A demonstration of the trueth of that discipline which Christe hath prescribed in his worde for the gouernment of his Church, in all times and places, vntill the ende of the worlde Wherein are gathered into a plaine forme of reasoning, the proofes thereof; out of the scriptures, the euidence of it by the light of reason rightly ruled, and the testimonies that haue beene giuen therevnto, by the course of the churche certaine hundredths of yeares after the Apostles time; and the generall consent of the Churches rightly reformed in these latter times: according as they are alleaged and maintained, in those seuerall bookes that haue bin written concerning the same.

¶ TO THE SVPPOSED GO∣uernours of the Church of England, the Archbyshops, lord Byshops, Arch∣deacons and the rest of that order.

MAnie and most euident haue our declarations bin concer∣ning the truth of that gouer∣ment, which Christ hath pre∣scribed in his word for the ruling of the Church; which we haue manife∣sted vnto you, both by our writinges & speches, as occasion hath bin offe∣red: neuer hath any one of you ta∣ken in hand to saye any thing against it, but it hath made his eyes to daz∣zle, as the clearest sun-shining; wher∣by he hath beene driuen to wander hyther and thyther, groping for eua∣sions, and yet coulde not escape, but hath fallen into infinite most mon∣strous absurdities, and blasphemous assertions, (as by their writinges yet extant it may appeare) so forcible is the trueth, to amaze the gainesayers thereof, and so pregnant is falsehood to beget and bring forth thousands of absurdities, and euery one worse

then other. And will you still conti∣nue in your damnable, and most de∣uellish course? Haue you solde your selues vnto Sathan, to fight for him vntill you be dampned in Hell with him? Haue you morgaged the salua∣tion of your soules & bodies, for the present fruition of your pompe and plesure, is it because you see not what you should do? It may be so, for ma∣ny are so blinde, that they grope e∣uen at noone day; but me thinkes it can hardly be so, vnlesse you be they that haue eyes and see not, for the cause hath bene (by the blessing of God) so managed, that many plough∣men, artificers, and children do see it, and know it, & are able by the worde of God to iustifie it, and condemne you to bee aduersaries vnto the gos∣pell in resisting it. But you think that gouernment not so needfull, & your fault but small (if it be any) in conti∣nuing your course begon. The neces∣sitie of the thing is many wayes appa∣rant, both in that it hath so plentiful warrant from Gods owne worde, (as

the course of this booke doeth eui∣dently declare,) and also in that the gospell can take no roote, nor haue any free passage, for want of it: and the greatnes of your fault appeareth by this, that in so doing, you are the cause, of all the ignorance, Atheisme, schismes, treasons, poperie and vn∣godlines, that is to be founde in this land, which we challenge to prooue to your faces, if we may indifferently be heard, and whereof in the meane while we will giue you a taste: for the first it is cleere, that you are the cau∣sers of that damnable ignoraunce, wherein the people are so generally wrapped, for that you haue from time to time stopped the streams of know¦ledge, in those places where the Lord in mercie bestowed the same, and in stead of able and painefull ministers, haue pestered the Churche, eyther with presumptuous proude persons, that are esteemed learned and take no paines to bring the people vnto the knowledge of Iesus Christe, or (which is the greatest nomber) such

ignorant asses, and filthy swine, as are not worthy to liue in a well ordered common-wealth: and that you are the cause of all atheisme, it is plaine, for one may (as in deede many doe) professe it, and you saye nothing to him for it. If the most filthy liuer will fawne vpon you, and bribe your ser∣uants, you will not onely fauor him, but assiste him against any godly mi∣nister or other: but if any that feare God, refuse to come vnder the leaste of your popish ceremonies, he shalbe molested, till his pursse be empty, or else by your tyrannous dealing, hee haue made shipwrack of a good con∣science. And are not you the cause of all schismes, that make a hotch-pot of true religion and poperye, and so giue some an occasion to fal into this course, and others into that? And it is as cleare, that you are so farre the cause of all treasons, as without you they had not bin: for if euery Church had had hir gouernement according to Christs institution; our yong gen∣tlemen, and studentes, had not bene

(for want of teaching and carefull o∣uersight) made a prey vnto the sedu∣cers; and consequently to those pra∣ctises, which haue broght the bodies of so manie vnto Tyborne, and their soules into hell; and who but you be the cause of poperye, whilest you vse them so well, let them doe what they list, yea, and keepe them in office and authoritie vnder you, yea (whiche more is) giue them such offices as none that is not popish can execute: I speake not of the ignorance which by your means raigneth euery wher, which (as they confes) is the mother of their deuotion, and you are the wretched fathers of that filthye mo∣ther, whereby you muste needes bee grandfathers (at the least) to al kinde of popery. And who can (without blu∣shing) denie you to be the cause of al vngodlines, seeing your gouernment is that which giueth leaue to a man to be any thing, sauing a sound Chri∣stian. For certainly it is more free in these dayes, to be a papist, anabaptist, of the family of loue, yea anye moste

wicked one whatsoeuer, then that which we should be, and I could liue these twentie years, any such in Eng∣land (yea in a Byshopps house it may be) and neuer be much molested for it; so true is that which you are char∣ged with, in a Dialogue lately come forth against you, and since burned by you, that you care for nothinge but the maintenaunce of your digni∣ties, be it to the damnation of your owne soules, and infinit millions mo: Enter therefore nowe at the last, into the serious consideration of these things: remember that one day, you must be presented before the tribu∣nall seat of Iesus Christ, to be arraig∣ned for all the soules that haue gone to hell (seeing you will needes be the rulers of the Church) since the gospel first appeared in this land, then shall you not bee excused with this; the Queene and Councell wil haue it so: nor with that; our state cannot beare it. For it shalbe sayde vnto you, why do you not infourme them better of my will, why taught you them not to

worship with trembling and feare, & to kisse the sonne least he bee angry; why did you not tell them, that all states must be ruled by my worde, & not my word by them and their pol∣licies. When these things shalbe laid to your charge, your consciences shal aunswere; that if you had done so, you should haue lost your dignityes, whiche you loued and sought for e∣specially: then shall you wishe, that the mountains would fall vpon you, and the hills couer you from the pre∣sence of the lambe, and from the pre∣sence of him that sitteth vppon the throne. And I am perswaded, that you are in league with hell, and haue made a couenaunt with death; yea, you doe perswade your selues, that there is no God, neyther shall there be any such day of account; or it were vnpossible, that you should giue your eyes anye sleepe, or take anye rest in your bedds, vntill you had vnto the Lord by repentance, and the Church by confession vnburdned your souls of these hellishe wayes, wherein you

haue so long walked Repent, repent, be not ashamed to amend, though o∣thers haue founde you out the way, iudge your selues whyle you haue time, least you be made fyrebrandes of hell beyond all time. Let our chal∣lenges that wee haue made in the name of the Lord, be hearkened vn∣to; Let vs bee disputed with before indifferent iudges, let the holy word of God bee the touch-stone to trye our di••••ntations by, and then shall it easily appeare, who hath the Lord on his side, and who not. The trueth wil preuaile in spite of your teeth, and al other aduersaries vnto it, (for God disdaineth to be crossed, by dust and ashes;) Therefore be not obstinate so long, as vntill you be found fighters with God; but preuent his wrath, lest it breake foorth against you like fyre that none can quench, because of the wickednes of your inuentions. Ven∣ture your byshopprickes vpon a dis∣putation, and wee will venture our liues, take the challenge if you dare: if the truth be on your side, you may

hereby, be restored to your dignities, and be no more troubled by vs: but if the trueth be against you, what shal it profit you to win the whole world, and afterward loose your own souls. If you refuse still our offer, then must you needes be guiltie eyther of this, that you know your cause will not a∣bide the tryal, or of this, that you wil take no pains to confute vs that keep such a sturre in the Church: do not think that because you haue humane authority on your side, therfore you are safe, for he whose authoritie is on our side, is the greatest, to whose voice all the deuils in hell shall stoup; much more the sillie arme of sinfull fleshe. We haue sought to aduaunce this cause of God, by humble suit to the parliamente, by supplication to your Conuocation house, by writing in defence of it, and by challenging to dispute for it, seeing none of these means vsed by vs haue preuailed; If it come in by that meanes, which wil make all your heartes to ake, blame your selues; for it must preuail, mau∣gre

the mallice of all that stande a∣gainst it, or such a iudgement must o∣uertake this lande, as shall cause the cares that heare thereof to tingle, & make vs be a by-word to all that pas by vs. The Lord open your eyes, that you may see the confusions whereof you are the cause, and giue you true repentance, or confounde you in all your purposes, that bee against him and the regiment of his sonne Iesus Christ. The same Lord, for the loue he beareth to his poore people; open the eyes of her Maiestie, and the Ho∣norable Councellers, that they may see your godlesse practises, and in pi∣tie to Gods people, rid vs from you, and turne awaye his iudgementes, which the reiecting of his holy yoke hath deserued, not punnishing them that mourne for the desolation of Sion, with those that spoile and make hauock of the Lords inheritaunce.

Amen.

Notes

• Omnia cum si∣ceant, non lice•• esse bonum.