neither doe you here your selfe insist in them but remit mee by particular quotations to your Epistles foureteene in number written to seuerall men contayning eight sheetes of paper bound vp in forme of a Booke and sent to mee to peruse them But you must remember it is an vnreasonable request to require a Bishop employed in daily teaching and other necessarie charges in the Church to reade ouer all your missiue Letters yet haue I looked to them as I had leasure and answered them as cause requires in this my Defence As for your Epistles if your conceit be such
iudgement of Zanchius be any thing worth it must be eyther a grosse ignorance or great malice that stirreth vp many to cry out against Episcopall gouernment as if it were Antichristian It is to be wished that wee had many such wise humble learned and sober minded men among vs for the cause of our trouble is the ignorance of some the pride of others a very few excepted and these are the Parents of needlesse contention And yet more cleare is that other part of Zanchius his testimonie cited by vs before which now followes Quis autem ego sum qui quod tota Ecclesia approbauit improbem Sed neque omnes nostri temporis viri docti improbare ausi sunt quippe qui norunt licuisse haec Ecclesiae ex pietate atque ad optimos fines pro Electorum aedificatione ea omnia fuisse perfecta ordinata fuit praeterea mihi habenda ratio earum etiam Ecclesiarum quae licet Euangelium complexae sunt suos tamen re nomine habent Episcopos Quid quod in Ecclesijs quoque Protestantium non desunt reipsa Episcopi Archiepiscopi quos mutatis bonis Graecis nominibus in male latina vocant Superintendentes generales Superintendentes Sed vbi neque vetera illa bona Graeca neque haec noua male Latina verba obtinent ibi tamen solent esse aliquot primarij penes quos fere tota est authoritas De nominibus ergo fuerint Controuersie verum de rebus conuenit quid de nominibus altercamur Who am I that I should disallow that which the whole Church hath allowed yea neyther dare all the Doctors of this time disallow it knowing that this policie is lawfull in the Church and that for good ends namely the edification of the Elect it was receiued and ordained It behoued mee also to haue respect vnto those Churches which haue imbraced the Gospell with Bishops both in name and office Yea also in the Churches of Protestants there wants not in effect Bishops and Archbishops whom by changing good Greeke names into euill Latine names they call Superintendents and generall Superintendents And euen there where neyther the good auncient Greeke names of Bishop and Archbishop nor the euill Latine names of Superintendents haue place yet is there some principall men who haue the authoritie and chiefe credit of Church-gouernment So that the Controuersie is onely about names but where men agree in the matter why should there be an vnnecessarie strife about words And vnto this same purpose saith Beza Neque tamen huius tyrannidis omnes Archiepiscopos seu Episcopos â—odie vocatos accusamus quae enim fuerit hâ—â—c arrogantia imo cunctos sic hodie appellatos modo sanctorum illorum Episcorum exemplum imitentur tam misere deformatam domum Dei ad amissim ex verbi diuini regula pro viribus instaurent vt Ecclesiae Christianâ— fidos Pastores cur non agnoscamus obseruemus omni reuerentia prosequamur nedum vt quod falsissime impudentissime nobis obijciunt â—uiquam vspiam Ecclesiae sequendum nostrum peculiare exemplum praescribamus imperiti ssimorum illorum similes qui nihil nisi quod ipsiagunt rectum putant Ber. de grad Minist cap. 21. Sect. 2. Wee accuse not all Archbishops and Bishops so called this day of this tyrannie for what arrogancie were this yea those who are so called prouiding they follow the example of former holy Bishops to reforme the deformed house of God according to the rule of Gods word why shall wee not acknowledge and reuerence them as faithfull Pastors of the Christian Church so farre are wee from that which most falsly and without shame is obiected against vs to make our particular example a rule which other Churches are bound to follow which is the fashion of wilfull ignorant men who thinke nothing well done but that which they doe themselues And againe albeit saith hee of old the gouernement of Presbyters was by course Attamen prostasias hic modus paulatim postea visus est ita mutandus vt vnus Presbyterio prâ—estos esset permaneret cap. 23. sect 25. yet this forme of presidence was in such sort changed that one was set ouer the rest as constant and perpetuall Gouernour Ita factum est vt Episcopi nomen ad hunc prestota proprie significandum quidem suorum Compresbyterorum respectu sit translatâ—m cap. 23. Sect. 9. And so it came to passe that the name of a Bishop was translated properly to signifie this president of the Presbyterie not onely in respect of superioritie ouer the people but ouer his Compresbyters also Postremum hunc ordinem vel modum ordinis humanum non simpliciter tamen sed comparate nulla cum Patrum tot Ecclesiarum iniuria appellauero Sect. 10. And this last order or manner of order without any offence of the Fathers or of so many Churches I call humane yet not simply but in comparison Absit autem vt hunc ordinem etsi Apostolica mere diuina dispositione non constitutum tamen vt temere aut superbe inâ—ectum reprehendam Sect. 13. Farre be it from mee rashly or proudly to reproue this order albeit it be not established by Apostolicke or meerely diuine disposition Cuius etiam magnum fuisse vsum quandiu boni sancti Episcopi Ecclesijs praefuerunt quis inficiari possit fruantur igitur illo qui volunt poterunt Sect. 13. And it cannot be denyed that this policie was very profitable vnto the Church so long as good and holy Bishops were Presidents ouer it Let them therefore enioy it who so will and may haue it This is the iudgement of these modest and reuerent Doctors of thereformed Churches who albeit they see not clearely that the Episcopall function is diuine yet they reuerence it as a necessarie and lawfull policie which may make most iustly the malecontents of our time ashamed who haue nothing in their mouthes but that the office of a Bishop is Antichristian that the name is abused when it is giuen to one Pastor and not to all the rest wherein if they will not be reformed by vs I wish at least that laying all preiudice aside they may follow in their iudging and speaking this moderation of these learned and godly Fathers of our Church A short answere to the Tripartite Antipologie of some namelesse Authors AS a little sparkle of fire kindleth a great flame and one waue in the waters causeth many or as the barking of one dogge in a Village wakeneth the rest to barke also excuse mee to vse this comparison for in this as Mr. Dauid his word is the case is alike so Mr. Dauid by his example hath prouoked others his complices to imitate him in his manner of doing For since my comming to Edenbrough for directing away my Dikaiologie to the Presse there was deliuered to mee three sundry Treatises inuectiue coincident for the most part with Mr. Dauid his Parologie and where
they differ from him a particular answere is here returned vnto them The Authors of them I know not their names are suppressed the first and the third goe together and seemes to be some Preachers of Fyffe they reckon out some sundry indwellers of Fyffe to proue a certain alleagance concerning the late Bishop of S. Andrewes their intelligence also with Perth bordering with that Prouince from which reports of my Sermons are so easily carried vnto them insinuates also the same but for their persons be what they will the matter is all one Great brags were made be Mr. Dauid of many answeres and many Inquisitors that were to search mine Apologie before they came some great thing was expected but no such thing is found doubtlesse they haue manifested the weakenesse of their cause that so many labouring about one thing haue not brought among them all so much as one argument to defend it An Answere to the first THE first 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith he is vnacquainted with mee onely hath heard mee teach oftentimes and beene as sundry others were comforted thereby for which hee thankes God for truely the glorie of that good which God worketh by the ministrie of his weak Seruants belongs vnto himselfe for wee are not able of our selues so much as to thinke a good thought And to the end that such as haue gotten good by my Ministrie may be further confirmed I thought it my dutie after I had considered the matter of Church-gouernement rightly to informe them that there is no cause why our Church should thus be diuided for it And I may and now doe with a good warrant of the word and mine owne conscience say to it I should not I will not I dare not be an author nor maintainer of diuision in our Church for it If any will let them doe it vpon their owne perill wherein I will be loath to communicate with them In your third Sect. you mislike the boldnes of others that vsurpe the Iudicatorie of other mens consciences I wish the like moderation had beene vsed of the rest of your Complices This onely you say that albeit God be onely 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the searcher of the heart yet men may iudge of other men by their fruits whereunto I willingly agree for it is the rule of our Sauiour By their fruits you shall know them If a man condemne the life of another let him disproue it by his euill deedes or if hee will impugne the opinion let him doe it by strength of reason but to vsurpe the Iudicatorie of an other mans conscience is it not intollerable presumption yet commonly practised by your Complices for whom it were good they remembred Nazianzen his warning Multa versanda sunt animo priusquam aliâ—m iraepiet atis condemnes Sect. 8. You graunt that from the beginning of reformation till the yeere 1575. Our Church contented themselues with Bishops and Superintendents why then is it counted so odious a thing that Bishops should be in it now You affirme also that I can bring no warrant for Episcopall gouernment neyther from Gods word nor practise of the primitiue Church for the first three hundred yeeres The Answere you will finde in my Reply to the last Opponent Sect. 11. You alledge that they who assembled at Glasgow came vpon priuate missiues from his Maiestie and vpon promises of gaine Mr. Dauid obiected that before and I answered it in my Dikaiologie onely you adde that I know it to be so but if you hope to make your Assertion good you shall doe well to vse some other probations for in truth I know not any such thing Sect. 16. The argument I vsed mistaken by you concerning the Apostles dispensation of Circumcision shall be cleared in mine answere to the last Opponent who also impugnes it Sect. 17. 18. You would proue that you are not the Authors of Schisme but Bishops why because they haue departed from the gouernment whereunto you stand say you but this middes will not draw on that conclusion For wee stand to the gouernment of our first Fathers confessed by your selfe from the which who so shall be found to haue departed let the blame be theirs Sect. 19. Your alledging of the growth of Papistrie now that was not before is as I told you a Sophisme A non causa pro causa Kingdomes and Churches haue their owne periods of times whereinto sinnes long contracted before doe bring iudgement vpon them which honest and godly men cannot hold off By this same reason Daniell and Ezekiell might be blamed for Babels Captiuitie which the sinnes of former ages had procured It were but folly for you or vs eyther to charge one another with the causes of this wrath There are none of vs free by our sinnes wee haue deserued iudgement God giue vs grace ioyntly to preuent it by vnfained repentance in all holines and loue Sect. 28. You charge mee for comparing my brethren of the Ministrie to Shimeies if I had so done I were worthie to be blamed but in truth you haue mistaken mee God forbid My words are plaine against the Libeller and such as hee who if in their calling they were laborious as I did hope to giue them example if they were acquainted with mee they should finde no time for such idle toyes and I maruell how men can so farre misconstrue my words for I affirmed plainely that I was perswaded no well aduised Christian would fight with such armour as lying Libels and if no common Christian will doe it farre lesse euer thought I that a Christian Preacher would doe it And where you say they are very idle if they be not more laborious then I my answere is let the Worke beare witnesse And so fare you well in the Lord. Edenburgh Nouemb. 24. 1613. An Answere to the second THE second to wit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 commeth in like a swaggerer breathing out many brawling speeches without either truth or modestie â—he shoots his fectlesse bolt and hideth himselfe which is the fashion of a feeble coward hee conceales his name but by his speech may be discerned to be some Lucius Blastus a furibund but a figuline fellow loadned with railings lyings fabulous fictions wherewith he ouer-burdens himselfe I leaue him where I found him vexing himselfe with his owne anger tumbling and weltring in the puddle of his tumultuaâ— thoughts whereof hee cannot rid himselfe bragging most vainely but bringing nothing that may be counted worthie of an answere saue onely that for lacke of any other thing wherewith to charge me Hee carps at my Commentarie vpon the eight to the Romanes and passing by as the manner of enuious men is all the good that is in it hee findes fault with the Grammaticall construction of the seauenth verse A great matter indeede I thanke the Lord these labours of mine published in twelue or thirteene seuerall Treatises hath done good to the Church and howsoeuer they be disesteemed by you and some of
your humour yet that they are in account with men of greater pietie and learning then you is euident in that now the third time that Commentarie vpon the eight to the Romanes hath beene imprinted others of them fiue times imprinted You come short of this honour your selfe and grieues at it you cannot walke with mee in the same way to put your talent vnto profit neither yet can suffer another to doe it beside you vnlesse you lye snarling and barking at his heeles and thereby declare your selfe to be but a base bodie I must tell you as the truth is for many of you blinded with a vaine conceit of your selues spils vnspoken to whose manner is that either they vvould doe but cannot or else can doe but for idlenesse will not or may not yet doing no good themselues they will censure the doings of all others neither can any thing be done were it neuer so good that shall escape the stroke of their tongue But now to the word you quarrell I know very well that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is sometime a Substantiue and you cannot denie it is also an Adiectiue Beza in his notes findes fault most iustly with the Latine translation rendring the words in this manner Carnem inimicam esse Deo First because if the word had beene vsed heere as an Adiectiue the Apostle would haue said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to make it agree with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Secondly because it doth not so significantly expresse the Apostles meaning it being more to say the sense of the flesh is inimitie with God then to say it is an enemie to God Now if I looking especially to the best sense haue vsed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as an Adiectiue substantiuated in the plurall the more effectually to expresse the corruption of our nature according to that of Moses All the iâ—aginations of the thoughts of mans heart are onely euill continually And so hath rendered the words Sensus carnis Inimicitiae aduersus Deum And out of it haue drawne a true and profitable obseruation what haue you heere to carpe it As to these words subioyned otherwise it could not agree with the Substantiue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it is of truth it is drawne out of the first vncorrected Copie and continues in the second Edition expresly against my direction But when you shall haue taken as great paines to encrease your talent for edification of the Church and shall offer your labours to the publicke censure of others I can assure you modest and reasonable men will excuse you for the like construction prouided they finde good in the remanent of your labours And truly I haue great cause to thanke the Lord my God that so many eyes and tongues and Pennes being stretched out to marke my wayes my words my secret writings my publicke writings yet among them all they can finde nothing either in my life or in my labours wherewith to charge me if they could the world should haue heard it ere now yea since some of them haue beene so impious as to iudge of Gods affection toward me by the death of some of my children which I know hath beene tratled into the eares of some within Edenburgh What would these who so narrowly seekes a blame against mee haue done if they could haue found it Againe I thanke the Lord who hath so watched ouer me as not to suffer mee to fall vnder the rebuke of man I feare not I care not the censure of flesh and I trust in his grace that still hee will preserue me pure and blamelesse to his heauenly Kingdome for his names sake But to returne vnto you you haue here no other thing worthie of an answere not answered alreadie It is scarse a sheete of paper you haue sent me and you post through it with such speede that any man may perceiue the heat of your humour hath spurred you to clatter out of the Cabinet of your cheeke any thing came readiest into it neuer going in into your selfe as becomes a modest man to aduise with your minde My counsell to you is that when such a fitte of furie takes you againe you giue commaund before to your seruants to holde Paper Penne and Inke out of your vvay least you shame your selfe yet more and so good Master 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vvishing to you greater modestie of minde and speech I bid you farewell Edenburgh Nouemb 25. 1613. An Answere to the third THE third begins his Logomachick declamation with a great exclamation O tempora O mores wherein is more noise of words then dint of reasons Who saith hee would haue said within these twelue yeeres that I would haue beene of this minde But indeede it is no strange thing to see any Christian farre lesse a Christian Preacher in twelue yeeres yea in one yeere attaine to knowledge which he had not before What else is our life heere but a daily changing from darknesse to light from sinne to sanctification from Satan to the liuing God from euill to good from good to better Wee behold as in a mirrour the glorie of God with open face and are changed from glorie to glorie into the same image by the Spirit of the Lord what change I haue made is neither so so dainly nor so lightly done as you suppose I haue considered the matter at length and findes for the one part arguments from the authoritie of persons which did long restraine mee as also from a late custome of our Church which when I searched the register of our generall assemblies I found easily taken away by a more auncient custome of our Church On the other part arguments from the truth it selfe which I dare not conceale for respect of persons neither is it any reason that I should be bound with the cordes of former ignorance and holden backe from giuing place to a better light when God reueales it yet this is the maine argument you bring against me which I thinke you would not repeat so often if you had any stronger to bring for you In this same Page you charge mee with two speeches which are vntruths they are not mine I neuer had any such words and it is a shame for you who in the end of your Treatise subscribes your selfe Philaletheâ— that you should proue Pseustes in the very beginning But if these vaine reports wherewith you fill the hearts of such as leane their eares vnto you were taken from you you would be found bare and barren of matter whereby you might maintaine them in a liking of your opinion Your calumnies Fol. 2. that Episcopall dignitie drawes neere to Babel and Egypt that the calling is euill in it selfe and corrupts the Cariers thereof that the shew of worldly glorie hath turned me out of the pathâ—way of Christ that a man nose-wise like you might smell in my speeches the sauour of a vaine-glorious and selfe-pleasing humour that mine heart cleaueth to the world that it appeares to be