TO THE RIGHT REVEREND FATHER IN GOD,

THOMAS*,

LORD BISHOP OF COVENTRY AND LITCHFIELD.

MY LORD:

MAY your leisure serve you to read over this poor sheet of paper, and to censure it. Your name is left out in the catalogue of some other famous Divines mentioned in the body of it, that you might not be forestalled. I suffer for that, wherein yourself, amongst many renowned Orthodox Doctors of the Church, are my partner. As if you had not already said it enough, I beseech your Lordship, say once more what you think of the True Being and Visibility of the Roman Church. Your excellent and zealous writings have justly won you a constant reputation of great learning and no less sincerity, and have placed you out of the reach of suspicion: no man can, no man dare misdoubt your decision.

If you find any one word amiss in this explication, spare me not: I shall gladly kiss your rod, and hold your utmost severity a favour. But, if you here meet with no other than the words of a commonly. professed truth, acquit me so far as to say, there is no reason I should suffer alone. And let the wilful or ignorant mistakers know, that they wound innocency; and, through my sides, strike their

best friends.

I should not herein desire you to tender my fame, if the injury done to my name did not reflect upon my holy station, upon my well-meant labours, upon almost all the famous and well-deserving authors that have stood for the truth of God; and, lastly, if I did not see this mistaken quarrel to threaten much prejudice to the Church of God, whose peace is no less dear to us both than our

lives.

In earnest desire and hope of some few satisfactory lines from your Reverend Hand, in answer to this my bold, yet just, suit, I take leave, and am

Your much devoted and loving Brother,

JOSEPH EXON.

*Thomas Morton, Bishop of Chester 1615, translated to Litchfield and Coventry 1618, and to Durham 1632, died Sep. 22, 1659, aged 95 years. EDITOR.

of the Episcopal Chair, that is guilty of the depravation of our calling; and, if himself were so overlaid with greatness, he should suspect his own fidelity. Alas, poor man, at what distance doth he see us! Foggy air useth to represent every object far bigger than it is. Our Saviour, in his Temptation upon the Mount, had only the glory of those kingdoms shewed to him by that subtle Spirit; not the cares and vexations: right so are our dignities exhibited to these envious beholders: little do these men see the toils and anxieties, that attend this supposedly-pleasing eminence.

All the revenge, that I would wish to this uncharitable censurer, should be this, that he might be but for a while adjudged to this so glorious seat of mine; that so his experience might taste the bewitching pleasures of this envied greatness: he should well find more danger of being over-spent with work, than of languishing with ease and delicacy.

For me, I need not appeal to heaven: eyes enough can witness, how few free hours I have enjoyed, since I put on these robes of sacred honour. Insomuch as I could find in my heart, with holy Gregory, to complain of my change; were it not, that I see these public troubles are so many acceptable services to my God, whose glory is the end of my being. Certainly, my Lord, if none but earthly respects should sway me, I should heartily wish to change this palace, which the Providence of God and the bounty of my gracious Sovereign hath put me into, for my quiet cell at Waltham; where I had so sweet leisure to enjoy God, your Lordship, and myself. But I have followed the calling of my God, to whose service I am willingly sacrificed; and must now, in a holy obedience to his Divine Majesty, with what cheerfulness I may, ride out all the storms of envy, which unavoidably will alight upon the least appearance of a conceived greatness. In the mean time, whatever I may seem to others, I was never less in my own apprehensions; and, were it not for this attendance of envy, could not yield myself any whit greater than I was. Whatever I am, that Good God of mine make me faithful to him; and compose the unquiet spirits of men, to a conscionable care of the public peace with which prayer, together with the apprecation of all happiness to your Lordship and all yours, I take leave, and am

Your Lordship's truly devoted,

In all hearty observance and duty,

JOSEPH EXON.

TO THE RIGHT REVEREND FATHER IN GOD,

THOMAS*,

LORD BISHOP OF COVENTRY AND LITCHFIELD.

MY LORD:

MAY your leisure serve you to read over this sheet of poor paper, and to censure it. Your name is left out in the catalogue of some other famous Divines mentioned in the body of it, that you might not be forestalled. I suffer for that, wherein yourself, amongst many renowned Orthodox Doctors of the Church, are my partner.

As if you had not already said it enough, I beseech your Lordship, say once more what you think of the True Being and Visibility of the Roman Church. Your excellent and zealous writings have justly won you a constant reputation of great learning and no less sincerity, and have placed you out of the reach of suspicion: no man can, no man dare misdoubt decision. your

If you find any one word amiss in this explication, spare me not: I shall gladly kiss your rod, and hold your utmost severity a favour. But, if you here meet with no other than the words of a commonlyprofessed truth, acquit me so far as to say, there is no reason I should suffer alone. And let the wilful or ignorant mistakers know, that they wound innocency; and, through my sides, strike their best friends.

I should not herein desire you to tender my fame, if the injury done to my name did not reflect upon my holy station, upon my well-meant labours, upon almost all the famous and well-deserving authors that have stood for the truth of God; and, lastly, if I did not see this mistaken quarrel to threaten much prejudice to the Church of God, whose peace is no less dear to us both than our lives.

In earnest desire and hope of some few satisfactory lines from your Reverend Hand, in answer to this my bold, yet just, suit, I take leave, and am

Your much devoted and loving Brother,

JOSEPH EXON.

*Thomas Morton, Bishop of Chester 1615, translated to Litchfield and Coventry 1618, and to Durham 1632, died Sep. 22, 1659, aged 95 years. EDITOR.

TO THE RIGHT REVEREND FATHER IN GOD, MY VERY GOOD LORD AND

BROTHER,

JOSEPH,

LORD BISHOP OF EXON, THESE.

RIGHT REVEREND, AND AS DEARLY BELOVED, BROTHER:

I HAVE, I confess, been too long in your Lordship's debt for these Letters, which are now to apologize for me; that, although I had my payment ready and in numeratis at the first reading of your "Reconciler," yet I reserved my answer until I had perused the two other books and seconds, that so I might return my payment cum fœnore.

In that your Lordship's Tractate, I could not but observe the lively image of yourself; that is, according to the general interpretation of all sound professors of the Gospel of Christ, of a most Orthodox Divine.

And now, remembering the accordance your Lordship hath with others touching the argument of your book, I must needs reflect upon myself, who have long since defended the same point in the defence of many others.

I do, therefore, much blame the petulcity of whatsoever author, that should dare to impute a Popish affection to him, whom, besides his excellent Writings and Sermons, God's visible, eminent, and resplendent graces of illumination, zeal, piety, and eloquence have made truly honourable and glorious in the Church of Christ.

Let me say no more: I suffer in your suffering; not more in consonancy of judgment, than in the sympathy of my affection. Go on, Dear Brother, with your deserved honour in God's Church with holy courage, knowing that the dirty feet of an adversary, the more they tread and rub, the more lustre they give the figure graven in gold. Our Lord Jesus preserve us to the glory of his saving grace!

Your Lordship's

unanimous Friend and Brother,

THOMAS COVENT. and LITCHFIELD.

TO THE RIGHT REVEREND FATHER IN GOD,

JOHN*,

LORD BISHOP OF SALISBURY.

MY LORD:

I SEND you this little pamphlet for your censure. It is not credible, how strangely I have been traduced, every where, for that, which I conceive to be the common opinion of Reformed Divines; yea, of reasonable men: that is, for affirming the True Being and Visibility of the Roman Church. You see how clearly I have endeavoured to explicate this harmless position; yet I perceive some tough misunderstandings will not be satisfied.

Your Lordship hath, with great reputation, spent many years in the Divinity-Chair of the famous University of Cambridge. Let me, therefore, beseech you, whose learning and sincerity is so thoroughly approved in God's Church, that you would freely, how shortly soever, express yourself in this point: and, if you find that I have deviated but one hair's breadth from the truth, correct me: if not, free me by your just sentence.

What need I to entreat you to pity those, whose desires of faithful offices to the Church of God are unthankfully repayed with sus picion and slander? Whose may not this case be? I had thought I had sufficiently, in all my writings, and in this very last book of mine whence this quarrel is picked, shewed my fervent zeal for God's Truth against that Antichristian Faction of Rome; and yet, I doubt not, but your own ears can witness what I have suffered.

Yea, as if this calumny were not enough, there want not those, whose secret whisperings cast upon me the foul aspersions of another sect, whose name is as much hated as little understood.

My Lord, you know I had a place with you, though unworthy, in that famous Synod of Dort: where, howsoever sickness bereaved me of the honours of a conclusive subscription; yet your Lordship heard me, with equal vehemency to the rest, crying down the unreasonableness of that way. God so love me, as I do the tranquillity and happiness of his Church: yet can I not so overaffect it, that I would sacrifice one dram of truth to it. To that Good God do I appeal, as the witness of my sincere heart to his whole truth, and noJess-than-ever-zealous detestation of all Popery and Pelagianism. Your Lordship will be pleased to pardon this importunity, and to vouchsafe your speedy answer to

Your much devoted and faithful Brother,

JOSEPH EXON.

* John Davenant, Bishop of Salisbury 1621, died April 20th, 1641, aged about

EDITOR.

70 years.