TO THE RIGHT REVEREND FATHER IN GOD,

JOSEPH,

LORD BISHOP OF EXON, THESE.

MY LORD:

You desire my opinion concerning an assertion of yours, whereat some have taken offence. The proposition was this, "That the Roman Church remains yet a True Visible Church."

The occasion, which makes this an ill-sounding proposition in the ears of Protestants, especially such as are not thoroughly acquainted with School Distinctions, is the usual acceptation of the word "true" in our English Tongue: for, though men skilled in metaphysics hold it for a maxim, Ens, Verum, Bonum convertuntur; yet, with us, he, which shall affirm such a one is a true Christian, a true Gentleman, a true Scholar, or the like, he is conceived not only to ascribe trueness of being unto all these, but those due qualities or requisite actions whereby they are made commendable or praise-worthy in their several kinds.

In this sense, the Roman Church is no more a True Church in respect of Christ, or those due qualities and proper actions which Christ requires, than an arrant whore is a true and loyal wife unto her husband.

I durst, upon mine oath, be one of your compurgators, that you never intended to adorn that Strumpet with the title of a True Church in this meaning. But your own writings have so fully cleared you herein, that suspicion itself cannot reasonably suspect you in this point.

I therefore can say no more concerning your mistaken proposition, than this, If, in that Treatise wherein it was delivered, the antecedents or consequents were such as served fitly to lead the reader into that sense, which under the word True comprehendeth only Truth of Being or Existence, and not the due Qualities of the thing or subject, you have been causelessly traduced. But, on the other side, if that proposition comes in ex abrupto, or stands solitary in your Discourse, you cannot marvel though, by taking the word True according to the more ordinary acceptation, your true meaning was mistaken.

In brief, your proposition admits a true sense; and, in that sense, is, by the best learned in our Reformed Church, not disallowed: for, the Being of a Church does principally stand upon the gracious action of God, calling men out of darkness and death unto the participation of light and life in Christ Jesus. So long as God continues this Calling unto any people, though they, as much as in

them lies, darken this light, and corrupt the means which should bring them to life and salvation in Christ; yet, where God calls men unto the participation of life in Christ by the Word and by the Sacraments, there is the true Being of a Christian Church, let men be never so false in their expositions of God's Word, or never so untrusty in mingling their own traditions with God's Ordinances. Thus, the Church of the Jews lost not her Being of a Church when she became an Idolatrous Church.

And thus, under the government of the Scribes and Pharisees, who voided the Commandments of God by their own Traditions, there was yet standing a True Church, in which Zacharias, Elizabeth, the Virgin Mary, and our Saviour himself was born, who were members of that Church, and yet participated not in the corruptions thereof.

Thus, to grant that the Roman was and is a True Visible Christian Church, though in Doctrine a False and in Practice an Idolatrous Church, is a true assertion; and of greater use and necessity in our controversy with Papists about the perpetuity of the Christian Church, than is understood by those who gainsay it.

This in your "Reconciler" is so well explicated, as if any shall continue in traducing you in regard of that proposition so explained, I think it will be only those, who are better acquainted with wrangling than reasoning, and deeper in love with strife than truth. And, therefore, be no more troubled with other men's groundless suspicions, than you would be in like case with their idle dreams.

Thus I have enlarged myself beyond my first intent. But my love to yourself, and the assurance of your constant love unto the truth, enforced me thereunto. I rest always

Jan. 30, 1628.

Your loving Brother,

JOHN SARUM.

TO THE REVEREND AND LEARNED

MASTER DOCTOR PRIDEAUX,

PROFESSOR OF DIVINITY IN OXFORD, AND RECTOR OF EXETER COLLEGE.

WORTHY MASTER DOCTOR PRIDEAUX :

ALL our little world here takes notice of your worth and eminency, who have long furnished the Divinity Chair in that famous University, with mutual grace and honour.

Let me entreat you, upon the perusal of this sorry sheet of paper, to impart yourself freely to me in your censure; and to express to me your clear judgment, concerning the true Being and Visibility of the Roman Church.

You see in what sense I profess to hold it; neither was any other ever in my thoughts: say, I beseech you, whether you think any learned Orthodox Divine can, with any colour of reason, maintain a contradiction hereunto. And, if you find, as I doubt not, much necessity and use of this true and safe tenet, help me to add, if you please, a further supply of antidotes to those Popish Spiders, that would fain suck poison out of this herb.

It was my earnest desire, that this satisfactory "Reconcilement" might have stilled all tongues and pens, concerning this ill-raised brabble but I see, to my grief, how much men care for themselves, more than peace. I suffer, and the Church is disquieted: your learning and gravity will be ready to contribute to a seasonable pacification.

In desire and expectation of your speedy answer, I take my leave, and am

Your very loving Friend

and Fellow-labourer,

JOSEPH EXON.

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

JOSEPH,

BISHOP OF EXETER.

RIGHT REVEREND FATHER IN GOD:

UPON the receipt of your "Reconciler," which it pleased you to send me, I took occasion, as my manifold distractions would permit, to peruse what had been said on both sides, concerning the now-being of the Roman Church.

Wherein I must profess, that I could not but wonder at the needless exceptions against your tenet; you affirming no new thing, in that passage misliked in your "Old Religion." And this your "Advertisement," afterward, so fully and punctually cleareth, and your "Reconciler" so acquitteth it, with such satisfying ingenuity, that I cannot imagine they have considered it well, or mean well, that shall persist to oppose it.

For, who perceives not, that your Lordship leaves no more to Rome than our best Divines ever since the Reformation have granted? If their speeches have been sometimes seemingly different, their meaning hath been always the same: That, in respect of the common truths yet professed among the Papists, they may and ought to be termed a True Visible Church, in opposition to Jews, Turks, and Pagans, who directly deny the foundation; howsoever their Antichristian additions make them no better than the Synagogue of Satan.

This being agreed upon by those, whose judgment we have good reason to follow, cited in your "Advertisement and by others, they do an ill office to our Church, in my opinion, who set them at odds in this point that are so excellently reconciled; and give more advantage to the adversary by quarrelling with our Worthies, than the adversary is like to get by our acknowledgment, that they are such a miserable Church as we discover them to be.

What I have thought, long since, in this behalf, it appeareth in my Lecture "De Visibilitate Ecclesiæ ;" and, as often as this hath come in question in our public disputes, we determine here no otherwise than your Lordship hath stated it: and yet we trust to give as little advantage to Popery, as those that do detest it; and are as circumspect to maintain our received Doctrine and Discipline, without the least scandal to the weakest, as those that would seem most forward.

That distinction of Rome's case before and since the Council of Trent, holds not to dis-Church it; but shews it rather to be more incurable now, than heretofore.

Neither find I any particulars objected, which those worthy men have not sufficiently cleared, that have justified your assertion.

Not to trouble therefore your weightier affairs, with my needless interposition: as that controversy about the altar, Joshua xxii. had presently a fair end upon the full understanding of the good meaning on both sides; so I trust in God this shall have. In which I am so persuaded, that, if it were to be discussed there after our Scholastical manner, it might well be defended either pro or con, without prejudice to the truth, according to the full stating which your "Advertisement" and "Reconciler" have afforded.

And thus, with tender of my due observance and prayers for your happiness, I rest

Your Lordship's

in Christ to be commanded,

From Exon Coll. Martii 9, No.

JOHN PRIDEAUX.

TO MY REVEREND AND LEARNED FRIEND,

MASTER DOCTOR PRIMROSE,

PREACHER TO THE FRENCH CHURCH IN LONDON.

WORTHY MASTER DOCTOR PRIMROSE :

You have been long acknowledged a great light in the Reformed Churches of France; having, for many years, shined in your orb, the famous Church of Bourdeaux, with notable effects and singular approbation both for judgment and sincerity: both which also your learned writings have well approved; so as your sentence cannot be liable to the danger of any suspicion.

Let me entreat you to declare freely what you hold, concerning the Trueness and Visibility of the Roman Church, as it is by me explicated; and, withal, to impart your knowlege of the common tenet of those foreign Divines, with whom you have so long conversed, concerning this point, which, if I mistake not, only a stubborn ignorant will needs make litigious. It grieves my soul to see the peace of the Church troubled with so absurd a misprision.

In expectation of your answer I take leave, and commend you and your holy labours to the blessing of our God. Farewell. From

Your loving Brother

and Fellow-labourer,

JOSEPH EXON.

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

LORD,

JOSEPH,

BISHOP OF EXETER.

RIGHT REVEREND FATHER IN GOD:

I HAVE been so busied about my necessary studies for preaching on Sunday, Tuesday, and this Thursday, that I could not give sooner a full answer to your Lordship's Letter, which I received