I Shall not need to speak of the Infamous Course of Libell­ing in any kind. Nor of the Punishment of it, which in some cases was Capitall by the Imperial Laws.

Nor how patiently some great Men, very great Men indeed, have bourn the tearing and rending of their Credit and Reputation, with a gentle, nay, a generous mind.

But of all Libels, they are most odious which pretend Re­ligion: as if that of all things did desire to be defended by a Mouth that is like an open Sepulcher, or by a Pen that is made of a sick and a loathsome Quill.

There were times when Persecutions were great in the Church, even to exceed Barbarity it self: did any Martyr or Confessor, in those times, Libel the Governours? Surely no; not one of them to my best Remembrance: Yet these complain without cause; and in the mean time Libel and rayl without all measure. So little of kin are they to those which suffer for Christ, or the least part of Christian Reli­gion.

My Lords, It is not every mans spirit to hold up against the Venome which Libellers spit. For S. Ambrose, who was a stout and a worthy Prelate, tells us, not that himself, but that a far greater Man than he, that's K. David, had found out (so it seems in his judgement 'twas no matter of ordinary a­bility) Grande inventum, a great and mighty invention, how to swallow and put off those bitter contumelies of the Tongue: and those of the Pen are no whit less, and spread farther: And it was a great one indeed, and well beseemed the great­ness of David. But I think it will be far better for me to look upward, and practise it, than to look downward, and dis­course upon it.

In the mean time I shall remember what an Antient under the name of S. Hierom tells me, Indignum est & praeposterum, 'Tis unworthy in it self, and preposterous in demeanour for a man to be ashamed for doing good, because other men glo­ry in speaking Ill.

And I can say it clearly and truly, as in the presence of God, I have done nothing, as a Prelate, to the uttermost of what I am conscious, but with a single heart, and with a sincere in­tention for the good Government and Honour of the Church, and the maintenance of the Orthodox Truth and Religion of Christ professed, established, and maintained in this Church of England.

For our care of this Church, the upholding of the External Worship of God in it and the setling of it to the Rules of its first Reformation, are the causes (and the sole causes, what ever are pretended) of all their malice against us.

For 'tis most apparent to any man that will not wink, that the Intention of these men, and their Abettors, is to raise Sedi­tion, being as great Incendiaries in the State (where they get power) as they have ever been in the Church; Novation him­self hardly greater.

Our main Crime is (would they all speak out, as some of them do) that we are Bishops: were we not so, some of us might be as passable as other men.

And a great trouble 'tis to them, that we maintain that our Calling of Bishops is Jure Divino, by Divine Right: This I will say, and abide by it, that the Calling of Bishops is Jure Divino, by Divine Right, though not all Adjuncts to their calling. And this I say in as direct opposition to the Church of Rome, as to the Phanatick humour.

And I say farther, that from the Apostles times, in all ages, in all places, the Church of Christ was Governed by Bishops: And Lay-Elders never heard of, till Calvins new-sangled de­vice at Genova.

Now this is made by these men, as if it were Contra Regem, against the King, in right or in power.

But that's a meer ignorant shift; for our being Bishops, Ju­re Divino, by Divine Right, takes nothing from the Kings Right or power over us. For though our Office be from God and Christ immediately, yet may we not exercise that power, either of Order or Jurisdiction, but as God hath appointed us, that is, not in his Majesties, or any Christian Kings Kingdo [...], but by and under the power of the King given us so to do.

And were this a good Argument against us, as Bishops, it must needs be good against Priests and Ministers too; for themselves grant that their Calling is Jure Divino, by Divine Right; and yet I hope they will not say, that to be Priests and Ministers is against the King, or any His Royal Preroga­tives.

Next, suppose our Callings, as Bishops, could not be made good Jure Divino, by Divine Right; yet Jure Ecclesiastico▪ by Ecclesiastical Right it cannot be denyed. And here in Eng­land the Bishops are confirmed, both in their power and means, by Act of Parliament. So that here we stand in as good case, as the present Laws of the Realm can make us. And so we must stand, till the Laws shall be repealed by the same, power that made them.

Now then, suppose we had no other string to hol [...] by (I say suppose this, but I grant it not) yet no man can Lib [...]l against [Page 4]our Calling (as these men do) be it in Pulpit, Print, or other­wise, but he Libels against the King and the State, by whose Laws we are established. Therefore, all these Libels, so far forth as they are against our Calling, are against the King and the Law, and can have no other purpose, than to stirr up Sedition among the people.

If these men have any other intention, or if they have any Christian or charitable desire, to reform any thing amiss; why do they not modestly Petition His Majesty about it, that in his Princely Wisdom he might set all things right, in a Just and Orderly manner? But this is neither their Intention, nor way. For one clamours out of his Pulpit, and all of them from the Press, and in a most virulent and unchristian manner set themselves to make a heat among the people; and so by Mu­tiny, to effect that, which by Law they cannot: And, by most false and unjust Calumnies to defame both our Callings and Persons. Put for my part, as I pitty their rage, so I hear­tily pray God to forgive their malice.

No Nation hath ever appeared more jealous of Religion, then the people of England have ever been. And their zeal to Gods glory hath been, and at this day is a great honour to them. But this Zeal of theirs, hath not been at all times and in all persons, alike guided by Knowledge. Now Zeal, as it is of excellent use, where it sees it's way: so is it very dan­gerous company, where it goes on in the dark: And these Men, knowing the Disposition of the people, do labour all they can to mis-inform their knowledge, and misguide their Zeal, and so to fire that into a Sedition, in hope that they, whom they causlesly hate, might miscatry in it.

For the main scope of these Libels is, to kindle a Jealousie in mens minds, that there are some great Plots in hand, to change the Orth [...]dox Religion established in England, and to bring in, J know not what, Romish Superstition in the Room of it. As if the external decent worship of God could not be upheld in this Kingdom, without bringing in of Popery.

Now by this Art of theirs, give me leave to tell you, that the King is most desperately abused and wounded in the minds of his people. For there is not a more cunning trick in the World, to withdraw the peoples hearts from their Sove­raign, than to perswade them that he is changing true Reli­gion, and about to bring in gross Superstition upon them.

For his Majesty. This I know, and upon this occasion take it my duty to speak: There is no Prince in Christendom more sincere, both in the Truth of the Religion here established, and in Resolution to maintain it.

And for the Prelates. I assure my self, they cannot be so base, as to live Prelates in the Church of England, and labour to bring in the Superstitions of the Chu [...]ch of Rome, upon them­selves and it. And if any should be so foul, I do not onely leave him to Gods Judgement, but if these Libellers, or any other, can discover that his base and irreligious falshood) to shame also, and severe punishment from the State: And in any just way, no mans hand shall be more, or sconer against him, than mine shall be.

For as basely as these men conceive of us, yet I thank God, we know our duty well both to God and the King: And I know that all the duty we owe to the King, is under God: And our great happiness is, that we live under a Gracious and a Religious King, that will ever give us leave to serve God first, and Him next.

I shall end all with a passage out of S. Cyprian, when he, then Bishop of Carthage, was bitterly rayled upon by a pack of Schismaticks, his answer was, and 'tis now mine; They have rayled both bitterly and falsly upon me, and yet Non oportet me paria cum illis facere: it becomes not me to answer them with the like, either Levities or Revilings, but to Speak and Write that only which becomes Sacerdotem Dei, a Priest of GOD.