A VINDICATION OF THE BISHOP OF Durham, FROM THE VILE AND scandalous calumnies OF A libel entitled THE DOWNFALL OF hierarchy, &c. LONDON, Printed by Richard Cotes, for Robert Milborne, and are to be sold at his shop, at the sign of the holy lamb in Little-britain, or at britains-burse. 1641. A VINDICATION OF THE BISHOP OF Durham, FROM THE VILE AND Scandalous Calumnies of a libel entitled the downfall of episcopacy, &c. IT hath been always the policy of the evil Spirit, that when he cannot shake Religion, or undermine a well-grounded Truth; then he betakes himself to persuade the hearts and minds of wicked men to level at the worth and reputation of the chiefest professors of it, to wound their lives, and stain their good names, with reproach and obloquy, that by such means those Scorners may satisfy their own humour, by how much the other side is brought into hatred and contempt; and before they are able to vindicate themselves by a just defence. Thus hath a late libeler dealt, who hath made himself the Author of the downfall of the hierarchy, and telleth us at whose reputation he doth more principally and professedly and aime, by reason of his nourishing ignorance, blindness, persecuting Orthodox Preachers, and cherishing Popery, & Papists, which if it shall be made good (saith he) in Thomas Duresme, the best in the bunch, &c. that so thorough the Prelate of Durham's sides he may wound the rest of that sacred Order; yea, and (we may add) in some sort Religion itself; which cannot but suffer the while he is traduced by this wayward generation of men at home, who by reason of his many Elucubrations hath for many years had a reverend esteem by sundry famous and worthy Divines of the reformed Churches beyond the Seas in their public books and letters, accounting him a modern Father, and choice Pillar of God's Church; yea, and by all Protestants acknowledged as an Impugner of the Synagogue of Rome for the space of almost 40. years. All which injurious and uncharitable dealing notwithstanding, this libel might have been contemned and passed over (which is the best charm for such spirits) had it been a single paper, and not as a plague spread by many infectious copies. The case thus considered, it was thought fit by some one or other, to whom the Reputation of that R. Bishop ought to be dear and tender, and unto whom the falsities of those imputations are well enough discovered and known, to undertake this present Vindication in his behalf, thereby both to prevent the prejudice of them who have not yet tasted of that venomous calumny, & also as by an Antidote, to remove it from the hearts of such as have peradventure sucked any dram thereof. Now that the Reader may the better have notice of those his false accusations, it is most necessary we first take a survey of the platform, whereon he hath planted his sixth Canon (as he termeth it) to batter down the Bishops, and (of them) chiefly the Prelate of Durham, which is this. libel. The very nature of their Office is to thirst after the blood of God's Saints. Apoc. 2. 13. where Antipas my faithful Martyr is slain, there is Satan's throne. Answer. Very learnedly forsooth. Was Antipas slain by the Angel of that Church? (whom the libeler unawares hath styled Bishop) the Spirit in the same verse informs us the contrary, commending the same Angel for holding fast his name, and not denying his faith. Yea rather, was not Antipas himself (as some write) Bishop of Pergamus, whom the Angel (there mentioned) succeeded, and there was put to death by the command of Domitian that persecuting Emperor, if antiquity be of any credit with you? For whose death, as also for the Doctrine of Balaam, and the Nicolaitans taught among them, In Pergamus (saith the Spirit) is the seat of Antichrist. Your argument then stands thus; Antipas the good Bishop and faithful Martyr of Christ was slain by the command of the Tyrant Domitian. Ergo, It is the nature of episcopacy to be bloody and tyrannical. It will be an happiness to Bishops to have no better Accusers than such, who cannot defame their calling, but with blaspheming, in a manner, innumerable other Bishops, who have been the glorious Martyrs of Christ. But let us try his first Battery. libel. P. 9 Of this tyranny let one of themselves be witness (out of whose mouth the Lord exacted this testimony, Prelate Vaugham in a Speech to Doctor Morton long ago (now Prelate of Durham) confessed that the Persecution of those times were worse than in Queen Mary's days, and gave reasons for it. Answer. mark how he rakes the channels of times, whereby to throw dirt upon the living name of a dead man, and Saint of God, as if God had exacted out of his mouth a saying which was never heard, and also the Reasons thereof, which are so modest as they blush to speak. But how will not this first Canon recoil upon the libeler himself? Did that good Bishop (as is here alleged) grieve at the persecution of any of those times? then hath this man overshot his mark, when he said, that the Nature of episcopacy is to thirst after the blood of God's Saints. libel. P. 9 Now let Prelate Morton speak how they (meaning, persecutions) are increased in his time, and by him: if he will not, it may be God may exact it of him sometime with more horror of conscience than any of his Predecessors, because he sins against the greater light and more warnings. Answer. Or rather let any rational man judge whether that Spirit of malignity, which is so predominant in this man, would (in all probability) permit him to forbear clamouring to the High Court of Parliament against the Bishop, if any such kind of tyrannous persecution could not colourably be branded upon him: yet is the Bishop beholden to this libeler for joining him in this horrid crimination with the most Reverend, and thrice learned the Lord Archbishop of Armagh, who for his integrity and innocency of life, till this present scandalising time, malice itself could never call into question, and therefore let this Reviler expect that God will one day exact these impudent calumniations of him with more horror of conscience (they are his own words) then of any other, because he knowing him (whom all good men do honour and esteem) sins against greater light, and more warnings. But since he more than once retrieves this objection, P. 9 and flies it home with more eagerness * P. 24. 25. afterwards, it shall be referred to a further consideration; and in the mean time his next Crimination is to be examined. libel. The Bishop said, that if Popery came into England again, the Puritans were the cause of it, P. 19 even as Tenterton steeple is the cause of Goodwin sands. Answer. So he, wittily you see; but yet wilily withal, by dissembling the full expression & discourse of the Bishop, which was this; That schism being a breach of the Church-fence, if it be done by those who are guilty thereof, it would be easy for a wild boar out of the Pope's Forest to enter and depopulate the Church; for what is domestical dissension else but as a Trojane horse importing ruin wheresoever it is placed? However, it is to be wished that the same conjecture may never prove prophetical! But this Canoneere, that he may hit home, desireth to give instances of his charge. libel. P. 21. Thomas of Duresme assumeth to himself the highest stile of an Earl in his writings. Answer. False, for none shall ever be able to show or produce any such stile under his lordship's hand-writing, or in his works. libel. P. 24. So as in one County of Northumberland and town of Newcastle in above 72. or more Parishes, besides chapels, whereof divers Livings of 2, 3, and 400. li. per Ann. We are credibly informed, there's scarce a Minister left that is not a Popish innovator, or not Popish, and Armintan, or that makes conscience of Preaching. Answer. And why may not your information fail you herein, being a mere {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman}? It will be granted that in Northumberland there are four or five Livings in Church-mens hands of 200. per Ann. or thereabouts, There are but 3. Ministers collated into Livings in that County by the said Bishop, all which are painful and orthodox men. all the rest being of much meaner value, even to 4. li. or 5. li. per Ann. The former and best of these are supplied by learned and able Preachers, neither accounted Arminians, nor Popishly addicted; and the mean provision for the later, being either stipendaries of Impropriations, or poor Vicarages in several Lay-Patrons gifts, is too true a cause of the want of Preaching in those places, and the just reason why some of the Ministers are constrained to live otherwise then men in that holy calling ought to do: For the redress of which, it is well known to the best of the country that his Lordship hath not only placed and maintained several Lecturers out of his own purse in some needful places in that County, but also had given order for that end and purpose to prefer a Petition to the last High Court of Parliament for a redress herein. Having thus visited Northumberland with the same false gallop he passeth into the County Palatine of Durham. libel. That soil can bear no sound preaching, P. 24. 25. &c. Preachers, no Plants for his Palatinate: but if you will talk of fat Parsons and Parsonages, most of such Livings have been lately supplied by his kinsmen, and other his friends— Popish Arminian mountebanks, profane antique fellows. Answer. What? No sound preaching and Preachers in the County Palatine of Durham? you mean of your own garb, (for that's your phrase) otherwise you must be let know (to your blush, if you be not past it) that there is no County of England (of so small an extent) which hath so many able and sound Preachers, and these also who make a conscience of the faithful discharge of their duties in preaching, as that County Palatine hath. And lastly in the meanest living within his Diocese there should be want of instruction to the people, he hath from time to time taken a strict course care that there should be due and constant catechising of the youth in each Parish, to which end, at his own charge, he hath continually supplied them with many thousands of catechisms on purpose printed for that end. But grant that, of that number of Preachers, there be some such as you repute Arminians, must other men's crimes be entitled upon the Bishop, especially since himself hath preferred but a few, and those such (whether Kinsmen or other) as both for life and sound Doctrine are able to abideth test, and stand in comparison (not to boast) with any of the Plants he talketh off? libel. P. 25. For oppression and enclosures his poor Palatines may say, that their case is little better than the poor Irish Crammacrees. Answer. Had this been true, no doubt his Lordship had heard of it ere this, there being never better opportunities of relieving those who are oppressed, then at this time. But perhaps by enclosures oppressed; how so? when most commonly such are granted upon the earnest suit and petition of the several townships, or of those who are principally interested in the same. And were this Intelligencer an Inhabitant of that County, he could not but confess (did not his malady blind him) that many thousands of Acres might there be improved, to the great benefit of the County, and commonwealth, which now lies waste and unpeopled. In this his Circuition he next views the cathedral Church in this manner. libel. P. 25. For Superstition let his cathedral and Sea of Durham witness and be visited, it will be found that Thomas Duresme himself is so zealous of Altar-worship, and such fopperies, as before he miss of his Devotion, he will duck to a tomb instead of an Altar. It's good to be sure. Answer. Here is petulancy enough, whereas a conscionable man would have ingenuously confessed contrarily, as to have said, the Bishop of Duresme did not only argue against all Altar-worship, by condemning it as a brutish Absurdity for a reasonable man to give worship to an unreasonable creature, which cannot be capable thereof, but also against the very name of Altar, in the propriety of the sense, lest it might infer a proper Sacrifice, whose matter should be either Christ's natural Body, which were Popish, or else the substance of Bread, * As is confessed by Bellat. and other Romanists, because the Jewish Sacrifices had life, the Bread and Wine none. which were worse than Jewish. This he ought to have acknowledged, because if he have read the Bishops works, he could not be ign●rant thereof: where also he might have learned to distinguish between Superstition, Altar-worship, with such fopperies, and the zealous Devotion of a religious and discreet Protestant. But to look for such fair dealing at this man's hands were to gather figs of thistles. As for his scoff about ducking to a tomb, he might as well have said unto a Tub, and had been altogether as sure. libel. P. 25. For countenancing Popery, and cherishing Papists, his chancellor, Archdeacon, and Officials in riding their Circuits made these their chief familiars: but for Puritans, they toss and tumble them in their Courts, till they be wearied out of their Callings and country too. Answer. If it were granted that in their Visitations (which he calls Circuits) Papists resorted unto them, did not probates of Wills, granting of Administrations, and churchwardens Presentments cause that resort, rather than familiarity? and at such times, it is well enough known, they found no other countenancing or favour then the laws permitted, who had been more roundly, and severely dealt withal for their Popery, but that by reason of their compositions they were too much exempted from the Ordinaries Jurisdiction. And so far were they from being cherished, as that they continually complained of their hard usage and extremities to them that were in higher authority. As for tumbling and tossing of Puritans in their Courts, it will not be denied but some of them have been presented for some Irregularities; but that they were wearied out of their Callings and country by their ecclesiastical censures, or other proceedings in their Courts, they utterly deny, and challenge the Accuser to make good this taxation. But what is this unto the Bishop, who never heard of any complaint hereof? libel. P. 25. Tho. Duresme himself threatening that he would rid the land of them; and till then, said he, it will never be at rest. Answer. certainly this man must conjure up some Spirits from hell, where he resides, who is the Father of lies, to testify this crimination, for the Bish●p avoweth that no mortal creature ever heard any such words out of his mouth. And for a further belief of this, if any such have been driven from Newcastle, (wherein he instanceth in particular) it had been good, that he had first consulted with the parties so troubled, and that they should have been the Accusers; who know right well (by reason of the jealousies of the time) by whom they were removed and displaced. libel. P. 26. The said Tho. Duresme amongst his Palatine soldiers most Papists in their late episcopal broils, was observed to have in his Coach with him one of the most dangerous Papists in the North, and fit to be one of his counsel of war in his Regality, and in that episcopal quarrel with the Scots, which being publicly taken notice of was very offensive to many, and scandalous to his majesty's government, and to his pretended divine Authority, to see him so accompanied, I know not what he can say to this. Answer. But such as were employed in any office of nearness or attendance on the Bishop can say, that in those times (he points at) the Bishop used all care and diligence that no Popish Recusant should be so much as a common soldier in the Regiment; which was raised not for any episcopal quarrel, but for the necessary defence of the country. And as touching that dangerous Papist, who was observed to be with him in his Coach, as fit to be one of his counsel of war in his Regality, there can be no such called to mind, it being very unlikely that any such had to do in a business of that nature, and especially at that time; except he should mean one, Sr. E. R. a tall man indeed, but no great soldier, a stranger to the Bishop, saving that being lately censured at Durham in the Commission for Causes ecclesiastical, for private Popish christenings and Marriages, he became known unto him, and at that very time had taken a sudden journey to Awkland for a mitigation of that censure, wherein he no ways prevailed. Yet the Bishop being in the morning bound for Durham, took him into the Coach, not in a civil respect only, but to the same purpose as Philip was in the Coach with the Eunuch, to confer with him for soul's-sake, as his ordinary practice hath been, whensoever he met with any such Recusants. Which surely ought not to scandalize any that are Christianly affected. Yet let no man wonder at this reproach, when in the very next line he may find him charging our Brethren the Lutheran Ministers in Germany with joviality and drunkenness, (none excepted) three by disgracefully blasting a great part of the reformed Church to gratify our Adversaries the Papists; for excuse whereof the Chameleon (he there names) can afford him no colour. Again he revisits the Bishop's Diocese, whither he must be followed, who may * P. 24. We are credibly informed, &c. seem to take on trust what he writes, as appears by his disjointed passages and Excursions. libel. P. 26. He also nourisheth in his Diocese a company of Popish Arminian Ministers of W. Cant's correspondency, by whom (as by like in other parts of the Land) he hath had constant Intelligence in all matters, and of Persons and Families that favour our Religion. Answer. What again? Popish Arminian Ministers nourished by Bishop Morton; who could not but have feared his censure, whose great jealousy is known in that behalf. As for his reasoning that some one Arminian or other bad correspondency with W. of Cant. Ergo, the Bishop of Durham did favour the said Arminians. Could the man so suddenly forget the absurdity he talked of by an inference from Tenterton steeple to Goodwine-sands? P. 19 The crimination following proceedeth from the said vein. libel. P. 26. He also connives at dangerous meeting of the stirring Papists, their baptisms and night-Burials with Tapers and Torches, and bells ringing, but without the use of the service book, and against their own Canons, which serve only against Puritans, and must not be discharged against Papists. Answer. These dangerous meetings of most stirring Papists, not only the Bishop, but all other his majesty's Officers in that County should and aught to have suppressed, if any such as this Intelligencer had discovered and made it known unto them. As for Popish baptisms, those who came to his Cognisance received their due punishment one with another, as hath in part been formerly related. And as for their Burials, if the Bishop do suffer our Common-service to be used, and bells to be rung at Popish Fu●erals, then behold he is devoted for a Conniver at Papists: but if he suffer not the Service to be then used (which is his constant practice) then is he taxed for a Transgressor of the Canons. Is not this kindly done? But to the point, to allow the Papists the use of our Church-service at their Burials, were it not, as on the Protestant part scandalous, so in the estimate of Papists themselves must it not be utterly ridiculous, to wit, that that Service should be read at their Funerals, after they are dead, which themselves despised, and would not be present at whilst they were alive? He proceedeth to another discovery. libel. P. 26. That the chief towns in the Bishop's Diocese are of late become dens of Papists, and places of resort to their meetings and Massings. Answer. It may be that some chief Towns there have been dens, if he call them so, as being hidden from the Bishop's knowledge, otherwise such hath been his strict care and command to his Officers, that such suspected Persons have been sometimes found out, and without any connivance been proceeded with according to Law. And it were strange indeed, that he, who since his coming to Durham hath written two books against the Doctrine of the Romish mass, should be remiss in suppressing and abolishing of that idol? Which is the less credible, because there was never more preaching in that Diocese, then since his coming, and that (God be blessed) with some happy success, both in preserving those that were within the Net, and gaining of others who have not wilfully played the deaf Adder in stopping their ears, especially he having not the gift of Miracles to make the deaf to hear, and the dumb to speak. Not to say, that the increase of Popery had been now less, then in former times, if his power had been greater. However, did this man never learn that Paul can but plant, and Apollo's but water, and that it is only God who can give the enrease? all outward means are nothing without God's inward grace. Or hath he not heard of them who complained to their Master, that they had laboured all night, and caught nothing? Wherefore it is gross Sophistry thus to argue a Non Causa. From the mass itself, he comes to the massing gear. libel. P. 26. And the Papists have their traffic and trade in their books and beads, and Romish Merchandise. Answer. It is confessed that some have been bold that way, but not without their damage and loss, as oft as they could be met with, whether Scots or English; and notwithstanding their impunities, and the greatest means, by which they wrought, they have been compelled to undergo the Law at the general Assizes, and receive the punishment which was due to such Merchants. But he having now run himself off his legs, at length he sits him down to breath out this conclusion. libel. P. 26. All which considered, he may be said to have given the lie to all his former works and writings against the Papists, so that it may be verified of him, that he is the greatest Papist friend that ever came in Durham since our Reformation. Answer. Indeed all these just defences well considered, this Pamphleter may be said to have given the lie to all his former accusations against the Prelate of Durham, they are so utterly false, except he mean by friendship, that which is the necessary Duty of a Bishop, to tender the Papists in the better part, in which respect he professeth himself their best friend, according as he is taught by that of the Apostle S. Jude, Have compassion of some pulling them out of the fire. For have not we Christians learned so to love the Persons of men, as that we hate their Idolatrous Profession? Did some of them come to his Table? they were welcome; Came they to confer? twice welcome; Came they after with him to the Lord's Table? then did he (as do the Angels) rejoice, and congratulate their Conversion from Babylon unto Zion. But to stir no more this filthy puddle of Calumniation. All the answer the Bishop was willing (upon sight of this Pamphlet) to return unto the Author of it, was (in his own words) this: I cannot let him pass without some revenge, yet not that which Michael gave to the father of libelers, The Lord reprove thee, but that which every Christian is taught by the example of Christ, God forgive thee. FINIS. Errata. PAge 1 line 6, for episcopacy read hierarchy, pag. 6 l. 17, for Penterton steeple, read Tenterton steeple, pag. 7 l. 16 for {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman}, ad {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman},