appeare and she shall quickly appeare with him in the glory and happinesse of a consummate Marriage But I must remember my selfe I know I have been greatly strengthned and sustained by your prayers honourable Lady and dearly beloved in our Lord Jesus continue I pray you as ye have begun in wrestling with the Lord for me that Christ may be magnified in my mortall body whether living or dead that my soule may be lifted up to those third heavens that I may taste of those joyes that are at the right hand of my heavenly Father and that with gladnesse I may let my spirit goe thither where my body shall shortly follow Who am I that he should first have called me and then constitute me a Minister of glad tidings of the Gospell of salvation these sixteen yeers already and now last of all to be a sufferer for his cause and Kingdome To witnesse that good confession The matter of this gracious mans suffering was the very controverfie now in hand betwixt us and the Erastian Statesmen that Jesus Christ is the King of Saints and that his Church is a most free Kingdome yea as free as any Kingdome under heaven not onely to convocate hold and keep her meetings Conventions and Assemblies but also to judge of all her affaires in all her meetings and conventions amongst her members and Subjectsd. These two points first that Christ is the head of his Church secondly that she is free in her government from all other jurisdiction except Christs These two points I say are the speciall cause of our imprisonmeÌ„t being now convict as traitors for their maintainance we have been waiting with joyfulnesse to give the last testimony of our blood in confirmation thereof if it would please our God to be so favourable as to honour us with that dignity yea I doe affirme that these two points above written and all other things which belong to Christs Crowne Scepter and Kingdome are not subject nor cannot be to any other authority but to his owne altogether so that I would be most glad to be offered up upon the sacrifice of so glorious a truth But alas I feare that my sinnes and the abuse of so glorious things as I have found deprive me of so faire a Crowne yet my Lord doth know if he would call me to and strengthen me in it it would be the most glorious day and gladdest houre I ever saw in this life but I am in his hand to doe with me whatsoever shall please his Majesty It may suffice me that I have had so long a time in the knowledge of the Gospell and that I have seen the things I have seen and heard the things I have heard and that through Gods grace I have been so long a witnesse of those glorious and good newes in my weak ministery and that my witnessing hath not been altogether without fruit and blessing so that I hope at that great day I shall have him to be my Crown my glory my joy and my reward and therefore boldly I say with Simeon Lord now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace not in a peaceable dying but by rendring up to him my spirit in stamping of this his verity and in sealing the same with my blood I have fought a good fight and have finished my course 2 Tim. 9.7 I have kept the faith henceforth is laid up for me a Crowne of righteousnesse which the Lord the righteous Judge shall give me at that day and not to me onely but to all them also that love his comming Now is the prophesie at hand to be fulfilled which these two worthy servants of the Lord Master George Wishart and Master John Knox my Father in Law spake which was That Christ should be crucified in this Kingdome againe but glorious should his resurrection be e This strange Prophesie of Knox and Wishart is here explicat and mervailously enlarged by this divine man the first part thereof whereupon alone be here infists has been performed lately in every tittle before our eyes the second part of Christs glorious resurrection and our glorious deliverance we expect shall be as punctually performed in the Lords good time as Master Knox with his owne hand upon the Margin of Calvins Harmony upon the Passion did write which is yet extant But alas for the Kingdome my testimony now doth not differ from that of many before this time who said That the Judgement of Scotland should be blood this Kingdome shall be drowned in blood a furbished and glittering sword is already drawne out of the scabbard which shall not returne untill it be made drunke with the blood of the men within this Land f More blood shed by the sword in Scotland the other yeere then for many Generations before first the heavy intestine sword and then the sword of the stranger g This indeed was the Lords method with us the blood shed in our first troubles at the Bridge of Die and divers parts of the North from the Castles of Edinborough and Dunbartan and in the South was onely by the intestine sword but the great bloodshed in our present troubles was for the most part by the sword of strangers the barbarous Irish Rebels having their Commission from Ireland O dolefull Scotland well were he that were removed far from thee that his eyes might not see nor his eares heare all these evils that are to come upon thee h Never so great a flight in Scotland as the other yeer the mâ—st considerable persons fled away to England or Ireland or some corners and strong holds of the Land for the safety of their lives neither the strong man by his strength nor the rich man by his riches nor the Noble man by his blood shall be delivered from the judgements there is a great sacrifice to be made in Bosrah in thee O Scotland of the blood of all sorts in the Land Videf. Ephraim shall consume Manasseh and Manasseh Ephraim Jsaiah 9.21 Brother against brother and every man in the judgement of the Lord shall be armed to thrust his sword in the fide of his neighbour k Thus indeed it was among us under the standard of the enemy many of our Brethren Kinsmen and Neighbours did fight and by their hands much of our blood was spilt and all for the contempt of the most glorious Gospell and that blood which was offered to thee O Scotland in so plentifull a manner that the like thereof hath not been offered to any Nation Therefore thy judgement shall be the greater but the Sanctuary must be begun at and the measure is not yet fulfilled till the blood of the Saints be shed then the cryes will be great and will not stay tili they bring the Lord downe from Heaven his Throne to see if the sinnes of Scotland be according to the cry thereof neither shall there be any Subject in the Land from the greatest to the
make poor people die Traytors to both ibid. p. 68. fancying to themselves that they fight the Lords battels for Religion Liberties they dream they die Martyrs when they die Traytors to God and his Anoynted ibid. p. 132. They set the simple people upon Rebellion against God and his Anoynted to the destruction of State soul and body temporally and eternally That the defensive war of the Parliaments of both Kingdomes is a most reall Rebellion and Treason that all who have dyed in that quared are certainly damned that the Covenant is a damnable Conspiracy that all Covenanters are Traytors and Rebels both to God and the King that their Covenant puts them upon the principles of Ravtitack and Faux to kill Kings and blow up Parliaments (b) Vide supra a. also ibid. 63. This Covenant maketh every man to be armed with power and the way left to himselfe for ought wee know it may be Raviliacks way or Guido Faux his way ibid p. 7. For as bad as the Iesuite is in my conceiving the Puritan is worse That the Armes of the Irish Rebels were no more unjust then these of the British who opposed them that the Irish Cessation was lawfull and commendable (c) Ibid. Preface to Ormond you were assaulted with two of the worst extreames of opinions enraged both of them with the same degrees of madnesse That the Marquesse of Ormond for piety and prudence has not his match upon earth (d) Ibid. You whose piety is admirable whose wisdom and prudence is above the ordinary and all your equals so experienced in matters of State that it is a wonder to them who know you and incredible to them who have not been eye witnesses That for military vertue he is equall to Scipio Hannibal and Caesar (e) Ibid. Your heroicall Acts are worthy of the greatest Caesar you gained so much as their valiant Hannibâ—s and Scipios That the Legislative power is in the King alone That his Monarchy makes him above all Lawes and lets him be tyed to none but gives him power to alter and abolish them at his pleasure (f) Sacro Sanct. p. 180. One of the Sectaries principles wherby they intoxicate the Vulgar is that in a Monarchy the Legislative power is communicable to the subject ibid. p. 94. At the admittance of Saul God giveth to the subject Legem parendi Soveraignity is an undivided entity how can you share it among more To diminish any thing of this Pretogative is to destroy Monarchy to dethrone the King and to take his Crowne from him (g) Ibid p. 141. You totally destroy Monarchy and must say down right our gracious Soveragne is no Monarch p. 142. An impotent King is the same with no King For Parliamâ—nâ—s to meddle with any part of this power is a sacriledge which God will revenge (h) Ibid. p. 144. The worst bargaine ever subject made was at any rate to purchase a possession of the sacred Rights of Kings till these Kingdomes be purged of sacriledge so highly committed against God by wronging his Anointed and he be restored to his sacred Rights we need look for no effectuall blessings of God When through weaknesse or imprudence a Prince is cheated or enforced to give away to his Parliament any part of his power himselfe or any of his posterity when ever occasion offereth may lawfully take it back notwithstanding of any promise oath or law made to the contrary (i) Ibid p. 142. I doubt not to affirme but if any good Prince or his Royall Ancestors have been or are cheated out of their sacred Right by fraud or force he may at the first opportunity when God in his wise providence offereth occasion resume it You see with what a Statesman we have to doe A favorer of â—rosse Popery â—nd Arminiaâ—isme for his Religion heare a part of it Episcopacy is a necessary and fundamentall truth of Divine Institution and Commandement (k) Issachar p. 1. In the Edition of Oxford Episcopacy is the true necessary and perpetuall Government of the Church institute by Christ wee deceive our selves to expect deliverance from our troubles if wee subordinate fundamentals in Religion necessary truths to our civill good All Ecclesiasticall Iurisdiction belongs to the Bishops alone by Divine Right no Presbyter ought to bee a member so much as of a Provinciall Assembly (l) Ibid p. 31. Now is forgotten that of the councel of Chalcedon concilium est Episcoporum and that old barbarous but Christian enough verse Ite foras laici non est vobis locus ici That the Kings consent to the abolition of Episcopacy in Scotland is the true and great cause of all the troubles which since that time hath befallen him and his subjects (m) Ibid p. 2. What peace hath King or Kingdome enjoyed here or in Ireland since Episcopacy by Law in Scotland was damned That Abots Priors and their Religious Houses of Monks and Fryers are lawfull in the Church (n) Ibid. p. 49. Abbots and Priors to Melvils time were nominate and admitted to Abbeys and Priories as Church men but this great Doctor found out another Divinity that for Abbots and Priors there was none such in the Word of God That Patriarcks and Cardina's are Church Dignities highly to be reverenced (o) Ibid p. 43. Cardinall Beton a Priest and Archbishop of so high Dignity That the Pope by Divine Right is as true a Bishop as any other Bishop in the world but by humane Ecclesiastick Right he is greater then any other (p) Sacro Sanct. p. 58. The Pope the Bishop of Rome hath no more by Divine Right except it bee in extent then the meanest Bishop in his Diocesse what hee may have by positive Ecclesiasticall right it s not pertinent for us now to examine Hierome compareth three of the meanest Bishops with three of the greatest Patriarcks Priviledged at that time by Ecclesiasticall Canons That Presbytery is worie then Popery and Iesuitisme that it were much better for any King to put his Dominions under the yoak of the Pope and Iesuites then of Presbyteries and Synods (q) Issachar Edition Oxford p. 30. The â—ing is in a worse condition under this soveraignty then under the Pope ibid p. 45. The Presbytery it or may be in time a mother of as much rebellion and treason as any Iesuitisme of the highest die if not more certainly Rome although a whore is not so bad nor so abominable That the first Reformation in Scotland France Holland Germany and where ever the supream Magistrate was not the Author and Actor of the worke was unorderly and sin ull an action seditious and treasonable a great cause of all the mischiefes that from that time to this have come upon the Churches (r) Ibid. p. 36. This gave life to that tumultuary Reformation we will never wrong Reformed Religion so much as to count of that as an orderly Reformation We
doubt not but it was attended with much sedition faction and Rebellion p. 41. I daily heartily bewail that too too much idolised Reformation if Knox and his complices had kept in the way of the old Martyrs we had bin more happy sure I am the great and more then ordinary sinnes in them and us and our forefathers have brought us to be plunged in these miseries God so punishing the sins of that first Reformation by this second spurious Reformation All controversies of Religion ought to be decided by the writs of the fathers (s) Sacro sanct p. 59. Would God both sides in this and other controversies would submit to the judgement and determination of the holy Fathers It is but precise Puritanisme to refuse the Apocrypha books (t) p. 39. If our strait laced brethren would be pleased to cast an eye upon Apocrypha I refer them to Ecclesiasticus It is presumption for any man upon earth to meddle with the questions of Election and Predestination (u) Sacro sanct p. 105. These Seraphicall Doctors make so bold with almighty God as to unfold the secrets of Predestination and to define who are the Elect and who the Reprobate All necessity takes away Freedome from the Will (x) Ibid. p. 91. The first act of mans will necessarily fertur in summum bonum this is actus necessarius non liber not so free as it may choose or reject it is elicited by force constraint or necessity the Schoolmen doe rightly teach that the Sacraments conferre grace by some extrinsecall supervenient power (y) Ibid. p. 121. Schoolmen do confesse that the Sacraments doe not confer grace vi naturali physica inhaerente but vi morali supernaturali superveniente mens sins are washed away by doing of Pennance (z) Ibid. p. He was forced to flee and with 40. years penance and repentance wash away that guiltinesse Ministers are Priests (aa) It s high time for Prince and Priest to strengthen one another all who have adhered to the Parliament are Sectaries and mad ones (bb) Ibid. p. 38. No moderate Sectary if any such be p. 68. People thus madded by mad Sectaries and Shebaes By this little taste of the mans Spirit we may see their wisedome who bring in such a witnesse to testifie against the Reformed Churches It is strange that any gracious Englishman should be apt to hear slanders against the Church of Scotland and how good friends they are either to the Parliament or to the true Religion who recommend this writer with so loud praises to the diligent perusall of simple people The 2d circumstance I offered was the object of this calumnious writ whom does it undertake to defame the Church of Scotland It is possible for any gratious Englishman to applaud this injury Who did so heartily concurre and so much assist the first planting of the Church of Scotland as that renounced Queen Elizabeth and the state of England Scotlands old obligations to England our History tells us that in all the assaults of that Church from the Popish and Prelaticall party we were not only comforted by the encouragements of the English Anti-episcopall Divines Cartwright Hildersham and all the rest of the old Non-conformists cordially sympathizing with us but also the Queene and State by continuall Letters and many gracious Embassages did ever support our cause and assist us when we needed both with Armies and Monies knowing that notwithstanding of all our differences with the Prelates yet we were most firme for the Protestant cause and welfare of England against all Enemies both at home and abroad When lately the Canterburian designes were on foot to change the Religion Englands late of ligations to Scotland and inslave the state of all the three Kingdomes to an absolute and Turkish Monarchy or at least such a tyranny as this day is exercised by the French and Spanish Kings did not Scotland at that time when no party at all in England nor Ireland would or durst appeare take their lives in their hands and with courage for the liberty of the whole Isle set their fâ—ces against these Popish Tyrants did they not with such piety prudence moderation and valour mannage that common cause that the blessings of all England and of all Protestants yea of all in Europe of what ever profession who loved the just liberty of the subject did rest upon their heads Thereafter when that wicked faction glad to be rid of them and to give them all their desires according as they were pleased to dâ—mand them did turne their Armes from them upon the good subjects of England and Ireland and in both had well neer accomplished their design Ireland having no considerable Army to oppose the barbarous murtherers and the Army that was after some faint opposition joyning with the Rebells against the Parliament In England the North and West being totally lost the Kings great and victorious Armies ready to swallow up the remnant no friend upon earth appearing for the gracious party their lamentable and desperate condition was by their Commissioners with sighs and teares represented to Scotland Where their Brethren were so touched with compassion that laying aside all thoughts of hazard which was extreamly great they resolved to ingage all they had life wealth peace and what else is deare for to rescue the English out of the pit of their visible imminent and otherwise unavoidable ruine They sent to Ireland an Army of ten thousand well appointed men who banished the Barbars out of Vlster where they were strongest and out of the most of Conaught keeping so much of that Isle in possession of the English as made it easie for them when ever they thought fit to regaine the rest They sent into England a gallant well-armed governed company of twenty thousand effective who by Gods blessing themselvs alone did ruine the Kings main greatest Army under New-castle and joyning with others of the Parliaments forces at Long-Marston did so break and defeat the prime of all the rest of the Kings forces met together that they were never afterable to bring to the fields any Army very considerable either for number or courage Much occasion of action was not thereafter afforded yet the keeping quiet of all the new conquests by North Trent and the holding the neighbouring Associations in awe til the Parliaments forces at their leasure did take up the rest of the country was no small service In these actions the Scots did spend very much precious blood many of them did endure much hardship both in England and Ireland and at home by the Pestilence by a prevailing Enemy by intestine discouragements and divisions all flowing from their friendship with England they were overwhelmed with greater miseries then their fathers had seen for many hundred yeares and which grieved them more then all things else they were entertained by too many of them for whom they suffered all these
Sabbath this to all the godly was a matter of griefe both particular persons and whole Presbyteries have oft regrated it and offered their Petitions to the Councel and Parliament for the remedying thereof but that they ever of themselves did attempt to make any change of Market dayes it is so false as any thing can be you our Prelates as you were taught by your Fathers in England were alwaies passionately desirous to have Sunday counted no Sabbath both by your doctrine and example you laboured to seduce the people to prophane that day with all kinde of publike pastimes all strictnesse about the Sabbath you cryed downe as Puritanick Iudaisme so long as your Kingdome stood this evill was remedilesse but so soon as we got your chaires and thrones as you call them overturned the first Generall Assembly thereafter made it one of their chiefe cares to cause draw a humble petition to the next ensuing Parliament for translating of the Markets of the cheife Burroughs from Munday to Wednesday The Parliament being purged of Episcopall Popish and Malignant Members who oft before had obstructed this gracious worke unanimously did agree to the Petition so that now blessed be God with the good liking of all and to the prejudice of none these market dayes are changed What follows of the Presbyteries violent transporting of Ministers from better places to worse at the pleasure of Noblemen Nor to transport Ministers at any mans pleasure I have known this done by Bishops and their High Commission for no men ever in Scotland did so much flatter the Nobles and assist them if they were resolved to oppresse a Minister as the Prelates but while the Presbyteriall government had any vigour that every man was in this fashion transported I take it to be exceeding false for by the Laws and practise of the Presbyrery disgracefull Transportations are of so great difficulty that since the Bishops were cast out from among us I did never hear of any for no man with us can be put from a better place to a worse but for a fault which as it puts him from one place so readily it will keep him from all others The knavish example he brings of this practise in the Presbytery of Couper They â—ever did dilapidate any benefice I take it to be a meer Episcopall invention no man with whom I have conferred ever heard of any such matter Spotswood the fountaine of his fables is here mute I am confirmed in this opinion by that which he makes the maine scope of the tale the Presbyteries consent to the dilapidation of a Personage such an action is so farre contrary to the rules of all our Presbyteries and to any practise that ever I heard that it makes me take all the rest but for a tale of Robin Hood The Bishops indeed when they professed their greatest zeale to recover all the Church rents out of the hand of the Laity were found to be but too ready to dilapidate unto Noblemen and others too much of the remnant of the Churches patrimony your selfe may remember what bargaine you made as I thinke with the Earle of Seaforth which you know was the first occasion of diminishing your reputation with your great Patron Land of Canterbury I am sure your Colleague Spotswood did sell the whole Abacy of Killwinning to the Noblemen and Gentlemen of Cuningham to the great prejudice and griefe of the University of Glasgow and the Ministers of the bounds who had great interest therein At the Parliament of Lithgow 1606. our good Bishops for their owne base ends did consent in the name of the Church though they had never so much as consulted here in that businesse to the greatest dilapidation that ever was heard of in Scotland the impropriation to Noblemen and Gentlemen at one time of no fewer then sixteen Abbacies every one whereof had incorporate the rents of a number of Parish Churches Too many pranks of this kinde have been plaid by the Prelates and Clergy men of their way but that ever any Presbytery was guilty of such sacrilegious tricks it will never as I imagine be proved What you speake of a Gentlemans confession in Testament of his griefe for deceiving good Ministers is to no purpose Page 12. Nor favour Gentlemen in their wickednesse did not Hypocrites deceive the Apostles but that Ministers did keep him from Church censures for his knowne uncleannesse you know there is no reason to beleeve you upon your bare word the Gentlemans hypocrisie was but small if his villanies were so open that justly he could be challenged for them For your last imputation I know that feuds in Scotland were frequent and lamentable They never did countenance any feud all these were the Prelates crimes also that King Iames labours in suppressing them were happy and successefull but that any Presbytery did ever entertain them it s a lye so grosse that for all your Cretian Art you are not able to bring so much as the colour of on instance to prove it I finde in Spotswood Letters of King Iames to Presbyteries and Synods for their assistance in that gracious work and it is certaine that all the Kings in Christendome had never been able to have abolished these feuds without the helpe of the Ministry Can you tell me of any Bishop that either did endeavour or had such power in the heart of any people as to promove that work one haires breadth I know that the chiefe Bishops for all their open fauning were yet ever esteemed so great haters of the Nobility and prime Gentry that they did little regard how many of them perished your selfe I think knowes that in the feud betwixt the Grahams and the Sandilands none was a better swordman then your Metropolitan Spotswood Your last Paragraph is but a recapitulation of these things which I hope I have demonstrate to be cleer untruths Your next head is of Provinciall Synods Page 13. Prelaticall principles take away the very being of Elderships and Assemblies upon these you are briefe and yet might have spared much of that you bring for the most hath no more relation to Provinciall Synods then to any other Church meeting In the beginning you make the Provinciall Synod to be an apish imitation of an ancient Provinciall Councell consisting of the Metropolitan and his suffragane Bishops intimating hereby what elsewhere you have published and in your declinator of the Assembly at Glasgow subscribed That the very constitution of all our Synods is vitious as consisting of Members whom reason and Antiquity does exclude all Iurisdiction belongs to Bishops a preaching Presbyter has no more to do with it then a ruling Presbyter without an Episcopall commission by vertue hereof a man of any coat may sit and voice in a Synod without this none but Bishops themselves may have place there That which you make the politick stratagem of the Gamaliels as you call them of our Land Presbytetians would not
they were not in a capacity to receave it till once they were an Assembly so with Lauristons good liking they did pray and chose their Moderator and Clerke thereafter they did receive and read the Letters discharging the Assembly to which they gave present obedience and did no more at all but appointed the next meeting according to the expresse act of Parliament Lauriston after the Assembly was dissolved was so officious as by a Lyon herauld with a publike Proclamation to command them to be gone this Proclamation most falsly he did antidate as if it had beene used before the Ministers sat downe hereupon the Ministers were convened before the secret Counsell for keeping of a Conventicle contrary to the Kings command they answered as Spotswood says that they had done nothing but according to the Laws both divine and humane That the Generall Assembly had right to meet in the great necessities of the Church and the Laws of Scotland gave them expresse warrant to meet Lauriston told them that the King might delay all meetings both of Church and State Parliaments and Assemblies so long as he pleased they replyed that they could doe nothing against the Kings mind so long as they followed the expresse order of his standing Lawes When the King and state has past an act for Trienniall Parliaments and the Commissioners of shires doe meet at the day appointed to fence a Parâ—iament according to Law and long uncontroverted custome if by evill Counsell the King should not only delay but by a Proclamation put of the meeting to an uncertaine and infinite time ought these Commissioners for following the instructions of their shires according to Law and custome be lyable to any censure the case now in hand is just the same The Ministers did plead further that the privie Councell was not a competent Judicatorie to the question what was a lawfull or unlawfull Assembly that by the Lawes of the Kingdome such questions were to be decided by a lawfull Generall Assembly and not elsewhere At that time Doctor Bancroft was Patron to the naughty Preacher of Scotland who were panting for Bishopricks and as after the conference at Hampton Court he had moved the King to crush the most of the gracious Brethren of England who could not submit to Episcopacie and its Ceremonies So then did he hasten a Message to the Councell of Scotland for the condemning all who adhered to the Assembly of Aberdeen of high Treason To maintaine a power in the Church to keep an Assembly or in the State to keep a Parliament whether to begin or to continue it when the King did discharge though the Law did expresly warrant it was to oppose the Royall prerogative and could be no lesse then the highest treason especially if any did decline the Judgement of the Privy Counsell or any other Judicatorie to which the King was pleased to referre the decision of this case though the nature of the thing and the Law did require the question to bee determined in another Court For this plea a number of gracious Ministers were condemned by an Assize to be executed as Traitours but thereafter as it were of great favour and speciall grace their lives were spared yet were they all presently banished never to returne to any of the Kings Dominions while they lived All the godly and wise in the Land did cry out upon this Act of the Candidats of Episcopacie as of the highest unjustice and Tyranny All the sufferers were men exceedingly beloved Mr. Welsh and Master Forbes their oppression but some of them were very eminent Master Forbes was a man of so great learning and prudence that in Germany both higher and lower yea with King Iames himselfe and King Charles he was held while he lived in singular reputation Master Welsh was a man altogether Apostolike of rare both learning and piety The fame of this mans zeale was so great that not only the Protestants of France but the very Popish Priests and Souldiers yea the prophanest of the Court and King Lewis himselfe at the very time of his hottest persecutions did much prize and reverence him yet so great was the rage of the Bishops against him that when in his old age and great sicknesse he came over to England and according to the direction of his Phisitians did supplicate to be permitted to breath a little in his naturall aire though he was altogether unable for preaching or making any more sturre in the world it was peremptorily denyed him unlesse he should give assurance of putting his necke under the Episcopall yoke not being able to doe this he was forced to dye out of hâ—â— Country a banished man Who would not have thâ—â—â—ht that the ruine of so many gracious men might haâ—â—â—â—lly satiate the malice of a few ambitious persons Bancroft a persecutor of the Scottish Presbiterians buâ—â—â— they were not content they proceeded farther in their cruelty they moved the King to call up to London a number of more Divines who for piety zeale and learning were of greatest reputation The pretext was faire and his Majesties Letter to them courteous he required them to come up to give him their best advice how the Church of Scotland might best be settled in peace but behold Bancrofts and the Scottish Episcopaturians fraud they are brought before the King and Councell and there are posed with a number of dangerous and insnaring questions to which they declined to answer yet being much pressed they gave in their mind in writing so humbly and prudently as was possible no quarrell could be picked against any of their words yet were they all arrested to stay at London till contrary to Law and the order of the Church and the heart of all the godly their adversaries were set downe in Scotland upon their Episcopall Thrones Mr. Andrew Melvil The undoing of Mr. Andrew and Mr. James Melvils a great Light to the Scottish Nation for his free speeches after great provocation against the English Bishops and Ceremonies to which he a stranger called up by the Kings friendly Letter did owe no subjection was kept prisoner three whole yeares and then was sent over to Sedan where he lived to his death a banished man His Nephew Mr. Iames Melvil for his excellent parts in great favour with the King but unable to comply with Episcopall designes was kept out of Scotland till his dying day the rest were at last sent home but all of them as Prisoners confined to certaine places These were the first fruits of the English Prelacie in Scotland but yearly thereafter that tree did bring forth such grapes of Gomorrha among us that the Land could be at no peace till it was cut downe yea plucked up by the rootes It might have satisfied the unnaturall malice of a very wicked child P. 41. Prelaticall calumnies to have bespattered the face of his innocent mother with the halfe of the former very injurious and false calumnies yet you
the worst of all your Mothers children must have leave to poure more of your excrements upon her head From your page 41. to the 46. you would make the world believe that the Church of Scotland does excommunicate good men and tender consciences for a dissent in the smallest points of Religion and does persecute for such differences with all the rigour of temporall afflictions Secondly you affirme that the Assemblies of that Church take upon them to make Traitours whom they will and to cast out of the Court whether the King will or not the greatest and best men with whom they are displeased Thirdly that these Assemblies doe alter the Lawes of the Kingdome at their pleasure Surely if strangers who know not the Constitution and customes of that Church were disposed to believe all you say they could not but by your relations he brought to a very evill opinion of your mother whom you an unnaturall son so vildly slander but it is good that men here are so rationall as not to take upon trust the naked assertions of a malicious enemie The discipline of Scotland is farre from all rigour and Tiranny For the first a complaint of rash Excommunication and persecution therupon is very impertinent from your mouth it is not so long that yet it can be forgotten since you and your Colleagues did allow your Officialls and others to excommunicate good people for trifles yea for no offence at all but their zeale to God and the good of their Country your Cannons in all the three Kingdomes are extant your cruelties are fresh in imprisoning banishing Pilloring stigmatizing the worthiest men for contradicting you in any one of your numerous ceremonies and traditions As for the Church of Scotland that it did ever meddle to trouble any in their goods Liberties or persons it 's very false what civill penalties the Parliament of a Kingdome thinkes meet to inflict upon those who are refractory and unamendable by the censures of a Church the state from whom alone these punishments doe come are answerable and not the Church That Excommunication in Scotland is inflicted upon those who cannot assent to every point of Religion determined in their confession there is nothing more untrue for wee know it well that never any person in Scotland was Excommunicate only for his difference of opinion in a Theologick tenet Excommunication there is a very dreadfull sentence and therefore very rare these last forty yeares so farre as I have either seen or heard there has none at all been Excommunicate in Scotland but some few trafficking Papists and some very few notoriously flagitious persons and five or six of you the Prelates for your obstinate impenitency after your overturning the foundations both of our Church State and one most rigid and pragmatick Brownist who for all that could be done or said would needs make it his worke to perswade all he was able by discourse Letters and spreading of books that in Scotland there was neither a Church nor any Ministery nor any Ordinance In Scotland wee count the spirituall Judgement of Excommunication most heavie but any temporall inconvenience that follows upon it is not very considerable for first there is not any civill hazard at all to any excommunicate man who will suffer himselfe to be brought to any measure of repentance Secondly were they never so impenitent ther is no harme can come to them as I remember a whole yeare after the long processe and finall sentence of ExcoÌ„munication Thirdly after a yeares coÌ„tumacy though the Letter of the Act of Parliament be heavy yet I appeale to any who has lived in Scotland among the very few whom they have knowne Excommunicate how many did they ever heare to have been hurt in their goods imprisoned or banished I am sure that Huntly Arrole and Angus and the other popish Lords though for their plotting to undermine the State their persons after Excommunication have been secured yet no penny of their estates went to the Kings Exchequer or to the hands of any of their unfriends but as the ordinary custome is upon the pretext of a small composition what ever the Letter of the Law takes from them it is all put in the hand of such of their friends whom they doe most trust Scotlands guilt may well be too much indulgence but of any excessive rigour towards spirituall oftenders they will bee condemned by none that knowes them P. 42.43.44 A narration of the roads of Ruthven and Stirling Your other imputation that our generall Assembly takes upon it to be judge what is Treason and who are fit to bee Counsellours nothing is more false But here you doe us the favour to prove your Alleageance by a long story to which I have given a full answer in the other Treatise At that time of King James minority Spotswood himselfe being witnesse our State was miserably misguided the Tyrannie of Captaine Iames supported too much by the favour of the Earle of Lennex was very grievous both to Church and State I touch but upon one instance The greatest subject of the Kingdome and at that time neerest to the King in blood was Iames Hamilton Earle of Arran a very gracious and most brave man before his sicknesse without any fault at all so much as alleaged for he was uncapable at that time of any crime being vinted with a distemper that made him keep his house and hindred him from meddling with any affaires of State yet was he spoiled by the fraud and violence of Captaine Iames Stewart of all his Lands and honour This violent oppressour was made Earle of Arran and Chancelour of the Kingdome At that time the designe was cleere and confessed to bring Queen Mary out of her prison in England to set her againe upon her Throne to advance the Catholique League which then was newly made betwixt the Guises King Iames his grand Uncles and the King of Spainâ— for the destroying Queen Elizabeth and the whole Protestant party For the preventing of these mischiefs the prime Nobility found it absolutely necessary to have the advancers of these counsels removed from the minor King What ever fault was in this action the Assembly is unjustly charged therewith Their advice was never sought thereto only halfe a yeare after it was done his Majesty sent a speciall Command to the Assembly for their approbation thereof for as by divers of his Letters to all the neighbour Princes he did signifie his good liking of that action so in all the great Courts of the Kingdome hee required it to be approved The privy Councell the convention of Estates the generall Assembly by his Majesties expresse Commission did all assent to his will It is true Captaine Iames so soon as he crept in againe into Court did change the young Kings mind but the event of that alteration was a more horrible confusion both of Church and State The Earle of Gowry was beheaded as a littâ—e before the Earle
of Morton sundry Gentlemen of good quality most innocent were hanged many of the prime Noblemen Gentlemen and Ministers were forced to flee for their lives out of the Kingdome till all of them joyning together did ride in Armes to Stirling and by violence though without hurt to any mans person did the second time remove those Courtiers and for ever after kept them from the King to the full quieting both of Church and State This Rode of Stirling was much more cried out upon by the wicked Prelates and Courtiers then the former of Ruthven yet was it approved for good service to the King and State not only as the former by the privie Counseâ—l and convention of States but also by the ensuing Parliament and so it remaines unquarrelled unto this day Your third complaint is P. 45. The Assembly repeales no lawes but supplicates the Parliament to recall their ratifications of Ecclesiasticall corruptions that the generall Assemblies doe alter what the Law has established all your examples hereof are The Votes of the late generall Assembly at Glasgow condemning the civill places of Church-men pronouncing the very office it selfe of Bishops to be unlawfull in the Church and crying downe the high Commission Court Here you fall upon the Parliament of England as fooles and Traitours for letting themselves bee perswaded by the Scots to swallow downe their wicked Covenant To all this our Apologie is briefe what ever power our generall Assembly possesses is all well allowed by the King and Parliament The acts of that Assembly you complaine of are all ratified by the State the order of our proceeding is appointed by Law all matters Spirituall and Ecclesiastick are first determined by the generall Assembly if the nature of the things require a civill Sanction the Votes of the Assembly are transmitted to the Parliament if a Generall Assembly have voted an Errour or any thing that 's wrong and that corruption hath been ratified by an Act of Parliament a Posterior generall Assembly recognosces the matter and finding an errour in Religion notwithstanding of the prior votes both of the Assembly and Parliament does condemne it and appoints Commissioners to represent the reasons of their vote to the next Parliament with an humble supplication to annull these Acts and Laws which did confirme the condemned corruption This has been the method of proceeding in Scotland since the first erection of a generall Assembly in this way were all the Errours of Popery first condemned in the Assembly before the Parliament did recall their old Lawes whiâ—â—â—â—nfirmed them The forme of this proceeding established by the Parliament it selfe does not import any subordination either of the lawes or the Parliament to the Assembly P. 46. It meddles with no civill Courts At this place p. 46. you bring us another story whereupon you make tragick out-cryes of the Assemblies insolent usurpations it seems you thought that this your book should never have come from Oxford into the hands of any Scottish man who knew the Custome of the Judicatories of Scotland I doe marvell much at your impudence that you should speake of the Assemblies incroaching upon the Lords of Session or medling with any Civill cause which the Law commits to any temporall Judicatory there is no better harmony in the world then alwayes has been in Scotland between the civill and Ecclesiasticall Judicatories no interfeiring was ever among them but what the Bishops made You indeed in your high Commission did take causes both civill and Ecclesiasticall to your Cognisance from all the Courts of the Kingdome and did at your pleasure without and contrary to all known Lawes finally determine them without any appeale but to the King by whom you were sure ever to be best beâ—eeved For the story in hand The case of Mr. John Graham I am content Spotswood be Judge as he relates it the matter was thus Mr. Iohn Graham one of the Lords of Session or Judges of the Common Pleas a very false and dishonest man intended an action against some poore men to put them from their Lands for to effectuate his purpose he seduced a publique Notary dwelling at Stirling and perswaded him to subscribe a false Writte upon the which the poore men by a decree of the Lords of Session were removed from their possessions The oppressed soules cryd out of their injurie and intended action against the Notary for his false Writ they got him arrested and imprisoned The Minister of the bounds Mr. Patrick Simpson whom King James and all Scotland knew to be a most learned zealous and pious Pastor as was in the whole Isle dealt with the Prisoner to confesse the truth after some conference he confessed all and declared how Mr. John Graham had sent his Brother to him with a false Writte which hee did subscribe an assize was called the poore Notary upon his own cousession was condemned and hanged Mr. John Graham as covetous and false so a most proud man would not rest satisfied but presently summoned Master Patrick Simpson to appeare before the Lords of Session as a seducer of the honest Notary to lye against his owne life Mr. Patrick was ready to cleare his own innocencie whereof all were well perswaded but shamefully wronged by an impudent man in his good name he caused cite him before the Assembly as a slanderer of a Minister in the work of his calling the Lords of Session not content that any of their number should be called before the Assembly for any action depending in their Court did send som of their number to the Assembly for to debate the whole matter The Assembly told them that they would not meddle with any thing that was civill nor which belonged to their Court that they intended to take no notice of their decrees at Mr. John Grahams instance to cast the poore 〈◊〉 out of their Land whether it was right or wrong nor the notaries Instrument wherefore he was hanged whether it was true or false They told them also that whatsoever they had to say to Mr. Patrick Simpson hee was to answer them as they should thinke fit in due time and place the Assemblies question was alone about the slander of one of their Members whom Mr. Iohn Graham did openly challenge as a Seducer of a Notary to beare false witnesse They had cited Mr. John Graham before them to make this good that so they might censure Mr. Patrick Simpson as a man unworthy of the Ministry or if Mr. John Graham's challenge was found a meere calumny that he might bee brought to repentance for it in acknowledging of his wrong Let any equitable man judge how insolent the Assemblies proceeding in this action was for a time there was some controversie about this matter betwixt the Assembly and the Session but at last all was amicably composed and God decided the question with the violent death and publick disgrace of Mr. Iohn Graham What ye subjoyne of King Iames trouble to the
forenamed Masters of the Court did much adde for the allaying whereof this Declaration was penned but to no purpose as Spotswood himself tels us m Spotswoods Story lib. 6. p. 177. This Declaration gave not much satisfaction so great was the discontent For no satisfaction was ever taken till both the Duke Chancellour Secretary and Archbishop Adamson were banished the Court and the acts of Parliament of their invention abolished as noxious and evill There was never any Warrant for Printing of this Writ What is here said of King James his command to publish this Declaration I do not find it verified in any Register either of the Church or Kingdome of Scotland that hath fallen in my hand but if any such command did come from him at that time of his minority and great tentation through the continuall evill offices of them that then managed his Counsels it were a case no more strange then these which often since we have seen in both Kingdomes many Proclamations and Declarations by false and wicked informations have been drawne from King James and King Charles and many other Princes which upon better advisement have been called in and buried the Proclamation concerning sports and playes upon the Sabbath the Service-Book and Book of Canons the Declarations of the Rebellion of the Parliaments of both Kingdomes we all know For my part I love not to rake out â—f the grave the carcases of these buried Writs for the infamy of the Prince or the prejudice of the Subject We shall sâ—y no more to the preface Pag 2. come to the interpretation of these offensive Acts of that Parliament at Edenburgh 1584. As for the first Act the explanation here made upon it did no way remove its offence for both the Act and its explanation attribute to the Ministers only the administation of the Word and Sacraments without any mention at all of any discipline this seems to have been one chiefe cause why the worshipfull Licenser was pressed with so much importunity to give his Imprimatur to this Writ as if this passage had been a demonstration of King James his Erastianisme but let the world take notice of the grossenesse of this mistake by this short information The Commissioners of the generall Assembly King James was far from Erastianisme were required by his Majesty at the Parliament of Lithgou 1585. to give him in the grounds of their grievances against the Acts of the Parliament at Edenbrugh 1584. here explained n Collection Master Andrew Melvill had been plaine with the King divers dayes at length the King desired the Ministers to exhibit in writ what exceptions they had against the Parliament held in Anno 1584. whereupon they exhibit to the King these animadversions following In their Animadversion upon the Act now in hand they did shew his Majesty that the power of Ecclesiasticall Jurisdiction and Church-Censures did belong to them by divine right no lesse then the power of preaching the Word and Celebrating the Sacraments o Animadversions The power of the Keyes of the Kingdome of Heaven consisteth not onely in preaching and administration of the Sacraments but also in jurisdiction and removing of offences out of the Kirk of God and excommunication of the disobedient to be pronounced by these that are officers of the Church our warrants out of the Word of God for this part of the liberty of the Church we are to bring forth when your Majesty pleaseth Also that the Lawes of the Kingdome ever fince the Reformation did ratifie that their right p Ibid. This Act restricted the liberty granted byother Acts of Parliament of before concerning discipline and correction of manners which were established by a Law in the first yeer of your Majesties Reigne and that hitherto they had bin in peaceable possessioÌ„ thereof q Ibid. There is a spirituall jurisdiction where of the Office-bearers within the Kirk in this Realm have been in peaceable possession and use these twenty four yeer by past whereof followed no trouble but great quietnesse in the Kirke and Common-wealth The King in his Reply to this animadversion does not deny any of these Alleageances yea he declares under his hand that he did not intend to take from Church Officers any part of the Ecclesiasticall Jurisdiction but onely so to regulate the execution of Discipline that some part thereof might be put in the hand of Prelates this was the onely point in controversie r The Kings Declaration the first Act maketh onely mention of the preaching of the Word Sacraments not thereby to abrogate any good further policy and jurisdiction in the Kirke but allanerly to remit a part thereof to the Acts ensuing and the most which as yet are not agreed upon nor concluded I intend God willing to cause to be perfected by a godly generall Assembly Whence it appeares how far his Majesty was from all Erastianisme though his affection to prelacy at that time was too great which yet he changed quickly thereafter as we shall see anon The explanation of the second Act The sum of the next Paragraph consists of a Narrative and Ordinance builded thereupon the Narrative has the alledged misbehaviours of some Ministers Master Andrew Melvile alone is named as joyning in conspiracies with Rebels against the King as Preaching seditious Doctrine and disclaining the King and Counsell of State for his Judges The Ordinance is concerning the Kings Supremacy divers things are here jumbled together confusedly and odiously to these two purposes by the Abbot of Dunfermeling Secretary for the time the Penner of this passage as Adamson the writer of the rest confesseth Å¿ Adamsons recantation The Secretary himselfe penned the second Act of Parliament concerning the power of Judicatories to be absolutely in the King and that it should not be lawfull for any Subject to reclame from the same under the penalty of the Act which I suppose was treason Concerning the first Master Melvill his worth Master Andrew Melvils case the Narrative is most untrue as I shall make good by undeniable evidence Master Melvil was an excellent Divine the principall professour of Divinity in the University first of Glasgow and then of S. Andrewes full of piety eloquence and learning of all sorts so eminent in zeale for the truth that his remembrance is yet very precious not in Scotland alone but in other reformed Churches his heroicke courage made him an eye-sore to the Masters of the Court whose wickednesse he and his Schollars according to their place and duty did masculously oppose From this it was and nothing else that an Accusation was invented against him as for seditious and treasonable words against the Kings Mother Queen Mary then prisoner in England When he came to his Answer upon his solemne Oath Cleer grounds for his justification he denied his Charge t The Collection I Master Andrew Melvill protest before God and his elect
and oppressive both of the Nobility and Ministers Jesuites and Priests did flocke from beyond Sea in greater numbers then ever rr Collection hee procured Protections for Jesuites and trafficking Papists St. Andrews story li. 3. fol. 165. yeare 1579. this dissention betwixt the King and the Church brought with it many evils for upon the notice of it divers Jesuites and Priests did resort into the Country and at home such as were Popishly affected began openly to avow their profession the professed negotiation of the French Agents was to restore Queen Mary the trafiquers in that businesse were received with extraordinary curtefies All this did fill the hearts of the people both with griefe and feare for the undermining of their Religion for the destruction of their King and ruine of the Kingdome These passions increased when they did see the English Embassadors at that same time used in a much divers fashion railed upon by rascals in the streets vexed with infamous Libels fixed upon the doores of their Lodgings endangered in their persons by Pistols shot in at their windowes ſſ Spotswoods History lib. 6. fol. 173. yeare 1582. La Mot came by England having the same Instructions to renew the purpose of the Association which was set on foot the yeere before and almost concluded in this sort that the Queene of Scots should communicate the Crowne with her Son and both be joyned in the administration of affaires but upon the Dukes sequestring from Court it was left off and not mentioned againe till now The Collection The Queen of Englands Ambassadour Master Randall was abused with infamous Libels affixed upon the doore of his Lodging the chiefe Courtiers withdrew their countenance from him such as resorted to him were observed an Harquebus charged with two bullets was shot in at his chamber window where he usually sate and all this without any punishment upon the authors of such atrocious contumilies In this posture of affaires to tempt yet further the patience of honest people some French Merchants did move the King to desire the Magistrates of Edenborough to invite the French Agent to a publick Feast tt Collection While La Mot is thus practising some French Merchants in Edenborough for their owne commodity caused it to be motioned to the King to send one to the Counsell of Edenborough to give the French Ambassadour a Banquet the Counsell refusing the King was offended and alleaged the motion came from themselves the matter was againe debated in Counsell in end the best part of the Counsell contradicting it was concluded the Banquet should be made whereupon the Session of the Kirke resolved upon a Fast or rather abstinence that day the Presbytery knew nothing of it the unseasonablenesse of the time made the desire grievous to the Magistrates and therefore they declined it with a faire excuse yet the King was moved to presse them againe the motion being brought to the Common Counsell of the Town the Plurality yeelded though the most of the Magistrates and best part of the Counsellours were dissenting w Vide supra tt This matter being offensive to the Church Session or Congregational Eldership the day of the French Festival by the joint advice of the Magistrates Ministers and the rest who were present was appointed to be a day of Preaching and prayer xx The Censure The Allegeance that the Presbytery of Edenbrough did appoint a Fast to be kept upon the day that the French Ambassadour was Banqueted by the Towne of Edenborough is false for not the Towne but some French factioners in the Towne Banqueted the Ambassadours three Bailies the greatest part of the Counsell and some of the Kings Privy Counsell were in the Church in the time of the Banquet not the Presbytery but the particular Session of the Kirke of Edinborough with the advice of so many Magistrates and Counsellours as were not contrivers of the Banquet appointed a voluntary abstinence this was thought to be the fairest way with the least offence to hinder if it might be that offensive and unseasonable Banquet as for any processe of excommunication intended against them who choosed rather to feast with the French then to pray with the City and most of the Magistrates I take it but for a meer fable for albeit the Author therof Adamson had not acknowledged his Narration of the Banquet to be false as he does expresly yy Adamsons Recantation My good will was I protest to have condemned every point yea even to the false Narration of the Banquet and all the rest contained in that little Treatise called the Declaration of the Kings Majesties intentions as I acknowledge they deserve to be condemned by the censure and judgment of the Kirk yet why should we have taken it in any other sense then the other passages of the same Pamphlet wherein he avowes the Presbyteries to have put out innumerable Orders directly opposite to the King and have sent Lawes and Commands to his Majesty under the paine of Excommunication zz Vide the printed Declaration which all the world sees setting aside the Authors confession to be meer lyes and notorious calumnies aaa The Censure that the Assembly was accustomed to prescribe Lawes to the King and Counsell under paine of Excommunication to appoint no Bishops in time to come such calumnies are not worthy to be answered for to draw out of the pure fountaines of Gods word an Ecclesiasticall Canon agreeable to the same and to suit like humble Suppliants the approbation of the same is the dutie of the Kirke this is not a prescribing of Lawes to the King and Estates But suppose that all the alledged circumstances of that sad festivall The extreame unjustice of the Prelats of old and Era 〈◊〉 now against the Presbytery had beene all true yet could this trespasse be no otherwise expiate then by the very abolition not onely of that Judicatory whence the overture did proceed but also of all the Judicatories of that kinde in the whole Kingdome being altogether ignorant and innocent of the transgression and though the Episcopall rigour should have been thus transcendent yet what shadow of reason could be brought for the overthrow of the Classes for the trespasse of the Congregadonall Eldership It was not the Classicall Presbytery of Edinborough but the Towne Session that was alledged to be the delinquent We wonder not when Prelates are Counsellors to see strange and unheard of rules of Justice but of this we marvaile that the Leaders of the Independent or Erastian party should be so well pleased with such patternes as not to have patience to have them at this time concealed but will needs have them brought forth of the grave of oblivion where long they lay buried to be looked upon by the State at this time as ruled cases for their imitation As for the abolition of the generall Assembly three of their offences are named their approbation of the road of Ruthven
meanest guiltlesse The guilt of our blood shall not onely lie upon the Prince but also upon our own Brethren Bishops Counsellours and Commissioners it is they even they that have stirred our Prince against us we must therefore lay the blame and burden of our blood upon them especially however the rest above written be also partakers of their fins with them And as to the rest of our Brethen who either by silence approve or by crying Peace Peace strengthen the arme of the wicked that they cannot returne in the meane time make the hearts of the righteous sad they shall all in like manner be guilty of our blood and of high treason against the King of Kings the Lord Jesus Christ his Crowne and Kingdome Next unto them all Counsellours Chancellour President Comptroller Advocate and next unto them all that first or last sate in Counsell and did not beare plaine testimony of Jesus Christ and his Kingdome for which we doe suffer and next unto them all these who should have been present and supplied who should at such times have come and made open testimony of Christ faithfully although it had been contrary to plaine Law and hazard of their lives when the poor Jewes were in such danger that nothing was expected but utter destruction Queen Ester after three days fasting concluded thus with her selfe Ester 9.16 I will said she goe in to the King though it be not according to Law and if I perish I perish with this resolution such as are borne Counsellours should have said Christs Kingdome is now in my hand and I am bound also and sworne by a speciall Covenant to maintaine the Doctrine and Discipline thereof according to my vocation and power all the dayes of my life under all the paines contained in the Book of God and danger both of body and soule in the day of Gods fearfull judgement and therefore though I should perish in the cause yet will I speak for it and to my power defend it according to my vocation Finally all those that counsels commands consents and allowes are guilty in the sight of God but the mourners for these evils and the faithfull of the Land and they who are unfainedly grieved in heart for all the abominations these are marked as not being guilty Ezek. 9. I know not whether I shall ever have occasion to write againe and therefore by this Leteer as my latter will and testament I give testimony and warning and knowledge of those things to all men according to the Lords direction to the Prophet Son of man I have made c. therefore I give warning to all men hereby Ezek. 33.7 that no mans blood be required at my hand Thus desiring the help of your prayers with my humble commendations and service in Christ to my Lord your Husband and to all the Saints there the Messenger of peace be with you all for evermore Amen Yours to my full power for the time Christs Prisoner JOHN WELSCH From Blacknesse Jan. 16. 1606. This second Letter was written before the first to Sir William Levinstone of Kilsyth one of the Lords of the Colledge of Iustice RIght honorable Sir after my hearty salutations Your love and care towards us uttered many wayes hath certainly comforted me and having no other thing to requite as I am able I shall desire the Lord who is mighty and hath taken upon him so to doe to meet you and yours with consolations in his good time As for the matter it selfe the bearer will shew you that what is required is such a thing as in the sight of our Lord we may not doe without both the hazard of our consciences and liberty of Christs Kingdome which should be deerer to us then any thing else What a slavery were it for us to binde our consciences in the service of our God in the meanest point of our callings to the will of man or Angels And we are fully resolved that which we did was acceptable service to our God who hath put it up as service done to him and has allowed and sealed it to us by many tokens so that it were more then high impiety and apostacy to testifie the ruine or undoing of any thing which our God hath ordained to be done and has accepted of us being done a This Letter is an Answer of Master Welsh to Kilsyth it seemes Spotswood then Archbishop of Glasgow had moved Kilsyth to tempt the prisoners after their condemnation to acknowledge a fault and crave pardon for their actions at Aberdeen upon assurance of libertie this overture Master Welsh rejects as unlawfull and withall denounces the judgement of God against Spotswood the chiefe instrument of the gracious Ministers oppression in a mervailous and altogether Propheticall manner Wee Sir if the Lord will are yet ready to doe more in our callings and to suffer more for the same if so be it wil please our God to call us to it and strengthen us in it for in our selves we dare promise nothing but in our God all things As for that instrument Spotswood we are sure the Lord will never blesse that man but a malediction lyes upon him and shall accompany all his doings and it may be Sir your eyes shall see as great confusion covering him ere he goe to the grave as did his predecessours Now surely Sir I am farre from bitternesse but here I denounce the wrath of an everlasting God against him which assuredly shall fall except it be prevented Sir Dagon shall not stand before the Arke of the Lord and those names of blasphemy that he weares of Lord Bishop and Archbishop will have a fearfull end a This Prophesie of the abolishing of Episcopacy is now accomplished in our eyes Not one beck is to be given to Haman suppose he were as great a Courtier as ever he was suppose the Decree were given out and sealed with the Kings Ring Deliverance will come to us elsewhere and not by him that hath been so sore an instrument not against our persons that were nothing and I protest to you Sir in the fight of my God I forgive him all the evill that ever he hath done or can doe to me but unto Christs poore Kirk in stamping underfoot so glorious a Kingdome and beauty as was once in this Land he has helped to cut Sampsons haire and to expose him to mocks but the Lord will not be mocked he shall be cast away as out of a sling-stone his name shall rot and a malediction shall fall upon his posterity after he is gone c Not a word of this is fallen to the ground Spotswood in the top of all his honours when he had come up to be Archbishop of St. Andrewes and Chancellour of the Kingdome he was cast out of Scotland and dyed a poore miserable man at London having not a sixpence of his own to buy Bread or to put him in his grave but as it was begged at Court the evident hand of God lighted on his posterity his Lands of Darsie all the conquesse he was able to make to his eldest Son Sir Jo. Spotswood is ready to be sold and that branch of his posterity to goe a begging his second Son Sir Robert Spotswood President of the Colledge of Justice for his treason against Scotland did dye miserably on a scaffold at St. Andrews an obdured impenitent man his brother the Bishop of Clogher was cast out of his great estates in Ireland and here in extreame old age was put as he told us to teach children for his Bread and being unfit for that imployment he was long a suitor here at London for the meanest place in the Ministry that he might be kept from starving but could not obtaine it Let this Letter Sir be a Monument of it that it was told before that whē it shall come to passe it may be seene there was warning given him and therfore Sir seeing I have not the accesse my selfe if it would please God to move you I wish you did deliver this hard Message unto him not as from me I assure you but as from the Lord that except he repent he shall be made a fearfull spectacle of Gods wrath in this Land d These things were Prophesied in the yeer 1605. forty yeers before their full performance contrary to al worldly appearance for then and many yeeres after Master Welsh his death it was more improbable that the Episcopall thrones in the King of Britains Dominions could ever have been overthrown by any humane force then that the See of the Pope at Rome and the Seats of all the Antichristian Prelates in Italy France and Spain or any where this day in the Earth should be overturned in despight of all their Defenders I have kept the matter onely to my selfe as our Brother will shew you Now the grace of God be multiplyed upon you Yours from my heart to be commanded in the Lord. JOHN WELSH From Blacknesse Oct. 9. 1605.