their Religion This cannot be but the bolt of some enemie or the birth of the braine of some friend ouer-farre miscaried with opinion If it hath done euill to any it is an argument their light is weake for why doth diuersiue of externall gouernment import a difference in Religion Are there not many famous Churches in Europe flourishing this day vnder the Episcopall gouernment haue not many Bishops themselues beene honoured with the honour of Martyrdome and sealed the truth of the Gospell with their blood since the reformation of Religion Latmer Ridley Cranmer and many moe in our neighbour Church may stand for examples I will beseech all such weake Christians to take none offence where it is not giuen Ad vâ—itateâ— fidei sufficit vt â—adem sit doctrina Euangelij Sacramentorum administratio It is sufficient for the vnitie of faith that the Doctrine of the Gospell and Sacraments be one and the same in other externall things there may be diuersitie yea often times the diuersitie of times and states of people will require a diuersitie of externall things for the furtherance of the worke of edification 7 The Apostles did all teach one and the selfe-same Doctrine but did not all gouerne their Churches in one and the selfe-same manner for Iames and Peter among the Iewes tolerated Circumcision which Paul among the Gentiles would not doe yea the Disciples of S. Peter and S. Iohn testifie how these blessed Apostles kept the Feast of the Passâ—ouer on diuers dayes as both Eusebius and Socrates doe write yet was this diuersitie no impediment to the propagation of the Gospell by them both It is euer to be considered what the worke of edification requires For that kinde of externall gouernment which some Churches of Christ hath and others hath not shall there be entertained a Schisme in our Church and an vnnecessarie and vnkindly contention betweene a Christian people and their most Christian King Since to speake in most modest termes to giue contentment to such as are not contentious there is no question of Faith in the Church of Scotland Christian people might be ignorant of this disputation about Discipline come to heauen neuerthelesse if so it might please some of their Pastors neither is there a question betweene good euill but betweene good and better betweene two whereof either of them haue had their course to be when the other was not euen in this same Church I doubt not the iudicious Reader will consider this Wisedome shall be iustified of her children 8 But here I know it is obiected by men euen of moderate mindes if such gouernment were better vsed and these who haue receiued it did more good with it then it would soone purchase credit to it selfe and be the better liked These men I see haue nothing against the thing it selfe but against the vse of it by which kinde of argument now commonly it is impugned To these it were sufficient to answere that Artisicum errata artibus attribuâ—â—â— mon sunt the errors of Artisans are not to be ascribed to the Arts themselues or to such as more wilfully reason in this manner to answere as Naziâ—â—zen did the Eunomians Cum in se â—ihil prâ—â—â—â—ij habeant in nostra illud 〈…〉 Where in themselues they haue no strength they seeke it in our imbecillitie Et de malorum in 〈◊〉 sciutilla flammam exâ—â—tant ad 〈…〉 afflandâ— tollunt vt longè 〈◊〉 Babiloâ—â—â—â— superet Of a little sparke of euill in vs they kindle a great fire by blowing vpon it with their secret surmisings and publike reproches till they make the flame which they haue raised out of a sparke to mount vp higher then the furnace of Babel thus is it the manner of men to blame readily where they loue not 9 But to goe further with them as with all reason I require that the faults of persons be not imputed to their Offices so with my heart doe I wish in all that are imployed with Ecclesiasticall authoritie so moderate a behauiour that no offence should be giuen to the weake nor cause of contradiction to the contrary minded but that as Iosephs preferment tending to the good of all his brethren forced them who enuied it at the first to thanke God for it at the last euen so credit may be conquest to vs in the hearts of them that feare God by feruent and faithfull aduancement of the Gospell of Christ Iesus We should neuer forget that warning which Ierome gaue to a certaine Bishop Rusticus Narbonensis vide ne minor inueni ar is in Chrisâ—◠〈…〉 in hoe seculo Take heede that thou be not found lesse in Christ then thou art named in this world thou art called a Bishop so liue that Christ that great Archbishop may approue thee for one 10 But yet by some carnall and contentious spirits who liue as if they were Demi-gods and in their tongues God had set his tribunall or had made them Iudges of the consciences of their brethren it is obiected published and carried from hand to hand in a Libell as full of lies as lines thatâ— corrupt respects of gaine glory hath moued me to embrace it a fearefull crimination if I were as guiltie of it as they are bold to affirme it I know it is a horrible sinne to abuse an holy calling to filthie luere the Apostle said that godlâ—nesse is great gaine that is to say that great gaine is godlinesse Questum 〈◊〉 piâ—tatem It is a peruerse order Terrena coelestibus â—ercari to buy earthly things with heauenly where the spirituall Ministriâ— teacheth vs to exchange earthly things for heauenly such impietie as this will be punished with a worse leprosie then that of Gehazi And no losse abhominable is it to abuse it to vaine-glory and affectation of honour it is a grosser idolattie then that of the Israelites who of the gold and siluer which they reserued from the Lord made a Baal to themselues 11 To such I will answere as Augustine did to Petilian I am a man appertaining to the floore of Christ if I be good I am there as corne if I be euill I am there as chaffe Sed non est huius areae ventilabrum lingua Petitiani But your Petulant tongue like the tongue of Petilian is not the fanne of this floore If any man thinke hee knowes me better then I doe my selfe let him giue iudgement as he pleaseth and others beleeue him as they list if they will credit me of my selfe my witnesse is in heauen and my conscience within me beareth me record that I was not moued with gaine or glorie and I trust to declare it by Gods grace But what Bene sibi conscius non debet falsis moueri nec putare plus esse Ponderis in alieno coâ—â—itio quam in suo testimonis Hee that hath in himselfe a good conscience should not be moued with false conceptions in others nor esteeme that there
Iunius in Bâ—llar Controuers 5. lib. 1. ca. 24. But no such moderation is in you you are not content to fight against the abuse of the Office you will haue the Office it selfe abolished but without any reason To this same purpose is the testimonie of Heâ—â—mingius Tametsi tempore Apostoli nondum receptus fuit proâ—â—â—endi ritus qualis nunc in vsu est sciendum tamen est piâ—s Ecclesiarum Scholarum gubernatores bono vtili conâ—iliâ— instituisse promotionum gradus tum vt arrogantes 〈◊〉 vsurpâ—rent sibi hunc honoris titulum siâ—e Ecclesie iudiâ—â—â— tum vâ— idonei ex testimonio publico agnoscerentur acâ—â— precio haberentur Neque hoc est contra Hierarchie Ecclesiastiâ—â— diguitatem quae nobis a S. Sancto commendatur Nam cum S. Sanctus or dinâ—m detorem commendat Ecclesiâ— ius ipsi relinquit or dinandi ritus qui ad ordinem 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 facere videantur Quâ—ere non est quod moremur superborum Spirituum voces contemnentium hos ecclesiasticos gradus meminerinâ— eos non contemptus aliorum aut arrogantis supereminentiae symbola esse sed potius publica testimonia officij quod Ecclesiae debent ad quod tanquam publico Sacramento obstringuntur Albeit saith hee in the time of the Apostles this custome of promotion now vsed in the Church was not then receiued yet we must know that godly gouernours of Churches and Schooles by good and profitable counsell haue ordained degrees of promotion partly that arrogant men should not vsurpe this title of honour without approbation of the Church partly also that they who by publicke testimonie of the Church are thought meete for it may be knowne and had in reuerence Neyther is this against the dignitie of Ecclesiastique Hierarchie commended to vs by the holy Ghost for in that hee requireth order and decencie in his Church the power to ordaine Rites pertaining to the Church hee leaueth to the Church Wherefore we must not stand vpon the voices of some proud spirits contemning Ecclesiasticall degrees for those degrees are not giuen them eyther for contempt of others or to nourish any arrogant supereminence in themselues but onely to be publicke testimonies of that dutie wherein they stand bound and obliged to the Church Sed obijciunt Ecclesia Christi nesciat pompam habeat fidei sanctimoniae probationem preces manuum impositioneâ— respondeo minime indignum esse Christianis pijs ac eruditis viris testimonia doctrinae honestatis conferre vt sciâ—t Ecclesia quibus possit tuto gubernationem curam doctrinâ— commendare Nec obstat quod huiusmodi promotiones longo tempore in abusu fuerint modâ— sordibus abstersis res Ecclesiae â—tiles retineamus But they obiect there should be no pompe in the Church of Christ but Faith and holines prayer and imposition of hands I answere that it is not vnseemely for Christians to giue vnto godly and learned men publike testimonies of doctrine and honesty that the Church may know to whom the care of Doctrine and Gouernement of the Church may safely be committed Neyther should it be any impediment that these degrees of promotion haue of a long time beene abused prouiding the abuse be remoued and that which is good and profitable for the Church be retained Rursus dicunt Dominum prohibuisse appellari Rabbi Magistros super terram Respondeo idem Dominus dicit non appellandum esse Patrem super terram c. Quare non de appellatione sed de alia re interdictum est intelligendum deiâ—de 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 loâ—i satis conumcit quis sit huius loci sensus addit enim Qui maximus est vestrum erit minister non vult sua interdictione sublatam appellationem Patris Magisâ—â—i aut Doctoris sed arrogantem fiduciam Hemming in Epist. ad Ephes. cap. 4. Againe it is obiected that Christ hath forbidden that any should be called Lords or Masters vpon earth I answere that the same Lord hath also forbidden that any should be called Father vpon earth Wherefore the interdiction is not to be vnderstood of the appellation of any by such names but of some other thing Againe the circumstance of the place proues plainely what is the meaning thereof for hee addes He that is greatest among you let him be the seruant of the rest he will not therefore take away the stile of Master Father or Doctor but onely the arrogant conceit of any greatnesse in themselues for it And in another place to this same purpose saith Zanchius Cum prius omnes verbi Ministri tum Pastores tum Episcopi tum Presbyteri ex aequo appâ—llarentur equalis etiam essent authoritatis quod postea vnus caperit alijs omnibus praefici collegis quanquam non vt Dominus sed tanquam rector in Academia reliquis collegis huic imprimis cura totius Ecclesiae commissa fuerit eoque 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quandam is solus Episcopi Pastoris nomine appellari consueuerit reliquis Symmistis nomine Presbyterorum contentis it a vt in vnaquaque ciuit ate vnus tantum caeperit esse Episcopus multi Presbyteri hoc minime improbari posse iudicamus Whereas before all Preachers of the word were called equally Pastors Bishops Presbyters and were also of equall authoritie that thereafter one was set ouer the rest albeit not as a Lord but as a Gouernour of an Academie and that to him was committed the charge of the whole Church who for that in a more excellent and singular manner was called Bishop the rest of the Preachers contenting themselues with the name of Presbyters so that in euery Citie there vvas but one Bishop and many Presbyters or Ministers This is a policie which in my iudgement cannot be disallowed Hac saue ratione quae etiam de Archiepiscopis imo de quatuor Patriarchis ante Concilium Nicâ—num creatis constituta fuerunt excusari defendique posse sentimus Zanch. de Ecclesiae militantis gubernatione cap. 11. And by this same reason also that which is said of Archbishops yea and of the foure Patriarkes created before the Counsell of Nice wee thinke may be not onely excused but easily defended And least as commonly is obiected men should thinke that this distinction of degrees tends to establish also the Superioritie of one aboue the whole Church Marke what this same Father hath in the Chapter following Ceterum quod vnus tantum caput omnibus per vniuersum terrarum orbem Ecclesijs praefeci iusque plenitudinem vt vocant potestatis in omnes habere debeat illud non solum non possumus probare sed contra non possumus non execrari But that one as head should be set ouer all the Churches in the world hauing right and plenitude of power ouer all others that is an iniquitie which not onely we cannot approue but also cannot but curse Whereof it is euident that if the
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
accept it you might soone doe worse then fall to and studie the lawfulnesse of Episcopall Gouernement your selfe Beleeue mee if you lay aside your preiudicate minde you will easily learne it and then without difficultie I see you will accept it your selfe if you may get it Poesie prospers not with you I meane it renders you not wished contentment though you haue skill in it yet you know there is one before you that hath the praise of Prince of Poets but if once you could be content to be a Bishop who doth know what good you might doe to your selfe and the whole Church There is no impediment but that you are not a Pastor yet the consideration of your learning wherein you excell many Pastors might purchase to you some speciall priuiledge and be a motiue to others to draw you out in publike like another Ambrose who for his singular learning and pietie was taken from the Barre and placed in the Pulpit and of a ciuill Iudge incontinent ordained to be a Bishop onely you must be remembred that the motiue which moued the people to elect Ambrose was an Orison of concord which he being then Gouernour of Liguria had made to pacifie a tumult that was raised in Medeolanum about their Bishop and you if you would come to the like honour must not as you haue done blow the bellowes of Sedition the subiect of your eloquent Oration must be concord no more discord And truely for all your conâ—ending this is the worst I wish you neither doe I despaire that you may change your minde if not to be a Bishop yet at least a Bishops fauourer But whether this be or not boast mee no more with a dismission of my Bishopricke Quem nulla cupidit as traxit ad ambiendum is ab eo soliâ— non formidat deturbart He will neuer be afraid to be cast downe from his dignitie who by no ambition of his owne was aduanced vnto it Now you proceede to improue my second Reason but with no better successe then you had in the former THE ADMONENT THE second is like vnto this to remoue say yee the offence the people haue conceiued against the honourable name of a Bishop If this be worth the answering euen in your owne eyes I trow I shall answere it THE ANSVVERE MY reason is more weightie then that you are able to answere it and therefore you shift it and put it by you with impertinent words My reason the Reader may see in my Apologie and now this I adde vnto it that the people are abused through your wrong information and others of your humour to thinke no otherwise of a Bishop then of an Heretike and that he who once becomes a Bishop is no more to be accounted a Brother Among the auncient Fathers Martyrs and Confessors of the Church primitiue a Bishop was honoured as Ornamentum Ecclesie And now you will haue our Church so farre degenerate from them that what they thought honourable you will haue it abhominable and so a stumbling blocke is laid before simple people and they are made to contemne that which they should honour Is not this an euill or rather manifold euils crauing remedie that an innocent man vnder a misliked name be not condemned that people be not abused to persecute that which they know not and if they knew would certainely honour it and that the Church be not defrauded of an office receiued in all ages of all Orthodoxe Churches good and profitable for conseruation of the Gospell with peace and order Now let vs see vvhat you answere to this THE ADMONENT ALas are we so carefull of names and if we should haue we not a better way Explicate it onely and let it be vsed rightly let them be called Bishops that the Scripture so calls Euery Pastor a Bishop so shall all men honour the name who now offends at this abuse of it and thinke you to honour this abuse of it THE ANSVVERE MAster Dauid why talke you so idlely when I speake of the name doe I disioyne it from the matter signified by the name Doe I not in my speech expresly knit the name of a Bishop and his office together But you will haue all Pastors called Bishops and then the name will be honoured of all Mr. Dauid we know that in a generall sense all Pastors comes vnder the name of Bishops Prophets c. Which for all that derogates nothing to the distinction of their places and offices and powers in gouernement This is a common argument vsed against Episcopall authoritie but in truth of no strength for why Doth Communion of names take away proprieties of things The blessed Spirits in heauen are called Angels the faithfull Bishops of the Church in earth called Angels also Will you inferre of this an equalitie among them All Christians are called Kings and Priests to their God will it therefore follow that there is not a peculiar kingly and priestly Office proper to some not common to all And thinke you that the name of a Bishop when it is giuen vnto one Pastor it being his calling to ouersee the rest and not vnto all is abused know you not that the name of a Bishop and Superintendent are one in the pith of signification the one being but a Latine word expressing the equiualent of it in Greeke and as their names are one so their powers also are one as you will finde hereafter declared by act of generall assembly Was the name then abused when some Pastors were called Superintendents and all Pastors not so called I hope you will not affirme it you will be loath to condemne your Fathers so lightly how euer beyond dutie you be liberall in setting light by vs that are your brethren But to goe vp higher with you was the name of a Bishop abused by the auntient Fathers of the Church primitiue when they gaue both the name and the honour of Bishops to some Pastors which they gaue not to all Was it abused by Policarp Martyr and Bishop of Smyrna by Ignatius Martyr and Bishop of Antiochia by Phâ—tinâ—s Irenaeus Bishops of Lions by Ambrose Bishop of Millane by Chryfostame Bishop of Constantinople by Athanasius Bishop of Alexandria by Cyprian Martyr and Bishop of Carthage by Augustine Bishop of Hippon with innumerable more whom I cannot rehearse were they all abusers that receiued this name and was the whole Church abusâ—rs of that name when they gaue it vnto some Pastors and not vnto all calling them Bishops that is Superintendents and ouer-seers not onely of their Flockes but of their Brethren of the Ministrie within the bounds of their Diocesse Will you pull out the eyes of all these men Did they see nothing Or will you make them all abusers of that holy name Aduise better good man and be not so sodaine as with one dash of your priuate Penne to condemne all the worthie lights of the antient Churches And where you would draw vs vp to be iudged by
then of the exemption of Bishops from censure there is a Christian King there is a Councell of Bishops till necessitie require a Nationall Assembly and it is not denyed to any in the Church or Kingdome to complaine accuse delate Bishop or Archbishop that hee may be brought to his answere and tryed yea some that haue complained haue beene answered with Iustice to their satisfaction In a word let it be told you in name of all the Bishops of our Church our Calling is of God allowed by the generall Assemblie ratified by our most Christian King and States of the Kingdome Our care is to discharge it in the best sort wee can when wee haue done all that is possible for vs there are many of you ready so farre as you may to vndoe it out of an euill humor more narrowly looking to negligences then to obserue paines and good diligence wee are men and may fall as others but our faults should not be abused to condemne our function more then the faults of Ministers condemne their Ministrie We claime no liberty but are readie by Gods grace to answere all our Superiours and be censured by them as the meanest in the Church And we carrie this humble minde that if you or any other in loue and good affection will signifie to vs wherein wee offend wee will either satisfie you by reason or willingly amend it yet so that wee will maintaine the honour of our charge and calling and not leaue it free for euery man to raile against lawfull authorities whereof I pray you consider in time and be more sparing to spread such inuectiue Libels for it will be thought a contempt of them whom you are bound to honour and if you suffer punishment for it you will not suffer as a Martyr but as a malefactor which I wish may no befall you 4 So long as this Episcopall gouernement stood in vigour there was nothing but comely order in our Church Fathers honoured as Fathers Ministers agreeing in pleasant Vnitie without any Schiâ—me among them singular peace betweene the King his Maiestie and the Church tâ—ey going together like Moses and Aaron to doe the worke of God without grudging anger or diuision then the Gospell flourished and no professed Papist was in the land but with decay of the one ensewed a lamentable change of the other which cannot be mentioned without griefe and I wish for euer may be buried in silence Alway at this doore of vnhappie diuision Papistrie creeped in againe into our Church it was sowen then it tooke roote then it buddeth now and by a false kinde of reasoning A non causa pro causa it is imputed to Bishops now but as with the decrease of Episcopall gouernment it entred so I hope in God with the credit and authorâ—tie thereof it shall goe to the doore againe Onely the Lord cloath his seruants with his righteousnesse and saluation let his Vrim and Thummim be with his holy ones The Lord set our hearts rightly to seeke his glorie then shall his helping hand be with vs. There is no fault in the cause God graunt it be not found in our persons 5 Episcopall gouernement beganne first to be withstood An. 1575. This is the first time that Commissioners for eschewing of alleadged ambition are appointed to be changed yeerely The same time authoritie of Bishops is called in question some with it some against it the matter is referred to the aduisement of three for euerie opinion whose names are inserted in the act they resolue on these conclusions It is not thought expedient the question be answered at this time but if any Bishop be chosen who hath not such qualities as Gods word requires let him be tried by the generall assembly and so deposed 2. That the name of a Bishop is common to all Preachers whose chiefe function is to preach the Word minister the Sacraments and execute Discipline Yet of this number some may be chosen to ouer-see and visite other bounds beside his owne Flocke with power to ordaine and depose Ministers with aduise of the brethren of the bounds Perceiue here how loath wise men in our Church were to quit all grip of Episcopall gouernement 6 And againe the Office it selfe comming in contempt for the euill qualities of them that had it whereof some were professed enemies of Religion it was laid by and suspended An. 1580. But not simply abrogate as will appeare by this three-fold consideration First not the Office but corruption of the Office in Bishops is impugned so beareth act An. 1578. For as much as there is great corruption in the estate of Bishops as they are presently made in this Realme where-vnto the Church would prouide remedie in time comming therefore further admission of Bishops is discharged till the next assembly An argument by the way to Mr. Dauid that they were before in the Church and had their ordinarie admission of the Church Then in the next assembly holden that same yeere Iune 11. Sect. 3. It is concluded that the former act shall be extended for all time to come aye and while the corruption of the estate of Bishops be remoued and that all Bishops alreadie elected be enquired particularly to submit themselues to the generall assembly concerning the reformation of the corruption of that estate of Bishops Nothing here you see against the Office but against the corruptions Secondly albâ—it anno 1580. Episcopall gouernement was disallowed yet that it was not done with full consent or approbation of the Fathers of our Church will appeare by that act of reuocation which if a man will consider hee shall finde procured by the wisedome and fore-sight of some wise and honest men of the Ministrie who contenting to submit themselues to the present gouernement and loath to trouble the Church for that matter with Schismes and diuisions which you and yours cannot doe did notwithstanding leaue an open doore to their posteritie to bring in againe Episcopall gouernement when they should see it expedient for the Church See the act An. 1583. Sessâ— Concerning thâ— question moued to the assembly if the generall Church haue power to prouoke whatsoeuer things done by them or any particular member of the same to the hurt and preiudice of the Church or not The brethren after reasoning and disputing at length voted affirmatiue in the question that the Church had power to doe the same No exception here of any act made either for Bishops or against them Thirdly the abdication of Episcopall gouernement which was made was made without consent yea contrarie the will of them by whom it was concluded in the Church for Episcopall gouernement being practised in our Church from the beginning was established by act of assembly An. 1571. Whereat vvere present Commissioners from the Regents grace and Lords of secret Counsell in his Highnesse name being also required specially and to this same purpose by the Church there it was agreed to stand during the Kings minoritie and
auaritious and ambitious are but words of winde neither able to moue the mountaine of Episcopall dignitie as you call it nor yet one whit to commoue me at all but so much the more confirmes me that I see you fight with lies and vntruths You denie that Superintendents and Bishops are one Fol. 6. And why Because Superintendents rode not at Parliament A strong argument forsooth as if this pertained to the substance of their Office but it is good enough you wot where Your anger at Episcopall garments and their riding at Parliament with Foot-cloathes would be the lesse if your care to redresse vanitie of apparrell in your selfe and your complices were greater As for Bishops their apparrell and riding where-vpon you gnaw so much if the honour of their place in that supreame Court of this Kingdome wherein now they haue by his Highnesse fauour that benefit to sit craued so long by our Fathers and not obtained till now if this I say moued them no more then any respect of honour to themselues I doubt not they could willingly content to be without it And if I should answere you in this as I could well I know I might iustly make you asharned Bishops you graunt Fol. 6. were once set vp in our Church with consent of our Church so your first brother confessed before you what aileth you then at a Bishop now why make you such a stirre for receiuing that which our best and oldest Fathers embraced before vs. Why call you hereafter Episcopall gouernment The Romish Hierarchie Fol. 10. Did Mr. Knâ—x and our Fathers set vp Romish Hierarchie this must follow if you be a true man God forgiue you and lay it not to your charge that rends the Vnitie of our Church for that which you are forced to graunt our Fathers had before vs you blame them who haue departed from you but considers not they haue ioyned themselues to the Fathers of our Church older then you the blame is not theirs but shall be yours if you also follow them not for my owne part it repents me I knew not the truth of this matter sooner but as now by searching the monuments of our Church and former Churches I know it If I had knowne it no man should haue beene confirmed by my example in the contrarie There may be personall faults in Bishops present they are but men but I am sure the insolent pride euident in many of you that will follow none but be followed of others together with your hote contentions and needlesse strife whereby you rend the bowels of this Church without compassion bending your tongues in publicke and priuate against your brethren is a sinne more abhominable in Gods sight then any wherewith you are able to charge them Let alone therefore this conceit and standing vpon your reputation Thinke it no shame to submit your selfe to Episcopall gouernement to receiue it in the Church which the plaine euidence of truth forces your selfe to confesse that it was set vp in our Church by the oldest and best Fathers that euer our Church had But if still you will be contentious and foster a diuision if you will depriue this poore Church of the good wee might haue vnder so Christian a King so long as wee haue his Highnesse for the establishing of the Gospell if you haue no respect to encrease his Highnesse ioy be our Vnion nor to vnite the present estate of our Church with her first estate for the honour thereof If you haue no care to stoppe the mouth of the common aduersarie and will diuide Ierusalem within when it is besieged without stand in feare least God require this at your hands You denie that the Episcopall and Presbyteriall gouernement were euer vnited You may as well denie that the Sunne shined in the Primitiue Church Your fellow Writer wishes he had the benefit of Printing I wish the same you care not what you write in priuate but if you were to publish them by Print I hope it should be some awband to you to restraine you from your accustomed rash affirmations of such Paradoxes vntruthes fables or otherwise it would turne to your greater shame But now if you will credit Ignatius from Peter the third Bishop of Antiochia through all his Epistles hee euer distinguishes a Bishop and a Presbyterie and yet makes them sweetly concurre to doe the worke of God let it be you doubt of some of his Epistles but I hope you will not reiect them all hauing exhorted the Traellians to obey their Bishop and Presbyters he defines them both 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 What is a Bishop but hee that hath power and rule in the Church so farre as a man can haue it and is according to his power a follower of Christ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 What is a Presbyterie but a sacred consistorie of Counsellours and Assessors to the Bishop See you not heere a Bishop and Presbyters distinguished see you them not vnited the one hauing power to rule the others dutie being to counsell and assist And this testimonie of their Vnion fifteene hundreth yeeres old Many other cleare testimonies out of all the Epistles of Ignatius Bishop of Antiochia Martyr at Rome might be gathered to this same purpose but that it were too long to rehearse them Take with this another of Nazianzen Nos omnes vinum corpus in Christ◠〈◊〉 ac singuli tam Christs sâ—muâ— membra quam alter alterius nimirum imperat praesidet hoc illud duâ—â—tur necidem efficunt vtraque siquidem imperare ac subieâ—tum esse imperâ—â— non sunt idem fiunt tamen vtraque vnum per vnum spiritum conglutinata in vnum Christum Wee are all one bodie in Christ and euerie one of vs the members of another as also the members of Christ one is president and commaunds another is gouerned both these effectuates not one thing for to commaund and to be subiect to commaundement are not one and yet these two becomes one being conglutinate and conioyned by one Spirit into one Christ That Nazianzen meanes here of the distinction of Ministers whereof the Superiour hath power to rule the Inferiour his place to obay yet both happily vnited in Christ to doe the worke of God See Elias Commentarie vpon this place Looke againe the fourth Councell of Carthage holden about twelue hundred yeere since Presbyter ordinatur Episcopo â—um benedicente manum imponente capiti eius qui adsunt presbyters manus suas iuxta manus Episcopi teneant A Presbyter is ordained the Bishop laying hands vpon him and blessing him and let the Presbyters which are present haue their hands beside the hands of the Bishop There they are distinguished yet vnited Omnes Episcopus Presbyter est sed non omnis Presbyter Episcopus hic enim Episcopus est qui inter Presbyteros primus est Euery Bishop is a Presbyter said Ambrose but euery Presbyter is
not a Bishop for hee is a Bishop who is first among the Presbyters there they are distinguished and vnited Ioyne to these Cyprians complaint Aliqui de Presbyteris nec Euangely nec loci sui memores nec futurum Domini iudicium nec sibi praepositum Episcopum cogitantes quod 〈◊〉 sub antecessoribus nostris factum est cum contumelia contemptu praepositi totum sibi vendicant c. Si vltri in sâ—â—dem perseuerauerint vtar ea admonitione qua me Dominus vti iubet vt interim prohibeantur offerre In his sixt Epistle hee professeth he was determined to doe nothing without counsell of his Compresbyters but because some Presbyters had receiued some that had fallen to the peace of the Church inconsulto Episcopo without knowledge of the Bishop neyther fearing the future iudgement of God nor the present Bishop set ouer them which hee saith was neuer done by any Presbyter vnder any of his Ancestors not without contumelie and contempt of their Bishop he warneth them if they continue in it hee will vse that censure against them which the Lord commaunded him and suspend them from their Ministrie How vnwise you were to alledge the authoritie of Cyprian for you this one place among many may witnesse for he not onely affirmes that the power of a Bishop ouer Presbyters is more auncient then his time but that it is warranted also by diuine authoritie I could to this same purpose bring many others if at this time I might attaine to my owne minutes collected for helpe of my memorie But let these suffice for the present If they content you not then I send you to the fourth Booke of Douname wherein hee proueth Episcopall Function to be of Apostolicall institution because it was generally receiued in the first three hundred yeeres after the Apostles If you be purposed to dispute this question you will finde him there with very formall and forcible reasonings defending Episcopall gouernement if you will not as I thinke you will not meddle with him because hee is too strong for you then you shall doe best to let alone your whisperings in the eares of simple people and your triuiall arguments which seeme good enough to them that know no better but in very deede are like the Cuties of bone wherewith Children shoote in the streetes that may well make a little fize with powder but are not able to carrie any Bullet and it will be long before you hurt a Bishop with such You carp at my Argument fol. 9. that I bring to proue the externall Dâ—scipline to be arbitarie and changeable as may best serue for edification because the Apostles in a greater matter dispensed with Circumcision for edification some of them retayning it some not admitting it as they saw best for the state of their people You neede not tell mee that Circumcision was a Sacrament and no point of Church-gouernment I know that very vvell but must tell you againe that as quicke as you thinke your selfe you mistake the argument for it is from the more to the lesse If the Apostles vsed a diuersitie in a greater thing for the good of the Church and did not all keepe one rule concerning the Sacrament of Circumcision why shall it be thought euill now to see diuersitie in the Church about a lesse thing some Churches vsing externall gouernment one way others another way as the state of the time and people requires Besides that I beleeued your Doctorship had beene so acquainted at least with the recent Writers of this age that you would haue soone perceiued the Author of the words alledged by mee to be Musculus on 1 Tim. 1. and his probation of it is not from auncient Augustine as you take it but from the latter Augustana Confessio put on your Spectacles and reade it againe Thus while as like a blinde man you would strike at mee you strike a more worthy man then euer you were and a vvhole reformed Church also Yet for all this your vvords are oracles good enough I warrant you in your owne Conuenticles and with them the simplicitie of many Christians is abused whose eyes I pray the Lord open that as they know the truth of the Gospell so they may know the truth of this question also and leaue off to rend this Church by so vnlawfull a diuision That you affirme no Schisme was in our Church till Bishops came I must tell you this is but your calumnie and the contrarie is notoriously knowne to mee it is cleare as the light with a mourning heart many a time haue I looked vnto one I could make it cleare to the world but I will not for all your prouocation I say no more but if you be ignorant of this you are a great stranger in S. Andrewes Your Discourses fol. 10. 11. 12. 13. are answered alreadie In the 14 you condemne the calling of the Bishops of this Church they neyther haue it from the people nor the Church nor the generall Assemblie Surely you are a pert affirmer of any thing you please for you will not finde any Bishop of Scotland whom the generall Assemblie hath not first nominated and giuen vp in lytes to that effect or else by such as haue authoritie in the Church to doe it In your fol. 15. you vsurpe the iudgement of my conscience and therein vtters the pride of your spirit but impaires not mine honest inward testimonie in the contrarie I affected no Bishoprie no creature can conuince me of Ambitus directly nor indirectly but you must be like your selfe affirme falshoods confidently that your simple ones may beleeue you neuerthelesse know that God will bring you to iudgement and you shall be countable if for your idle words much more for your false lying words spoken and published for the corrupting of others My words against the lying Libeller you wickedly and most wrongfully wrest against my brethren God forgiue you I haue answered it alreadie And where in your last leafe you runne out vpon your comparisons that those who haue laboured more faithfully and fruitfully in the worke of GOD then I haue done could teach mee how to behaue my selfe in the house of God though now say you I seeme to my selfe a great Doctor in Israell All this is but needlesse talke I refuse not to be taught of any in the Church I haue learned some good from any that euer I heard and haue taken paines to keepe it but what I seeme to be in mine owne eies is hard for you to know When in the secret of my heart I deale vvith my God I know my roome that I am the chiefe of sinners and least of Saints and in truth I so esteeme my selfe but where you will come in and out of your pride runne ouer mee and treade my gift vnder your feete I will not suffer you It is not mine owne and I got it not from you I will speake in defence of it and not let you disgrace