allow'd them out of the Exchequer which brought down their Stomacks and made Way for the passing of the aforesaid Articles It is not my Intent to write any thing more of the History of the Times than what I find pertinent to my present purpose so that passing over the Grumblings and Mutinous Dispositions that appear'd in the Remainder of King James and the First Seaven or Eight Years of King Charles his Reign I shall only tell you by way of Introduction to what follows that the late King having before-hand order'd a Convention of the Estates upon the 13th of May 1633. began his Journey towards Scotland in order to his Personal Coronation where he was receiv'd with a Pomp and Acclamation befitting the Dignity and the Solemnity of the Occasion His first Work was to ratifie the Laws and Statutes of his Predecessour in Relation to Church Government which pass'd not without some Opposition but the Commission of Surrenders went yet nearer them tho' both the Owners of Lands and the Ministers were so abundantly satisfi'd that the Former as the King himself says in his large Declaration pag. 9. acknowledg'd it as a Deliverance from an Intolerable Bondage under which They and their Ancestours ever since the Reformation of Religion had grievously Groan'd and the Other with Infinite Gratitude Celebrated his Majesty as the Father and Founder of their Churches The Case was this as Heylin renders it in his Cyprianus Anglicus pag. 224. In the Minority of King James the Lands of all Cathedral Churches and Religious Houses which had been settl'd on the Crown by Act of Parliament were shar'd among the Lords and Great Men of that Kingdom by the Connivance of the Earl of Murray and some other of the Regents to make them sure unto that side and They being thus possess'd of the Lands with the Regalities and Tithes belonging to these Ecclesiastical Corporations held the Clergy to small Stipends and the peasanâ—â—y in Vassallage His Majesty was advis'd by Council to take them into his own hand the present Oecupants having no other Title to them than the Vnjust Vsurpation of their Predecessors And this was carri'd in such a Manner too that the very Nobility and Lay-Patrons could not open their Mouths against it for they were satisfi'd for their Tithes to the Uttermost Farthing only they lost the Dependency of the Clergy and Laity upon them by Virtue of these Tithes and Consequently the Power of making a Party to Embroil the Government They contented themselves within the Bounds of Libels and Clamours till that Rebellious Outrage in the great Church of Edinburgh on the 23 of July 1637. Which was no more than the Emprovement of an Occasion to put the Principles of the Consistory in Execution I 'le make some amends for the length of this Digression by Contracting my self upon the Discipline which was afterward Erected in England after the Scotch Pattern It will be a hard matter to pass from 1637 to 1648 without taking some Notice of the Horrid Distempers in that Interval I shall only tell you that after three or four Years spent in Dissolving the Legal Government and Debating what we should have in the Place of it Out comes the Directory Jan. 3. 1644. with an Ordinance of the Lords and Commons for the Authorizing of it And afterward Aug. 23. 1645. another Ordinance for the more effectual Execution of it which was follow'd Jun. 5. with an Ordinance for the present Settling of it without further Delay and Aug. 19. 1646. with Directions for the Chusing of Ruling-Elders in all the Congregations and in the Classical Assemblies for the Cities of London and Westminster and the several Counties of that Kingdom in order to the Speedy settling of the Presbyterial Government There pass'd also an Ordinance for the manner of Ordination of Misters with Rules for Examination and Suspension from the Holy Supper c. And Another of January 29.1647 for the speedy dividing and settling the several Counties of this Kingdom into Distinct Classical Presbyteries and Congregational Elderships and they came at last Aug. 29. 1648. to The Form of Church Government to be us'd in the Church of England and Ireland agreed upon by the Lords and Commons assembled in Parliament after Advice had with the Assembly of Divines And all This toward the Promoting of an Union with the Kirk of Scotland I should have told you of the Ordinance of Jun. 12. 1643. for the calling an Assembly of Learned and Godly Divines to be consulted with by the Parliament for the settling of the Government of the Church The Knights of every Shire to make Choice of Two that should serve as Members for That County and These in Conjunction with so many of the Members of Both Houses as might serve to inspect their Actions took upon them the Powers and Authothority of a Convocation The Form of their Government was the same with That of Scotland They had their Congregational Classical Provincial and National Assemblies with the same degrees of Subordination and Vested in Proportion with the same Powers They had their Expectants too and the Constitution of their several Judicatories was the very same only the Lords and Commons under the Notion of a Committee for judging of Scandal were so wise as to reserve the Last Appeal to Themselves which was formerly lodg'd in the General Assembly by which Device the Schism was made subservient to the Rebellion whereas in Scotland it was the clear contrary And they had also another Hank upon them in appointing that the National Assembly should meet upon a Summons by Parliament and then sit and continue as the Parliament should order and not Otherwise for they were not able to consent they said in a Declaration of the House of Commons Apr. 17. 1646. to their Granting of an Arbitrary and Unlimited Power and Jurisdiction to near ten thousand Judicatories to be Erected in the Kingdom which could not be consistent with the Fundamental Laws and Government of it and which by necessary Consequence did Exclude the Parliament from having any thing to do in That Jurisdiction But the Nation is never the better yet for This Caution so long as the Tyranny and the Slavery is still the same From this View of their Brotherly Agreement in Government we shall now proceed to their Harmony in Positions and our Brethren of Scotland shall lead the Way The Positions of the Kirk under the Queen Regent and James VI. THe Punishment of such Crimes says Knox as touch the Majesty of God doth not appertain to Kings and Chief Rulers only but to the whole Body of the People and to every Member of it as Occasion Calling and Ability shall serve Nay they are bound by Othe to God to Revenge the Injury done to his Majesty If Princes be Tyrants against God and his Truth their Subjects are discharg'd from their Othes of Obedience The Nobility and Commonalty ought indeed to Reform Religion and in that Case may
for her Self and Family she would have a Mass in Private But the Preachers decrying that Toleration in their Pulpits produced a Dangerous Tumult against the Freedom of her own Chappel After several Riots and Open Rebellions which were still promoted and seconded by the Presbytery In July 1564. the Queen was Marri'd to the Lord Dainly And June 19. 1566. brought to bed of a Son afterward James VI. in the Castle of Edinburgh In 1567. they sent the Queen Prisoner to Lochlevin and pass'd an Act of Assembly for the Securing and Disposing of the Person of the Infant-Prince with Direction to move the Queen to a Resignation of her Government and the Appointing of a Regent during his Minority which by Force and Menaces her Majesty was compell'd to do and her Renunciation and Commission Publish'd at the Market-Cross at Edinburgh the Prince being Crown'd and Anointed King in the Church of Striveling the Third day after the Publication being July 29. On the 20th of August the Earl of Murray was Elected Regent King James being as yet but Thirteen Months old At the Beginning of the Spring in 1568. the Queen made her Escape and was convey'd to Hamilton where several Lords meeting in Council her Resignation was declar'd Void as Extorted by Fear and Proclamation issu'd against the Rebels that had Usurped her Authority The Dispute in short was brought to a Battle May 13. the Queens Army Defeated and She her self fled into England for Protection where the Faction never left the Persute of her till they brought her to the Scaffold But here you 'l say there was a Foreign Interest and Popery in the Case If That were All how came it that they handled the Young King at as Course a rate every jot as they had treated his Mother tho' their Natural Prince and afterward the Celebrated Champion of the Protestant Cause The Government of Scotland had been Administer'd by Four Regents when upon the Earl of Morton's desire to be Discharg'd of his Regency the King not twelve years old as yet accepted of it and his Acceptation thereof was Proclaim'd at Edinburgh March 12. 1577. where the Regent himself was Assisting As an Earnest of the Respect they bare to his Majesties Authority Andrew Melvil presented a Form of Church Government to the Parliament at Striveling in 1578. which they referr'd to certain Commissioners who agreed to such General Heads as did not touch the Authority of the King nor prejudg the Liberty of the State But this did not content Them so that they resolv'd to put their Conclusions in Practice the next Assembly without staying for a Ratification Spotswood's Hist. Fol. 302. In Glasgow the next Spring the Ministers put the Magistrates of the City upon Demolishing the Cathedral but the Tradesmen Interpos'd and Defended it In 1582. Montgomery was Process'd for Preaching at Glasgow The King by his Warrant commanded the Assembly to desist which the Moderatour peremptorily refus'd and thereupon the Officer pull'd him from his Seat and Clap'd him up in the Tolbuyth for which they Decreed him to be Excommunicate tho' the King himself earnestly perswaded them to the Contrary After this Contempt of the Kings Authority they made a Violent Seizure of his Person and carri'd him Prisoner to the Castle of Ruthen where they kept him Close Nine Months forcing him by a Writing under his hand to command the Duke of Lenox to Depart the Kingdom and Imposing upon him what Servants they pleas'd under pretence of Zeal to Religion and Care of his Person They did also Petition the next General Assembly at Edinburgh to give their sence of the Action Who made themselves Judges and did so highly approve of it that they appointed all Ministers to recommend the Actors of it as good Christians and Patriots pretending that there was no other way to preserve their Religion and Freedoms And yet this Duke dy'd soon after in France of the Reformed Communion For the Countenance of this Proceeding they force the King being but Seventeen years of Age to emit a Proclamation commanding all those that had Levy'd any Forces upon Pretence of his Restraint to Disband within Six hours upon Pain of Death and Declaring that he was at Liberty and had only his Friends about him In the Summer following under Colour of Viewing the Castle of St. Andrews It was contriv'd that the Gates should be shut upon his Followers and so he deliver'd himself from his Guard It would be but the same thing over again to Enumerate the Repeated Usurpations of their Government and the Contumacy of their Ministers their Rebellious Practises at Striveling Glasgow c. and that Horrid Outrage against the Octavians in Edinburgh Decemb. 17. 1596. When the King appoints a Feast they Indict a Fast the Council Orders the Ministers of Edinburgh to give Thanks for his Majesties Deliverance from Gowry's Conspiracy Their Answer was That they were not acquainted with the Business And when it was urg'd that they were only to affect the People with the Sence of his Majesties having scap'd a great Danger they Reply'd That nothing should be Vtter'd in the Pulpit but That whereof the Truth was known Nay they would not so much as pray for the Kings Mother when her Death was Resolv'd upon tho' the very Form was prescrib'd in the most Innocent Terms Imaginable viz. That it might please God to Illuminate her with the Light of his Truth and save her from the apparent Danger wherein she was cast And This would have been the Issue too of the English Project under Queen Elizabeth as appears by the Insolence of their Demands and the Virulence of their Writings if the Conspiracy had not been nipp'd in the Bud. The Scottish Insurrection in 1637. was only their Old Method Reviv'd Of which in a few Words Out of the Kings Declaration upon That Subject Upon occasion of a Seditious Uproar at Edinburgh Octob. 18. 1637. his Late Majesty order'd the Discharge of all such Meetings upon Pain of Death And his Proclamation being Publish'd at Sterling Lithgow and Edinburgh was encounter'd with a Protestation against it at the same Times and Places and with the same Solemnity as if they had been Both by the same Authority Immediately upon this Affront the Protestors erect Publique Tables of Council for Ordering the Affairs of the Kingdom without the Consent of the King and in Contempt of his Majesty and Council At These Tables having First agreed upon their Covenant they conclude upon Certain Propositions of Instruction to the Party No Answer must be made to State-Questions without Advice All Proclamations to be Protested against and to take nothing for Satisfaction Less than their Whole Demand This way of Anti-Protesting they made use of from first to last Upon his Majesties Proclamation for Dissolving the Assembly at Glasgow 1638. they did not only Protest and Refuse to Depart but Cited the Kings Council that Sign'd the Proclamation to appear before the King and
remove from Honour and Punish such as God has Condemn'd of what Estate Condition or Degree soever It is not Birth-Right only nor Nearness of Bloud that maketh a King Lawfully to Reign over a People professing Christ Jesus but Princes for Just Causes may be Depos'd Kings Princes and Governours have their Authority of the People and upon Occasion the People may take it away again Thus far Knox Now for Buchanan The People says he have the same Power over the King which He has over any One Man They are Better than the King and of Greater Authority and may bestow the Crown at Pleasure The making of Laws belongs to Them They may Arraign their Prince The Ministers may Excommunicate him and He that by Excommunication is cast into Hell is not worthy to Enjoy any Life upon Earth It were Good says he that Rewards were appointed by the People for such as should Kill Tyrants as there are for those that Kill Wolves or Bears or take their Whelps The Seizing and Emprisoning of King James in Aug. 1582. being Adjudg'd Treason by the Three Estates in Decemb. 18. 1583. and some of the Criminals Executed an Assembly of Ministers and Elders at Edinburgh in 1585. did not only Authorize and Avow the Action but also ordain'd all people to be Excommunicated that would not Subscribe to their Judgment And Andrew Melvil being Cited to Answer for Treason deliver'd in a Sermon declin'd the King's Authority Affirming that what was spoken in the Pulpit ought first to be try'd by the Presbytery and that neither King nor Council might in the first Instance meddle therewith although the Speech were Treasonable Upon King James his Coming to the Crown of England he order'd the Proroguing of the Assembly at Aberdeen which was to have met in 1604. to a longer day But thirteen or fourteen of them for all this met formally at the day appointed The Lords of Council discharg'd their Meeting Whereupon they Protested That in Conscience and in Duty to Almighty God they were bound to preserve the Churches Right and neither Could nor Would give way to that Power the King had Sacrilegiously Vsurp'd over it Hereupon they were Convented and Appeal'd from the King's Council to the next General Assembly I had almost forgotten the Determination of Wilcock and Knox who Positively gave their Judgments That it was Lawful to Depose the Queen Regent Whereupon she was solemnly Process'd Sentenc'd and Depriv'd The Positions of the Presbyterians under Queen Elizabeth THe Church sayes Cartwright wherein any Magistrate King or Emperour is a Member is Divided into some that are to Govern as Pastors Doctors and Elders and into such as are to Obey as Magistrates of all sorts and the People The Admonitour holds it sit That he and his Companions may be deliver'd by Act of Parliament from the Authority of the Civil Magistrates As Justices and Others from their Indictings and Finings Every Fault says Cartwright that tendeth either to the Hurt of a Man's Neighbour or to the Hindrance of the Glory of God is to be Examin'd and Dealt in by the Order of the Holy Church Nay the very Suspicion of Avarice Pride Superfluities in Meat or Clothing falls under their Lash All men says Goodman are bound to see the Laws of God kept and to Suppress and Resist Idolatry by Force Nor is it sufficient for Subjects not to Obey the Wicked Commands of Princes but they must Resist them and Deliver the Children of God out of the hands of their Enemies as we would deliver a Sheep that is in danger to be devour'd by a Wolf If the Magistrate shall refuse to put Mass-Mongers and false Preachers to Death the People in seeing it perform'd shew that Zeal of God which was commended in Phineas Subjects do promise Obedidience that the Magistrate might Help them which if he does not they are discharg'd of their Obedience If Magistrates without Fear transgress God's Laws themselves and Command others to do the like they are no more to be taken for Migistrates but to be Examin'd Accus'd Condemn'd and Punish'd as Private Transgressors Evil Princes ought by the Law of God to be Depos'd and Inferiour Magistrates ought chiefly to do it And now hear Gilby to the same Tune Kings Princes and Governours have their Authority of the People and upon Occasion the People may take it away again as men may revoke their Proxyes and Letters of Atturney It is Lawful sayes he to kill wicked Kings and Tyrants the Subjects did kill the Queen's Highness Athalia Jehu kill'd the Queens Majesty Jesabel Elias being no Magistrate kill'd the Queen's Majesty's Chaplains Baal's Priests These Examples are left for our Instruction where Justice is not Executed the State is most Corrupt If neither the Inferiour Magistrates says he nor the greatest part of the People will do their Offices in Punishing Deposing or Killing of Princes then the Ministers must Excommunicate such a King It would be Endless to follow these Instances as far as they would carry me so that I 'le back now again into Scotland and you will find them much of the same Opinion under Charles I. as they had been under his Royal Father The Positions of the Kirk under the Late King IN their Protestation of September 22. 1638. against the King's Declaration they say First That what Subjects do of their own heads is much better than what they do in Obedience to Authority the One Savouring of Constraint but the Other being Voluntary and Chearful Obedience Secondly That the Parliaments Power does no more reach to the Placing of Officers Originally in the Church than the Church has Power to make States-men in the Common-wealth Thirdly The Parliament can make no Law at all concerning the Church but only Ratifie what the Church Decrees And after it has Ratify'd it yet if the Assembly of the Church shall Prohibit it and Repeal that Decree of the Church all the Subjects are discharg'd from yielding Obedience to the Act of Parliament Fourthly The Assembly has Power to discharge all Subscriptions to the Confession of Faith commanded to be Subscrib'd by his Majesty and as it is Interpreted by Him or his Commissioner Fifthly The Assembly without the King is the Church and the only Judge Competent fit to Interpret and Explain all Doubts arising upon the Confession of Faith Commanded by his Majesty Sixthly Tho' the Law be Interpreted yet if the Interpretation be dislik'd by Most of the Kingdom the Body of the Kingdom for whose Good the Law was made may crave the lawful Redress of Grievances sustained by that Law Take Notice here that they had already Actually trangress'd the Law without staying for Leave and Justifi'd the Doing of it Seaventhly The Assembly is Independent either from King or Parliament in Matters Ecclesiastical Eighthly That the King is to Receive all the Determinations of an Assembly as a Son of the Church tho' they be not matters of Faith but only of Government and concluded by
same time his Majesties Proclamations and Declarations are said to be Contrary to Law pag. 449. And all Officers are forbidden any way to Publish or to Proclaim the same The King's Commissions of Array are Declar'd July 20. to be against Law the Liberty and Property of the Subject And the Actors in it to be Esteem'd Disturbers of the Peace of the Kingdom pag. 478. And again pag. 576. All such Persons as shall upon any Pretence whatsoever Assist his Majesty in this War with Horse Arms Plate or Monies are declar'd Traytors to his Majesty the Parlialiament and the Kingdom and to be brought to condign Punishment The Poyson of their Artificial Delusions you will find Maliciously enough Defus'd in their Remonstrance of May the 26. 1642. pag. 263. And the Doctrine of That Declaration summ'd up with great Exactness in his Majesties Answer to it contracting the Venome of it into These Six Positions First That they have an Absolute Power of Declaring the Law And that whatsoever they declare to be so ought not to be question'd either by King or People so that all the Right and Safety of the Prince and Subject depends upon their Pleasure Secondly That no Presidents can be Limits to Bound their Proceedings which If so The Government of the Turk Himself is not so Arbitrary Thirdly That a Parliament may dispose of any thing wherein the King or Subject hath a right for the Publique Good speaking all this While of the Remnant of the Two Houses That they without the King are This Parliament and Judge of This Publique Good and that the King's Consent is not Necessary So that the Life and Liberty of the Subject and all the Good Laws made for their Security may be dispos'd of and Repeal'd by the Major Part of Both Houses at any time present and by any Wayes and Means Procured so to be and his Majesty has no Power to Protect them Fourthly That a Member of either House ought not to be troubled or meddled with for Treason Felony or any Other Crime without the Cause first brought before Them that they may judge of the Fact and their Leave obtained to Proceed Fifthly That the Sovereign Power resides in Both Houses of Parliament The King has no Negative Voice and becomes Subject to their Commands Lastly That the Levying of Forces against the Personal Commands of the King tho' accompany'd with his Presence is not Levying War against the King But to Levy War against his Laws and Authority which they have Power to Declare and Signifie is Levying War against the King And that Treason cannot be Committed against his Person otherwise than as he is Entrusted with the Kingdom and Discharging that Trust and that they have a Power to judge whether he discharges it or no. And to justifie their Usurpations they do maintain pag. 270. That the Kings of This Realm are Oblig'd to pass all such Bills as are Offer'd unto them by Both Houses of Parliament It would be superfluous to tell you of their Proclaiming Fasts and Assuming to themselves other Rights of Sovereignty under the specious Pretence of a Parliament But to shew you that it was All an Imposture If the King will not Agree the Two Houses they say may Act without him If the Two Houses Differ the Sovereignty rests in the House of Commons As in the Case of a Bill they sent up to the Lords for Directing a Protestation which they had Fram'd to be generally taken throughout England This Bill the Lords Rejected Whereupon the Commons pass'd this Vote That That House did conceive that the Protestation made by them is fit to be taken by every Person that is well Affected in Religion and to the Good of the Common-Wealth and therefore doth declare That what Person soever shall not take the Protestation is Vnfit to bear Office in the Church or Common-Wealth And so they order'd the Knights Citizens and Burgesses to send down to the several Places for which they serv'd Copies of that Vote of the House concerning the Protestation and that the Vote should be Printed They began with a Contempt of the Lords they Lay'd them quite Aside at last and in the Conclusion they Themselves were upon their Own Arguments Confounded by the Rabble You see the Dominion these People Challenge over their Master and it cannot be expected that they should give any better Quarter to their Fellow Subjects But it is Their Way of making Kings Glorious and Patronizing the Liberty of the People The Positions of the English-Covenanters as to the Liberty and Propriety of the Subject IN May 1641. they enter'd upon their Design with the Protestation above-mention'd in these Words I A. B. do in the Presence of Almighty God Promise Vow and Protest to Maintain and Defend as far as Lawfully I may with my Life Power and Estate the true Reformed Protestant Religion express'd in the Doctrine of the Church of England against all Popery and Popish Innovations within this Realm contrary to the same Doctrine and according to the Duty of my Allegiance to his Majesties Royal Person Honour and Estate as also the Power and Privileges of Parliament the Lawful Rights and Liberties of the Subjects c. Here was First an Vsurpation in the Imposing of it and Secondly an Abominable Fraud in the Construction of it The Matter of it was so Plausible that it went down without much Enquiring into the Authority of it but upon the Commons declaring that the Doctrine of the Church of England had no Regard to the Maintaining of the Descipline and Government of it And Afterward that the Sovereignty was Virtually in the Two Houses and that by This Protestation they were Oblig'd to serve That Interest Mens Eyes came then to be Open'd and they saw their Errour For they were call'd upon according to their Solemn Vow and Protestation to Subscribe for Money and Plate pag. 340. and to Maintain Horse Horse-men and Arms for the Defence of the King and Both Houses of Parliament In York-shire there was a Neutrality Propounded by some Persons of Eminent Condition in the County but the Lords and Commons Declar'd against it pag. 629. as a Contradiction to the Tye of their General Protestation And it went so high that they past a Vote Oct. 15. 42. That such Persons as shall not Contribute to the Charge of the Common-wealth in This Time of Imminent Necessity shall be held fit to be Disarm'd And the same day they Voted the Sequestring of Church-Lands Delinquents Estates and Revenues of the Crown They Order'd Victuals and other Necessaries for the Army to be taken up upon Publique Faith Nov. 29. 42. pag. 763. and where any thing was Refused to Force it And likewise they appointed a Committee of Six Citizens of London or any Four of them for the Assessing all such to the twentiâ—th Part of their Estates as had not contributed upon the Propositions of raising Money Plate Horse c. in Proportion to their Abilities
all Governments The King in his Declaration before-Mention'd Fol. 404. among other of their Vnchristian Extravagances takes Notice of their Refusal to Pray for Sir William Nesbett upon his Death-bed because he had not Subscrib'd the Covenant and that they did Formally bar non-Covenanters from the Communion in Express terms with Blasphemers and Adulterers refusing Baptism in the Churches of Ministers that had not taken the Covenant even to Children that were born in the same Parish The Unchristian Rigour of this Discipline is such says the Authour of Toleration Discuss'd Pag. 334. that It Crucifies weak Consciences with Needless Infinite and Incurable Scruples that Haunt Dog and Torment us in the most Necessary and Ordinary Actions of Humane Life At the Church at the Table at the Market at Home and Abroad At all Times in all Places and upon all Occasions in our Thoughts Words and Deeds As to Excess in Eating It is Censurable either in the Quantity or in the Quality So that in the first place the Eldership is to provide one Common Gage for the Stomachs of the Whole Parish for fear of a Mouthful too much And in the Second Place It is made a matter of Salvation or Damnation whether a man Eats Beef or Venison And so for Excess in APPAREL one Inch more than to cover your Shame is a Superfluity and One Peny more in the Pound than the Allowance of the Presbytery is made as much a mans Soul is Worth It is the same thing for VAIN WORDS A Nurse shall not dare to still her Child but with a Psalm and you must not presume so much as to ask What a Clock it is without a Text to prove that the Question tends to Edification Nay they have drawn CHIDING within the Compass of Ecclesiastical Censure So that Masters shall not reprove their Servants nor Parents their Children without Leave of the Eldership And they have taken in BRAWLING too and made every Billingsgate Quarrel a Subject of Consistorial Cognizance Vnder LEWD CUSTOMES are Censur'd all sorts of Publique Sports Exercises and Recreations that have been long in Vse as having their Original from the Times of Paganism or Popery As Comedies Interludes Wrastlings Foot-Ball-Play May-Games Whitson-Ales Morrice-Dances Bear-Batings c. All GAMES that bring Loss are also Prohibited as Tennis Bowls Billyards c. And so are UNCOMELY GESTURES So that a man may be given to the Devil for Lolling upon his Elbow or Sitting upon his Back-side before the Deacon of the Parish Nay our very THOUGHTS are Censurable and 't is enough to be suspected He that sues to recover a Debt shall be suspected of Avarice and he that refuses to Crouch like the Ass under the Burthen shall be suspected of Pride To pass now from their Rigours to their Scruples There goes a Story of some of them that made it a Matter of Religion to Piss a Bed and Ride Hobby-Horses because it is said Except you become as little Children you shall not enter into the Kingdom of Heaven But Bancroft in his Holy Discipline Pag. 368. tells you of those that made Hawking and Hunting and Womens laying out of Hair to be Cases of Conscience and Walker consults Field particularly whether it be in any respect Tolerable for Women that profess Religion and the Reformation to wear Doublets Little Hats with Feathers Great Gowns after the French and Outlandish Fashion Great Ruffs and Hair either Curl'd or Frizl'd or set out upon Wyres c. And Cholmlye desires to be resolv'd whether the strict Prohibition of not Kindling of fire on the Sabboth be of the substance of the Moral Precept Among all these Scruples I find no Difficulty made in the Cases of Dethroning Kings Demolishing Churches Killing and taking Possession c. But to conclude with the Treatise aforesaid From the Triple-Crown'd Consistory that Lords it over Souls Bodies and Estates over Kings Nobles and Commons over Laws Magistrates and all Sorts and Ranks of Men and Interests That Turns Gospel into Law Communities into Deserts Men into Beasts Good LORD DELIVER VS THE END Covenanting is the Method of the Party Al Leagues without Authority are Seditious The Pretended Ends of the Covenant The steps by which the Holy Discipline Advanc'd into a Direct Rebellion They persecuted the Queen Regent into her Grave The Daughter had no better Quarter than the Mother They treated King James as ill as they had done his Mother The Conspiracy under Queen Elizabeth was nipp'd in the Bud. The Scotch Rebellion of 1637. The Rise Method and Progress of it They Levy Arms against the King for the Glory of God The Practises of the Scotch and English compar'd The Usurpations of the Two Houses The Rigours of the Covenant The Kirk Betray'd and Sold the King in his Distress Lowdon's Second Speech at a Conference Oct. 6. 1646. Answer to the Vote of Sept. 24. 1646. * Lowdon's Speech to his Majesty 1646. The Covenanters Barbarous Propositions to his Late Majesty The Two Houses as bad as the Scotch It was the Faction of Scotland not the Nation that Ruin'd the King Their dealing with the King at Holdenby Their Rigour at the Isle of Wight and the Horrid Murther of Montross The Covenanters Justifie the Murther of the Late King upon the Restauration of This. Presbytery is Inconsistent with any other Government The Presbyterians Will is their Law The Tyranny of the Pretended Parliament in 1641. The Tyranny Cruelty and Profaneness of the English Covenanters They Disposed of our Estates and Persons at Pleasure Their Scandalous and Uncharitable Censures The Scottish General Table was the Pattern of the English Close Committee Their Private Instructions The Medly of their Assembly The General Assembly is but the Embryo of a Common-wealth Presbyterial Tyranny Excess in Eating Censurable In Apparel Vain Words Chiding Lewd Customes Rediculous Scruples