TO THE READER.

THE Booke which we here under∣take to answer, is so full fraught with bitter invectives, false asper∣tions, hyperbolicall confidence, selfe contradictions, and such like extravagancies, as that we have thought fit to lay them all before thee in one full view by way of preface, rather then to interrupt our following discourse by observing them as they lie scattered in the booke it selfe. Suffer us there∣fore to give thee notice of these few particulars.

First, wee are deepely charged and accused not onely to the ordinarie Reader but even to the Kings Majestie himself, of misallegations, misinterpretations, mistranslations, and false quotations, and that in such an high nature as that the Authour calles God to wit∣nesse, before whom he is shortly to give an account that hee never saw any Author that would dare to professe Page  [unnumbered] Christian sincerity so fowle to overlash. And this is not once or twice but often repeated with great asseve∣ration & exclamations. Which when we first reade (being conscious of our innocency and fidelity) we could not but stand amazed and wonder to see our selves so unexpectedly and wee hope undeservedly transformed into men (or rather monsters of men) so transcedently perfidious, and so supersuperla∣tively unfaithfull and wicked. And indeede, if to be accused to a fault bee a sufficient argument to make us guilty, wee must needes bee for ever branded with such an high measure of ignominy, as that it is not a whole sea of water that will serve to wash off the filth of such accusations. But wee doubt not but that the ingenuous peruser of this booke will finde that as it was the glory of one of the Cato's that hee was thirty times accused and yet never sound guiltie: so it will be our honour and credit when hee shall see that all this clamour and noyse is but a bearing of false witnesse against his brethren. Si accusasse sat est quis erit innocens. It was the the wicked counsell of Matchiavell Ca∣lumniare fortiter & aliquid adhoerebit. This counsell the Papists have made use of in answering of Pro∣testant writers, and the Bishops themselves in their answers to some of the unconforming Mi∣nisters bookes. And we have good reason to thinke that the Authour of this Defence hath trod in the same steps. For after all his generall exclamations and accusations, there are but foure places in which hee undertakes to prove us false. The first is for halfe citing of Hieroms testimonie. The second Page  [unnumbered] is for abusing Nazianzene. The third is for mis∣interpreting Origen about Lay Elders. The fourth is for foysting in Cyprian. True it is, hee tells us of want of fidelity in citing the Counsell of Anti∣och and Ancyra, of misalledging of Whitakers, of misenglishing Tertullian, and of guilty trans∣lating of Iustin Martyr. But hee doth not so much as endeavour to make good what he tells us, and therefore we cannot but beleeve that hee used more Machiavelisme then honestly in such aspersions. As for Authors which hee himselfe hath both misalledged and misinterpreted, wee doe not onely say it, but the Reader shall finde it demonstratively proved in the ensuring trea∣tise.

Secondly, if to be railed upon, reviled, slight∣ed, and scorned bee sufficient to bring men into discredit, then certainely, we must be esteemed as 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 as the dung, of scouring, and filth of the world. For ne∣ver man since Mountagues Appeale, wrote with more scorne and contempt. Wee are ca•led Vaine, frivolous, Cavillers, insolent, spightfull, ri∣otous, proud, false, unjust, triflers, factious, Brother∣ly slanderers, sullen and crabbed peices, Lyars, egre∣gious and palpable calumniators, wilfully shutting our eyes against the truth such as the Readers may be ashamed off, witlesse, malicious, uncharitable, envious, frivolous wasters of unseasonable words, swelling up a windy bulke with groundlesse excep∣tions against our eyes and conscience, tedious and loose disputers, Patronizers of branded Heretiques, Page  [unnumbered] impotent, weake, and absurd men, grossely ignorant, such as fowly over-reach, men of weake judge∣ment, and strong malice; commonly spightfull, and seldome witty, violent and subtile machina∣tors against, and disturbers of Gods ordinances, some whole sections meere declamations, worthy of nothing but of contempt and silence, ill bred sons of the Church, spitting in the face of our Mother, fomentors of unjust dislikes against law∣full goverment, making wickedly false suggesti∣ons, wanting witt and grace to understand the true meaning of the Jus Divinum of Episcopacy, wor∣thy to be punished for their presumption, & dis∣obedience, men that make no conscience by what meanes wee uphold a side and winne a Proselyte. These are the flowers with which his defence is garnished, and the titles with which he honours those whom hee calles his Brethren. Wee will make no other Apologie for our selves, but what Austin did in the same kind, who when hee was told that his railing adversarie was to hard for him, hee said it was and easie thing that way to conquer Austin, but the Reader should perceive it was Clamore not veritate, by loud crying not by truth: And what Hierom saith against Helvidius, Arbitror te veritate convictum a maledicta converti. It is a signe of a man not able to stand before the truth, when hee betakes himselfe to re∣proachfull language.

Thirdly, if multitude of daring protestations and bold asseverations be sufficient proofes of ar∣guments Page  [unnumbered] propounded, and if confident slight∣ings, and scornefull denyalls bee sufficient an∣swers to us, and our arguments, never any man hath better defended Episcopacie or more strongly confuted those that oppose it. In his very first page hee begges the question, and affirmes his cause to bee Gods cause, Gods truth, and if his opposers were as many Legi∣ons as men, hee would meet them undismayed, and say with holy David; Though an host should encampe against mee, my heart should not feare, but with just confidence I gladly fly to the barre of this high and Honorable Court, (And yet by his leave hee thought it his best wisdome to fly from this barre, and to dedicate his book to the Kings Majestie alone, and not to the two houses:) And in another place hee saith, the Apostles practise is so irrefragable for them, that if wee doe but adde the unquestionable practise of their immediate successors: hee knowes not what more light can bee desired for the mani∣festation of the truth of his opinion. In his E∣pistle to the King hee saith, That if hee doth not make it appeare that wee have abused our Rea∣der with false shewes of misalleadged antiquities, and meerely colourable pretences of proofes, let the blemish of his reputation leade way to the shar∣pest censure upon his person. (Iust like the Au∣thour of Episcopacie by Divine right, who is so confident against Lay Elders; That hee offers to forfeit his life to justice, and his re∣putation to shame, if any man living can shew Page  [unnumbered] that ever there was a Ruling Elder in the world till Farel and Viret first created them: (And yet hee could not but know that Arch-Bi∣shop Whitgift (as well seene in Antiquitie as himselfe) confesseth that there were Ruling Elders in the Primitive Church. Thus also doth Bishop King; Saravia himselfe thinkes the governement of Ruling Elders to be good and profitable.) In his answer to our argu∣ments, sometimes hee tells us that wee prove nothing but our bold ignorance and absurd incon∣sequences: Otherwhile hee saith, Poore ar∣guments scarce worthy of a passe. These are tri∣fling cavills not worth the answer. Verball ex∣ceptions which will sinke like light froath. Meere declamations worthie of no answer but contempt and scorne. forbeare Reader, if you can to smile at this curious subtilty: What Cabalisme have wee here? Our quaeries are made up of nothing but spight and slander. His ordinarie answer toour Testimonies out of Antiquity is: This Authour is misalledged. That Father abused. This Coun∣cell shuffled up with little fidelitie. Away with your unproving illustrations and unregardable testimo∣nies. And this is all the answer hee gives. Throughout the whole booke he endeavours to render us to the Reader as destitute of all learning, as if our reading had never gone be∣yond a Polyanthea. Hee calles us boldly igno∣rant. And that wee would make the Reader be∣leeve that wee had seene a Father. And that we would seeme to have seene the Canon Law. And Page  [unnumbered]that it is enough wee can shew a little reading to no purpose. But in all these and many more such like Sarcasmes and vaine Rhetoricati∣ons hee doth but act the part of his Hierarchi∣call predecessors whose chiefe answers have beene scoffes and scornes; and therefore what learned Rivetus saith of Bishop Mounta∣gue may with as much truth bee averred of this namelesse Author. Montacutius vir certe∣doctus, sed admodum praefidens, & tumidus a∣liorum contemptor, & suggillator. And in ano∣ther place.*Non potest vir ille sine convitijs quemquam a quo dissentit vel in levissimis nomi∣nare. But what strength and weight there is in such kinde of arguments and answers, let the wise Reader judge.

And yet not withstanding all this confidence & Thrasonicall boasting we desire thee to observe:

Fourthly, That if the whole booke were divided into foure parts, there is one quarter of which he makes no mention, but passeth it over either with scorne or silence. And where our arguments are strongest there hee slides away without answering, which cannot but make the judicious Reader beleeve that hee thought the yron to hot for him, and therefore would not touch it least it should burne his owne fingers; as himselfe saith pag. 21. And even in those things wherein hee under∣takes to answere us we cannot but give notice that wee have confitentem reum, and in effect the cause granted in those things which are Page  [unnumbered] most materiall. For when wee prove from Scripture the Identity of Bishops and Presby∣ters both in name and office, he tells us with a little varying of our words; Wee idly loose our labour. It neede bee no scruple to us: It is in expresse termes granted, when we prove that there are not three degrees of Ministery in the Scripture (to wit, Bishops, Presbyters, and Deacous) hee answers, it is granted; you speake of the Apostles writings, but I of their successors. Hee granteth also that the Primi∣tive Bishops were elected by the Clergie, and people. That Bishops ought not to have sole pow∣er in Ordination, and Iurisdiction. That they ought not to delegate their power to others. That the ordinary managing of secular imployments is improper for them. And hee doth almost grant that there were Lay-Elders in antiquity. For whereas the Author of Episcopacy by Divine right affirmeth, that the name of Elders of the Church in all antiquity comprehendeth none but Preachers, and that therefore they onely may bee called Seniores Ecclesiae, though some others may have the title of Seniores populi, because of their civill authority. This Author acknowledgeth that besides Pastors, and besides the Magistrates and Elders of the City there are to bee found in antiquity Se∣niores Ecclesiastici. Indeede hee saith, that these were but as our Churchwardens, or Vestry men. But how true this is, the Reader shall see in due place: Lastly, hee grants that all that wee Page  [unnumbered] say in the Postscripts about the Popish Prelates is true, Celari non potuit negari non debuit. And for what we say of the Protestant Bishops he denies not the truth of it only he chides for taxing all for the fault of some.

And in these things wherein hee doth diametri∣cally oppose us, hee doth frequently contradict himselfe and his best friends. In his Epistle dedica∣tory hee professeth that he taxeth not our ability, yet in the same Epistle hee calles us impotent assailants, and afterwards. Men of weake judgements and strong malice. And Men that would seeme to have seene a Fa∣ther. And that all that we say is nothing but bold ig∣norance. Pag. 94. he saith, That to acknowledge an Ordinary Evangelist is a phancy and a dreame. And yet elsewhere he makes every Preacher of the Gospell to be an Evangelist. In his Remonstrant and in his defence he saith, that Bishops had beene every where throughout all the Regions of the Christian world. And that all Churches throughout the whole Christian world have uniformely and constantly maintained Episcopa∣cy. And yet elsewhere he denies that ever hee said, That Bishops were every where, and confesseth that there are lesse noble Churches that doe not conferre to Episcopall Governement. Pag. 161. hee tells us, that for 1600 yeares the name of Bishops hath bin appropri∣ated (in a plain contradistinction) to the governors of the Church: But in other places he often grants that the Name was confounded, and ascribed to Presby∣ters are well as Bishops. In his 36. pag. he saith, That in his Remonstrance hee made no mention of Diocesan Bishops, whereas all know that he undertooke the defence of such Bishops which were petitioned a∣gainst Page  [unnumbered] in Parliament, whom none will deny to bee Diocesan Bishops. In his 5. pag. (speaking of the changing of Civill governement mentioned in the Remonstrance) he professeth that he did not aime at our Civill Governement. Let but the Reader survey the words of the Remonstance pag. 8. and it will appeare plainely ac si solaribus radijs descriptum esset. That the comparison was purposely made betwixt the attempts of them that would have altered our Ci∣vill governement, and those that indeavored the al∣teration of our Church governement. And where∣as he bids as pag. 135. to take our soleordination and sole jurisdiction to sole our next paire of shoes withall, yet notwitstanding hee makes it his great worke to answer all our arguments against the sole power of Bishops, and when all is done, allowes the Presbyter onely an assistance, but no power in Ordination nor jurisdiction. Lastly, in the stating of the question he distinguisheth betweene divine and Apostolicall au∣thority, and denyeth that Bishops are of Divine au∣thority as ordained immediately by Christ. And yet he saith, That Christ himselfe hath laid the ground of this imparitie in his first agents. And that by the evi∣dence of Timothy and Titus, and the Asian Angels (to whom Christ himselfe wrote) he hath made good that just claime of the sacred Hierarchy.

This is the summe of that (good Reader) that we thought fit to praemonish thee of. Wee now dis∣misse thee to the booke it selfe, and commend thee and it, to the blessing of God.