A letter with animadversions upon the animadverter on the Bishop of Worcesters letter by J.C. ...

A letter with animadversions upon the animadverter on the Bishop of Worcesters letter by J.C. ...

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A Letter with Animadversions upon the Animadverter on the Bishop of Worcesters Letter.

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A Letter with Animadversions upon the Animadverter on the Bishop of Worcesters Letter.

SIR,

I Have perused the Pamphlet, and with it return you some slight Animadversions upon the slightest of Animadverters. He who called Presbyterians Demicasters in Divinity, was too superlative in his title of Honor, since with their great cry there is no wooll, only dirt and bristles. Few have run mad in these later times, who have not supposed all the world so beside themselves, as this phrensie-inspired Animadverter, who hath intituled the most sober, learned, and reverend Prelate, [...]o his own, and the passions of his Cock-brained party. Were St. Paul alive, and should ask again the question, Shall I come with a rod, or in love? he had undergone the Presbyterian censure, and with as much ease as an Arch-Presbyter made a Papist of Grotius, or the Synod an Heretick of Dr. Hammond, they would have made both of the Apostle.

[Page] Page 1. The Bishop, by the learned Animadverters concession, hath the better of Mr. Baxter. Hinc spargere voces. The Goliath of the Philistins is faln, and see now what weapons are brought to revenge the Champion, even tongues sharp as razors, and words like two edged swords.

Page 1. If heat be not mistaken for zeal, the Dog-days may prove dangerous.

This may be no useless Adnimadversion to the Animadverter. Hector adest, and with him Bedlam and Billingsgate rush into battel, the occasion of the grand quarrel being no other, then that the Bishop speaks truth, and tells us.

Page 2. Kings and Bishops must stand and fall together, and all who are enemies to the one, must be enemies to the other. He knows the much talked of Axiom, and the advantage to be taken by the late wars, is in his judgment for the Order of Bishops, a passionate lover of the Kings Person and Government, yet being called to speak truth (contrary to humor and interest) must needs say. 1. It is clear from story, that Kings were in all parts of the world in their most flourishing estate, before ever Bishops were heard of; and what hath once been, no reason can be given, why it may not with the same terms of convenience be again.

Our puny Historiographer sure calculates all time from the reign of Oliver, and dates Episcopacy only from this happier Restauration, or the flourishing of all Princes must be from Paganism, when Subjects were Slaves, Kingdoms only splendid Robberies, and Dirt and Blood went only to the composition of Kings. The Satyrists Ad generum Cereris, may inform their flourishing condition: Yet Rome had a Pontifex Maximus, and, could this pretender to story, be capable of any History, he could not be ignorant that the Romans attributed Success to their Piety, and to the care of the Gods the conquest of them they called Barbarous Nations. A Moses had Aaron an assistant, the Jewish Nation always an High Priest, the Primitive Christian Emperors, Bishops, nay, Patriarchs; and Papa signifies nothing but Pater Patriarcharum. Even the Turks in policy have a Mufti; and no Christian Nation was [Page] before the Reformation without a Bishop, nor since hath any wanted, beside that whose zeal is as cold and barren as their Country, and Religion consists only in Rapine and Blood. Now for a Sophomore or half-witted fellow to maintain Arguments against things evident to Sense and Reason, what is it but cum ratione insanire? to deny fire to be hot, water moist, snow white, to renounce our Senses to gratifie our Phancies, and believe any thing beside our own experience: When experience verifies the exercise of Episcopal Jurisdiction by Protestant Bishops, was for eighty years so far from diminishing the power, or eclipsing the lustre of English Princes, that Royal Power was only then triumphant, when Bishops by Princely favor enjoyed Courts, Jurisdictions, Honors, Priviledges, according to former Grants of ancient Kings, and the Laws and Customs of our own Nation. On the contrary, the miseries of Germany, Rebellions in France, Scotland, &c. the meditating the death of Queen Mary in England, the ruine of Queen Mary of Scotland, the menacing Queen Elizabeth and her Council, the excommunicating and violence put on King James, the Rebellion against, and after that, the Murder of King Charles, do all of them instruct Geneva an instiller of strangely loyal and Prince-preserving principles. The prevalency of the Smectymnuan faction, by lopping off what they called Luxuriant Branches of Episcopacy, made an easie way to take away Root and Branch, and soon after to verifie the Aphorism, No Bishop, no King. And now King and Bishops are restored to their just power, and God hath heard graciously the weak Prayers of an oppressed party, beyond the loud-crying Perjuries, Sacriledges and oppressions of their enemies, we cannot misdoubt (what troubles the Animadverter) so inseparable a dependance, so strict an Union betwixt King and Bishops, that Hypocrisie and Disloyalty may no longer reign in them, nor Perjury, Sacriledge, and Oppression, exercise an arbitrary soveraignty over us.

Secondly (saith he) Bishops as they are by Law established in England, are purely the Kings subordinate Ministers in the management of Ecclesiastical Affairs, which His Majesty may [Page]confer on what order of men He pleases. It is very injurious therefore to the Kings Authority, to aver He could not otherways uphold and maintain it, then by preserving the undue, and, as some think, the Antichristian Prelation of His inferior Officers.

Monster of deep Sense and Reason! This is no ordinary Call, which makes him speak such strange truths against Humor and Interest. Page 2. Much (he saith) he is in his judgment for the Order of Bishops, a passionate lover of the King and his Government. Sute, having run out of his wits to make room for an heretical spirit, he must obey the impulsion, that he may be the fitter Champion for Mr. Baxter, producing Arguments of no more consequence then his. The Kingly Office will prove as undue, and Prelation be thought as much Antichristian, as this of his Inferior Officers; since Nihil dat quod non habet, and (as the Animadverter) Bishops are purely the Kings subordinate Ministers, in the management of Ecclesiastical Affairs.

The Presbyter and Independent suppose they have sufficiently confuted whatsoever they mislike, if they pronounce it Popish or Antichristian. Yet in this, as in other things, they symbolize with the Papists, and divide the branch of Antichristianism. The Presbyterian Consistories claim as ample and absolute Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction over Princes, and power to excommunicate them, as Papists challenge due to the Pope. Independents exempt their Congregations, as Pontisicians their Clergy. Our Bishops and Conformists pretend neither Jurisdiction over the King, nor Allegiance to be withdrawn from him; but in all matters, either Ecclesiastical or Civil acknowledge him to have the supreme power. The injury then to the Kings power is, that the Bishops are good Subjects, and good Christians; or that they have a preheminence in power, that there may not be as many Schisms as Priests. Sure the Kings interest stands not with the Devils and a Tyrants, to divide by Sects, least all may unite against Him, but to unite all, that they may agree in the service of God, and of him who is Gods Vicegerent.

[Page] Thirdly, Bishops are little useful to support the Regal Dignity, being the greatest enemies to Soveraignty; intermedling in Civil affairs, and mangling the Church Authority in Church matters, leaving the King nothing of Supremacy.

Had not this trifler been lost as much to good Books as Brains, he might have learned of the most eminent B. Saunderson, That derived power is so far from destroying the original from whence it is derived, as it rather confirmeth and establisheth it. The farther it is extended, so it be regular, the more it serveth to illustrate the honor of the original; since the efficient cause is best known by the greatness of the effect: For, Propter quod unumquodque est tale, illud ipsum est magis tale. And did not the valor of this Champion proceed only from his ignorance, when Protestant Bishops only profess, maintain and submit to Regal Supremacy, he could not thus whiffle to no greater purpose, then the calling of his Brains into question.

Page 3. The Bishop cannot be Pastor of all the Congregations in his Diocess: For since a Bishop cannot otherwise discharge his duty, then by Substitutes, the Bishop of Rome may as well oversee a Million of Churches, as the Bishop of Worcester Five hundred.

Most Logical and profound! A Steward who oversees laborers, may with a like faculty, employ, encourage, and take account of five thousand as five.

He forbears to urge the contrary practise of Paul and Peter, hopes the Bishop not angry he calls them not Saints, who need no honor from the Popes Calendar.

The Saintship sure belongs to Peters, not St. Peter. He need not believe the Scripture, since the Pope calls it the Word of God; or there was a Saviour, he had Apostles, and those were Bishops, since it comes but from tradition, and that from the Pope, and who knows how far the Bishop of Rome hath put in his foot into the Pot?

Page 4. Here this Ridiculum caput tortures in [...] Overseers or Bishops, [...] overseeing or acting like Bishops, not like the Bishop of Worcester, Lording over Gods [Page]heritage, but as patterns to the flock, Strange Overseers, who have no power over deceitful workers. He takes no notice of St. Pauls course (like the Bishops) which he took with Alexander the Copersmith, with Demas, Philelus, and Hymeneus, does only tanquam Canis ad Nilum, [...]ap and away. But sure they need not fear Crocodiles, who are what we call Crocodiles, the worst of Dissemblers.

The next trouble is, Who come in by the wrong door, are called Thieves and Robbers. He who would be angry with Christ, Ignatius would scarce please, with a who doth any thing without the Bishops Licence [...], serves the Devil; nor St. Cyprian with his Unum scire debes siquis cum Episcopo non sit, in Ecclesiâ non esse, That he who is not with the Bishop, is not in the Church. The Church maintaining the Ordinations of Presbyters for meer nullities in themselves, cannot own their Ordinations without renouncing the Catholick Church. Omnis Ecclesia appellata est virgo, as St. Austin. He who commits a rape by entring by force, may be intituled to punishment, not matrimony, though this fumivendulus A. would have Presbyterian Ordination as little to be impeached, as marriage. Oh, but Christ silenced the Scribes and Pharisees with Arguments only, which the Bishop can never do. In this only the Mythologist is to be believed. We have an honest Fathers word for it, St. Austine, with a quid promobis exercitatissime Scripturarum? si quid defenderis, negetur; si quid negaveris, defendetur: Tit contra nihil promoves, nisi vocem perdis in declamatione, nisi bilem suscitas de blasphematicis. All the learning of this most Reverend Prelate, gains nothing beside the anger of blasphemous Schismaticks.

That the Bishops says, Presbyterians preach sedition and treason, is most false, and directly contrary to their declared principles.

It would be worth the inquiry, whether this Declaration was ever in England or Scotland, or Calvin made it at the Expulsion of the lawful Prince, the Bishop of Geneva.

The Pharisees taught blasphemy, yet our Saviour like the Bishop, did not go about to prohibit them by force.

[Page] This Sciamachist will forget both our Saviours power, and the Kings, and that he called Bishops the Kings subordinate Ministers, and rarely infers, Sedition, Treason, and Blasphemy, must be all preached and tolerated, or else the Bishops usurpe a power Christ never gave, and at the last day (as our Grand Polemick) Christ will not thank them for the exercise of it.

He seems much concerned in the Bishops distinction about the Act of Indempnity, and Act of Oblivion; that the King by it only pardoned the corporal punishment; but the Church had not, nor ought not to forgive the scandal, till honorable amends were made her by Confession and Recantation.

It is evident (as the incomparable Thorndike observes) that the whole Church was governed by Bishops, and that not against Gods Law, for then there could have remained no Church, and therefore the pretence of Governing the Church by Presbyters, is a breach of unitie, unless a part may give law to the whole, which, who do so, are by so doing Schismaticks; then how should that communion be counted a Church which receive Schismaticks as Schismaticks, viz. without renouncing positions destructive to faith, & obligations for their future not infringing the unity of the Church. St. Austine to the Donatists objections, that the Church received their Apostates without rebaptizing them, could have had no answer, had he not had this; That the Church, received them, not as Donatists, but converted from Donatists, and not refusing to make a profession. I wish Mr. B. & ejusdem farinae sodales, these Donatists, for so they were pleased to call themselves, Gifted persons, would make such professions, or else what assurance can be given a Church, that when they preach, they open not their mouths, only to widen our differences?

Page 8. As for the Chain of Consequences which the Bishop links and ties together, as from diversitie in external Rites, ariseth dislike; from dislike, enmity; from enmity, opposition; then Schism in the Church, and Sedition in the State; the Church cannot be safe without unitie, nor unitie without uniformity;[Page]nor uniformity without a rigorus imposition, is a Rope of sand, and the parts of the Chain as little hang together, as Sampsons Foxes before they were tyed together by the tayls, which course the Bishop doth imitate, not forgetting to put the Firebrand into the comparison.

Mentiris Bellarmine! Learnedly and Politickly confuted. Sure beloved, in Truth and in good Sooth-law, you and your fellow Schismaticks are the Rope of Sand, twisted into an association; you and your Partners are the Sampsons Foxes, who divided by the heads, without the Bishops chain, would be tyed by the tail with Firebrands to the combustion of Church and State.

Page 9. Nothing is more clear, then there hath bin, nay ought to be, diversitie in External Forms, without any dislike at all as to the person of another.

The greatest Doctors may dissent (as St. Austine) [...] fidei compage, and concord may be preserved, which is the effect of charitie, since it is unio voluntatum non opinionum; and as our Incomparable Bishop Land, It could be wished all would be what the Apostle exhorts, of one mind, but it is not to be hoped, till the Church is triumphant over humane frailties, which here hang thick and close about her; the want of unitie, even where Relion is pretended, proceeds rather from men and humors, then things and errors to be found in them. In unitate fidei diversa sit consuetudo, as St. Gregorie, is true in National Churches. For, as a Father, the Multitude, and I may say, diversitie of Ceremonies, is so far from infringing, as they commend the unity of the Church, while all agree in one Faith. The eating of Meats offered to Idols, totally restrained the Churches of Syria and Cilicia, seems permitted to the Church of Corinth: if no body challenged it, what was urged upon the Corinthians, was not imposed upon the Galatians, to shew every one is obliged to observe the Rites of his own Church, lest they come under the Anathema of contentious and troublesome. Neither Kingdom nor Church can stand which is divided in it self; while there is no King in Israel, every one doth what is good in his own eyes; when there is no Bishop, there may be as many [Page] Schisms as Priests; hence, as St. Hierom, in Schismatis remedium factum est, quod unus electus qui caeteris praeponeretur, ne unusquisque ad se trahens ecclesiae tunicam rumperet.

Page 10. Kneeling at the Sacrament is manifestly most Superstitious; for, First it varies most from the first pattern. Secondly, it hath been monstrously abused by Papists to Idolatry.

Sure this Babe in understanding, cannot go above his first rudiments, or childes gibberish. Why doth he not argue for communion with the Leveller, baptizing in Rivers with the Anabaptists, making life a peniless pererration with the Franciscan, plead for leaning one upon the other at the Lords Supper, and lying down at the Table, and taking of it after Supper? For these were the primitive patterns. As Chrysostome, Theodoret, Isychius, Eucherius, and other primitive Fathers, by a [...], &c. calling it a Transfiguration, Conversion, Mutation, Translation, Transelementation, though not a [...], if they have lent some occasion of error to the Papists, yet may instruct us of the primitive reverence at the taking; could we neither believe a St. Ambrose, nor a St. Austine, that we must have Sursum corda, & nemo digne manducat, nisi prius adoraverit. But ah! the Papists abuse it to Idolatry! And oh! the Presbyterian abuses the Scripture, and makes it what the Papist calls a Nose of Wax, therefore they must not be allowed to read the Scriptures. This Illogical fellow and Mr. B. must make no more Arguments, because some of them have ill consequences, must never warm his fingers, because some have been burnt with fire, or wash his foul mouth, because some have been choaked with water. We are not to offend weak ones, but it is observable, none are so ready to take offence, as those who are most proclive to give it, imperious, petulant, and envious Sciolists; and to fear to offend them, is not to have respect to the weak in faith, but strong in passions.

Page 11. Truly, Sir, I am a little angry.

Lord help it, poor thing, art angry? Choler spoyls the memory, as thou sayest, and thou hast but a weak one, Et mendacem[Page]memorem esse oportet. Thou art a lover of the King, his Government, and the order of Bishops, and could you not scruple to pray, and pray heartily too? Lord deliver us from such Bishops, and let all the people say, Amen. Lord send us more such Bishops, and let all the people say, Amen, that they be no longer worried by Wolves in Sheeps-cloathing. For though Sir Politick-would-be, will tell him in his ears, Page 9. Our Wars did not arise from the separation of conscientious Dissenters, but from the violence and fury of inconscionable imposers; though cock brained Sciolists know nothing, wisemen cannot be ignorant, that the want of such Bishops lent occasion to our misery, and he speaks truth against his will; only it was not conscientious Dissenters, they could not turn disloyal, but furious and violent imposers on the people by their holy art of jugling, while Anti-clergy Lecturers were tolerated to the eternal disgrace of Religion, to spit fire like Juglers, and preaching which brought in Religion, seemed designed to carry it out of the World: The hour of temptation was spent in invectives against Church and State, whimsies about Antichrist, the accomplishing Brightmans Dreams, and stuff like these fit only to be studied in Bedlam, and practised at Billingsgate. I conclude with the ingenious Osborne, that story which prosecuted might expunge all villany legible in History.

Page 11. But the A. too will leave his prosecution to some more able pen in Divinity and policy, &c.

The Bishops more able pen in Divinity and Policy, may convince the world this is no time to sow tares, and we hope the Age is wiser then to be gull'd by every gut-inspir'd-Ideot who can suppose he vents oracles out of his Belly.

Next he runs into a furthermore (Sermon-maker-like) he crives leave to give a taste of deep wisdom, or rather his own shallow wit, in three particulars. 1. In that he declaims so fierce as he would break his girdle against all those who force all Communicants to come unto them, and be particularly examined; this is a man of straw, set up to get him an heat this cold weather. 2. He thinks it politickly done, to declaim against the Covenant. 3. He cannot commend his wisdom enough for resolving angrily to write no more.

[Page] 1. Though the girdle is whose, and contains more solid wisdom, and sober piety then a Jewish Sanhedrim or whole Assembly of addle brain'd-smectymnuans, we cannot doubt the Animadverters brain so crackt, as it can retain neither truth, wit, nor honesty. 2. It was zeal, not policy made Eliah destroy the Idol of Baals Priests, as this good Bishop the Idol of Bawling Priests, a Covenant. 3. The Scribler might have been more commended for his wisdom, had he not writ, then thus to have writ without wisdom. But because the Bishop will write no more, he scribbles: thus [...]: If an Ass kicks, or a Dog barks, a wise man neirther kicks the one, nor barks at the other, if we believe Socrates. To be as brief in his Character as he hath been with the most Reverend and Learned Bishop, he is what (while he would nibble at wit) he calls, a man of straw, set up to be threshed, yet not worth the threshing, since chaff and dust, without a grain of wit, is to be gained only by this stramineous Animadverter. There is no use to be made of his straw above what cut-purses do, to tickle some idle ears to gain the opportunity of picking their pockets, as perhaps he hath done to such a person of honour and quality, as in this last weeks triumph he might have rid on horseback with his face reversed before the sledges, stuffed with such furniture, as at first cast dirt on the Fathers of the Church, and in their ruine made way for the Murder of the Father of the Countrey, our Churches Martyr, Charles the first. He raves, talks of heat and Dog-days; and sure the days are present, when every over-heated brain, or pidler in knowledge, Cur-like, barks at Coelestial Bodies, because they cannot attain either their height or lustre. A Dog who bites at stones would be too sober a character for him, who hath all the symptoms of a mad Dog, raves, fomes with malice, snatches at every thing meets him, and runs on without fear or wit to destruction. The shaking of a whip is the fittest weapon for such a Champion; for other weapons being useless to the conquest of slaves, this cannot be successless against him, who is a slave to slaves, in vassalage to the worst of passions. The Bishop, if he hath a sting, it is Bee-like, for the gathering of [Page] honey into the hive of the Church, but such Insects as this, who are onely quickned out of the putrifaction of an intemperate climate, run out into legs, for want of blood, translate the best things into poyson with the spider, or buzze, and make a noyse with the fly, and taint every thing with their evil breaths. If this be the Presbyterian Goliath, there is no danger of him, for we may be assured he hath got a stone in his noddle, or else he could have never ventured with a pepper-box on so eminent a person, upon the empty fiction of a Mouses killing an Elephant. But lest I should dwell upon nothing, or a subject that is worth nothing, farewell. Onely remember me to the Animadverter, who may be better cured by Physick then Divinity. What the Letter is defective in, the Profession shall supply, of him,

Who is ingaged to serve you, and him for your sake, J. C.

FINIS.

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§

§

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[Page] A LETTER WITH Animadversions upon the Animadverter On the BISHOP of VVorcesters Letter.

By J. C. M. D.

—Mentiri nescio. Librum,

Si malus est, nequeo laudare—

Juv. Sat. III.

[figure]

London, Printed for M. B. 1661.

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Title statement

A letter with animadversions upon the animadverter on the Bishop of Worcesters letter by J.C. ...

Collop, John.

Edition statement

1661

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Text Creation Partnership,

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2005-10 (EEBO-TCP Phase 1).

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A34016

ID [STC]

Wing C5393

ID [STC]

ESTC R21084

ID [EEBO-CITATION]

12049087

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ocm 12049087

ID [VID]

53120

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(EEBO-TCP ; phase 1, no. A34016)

Transcribed from: (Early English Books Online ; image set 53120)

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— A letter with animadversions upon the animadverter on the Bishop of Worcesters letter by J.C. ..., Collop, John..

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14 p.

Printed for M.B.,. London :: 1661.. (Reproduction of original in Union Theological Seminary Library, New York.) (Attributed to John Collop. cf. NUC pre-1956.)

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