most approved example of the primitive Fathers as may be seen by their sermons and homilies that are exâ—…tant And it should seem Presbyterie aswell as Episcopacie hath found some inconvenience in Sermons that were longer which produced the 34. Canon in the 〈◊〉 Synod at 〈◊〉 1574. 〈…〉 since extraordinarie superinfusions were rare have been 〈◊〉 attributed to such discourses principallie wherein the Canon of Scripture hath been interpreted by no private enthusiasme â—…o partial addiction to one mans opinion how eminent soever for his gifts or good life but by the Catholike tradition of the Church that it the consent of most holie men in it throughout all ages and places as much danger having been from the Iewes may be now from Iudaizing Scots by bad glosses as from haeretical Christians by Rhetorical discourses on Scripture ... Hâ—…ide â—… 〈…〉 graphâ—…on â—…apei 〈…〉 .... 〈◊〉 de pâ—…ides diâ—… tes 〈◊〉 cai 〈◊〉 But what spirit oâ—… life hath been found in â—…at lectures consisting of noncohaerencies haesitancieâ—… â—…autologies c notwithstanding all the gapings and groanes or other arâ—…tifices used to put them off for divine 〈◊〉 and raptures let them speake that were aedified which I was not I assure you by What I heard from you and the brethren that brought the Scotish Euangel to us in this Countrey 7. Though the Canon beâ—…trict the practice was not so much as at Court for bidding prayer before for after Sermon that for Christs holie Catholike Church and the Collects appointed are not such if you remember some it may be knowing his Majesties minde which now is published That he 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 against a 〈◊〉 â—…odest 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 use of Ministers gifts even in publike .... the betâ—…r to fit and 〈◊〉 their 〈◊〉 and the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the prâ—…sent 〈◊〉 Those 〈◊〉 tâ—…ke themselves obliged to keep to the leter of the rule were satisfied as well in the reason as law fullnesse of the command Being therefore well assured that the Lords prayer iâ—… as the Fathers call it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a complete prayer comprehending the summe of what petitions soever were 〈◊〉 to be praesented to the Father which none knew beter then the Sonne That the people might be inform'd what at such a time they are to aâ—…ke and what asking in fayth they might hope to receive the Minister commands them in the name of that particular Church â—…o which they are to submit in all publike duties or so renounce her 〈◊〉 to pray for her after 〈◊〉 Catholike Church for the King and his Royal families His Councel all inferiour Magistrates c. And because after the Litanie and so many several prayers relating differentlie to those particulars he mentions it is neither necessarie nor convenient at all to doubte the time in repeting or 〈◊〉 the â—…ormes â—… he calls upon them to joine with him in that 〈◊〉 prayer which very 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all can be asked saying 〈◊〉 Father c. But as touching the Church limitation of us to the Pater noster before her approving the Gloria patri c after the sermon I see no more in it then in the 33. Canon of that Councel of Dort which I even now mentioned Praying for the welfare of souleâ—… departed a controversie yet depending between Protestants and Papists hath ever impudentlie and falselie been attributed to that Canon on purpose to delude poor people so rashlie opinionated of their Presbyters that told them so as they thought it derogatorie to their credit to search the truth Or so grosselie ignorant as unable to distinguish between praying God for the welfare of and praâ—…sing him for the exemplarie lives of and the heavenlie reward conferr'd on the soules of the Saints departed Wherein nothing need be argued when those of a seeptical conscience will not be convinc'd and those that are praejudic'd will not be reform'd to such no more is to be sayd but si decipi volunt decipiantur For private prayer if personal the Praelates never hitherto praescribed any forme leaving people to themselves who are private to their owne wants and to the direction not injunction of their Priest But if congregational though but in Parlour or Closet no colour can be brought why an house should confute a Cathedral or extemporarie non sense take place of the ancient and well advised prayers of Holie Church You can not be more loth to confesse then I am hard to beleeve that you ever were guiltie of more conformitie to ancient Christians in your publike worship then opinions Yet when I consider what establishment our Religion received in Queen Elizabeths reigne what advancement your schisme unhapilie had by her misse placed assistance I can not satisfie my selfe how in policie or conscience a Princesse so fam'd for devotion and wisdome could professe and prosecute such seeming contradictions and without some humane assurance of your conjunction with her so liberallie contribute toward your praetended reformation to the utter demolition of her owne Therefore upon good enquirie I am faine to lay my diffidence aside and have where withall to confirme the Warner in his beleefe discovering first your negative Remonstrances and renâ—…nciations of Rome coincident with though more violent and particular then ours Your superintendents aequivalent to our Bishops And which as all in all upon Buchanans record your subscription to a communitie with us aswell in Ecclesiastike as Civile affaires This your Maintainer of the Sanctuarie tells us was done in the yeare 1560. in the infancie or before it rather in the first conception of your Discipline Yea two yeares before that not long after your Lords and Barons professing Christ Iesus had subscribed your first Covenant in Scotland they convene in Counsel conclude on several heads whereof this is the first It is thought expedient advised and ordained That in all parishes of this Realme the Common prayer be read wecklie on Sunday and other Festival dayes publikelie in the parish Churches c. In the first oration petition of the Protestants of Scotland to their Queen Regent this was the first demand .... That they might meet publikelie or privatelie to their Common prayers in their vulgar tongue And that this may not be set to the account of your Temporal Lords or some imperfect Members of your Clergie because I. Knox your Holie head was at this time disjointed from that sanctified bodie the same care is afterward taken for Kirkes in your booke of Discipline it selfe without any intimation of your purpose to tolerate it onelie for helpe and direction being a forme praescribed as liable to the peoples superstition as ours otherwise then as you approved the omission of it on publike sermon dayes And your Maintainer sayth without doubt it was the very booke of England Your Church having none of her owne a long time I would not have you mistaken no more then you would have the Bishop whom you so carefullie informe I feare against your
conscience as if I imputed this to you for any more then a politike compliance to effect your owne ends by Q. Elizabeths armes which being in a good part accomplished you altered your Liturgie both in substance and use changed our prayers for worse and those you neither injoined by law nor supported by the generalitie of your practice Thus from petitioning for Common prayer to your Queen you came about at length to condemning it among your selves This for the Historie of your hypocritical conformitie with us to worke your owne designe and inexcusable defection from us when that was done Touching your feigned approbation of set formes for rules and for use in beginners I am to aske you 1. What institutions their can be for improvement of supernatural gifts What formes for progresse in extraordinarie graces 2. If there be such why they serve not aâ—…well for the benefit of tongues as utterance and whether the Apostles before the day of pentecost had any praeparative to that descent of the spirit upon them if they had not the difference of persons not diversifying the donation where or to whomsoever God intends it why we are to looke about for helpes unto this purpose 3. Whether this sword of the spirit can not aswell cut the tongue as pierce the heart Whether God can not without helpes aswell indire words as mater and make the tongue become the pen of a readie writer That your set formes were published onelie for Ministers that are beginners thereby endeavouring to attaine a readinesse to pray in their familie not in the Church I take for an evasion scarce thought upon before now The gift of prayer which you take gratis without a proofe I can afford you to be ordinarilie no other then the forme which Christ bestowed upon his disciples The use of that hath ever hitherto been continued by their successours in the frequent repetition of the words and analogie of all their enlargements unto the sense The greatest comfort that can be had by this is in a cheerfull submission to the judgement of that Church in whose communion I adventure my salvation the greatest libertie in the exercise of her words which in Christian humilitie and common reason I am to conceive more apposite then mine owne Herein I rest the beter satisfied when I see my common adversaries in this dutie so to fluctuate in their senses and like raging waves in a conspiracie to shipwrake others breaking mutuallie themselves by the uncertaine violence of their motion and so in the end forming out nothing 〈◊〉 their shame Master Baylie renouncing aswell formes composed by themselves as praescribed by others Master Knox praescribing such a sâ—… prayer unto himselfe and so praemeditating the words he was to speake that when quaestioned he could repeat what er he say'd Their brethren abroad sometime strictlie enjoining a forme compiled by others Omnâ—…s Ministri 〈◊〉 formam publicam in Ecclesiâ—… precandi â—…bunt .... ideoqâ—… alia forma breviâ—…r post concionem recitanda composita est At other times leaving their Ministers to a libertie of a set prayer composed by themselves or one depending on the dictate of the spirit Minister preces vel dictante spiritâ—… vâ—… certa sibi proposita formulâ—… conâ—…ipies The 4. wrongâ—… that are prâ—…tended from our Liturgie to redound upon A Giver A Receiver A Gift and A Church being Relatives in this businesse are inseparable by nature and must fall to ground with the falsitie of the supposition upon which they hang But what injuries are multiplied upon all by the extemporarie license of Presbyters in their prayers Our Blessed Soveraigne K. Ch. 1. hath enumerated the affectation emptinesse impertinence rudenesse confusions â—…latnesse 〈…〉 and ridiculoâ—… repetitions the seâ—…clesse and oft times blaspheâ—…us expressioâ—… all these 〈◊〉 with a most taedious and intolerable length .... Wherein men must be strangelie impudent and flaterers of themselves not to have an infinite shame of what they so doe and say in things of so sacred a nature before God and the Church after so ridiculous indâ—…d pâ—…fane a maner Nec potest tibi 't is Master Baylie I meane who hath been guiltie of most in my hearing istâ—… res 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quam si te pâ—…dere desieriâ—… perfrices frontem oportet ipse 〈◊〉 non audiaâ—… But I referre him to the rest of what K. Ch. 1. Brieflie but solidelie hath writ and what more at large Master Hooker to whom I may challenge all the Scotish Presbyterie for an answer So great a cloud of witnesses encompassing the Scotish Presbyterie and giving in evidence against her as the mother of mischief too many yeares in three Kingdomes your arme is too weake to lay aside the â—…eight of those wicked actions that must be charged on her backe and the sinne of sacriledge Royal that so 〈◊〉 besets her The Parliament of Scotland sure aequivocates in denying that they have stripped the King of his just rights I speake to His Majestie now reigning His Father having unanswerablie argued for himselfe because they never hitherto acknowledged him invested with any but the name to which bare inheritance they knew him borne without the charitie of their breath which he must have had without their sounding trumpet proclaiming this for their almes as hypocrites in their markets But to come close to you This Parliament of Scotland had it been such as it was not upon the murder of the Father ought to have been stripped of all it selfe then no just rights no more but such as a deadman hath to his robes and being a breathlesse carkasse could require nothing at the hands of the Sonne The courses to which he was stirred up and keeped on out of natural dutie by no factious advice were howsoever they succeded praeservative of his Fathers and himselfe and destructive to no people but the workers of iniquitie that with their owne hands plucked downe miserie upon their heads The bloudshed brings bloud guiltinesse upon them that first opened the veine from which he had no need to be purged with hysope that was cleane nor washed whose conscience in that particular was whiter then the snow Yet being by your scarlâ—…t Parliament imputed to him whose impure eyes can behold nothing but iniquitie in others and whose wicked mouthes are wide open to devoure the man that is more righteous then themselves the satisfaction they required could be in order to no exercise of his Royal government nor dare they take any by the rules of your Discipline which must have bloud for bloud but a slavish subjection of his liâ—…e and crowne to sentence without mercie which had been though fewer in number yet as full in your meaning and as effectual aequitable demands Allthough this be a replie unanswerable to your praetense Yet I must not leave you without discovering your diminâ—…tive forgerie in Parliament Proclamations putting parts of his Royal Government where they
without a particular ratification thereof I might adde how ridiculous it is for you to make the power of your Assemblies so absolute yet trouble King Parliament so often with your importunate petitions to passe what is fullie ratified before that by their owne General Acts including that very particular for which you supplicate The debates about the second booke of Discipline I beleeve But that in the Assemblie 1590. the Kings consent to it was obtaind I can sooner admit upon undeniable authoritie then your Logike you pretend not to the perpetuitie of His Majesties personal praesence which was but some times it should seem not at that time of general consent Nor is your Act for subscription so cleare in the assurance you give us that His Majesties Commissioner was there you onelie take it for granted he was among the herd Nor so explicite in his positive consent you onelie collect it from a clowdie universal to serve your turne honour him with a primacie in suffrage Wherein you are a litle redundant in courtesie there having been a time when if His Majestie or His Commissioner siting in Assemblie should denie his voyce to any thing which appear'd unjust repugnant to his lawes yet iâ—… that were concluded by most voyces you would tell him he was bound jure divino to inforce obedience to your Act. The case for ought I know stood no otherwise here in this Assemblie Where to discountenance the testimonie you bring you have been told long before now That the superintendents of Angus Lothian Fiâ—…e c. George Hayes Commissioner from the North. Arbuthmoth of Aberdene others were dissenters from this Act about the discipline whereby His Majesties or His Commissioners consent becomes somewhat improbable to the authoritie whereof such men as they had in prudence submitted if not in dutie by their silence That States-men in Parliament oppos'd it is evident That the King ever endeavourd to get it passe is your single assertion Neque usquam fictum neque pictum neque scriptum If your Church did it was for want of worke for you told us even now To this a particular ratification of Parliament was unnecessarie What the Bishops opinion is about the pâ—…trimonie of the Chuch how farre by whom what part of it may be lawfullie alienated when just occasion is given I praesume His Lordship freelie faythfullie will declare In the meane time his chalenge against the Scotish Presbyterians is without hypocrise injustice Himselfe many other good Prelates having ever aesteem'd it a fault to call the annexing some part of the Church revenues unto the crowne a detestable sacriledge before God Nor can Mr. Baylie instance in any indefinite disputes including all that hath been or shall be given to the Church that have hapened since the first reformation between the Kings of England their Bishops Who had they found their Princes rapacious sequestratours would not have failed in their dutie modestlie to admonish them of the danger yet had it may be abstained from calling them theeves murderers peculiar termes characteristical of the Discipline-To which I thinke I shall doe no injustice if I assert that the revenues of Bishops Deanes Arch-deacons of Chapellries Friaries of all orders together with the sisters of the seenes abstracting from the favour of Princes no more belong to the Scotish Presbyters then they doe to the Mufties of the Turke The intention of the doners having never been that such strange catell should feed in their pastures Nor can M. Baylie shew me any law that makes him heir to Antichrist or a just inheriter of his lands Beside methinkes the weake stomack'd brethren should take checke at the meate offered unto idols any silken sould Presbyter be too nice to array himselfe in the raggeâ—… of Rome or be cloth'd at that cost that belong'd to the idolatrous Priesthood of Baal But it may be in the heate of Reformation they went to worke with the coyning irons which they more then once got into their possession with them altered thâ—… impresâ—…ion of the beast And the mattokes 〈◊〉 Which other armes being wanting they very often tooke in their hands were possiblie onelie to turne up the Church land whereever crop had been reap't by Antichrist that abominable glebe went downe to the center of the earth What he talkes about the Praelatical jus divinum their taking possessions by commands from Court without a processe requires his instance then he shall have his answer In the interim he playes the hypocrite in a question What if then the Disciplinarians had gone to advance that right to all jusdivinum when the Assemblie at Edenburgh did so April 24. 1576. But he sayth all the Scots can be challeng'd for is a mere declaration of their judgement simple right in a supplication to the Regents Grace 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 These Scots judgement was not allwayes in righteousnesse and their simplicitie in supplicates had many times more of the Lion then the Lambe Witnesse that to the Queen Regent 1559. where they declare their judgements freelie as true faithfull subjects they tell her yet this is the style of that declaration ......... Except this crueltie be stayed by your wisdome We shall be compelled to take the sword of just defense c. ...... If ye give â—…are to their pestilent counsel ...... neither ye neither yet your posteritie shall at any time after this finde that obedience faythfull service within this Realme which at all times ye have found in us In the assemblies supplications to the Lords of secret Councel May 28. 1561. the second article annexed to which was for the maintenance of the ministerie this Before ever these tyrants dumbe dogs Empire above us ....... we ..... are fullie determin'd to hazard life whatsoever we have recived of God in temporall things ........ And let these enemies of God assure themselves That if your Honours put not order unto them That we shall shortlie take such order That they shall neither be able to doe what they list neither yet to live upon the sweat of the browe December 25. 1566. They order requiring instead of Supplicating Churh censures to the disobedient Their sixt head of Church rents in the first booke of Discipline runnes very imperiouslie upon the must The Gentlemen Barons c. must be content to live upon their just rents suffer the Kirke to be restored to her libertie And Jul. 21. 1567. They tell them they shall doe it shall passe nothing in Parliament untill it be done That ever any assemblie in Scotland did make any other addresse to the Parliament for stipends then by way of such humble supplication I grant â—…is a great untruth Nor were onelie the thirds thus petition'd for but time after time all tithes rents whatsoever could be comprized under the patrimonie of the
honestie throughout 30. yeares trading The saints after that rate will not be readie at Doomesday to give up their account of compassing the earth getting in their inheritance annex'd to their dominion which they will have founded in grace If the Presbyteries wherein all that time you were conversant were no merchant adventurers tooke no share â—…f the purchase they have kept some Jubilee to lease out their indulgence Or it was not unlikelie a piece of your Kirke-policie to connive a long time at all petie larcenie knowing who at length would be catch'd in the great cheate the 200000. pound sale of damnation to their brethren yet keeping backe whole viols of vengeance and wrath unto themselves For the many causes of Ministers deprivation cognosced upon in your Presbyteries you have the good liking of neither Papists nor Praelates who finde no canon that gives commission to such a mungrel socitie of lay-Clerical Presbyters to take away what they have no power to conferre If I give but not grant your usurped tyrannie a priviledge by many yeares rebellious praecedent to cognosce of such cases I must except against clipping of canons the coyne that beares the Majestike image of the Primitive Church such as is the 67. in the fourth Councel of Charthage Seditionarios nunquam ordinandos Clericos sicut nec usurarios nec injuriarum ultores The first of the three had met with your vertous Fore-Father Knox in the Castle of St. Andrewes sav'd all the mischiefe we have reap'd by his call from abetting the murder of Cardinals to rebelling against Princes renting the Church the Commonwealth into Congregational Covenanting parties The last which was your injust praetense if not in your banners at least in the Remonstrances which you brought in your hands when you invaded England Canons holding aswell for depriving as ordaining had rid us of all the rable of Rebellious revengefull Presbyters without a stroke For the businesse of usurie I shal not draw up my charge till I discover the Scottish Presbyterian Cantores Yet you were best have care whatsoever becomes of the ancient Canons that you be not too severe in depriving for that lest you get a rebuke from your brethren abroad who it may be desire not to shake hands with you in that point of the Discipline The Bishop neither tooke out nor put in any causes of Church-mens deprivation but merelie transcrib'd what he thought more concern'd a Civile Court then a Synod If he had been at the charge of reprinting all whereof your booke of Discipline makes mention he must have left an c. to bring up a reserve though yov will not owne it of preaching penning practizing schisme sedition Rebellion against moderate just pious Kings aswell as what your Assemblies were solicitous to prohibite under the terme of Schisme or Rebellion against the Kirke For the first last of the three sinnes you draw out because you will have the pleasure at least of licking your lips at the naming His Lordship knowes no Bishop nor Doctour but may finde a namelesse Scottish Presbyter to give place to If he should be mistaken which he hath not so much reason to hope as charitie to wish he sees in St. Iames the guilt of murder aequivalent to adulterie made as great a transgression of the law He heares of Isaiah's triel in Scotland which deserves the same wonder crie of the Prophets Ye are drunken though not with wine ye stagger though not with strong drinke c. And since your last returne ouâ—… of England beholds sitting at Edenburgh aswell as London the great whore instead of her blew arrayed in purple scarlet colour decked with gold pretious stones pearles having a golden cup in her hand full of abominations filthnesse of her fornication And upon the forhead of the woman drunken with the bloud of the Saints with the bloud of the Martyrs of Iesus a name written with a beame of the sunne Mysterie Babylon the Great The Mother of harlots abominations of the earth For the third sinne of gluttonie which you will have produc'd because in your canon though not much for your credit that your excessive gossiping comes to be cognosced by your Church all Bishops Doctours may freelie bid defiance to your sect of whom so manie are so often known to be as fed horses in the morning though you flatter yourselves into a conceit that the noyse is not heard are neighing as much as those in Isai. So that you may in due time have what you better deserve the same curse with the Priests in the Prophet Malach. which will spoyle your reviewing singling out other menâ—… errours or secret sinnes to the shame of Christianitie among the Nations when your selves are spiloi kai momoi the principal spots blemishes that are in it God may corrupt your seed spread dung upon your faces solâ—…nitatum stâ—…rcus even the dung of your solemne feastes you more likelie then they may be taken away with it The Bishops third chalenge mounts somewhat higher then your answer which pleades onelie for preaching upon texts concerning the Magistrates dutie resolving from scripture their doubts both which reach up onelie to a judgement of direction but his Lordship cites the clause in your theorem which makes difficult cases between King people subjects of cognizance judgement before the Assemblies of the Kirke And this he sayth riseth to a judgement of jurisdiction Your second booke of Discipline is more modest in language though as mischievous in meaning The Ministers exerce not the Civile jurisdiction but teach the Magistrate how it should be exerciz'd according to the word whereas if you take cognizance of pronounce judgement in these difficult cases Or call before you such as may be more easie but should be heard otherwhere this is no other but exercing civile jurisdiction as spiritual as you make it If you with the terrour of your excommunicating Maozin overaw the Magistrate into a servile submission to what you praescribe this I take to be no teaching but commanding instead of resolving by deliberate advice Christian moderation cutting in sunder with this sword of your spirit no word of Gods the knots perplexities of his conscience What doubt-resolvers you are commonlie between Master servant husband wife your licentious demeanour in many families may informe us where it is too well know'n you have made your selves judges of the trivial oeconomical causes in the hall dispensers of or with more private duties in the chamber So that they say the good man hath many times met with a consistorian censure at his table if not with a Presbyter a Presbyterian prohibition in his bed I beleeve you mistake preaching Praelates Doctours for some babling Puritanical Pastours Lecturers in England who have made these things
standing in force that made Bishops and ceremonies vnlaw full The former beside the contradiction it caries with it devolving the legislative power upon the Kirke which according to you can keep the Parliament in awe not by petitioning but protesting and so ratifie or null all lawes declared at her pleasure The latter beside the long perseverance in sinne it imputes to the Latin and Greek Churches as well before as after the corruption in either the late warmnesse to all Reformed Churches abroad which never hitherto in any National Assemblie declared regular Episcopacie and ceremonies unlawfull outdoing the very Act of abolishing which his Majestie in Parliament ratified with reference to no unlawfullnesse but inconvenience retracted that too in his too late yet seasonable repentance afterward Though for what His Lp. objects were there too after Acts of Parliament to ratifie the substance of what the Kirke repraesents no one of them thereby justifies the circumstance of Ministers mutinous protesting against lawes made in houres of darkenesse upon what misinformation soever which is treason against man and excusable by no formal obedience toward God This for the Bishop to publish being one of the Governers of that Church which strangers plot what they can to seduce into the same rebellion with their owne is no contemning of law but discharging his conscience and dutie in his place By the next storie the Bishop will gaine a more perfect discoverie of your resembling those grievous revoiters in Jeremie who walke with slanders being brasse iron Who bend your tongue like a bowe for lies and yet when the true case is know'n be accounted by Solomon but a fool for your labour In King James's minoritie who stole his name though they ner had his heart to act by it the most unnatural oppression of that most gallant Queen his vertuous and gracious mother to murder and banish many noble assertours of the reformed orthodoxe religion lawes appeares upon publike record in your storie This one Capt. Iames Stuart very noblie with standing your divellish temptations to have him maintaine a distructive dissention at Court with Esme Stuart E. Lenox a faythfull subject most deserving favourite of the Kings improving that litle interest you helpt him to to a more Christian conjunction in love and loyaltie and a double vigilancie over the Kings person exposed too often to your treacherous designes is unlikelie to have any better character at your hands then what you commonlie give to persons of such fidelitie and honour His advancement to the titles estate of E. Arran Chancellar of Scotland was partlie in reward of his guardian care over him whom somwhat else beside sicknesse had made unfit for the management of either Yet were not these taken by force but on free session then desperate to whom if the King were nearest in bloud not to mention a third which your zealous professours commonlie finde him his Majestie had a double title to his lands a power undisputable to dispose of the Chancellars office at his pleasure What beside Capt. Iames's unheard of oppressions which dirt his zeale for religion contracts when it passeth through the uncleane chanell of any Presbyters mouth troubled the Nobilities Patience the reader may finde somewhat more trulie and impartiallie related not onelie in the Apocriphal histories of the two Rt. Reverend Arch-Bishops of Canterburie and Saint Andrewes but even in the Canonical tradition of Philadelphs Vindicatour who praemiseth some repulse your Church Delegates had about their querulous petitions A difference that fell out between E. Lenox Gowrie about some point of honour to revenge which he calls Murre Glame and diverse other disquiet discontented spirits into a confaederacie whom you call a number of the prime best affected nobilitie which improper title he more ingenouslie declines in a peice of Rethorical ignorance putting his hand more modestlie before his eyes as loth to looke on their sinfull rebellious demeanour Qualescunque fuerint plerique eorum non multum laberabo .... qualis quisque corum suerit nescio applies the blinde mans speach ' in the 9. of Saint Iohn to the authours of the miracle in this change And beside the mere boast no violence you reioyce in confesseth diverse of the Kings servants were wounded among the rest William Stuart the newes whereof brought Capt. Iames thither Who was not chaced away by their strong breath but clapt up into a castle by their power the Kings guard being before remov'd from him and His Majestie taken by Gowrie and his conspiratours into custodie The E. Lenox banished into France where with in a short time he died whether by griefe principallie or his sicknesse he defines not He addes That the Heads of this faction sent the Abbot of Paslet to your Assemblie at Edaenburgh for their approbation who what soever they did afterward at that time onelie thanked God for deliverance viz from the imminent justice of the law to which most of their Members were lyable durst not approve the businesse or appeare to doe it at least put up a non'sense petition to God praying him it were well done after it was done and whether well or ill then unalterable by their prayers or indeed by devine power whose omnipotencie is not limited when denied to make good moral contradictions to pleasure an hypocritical Assemblie He speakes nothing of the Kings sending to his Councel or judicatories to declare the act of the Lords convenient and lawdable for which he expected no reasonable mans credulitie not patience unlesse so farre as to spit it backe into his face Nor yet of His Majesties entreating the Assemblie but of their sending Delegates to him The answer he gave them if any or such as the Vindicator hath helpt us to is much different from yours and though not extorted by the terrour of death which may well be suspected by the successive treasonable attempts of the same Gowrie and his sonne afterward gives litle approbation of the fact being onelie his acknowledgement of a blessing from God for delivering his person and the Commonwealth from mischiefe by which doubtlesse he meant the happie praeservation of his life So that I againe appeale to your aquitable comparers what historical truth we are likelie to have of your penning when seting one Disciplinarian brother against another without consulting unprinted records we can confute you line by line among your selves The letter His Majestie sent to Q. Elizabeth was forced Regem invitum compulerunt sayth Camden where by he allowed no more that act for good service then he would have done a thiefe for taking but his purse when he might likewise have had his life But to proceed Capt I'ames shortlie after crept not in but was calld Revocatur Aranius sayth your brother Therevenge whether obtained by him or no was but the justice of the law executed with litle severitie upon any but moderated by the mercie of a
is enough a lone to také off your stomake yet that insipide colewort must be set upon your table while your table contimues a snare to catch your selves withall and that bill of fare though but one dish repeted till it choke the rebellious guerts of the Assemblies your paper of eight desires contained 8. very insolent demands in place of that submission which the Parliament sent for I can not say expected What justice and necessitie may be in them was not at any time by you nor by any at that time to be expostulated to the retarding that more just and necessarie designe If the Parliament counted upon any it reckoned withall the satisfaction it had render'd Wherin it had been rather too lavish then close handed and promis'd more upon the necessitie then thought on then some conceived in justice or conscience could he performed Securitie upon oath under hand and seale the Bishop tells you were harder termes then an Vsurers to a Bankrupt and it may be you tooke His Majestie for no other having goten though by no morgage his kingdomes in your possession And knowing what he had contracted with God before you would not part with them but upon the surest interest of his soul. If the quaestion were not for the thing that it should seeme you tooke for granted And then what methodical and scrupulous tray tours doe you blazon your selves to be to leave him languishing in a gaole while the order and some particle of the securitie must be thought an The qualification of the persons to have the managing of the warre being approved by the Parliament the highest Court in the Kingdome no law intimates an Assemblie or Iudicatorie competent to reverseit So that the Bishop hath sufficientlie inform'd himselfe that the knot of the differtnce lies onelie in some bulrush which you looke for to litle purpose And having attentivelie read your publike declarations drawes out of them no groundlcsse conjecture but an infallible assurance that no Historie mentions such Pharisaical Rebells upon the earth The Warner knowes very well that what you call the libertie of the Church is in truer language the license of the many schismatical hypocrites that disturbe it who by long custome of blaspheming God in guilded rhetorike and a spiritual figure translating his holie word but perverting the sense to sinfull ends in publike declarations have withdraw'n poor people from their dutie to their King into such feares confoederacies as the prophet Esai had in the place that you cite warning from the Lord with a strong hand instructions not to walke in The three Graces you bragge of had too many snakes dangling about their eares to be mistaken for other then the thre infernal furies which they were Your humilitie was pride and arrogancie to the height attributing more to your private fancies then to the publike counsels of a free Parliament the undenied repraesentative of the Kingdome Your pietie was but the will worship of your owne imaginations that you challeng'd And your wisdome craftinesse where in you will be taken in the end by your froward counsel caried headlong to your destruction The visibilitie of this might encourage the Engagers to run any adventure rather then to follow you in your wayer Such of them as fince the disaster have crouched to an acknowledgement of their loyaltie for an errour are poore Spirited fooles that have their eyes onelie in the ends of the earth are never likelie to be in the number of them who obteind a good report through fayth in their sufferings nor receive the promise of some beter thing that God had pro vided for them Did an Angel from heaven blow his trumpet and proclaime God speaking in your declarations the Warner and his partie were bound to stop their eares Or if the Prince of the power of the aire should clothe such wicked language in lightning or pervert some Boanerges to speake it in thunder by terrour to worke in children of disobedience we have Saint Pauls praescript to pronounce a double anathema against him Accursed Accursed let him be and in submission to God in his messenger the Apostle such men of gallant spirits should we be as in a Christian constancie or Romane if you will have it rather to perish with this last breath in our mouthes then by hearkening to counsels or walking in wayes so palpablie pernicious to Church and state with the ruine of both let the breath of our nostrils the Anoynted of the Lord be taken in their pits If the margin and text of your following paragraph were not so neare neighbours in my hast I might chance to have made no comparison and so escaped the contradicti on between them No offer to stop the leavie in the one and opposition so coldrife and small in the other will I thinke be reconciled by no logike but that which makes degrees varie species or argues from the third to the second adject and according to the vulgar proverbe makes that not to be at all which is litle or nothing to the purpose To the substance of your answer By enquirie I finde your oppsition as hot as your servent zeale and abilities could make it and if your actions drew in the same yoâ—…e with your words you that sweated it out in earnest be seechments exhortations and threats sate not still to see the effects of your papers but armed your selves to the worke of retardment if not to the retracting the designe Some few lines in a Declaration and warning from the Commission of your General Assemblie are enough to keep the Bishop from ignorance a transscript of them as they lie to discharge him from the malice you impute .... We doe earnestlie beseech and exhort all who live in this land that as they tender their solemne obligation and oath both by the National Covenant and by the solemne league Covenant as they love the honour of Iesus Christ and the Gospell .... Nâ—…y as they wish to eschew the heavie wrath and indignation of the Lord That they doe not give any countenance nor connivence to these wicked men in their wicked way much lesse to joyne with them in counsel or in armes And because it lies upon us to be faythfull in our station therefore as we have allreadie given warning unto these men that unlesse they doe speedilie destst from their evil way and repent that we will proceed against them with the dreadfull sentence of excommunication .... if any shall hereafter joine with them we will be necessitated impartiallie to proceed against them with the highest censures of the Kirke If this be câ—…ldrife and small opposition what tall fellowes are you when you are warme I Know nothing you could well doe beyond it unlesse with C. Caesar you would be so mad as in Homers language challenge Iupiter to an encounter e m' anâ—…eir ' e ego se which you are likelie enough to doe
disarmed their soules of that judgement which should dictate their freedome from Church censures upon acts indifferent or sinfull in an inferiour degree their due submission to an arraignment of thoughts onelie in the Court of a poenitent conscience or hereafter before the tribunal of heaven where sits the onelie Iudge of hearts the discerner of perverse inclinations expose themselves naked to the boundlesse furie of mercilesse Reviewers to the sharpe scrutinie of malicious Inquisitours to the arbitrarie sentence of most sinful Iudges and therefore most suspicious surmisers The Bishop mentions no faults but such as toward which your Discipline mentions no favour limited to the privacie of the care Nor yet doe all those give occasion for that which you take to shew the infinite extent the interminate divisibilitie of your power In the booke that he cites is the greatest censure of the Church praescribed and more methodicallie then mercifullie shewed how a small offence or sclaunder may justlie deserve excommunication by reason of the contempt and disobedience of the offender Pag. 60. And lest any should thinke that the offenses named are not so hainous as that of the Corinthians incest whence you take your paterne and Saint Pauls authoritie for your processe you give such to understand that mercie and favour may rather be granted to any other sinne then to the contempt of wholesome admonitions and of the just and law full ordinances of the Church Pag. 80. Which if as you say it never procured the smallest censure you have been a great deale too profuse of your pardons Where you professe your obligations so great to the performance of the commandement of God Or if you thinke it not such may be justlie required by any Erastian to render a reason why that ignis fatuus that foolish spirit of bondage walkes in your Discipline from generation to generation while they laugh at the calamitie you threaten and mocke when your feare cometh upon the people But he that knowes you will never mistake you for such meeke lambes in this mimike disguise of lions when he findes you aswell preying as roaring And how any the most charitable man will have just cause to complaine of your rigour let your aequitable comparers judge observing with me but one passage of multitudes in your forme that one which speakes you the most savage petitioners that ever invocated the name of Christ whom you humblie beseech for feare his mercie that is written to be above all his owne workes should be above that of yours the inhumanitie you are about that whatsoever in his name you pronounce in earth meaning the sentence of excommunication though but for susspicions and jealousies if not confessed to be as real faults as any peevish brother shall construe them he Would ratifie the same in heaven Which can not be paralleld in the Turkish Alcaron nor among all the superstitions rites and cruel offices of the heathen per formed to the most bloudie most insatiate of divels who doth nothing else but goe about seeking whom he may devoure Where as if this be your slacknesse wherewith sectaries charge you which you are sorie you are not able to refute it should seem you are sorie there are no more hells then one no pluralitie of soules in your single Impaenitents no imaginable protraction of punishment beyond aeternitie for the execution of your censures The Sabbath recreations which the Bishop sayth are voyd of scandal are likelie to be at most but those mention'd in the booke of toleration so much decried by the brethren of your faction among which were no stage playes nor in my memorie any allowed to be acted on Sundays and so not frequented by his friends The greater license on the Sabbath Kâ—…rmasses you slide over without any of that zeale which His Lordship prophesieth though your selfe have been a spectatour of it in these Countreys So that in your owne words which I am a frayd will too often be mistaken for mine and bring upon me the imputation of a sloven If the Apoâ—…eme in your lowest gut had not chang'd places with your braines your words had been wiser and your unsavourie breath which you too often eructate somewhat sweeter The debate among some of your sect Whether in Scotland or no which is not expressed about starch and cuffes may very well passe upon the credit of the Warner that asserts it your putting him upon the poofe makes me guesse you are not in a readinesse to denie it Howsoever we know the curses of the Laundrie have been through two or three descents a traditional legacie to the brethren of your order in England for the counterscufâ—…es they made about the former And the debate on the later hath produc'd an injunction to your Societie somewhere else to cast away those litle idolatrous ragges which could scarce be taken for any reliques of Rome their gloves too it may be upon better reason leâ—…t the cleanlinesse of their hands might beget a jealousie of some superstition in washing them before their publike officiating on their unhandsome distributing of the word What litle latitude of discretion you allow how your superiours must be your slaves or pupils in the attire aswell of their bodies as sules is evident by your preaching and articling against the apparell even of the Ladies of Honour that waited upon your Queenes Majestie three sundrie dayes when the rode in great state and solemnitie to the Toâ—…buith in Parliament time Ao 1563. Of the second oppression which the Bishop objects you give up a very imperfect account leaving the greatest weight to lie as heavie as it can upon the head of your Synods in calling the Magistrate fool for his mercie and knave for his bâ—…iberie which you onelie suspect because he is not as rigid as your selves In enjoyning publike satisfaction after the Defendant hath given it at an assize c. What you bring is litle to the purpose and if it were hath been packt away with its answer long a goe Wherewith yet if gou will not be satisfied you must be set to reviewe Erastus and answer him When he tells you of old no notice was taken of your double formalitie viz of crime and scandal so as to subject the delinquent for the same fact to the censure of two distinct Courts Civile and spiritual He calls ad raucedinem usque for one text or example in Scripture to justifie it He proves out of St. Austin c. That the Church used the spiritual sword onelie when the temporal was not in Christian hands He puts you to make good your 〈◊〉 consequence That if the Magistrate doth not his dutie an Assemblie Court is required to constraine him or as your Liturgie speakes to admonish him and that too as the Bishop urgeth when he hath discharg'd it according to his Iudgement and conscience From your proceedings of this kinde His Lordship drawes 3.
Their opinion of it as a most heavenlie and divine piece of writ doth those holie men that compâ—…ld it but the same justice which a beter comparison will then yours of it with the Breviarie and Missal of Rome Your paines had not been lost in a parallel of it with the solemne services disspersed in many parts of the Bible with the Greeke and Latin Liturgies where they are not interlin'd or corrupted with any superstition or idolatrie of Rome That you have made doth but magnifie her and oblige you had you any Christian charitie or justice to thanke God for praeserving so much of his word worship in her service what the Bishop intends when effected will warrant our Church upon your principles in most parts of her Liturgie when shewed consonant to the most publike formes of Protestant Churches though 't is hard for Fathers to aske advice or borrow authoritie of their children for Ancients to heare wherein Iob was mistaken That with the yong men is wisdome and with the shortnesse of dayes understanding The King and the many well minded men I beleeve were never deceived by our Doctours who I can not thinke ever affirmed they were as much for preaching in their practice and opinion as the Presbyterians So much as to set aside praying for sermonizing as your â—… Booke Discipline doth telling us That what day the publike sermon is they could neither require nor greatlie approve that the Common prayers be publikelie used I require the name of any that sayd the life and soul of the Liturgie was preaching without which it could not be intire in its parts That he must never goe in and out of the House of God without ringing his bells a fit alussion the word of exhortation Interpraetation and praeferring the nams given the Temple by some of the Iewes Domus expositionis before that by God Domus Orationis Though it may have been the fruitlesse practice of some to quit themselves as they hop'd of the disreputation you brought them as ignorant and lazic to preach somewhat more often then formerlie till they found their ringing the bells was to scare the people from Church and doubling their paines reform'd not their opinions nor reduc'd them to their duties They that prayed without booke before and after their sermons came not up to the Presbyterians opinion that it is a childish thing to doe otherwise Nor to their practice To bawlkâ—… the first and second service of the Church What they either affirmed or did in this kinde might bemore to shew your grosse dissimulation at all times in making if such a difficult businesse to talke then to personate their owne in this of their affliction which when you have brought them to the lowest shall never seduce them so to decline the envie of the people as by profaning the House of God sooth them in their errour styling those divine ordinances which in your maner or frequencie of use being both without praecept are but humane Canons and Acts and foâ—… most part in the mater consist of strife scditions and haeresies the workes of the flesh or the Divel that dictates them So that you may see if your eyes be not full of somewhat else while you are sporting yourselves with your owne deceivings their tenet remaines the same that it was and themselves readie enough in this season as unfit as you thinke it to ring as low'd as you will in the â—…ares of the world That for Divine service in publike people need no more but the reâ—…ding of the Liturgie Which is beter furnish'd with pious petitions occurring to all visible necessities and for others emergent the Church keepes a reserve and in due time ever affords a recruit then any set or extemporarie prayer that er came out of Presbyters mouth 2. Sermons on weeke dayes if not festivals wheron a commemoration of Saints departed is necessarie for Historical instruction and for imitation exemplarie maâ—… belayd aside by Christians that have no more time to spare from their honest callings then they ought to spend in the application and practice of what they heard on the Sunday in meditation upon God his attributes and workes c in the serious examination of their lives and very particular scrutinie of their actions secret publike good bad indifferent or mixt in sorting or parselling their sinnes of mission commission weaknesse praesumption and in private repenting weeping praying praysing In conferring closelie with holie men chieflie their Priest and pastour of their soules laying open before him their doubts distractions infirmities perverse inclinations Invisiting the sicke strengthning the weake considering the poore and placing charitie with prudence condoling with and comforting the afflicted Composing controversies reconciling differences designing and enterprising Heroicke exploits for the just advancement and honour of the King and publike advantage of Countrey Citie or Parish whereof they are Members Finallie acting all of which thâ—…se are not halfe that concernes them in their publike and private capacitie And when all is done not before in what leisure's redundand let them in Gods name call for a weeklie or daylie sermon and where the Priest hath discharg'd as much more of his dutie and findes in himselfe abilities to compose such an one as with confidence or rather conscience he can speake it let them have it 3. That Sundayes afternoon Sermon is well exchanged for catechizing children instructing them in their principles of Religion and acquainting them with the doctrine and discipline of the Church to which they ought to adhâ—…re when they come to their choyce at yeares of discretion which is the custome of some Presbyterian Churches abroad and either hath or should have been tong since of the Scots 1. Book Disc Before 〈◊〉 must the word be preached and Sacraments ministred and afternoon must the yong children be publikelie examined in their Catechisme in the audience of the people 4. That on the Sunday before noon sermon is very convenient abuses being redressed and must be while and where enjoined Yet in Nations converted to Christianitie by the preaching of the Apostles or Apostolical men and so fullie confirmed as no reasonable feare may be of their apostacie since the infallible spirit is not cooperative with all if with any and where as among the Presbyterians the noxious spirit of delusion in the mouthes of very many preachers it 's farre from being necessaire to salvation that care must be had left it bring damnation to the hearers 5. That where some learned Scholars or honest industrious Ministers not at pleasure but publike appointment on festivals dayes make a sermon or have an 〈◊〉 for litle difference need be about the name and â—…t may be 't were beter to have lesse in the thing it would bâ—… 〈◊〉 not exceeding an houre according to the Câ—…rt paterne which is likelie to be the best in the Kingdome and for the most part hath come nearest the
communication though advised by the Church they were put to purge themselves from the imputation of Poperie in practizing auricular confession and injunction of penance Your order and practice is to keep off from the holie Table not such onelie as conjunctive are grosselie and willfullie but divisivé intoo strict aÌ„ sense grosselie or willfullie ignorant Touching which allthough their negligence is inexcusable and their dulnesse pitiable yet that your act of cruel jurisdiction is justified by no divine command nor Catholike example If never any for simple ignorance were excommunicated in Scotland You must be rebuk'd for transgressing your rule and failing in your dutie as your Kirke pleaseth thus to declare it In sufferable we judge it that men be permitted to live and continue in ignorance as Members of the Kirke Whether greater tyrannie were exerciz'd in the High Commission Courts or your Consistories your aequitable comparers by this time are not to seeke What excesse on your side hath been evidenc'd is here resumed onelie to aggravate your floud of boundlesse crueltie by the many heads from which it issues and the cataracts it powres upon the poor people in every parish The Bishops playd indeed the Râ—…x in that their Court because they acted in it by authoritie and deputation from the King But you and your Brethren playd the Rebells to the purpose when you first rioted then rebell'd and covenanted before er you supplicated to suppresse it K. Ch. 1. by his grace and too fluent charitie praevented the violence intended by your Parliament though he found no thankes nor yet acceptance at your hands His proclamation being rudelie encountred with a rebellious protestation read by Iohnston The King Anticlerical Parliament in England that alasse joind hands in a maner yet scarce agreed to throw downe the other about their eares without which the Praelates had no power lesse then no reason if it might be to let it fall have not onelie covered the poor Bishops with the ruine of that Court but since hands and hearts were divided the laborious Lords and Commons without him have pull'd the Fabrike of both Houses and of Monarchie upon themselves The Congregational Eldership a thing wheresoever more to be jeerd at and lesse endured then a Commission is enjoy'd with so much more comfort among other of the Reformed then in Scotland as we are eye witnesses of lesse authoritie rigour in it And while I am writing this Replie one of the Reformed Presbyters your Countreyman ingenuouslie confesseth to me that he thinkes in his conscience the praesent Kirke tyrannie in Scotland he speakes it indeed rather of the practice then rule is farre beyond what ever could be alledged against our Bishops or the Pope And that if he others of his minde tooke the constitution of that government every where to be the same as it is executed in Scotland they would not continue a day longer in that communion The lawes of these Scotish Elderships taken out of Holie scripture can not be very particular in many cases Their Acts of superiour judicatories doe not can not so specifie interpretative Scandals nor in all occurring possibilities proportion corporal punishments or pecuniarie mulcts in the arbitrement of which lies the tyrannie of this petie Aristocratie and most ridiculouslie many times used in cutting halfe the haire shaving beards c. as before now hath been objected by others that having I beleeve seen it better know it In the abuses by such censures and difficultie of some cases when appeale is made to a Synod the Bishop tells you which you observe not that the shortnesse of its continuance can afford the condition of the persons will afford litle reliefe Your dozen of the most able pious plowmen in many parishes with an unexperienc'd illiterate Pastour praesiding in their Councel are no very reverend Iudges in many cases And what pitifull creatures they must be of necessitie in some places may be guessed untill this quaestion be answer'd which is sent you from another Countreyman of yours an honest able Divine Whether you have not heard of Countrey Churches in Scotland especiallie amongst the Saints of Argile where not three hapilie not one in the whole parish could reade Amphictyonum consessus A very honourable bench A Senate that no doubt would strike greater amazement but upon other reasons then the Romane if any foraigner should behold them In that you say the Episcopal way is to have no discipline at all in any congregation you are somewhat more hard hearted then your brethren Who acknowledge some of the functional rubbish of your Temple building Elders and Deacons upon the shoulders of our Church wardens Sidemen and Collectours part of whose charge is to observe maners inquire out ilâ—… livers admonish the scandalous and praesent them to the ordinarie To direct them in this dutie the Bishops articles are disspersed and an Audit held of their account at every visitation The officials pleasure regulates not their information which is to be as impartial as an oath can make it His conscience commonlie is not to large though his learning and wisdome be of greater extension then the Elders What power he exerciseth is by law and custome In correctionis negotijs alia quidem facient omnia excommunication is more â—…iselie and conscientiouslie excepted quae de jure possunt solent fieri Constit. 1571 To the Presbyterian tendernesse of medling with domestike infirmities somewhat is sayd allreadie which the Answerer by leter thus avoucheth It is certaine that a foolish man revealing foolishlie his faults to his wife the zealous wife upon some quarelling betwixt her and her husband hath gone to a good Minister revealed what was told her and the honest impertial Minister hath convented the man charged him with his sinne and made him confesse satisfie and doe penance publikelie Here the flagrant scandal was onelie the fire or furie that broke out of a weake womans breast into a pragmatical Presbyters eares whose heade is no sanctuarie for spiritual secrecies but his curiositie the mine that under workes the foundation of private families and palaces too whereof that of Mary Queen of Scots may be a formidable and lamentable example and when jealousies faile of materiall truth in the discoverie to blow them up with malicious calumnies what they can For suits and differences incident between Pastour and flocke Lay Elder and his neighbour the passion upon which perverts blindes the eyes of the wisest men that are your Congregational or Classical Iudges you passe quietlie by it as having nothing to say for it These are the great injuries and hurts which make the Scotish Discipline Scandalous to all the Reformed world being prov'd destructive to the just praerogative of Kings the power of Parliaments the libertie of subjects enslaving all orders of men where it takes place to the arbitrarie jurisdiction of a corrupt Synod and that commonlie moderated by the usurped
in the firmament of the Church But I have allreadie shewed how in vaine you aequivocate about that clause which hath cost your friend Rutherford and others so much paines What the oath of supremacie imports is evident by the words in it The varietie of sences to catch advantages like side windes in paper sailes which are subject to rend in pieces being the poor policie of Presbyters that dare not stand to the adventure of plaine dealing supreme Governer of this Realme c. Aswell in all spiritual or Ecclesiastical things or causes as temporal Which the Bishops you see conceald not though you gratifie your selfe with the observation onelie of the other title supreme head and accept his explication of it which yeilding you in your contracted sense that might securetie afford him more capital priviledges without encroachment upon Christ or his Holie Curch supreme Governer takes in what your Presbyterie will never grant him all power imperative Legislative judicial coactive all but functional Imediate and proper to the ordination or office of the Minister which for ought â—… know if he finde an internal call â—… a supposition drawing neare a possibilitie then likelihood and assurance to have a double portion of Gods gracious power and assistance in both administrations he not onelie may but must exercise as did Moses and Melchisedech saving that without a divine institution in this spiritual function his supremacie exempts him not from submitting his head under the hands of holie Church and taking our Saviours commission with the benediction from her mouth That Scotish Presbyterie is a Papacie the Bishop requires not to be granted upon his word but to be taken before Publike notaries upon your owne the political part whereof consists in the civile primacie which at least by reduction you very confidentlie assume The Bishops contradiction which is scarce so much as verbal will be easilie reconciled by the words of the oath which he reflects on and his argument good against you untill without reserves limitations or distinctions you simplie acknowledge the King supreme over all persons in all causes which would be a contradiction to this clause in your booke of Discipline The power Ecclesiastical floweth immediatelie from God and the Mediatour Iesus Christ and is spiritual not having a temporal head in the earth but onelie Christ the onelie spiritual King and Governer of his Kirke Lastlie No Presbyterian is there in Scotland but counts it sacriledge to give the King what belongeth unto the Church And whatsoeu'rit is they quit in Ecclesiastike causes is not unto the King but to King and Parliament and the power in both when it informes an Act or statute call'd but accessorie by the Aderdene Assemblers and that we may no longer doubt whom they account supreme dutie and subjection from the Prince which though spoken by them but of their meeting must be meant of all causes consultable in their Synods and is as sensible a truth as words without ambiguitie can render it Out of all which hath been sayd it must necessarilie follow that your Covenant hath all the good qualities computed which needs no arithmetical proofe by weight or measure the praemises ever being coextended with and counterpoiz'd by the conclusion What you rashlie if not praesumtuouslie pronounce of the Bishops judgement doth but vilifie your owne Qui citò deliberant facile pronunciant Had you brought a judgement to the contrarie of any learned Casuist to whom his Lordship appeales or any Divine of note in Europe which he calls for your answer had been somewhat more serious and solide But here your oracles of learning are all silent We finde it not avowed by your especial brethren of Holland and France by no approbatorie suffrages of Leyden and Vâ—…recht .... Omnium flagitiosorum atque facinorosorum circum se tanquam stipatorum catervus habet A guard is hath but a blake one such as Catilines league and how can it have beter wherein is sworne a conspiracie as bad The Bishops following vapours meeting with no suneshine of law oâ—… reason to dissipate them will not so vanish upon a litle blast of your breath but that they 'll returne in showers of confusion upon your head Your secret will to asscribe good intentions to the King hath by some of your packe been very strangelie revealed in their expressions touching Kings whoss very nature they have declared originallie antipathetical to Christ. This Didoclave avowes as planilie as he can And when objected by His Grace of Saint Andrewes with your proverbial yet mystical appendix of their obligation to the Creatuor not to Christ the Redeemer for their crownes is so slovenlie answered by Philadelphs Vindicatour as any man may reade your good wil in his words measure the sense of your Synods by his lines your good opinion of the intentions of K. Charles 1. Beside what you imputed to his Praelates may be guessed by what sometimes in print you have asscribâ—…d unto his person An unworthie fellow your Countrey man that comes runing in hast with the message of your good meaning in his mouth sayth His infamous Barbarous intentions were executed by sheathing his sword in the bowels of his people And this not onelie himselve not impeding conniving at and giving full Commission for in Scotland and Ireland but in England looking upon with much delight while it was done And that so faire were negotiations and treaties from retracting him that it was in publike declared he sayth not by any Praelatical partie that he would never desist from thîs enterprise of persecuting Church and Commonwealth so long as he had power to pursue it Concerning the good intentions of Charles the second beside what jealousies you expresse by the scrupulous conditions in your proclaemation your Haghe papers are instancis of your willing asscriptions which call his answer strange whereby the distance is made greater then before and farre lesse offered for religion the Covenant and the lawes and liberties of your Kingdome then was by his Royal Father even at that time when the difference between him and you was greatest ..... So that it will constraine you in such an extremitie to doe what is incumbent to you I have allreadie told you the usual consequences of that cursed word and what good intentions you are in hand with when you utter it Tyrannie and poperie are twinnes engendred between your jealousie malice to which Independencie is more likelie to be the midwife then praelacie and if by that hand they get deliverie at last will besure to pay Presbyterie their dutie when they can speake The painted declarations caries beter sense to them that rightlie understand them which I am sure is not praejudic'd by any paraphrase of the Bishops Though agere poenitentiam Be good councel where well placed ' yet egisse non poenitendum requires it not If the conscience of the Court continue to be managed by the principles of the Praetates the