it was delivered to him by Our Councell who sent for him being then prisoner in the Castle of Edinburgh he did before that Table receive on his knees with the highest magnifying of Our mercie with the humblest acknowledgments of those infinite obligations by which he and his family stood for ever engaged in the service of Us and Our Crowne with the deepest protestations of all loyall quiet and peaceable deportment of himselfe ever hereafter and of bending all his endeavours to attend upon all Our Royall courses and commandements so that Our Councell remonstrated unto Us that Wee had bestowed Our mercie and grace upon a man of whom there could not be the least suspicion of his aversenesse from Our service at any time hereafter but of whom they might safely promise all forwardnesse and alacritie in all Our just courses whensoever it should please Us to use him And now this same pardoned Lord Balmerino being one of the chiefe contrivers and most malicious prosecutors of this wicked Covenant made against Us and Our authoritie how he can be able to answere it to God Us and Our Crowne his owne conscience or to the world even in the point of honour and reputation it must be left to the world to judge By this now which hath been said We suppose it is plain that before either the Service Book or Book of Canons so tragically now exclaimed against were thought on the seeds of sedition and discontent were sowne by the contrivers of the late Covenant first upon the occasion of our Revocation next upon occasion of Our Commission of Surrenders and lastly upon the occasion of Our denying Honours to some of them at Our last being in that Kingdome which caused first their traducing of Our proceedings in our last Parliament held there and then produced that infamous Libell And now by this time sedition was growne so ripe and readie to seed that it wanted nothing to thrust it out and make it shoot forth into an open Rebellion but some faire and specious pretence They could not yet compasse the cloake of Religion whereby to siele the eyes and muffle the face of the multitude for by none of all the three former occasions could they so much as pretend that Religion was endangered or impeached But so soon as they got but the least hint of any thing which they thought might admit a misconstruction that way they lost no time but took Occasion by the forelock knowing that either that or nothing would first facilitate and then perfect their designes Now the occasion they tooke of fetching Religion within the reach of their pretences was this Our Father of blessed memorie immediately after his comming into England comparing the decencie and uniformitie of Gods worship here especially in the Liturgie of the Church with that diversitie nay deformitie which was used in Scotland where no set or publike forme of prayer was used but Preachers or Readers and ignorant Schoolmasters prayed in the Church sometimes so ignorantly as it was a shame to all Religion to have the Majestie of God so barbarously spoken unto sometimes so seditiously that their prayers were plaine Libels girding at Soveraigntie and Authoritie or Lyes being stuffed with all the false reports in the Kingdome He did immediately as became a Religious Prince bethinke himselfe seriously how His first reformation in that Kingdome might begin at the publike worship of God which Hee most truely conceived could never be happily effected untill such time as there should be an unitie and uniformitie in the publike Prayers Liturgie and Service of the Church established throughout the whole Kingdome Concerning this His Royall and Religious designe divers consultations for many yeares were had with the Bishops and others of the Clergie of most eminent note in that Kingdome But these deliberations as it happeneth manie times in businesse of so pious and ponderous importance received some opposition and manie intermissions untill the yeare 1616. in a Generall Assemblie which is answerable to the Convocation of the Clergie here in England held at Aberdene in August Our Royall Father by His Letters and the vehement instance of His Commissioners then and there present easily made apparent to that whole Assembly not onely the conveniencie but indeed the necessitie of a publike Liturgie to be settled throughout the whole Land Which moved that Assemblie to passe an Act whereby they authorised some of the present Bishops and divers others to compile and frame a publike forme of Liturgie or Booke of Common Prayer which should first be presented to Our Royall Father and after His approbation should be universally received throughout the Kingdome This Booke in pursuance of that Act of Assembly being by those who were deputed for that purpose framed was by the Lord Archbishop of Saint Andrewes that now liveth sent up to Our Royall Father who not onely carefully and punctually perused everie particular passage of it himselfe but had it also considerately advised with and revised by some of that Kingdome here in England in whose judgement He reposed singular trust and confidence and after all His owne and their observations additions expunctions mutations accommodations He sent it backe to those from whom He had received it to be commended to that whole Church being a Service Booke in substance frame and composure much about one with this verie Service Booke which We of late commended to them and which undoubtedly then had been received in that Church if it had not pleased Almightie God that while these things were in doing and before they could receive their much wished and desired period and consummation to the invaluable losse as of the whole Church of God so particularly of that Church of Scotland to translate Our blessed Father from His temporall Kingdomes to that which is eternall Wee by the grace of God succeeding to Our royall Father were desirous to make it knowne to the world that Wee did not hold it a greater honour to succeed Him in His Crownes then to be His Successour in His Princely vertues and especially in that in which He was most eminent His singular pietie and religious care of the publique service of God which finding here in this Kingdome of England by His singular wisedome and vigilancie setled even to the admiration if not envie of all other Churches We resolved by the grace of God to pursue that His Pious and Princely designe for setling a publike Liturgie in that Our Kingdome of Scotland it having beene so happily atchieved facilitated and almost perfected by Him To which purpose We caused the same Service Booke transmitted by Him to that Church to be remitted and sent backe to Us that after Our perusall and alterations if any should be found either necessarie or convenient it might likewise receive Our Royall authoritie and approbation We having received that Book and after many serious consultations had with divers of Our Bishops and Clergie of that Kingdome then here present with Us and
after Our advices by Our Letters and Instructions to the rest at home and after many humble advertisements and remonstrances made from them to Us of the reasons of some alterations which they did conceive would remove divers difficulties which otherwise they feared this Booke would encounter with We were contented that the Service Booke should come out as now it is printed being fully liked by them and signed with their hands and perused approved and published by Our Royall command and authoritie In the perusall and approbation whereof We tooke speciall care that the small alterations of it in which it differeth from the English Service Booke should be such as We had reason to thinke would best comply with the mindes and dispositions of Our subjects of that Kingdome For We supposing that they might have taken some offence if We should have tendered them the English Service Booke totidem verbis and that some factious spirits would have endevoured to have misconstrued it as a badge of dependance of that Church upon this of England which Wee had put upon them to the prejudice of their Lawes and Liberties We held it fitter that a new Booke should be composed by their own Bishops in substance not differing from this of England that so the Roman party might not upbraid Us with any weightie or materiall differences in Our Liturgies and yet in some few insensible alterations differing from it that it might truely and justly be reputed a Book of that Churches owne composing and established by Our Royall Authority as King of Scotland And thus conceiving Wee had discharged the duetie of a religious King towards God and of a gracious Prince in accommodating this Booke so that Our subjects of that Kingdome should have no cause to have the least suspicion of any intended dependancie of that Church upon this Wee sent home the Book to the Lords of Our Privie Councell After their receipt consideration of it We by their advice and they by Our Authoritie commanded by publike Proclamation that the said Book should be publikely read and received in all the Churches of that Our Kingdome and should begin to be practised upon Easter next 1637. Disobedience to this Our Proclamation Wee had little reason to expect because this Service-book was no new thing unto them For it not differing from the English Service-book in any materiall point and We supposing that the English Liturgie neither was nor could bee displeasing to them did likewise conceive that this Book should be as little disliked by them Now the reasons inducing Us to a beleefe of their not misliking the English Liturgie were these First many of Our subjects of that Kingdome of all sorts daily resorting to Our Court and the Citie of London did much frequent our Chappell many other Churches in or about the Citie and many Churches during their stay here at the severall places of our residence and many other Churches within this Kingdome upon their way both hither and homeward in all which Churches they did behave themselves during the time of divine Service with that reverence as others of Our subjects of this Kingdome did without any dislike of it or quarrelling against it Now these who resorted hither being for quantitie and number very considerable and for qualitie for the most part of the very best gave Us more then a probable assurance that at home they would never accompt that absolutely in it selfe unlawfull and Antichristian as many of them have since professed unto which they had here of their owne accord by their practise yeelded obedience For neither municipall Law nor variation of time or place nor any other circumstance can allow Us to practise that which we hold in it selfe to be simply unlawfull Antichristian and against the Word of God Secondly in Our owne Chappell at Haly-rud-house ever since the yeere of Our Lord 1617. the English Liturgie hath beene read and according to it divine Service sung and said as it is here said and sung in Our Chappels in England not onely without dislike but with frequent Assemblies of Our Councel Nobility Bishops other Clergie of all sorts Judges Gentrie Burgesses women of all ranks The Bishops or some of them never gave Orders which they did frequently but they used the English Service-book in some Cathedrall Churches of that kingdom as also in the new Colledge of the University of S. Andrewes for some yeeres of late it was publikely read without any distaste much lesse disturbance for divers yeeres it was used in many families and at Our last being in that Kingdome it was read publikely in all Churches to which Wee resorted in which great numbers of all sorts of people were present All which gave Us good reason to conceive that the commanding of this Book by Our authoritie could not in any true sense be called or accounted an innovation all sorts of people and very many of those of all ranks who now inveigh most bitterly against it having been so accustomed to it and acquainted with it and that without any dislike of it or complaint against it Thirdly Wee confesse that one of the chiefest reasons moving Us to beleeve that that Service-book being in substance all one with this of England could not be held by them to containe any thing tending to Idolatrie Poperie or Superstition as since they have pretended was this We did foresee that all objections bending that way must needs strike at the English Service-book aswell as at that and indeed all of them which they have preached or published against that book do so but We did then and do still take it as granted that no man who hath his wits about him can charge the least suspicion of these things objected upon the English Service-book For since it is well knowne to the whole Christian world that the Composers Framers of the English Service-book were those very famous Bishops others who in Queen Mary her dayes delivered up their living bodies to the fire or escaping the fire indured banishment only because they would not yeeld to Poperie and Superstition How these men now whom in their owne judgement they hold to bee ranked amongst the most glorious Martyrs of the Church for resisting even to bloud Idolatry Popery and Superstiâ—ion can with any conscience or honestie be charged by these men with compiling of a Book stuffed full with Idolatrie Poperie and Superstition it requireth more then an ordinarie understanding to apprehend And besides it will be made good that more of the Bishops and learned Clergie of England both for number and weight have opposed Superstition and Popery then can be found in all the reformed Churches besides who all of them have lived in the practise of the English Liturgie and defended the same which they would never have done if they had supposed it to containe Idolatrie or Superstition These now were the grounds which inclined Us to conceive that the Service-book authorized by Us for
their Protestation against Our Proclamation as if both had been made by the same authoritie And if this now were not a higher act of Rebellion then either the first tumult raised in the Churches against which they so much declamed or the second insurrection at Edinburgh which they so much disclamed Wee leave it to the world to judge The copies both of Our Proclamation and their Protestation We have here inserted that themselves as well as others may see that We wrong not the truth CHARLES by the grace God King of great Britaine France and Ireland defender of the faith c. To Our Lovits c. Our Sheriffes in that part conjunctly and severally specially constituted greeting For as much as Wee out of Our Princely care of maintenance of the true Religion already professed and for beating downe of all superstition having ordained a Book of Common prayer to be compiled for the generall use and edification of Our subjects within Our ancient Kingdome of Scotland the same was accordingly done In the performing whereof We took great care and paines So as nothing past therein but what was seene and approved by Us before the same was either divulged or printed assuring all Our loving subjects that not onely Our intention is but even the verie Book will be a readie meanes to maintaine the true Religion alreadie professed and beat out all Superstition Of which We in Our owne time do not doubt but in a faire course to satisfie Our good subjects But having seene and considered some Petitions and Declarations given in to Our Councell against the said Book and late Canons of the Church We find Our Royall Authoritie much injured thereby both in the matter and in the carriage thereof whereby We conceive these of Our Nobility Gentrie Burroughs Ministers and others who kept and assisted these meetings and Convocations for contriving and forming the said Petitions or who have subscribed the same to deserve and bee liable to Our high censure both in their persons and fortunes as having conveened themselves without either Our consent or authoritie Yet because We beleeve that what they have done herein is out of a preposterous zeale and not out of any disloyaltie or disaffection to Soveraigntie We are graciously pleased in so farre as concernes these meetings for consulting or subscribing of these Petitions or presenting the same to any Judge or Judges in Our said Kingdome to dispense therewith and with what may bee their fault or errour therein to all such as upon signification or declaration of Our pleasure shall retire themselves as becommeth good and dutifull subjects To which purpose Our will is and We charge you straightly and command that incontinent these Letters seene you passe and in Our name and authoritie make intimation hereof to all Our lieges and subjects by open Proclamation at all places needfull wherethrough none pretend ignorance thereof And therewith also That you in Our name and authoritie discharge all such convocations and meetings in time comming under the paine of treason And also that you command and charge and inhibit all Our lieges and subjects that none of them presume nor take in hand to resort nor repaire to Our Burgh of Sterling nor to no other Burgh where Our Councell and Session sits till first they declare their cause of comming to our Councell and procure their warrant to that effect And further that you command and charge all and sundrie Provosts Bailiffes and Magistrates within Burgh That they and everie one of them have a speciall care and regard to see this Our Royall will and pleasure really and dutifully obeyed in all points And that no violation thereof be suffered within their bounds under all highest paine crime and offence that they may commit against Us in that behalfe As also that you command and charge all and sundrie Noblemen Barons Ministers and Burrowes who are not actuall indwellers within this Our Burgh and are not of the number of the Lords of our privie Councell and Session and members thereof and are already within this Our Burgh that they and everie one of them remove themselves and depart and passe forth of Our said Burgh and returne not againe without the warrant aforesaid within six houres after the publication hereof under the said paine of treason And as concerning any Petitions that hereafter shall be given unto Us upon this or any other subject Wee are likewise pleased to declare that We will not shut Our eares therefrom so that neither the matter nor forme be prejudiciall to Our Regall Authoritie The which to do We commit to you conjunctly and severally Our full power by these Our Letters delivering the same by you duely execute and indorsed againe to the bearer Given under Our signet at Sterling the nineteenth day of February And of Our Reigne the thirteenth yeere 1638. Per actum Secreti Concilii Here followeth their Protestation For God and the King WE Noblemen Barons Ministers Burrowes appointed to attend his Majesties answer to our humble Petition and complaint and to preferre new grievances and to do what else may lawfully conduce to our humble desires That whereupon the 23. of September last wee presented a Supplication to your Lordships and another upon the 18. of October last and also a new Bill relative to the former upon the 19. of December last and did therein humbly remonstrate our just exceptions against the Service Book and Book of Canons and also against the Arch-bishops and Bishops of this Kingdome as the contrivers maintainers and urgers thereof and against their sitting as our Judges untill the cause be decided earnestly supplicating withall to bee freed and delivered from these and all other innovations of that kinde introduced against the laudable Lawes of this Kingdome as that of the High Commission and other evils particularly mentioned and generally contained in our foresaid supplications and complaints and that this our partie delinquent against our Religion and Lawes may be taken order with and these pressing grievances may be taken order with and redressed according to the Lawes of this Kingdome as by our said supplications and complaints more largely doth appeare With the which on the 19. of December last we gave in a Declinator against the Arch-bishops and Bishops as our parties who by consequence could not be our Judges wherupon your Lordships declared by your Act at Dalkeith the said 19. of December that you would present our Petitions to his Majesties Royall consideration and that without prejudice of the Declinator given in by us the said supplicants wherupon we should be heard at place and time convenient And in the meane time should receive no prejudice as the said Act in it selfe beareth And whereas we your Lordships supplicants with a great deale of patience and hope also grounded on sundry promises were expecting an answere to these our humble desires and having learned that upon some directions of His Majesties anent our supplications and complaint unto your
members of the Assembly alledged to be under censure * Who have made the Covenanters Judges of the lawfulnesse either of the judicatorie or the cause especially what an intolerable presumption is it in them to judge Our judicatories in Ireland †But they know that many members of that Assembly were denounced Our rebells and put to Our Horne long before Our Assembly was thought on Anent the alledged instruments sent from the Tables * Not from their publick meetings for they durst not for feare it should be known but from a cabinet meeting consisting of them who led the rest by the nose whose names We know and shal be knowne to all in due time †If it be forged it is forged by none but Covenanters who from many severall shires in the kingdome did send copies of the same written in the same words to Our Commissioner and others and yet those Covenanters did not know one of anothers sending * There was no man in the Assembly who offered any such oath as is here alledged Wee doubt not but there were many members of the Assembly who might have taken that oath safely because they were indeed never acquainted with these papers but Our Commissioner if he had beene put to it by the Assembly could have named many especially some of the Nobilitie Gentrie and Ministers who could not have taken that oath without perjurie and since it is now denyed they shal be named in due time and place * First this nor the eighth was not published in their publicke instructions for it would have offended many Covenanters who were both Chapter-men and Chappel-men and therefore they acknowledging it to be one of their instructions must needs confesse it to be amongst their private ones But a wonder it is that men should not be ashamed to avow in print this their false and partiall dealing for this instruction concerning Chapter-men and Chappel-men was only given to barre some moderate covenanting Ministers from being chosen Commissioners for notwithstanding this instruction Master Ramsey who both was one of the Chapter of Edinburgh and Subdeane of Our Chappell and Rollock who was Prebend of the same Chapter and one of our Chaplains who duely preached his turnes in Our Chappell and some others fierce and fiery revolted Chaptermen and Chappel-men were chosen Commissioners though the reason here expressed was as strong against them as against the rest Anent our going to Glasgow with alledged numbers and weapons * Most false Anent our refusall of Assessors and of the Bishops Declinator †It is a bold and impudent speech to affirm that Our royall Father kept unlawfull Assemblies especially when some of them are confirmed by Parliament Anent his Majesties declaration wherein it is not satisfactorie * God never put it in their hands but the Devill who is the author of all sedition and rebellion * But never without the authoritie of Us and Our Successours †The confession of faith and band annexed upon which their covenant is grounded were injoyned at the first only by the authoritie of Our royall Father and his Councell and so these Books were commanded by as good Authoritie as those * It may not and the holding of the contrary is a false and Jesuiticall position * A fearefull proposition in deed it is to hold Episcopall government to be an uncontroverted government which hath continued in the Church ever since the time of Christ and his Apostles without the least suspicion of controversie until within these few yeeres * But they do not declare all the truth for of twenty Lords of the Session onely foure did it but the rest who were present did the contrary Anent Episcopall government and the other generall reasons * The reasons contained in that Act are infallibly false Anent his Graces intention to returne * Most false Anent our sitting still after the Commissioners discharge * That Assembly is but one instance and a very reprovable one The Ministers of the pretended Assembly at Aberdene did the same and were most severely punished for it Anent our cytation of Councellours Anent the injunctions and Proclamation and our answer thereunto a They should do well to try if they can answer it and the Queries of Aberdene better for the common opinion is that neither of them yet are answered at all b All these texts of Scripture are prophaned and abused for no such thing can either possibly or probably be inferred from them * It is well that they will cite the Pope his Law whom they call Antichrist for when any thing is objected against them out of the Canon Law it is usuall with them to reject that as Popish and Anti-christian †Nay but the pretended Assembly hath erected a Popedome and for their authority goe upon the same grounds and use the very same arguments and abuse the very same places of Scripture which the Pope and the learnedst Patrons of the Pope doe for robbing of Princes of their Authority over all Ecclesiasticall persons and causes in their severall Dominions The words which next follow are meere babling * By the greatest but the worst part of the Kingdome * The sentences of this pretended Assembly were most unlawfull light and mad sentences * It seemes indeed that these reasons are wrapped up in a cloud for both they are so dark as they cannot be discerned and they doe portend a storme but have no weight in them at all a These particular Protestations are the very same formerly made by them and so often repeated even unto tediousnesse and therefore the Reader needeth not to be troubled any more with them
that Kingdome was not like to receive any publike or considerable opposition though We did never expect it should misse to meet with that misfortune which attendeth all other Books of this kind and which hath waited upon the English Service-book here viz. to be disliked and defamed by some whose judgements either being weak are not capable of satisfaction or being distempered with the humours of singularitie are resolved never to receive or at least never to seeme to receive any satisfaction And yet even those men too especially they of the first sort men of weaker judgement before and at the time of the publishing of this Book were not cast without the compasse of Our care and clemencie For Wee did with that Book send home certaine instructions and directions to our Bishops of that Kingdome signed with Our owne hand amongst which this was one That notwithstanding We had now established this Book by Our authoritie yet they should proceed with all moderation and dispense with such for the practise of some things contained in the Book as they should finde either not well perswaded of them or willing to be informed concerning them or did hope that time and reason might gaine to a better beleefe of them Nay yet more to foresee what probable opposition this Book might be like to receive Wee caused Our Councell by Proclamation to publish a set day for the reading of it in all Churches which was the Easter day following 1637 All which time though no symptoms of any considerable opposition did appeare yet upon good considerations and for the further trial of mens minds the first reading of it was delayed untill the xxiii of July next ensuing to the end that the Lords of the Session and others who had any Law-businesse might see the successe of it before the rising of the Session which alwayes endeth on the first of August and that so upon their returne to their severall Countries they might report the receiving of this Book at Edinburgh it being ordered that on that Sunday the Book should be read onely in the Churches of Edinburgh and those which were next adjacent And because it should not be read that day neither unexpectedly warning was first printed and then published in all these severall Pulpits the Sunday immediatly before that the next Sunday the new Service-book was to be read After all which premonitions made only to try how the people stood affected no feare of tumult appearing Nay the Service-book which was to be read having beene in publike Sermons commended by many Preachers without any apparent disgust of the Book or disgrace offered to the Preachers persons Nay having beene commended in Sermons by some of their now principall Covenanting Ministers who since have beene the greatest railers against it by none more then one Rollock a Minister of Edinburgh who both in a Sermon preached by him at a Synod held at Edinburgh before the Bishop of that Diocesse and in his Sermon on the Sunday of intimation of the reading of the Service-book the next Sunday did highly magnifie the said Book And so the tendring of this Book being thus prepared and sweetned with these gracious considerations of time expectation of the discovery of mens affections which for any thing appeared to the contrarie were very calme composed who could have imagined that the first reading of it should have been attended with such a barbarous tumult and insurrection as was raised in the Churches and streets of Edinburgh the Sunday following the true relation of which tumult as it was sent up to Us doth here follow On the twentie-third day of July 1637. being Sunday according to the publike warning given the Sunday before the Service Book was begun to bee read in Edinburgh in Saint Gyles Church commonly called the great Church where were present as usually they are many of Our Councell both the Arch-bishops and divers other Bishops the Lords of the Session the Magistrates of Edinburgh and a very great auditorie of all sorts of people Amongst this great multitude there appeared no signe of trouble But no sooner was the Book opened by the Deane of Edinburgh but a number of the meaner sort who used to keep places for the better sort most of them women with clapping of their hands cursings and out-cries raised such a barbarous hubbub in that sacred place that not any one could either heare or be heard The Bishop of Edinburgh who was to preach stept into the Pulpit which is immediatly above the place where the Deane was to read intending to appease the tumult by putting them in minde that the place in which they then were was holy ground and by intreating them to desist from that fearefull and horrible profanation of it But hee was entertained with as much irreverence as the Deane and with more violence in so much that if a stoole aimed to be throwne at him had not by the providence of God beene diverted by the hand of one present the life of that Reverend Bishop in that holy place and in the Pulpit had beene indangered if not lost The Arch-bishop of Saint Andrewes Lord Chancellour and divers others offering to appease the multitude were entertained with such bitter curses and imprecations as they not being able to prevaile with the people the Provost Bailiffs and divers others of the Councell of that Citie were forced to come downe from the Gallery in which they do usually sit and with much adoe in a very great tumult and confusion thrust out of the Church these disorderly people making fast the Church doores After all which the Deane devoutly read Service assisted by Our Councellors Bishops and many other persons of qualitie there present Yet the out cries rapping at the Church doores throwing of stones at the Church windowes by the tumultuous multitude without was so great as the Bailiffes of the Citie were once more put to forsake their places and use their best indeavours for the appeasing the rage and furie of those who were without Service being ended the Bishop preached after which the Congregation was dismissed The Bishop of Edinburgh retiring himselfe to a lodging distant not many paces from the Church was so invironed with a multitude of the meaner sort of people cursing and crouding him that he was neere being trode to death and in all probabilitie had beene so if hee had not recovered the staires of his lodging which he no sooner began to go up but he was so pulled by the sleeve of his gowne by some of that rude rout that hee had like to have tumbled backward downe the staires to the indangering of his life yet with much adoe getting up the staires he found the doore at which he should have entred shut against him and so being put to a stand he had certainely beene oppressed with the preasse and violence of that rabble if the Earle of Weems from his next lodging seeing the Bishops life in danger had not sent his
that barbarous insurrection which was raised the next day sufficiently testifie On the eighteenth of October 1637. the Bishop of Galloway and Sir VVilliam Elfinston Lord chiefe Justice of that Our Kingdome being appointed by the Lords of Our Councell to examine witnesses in a cause depending before them betweene Francis Stuart sonne to the late Earle of Bothwell and divers others the Bishop was peaceably passing along the street towards the Councell-house where the examinations were to be taken But suddenly an inraged multitude surrounded him and followed him with fearfull cursings and exclamations close to the Councell-house doore where hee was againe incountred afresh with a new troupe who watched and lay in wait for his comming thither and whose furie exceeded words for in all probabilitie the Bishop had beene pulled in peeces by them if by divine providence he had not beene defended by the said Francis Stuart who with much adoe got the Bishop within the doores of the Councell-house where Our Lord chiefe Justice staied for him But when hee was there that place of highest Reverence within that Our Kingdome was no Sanctuarie for him for they continued demanding his person and threatning him with death The report hereof and the danger of their Lords life was brought by some of the Bishops servants presently to the Earle of Traquair Our Lord Treasurer and the Earle of Wigton one of the Lords of Our Councell who were then at a lodging not farre from thence They came presently with their followers to the reliefe of the Bishop but verie hardly for the croud of the mutiners could approach the Councell-house where hee was at last when with much adoe they got entrance they found themselves in no better case then the Bishop was for the peoples furie meeting with no proportionable resistance increased the more The Lords thus beset in Our Councell-house sent privately to the Lord Provost Bailiffes and Councell of Edinburgh who were then assembled in their owne Councell-house requiring them to come to their rescue and to take some present order for their safetie They by one Sir Thomas Thompson who indeed was an eye witnesse of the truth of it returned this answer That they were in the same if not a worse case themselves if the Lords without did not presently pacifie the inraged multitude that the whole streets were pestred with disorderly people that their Councell-house was beset without and thronged within with their owne threatning Citizens who had vowed to kill all within their house unlesse they did presently subscribe to a paper presented to them which for feare of their lives they were forced to doe Which paper contained these three particulars First that they should joyne with them in opposition to the Service Book and in petitioning Us for that purpose Secondly that by their authoritie they should presently restore unto their Pulpits and places Master Ramsey and Rollock their two silenced Ministers Thirdly that they should restore unto his place one Henderson a silenced Reader No doubt three most important grounds for such a fearfull sedition No better answer being returned the Lord Treasurer and the Earle of Wigton with their followers resolved to go up to the Towne Councell-house and to use the uttermost of their authoritie or if that found no respect their best perswasions for settling the present sedition When they came thither they found the Magistrates verie much discomposed greatly perplexed as much doubting whether they should ever escape from the place with their lives yet they presently entred into consultation with them about what was fittest to be done in such an exigent and finding now that the publike divulging of that paper which the Magistrates and Councell of the Citie had subscribed and that the open proclamation of it throughout all their turbulent troupes and at the Crosse had a little asswaged their furious rage the Lords begun to advise with the Magistrates what was best to bee done for the safetie of the Bishop of Galloway whom they had left besieged in the Councell-house It was thought fit by all that the Lords should returne to Our Councell-house and containe themselves therein till the Magistrates might try what they could do for calming the commotion in the streets But no sooner had the Lords presented themselves to the streets but they were received with such violence as they were forced to retire untill such time as two of the Bailiffes with their Serjeants and Officers and such others as they got to attend them accompanying the Lords and repeating to the multitude what had beene yeelded to in the paper exhibited to them a little way was made at first But presently when they entred upon the great street the barbarous multitude run most inragedly upon them Their out-cries were horrible and confused but were as much as in such a confusion could be distinguished God defend all those who will defend Gods cause and God confound the Service Book and all the maintainers of it The Lords being in present and imminent danger assured the people that they would represent their grievances to Us for when they perceived that the people refused to obey any commandement which was laid upon them in Our name and that they sleighted their requiring of them to retire unto their owne houses and to behave themselves as quiet and good subjects under paine of Our highest displeasure they were glad then to betake themselves to intreaties and plausible perswasions but all in vaine For the people still increased their furie and that to such a height as that the Lord Treasurer was throwne downe his hat cloak and white staffe pulled from him so that if by the strength of some about him he had not beene presently pulled up againe upon his feet he had undoubtedly been trode to death and in that posture without hat or cloak like a notorious malefactour was he carried by the croud to Our Councell-house doore where the Bishop of Galloway and others of Our Councell were imprisoned in great feare and expecting the Lords returne for their reliefe Not long after the Provost and Bailiffes came thither to them told them they had used their uttermost power and perswasions with the best ablest and of the prime esteeme of all their Citizens for the appeasing of the present tumult and securing their Lordships persons but could finde no concurrence nor obedience Whereupon the Lords resolved to send for some of the Noblemen and Gentrie and others who were now frequently assembled for assisting the petition against the Service Book to try what help they would or could contribute for quieting the inraged people and what assistance they might expect from them in freeing them from the present danger They being sent for came to the Lords and declared unto them how much they were unsatisfied with the present mutinie offered their persons and power for securing them from all violence which the Lords in Our Councell-house accepting of with much adoe being guarded by them whom the people
his profane Sacrifice for the sins of the dead and the quick his Canonization of men calling upon Angels or Saints departed worshipping of Imagerie Relicks and Crosses dedicating of Kirks Altars Daies Vowes to creatures his Purgatorie praiers for the dead praying or speaking in a strange language with his Processions and blasphemous Letanie and multitude of Advocates or Mediators his manifold Orders Auricular Confession his desperate and uncertaine repentance his generall and doubtsome faith his satisfactions of men for their sins his justification by works opus operatum works of supererogation Merits Pardons Peregrinations and Stations his holy VVater baptising of Bels conjuring of Spirits crossing saning anointing conjuring hallowing of Gods good creatures with the superstitious opinion joined therewith his worldly Monarchy and wicked Hierarchie his three solemne vowes with all his shavelings of sundry sorts his erroneous and bloudie decrees made at Trent with all the subscribers and approvers of that cruell and bloudie Band conjured against the Kirk of God and finally we detest all his vain Allegories Rites Signs and Traditions brought in the Kirk without or against the VVord of God and Doctrine of this true reformed Kirk to the which we joyne our selves willingly in Doctrine Faith Religion Discipline and use of the Holy Sacraments as lively members of the same in Christ our Head promising and swearing by the Great Name of the Lord our GOD that we shall continue in the obedience of the Doctrine and Discipline of this Kirk and shall defend the same according to our vocation and power all the dayes of our lives under the paines contained in the Law and danger both of body and soule in the day of Gods fearfull Judgement and seeing that many are stirred up by Satan and that Romane Antichrist to promise sweare subscribe and for a time use the Holy Sacraments in the Kirk deceitfully against their owne consciences minding thereby first under the externall cloake of Religion to corrupt and subvert secretly Gods true Religion within the Kirk and afterward when time may serve to become open enemies and persecuters of the same under vaine hope of the Popes dispensation devised against the Word of God to his greater confusion and their double condemnation in the day of the LORD JESUS We therefore willing to take away all suspition of hypocrisie and of such double dealing with God and his Kirk Protest and call The Searcher of all hearts for witnesse that our minds and hearts do fully agree with this our Confession Promise Oath and Subscription so that we are not moved for any worldly respect but are perswaded only in our Consciences through the knowledge and love of Gods true Religion printed in our hearts by the holy Spirit as we shall answer to Him in the day when the secrets of all hearts shall be disclosed And because we perceive that the quietnesse and stability of our Religion and Kirk doth depend upon the safety and good behaviour of the Kings Majestie as upon a comfortable instrument of Gods mercy granted to this Countrey for the maintaining of His Kirk and ministration of Justice amongst us wee protest and promise with our hearts under the same Oath Hand-writ and paines that wee shall defend His Person and Authority with our goods bodies and lives in the defence of Christ his Evangel Liberties of our Countrey ministration of Justice and punishment of iniquity against all enemies within this Realme or without as we desire our God to be a strong and mercifull Defender to us in the day of our death and comming of our Lord Jesus Christ To whom with the Father and the Holy Spirit be all honour and glorie eternally LIke as many Acts of Parliament not onely in generall doe abrogate annull and rescind all Lawes Statutes Acts Constitutions Canons civill or Municipall with all other Ordinances and practicke penalties whatsoever made in prejudice of the true Religion and Professours thereof Or of the true Kirk discipline jurisdiction and freedome thereof Or in favours of Idolatrie and superstition Or of the Papisticall Kirk As Act. 3. Act. 31. Parl. 1 Act. 23. Parl. 11. Act. 114. Parl. 12. of King James the sixt That Papistrie and Superstition may be utterly suppressed according to the intention of the Acts of Parlament reported in Act. 5. Parl. 20. K. James 6. And to that end they ordaine all Papists and Priests to be punished by manifold Civill and Ecclesiasticall paines as adversaries to Gods true Religion preached and by law established within this Realme Act. 24. Parl. 11. K. James 6. as common enemies to all Christian government Act. 18. Parl. 16. K. James 6. as rebellers and gainstanders of our Soveraigne Lords authoritie Act. 47. Parl. 3. K. James 6. and as Idolaters Act. 104. Parl. 7. K. James 6. but also in particular by and attour the Confession of faith do abolish and condemne the Popes authoritie and jurisdiction out of this land and ordaines the maintainers thereof to be punished Act. 2. Parl. 1. Act. 51. Parl. 3. Act. 106. Parl. 7. Act. 114. Parl. 12. K. James 6. do condemne the Popes erroneous doctrine or any other erroneous doctrine repugnant to any of the Articles of the true and Christian Religion publikely preached and by Law established in this Realm And ordaines the spreaders and makers of Books or Libels or Letters or writs of that nature to be punished Act. 46. Parl. 3. Act. 106. Parl. 7. Act. 24. Parl. 11. K. James 6. doe condemne all Baptisme conform to the Popes kirk and the idolatry of the Masse and ordaines all sayers wilfull hearers and concealers of the Masse the maintainers and resetters of the Priests Jesuites traffiquing Papists to be punished without any exception or restriction Act. 5. Parl. 1. Act. 120. Parl. 12. Act. 164. Parl. 13. Act. 193. Parl. 14. Act. 1. Parl. 19. Act. 5. Parl. 20. K. James 6. do condemne all erroneous books and writs containing erroneous doctrine against the Religion presently professed or containing superstitious Rites and Ceremonies Papisticall whereby the people are greatly abused and ordaines the homebringers of them to be punished Act. 25. Parl. 11. K. James 6. do condemn the monuments and dregs of bygane Idolatrie as going to Crosses observing the Festivall dayes of Saincts and such other superstitious and Papisticall Rites to the dishonour of God contempt of true Religion and fostering of great errour among the people and ordaines the users of them to be punished for the second fault as Idolaters Act. 104. Parl. 7. K. James 6. Like as many Acts of Parlament are conceived for maintenance of Gods true and Christian Religion and the puritie thereof in Doctrine and Sacraments of the true Church of God the libertie and freedome thereof in her Nationall Synodall Assemblies Presbyteries Sessions Policie Discipline and Jurisdiction thereof as that puritie of Religion and libertie of the Church was used professed exercised preached and confessed according to the reformation of Religion in this Realm As for instance
Act. 99. Parl. 7. Act. 23. Parl. 11. Act. 114. Parl. 12. Act. 160. Parl. 13. K. James 6. ratified by Act. 4. K. Charles So that Act. 6. Parl. 1. and Act. 68. Parl. 6. of K. James 6. in the yeare of God 1579. declares the Ministers of the blessed Evangel whom God of his mercie had raised up or hereafter should raise agreeing with them that then lived in Doctrine and administration of the Sacraments and the people that professed Christ as he was then offered in the Evangel and doth communicate with the holy Sacraments as in the reformed kirkes of this Realme they were presently administrate according to the Confession of Faith to be the true and holy kirk of Christ Jesus within this Realme and decernes and declares all and sundrie who either gainsayes the VVord of the Evangel received and approved as the heads of the Confession of Faith professed in Parlament in the yeare of God 1560. specified also in the first Parlament of K. James 6. and ratified in this present Parlament more particularly do specifie or that refuses the administration of the holy Sacraments as they were then ministrated to be no members of the said kirk within this Realme and true Religion presently professed so long as they keepe themselves so divided from the societie of Christs bodie And the subsequent Act. 69. Parl. 6. K. James 6. declares That there is no other face of kirke nor other face of Religion then was presently at that time by the favour of God established within this Realme which therefore is ever stiled Gods true Religion Christs true Religion the true and Christian Religion and a perfect Religion Which by manifold Acts of Parlament all within this Realme are bound to professe to subscribe the articles thereof the Confession of Faith to recant all doctrine and errours repugnant to any of the said Articles Act. 4. and 9. Parl. 1. Act. 45.46.47 Parl. 3. Act. 71. Parl. 6. Act. 106. Parl. 7. Act. 24. Parl. 11. Act. 123. Parl. 12. Act. 194. and 197. Parl. 14. of K. James 6. And all Magistrates Sheriffes c. on the one part are ordained to search apprehend and punish all contraviners for instance Act. 5. Parl. 1. Act. 104. Parl. 7. Act. 25. Parl. 11. K. James 6. And that notwithstanding of the Kings Majestes licences on the contrary which are discharged and declared to be of no force in so farre as they tend in any wayes to the prejudice and hinder of the execution of the Acts of Parlament against Papists and adversaries of true Religion Act. 106. Par. 7. K. James 6. on the other part in the 47. Act. Parl. 3. K. James 6. it is declared and ordained seeing the cause of Gods true Religion and his Highnesse Authority are so joyned as the hurt of the one is common to both and that none shall be reputed as loyall and faithfull subjects to our Soveraigne Lord or his Authority but be punishable as rebellers and gainstanders of the same who shall not give their Confession and make their profession of the said true Religion and that they who after defection shall give the Confession of their faith of new they shall promise to continue therein in time comming to maintaine our Soveraigne Lords Authoritie and at the uttermost of their power to fortifie assist and maintaine the true Preachers and Professours of Christs Religion against whatsoever enemies and gainstanders of the same and namely against all such of whatsoever nation estate or degree they be of that have joyned and bound themselves or have assisted or assists to set forward and execute the cruell decrees of Trent contrary to the Preachers and true Professours of the Word of God which is repeated word by word in the Articles of Pacification at Pearth the 23 of February 1572. approved by Parlament the last of Aprill 1573. ratified in Parlament 1578. And related Act. 123. Parl. 12. of K. James 6. with this addition That they are bound to resist all treasonable uproares and hostilities raised against the true Religion the Kings Majestie the true Professors Like as all lieges are bound to maintain the K. Majesties Royal Person and authority the authority of Parlaments without the which neither any laws or lawful judicatories can be established Act. 130. Act. 131. Par. 8. K. Ja 6. the subjects liberties who ought only to live and be governed by the Kings lawes the common lawes of this Realm allanerly Act. 48. Parl. 3. K. James 1. Act. 79. Parl. 6. K. James 4 repeated in Act. 131. Parl. 8. K. James 6. VVhich if they be innovated or prejudged the Commission anent the union of the two kingdomes of Scotland and England which is the sole Act of the 17. Parl. of K. James 6. declares such confusion would ensue as this Realme could be no more a free Monarchie because by the fundamentall lawes ancient priviledges offices and liberties of this kingdome not onely the Princely authoritie of his Majesties royall discent hath bin these manie ages maintained but also the peoples securitie of their lands livings rights offices liberties dignities preserved and therefore for the preservation of the said true Religion Lawes and Liberties of this kingdome it is statute by Act. 8. Parl. 1. repeated in Act. 99. Parl. 7. ratified in Act. 23. Parl. 11. and 114. Act. of K. James 6. and 4. Act. of K. Charles That all kings and Princes at their Coronation and reception of their Princely authoritie shall make their faithfull promise by their solemn oath in the presence of the eternall God that enduring the whole time of their lives they shall serve the same eternall God to the uttermost of their power according as he hath required in his most holy VVord contained in the old and new Testaments And according to the same VVord shall maintain the true Religion of Christ Jesus the preaching of his holy VVord the due and right ministration of the Sacraments now received and preached within this Realme according to the Confession of Faith immediately preceding and shall abolish and gainstand all false Religion contrarie to the same and shall rule the people committed to their charge according to the will and command of God revealed in his foresaid VVord and according to the lowable lawes and constitutions received in this Realm no waies repugnant to the said will of the eternall God and shal procure to the uttermost of their power to the kirk of God and whole Christian people true and perfit peace in all time comming and that they shall be carefull to root out of their Empire all Hereticks and enemies to the true worship of God who shall be convicted by the true kirk of God of the foresaid crimes which was also observed by his Majesty at his Coronation in Edinburgh 1633. as may be seene in the order of the Coronation In obedience to the commandement of God conform to the practice of the godly in former times and according to the laudable example
vindicating Our Royall Authoritie and the Monarchicall government of that Our ancient Kingdome is farre beneath Us and therefore Wee would onely know how they can possibly answer these foure questions to the world First by what authoritie they entered into this Covenant and how they durst presume to exact an Oath from any of Our subjects to it or any thing else it being an irrefragable proposition That no publike Oath can bee administred but by a Magistrate or by one sufficiently deputed by authoritie to administer it For it is a badge annexed to Magistracie and Authoritie to have power of giving and taking an oath and therefore they cannot satisfie the world by what Authoritie or deputation from Authoritie they did give this oath to and receive it from Our subjects They do answer that though they have no Law for it yet they have President For this Confession of Faith say they in the title of their Covenant was subscribed by Our Father of happie memorie and his houshold in the year 1580. thereafter by persons of all ranks in the yeare 1581. and that by the ordinance of the Lords of the Secret Councel and Acts of the Generall Assemblie Subsâ—ribed againe by all sorts of persons in the yeare 1590. by a new ordinance of Councell at the desire of the Generall Assemblie with a generall band for maintenance of true Religion and the Kings person Now was this their Confession of Faith and Covenant annexed commanded to bee sworne and subscribed by Us by any order from Our Councell or by any Act of Generall Assembly But they will say that it being once commanded that commandement is still in force and vigour That is indeed a good ground or president for Us and Our Councell to command this same oath to be renewed when We shall see cause but the repetition of it must still be by the same Authoritie by which it was at the first injoyned Now the first injunction of this subscription was made by Our Royall Father in the yeare 1580. the first renewing of it in 1581. was as they say themselves by an ordinance of the Lords of the Secret Councell the second renewing of it 1590. was by a new ordinance of Councell at the desire of the Generall Assemblie By which it is plaine that the judgement of the Generall Assemblie which in those daies was at the highest and was not wont to derogate from their owne power was that this oath could not be renewed nor any band but by authoritie from Our Royall Father and His Councell Againe have they not printed in the frontispice of this their Covenant Our Royall Father his charge to certain Commissioners and all Ministers within that Realme for requiring this oath with a command to returne to the Ministers of his house the names and processes of all such as should refuse to take the said oath Now did any of all these precede their Covenant Was Our authoritie or the authoritie of Our Councell so much as asked much lesse obtained Were there any Commissioners by Us or Our Councell appointed to receive this oath in the severall Shires Nay as shall appeare afterward in due place when We with the advice of Our Councell by Proclamation did command the renewing of that oath and designed Commissioners throughout the severall Shires of the Kingdome for administring of it did not those who call themselves of the Table refuse to sweare it themselves and command that none of the Kingdome should sweare it by any authoritie from Us And is not this pulling down of Our authoritie and setting themselves in Our place So that if the Reader look upon the title and inscription of their Covenant he shall finde as Wee said that it carrieth the overthrow of it in its owne front Secondly say they had power to command the new taking of this oath as they had not yet what power can be pretended for their interpretation of it It being a received Maxime That no lesse authoritie can interpret a Law or Rescript then that which made it or those whom they who made it have constituted Judges to give judgement and sentence according to the true meaning of it This oath then being first framed and urged by our Royall Father with the advice of his Councell can it be interpreted by any but by Us and His and Our successours And have either We or Our Councell given any such interpretation Nay can any man though in authoritie indued with Religion or reason with any conscience or honestie give not onely so false but so ridiculous and absurd an interpretation of that Confession of faith as those of the Table have given For they have declared That this Confession is to bee interpreted and ought to be understood of all the pretended Novations no lesse then if everie one of them had beene expressed in the said Confession Had they said that they themselves did prohibite these pretended novations as other points of Poperie in that confession abjured the words had then carried some sense as intimating that they themselves did now think that they did tend to Poperie But that they should force any man to sweare that the framers of that Confession at the first did so they being all dead so never were asked nor can bee asked the question or that they should make men living sweare what was the minde of the dead concerning the five Articles of Pearth the Service Book the Book of Canons the high Commission things of which in their lives they never heard nor perhaps did ever imagine the introduction of them they in that Confession abjuring onely those Romish corruptions which in their time had infested the Church is such a profane and foolish interpretation that one would wonder how any one that either hath the knowledge or maketh conscience of an oath can either himselfe take or desire others to take an oath so false and foolish as this And therefore with more wit then honestie where they met with no scrupulous people they suffered them to swallow down that wicked glosse which corrupteth the verie text of the Confession But where multitudes especially of the Ministers who at their admissions had sworn obedience to and practise of these points which they call innovations quarrelled at this their interpretation they assured them that it would breed a great division if they should desire but the least alteration of the words in which their Covenant was conceived but yet that they might verie well sweare all with a reservation of not abjuring Episcopacie the five Articles of Pearth or any thing established by Acts of Parliament and Generall Assemblie With which Protestation and reservation and not otherwise many especially of the Ministers did sweare their Covenant as they themselves do well know which was such a notable peece of Jesuiticall equivocation on their parts who exacted this oath and contrarie to the verie letter and grammaticall sense of the oath it selfe especially in that part of it which containeth their
would be most willing to indict a free generall Assembly and call a Parliament for those good ends but that your Grace as His Majesties Commissioner hath conceived the Confession of faith and Covenant latelie renewed by us His Majesties subjects to be an unlawfull combination against Authority thereby to cast off our dutifull obedience and not a Covenant for maintaining of true Religion of His Majesties Person and Authority and of the Laws and Liberties of the Kingdome And we being most willing to remove that as the maine hinderance of the obtaining of our desires Therefore and for clearing of our loyaltie and vindicating our selves from so great an imputation Wee do now in all humility remonstrate to your Grace as His Majesties Commissioner and declare before God and men that we are heartily grieved and sorrie that any good man but most of all that our dread Soveraigne should so conceive of our doing And that we were and still are so faâ—re from any thought of withdrawing our selves from our dutifull subjection and obedience to His Majesties government which by the descent and under the raigne of 107 Kings is most chearfully acknowledged by us and our predecessours that we never had nor have any intention or desire to attempt any thing that may turne to the dishonour of God or diminution of the Kings greatnesse and authority But on the contrary we acknowledging our quietnesse stability and happinesse to depend upon the safety of the Kings Majestie as upon Gods Vicegerent set over us for maintenance of Religion and ministration of Justice have solemnly sworne not onely our mutuall concurrence and assistance for the cause of Religion but also to the uttermost of our power with our meanes and lives to stand to the defence of our dread Soveraigne the Kings Majestie His Person and Authority in the preservation and defence of the true Religion Liberties and Lawes of the Kingdome And therefore we His Majesties loyall subjects free from that and all other imputations of that kinde most humbly beseech your Grace to esteeme that our Confession of Faith and Covenant to have been intended and to be the largest testimony of our fidelity to God and loyaltie to our King And that hinderance being removed must still supplicate that your Grace would be pleased to indict a free generall Assembly and Parliament which will undoubtedly redresse all our evils settle the peace of the Kirk and Kingdome and procure that chearfulnesse of obedience which ought to be rendred to His Majesty carrying with it the offer of our fortunes and best endeavours for His Majesties honour and happinesse as a reall testimony of our thankfulnesse and our hearty prayers to God that His Majestie may long and prosperously raigne over us NOw doth this Petition deserve the name of an explication of their Covenant much lesse of such an explication as should give either Us or Our Commissioner any satisfaction No for it containeth neither more nor lesse then this that they doe not meane to shake off their obedience if We will give way to all their courses which by this Petition they justifie so that their meaning is that they will continue obedient subjects if We will part from Our Soveraigntie which is in effect that they will obey if Wee will suffer them to command But where it was expected that to these words of their Covenant whereby they binde themselves to mutuall maintenance against all persons whatsoever should have beene added except the King and his successors that was refused though even that could have given no satisfaction unlesse We should give way to that which divers Acts of Parliament have made sedition and punishable with death Upon notice given by Our Commissioner of his intended departure the debatements at their Table grew very hot and fierie upon this point Whether they should presently indict a Generall Assembly and fall upon the violent courses intended by them or that they should grant some short time for his journey his stay with Us his returne to them againe with Our finall answer and last resolution and in the meane time promise that they would behave themselves quietly and peaceably and continue all things in statu quo untill his returne This last was agreed unto though not without much contrarietie of voices and so some of the principall Covenanters came and acquainted him with this their resolution which was That they would expect Our answer and his returne upon the fifth of August next at the furthest untill which time they would breake up their great meeting containe themselves and the people in quietnesse and peace but if by that day he did either not return or not bring with him from Us such an answere as they expected then they would hold themselves free and goe on to prosecute the courses which they had resolved upon And so Our Commissioner begun his journey towards Us. After Our Commissioner had at Greenwich made Us fully acquainted with all their insolencies We speedily dispatched him with new Instructions and commanded him to returne so that he might be backe in Scotland by the fifth of August and gave him order for the indicting both of a Generall Assembly and a Parliament but so that he should first be fully satisfied by all informations which he could conveniently receive of the constitution of a Generall Assembly with which perhaps many were not acquainted none having beene kept for divers yeares And therefore it did require good deliberation to agree both upon the members of the Assembly not for their persons but for their qualitie and of what things were usually treated and handled there No sooner was he returned into Scotland but he found all things in much worse case and in a farre greater combustion then he left them For he found that the heads of the faction being affraid that he might bring backe with him some satisfactory accommodation which Our subjects might like well but they themselves resolved to reject had in the time of his absence assured their followers that they might compasse their ends by such means and upon such conditions as themselves desired Nay they proceeded so far as to make the people beleeve what they knew to be most untrue viz. That Our Commissioner was well satisfied with all their proceedings and especially with their Covenant in regard of the late explication they had made of it and were so impudent as to use that inducement for an argument whereby they perswaded many of all sorts especially of the Ministers who had formerly stood out against their Covenant to enter into it in this short time of his absence from them And the three Ministers in their answers to the Queries of the Divines of Aberdene had the boldnesse to print that Our Commissioner rested satisfied with their Covenant according to their explication of it With which their notorious calumnie he found himselfe so highly injured in a point which so much concerned his loyaltie to Us and the trust reposed in
this to be any hinderance of the indiction of a Generall Assemblie but rather a powerfull and principall motive with speed to conveene the same as the proper Judicatorie wherein to determine such dangerous and universall differences of the Church Neither do wee heare that any Ministers are deposed but onely suspended during this Interim till a Generall Assemblie for their erroneous doctrine and flagitious life So that it were most offensive to God disgracefull to Religion and scandalous to the people to restore them to their places till they be tried and censured And concerning Moderators none of them as we understand are deposed but some onely changed which is verie ordinarie in this Church The fourth concerning the repairing of Parishioners to their owne Church and that Elders assist the Ministers in the discipline of the Church ought to be cognosced and judged by the particular Presbyteries to which the Parishioners and Elders are subject since the cause may bee in the Ministers no lesse then in the Parishioners and Elders And in case they finde no redresse there to assent till they come to a Generall Assemblie the want whereof maketh disorders to bee multiplied both in Presbyteries and particular Parishes To the sixth That ministers wait upon their owne Churches and that none of them come to the Assemblie or place where the same is kept but such as shall bee chosen Commissioners from Presbyteries we answer That none are to come to the place of the Assemblie but such as are either allowed by Commission to have voice or otherwise have such interesse as they can justifie to his Majesties Commissioner and the Assemblie conveened To the seventh Concerning the appointing of Moderators of Presbyteries to bee Commissioners to the Generall Assemblie onely constant Moderators who have ceased long since were found in the Assemblie 1606. which yet was never reputed by the Church to be a lawfull nationall Assemblie to be necessarie members of the Generall Assemblie And if both the Moderators who if they be necessarie members need not to bee chosen and the chosen Commissioners repaire to the Assemblie the Assemblie it selfe can judge best of the members whereof it ought to consist To the ninth That no lay-person whatsoever meddle with the choosing of Commissioners from the Presbyteries and no Minister without his owne Presbyterie we say That according to the order of our Church discipline none but Ministers and Elders of Churches ought to have voice in choosing Commissioners from Presbyteries and that no Minister or Elder should have voice in Election but in his owne Presbyterie The rest of the particulars are concerning civill matters As the fifth concerning the paying of Rents and Stipends to Ministers and Bishops concerning which we can say no further but that the lawes are patent for them as for his Majesties other subjects and that the General Assemblie ought not to be delaied upon any complaint in that kinde The eighth requiring that Bishops and Ministers be secured in their persons we think so reasonable that wee will promise everie one of us for our own parts they shall suffer no violence from us and that we shall hinder others so farre as wee may And if any trouble them otherwise or make them any kinde of molestation in that attendance but by order of Law the parties are justly punishable according to the degree of their fault as other subjects are To the tenth concerning the dissolving of all Convocations and meetings and the peaceablenesse of the Countrie These meetings being kept for no other end but for consulting about lawfull remedies against such pressing grievances as threaten the desolation of this Church and State cannot be dissolved till the evils be removed And we trust that nothing in these our meetings hath escaped us which carrieth in it the smallest appearance of undutifulnesse or which may seeme to tend to the breach of the common peace But although our adversaries have herein calumniated us yet we have alwayes so behaved our selves as beseemed his Majesties most humble and loyall subjects petitioning his Majestie for a legall redresse of our just grievances To the last concerning the Covenant the Commissioner his Grace having many times and most instantly pressed us with that point we did first by invincible arguments make manifest that wee could not without sinning against God and our owne consciences and without doing wrong to this Nationall Church and all posteritie rescind or alter the same And thereafter did at large cleare the same of all unlawfull combination against Authoritie by our last Supplication and Declaration which his Majesties Commissioner accepted as the most readie and powerfull of all other meanes which could come within the compasse of our thought to give his Majestie satisfaction The subscription of this our confession of Faith and Covenant being an act so evidently tending to the glorie of God the Kings honour and happinesse of the Kingdome And having alreadie proved so comfortable to us in the inward of our hearts It is our ardent and constant desire and readie wish that both his Majestie and all his good subjects may be partakers of the same comfort Like as we finde our selves bound by conscience and by the Covenant it selfe to perswade all his Majesties good subjects to joyne with us for the good of Religion his Majestes honour and the quietnesse of the Kingdome which being modestly used by us without pressing or threatning of the meanest we hope shall never give his Majestie the least cause of discontent Seeing therefore according to our power and interesse wee are most willing to remove all hinderances that things may bee carried in a peaceable manner worthy our Profession and Covenant doe aime at nothing but the good of the Kingdome and preservation of the Church which by consumption or combustion is like to be desperately diseased except remedy some way bee speedily provided And wee delight to use no other meanes but such as are legall and have beene ordinarie in this Church since the Reformation Wee are confident that without further delay for preventing of greater evils and miseries then wee can expresse our just desires shall be granted So shall we be encouraged in the peace of our souls still to pray for his Majestie all encrease of true honour and happinesse UPon their refusall he sent for some of the chiefe Lords Covenanters and told them of his resolution for a new journey that he found their wayes such as he could not goe along with them that he had power to grant them a free Generall Assembly but that he could not conceive that to be a free one in which they should bring in everie man to have a voice whom they had a minde to If they would let him know what manner of persons should sit there and what they intended to doe there he would give his best concurrence if he found their intentions to be agreeable to the lawes and customes of that Church and
of the Covenant with their hands and that they would acquaint the Covenanters with it with whom they kept private meetings This proposition being much debated amongst these Councellours they fell upon that way which they conceived would fully satisfie or else none could which was this Since the Covenanters would not expresse their owne desires in particulars they thought best to take an exact view of all their petitions remonstrances grievances declarations protestations either written or printed which they had since the first beginning of these troubles exhibited to Our selves Our Commissioner Our Councell and to extract out of them the particulars of all their grievances and desires and to represent them unto Us. And besides all these We being assured by Our Commissioner that the principall motive which the heads of the Covenanters had used to Our people for alienating their minds from Us was that false opinion of Our aversnesse from the Religion Reformed and of Our inclination to Popery We resolved above all that was desired to take a course which should give Our subjects full and unquestionable satisfaction in that point and therefore propounding unto Our selfe the example of Our Royall Father We concluded to command and urge the renewing of that Confession of Faith which was first framed and afterward renewed in His name by which meanes Wee made account that We should both benefit Our Subjects and right Our selfe For perceiving that they had grounded and fathered their spurious Covenant upon that Confession and Covenant urged by Our Father Wee resolved by this Act of Our authoritie to legitimate it that it being commanded by Us might save Our people who were to sweare it from incurring the danger of Our Lawes which have made it very criminall to enter into any Covenant without Our authority As also to vindicate Our selfe from that false and wicked aspersion which the heads of their Covenant had most seditiously laid upon Us viz. that Wee had a resolution either to bring in Poperie or at least to tolerate it in Our Kingdomes which though they themselves did not beleeve yet they beleeved that this was the most powerfull meanes of alienating the minds of Our people from Us which they only intended if they could possibly worke them to that beliefe And so both Wee and Our Commissioner who had lately come from them were perswaded that not onely Our people but all people in the World to whose notice it should come must rest satisfied that Wee could not possibly be that way inclined if Wee should command and by Our authority effect a new subscription and swearing of that confession of Faith which is more directly opposite to Poperie then any Confession besides extant in the World This being added to the former advice of Our Councell which was to ease them of all those things which they pretended to bee their principall grievances Wee well hoped should have settled the peace of that Church and Kingdome For by granting the removing of those former grievances without this last superaddition of Our favour Our Councellours were perswaded that Our subjects for the most part would be satisfied desert their Leaders and adhere to Us with their lives and fortunes as they themselves would doe who signed this their Councell with their hands and sent it up to Us by Our Commissioner No sooner was he come to Us at Oatlands but We were astonished with his relation of their proceedings and when he presented unto Us not only the improbability but also the impossibility that ever the Ring-leaders of that Rebellion would desist untill they had obtained their wicked ends and that the onely hope of peace was placed in dividing the people from them by proffering unto the people such gracious favours as in all likelyhood they neither could nor would reject and well weighing the advice given unto Us by Our principall Councellours and Officers of State there After mature deliberation with such as We were pleased to call unto Us and especially at the humble and earnest importunity of Our Commissioner so zealously affected to the peace of Our and his native Countrey We did resolve to pursue that advice of his and Our other Councellours and did againe make a very exact survey of whatsoever they had petitioned for from the very first either of Us Our Commissioner or Councell and resolved to grant them all and besides all these to renew the former Confession of Faith and the Band annexed which We made account would have given them satisfaction above all things especially in that wherein they had been most wickedly abused that is in their opinion of Our inclination to Poperie The particulars of Our gracious grants unto them you shall finde in Our next Proclamation made after Our Commissioners returne to that Kingdome whom within eight dayes after his comming to Us We dispatched back againe overjoyed with Our gracious grants as making full accompt that he should be received this last time as an Angell of God bringing in his mouth the branch both of piety and peace But how farre both We and he and Our Councellours and all Our good religious loyall and peaceable subjects of that Kingdom were deceived herein the next ensuing narration which is almost above credit will sufficiently declare For Our Commissioner returning before the day agreed upon he found all things in the time of his absence so perplexed and imbroyled by the heads of the Covenanters who were afraid of nothing so much as that he should returne with an answer satisfactorie to Our people that he begun most clearely to perceive that these men were resolved that nothing should satisfie them which appeared by their whole proceedings in the time of his absence and especially in these two particulars First whereas they had promised that no election of Commissioners for the Assembly should be made before the 21. day of September the day agreed upon for his returne they gave order that the election should be made the 22. day of September being the next day after that which they knew was to be passed before he could possibly returne Our answer to them According to which resolution of theirs Commissioners for the Assembly were elected in many Presbyteries upon that day before any of the Covenanters did or could come to know Our answer from Our Commissioner or before the Assembly was indicted which was not untill some dayes after these elections were past Now We desire to know whether ever there were heard a more grosse absurd and palpable equivocation then this and that from men who would be accounted the greatest opposites in the world to Popish tenets and to none more then that of equivocation They promise that no election shall be made untill Our Commissioners returne and before such a day and that promise grounded upon Our Commissioners resolution before his departure from them that unlesse they would give him that assurance hee would not undertake his journey nor move Us any more in this business but if they
if any of Our subjects whether ecclesiasticall or civill of whatsoever qualitie title or degree have or shall at any time presume to doe any such act or assume to themselves any such exemption or power That they shall like as by these presents We make and ordaine them to be lyable to the triall and censure of Parliament generall Assembly or any other Judicatories competent according to the nature and qualitie of the offence And for the free entry of Ministers that no other oath be administrate unto them then that which is contained in the act of Parliament And to give Our subjects full assurance that We never intend to admit of any change or alteration in the true Religion alreadie established and professed in this Our kingdome And that all Our good people may be fully and clearly satisfied of the realitie of Our intentions towards the maintenance of the truth and integritie of the said Religion We have thought fit and expedient to injoine and authorize like as We by these presents doe require and command all the Lords of Our privie Councell Senatours of the Colledge of Justice Judges and Magistrates to burgh and land and all Our oâ—her subjects whatsoever to subscribe and renew the Confession of Faith subscribed at first by Our deare Father and His houshold in the yeare of God 1580. Thereafter by persons of all rankes in the yeare 1581. by ordinance of the Lords of secret Councell and acts of the generall Assembly Subscribed againe by all sorts of persons in the yeare 1590. by a new ordinance of Councell at the desire of the generall Assembly with their generall band of maintenance of the true Religion and the Kings person And for that effect We doe require the Lords of Councell to take such course anent the foresaid confession and generall band that it may be subscribed and renewed throughout the whole kingdome with all possible diligence And because We will not leave in Our subjects minds the least scruple or doubt of Our royall intentions and reall resolutions Wee have given warrant to Our Commissioner to indict a free generall Assembly to be holden at Glasgow the twenty first day of November in this present yeare 1638. And thereafter a Parliament to be holden at Edinburgh the fifteenth day of May Anno 1639. for settling a perfect peace in the Church and Common-weale of this kingdome And because it is likely that the disorders and distractions which have happened of late have beene occasioned through the conceived feares of innovation of Religion and Lawes and not out of any disloyaltie or disaffection to soveraigntie We are graciously pleased absolutely to forget what is past and freely to forgive all by-gones to all such as shall acquiesce to this Our gracious pleasure and carry themselves peaceably as loyall and dutifull subjects and shall ratifie and approve the same in Our next ensuing Parliament And that this Assembly may have the better successe and more happy conclusion Our will is that there be a solemne Fast proclaimed and kept by all Our good subjects of this kingdome a foureteene dayes before the beginning of the said Assembly the causes thereof to be a begging a blessing from God upon that Assembly and a peaceable end to the distractions of this Church and kingdome with the aversion of Gods heavie judgement from both And Our pleasure is that this Fast be kept in the most solemne manner as hath beene in this Church at any time heretofore upon the most extraordinary occasion OUR WILL is herefore and We charge you straightly and command that incontinent these Our Letters seen ye passe and make publication hereof by open proclamation at the market crosses of the head burrowes of this kingdome where-through none pretend ignorance of the same Given at Our Court of Oatlands the ninth day of September 1638. Per Regem AFter this Declaration was proclaimed the Confession of Faith as it was at the first commanded by Our Royall Father as also the band annexed for defence of the Religion now established and of Our Person and authoritie with the subscriptions of Our Commissioner and Councell to them both doe here follow The Confession of Faith of the Kirke of SCOTLAND Subscribed at the first by the Kings Majesties umwhile dearest Father of blessed memory and his Houshold in the yeer of God 1580. Thereafter by persons of all ranks in the yeere of God 1581. by ordinance of the Lords of Secret Councel and Acts of the Generall Assembly Subscribed againe by all sorts of Persons in the yeer 1590. by a new Ordinance of Councel at the desire of the general Assembly With the general Band for maintenance of the true Religion And now renewed and subscribed again by his Majesties speciall command by the right noble Marquesse James Marquesse of Hamiltoun Earle of Arran and Cambridge Lord Even and Evendail his Majesties high Commissioner and Lords of secret Councell undersubscribing And that of and according to the date and tenor of the said Confession of Faith dated in March 1580. and of the Band dated in Anno 1589. WEe All and every one of us underwritten protest That after long and due examination of our owne Consciences in matters of true and false Religion are now throughly resolved in the Truth by the Word and Spirit of God and therefore we beleeve with our hearts confesse with our mouths subscribe with our hands and constantly affirme before God and the whole World that this only is the true Christian Faith and Religion pleasing God and bringing salvation to man which is now by the mercy of God revealed to the world by the preaching of the blessed Evangel And received beleeved and defended by many and sundry notable Kirks and Realmes but chiefly by the Kirk of Scotland the Kings Majestie and three Estates of this Realme as Gods eternall truth and onely ground of our salvation as more particularly is expressed in the Confession of our Faith stablished and publikely confirmed by sundry Acts of Parliaments and now of a long time hath been openly professed by the Kings Majestie and whole body of this Realme both in Burgh and Land To the which Confession and forme of Religion wee willingly agree in our consciences in all points as unto Gods undoubted Truth and Verity grounded onely upon his written Word And therefore Wee abhorre and detest all contrarie Religion and Doctrine But chiefly all kinde of Papistrie in generall and particular heads even as they are now damned and confuted by the Word of God and Kirke of Scotland but in speciall we detest and refuse the usurped authoritie of that Roman Antichrist upon the Scriptures of God upon the Kirk the civill Magistrate and conscience of men All his tyrannous lawes made upon indifferent things against our Christian liberty His erroneous doctrine against the sufficiency of the written word the perfection of the Law the office of Christ and his blessed evangel His corrupted doctrine concerning originall sin our naturall
people betweene two opinions and their not answering a word when the Lord called them to give a testimony Act. 20.20 I have keeped backe nothing that was profitable unto you and againe 1 Cor. 12.7 Mat. 15.18 Rom. 1.18 Revel 2.14.20 and 3.15 and therefore to keepe silence or not to meddle with corruptions whether in doctrine sacraments worship or discipline in a generall Assembly of the Kirk conveened for that end were the ready way to move the Lord to deny his Spirit unto us and to provoke him to wrath against our proceedings and might be imputed unto us for prejudice for collusion and for betraying our selves and the posterity 2. This predetermination is against our supplications and protestations wherein we have showne our selves so earnest for a free generall Assembly contrary to every limitation of this kind so far prejudging the liberty thereof is against the Confession of Faith registrated in the Parliament 1567. declaring that one cause of the Councels of the Kirk is for good policie and order to be observed in the Kirk and for to change such things as men have devised when they rather foster superstition then edifie the Kirke using the same and is against our late Confession wherein we have promised to forbeare all novations till they be tryed which obligeth us to forbeare now and to try them in an Assembly and by all lawfull meanes to labour to recover the former purity and liberty of the Gospel to which this limitation is directly repugnant our liberty in a Generall Assembly being the principall of all lawfull meanes serving to that end 3. This were directly contrary to the nature and ends of a generall assembly which having authority from God being conveened according to the lawes of the Kingdome and receiving power from the whole collective body of the Kirke for the good of Religion and safety of the Kirke Whatsoever may conduce for these good ends in wisedome and modestie should be proponed examined and determined without Prelimitation either of the matters to be treated or of the libertie of the members thereof It being manifest that as farre as the assembly is limited in the matters to bee treated and in the members to be used the necessary ends of the Assembly and the supreme Law which is the safety of the Kirke are as far hindered and pre-judged This limitation is against the Discipline of the Kirke which Booke 2. chap. 7. declareth this to be one of her liberties That the Assembly hath power to abrogate and abolish all Statutes and ordinances concerning Ecclesiasticall matters that are found noysome and unprofitable and agree not with the time or are abused by the people and against the acts of the generall assembly Like as the pretended Assembly 1610. declareth for the common affaires of the Kirk without exception or limitation it is necessary that there be yearly generall Assemblies And what order can be hoped for hereafter if this assembly indicted after so long intermission and so many grosse corruptions be limited and that more than ever any lawfull Assembly of the Kirk was when it was yearly observed 5. It is ordained in Parl. 11. act 40. K. James 6. anent the necessarie and lawfull forme of all Parliaments that nothing shall be done or commanded to be done which may directly or indirectly prejudge the libertie of free voycing or reasoning of the Estates or any of them in time comming It is also appointed in Parl. 6. act 92. K. James 6. that the Lords of Counsell and Session proceed in all civill causes intended or depending before them or to be intended to cause execute their decrees notwithstanding any private writing charge or command in the contrarie and generally by the acts of Parliament appointing every matter for its owne judicatorie and to all judicatories their owne freedome And therefore much more doth this liberty belong to the supreme judicatorie ecclesiastick in matters so important as concerneth Gods honour and worship immediatly the salvation of the peoples Soules and right constitution of the Kirk whose liberties and priviledges are confirmed Parl. 12. K. James 6. Parl. 1. K. Charles for if it be carefully provided by diverse Acts of Parliament especially Parl. 12. act 148. K. James 6. That there be no forstalling or regrating of things pertaining to this naturall life What shall be thought of this spirituall for stalling and regrating which tendeth to the famishing or poysoning of the soules of the people both now and in the generations afterward 6. It were contrary to our Protestations proceedings and complaints against the late innovations And it might be accounted an innovation and usurpation as grosse dangerous to us and the posterity and as prejudiciall to Religion as any complained upon by us to admit limitations and secret or open determinations which belongeth to no person or judicatorie but to an Assembly Or to consent to and approve by our silence the same predeterminations It were to be guilty of that our selves which we condemne in others We may easily judge how the Apostles before the Councell of Jerusalem the Fathers before the Nicene Councell and our Predecessors before the assembly holden at the Reformation and afterwards would have taken such dealing That this Proclamation commandeth all his Majesties Subjects for maintenance of the Religion already established to subscribe and renew the Confession of Faith subscribed before in the yeere 1580 and afterward And requireth the Lords of privie Councell to take such course anent the same and the generall Band of Maintenance of the true Religion and the Kings person that it may be subscribed and renewed throughout the whole Kingdome with all possible diligence which cannot now be performed by us For although of late we would have been glad that our selves and other his Majesties Subjects had been commanded by authority to sweare and subscribe the generall Confession of Faith against Popish errours and superstitions and now would be glad that all others should joyne with us in our late Covenant Confession descending more specially to the novations and errors of the time and obliging us to the defence of Religion and of the Kings Majesties person and authority and for these ends to the mutuall defence every one of us of another Yet can we not now after so necessarie and so solemne a specification returne to the generall for the reasons following 1. No means have been left unassayed against our late Confession of Faith and Covenant so solemnly sworn and subscribed For first we were prest with the rendring and rescinding of our Covenant Next an alteration in some substantiall points was urged 3. A Declaration was motioned which tended to the enervation thereof and now we find in the same straine that we are put to a new tryall and the last mean is used more subtile than the former That by this new subscription our late Covenant and Confession may be quite absorbed and buried in oblivion that where it was intended
sworn to be an everlasting Covenant never to be forgotten it shall be never more remembred the one shall be cryed up and the other drowned in the noise thereof And thus the new subscription now urged although in a different way shall prove equivalent to the rendring of the Covenant or what of that kind hath before been assayed Like as the reasons against the rendring of the Covenant doe militate directly against this new motion 2. If we should now enter upon this new Subscription we would think our selves guilty of mocking God taking his Name in vain for the tears that began to be poured forth at the solemnizing of the Covenant are not yet dryed up wiped away and the joyfull noise which then began to sound hath not yet ceased and there can be no new necessity from us and upon our part pretended for a ground of of urging this new subscription at first intended to be an abjuration of Popery upon us who are known to hate poperie with an unfained hatred and have all this yeere bygone given large testimonie of our zeale against it As we are not to multiply miracles on Gods part so ought we not to multiply solemne oathes and Covenants upon our part and thus to play with oathes as children doe with their toyes without necessitie 3. Neither would we in giving way to this new subscription think our selves free of perjurie for as we were driven by an undeclinable necessitie to enter into a mutuall Covenant so are we bound not onely by the law of God and nature but by our solemn oath and subscription against all divisive motions to promove and observe the same without violation and it is most manifest that having already refused to render alter or destroy our Covenant nothing can be more contrarie and adverse to our pious intentions and sincere resolutions than to consent to such a subscription and oath as both in the intention of the urgers and in the nature and condition of the matter urged is the ready way to extinguish and to drowne in oblivion the Band of our union and conjunction that they be no more remembred In this case we are called to lay seriously to our hearts 1 That we have sworne that we shall neither directly nor indirectly suffer our selves to be divided and withdrawne from this blessed and loyall conjunction which consisteth not only in the generall Confession but also in our explanation application thereof but on the contrary shal by all lawfull means labour to further and promove the same 2. That our union and conjunction may be observed without violation and so without mutilation of our application we call the living LORD to witnesse as we shall answer to Christ in the great Day c. 4. This new subscription in stead of performing our vows would be a reall testimonie and confession before the World That we have been transgressours in making rash vows that we repent our selves of former zeal and forwardnesse against the particulars exprest first in our Supplications Complaints and Protestations and next abjured in our Covenant that we in our judgement prefer the generall Confession unto this which necessarily was now made more speciall and that we are now under the faire pretext and honest cover of a new oath recanting and undoing that which upon so mature deliberation we have been doing before This beside all other evils were to make way and open a door to the re-entry of the particulars abjured and to repent our selves of our chiefest consolations and to lie both against God and our owne soules 5. It hath been often objected that our Confession of Faith Covenant was unlawfull because it wanted the warrants of publick authority and it hath been answered by us that we were not destitute of the warrant civill and ecclesiasticall which authorized the former Covenant And although we could have wished that his Maty had added both his subscription authority unto it yet the lesse cōstraint from authority and the more libertie the lesse hypocrisie and more sincerity hath appeared But by this new subscription urged by authority we both condemn our former subscription as unlawfull because alleadged to be done without authority and precondemn also the like laudable course in the like necessity to be taken by the posterity 6. What is the use of merch-stones upon borders of Lands the like use hath Confessions of Faith in the Kirk to disterminate and divide betwixt Truth and errour and the renewing and applying of Confessions of Faith to the present errors and corruptions are not unlike ryding of merches And therefore to content our selves with the generall and to return to it from the particular application of the Confession necessarily made upon the invasion or creeping in of errors within the borders of the Kirk if it be not a removing of the merch stone from the own place it is at least the hiding of the merch in the ground that it be not seen which at this time were very unseasonable for two causes One is because Poperie is so pregnant and powerful in this land as we have learned of late The other because the Papists who upon the urging of the Service book Canons have presumed of our return to Rome will upon this our subscription arise frō their dispareing of us unto their wonted presumption None of us will deny but the large Confession of Faith registrated in the Acts of Parliament doth by consequence contain this short confession and abjuration Yet were it not sufficient against Poperie to subscribe the one without the other how then shall we think that the more general Confession abjuration at this time when the urging of such Popish books hath extorted frō us so necessary an application and doth still call for a testimony to be compleat enough without it 7. The Papists shall hereby be occasioned to renew their old objection against us Annuas menstruas fides de Deo decernūt That our Faith changeth with the Moon or once in the yeere Other reformed Kirks might justly wonder at our inconstancie in changing our Confession without any reall necessity and that in one and the same yeer it cometh forth larger more particular then shorter more general and our Adversaries will not fail to traduce us as troublers of the peace of the Kirk kingdom without any necessar cause 8. It will likewise prove a confirmation of their errour who think they may both subscribe the Confession of Faith and receive the Service book and Canons which is not only a direct scandaling of them but also a ready way to put a weapon in their hands against our selves who maintain and professe that these and such other evils are abjured in the Confession of Faith 9. If we should now sweare this Confession we should be obliged by our oath to maintain Perth articles which are the innovations already introduced in the worship of God and to maintain Episcopacie with the civill places
for who would not take that undoubtedly for an office in any Church or Kingdome which is established by the Lawes and acts of both and such is the office of a Bishop in that Kingdome After these fancied prelimitations they adde sixe reasons why they should not be admitted which are so ignorant and simple as it is not possible to draw them into any forme of reasoning or concluding and though they could bee so drawne yet they were verie needlesse for to what end should reasons bee brought against the admitting of these prelimitations when there were no prelimitations offered and these that are alledged are no prelimitations at all And therefore these six Reasons at least so called by them are to bee passed over with contempt as having not one word in them worthie the answering Next they muster up sixteen Reasons against the subscription to the confession of Faith urged by Our authoritie in that Declaration of the verie same piece with the former six Reasons everie way as full of non-sense as they The first is that it will make their Covenant bee forgotten a matter of great consequence indeed that their unlawfull Acts should be drowned by any Act of lawfull authoritie For this We think they should thank Us The second reason is that if they should subscribe this confession now they would think themselves guiltie of mocking God a notable whimsey that Acts of authoritie must want obedience if they crosse some peoples foolish thoughts and idle fancies but in the meane time what a fearfull mocking of God and taking of his name in vaine is it for them to say so and use that great name for so groundlesse a suspicion The third reason is that they are afraid that this subscription will introduce a division amongst themselves it being against their Oath in their late Covenant to admit of any divisive motions And truely whatsoever they pretend in all their other reasons this is the maine if not the onely reason of the principall Covenanters furious proceedings in all their wayes and especially in this their Protestation because they did plainely perceive that if Our people should once see and acknowledge Our Grace and clemencie or be brought to subscribe to the same thing by Our authoritie to which they had subscribed before by their perswasion then they would begin againe to rellish government and so fall off and divide themselves from those who have resolved never to indure it In the meane time the Reader shall do well to observe the wonderfull strength of this reason We must not subscribe because it will occasion some division amongst us by the same reason all hope of peace must be banished out of that Kingdome for ever For certainely if they themselves should set downe in writing the utmost of their desires and Wee should assent unto them yet undoubtedly some would dislike and not admit of those propositions of peace which the rest had agreed upon Are they therefore sworne by their Oath to reject all proffers of peace because some will dislike them upon which a division must follow more or lesse The fourth reason is plaine Poperie and the maine ground of most of the errours established at the Councell of Trent If they subscribe now it will bee thought that they have erred in their former proceedings but where the reason of this Reason lies is past ordinarie finding The fifth reason hath in it a reach beyond the Moone This subscription is urged by authoritie but our former subscription proceeded from our owne heads and therefore is to be preferred as carrying with it more libertie more sinceritie and lesse hypocrisie A reason fit to bee answered by none but such as have lost their Reason The sixth reason is in the same case for truely Wee understand it not The seventh reason supposeth that there is a Papist in the world so foolish and simple as to think that the same confession of Faith consisting of the same words and syllables injoyned to bee sworne without authoritie if it shall bee commanded to bee sworne by authoritie becommeth a new and different confession of Faith or if that We everie yeare of Our Reigne should renew and command a subscription to the same confession that then everie yeare Wee should establish a new Faith Sure they need not trouble Our peoples heads with such foolish feares for undoubtedly there will bee no such foolish fellowes found amongst the Papists The eighth reason hath not a shew of any reason For their ninth reason We are confident that if they had knowne as much as now they do and have expressed in their answer to Our Commissioners last Declaration they would have left this quite out for the truth is that no man can subscribe this confession of faith commanded by Us and with a safe conscience hold that Episcopacie is abjured by it for many reasons amongst which this alledged by them is but one yet a very true one viz. That an oath must either be refused or taken according to the knowne intention of him that ministred it and it being well knowne that We according to the Lawes of all Our Kingdomes are resolved to maintaine Episcopall government no man can sweare any oath administred by Us or Our authoritie which may not consist with that government And it is as true that there is nothing in that confession of faith which being sworne unto abjureth Episcopacie by whomsoever the oath shall be administred and therefore it is a very unjust and unnecessarie feare which seemes to make them sweat at the end of this ninth Reason viz. That this subscription commanded by Us seemeth to determine that the confession of faith as it was professed 1580. doth consist with Episcopacie That this subscription determineth it is undoubtedly a very simple conceit but that the confession it selfe made in 1580. may and doth consist with Episcopacie is unquestionably true and it is so determined by the Covenanters themselves who assured many who made that scruple and would not have come into their Covenant unlesse the Covenanters had first resolved them of it that they might sweare the same confession and yet not abjure Episcopall government which likewise the three Ministers in their first answer to the Divines of Aberdene have positively affirmed averring that Episcopacie was not abjured by that confession nor their Covenant but onely referred to the tryall of an Assembly and Parliament Now it is most certaine that when We commanded this subscription to that confession no Assembly true or pretended had determined that it was abjured nor hath any Parliament done so yet and therefore the Covenanters themselves have determined that when Wee required this subscription a man might safely subscribe without abjuration of Episcopacie But to let the weaknesse of this ninth reason passe it is a wonder to observe how these men in their answer to the fourth reason contained in Our Commissioners last Declaration are constrained by maine force of argument to denie their own most true
his foresaid Colleagues respectivè have taught erroneous and corrupt doctrine themselves and by their pretended power have preferred to the Ministerie men who have taught erroneous doctrine against the Confession of Faith and Acts of Parliament quoted in our Covenant and they cherish and maintaine them who teach Arminianisme and Popery as conditionall Election Free will resistibilitie of effectuall Grace The universality of Christs death The merit of it in Heaven and in hell a finall apostacie of the Saints The locall descent of Christ into hell That Christ came into the world clauso Virginis utero auricular Confession and Papall absolution That the Pope is not Antichrist That the Church of Rome is a true Church That reconciliation with Rome is a thing easie That the Church of Rome erres not in fundamentals and that she differs not in fundamentals from the reformed Churches They call in question the imputation of Christs righteousnesse and they affirme the formall cause of justifying faith to consist in our inherent righteousnesse They affirme that there is a locall and circumscriptive presence of Christ in the Sacrament and they change the Sacrament into a Sacrifice and the Table into an Altar the Ministers into Priests There are other damnable and hereticall points of Doctrine which they maintaine of which we shall give particular information in our particular accusation of each one of them respectivè with the proofes thereof when we shall be required Whereas by the Acts of the Church no oaths or subscriptions should be required from those who enter into the Ministerie but to the Confession of faith and to the book of Policy yet the said Master David Lindsey with his foresaid Colleagues respectivè without a warrant from the Church or Parliament doe exact diverse oathes and subscriptions from them who enter into the Ministerie namely That they should both in publick and private prayers commend the Prelats to Gods mercifull protection That they should be subject to the orders which were now in the Church or by the consent of the Church that is by their consent as they affirme should be established as to the Service Book and to the Book of Canons The heavinesse of this grievance made the most part of his Majesties subjects to complaine in these Articles that worthy men which have testimonies of their learning from Universities and are tryed by Presbyteries to be fit for the worke of the Ministerie and for their gifts and lives were much desired by the people yet these men are kept out because they could not be perswaded to subscribe and swear unto such unlawfull oaths which have no warrant from the Acts of the Church nor the laws of the Kingdome and they were Articles and oaths conceived according to their pleasure and men of little worth and ready to sweare were for by-respects thrust upon the people and admitted to the most eminent places of the Church and of the Schools in Divinity which breeds continuall complaints and moves the people to run from their owne parish Churches refusing to receive the Sacrament from the hands of Ministers set over them against their hearts which makes them not to render unto them that honour which is due from the people to their Pastours and it is a mighty hinderance to the Gospel to the soules of the people and to the peace of this Church and Kingdome Whereas in the Assembly holden at Edinburgh in March ann 1578. it was declared that it was neither agreeable to the word of God nor to the practice of the Primitive Church that the Administration of the Word and Sacraments and the ministration of civill and criminall justice should be confounded that one person could supply both the charges but that a Minister should not be both a Minister and a Senator in the Colledge of justice And in the Assembly holden in October An. 1578. it was reckoned amongst the corruptions of the State of Bishops which they were charged to forgoe that they should usurp a criminall jurisdiction that they should not claime unto themselves the titles of Lords that they should onely be called by their owne names or brethren yet the said Master David Lindsey with his foresaid Colleagues respectivè have assumed to themselves the titles and honours of Lords they did sit as Senators in the Colledge of justice as Councellors in the Privie Councell as Auditors in the Exchequer and have enjoyed prime Offices of State The pretended Bishops have usurped the place and precedencie before all Temporall Lords the pretended Archbishops before all the Noble Earles of the land and the pretended Primate before the prime Officers of State in the land Whereas by the Word of God and Acts of the Assembly namely Anno 1576. 1577. and 1578. no man should be suffered to be a Minister unlesse hee be tied to a particular flocke and congregation and not to be tied to a particular flocke it is condemned as a corruption of the state of Bishops which they were charged to forgoe yet the said Master David Lindsey with his Colleagues respectivè foresaid are Ministers and will not be tied to particular flockes Whereas the office of a Bishop as it is now used within this Realm was condemned by the booke of policie and by the Act of the Assembly holden at Dundee Anno 1580. whereof these are the words Forasmuch as the office of a Bishop as it is now used and commonly taken within this Realme hath no sure warrant from authoritie nor good ground out of the Scriptures but it is brought in by the folly and corruptions of the inventions of men to the great hurt of the Church The whole Assembly of this Church with one voice after liberty given to all men to reason in the said matter no man opposing himself to maintain the said pretended office doe find and declare the said pretended office used and termed as is abovesaid unlawfull in it selfe as having neither ground nor warrant within the Word of God and we doe ordaine that all such persons which doe or shall hereafter enjoy the said office shall be charged simply to dismisse quit and leave the same as an office unto which they were not called by God and that they shall leave off all preaching ministration of the Sacraments or other offices of Pastors untill such time as they receive admission de novo from the generall Assembly under the paine of excommunication to be used against them and if they be found disobedient to contradict this Act in the least point after due admonition the sentence of excommunication shall be executed against them And for the better execution of the said Act it is ordained that a Synodall Assemblie shall be holden in everie Province in which usurping Bishops are 18. August next to come in which they shall be cyted and summoned by the Visitors of the said Countries to compeere before their Synodall Assemblies as namely The Archbishop of S. Andrewes to compeere at Saint Andrewes The Bishop of Aberdene in
Assemblie which they either had or have fraudulently put away and if any Pastor within this Presbyterie refuse to publish this cytation we require the Reader of the Church to do it In like manner wee require all parties who have interest either in pursuing or specifying or proving this complaint to be present at the said Assemblie for that purpose Upon which the complainers took instruments in the hands of the Notarie According to this complaint and the warrand of the Presbyteries reference of it I A. R. warne and admonish the abovenamed offenders to compeere before the next Generall Assemblie to bee holden at Glasgow 21. November for the causes contained in the complaint and for the certification expressed in it NOw though the verie reading of this Libell cannot chuse but work a detestation of it in the heart of everie religious and just man yet the Reader shall do well to take a more speciall notice of these particular passages of injustice and impietie in it First that the Presbyterie of Edinburgh taketh cognisance of the cause and accordingly makes cytation not onely of the Bishop of Edinburgh over whom they can have no jurisdiction but of all the rest of the Archbishops and Bishops of which none at all or certainely if any verie few are inhabitants within the bounds of their Presbyterie And who before this did ever heare that any Consistorie or Judicatorie Ecclesiasticall or Civill could make processe against any man or take cognisance of the cause of any man who was not an inhabitant nor had any charge or estate within the Precincts or bounds of those places which onely are liable to the jurisdiction of that Court Next who did ever heare that men should wittingly and willingly cyte others to answer for the transgression of acts and Lawes which they themselves do know were repealed by posteriour acts and Lawes and so stood at the time of this cytation and therefore can no wayes be censurable for them though it were true that the person cyted had done as it is alledged in the Libell and such be these acts of Assemblie cyted by them which were and still are disanulled by divers acts both of Assemblie and Parliament Thirdly who did ever heare that men should be called in question for yeelding obedience to acts of Parliament and Generall Assemblie and yet in this Libell the Prelats are charged with giving voices in Parliament and practising the five Articles of Perth and divers other particulars which then were and are now still in force by acts both of Parliament and Assemblie and if it should be said that these acts were unduly obtained which is the Covenanters onely plea sure to say so is a greater fault then the other for what Judge can ever give sentence in any cause if the asseveration of the partie aggrieved by the sentence that the Law was unjustly made may passe for a good plea Fourthly who ever heard that men should bee charged with yeelding obedience to acts commanded by the authoritie of Us and Our Councell especially in things not repugnant to any established Law of that Church and Kingdome and yet such are all these pretended Innovations with the introduction whereof the Prelats are charged in this Libell for they were injoyned and commanded first by Us and then by acts of Our Councell it being farre more agreeable to reason to complaine of the Lords of Our Councell by whose authoritie they were commanded then of those who in dutifull obedience to authoritie did practise them But indeed it is to bee wondred at with what face the Covenanters can blame either the one for commanding or the other for practising them For what ground have they or did they ever yet alledge for their swearing to the Confession of Faith and their Covenant annexed Did they ever yet alledge any but the authoritie of Our Royall Father and his Councell who by their authoritie commanded them to bee sworne throughout the Realme And did not We and Our Councell by equall authoritie command these pretended Innovations Was not then the Prelats practice of them as well warranted as this Confession of Faith and the band annexed which were never brought in by acts of Parliament or Assemblie but meerly by Our Royall Fathers Prerogative and put in execution by the authoritie of his Councell Fifthly who did ever heare that men professing Pietie and Religion durst adventure in the sight of God in the house of God and in the Pulpit which is as it were the Chaire of God and in the face of the Congregation which is the people of God to command the Bishops to be indited and accused of such horrible crimes as whoring excessive drinking excessive gaming swearing profane talking profanation of the Lords day contempt of Gods publike ordinances neglecting pietie in their families mocking of the power of preaching prayer and spirituall communication briberie simonie lying perjuries unhonest dealing in civill bargaines adulterie incest and what not We do even appeale to their owne consciences whether they did thinke all of them or any one of them guiltie of all these crimes Most certainly they did not and that excuse which they bring for the justifying of this wicked Libell cannot any wayes extenuate their fault They say that some particulars contained in the whole Libell may be proved against everie one of them and therefore it is a good and a legall Libell if they can make good any thing contained in it But bee it legall or not the world must needs take notice that it is most unconscionable The other things mentioned before and charged upon them in this Libell are not crimes at all being warranted by acts of Parliament Assembly and Councell these last rehearsed are crimes indeed odious in the sight of God and man and of which as if they be guilty the Bishops deserve death and exquisite torments so if they who have accused them of these crimes shall faile in proving them to bee guiltie they deserve to bee infamous throughout all generations for the most malicious and malignant traducers of the servants of God that ever lived upon the earth and must looke for the unavoidable judgements of God to fall upon them and their whole families for this so horrible a crime committed wilfully against the knowledge of their owne consciences unlesse they doe expiate it with the bitter teares of repentance For We desire them to declare bonâ fide whether they themselves did beleeve or conceive all the Bishops accused in the Libell or onely some of them to bee guiltie of these last recyted crimes If not all but some why did they not distinguish them that the people might know whom they should take for guiltie and whom for not guiltie Nay did they not beleeve and know that some of these Bishops were holy and learned men free from the crimes objected For instance We will onely name the Bishop of Edinburgh seeing in the principall Presbyterie of his Diocesse this Libell was presented admitted
complaint and the Presbyteries reference to the Assemblie and so to admonish the Bishop of that Diocese the delinquent complained upon with the rest of his colleagues to be present at the generall Assemblie to answer to the particular complaint both in the particular and generall Heads thereof given or to be given in and to abide the censure and triall of the Assemblie thereupon And likewise out of Pulpit to admonish all others who have interest either in the pursuing or referring this complaint to be present at the said Assemblie VII That the Presbyterie insert in their Presbyterie-Books the whole tenour of this complaint both in the generall and particular Heads thereof and that they have a care to cause deliver by their ordinarie Beadle to the Bishop of the Diocese a copie thereof and a copie of an Act referring the same to the Assemblie and summon him to compeare before the Assemblie And if he be within the countrey and cannot be personally apprehended to affix a full copie thereof upon each dwelling place and upon the most patent doore of the Cathedrall Church and Episcopall seat VIII That the complainers within the Presbyterie where the Bishop is resident or hath his Cathedrall be carefull to keep correspondence with those in other Presbyteries within their Diocese who best can specifie and verifie their Bishops usurpation and transgressions and who had particular Articles to gather particular Declarations and Informations of the same IX That some of these complainers in their owne name and with Warrant and power from the rest without failing attend the Assemblie with the generall complaint and particular verifications and specifications of the same X. That in case the Presbyterie where the Bishop hath his residence or where he hath his Cathedrall and Episcopall seat refuse to receive this complaint or referre the same to the Assemblie or to admonish or cyte the Bishop delinquent before the Assemblie to answer to the complaint that the Gentlemen and others who are complainers to the Presbyteries upon their refusall take instrument in the hands of the Clerk of the Presbyterie or any Notarie and protest that their refusall of the ordinarie care of Justice procured without doubt by the Bishop of that Diocese delinquent complained of the equivalent of Law and Reason be a formall cytation of him Which Protestation they may affix upon the dwelling house of the said Bishop or upon his Cathedrall Church or the prime Church within the Presbyterie And that they may deale with any other Presbyterie within the Diocese who is better disposed and upon their receit of the complaint will referre the same to the Assemblie and cyte the Bishop in manner above expressed to compeare before the said Assemblie XI Item perhaps some Minister within the Presbyterie may thinke some Heads of this Complaint not to be relevant in his Opinion or know the Bishop not to be guiltie of all the particular Heads contained therein yet hee in Justice cannot refuse to referre the triall of the Relevancie and Probation thereof to the generall Assemblie especially seeing the Relevancie and Probation of moe or fewer Points against the Bishop of the Diocese is sufficient and seeing the subsumption of every particular Head is against the Bishop of the Diocese with his Colleagues XII Item To desire the Presbyterie upon Complaints upon any persons within the same against any scandalous Minister either in Doctrine or Life either to judge the Complaint or referre the same to the triall and censure of the generall Assemblie and so to admonish and cyte the Ministers complained upon to compeare before the generall Assemblie for that end According to which Articles upon Sunday Octob. 28. they caused read the said Libell in all the Churches of Edinburgh notwithstanding my Lord Commissioners command given to the Provost and Bailies to the contrarie except in Holy-rood-house where it was read the next Sunday as it was in other Churches of the Kingdome proceeding herein 1. Against all charitie which doth not behave it selfe unseemely nor delighteth in the discoverie of mens nakednesse nor take up a reproach nor backbite with the tongue much lesse to write a book against a brother 2. Against the order prescribed by the Apostle not to rebuke an Elder but to intreat him as a Father and by the Act of Parliament Jam. 6. par 8. discharging all persons to impugne or to procure the diminution of the authoritie and power of the three Estates or any of them 3. Against all lawfull and formall proceeding especially that prescribed by the Act of generall Assemblie at Perth Martii 1. 1596. whereby it is ordained that all summons containe the speciall cause and crime which the said Libell doth not naming onely generall calumnies reproaches and aspersions without instruction of any particular but leaving these to be filled up by malitious delation after they have defamed their Brethren by publishing this Libell as appeares by the 8. and 11. Articles of the said instructions and against the order prescribed by the Assemblie at Saint Andrewes Aprill 24. 1582. whereby it is enacted that in processe of deprivation of Ministers there be a libelled precept upon fortie dayes warning being within the Realme and threescore dayes being without the Realme to bee directed by the Kirke and such Commissioners thereof as elects and admits the person complained of summoning them to compeare and answer upon the complaint And in case of their absence at the first summons the second to be directed upon the like warning with certification if he faile the Libell shall be admitted to probation and he shall be holden pro confesso Which forme not being kept in a summons inferring the punishment of deprivation the same cannot be sustained by the order of that Assemblie 4. Against common equitie which admits summons onely by the authoritie of that Judge before whom the delinquent is to compeare whereby the summons directed by the authoritie of these pretended Presbyteries cannot sustaine for compearance before the generall Assemblie nor could reference be made from the Presbyterie to the generall Assemblie the parties never being summoned to compeare before the Presbyterie whereby either in presence of the partie or in case of contumacie the complaint might be referred to the Assemblie That there was no cytation before the reference is cleare by the said instructions And what a strange and odious forme it is to insert such a calumnious Libell in the Presbyterie books without cyting of the parties to answer thereto and to cyte Bishops before the generall Assemblie by the said Libell by publishing the same at Churches to which they had no relation and were many miles distant Wee leave it to the judgement of indifferent men 5. Against all decencie and respect due to men of their place the said persons being men of dignitie and some of them of his Majesties most honourable privie Councell and knowne to bee of blamelesse conversation and to have deserved well thus to bee reviled and
they conceived them to bee the true and authenticall Acts of the generall Assemblies of the Church of Scotland The day before this these Committees had made their report that they had perused them and had found them to bee true and authenticall Records and delivered in writing some reasons of this their opinion which made the impartiall auditors wonder how in two daies men could peruse and make a judgement of such volumes which other men who tooke themselves to be no fooles thought could hardly be done in one yeere but that was all one the Moderatour this day put it to the question and voices Whether they would allow the copies of those Bookes of Assembly which the Committees the day before had reported to bee good and faithfull copies to bee reputed ever hereafter for the authenticall Records and Registers of the Church of Scotland Our Commissioner prayed them to forbeare doing any thing suddenly in a businesse of so great importance that nothing especially if it were doubtfull could bee made a publique Record of any Judicatorie which was to oblige Our subjects unlesse We first by Our Advocate and learned Councell were satisfied of the authenticall authoritie of that Record and therefore wished them to stay untill that course might bee taken and before that time not to put it to voices But all in vaine for presently they of the Assembly without one contrarie voice concluded these Bookes to be authenticall Registers and so to bee held and reputed for ever without knowing what was in them They were foure Bookes and very large and confessed not to be the Originals but copies Our Commissioner then remembring that at Our Palace at Holy-rood-house hee was denied the sight of the Bookes of the Assembly the Covenanters having threatned the former Clerke of the Assembly if hee should let Our Commissioner have the perusall of them begun now to thinke that there might be stuffe enough in them against Our Regall authoritie and perhaps a great deale of it of their own devising which caused Our Commissioner to enter into Our Clerke of Registers hands a solemn Protestation against the validitie of these Records and against any of Our subjects being obliged by them untill such time as they should be perused and allowed by such as We should authorize by Commission for that purpose Next the Moderatour desired the Clerke to reade certaine answers which upon the sudden had been drawne up as he said by certaine Brethren to the reasons contained in the Bishops Declinator which had been read the day before And indeed so soone as they were heard it was easily beleeved that they were drawne up upon a sudden without either feare or wit being very poore and silly stuffed full of cytations out of their own bookes of Discipline which did allow lay-Elders and by these testimonies concluded the exception of the Bishops against Lay-Elders Ministers Commissioners chosen by them for having voice in the Assembly to bee invalid which made some admire by what consequence it could be inferred that because there had been Lay-Elders in particular Church-Sessions nay and perhaps in Presbyteries that therefore these Lay-Elders either had or must now have voices in the generall Assembly or in chusing the Ministers Commissioners to it Yet the Moderatour caused another paper to bee read in defence of Lay-Elders of the very same tedious stuffe with the former And to magnifie those Bookes of Discipline so often cyted in both these papers the Moderatour desired the whole Assembly to heare himself reade a long Latine testimonie given in the Syntagma of the confessions of the Reformed Churches to the puritie of the discipline of the Church of Scotland Our Commissioner called for the Book desired to see what he had read and found it to be a private testimonie of one unknowne inserted by the Printer or setter out of that Syntagma to make it sell the better because it had some new thing in it which made a good many laugh at that so much magnified testimonie Then the Moderator to take away that exception in the Bishops Declinator that the Assembly was a declared partie and therefore could not be their Judge alledged that the Remonstrants had made the same objection against the Synod of Dort but that it was repelled by all the Divines there present and the invaliditie of that exception declared by none better then by the Divines of great Britaine whose judgement against that exception he then out of the publique Acts of that Synod did reade Our Commissioner told the Moderatour that he should have done well to have translated into Scottish that passage which he last read and the former out of the Syntagma that so many of the Lay-Elders who were to judge of the fitnesse of these cytations might understand him and them which the Moderatour passed over with a smile ONE who stood by Our Commissioner and had been present at the Synod of Dort asked leave first of Our Commissioner and then of the Moderatour to speake which being granted him by both hee answered the Moderatours answer to the Bishops objection thus That the Bishops exception against them of the Assembly as pars adversa differed from that of the Remonstrants against the Synod of Dort two waies First in regard of the matter of it For the Synod consisting of Divines the matters controverted being points of Divinitie and by some men thought to bee fundamentall points of faith though they were not so in which Schollers use not to be neutrall it was impossible for the Remonstrants to find Divines to be their Judges if they would except against such Divines as had declared themselves to bee of the one opinion or the other But it was not so with Episcopacie in the judgement of the members of this Assembly for they could not hold the allowing or rejecting of Episcopacie to bee a point of doctrine because points of doctrine are not alterable but the Church of Scotland in her positive confession Article 21. did hold Church policie or government alterable at the will of the Church which opinion whether he did allow or not hee was not then and there to declare but sure in such points which they themselves held alterable and indifferent at the will of the Church being no points of doctrine there was no necessitie of pre-declaring their judgement especially after they meant to bee Judges Nay there was a necessitie of not pre-declaring their judgement against Episcopall government considering it stood now in force by Acts both of Church and Parliament and therefore that the declaration of their judgement against it even since they intended to be Judges of it but before they were actually so did barre them from being Judges of it at all But secondly and that upon which he principally insisted was this That the Bishops case in their exception against this Assembly differed from that of the Remonstrants against the other Synod in the manner of the members of that Synods
disorders absolutely forgotten and forgiven and for the more full and cleare extirpating all ground and occasion of feares of innovation of Religion We had commanded the confession of faith and band for maintenance thereof and of authoritie in defence of the same subscribed by Our deare Father and his houshold in anno 1580. to bee renewed and subscribed againe by Our subjects here Like as for settling of a perfect peace in the Church and Common-wealth of this Kingdome We caused indict a free generall Assembly to bee holden at Glasgow the 21. of this instant and thereafter a Parliament in May 1639. By which element dealing We looked assuredly to have reduced Our subjects to their former quiet behaviour and dutifull carriage whereto they are bound by the Word of God and Lawes both nationall and municipall to Us their native and Soveraigne Prince And albeit the wished effects did not follow but by the contrary by Our so gracious procedure they were rather emboldened not onely to continue in their stubborne and unlawfull waies but also daily adde to their former procedures acts of neglect and contempt of authority as evidently appeared by open opposing of Our just and religious pleasure and command exprest in Our last Proclamation anent the discharge of the Service Booke Booke of Canons high Commission c. protesting against the same and striving by many indirect meanes to withdraw the hearts of Our good people not onely from a hearty acknowledgement of Our gracious dealing with them but also from the due obedience to those Our just religious commands notwithstanding We had been formerly so oft petitioned by themselves for the same By their daily and hourely guarding and watching about Our Castle of Edinburgh suffering nothing to bee imported therein but at their discretion And openly stopping and impeding any importation of ammunition or other necessaries whatsoever to any other of Our houses within that Kingdome Denying to Us their Soveraigne Lord that libertie and freedome which the meanest of them assume to themselves an act without precedent or example in the Christian world By making of Convocations and Councell Tables of Nobility Gentry Burrowes and Ministers within the Citie of Edinburgh where not regarding the Lawes of the Kingdome they without warrant of authoritie conveene assemble and treat upon matters as well ecclesiasticall as civill send their injunctions and directions throughout the countrey to their subordinate Tables and other under-ministers appointed by them for that effect And under colour and pretext of Religion exercing an unwarranted and unbounded libertie require obedience to their illegall and unlawfull procedures and directions to the great and seen prejudice of Authority and lawfull Monarchicall government And notwithstanding it was evidently manifest by the illegall and unformall course taken in the election of their Commissioners for the Assembly whereof some are under the censure of this Church some under the censure of the Church of Ireland and some long since banished for open and avowed teaching against Monarchie others of them suspended and some admitted to the Ministerie contrary to the forme prescribed by the Lawes of this Kingdome others of them a long time since denounced Rebels and put to the Horne who by all law and unviolable custome and practique of this Kingdome are and ever have been incapable either to pursue or defend before any Judicatorie far lesse to be Judges themselves some of them confined and all of them by oath and subscription bound to the overthrow of Episcopacie And by this and other their under-hand working and private informations and perswasions have given just ground of suspicion of their partiality herein so made themselves unfit Judges of what concerneth Episcopacie And also it was sufficiently cleared by the peremptorie and illegall procedures of the Presbyteries who at their own hand by order of law and without due forme of processe thrust out the Moderatours lawfully established and placed others whom they found most inclinable to their turbulent humours associate to themselves for the choosing of the said Commissioners for the Assembly a Laick-Elder out of each Paroch who being in most places equall if not moe in number then the Ministerie made choice both of the Ministers who should be Commissioners from the Presbyteries as also of a Ruling-Elder being directed more therein by the warrants from the foresaid pretended Tables then by their owne judgements as appeares by the severall private instructions sent from them farre contrary to the Lawes of the Countrey and lowable custome of the Church by which doings it is too manifest that no calme nor peaceable procedure or course could have been expected from this Assembly for settling of the present disorders and distractions Yet We were pleased herein in some sort to blindfold Our own judgement and over-looke the saids disorders and patiently to attend the meeting of the said Assembly still hoping that when they were met together by Our Commissioner his presence and assistance of such other well disposed subjects who were to be there and by their owne seeing the reall performance of all that was promised by Our last Proclamation they should have been induced to returne to their due obedience of subjects But perceiving that their seditious disposition still increases by their repairing to the said Assembly with great bands and troupes of men all boddin in feare of warre with guns and pistolets contrarie to the lawes of this Kingdome custome observed in all Assemblies and in high contempt of Our last Proclamation at Edinburgh the 16. of this instant As also by their peremptory refusing of Our Assessors authorized by Us although fewer in number then Our dearest Father was in use to have at divers Assemblies the power of voting in this Assembly as formerly they have done in other Assemblies and by their partiall unjust and unchristian refusing and not suffering to bee read the reasons and arguments given in by the Bishops and their adherents to Our Commissioner why the Assembly ought not to proceed to the election of a Moderatour without them neither yet to the admitting of any of the Commissioners of the saids Commissioners from Presbyteries before they were heard object against the same though earnestly required by our Commissioner in our name And notwithstanding that our Commissioner under his hand by warrant from us gave in a sufficient declaration of all that was contained in our late proclamation and declaration the same bearing likewise our pleasure of the registration of the same in the books of assembly for the full assurance of the true religion to all our good subjects And yet not resting satisfied therewith lest the continuance of their meeting together might produce other the like dangerous acts derogatorie to royall authoritie we have thought good for preveening thereof and for the whole causes and reasons above-mentioned and divers others importing the true monarchicall government of this estate to dissolve and breake up the said assembly And therefore OVR will is and we
them containing prelimitations and such as are repugnant not onely to that which they called the freedome but to that which is indeed the freedome of an Assembly Two of these papers were such as they were content should be communicated to all their associates viz. that larger paper sent abroad to all Presbyteries before or about the time of Our indiction of the Assembly and that lesser paper for their meeting first at Edinburgh then at Glasgow some few daies before the Assembly and for chusing of assessors These two papers Our Commissioner delivered not into the assembly because they did publiquely avow them But their other two papers of secret instructions were directed not from the Table publiquely but under-hand from such as were the prime Leaders of the rest The one of them was delivered or sent onely to one Minister of every Presbyterie whom they trusted most and was onely to be communicated to such as hee might be confident of and was quite concealed from the rest of the Ministers although Covenanters The other paper was directed onely to one lay-Elder of every Presbyterie to be communicated as hee should see cause and to be quite concealed from all others These are the two papers which before you heard were delivered by Our Commissioner into the assembly and they did containe directions which being followed as they were did banish all freedome from this assembly as doth appeare before by the reading of the papers themselves The second Some Presbyteries did chuse their Commissioners before the assembly was indicted and therefore those Commissioners could not lawfully have any voice there The third Neither lay-Elder nor Minister chosen Commissioner by lay-Elders could have voice in the assembly because such elections are not warranted by the lawes of that Church and Kingdome nor by the practice and custome of either for even that little which seemeth to make for their lay-Elders is onely to be found in these bookes which they call the bookes of Discipline which were penned by some private men but never confirmed either by Act of Parliament or Act of generall assembly and therefore are of no authoritie And yet in these elections they did transgresse even the rules of these bookes there being more lay-Elders who gave voices at every one of these elections then there were Ministers contrarie to their bookes of Discipline which require that the lay-Elders should alwaies be fewer But say there were an Ecclesiasticall order or law for these lay-Elders yet the interruption of that order for above fortie yeeres maketh so strong a prescription in that Our Kingdome against it as that without a new reviving of that law by some new order from the generall assembly it ought not againe to have been put in practice For if We should put in practice and take the penalties of many dis-used lawes without new intimation of them it would bee thought by Our subjects hard usage The fourth In many Presbyteries these lay-Elders disagreed wholly in their election from chusing those Ministers whom their owne fellow-Ministers did chuse and carried it from them by number of voices although in all reason the Ministers should best know the abilities and fitnesse of their brethren The fifth These men elected as lay-Elders to have voices in this assembly could not be thought able and fit men since they were never Elders before all or most of them being newly chosen some of them were chosen lay-Elders the very day before the election of the Commissioners to the assembly which sheweth plainly they were chosen onely to serve their associates turne The sixth Since the institution of lay-Elders by their own principles is to watch over the manners of that people in that Parish wherein they live how can any man bee chosen a Ruling-Elder from a Presbyterie who is not an inhabitant within any Parish of the precinct of that Presbyterie And yet divers such especially Noblemen were chosen as lay-Elders Commissioners from Presbyteries within the precincts whereof they never were inhabitants against all sense or reason even upon their owne grounds The seventh They can shew neither law nor practice for chusing assessors to the Ruling-Elders without whose consent they were not to give voice to any thing in the assembly The eight The introducing of lay-Elders is a burthen so grievous to the Ministers as that many Presbyteries did protest and supplicate against them and many Presbyteries though they were in a manner forced to yeeld to it then yet did protest against it for the time to come The ninth In the election of Commissioners to this assembly for the most part the fittest men were passed by and few chosen who ever were Commissioners at any assembly before the reason was they conceived that new men would not stand much for their owne libertie in an assembly of the liberties whereof they were utterly ignorant Besides some were chosen who were under the censures of the Church some who were deprived by the Church some who had been expelled out of the Universitie for reading to their Scholars against Monarchicall government some who had been banished out of that Kingdome for their seditious Sermons and behaviour some who for the like offences had been banished out of Ireland some who were then lying under the sentence of excommunication some who then had no ordination or imposition of hands some who had lately been admitted to the Ministerie contrarie to the standing lawes of that Church and Kingdome and all of them were chosen by lay-Elders Now what a scandall were it to the Reformed Churches to allow this to be an assembly which did consist of such members and so irregularly chosen The tenth Divers members of this Assembly even whilst they sate there were Rebels and at Our Horne and so by the lawes of that Our Kingdome uncapable of sitting as Judges in any Judicatorie The eleventh Three oathes were to bee taken by every member of this Assembly the oath to the confession of faith lately renewed by Our commandement the oath of Allegeance the oath of Supremacie any of which three oathes whosoever shall refuse cannot sit as a Judge in any Court of that Kingdome and yet none of all these three oathes were sworne by any member of this Assembly Besides these nullities of this Assembly what indecencie and rudenesse was to be discerned in it not so much as the face of an Ecclesiasticall meeting to bee seen not a gowne worne by any member of it unlesse it were by one or two Ministers who lived in the Towne the appearance in a manner wholly Laicall amongst the members of it were seven Earles ten Lords fortie Gentlemen one and fiftie Burgesses many of them in coloured clothes and swords by their sides all which did give voices not onely in very high points of controversie which We are sure very many of them did not understand but also in the sentences of excommunication pronounced against the Bishops and others Nay and more all things in the Assembly carried by the
Majesties Proclamation bearing date the ninth of September in their ninth reason against the subscription urged by his Majestie do plainely averre that this Oath urged by his Majestie doth oblige the takers of it to maintaine Perth Articles and to maintaine Episcopacie Why therefore some men swearing the same words and syllables should have their words taken to another sense and bee thought to abjure Episcopall government more then others who have taken the same oath in the same words must needs passe the capacitie of an ordinarie understanding It is a received maxime and it cannot be denied but that oaths ministred unto us must either bee refused or else taken according to the knowne minde professed intention and expresse command of Authoritie urging the same A proposition not onely received in all Schooles but positively set down by the adherers to the said protestation totidem verbis in the place above cited But it is notoriously knowne even unto those who subscribed the Confession of Faith by his Majesties commandment that his Majestie not onely in his Kingdomes of England and Ireland is a maintainer and upholder of Episcopall government according to the laws of the said Churches and Kingdomes but that likewaies he is a defender and intends to continue a defender of the same government in his Kingdome of Scotland both before the time and at the time when hee urged this oath as is evident by that which is in my Lord Commissioner his Preface both concerning his Majesties instructions to his Grace and his Graces expressing his Majesties minde both to the Lords of Councell and to the Lords of Session and the same likewayes is plainly expressed and acknowledged by the adherers to the said protestation in the place above cited their words being these And it is most manifest that his Majesties minde intention and commandment is no other but that the Confession be sworne for the maintenance of Religion as it is already or presently professed these two being co-incident altogether one and the same not onely in our common forme of speaking but in all his Majesties Proclamations and thus as it includeth and continueth within the compasse thereof the foresaids novations and Episcopacie which under that name were also ratified in the first Parliament holden by his Majestie From whence it is plaine that Episcopacie not being taken away or suspended by any of his Majesties declarations as these other things were which they call novations it must needs both in deed and in the judgement of the said protesters no wayes bee intended by his Majestie to be abjured by the said oath Now both the major and that part of the minor which concerneth Episcopall government in the Church of Scotland being clearly acknowledged by the Protesters and the other part of the minor concerning that government in his other two Kingdomes being notoriously knowne not onely to them but to all others who know his Majestie how it can be imagined that his Majestie by that oath should command Episcopacie to be abjured or how could any one to whom his Majesties minde concerning Episcopall government was known honestly or safely abjure it let it be left to the whole world to judge especially considering that the Protesters themselves in that place above cited by a dilemma which we leave to themselves to answer have averred that when that Act of Councell should come out yet that it could not be inferred from thence that any such thing was abjured Fifthly and lastly If the explanation in that Act of Councell be taken in that not onely rigid but unreasonable and senslesse sense which they urge yet they can never make it appeare that Episcopall government at the first time of the administring of that oath was abolished The very words of that Confession of Faith immediatly after the beginning of it being these Received beleeved defended by many and sundrie notable Kirks and Realmes but chiefly by the Kirk of Scotland the Kings Majestie and three Estates of this Realme as Gods eternall truth and onely ground of our salvation c. By which it is evident that the subscription to this Confession of Faith is to be urged in no other sense then as it was then beleeved and received by the Kings Majestie and the three Estates of this Realme at that time in being and it is well knowne that at that time Bishops Abbats and Priors made up a third Estate of this Realme which gave approbation to this Confession of Faith and therefore it is not to bee conceived that this third Estate did then abjure Episcopacie or that Episcopacie was at the first swearing of that Confession abolished But say that at that time it was abolished by Acts of generall Assemblie yet was it not so by any Act of Parliament nay by many Acts of Parliament it was in force because none of them was repealed some whereof are annexed in the sheet immediatly after these reasons which wee pray the Reader carefully to peruse and ponder and at the very time of the taking of this oath and after Bishops whose names are well knowne were in being Now it is to bee hoped that in a Monarchie or any other well constituted republick that damnable Jesuiticall position shall never take place That what is once enacted by a Monarch and his three Estates in Parliament shall ever be held repealed or repealable by any Ecclesiasticall nationall Synod By all which it is evident that the explanation of that Act of Councell so groundlesly urged can induce no man to imagine that by the Confession of Faith lately sworne by his Majesties commandment Episcopall government which then did and yet doth stand established by Acts of this Church and Kingdome either was or possibly could be abjured And having now good Reader heard his Majesties minde in his instructions to us our minde in requiring in his Majesties name this oath to be taken and these few reasons of many which doe evidently evince the inconsequence of that sense which without any shew of inference is put upon it by those who would go on in making men still beleeve that all which they doe or say is grounded upon Authority though they themselves doe well know the contrary wee suppose that all they who have taken this oath will rest satisfied that they have not abjured Episcopall government and that they who shall take it will take it in no other sense Which timely warning of ours we are the more willing to give because we are given to understand that even they who were wont to call the takers of this oath notwithstanding of that explanation by act of councell perjured and damned persons and in their pulpits called the urging of it the depth of sathan doe now meane to take it themselves and urge others to take it in that sense which they make men beleeve though wrongfully that act of councell makes advantageous to their ends But we doe in his Majesties name require that none presume to take the said oath
unlesse they bee required so to doe by such as shall have lawfull authoritie from his Majestie to administer it unto them being confident that none either will or can take the said oath or any other oath in any sense which may not consist with episcopall government having his Majesties sense and so the sense of all lawfull authority fully explayned to them HAMILTOUN THat episcopall jurisdiction was in force by acts of parliament no wayes abolished nor suppressed in the yeare 1580. nor at the time of reformation of religion within the realm of Scotland doth evidently appeare by the acts of parliament after mentioned First by the parliament 1567. cap. 2. whereby at the time of reformation the Popes authoritie was abolished it is enacted by the said act That no bishop nor other prelate in this realme use any jurisdiction in time coming by the bishop of Romes authority And by the third act of the same parliament whereby it is declared That all acts not agreeing with Gods word and contrary to the confession of faith approved by the estates in that parliament to have no effect nor strength in time to come Whereby it is evident that it was not the reformers intētion to suppresse episcopacie but that bishops should not use any jurisdiction by the bishop of Rome his authority seeing they did allow episcopacie to cōtinue in the church that they did not esteeme the same contrary to Gods word and confession foresaid as appeares more clearly by the sixth act of the said parliament which is ratified in the parliament 1579. cap. 68. whereby it is declared That the ministers of the blessed Evangell of Iesus Christ whom God of his mercie hath now raised up amongst us or hereafter shall raise agreeing with them that now live in doctrine or administration of the sacraments and the people of this realme that professe Christ as hee is now offered in his Evangel and doe communicate with the holy sacraments as in the reformed kirks of this realme they are publickly administrate according to the confession of the faith to be the only true and holy kirk of Iesus Christ within this realme without any exception by reason of policie and discipline declaring only such as either gain-say the word of the Evangel according to the heads of the said confession or refuse the participation of the holy sacraments as they are now ministrate to bee no members of the said kirk so long as they keep themselves so divided from the societie of Christs body Whereby it is manifest that it was not the said reformers minde to exclude any from that society by reason of discipline and that they did not at that time innovate or change any thing in that policie they found in the said kirk before the reformation This is likewaies evident by the oath to be ministred to the king at his coronation by the eigth act of the said parliament wherby he is to sweare to maintaine the true religion of Iesus Christ the preaching of his holy word due and right ministration of the sacraments now received and preached within this realme and shall abolish and gainstand all false religion contrarie to the same without swearing to any innovation of policie and discipline of the kirk Secondly it doth evidently appeare by these subsequent acts of parliament that by the muncipall law of this realme archbishops and bishops was not only allowed in the kirk but also had jurisdiction and authority to governe the same First by the 24. act of the said parliament whereby all civill priviledges granted by our soveraigne Lords predecessors to the spirituall estate of this realme are ratified in all points after the form tenor therof And by the 35. act of the parliament 1571. whereby all and whatsoever acts and statutes made of before by our soveraigne Lord and his predecessors anent the freedome and liberty of the true kirke of God are ratified and approved By the 46. act of the parliament 1572. whereby it is declared that archbishops and bishops have the authority and are ordained to conveen and deprive all inferiour persons being ministers who shall not subscribe the articles of religion and give their oath for acknowledging and recognoscing of our soveraigne Lord and his authority and bring a testimoniall in writing thereupon within a moneth after their admission By the 48. act of the same parliament whereby it is declared that archbishops and bishops have authority at their visitations to designe ministers gleibes By the 54. act of the said parliament whereby archbishops and bishops are authorized to nominate and appoint at their visitations persons in every parochin for making and setting of the taxation for upholding and repairing of kirks and kirk-yards and to conveene try and censure all persons that shall be found to have applied to their own use the stones timber or any thing else pertaining to kirks demolished By the 55. act of the parliament 1573. whereby archbishops and bishops are authorized to admonish persons married in case of desertion to adhere and in case of disobedience to direct charges to the minister of the parochin to proceed to the sentence of excommunication By the 63. act of the parliament 1578. whereby bishops and where no bishops are provided the Commissioner of diocesses have authority to try the rents of hospitals and call for the foundations thereof By the 69. act of the parliament 1579. whereby the jurisdiction of the kirk is declared to stand in preaching the word of Iesus Christ correction of manners and administration of the holy sacraments and yet no other authority nor office-bearer allowed and appointed by act of parliament nor is allowed by the former acts but archbishops and bishops intended to continue in their authority as is clear by these acts following First by the 71. act of the same parliament whereby persons returning from their travels are ordained within the space of twenty dayes after their returne to passe to the bishop superintendent commissioner of the kirks where they arrive and reside and there offer to make and give a confession of their faith or then within fourtie dayes to remove themselves forth of the realme By the 99. act of the parliament 1581. whereby the foresaids acts are ratified and approved By the 130. act of the parliament 1584. whereby it is ordained that none of his Majesties lieges and subjects presume or take upon hand to impugne the dignitie and authoritie of the three estates of this kingdome whereby the honour and authority of the Kings Majesties supreme court of parliament past all memorie of man hath beene continued or to seek or procure the innovation or diminution of the power and authoritie of the same three estates or any of them in time coming under the paine of treason By the 131. act of the same parliament wherby all judgements jurisdictions as well in spirituall as tēporall causes in practice custome during these twenty foure yeares by-past not approved
use the power God had put in their hands for removing all innovations and setling the purity and peace of this Kirke And seeing in this Proclamation his Majesties declaration is insert ad longum and the Assembly taxed for not being fully satisfied therewith we are enforced to repeat here the reasons which moved the Assembly not to think the same satisfactory in hope that they comming to his Majesties sacred eares may procure the continuance of his benigne favour so acceptable to this Kirke by the indiction of this Assembly and production of the said declaration and obtain his Royall approbation to the whole acts and proceedings of this Assembly which is heartily wished and would replenish the hearts of all good subjects with abundant joy and contentment And first where his Majestie hath discharged the Service Book and Book of Canons and practice of both and all Acts Proclamations and ordinances made for establishing thereof upon information that by the introduction of them the subjects have apprehended the inbringing of Popery superstition to have beene intended Neither the discharge nor the ground thereof are satisfactory Not the first because as some Acts and Proclamations did serve for their establishing so others gave them an high approbation as fit means to maintaine religion and beat down all superstition And therefore though those which established them be rescinded yet those which approved them do remaine and may bring forth other Acts and Proclamations for restoring them or the like hereafter if these books receive not a publick censure by the generall Assembly as the only judge competent to bar them and the like in all time comming Seeing Acts of Councell and Proclamations are frequent and variable and yet are no legall valid meane either to introduce or abolish any thing concerning the doctrine and discipline of the Kirke wherein they neither can meddle nor secure the subjects Next seeing by the constitutions of this Kirke the generall Assembly hath onely power to determine concerning the matters of Gods publick worship And that the framers of these books who called themselves the representative Kirk made them to be practised in sundry places of the countrey by their own authority and that which they borrowed from the Lords of secret Councell Therefore it was most necessarie that the same should be discharged by the generall Assembly the onely true representative Kirk of this nation for vindicating her just right from violent usurpation and preventing the like in time comming Not the second for the subjects have just grounds of perswasion that the Prelats their followers the framers followers of those books intended the inbringing of Popery and superstition by the introducing thereof because 1. Many grosse points of Popery and superstition are not onely closely couched under the cover of ensnaring ambiguities the most insinuating way of errours and best mask to superstition but also expresly contained in the Books themselves as was made manifest by sundry treatises read and considered in the Assembly and is now so declared by the Assembly 2. The framers and favourers of these Books in their sermons and conferences have vented sundry Popish errours and approven Popish superstitions which fully detecteth and leaveth no doubt of their intention in the introducing of Books so full of Popery and superstition Secondly the discharge of the high Commission by his Majesties Proclamation or Declaration cannot be sufficient because first his Majesty declareth that he established the same for the ease and benefit of the Subjects that justice might be administrate with the more conveniencie and lesse trouble of the people And now dischargeth it because the subjects have mistaken his gracious intention So that if the mistaking be removed that which is conceived of it selfe to serve for administration of justice with ease and benefit to the subjects may bee established upon pretention of the removeall of all such mistakings Secondly though the acts and deeds made for establishing thereof bee rescinded yet the acts past heretofore by the high Commission are not rescinded And so the subjects censured by it are still esteemed under these censures as appeareth by the tenour of the Proclamation wherein the Assembly is taxed as consisting of some members that are under the censures of this Kirke meaning the Bishops censure in the high Commission Thirdly it being found contrary to the acts of Parliament and acts of generall Assembly and extremely derogatory to them and all other subalterne iudicatories both civill and Ecclesiasticall which is made clearely manifest by a treatise presented to the generall Assembly and it being devised and brought in by the suggestion of Bishops as a meane whereby they might and have unlawfully tyranized over all the subiects Therefore it is necessary that the Parliament and generall Assembly the highest civill and Ecclesiasticall iudicatories that have been wronged should by their severall sentences utterly abolish it as unlawfull and hurtfull Thirdly whereas his Majesty dispenseth with the practice of Pearth Articles dischargeth all from urging the practice thereof freeth from censures for not urging or practising them notwithstanding of any thing contained in the acts of Parliament or generall Assembly to the contrary and is content that the Assembly take the same so far to their consideration as to represent it to the next Parliament there to be ratified as the Estates shall finde fitting These cannot satisfie because first a dispensation with the practice without a simple discharge leaveth it still arbitrary to those who will practice and so continueth the rent and distractions in this Kirke Secondly although his Maiestie had discharged the practice of them by his Proclamation or Declaration yet the subiects had not been put in security thereby except the generall Assembly to whose tryall they belong and were referred by all the subscribers of the Confession in March doe either repell the articles of Perth or upon good reason declare that Assembly null since his Maiesties Proclamation or Declaration is not a sufficient warrant to infringe an act of Assembly or Parliament made to the contrary Thirdly by tying the Assembly to take the same no further unto their consideration then to represent it to the next Parliament the Assembly is both prelimitate whereanent refers to the six reasons against prelimitation insert in our Protestation September 22. and weakned in power as if it might not judge and determine in matters meerely Ecclesiasticall without a licence from his Majestie or a reference to the Parliament whereas the generall Assembly is supreme and independent in matters Ecclesiasticall as the Parlament is in civill so that when the acts of Assembly are ratified in Parliament the same is for adioyning the civill sanction to the Ecclesiastick constitution for the great terrour of transgressors Fourthly anent the oaths administrate to Ministers at their entry it hath not onely beene pretended but is certaine and will be made manifest to the Assembly which also now is done
sharpest warre was rather to be endured then the least errour in doctrine or discipline Another in his Sermon wished That hee and all the Bishops in that Kingdome were in a bottomlesse boat at sea together for he could bee well content to lose his life so they might lose theirs Thousands more such beastly barbarous and profane speeches were delivered by them not onely in their Pulpits but in their Sermons For the Reader must know that in these times of tumult where the Churches were not able to containe the great multitudes they did usually preach in common and profane places in roomes which are yet in building and not finished intended for Lawyers to plead in in the Halls of the Taylors and other mechanicall tradesmen of Edinburgh in some private houses in the Hall of the Colledge of Edinburgh where one Sunday Rollock being to preach but finding the crowds of people to be too great for that place mounted upon the top of a paire of staires which went up to an upper ground in an open place which was onely covered by the heavens and from thence preached to a great troupe or multitude whose breath is the onely aire hee desireth to live in being shot quite through the head with popularitie Others preached in the free-Schoole at Edinburgh where boyes use to play and bee punished If these speeches and many as bad or worse then these and delivered in such places be fit to perswade the people that their Covenant comes from God the Reader may easily discerne The second meanes which they used for blind-folding the eyes of the people were their many false reports which both in their Pulpits and out of their Pulpits they vented amongst the people which their Leaders knew in their owne consciences to be most false They gave it out that We intended to bring in Poperie in all Our Kingdomes or at least a toleration of it It was preached that the Service Book was framed at Rome and brought over by a country-man of theirs when they doe know that every Papist by the Popes Bull is prohibited to heare the Service Booke read Others preached that all England was of their opinion and judgement and that they had good intelligence from hence that no man would adhere to Us against them Another preached that no man would have protested against the generall Assembly but for money and that none had protested but they who had received some when they did know that many had protested who had received none It is true indeed that some poore Ministers being thrust out of their Benefices by them for adhering to Us were petitioners to Our Commissioner for relieving the necessities of them and their families some of those who were most necessitated he did a little relieve but some of that number were none of the protesters and many who were protesters were none of that number It was preached ordinarily in their Pulpits that neither We nor Our Commissioner in Our name did ever intend to hold the generall Assembly or if We did hold it did never intend to performe any thing which We had promised in Our gracious Declaration though they now know that We have performed both Within these few daies some desired the people publiquely in their Pulpits to give thankes to God for that overthrow which the Hollanders had given to the Spanish Fleet before Dunkirke assuring their auditours that it was no lesse to be celebrated by them then their deliverance from the Spanish Invasion in 88. because all that Fleet was prepared at Our charge for their ruine and subversion Besides many thousands more such reports and counterfeited letters scattered by them of which some no doubt were devised by themselves whereby they kept Our people in that ignorance in which at the very first they had resolved to involve them Now what a fearfull and terrible thing is it for men in the house of God and in those places of these houses of God which they call the chaires of truth to deliver such things as either they doe not know to be true or doe know to be false Besides these dictates of the Ministers the lay-Elders since they came to thinke themselves Ecclesiasticall persons for so now they doe and will not be called lay but ruling-Elders they have found new inspirations and delivered doctrines as like their Divines as may be one of them We cannot chuse but rehearse An ancient Knight and a lay-Elder intruded himselfe and his fellowes upon a Presbyterie for chusing the Ministers Commissioners for the Assembly and the Ministers of that Presbyterie not being able to keep them out though they earnestly desired it fell to intreat these lay-Elders that if they would needs intrude themselves in their election they would have a speciall care to chuse the ablest Ministers and who were most inclined to moderation and peaceable courses because the Church at this time stood in great need of such Commissioners The old Knight in great zeale replyed That whosoever at this time gave his voice to a moderate or peaceable minded Minister hee was a betrayer of Christ and his cause because these times required no luke-warme Commissioners which barbarous and unchristian speech of his being related by way of complaint to the Tables at Edinburgh was so far from being censured as it was approved for a high and heroicall ejaculation The third meanes whereby they have perverted Our people and continued them in their disobedience to Us and Our Lawes have been their strange and damnable positions whereby they have impoysoned Our subjects some whereof We shall now declare unto you First What subjects doe of their owne heads is much better then what they doe in obedience to Authoritie the one savouring of constraint but the other being voluntarie and cheerfull obedience This proposition is delivered in their Protestation bearing date the 22. of September 1638. made against Our gracious Declaration it is in their fifth reason against the subscription to the Confession of faith urged by Us. A second The Parliaments power doth no more reach to the placing of Officers originally in the Church then the Church hath power to make States-men in the Common-wealth This position is in their answer to Our Commissioners Declaration concerning Our sense and meaning in commanding the Confession of faith to bee subscribed Where they have added the word Originally onely to puzzle the Reader For certainly their meaning must bee That the Parliament hath no power for confirming of Officers placed in the Church by the Church it selfe for no Act of Parliament in that Kingdome doth make any Officers in the Church originally but onely ratifieth and confirmeth such as were established by the Church in her generall Assemblies A third position is this The Parliament can make no law at all concerning the Church but onely ratifie what the Church decreeth and after it hath ratified it yet if the Assembly of the Church shall prohibit it and repeale that decree of the Church all