ever more guilty of that fault then the praelats of England and Ireland did they ever censure their own officialls for the pronouncing of that terrible sentence most profanly against any they would had it been for the non-payment of the smallest summes of mony As for the Scotes their doctrine and practise in the point of excommunication is as considerat as any other church in the world that censure in Scotland is most rare and only in the case of obstinacy in a great sin what ever be their doctrine in generall with all other Christians and as I think with the praelaticall party themselves that the object of Christian doctrine Sacraments and disciplin is one and the same and that no member of Christ no sone of the Church may plead a highnes above admonitions and Church censures yet I know they never thought it expedient so much as to intend any processe of Church animadversion against their Soveraigne To the worlds end I hope they shal not have againe greater grievances and truer causes of citation from their Princes then they have had already It may be confidently beleeved that they who upon so pregnant occasions did never so much as intend the beginning of a processe against their King can never be supposed in danger of any such proceeding for time to come How ever we love not the abused ground of the Warners flattering of Princes to their owne great hurt is it so indeed that all the sins of princes are only against God that all Kings are not only above all lawes of Church and State but when they fall into the greatest crimes that the worst of men have ever committed that even then their sins must not be against any man or against any law such Episcopall doctrin spurrs on princes to these unhappy praecipies and oppressed people unto these outrages that both fall into inextricable calamities CHAP. VI. It grieves the Praelats that Presbyterians are faithfull Watchmen to admonish Princes of their duty THE sixth Chapter is spent on an other crime of the Presbytery it makes the Presbiters cry to the Magistrat for justice upon capitall offenders Ans. What hes Presbytery to doe with this matter were it never so great an offence will the Warner have all the faults of the praelaticall faction flow from the fountaine of Episcopacy this unconsequentiall reasoning will not be permitted to men below the degrees of Doctors But was it a very great crime indeed for Ministers to plead the cause of the fatherlesse and widowes yea the cause of God their Master and to preach unto Magistrats that according to Scriptures murtherers ought to die and the Land bee purged from the staine of innocent blood when the shamefull impunity of murther made Scotland by deadly feuds in time of peace a feild of warre and blood was it not time for the faithfull servants of God to exhort the King to execute justice and to declare the danger of most frequent pardons drawne from his hand often against his heart by the importunity and deceitfull information of powerfull solicitors to the great offence of God against the whole land to the unexpressible griefe and wrong of the suffering party to the opening also of a new floodgate of more blood which by a legall revenge in time easily might have been stopped Too much pitty in sparing the wilfull shedders of innocent blood ordinarlie proves a great cruelty not only towards the disconsolat oppressed who cry to the vicegerents of God the avenger for justice in vaine but also towards the soule of him who is spared and the life of many more who are friends either to the oppressor or oppressed As for the named case of Huntly let the world judge whether the Ministers had reason often to give Warning against that wicked man and his complices Beside his apostacy and after-seeming-repentance his frequent relapses into avowed popery in the eighty eight he banded with the King of Spaine to overthrow the religion and government of the whole Iland and after pardon from time to time did renew his treasonable plots for the ruine of Britain hee did commit many murders he did invade under the nose of the King the house of his Cousin the Earle of Murray and most cruelly murdered that gallant Nobleman hee appeared with displayed Banner against the King in person he killed thereafter many hundreds of the Kings good people when these multiplyed outrages did cry up to the God of heaven was is not time for the men of God to cry to the judges of the earth to doe their duty according to the warrant of many Scriptures what a dangerous humour of flattery is this in our Praelats not only to lull asleep a Prince in a most sinfull neglect of his charge but also to cry out upon others more faithfull then themselves for assaying to breake of their slumber by their wholesome and seasonable admonitions from the word of God The nixt challenge of the Scotes Presbyters is that they spoile the King of his Tythes first fruits patronage and dependence of his subjects Ans. The Warner understands not what he writes the Kings Majestie in Scotland never had never craved any first fruits the Church never spoiled the King of any Tythes some other men indeed by the wickednesse most of Praelats and their followers did cousin both the King and the Church of many Tythes but his Majestie and the Church had never any controversie in Scotland about the Tythes for the King so far as concerned himselfe was ever willing that the Church should enjoy that which the very act of Parliament acknowledgeth to bee her patrimony Nor for the patronages had the Churh any plea with the King the Church declared often their minde of the iniquity of patronages wherein they never had from the King any considerable opposition but from the Nobility and gentry the opposition was so great that for peace-sake the Church was content to let patronages alone till God should make a Parliament lay to heart what was incumbent for gracious men to doe for liberating congregations from their slavery of having Ministers intruded upon them by the violence of Patrones Which now at last blessed be God according to our mind is performed As for the dependence of any vassals upon the King it was never questioned by any Presbyterian in Scotland What is added in the rest of the Chapter is but a repetition of that which went before to wit the Presbyters denying to the King the spirituall government of the Church and the power of the keyes of the Kingdome of heaven such an usurpation upon the Church King James declared under his hand as at length may be seen in the Historicall vindication to be a sinne against the Father Son and Holy Ghost which puts in the hand of the Magistrat the power of preaching and celebrating the Sacraments a power which since that time no Magistrat in Britaine did assume and if any would have
to the end people might be brought back to their old licentiousnes and ignorance by which the Episcopall Kingdome was advanced It was visible in Scotland that the most eminent Bishops were usual players on the Sabbath even in time of divine service And so soone as they were cast out of the Parliament the Churches supplications were granted and acts obtained for the carefull sanctification of the Lords day and removing of the mercats in all the land from the Munday to other dayes of the week The Warners nixt challenge of our usurpation is the assembly at Edinburgh 1567 their ratifying of acts of Parliament and summoning of all the country to appeare at the nixt assembly Ans. If the Warner had knowne the history of that time he would have choysed rather to have omitted this challenge then to have proclaimed to the world the great rottennesse of his own heart at that time the condition of the Church and Kingdome of Scotland was lamentable the Queen was declared for popery King James's Father was cruelly without any cause murthered by the Earle of Bothwell King James himselfe in his infancy was very neare to have been destroyed by the murtherer of his Father there was no other way conceivable of saftie for Religion for the infant King for the Kingdome but that the Protestantes should joine together for the defence of King James against these popish murtherers For this end the generall assembly did crave conference of the secrete counsel and they with mutual advise did call for a meeting of the whole Protestant party which did conveen at the time appointed most frequently in an extraordinary and mixed assembly of all the considerable persons of the Religion Earles Lords Barrons Gentlemen Burgesses and Ministers and subscribed a bond for the revenge of King Henryes death and the defence of King Iames his life This mixed and extraordinary assembly made it one of the chiefe articles in their bond to defend these Actes of the Parliament 1560 concerning religion and to endeavour the ratification of them in the nixt ensuing Parliament As for the assemblies letter to their Brethren for so frequent a meeting at the nixt extraordinary assembly it had the authority of the secret counsel it was in a time of the greatest necessity when the Religion and liberties of the land were in evident hazard from the potent and wicked counsels of the popish party both at home and abroad when the life of the young King was daily in visible danger from the hands of them who had murthered his Father and ravished his Mother Lesse could not have been done in such a juncture of time by men of wisedom and courage who had any love to their Religion King and country but the resolution of our praelats is to the contrary when a most wicked villaine had obtained the connivance of a Queen to kill her husband and to make way for the killing of her Son in his Cradle and after these murders to draw a nation Church from the true Religion established by Law into popery and a free Kingdome to an illegall Tyranny in this case there may be no meeting either of Church or State to provide remedies against such extraordinary mischiefes Beleeve it the Scotes were never of this opinion What is subjoined in the nixt paragraph of our Churches praesumption to abolish acts of Parliament is but a repetition of what is spoken before Not only the lawes of Scotland but equity and necessity referres the ordinary reformation of errours and abuses in Religion to the Ecclesiasticall assemblies what they find wrong in the Church though ratified by acts of Parliament they rectify it from the word of God and thereafter by petition obtaines their rectification to be ratifyed in a following Parliament and all former acts to the contrary to be annulled This is the ordinary Methode of proceeding in Scotland and as I take it in all other States and Kingdomes Were Christians of old hindred to leave paganisme and embrace the Gospell till the emperiall lawes for paganisme and against Christianity were revoked did the oecumenicall and National Synods of the auncients stay their reformation of heresies and corruptions in religion till the lawes of State which did countenance these errors were cancelled Was not popery in Germany France and Britaine so firmely established as civil lawes could doe it It seems the Warner heer does joyne with his Brother Issachar to proclaime all our Reformers in Britaine France and Germany to be Rebells for daring by their preachings and Assemblies to change these things which by acts of Parliaments had been approven before new Parliaments had allowed of their reformation Neverthelesse this plea is foolishly intended against us for the Ministers protestation against the acts of Parliament 1584 establishing in that houre of darknes iniquity by a law and against the acts of the Assembly of Glasgow declaring the unlawfulnesse of Bishops and ceremonies which some Parliaments upon Episcopall mis-information had approven both these actions of the Church were according to former Lawes and were ratified afterward by acts of Parliament yet standing in force which for the Warner a privatman and a stranger to challenge is to contemne much more grossly the law then they doe whom here he is accusing of that crime By the nixt Story the Warner will gaine nothing when the true case of it is knowne In King Iames minority one Captaine Iames Stuart did so farre prevail upon the tender and unexperienced yeares of the Prince as to steale his countenance unto acts of the greatest oppression so farre that Iames Hamelton Earle of Arran the nixt to the King in blood in his health a most gallant Prince and a most zealous professor of the true Religion in time of his sicknes when he was not capable to commit any crime against the State was notwithstanding spoiled of all his lively hood and liberty his Lands and honour with the dignity of high Chancelor of Scotland were conferred on that very wicked Tyrant Captain Iames a number of the best affected and prime nobility impatient of such unheard-of oppressiones with meere boasts and no violence at the road of Ruthven chased away that unhappy chancelor from the Kings persone this his Majestie for the time professed to take in so good part that under his hand he did allow it for good service in his letters to the most of the Neighbour princes he dealt also with the secrete counsel and the chiefe judicatories of the land and obtained from them the approbation of that act of the Lords as convenient and laudable promising likewise to ratify it in the nixt ensuing Parliament When the Lords for their more abundante cleering required the Assemblies declaration there upon the Ministers declined to medle at all with the case but the Kings Majestie sent his Commissioners to the Assembly entreating them withall earnestnesse to declare their good liking of that action which he assured them was for his
paribus no Apostle is superior to an Apostle nor an Evangelists to an Evangelist nor prophet to a prophet nor a Doctour to a Doctour in any spirituall power according to scripture Ergo no Pastor to a Pastor Againe I reason from 1. Tim. 4. 14. Math 18. 15. 1. Cor. 5. 4. 12. 13 What taks the power of ordination and jurisdiction from Bishops destroyes Bishops as the removall of the soule kills the man and the denyall of the forme takes away the subject so the power of ordination and jurisdiction the essentiall forme whereby the Bishop is constitute and distinguished from the Presbyter and every other Church officer being removed from him he must perish but the quoted places take away cleerly these powers from the Bishop for the first puts the power of ordination in the Presbytery and a Bishop is not a Presbytery the second puts the power of jurisdiction in the Church and the third in a company of men which meet together but the Bishop is not the Church nor a company of men met together for these be many and he is but one persone When the Doctors learning hes satisfied us in these two he shall receave more scripturall arguments against Episcopacy But why doe wee expect answers from these men when after so long time for all their boasts of learning and their visible leasure none of their party hes hade the courage to offer one word of answer to the Scriptures and Fathers which in great plenty Mr. Parker and Mr. Didoclave of old and of late that miracle of learning most noble Somais and that Magazin of antiquity Mr. Blondel have printed against them What in the end of the Chapter the Warner addes of our trouble at King James his fiftie and five questions 1596 and of our yeelding the bucklers without any opposition till the late unhappy troubles we answer that in this as every where else the Warner proclaines his great and certaine knowledge of our Ecclesiastick story the troubles of the Scots divines at that time were very small for the matter of these questions all which they did answer so roundly that ther was no more speach of them therafter by the propounders but the manner and time of these questions did indeed perplex good men to see Erastian and Prelaticall counsellors so farr to prevaile with our King as to make him by captious questions carpe at these parts of Church-discipline which by statuts of Parliament and acts of Assemblyes were fully established Our Church at that time was far from yeelding to Episcopacy great trouble indeed by some wicked States-men was then brought upon the persones of the most able and faithfull Ministers but our land was so far from receiving of Bishops at that time that the question was not so much as proposed to them for many yeares thereafter it was in Ann. 1606 that the English Praelats did move the King by great violence to cast many of the best and most learned Preachers of Scotland out of their charges and in Ann. 1610 that a kind of Episcopacy was set up in the corrupt assembly of Glasgow under which the Church of Scotland did heavily groane till the yeare 1637 when their burdens was so much increased by the English praelaticall Tax-masters that all was shaken of together and divine justice did so closly follow at the heeles that oppressing praelacy of England as to the great joy of the long oppressed Scotes that evill root and all its branches was cast out of Britaine where wee trust no shadow of it shall ever againe be seen CHAP. IX The Common-wealth is no monster when God is made Soveraigne and their commands of men are subordinated to the clear will of God HAving cleered the vanity of these calumnious challenges wherewith the Warner did animate the King and all Magistrates against the Presbyterians let us try if his skill be any greater to inflame the people against it Hee would make the World beleeve that the Presbyterians are great transsubstantiators of whole Common-wealths into beasts and Metamorphosers of whole Kingdomes of men into Serpents with two heads how great and monstrous a Serpent must the Presbytery be when shee is the Mother of a Dragon with two heads But it is good that she has nothing to doe with the procreation of the Dragon with seven heads the great Antichrist the Pope of Rome this honour must bee left to Episcopacy the Presbytery must not pretend to any share in it The Warners ground for his pretty fimilitude is that the Presbyterians make two Soveraignities in every Christian State whose commands are contrary Ans. All the evill lyeth in the contrariety of the commands as for the double Soveraignity ther is no shew of truth in it for the Presbyterians cannot bee guilty of coordinating two Soveraignities in one State though the Praelats may wel be guilty of that fault since they with there Masters of Rome mantaine a true hierarchie a Spirituall Lord-ship a domination and principality in their Bishops above all the members of the Church but the Presbyterians know no 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 no dominion no Soveranity in Church officers but a meer ministry under Christ. As for the contrariety of commands its true Christs Ministers must publish all the commands oftheir Soveraigne Lord whereunto no command of any temporall Prince needs or ought to be contrary but if it fall out to bee so it is not the Presbytery but the holy Scriptures which command rather to obey God then man Dare the Warner heere oppose the Presbyterians dare he mantaine a subordination of the Church to the State in such a fashion that the cleer commands of God published by the Church ought to give place to the contrary commands of the State if the Warner must needs invert and contradict Christ ruling of this case let him goe on to preach doctrine point blank to the Apostles that it is better to obey men then God It falls out as rarely in Scotland as any where in the world that the Church and State run contrary wayes but if so it happen the commune rules of humane direction towards right and wrong judgement must be followed if a man find either the Church or the State or both command what he knowes to be wrong for neither the one nor the other hath any infallibility their is no doubt but either or both may be disobeyed yet with this difference that for disobedience to the Churches most just commands a man can not fall under the smallest temporall inconvenient without the States good pleasure but for his disobedience to the most unjust commands of the State he must suffer what ever punishment the law does inflict without any releefe from the Church Two instances are brought by the Warner of the Church and States contrary commands the first the King commanded Edenburgh to feast the frensh Ambassadours but the Church commanded Edenburgh to fast that day when the King desired them to feast
for great sins and after a long processe yet certainly their execution is very farre from all cruelty as they who know the proceedings of that land will beare witnes What he objects about fugitives it is true when a proces is begunne a fugitive may have it concluded and sent after him but we count not that man a fugitive from discipline or contumacious as the Warner quarrels us who upon just feare to hazard his life does not compear CHAP. XII The Presbytery is hurtfull to no order of men PRaelaticall malice is exorbitant beyond the bounds of all shew of moderation was it not enough to have calumniat the Presbytery to Kings Princes and Soveraignes to Parliaments and all Courts of Justice to people and all particular persons but yet a new chapter must be made to shew in it the hurtfullnes of Presbytery to all orders of men wee must have patience to stand a little in the unsavoury aire of this vomite also Unto the nobility and gentry the Presbitery must be hurtfull because it subjecteth them to the censures of a raw heady novice and a few ignorant artificers Ans. It s good that our praelats are now turned pleaders against the oppression of the Nobility and gentry it s not long since the praelatical clergy were accustomed to set their foule feet on the necks of the greatest peeres of the three Kingdomes with to high a pride and pressure that to shake of their yock no suffering no hazard has been refused by the best of the Nobility and gentry of Britaine but natures and principles are so easy to be changed that no man now needs feare any more oppression from the praelats though they were set downe again and wel warned in their repaired throns But to the challenge we answer that the meanest Eldership of a small Congregation in Scotland consists of the Pastor and a dozen at least of the most wise pious and learned that are to be found in the whole flock which yet the Warner heer makes to be judges but of the common people in matters of smallest moment But for the classicall Presbytery to which he referres the Ecclesiasticall causes of the Nobility and gentry and before whom indeed every Church processe of any considerable weight or difficulty does come though it concerne the persons of the meanest of the people this Presbytery does consist ordinarly of fifeteen Ministers at least and fifeteen of the most qualified noblemen gentlemen and Burgesses which the circuit of fifteen parishes can affoord these I hope may make up a judicatory of a great deale more worth then any officiall court which consists but of one judge a petty mercenary lawyer to whose care alone the whole Ecclesiastick jurisdiction over all the Nobility and gentry of diverse shyres is committed and that without appeale as the Warner has told us except it be to a Court of delegats a miserable releefe that all the Nobility gentry and Commons of a Kingdome who are oppressed by Episcopall officials have no other remedie but to goe attende a Committee of two or three civilians at London deputed for the discussing of such appeales The Presbyterian course is much more ready solide and equitable if any grievance arise from the sentence of a Presbytery a Synode twice a yeare doth sit in the bounds and attends for a week or if need be longer to determine all appeales and redresse all grievances now the Synode does consist of all the Ministers within the bounds which ordinarly are of diverse whole shyres as that of Glasgow of the upper and neather ward of Clidsedaile Baerranfrow Lennox Kile Carrick and Cunninghame also beside Ministers the constant members who have decisive voice in Synodes are the chiefe Noblemen Gentlemen and Burgesses of all these shyres among whom their be such parts for judgment as are not to be found nor expected in any inferiour civil Court of the Kingdom yet if it fall out so that any party be grieved with the sentence of a Synode there is then a farther and finall appeale in a Generall assembly which consists of as many Burgesses and more Gentlemen from every shire of the Kingdome then come to any Parliament beside the prime Nobility and choisest Ministry of the land having the Kings Majestie in persone or in his absence his high Commissioner to be their praesident This meeting yeerly or oftner if need be sits ordinarly a month and if they think fit longer the number the wisedome the eminency of the members of this Court is so great that beside the unjustice it were a very needlesse labour to appeal from it to the Parliament for as we have said the King or his high Commissioner sits in both meetings albeit in a differēt capacity the number and qualification of knights and Burgesses is ever large as great in the assembly as in the Parliament only the difference is that in the Parliament all the Nobility in the Kingdom sit without any election and by virtue of their birth but in the Assembly only who for age wisedome and piety are chosen by the Presbyteries as fittest to judge in Ecclesiastick affairs but to make up this oddes of the absence of some Noblemen the Assembly is alwayes adorned with above ane hundred of the choisest Pastors of the whole land none where of may sit in Parliament nothing that can conciliate authority to a Court or can be found in the Nation is wanting to the generall assembly how basely so ever our praelats are pleased to trample upon it The second alledged hurt which the Nobility have from the Presbytery is the losse of their patronages by congregations electing their Pastors Ans. Howsoever the judgment of our Church about patronages is no other then that of the Reformed divines abroad yet have our Presbyteries alwayes with patience endured patrons to present unto vacant Churches till the Parliament now at last hath taken away that grievance The Nobilities last hurt by the Presbytry is their losse of all their impropriations and Abey-lands Ans. How Sycophantick an accusation is this for who knowes not how farre the whole generation of the praelaticke faction doe exceed the highest of the Presbyterians in zeale against that which they call Sacriledge never any of the Presbyterians did attempt either by violence or a course of Law to put out any of the Nobility or gentry from their possessions of the Church-lands but very lately the threats and vigorous activity of the praelats and their followers were so vehement in this kinde that all the Nobility and gentry who had any interest were wackned to purpose to take heed of their rights In the last Parliament of Scotland when the power of the Church was as great as they expect to see it againe though they obtained the abolition of patronages yet were the possessors of the church-Church-lands and tythes so little harmed that their rights therto were more cleerly and strongly confirmed then by any praeceding Parliament
The fourth hurt is that every ordinary Presbyter wil make himselfe a Noblemans fellow Ans. No where in the World does gracious Ministers though meane borne men receive more respect from the Nobility then in Scotland neither any where does the Nobility and gentry receive more duely their honour then from the Ministers there That insolent speach fathered on Mr. Robert Bruce is demonstrat to be a fabulous calumny in the historicall vindication How ever the Warner may know that in all Europe where Bishops have place it hes ever at least these 800 yeares been their nature to trample under foot the highest of the Nobility As the Pope must be above the Emperour so a little Cardinal Bellarmin can tell to King Iames that hee may well be counted a companion of any Ilander King were the Bishops in Scotland ever content till they got in Parliament the right hand and the nearest seates to the throne and the doore of the greatest Earles Marquesses and duks was it not Episcopacy that did advance poore and capricious pedants to strive for the whyte staves great Seales of both Kingdomes with the prime Nobility and often overcome them in that strife In Scotland I know and the Warner will assure for England and Ireland that the basest borne of his brethren hes ruffled it in the secreet counsel in the royall Exchequer in the highest courts of justice with the greatest Lords of the Land it s not so long that yet it can be forgotten since a Bishop of Galloway had the modesty to give unto a Marquise of Argile tanta mont to a broadly in his face at the counsel table The Warner shall doe well to reckon no more with Presbyters for braving of Noblemen The nixt hee will have to bee wronged by the Presbytery are the orthodoxe clergy Ans. All the Presbyterians to him it seemes are heterodoxe Episcopacy is so necessary a truth that who denies it must be stamped as for a grievous errour with the character of heterodox The following words cleere this to be his mind they losse saith hee the confortable assurance of undoubted succession by Episcopall ordination what sence can be made of these words but that all Ministers who are not ordained by Bishops must lie under the confortlesse uncertainty of any lawfull succession in their ministeriall charge for want of this succession through the lineall descent of Bishops from the Apostles at least for want of ordination by the hands of Bishops as if unto them only the power of mission and ordination to the Ministry were committed by Christ because of this defect the Presbyterian Ministers must not only want the confort of an assured and undoubted calling to the Ministry but may very well know and be assured that their calling and Ministry is null The words immediatly following are scraped out after their printing for what cause the author lest knoweth but the purpose in hand makes it probable that the deletted words did expresse more of his mind then it was safe in this time and place to speake out it was the late doctrine of Doctor Brambles prime friends that the want of Episcopall ordination did not only annuall the calling of all the Ministers of France Holland Zwit-zerland and Germany but also did hinder all these societies to be true Churches for that popular Sophisme of the Jesuits our praelats did greedily swallow where are no true Sacraments there is no true Church and where is no true Ministry there are no true Sacraments and where no true ordination there is no true ministry and where no Bishops there is no true ordination and so in no reformed country but in England and Ireland where were true Bishops is any true Church When Episcopacy comes to this height of elevation that the want of it must annull the Ministry yea null the Church and all the Reformed at one strock is it any mervaill that all of them doe concurre together for their own preservation to abolish this insolent abaddon and destroyer and notwithstanding all its ruine have yet no disconfort at all nor any the least doubt of their most lawfull ordination by the hands of the Presbytry After all this was writen as heer it stands another copie of the Warners book was brought to my hand wherin I found the deleted line stand printed in these distinct tearmes and put it to a dangerous question whither it be within the payle of the Church the deciphering of these words puts it beyond all peradventure that what I did conjecture of the Warner and his Brethrens minde of the state of all the reformed Churches was no mis-take but that they doe truely judge the want of Episcopall ordination to exclude all the Ministers of other Reformed Churches and their flocks also from the lines of the true Church This indeed is a most dangerous question for it stricks at the root of all If the Warner out of remorse of conscience had blotted out of his book that errour the repentance had been commendable But he hes left so much yet behind unscraped out as does shew his minde to continue what it was so that feare alone to provoke the reformed heere at this unseasonable time seemes to have been the cause of deleting these too cleare expressions of the praelaticall tenet against the very being and subsistence of all the Protestant Churches which want Episcopacy when these mē doe still stand upon the extreame pinacle of impudency and arrogance denying the Reformed to be true Churches and without scuple averring Rome as shee stands this day under the counsel of Trent to be a Church most true wherin there is an easy way of salvation from which all separation is needlesse and with which are-union were much to be desired That gracious faction this day is willing enough to perswade or at least to rest content without any opposition that the King should of himselfe without and before a Parliament though contrary to many standing Lawes grant under his hand and seale a full liberty of Religion to the bloody Irish and to put in their hands both armes Castles and prime Places of trust in the State that the King should give assurance of his endeavour to get all these ratified in the nixt Parliament of England these men can heare with all moderation and patience but behold their furious impatience their whole art and industry is wakned when they heare of any appearance of the Kings inclination towards covenanting Protestants night and day they beate in his Majesties head that all the mischieves of the world does lurke in that miserable covenant that death and any misfortune that the ruine of all the Kingdomes ought much rather to bee imbraced by his Majestie then that prodigious Monster that very hell of the Covenant because forsooth it doth oblige in plane tearmes the taker to endeavour in his station the abolition of their great Goddesse praelacy The nixt hurt of Ministers from the Presbytry is that by it they
praecedent or reason The Kings Majesties person or in his absence his high Commissioner is there onelie you tell him to countenance not vote in your meetings and proesides in them for exernal order not for any intrinsecal power So that when you goe on calmelie in your businesse he findes litle to doe without Domitians flie-flap of more use by farre in a summer Synod then a Scepter among you which you often times wrest out of his hand and continue your meetings after he hath dissolv'd them You can denie him or his commissioner the sight of publike papers brought into the Court which libertie the meanest subject may challenge And twhen he hath any thing to object against suppositions or at best suspicious Registers the E. Rothes can tell him boldlie in your names he must speake it praesentlie if at al and because he doth not you wait no longer but proimperio vote them to be authentike Beside to deminish as well the Kings state as authoritie you send Assessours or Assistants to your Elders and invest them with power aequivalent to his Councel This meeting thus disordered sits too long by a monâ—…th when no more and Assembles too often when but once in a yeare The number of such Members no more hindereth an appeale then a multitude of Malefactours can sentence a necessitie of becoming their followers in doing evil Their wisdome is such as his to whom a wiser man tells us it is a sport to doe mischief Their eminencie like Sauls head and shoulders higher then the common people in Rebellion And their honour somewhat like Absoloms mule beares them up to the priviledge of the great oake in the wood for their hanging in beter aequipage then their fellowes So that beside the justice there 's an absolute necessitie of appeal to the Parliament or in that to the King from himselfe to himselfe who sits there as supreme here in no other capacitie but of your servant Which is farre more justifiable and necessarie then vour appeale from both Parliament and Assemblie to the bodie of the people which I tell you againe is the final appeale you make when Assemblies are not modell'd to vour minde The number and qualification of Knights and Burgesses is therefore large and as great in your Assemblie as Parliament that your power may be as large and great in the State as the Church and the Nobilitie sit in one by election because they sit in the other by birth and so in a condition to unite the counsels of both according to the instructions of some few Presbyters that by Sycophantike infinuations have got possession of their soules and by their Spiritual Scepter dominion of their suffrages Headie zeale craft and hypocrisie got in commission or Covenant together we finde by experience can fit them to judge in Ecclesiastike affaires when age wisdome and pietie are sentenc'd If â—…he hundred choyce unparliamentarie pastours make up the oddes of some absent Noblemen it should seem you and the Nobilitie are even pares cum paribus Peeres alike in your honourable Assemblie Which they must not disdaine since Christ himselfe I meane not his Anoynted that you take to be out of quaestion goes but for a single Elder or Moderatour at most So Cartwright and his Demonstratour cajoles them together when he sayth If they the Princes and Nobles should disdaine to joine in consultation with poore men they should disdaine not men but Christ himselfe So that Christ being in his name made your Assembly Praesident or Prolocutour the King in his Commissioner your protectour the Nobilitie your aw full subvoters or suffraganes I see nothing wanting can conciliate a tyrannie to your Presbyterie nor keep your foot of pride from trampling as basely as may be upon the people But not to forget at last what you set in the front as first to be answered The Presbyterian course as you or I more trulie have describ'd it is not much more readie then the Praelatical because the benefit of appeale is to be had ordinarilie but once or twice in a yeare not much more solide because most of your Iudges can reasonablie be thought neither good Civilians nor Casuists not much more aequitable because as you order them many more of the laitie then Clergie In the second hurt your Nobilitie sustaine the Bishop lookes not upon the judgement of foreigne Reformed Devines you doe not say of Churches nor yet on their practice which I have know'n some time a great deale too sawcie with Princelie Patrons but upon the aequity of the thing upon the priviledge our Nobles in England enjoy the right yours have to the same by many yeares praescription and the lawes of your land The first will be found if the original be searched The right of patronage being by the due gratitude or favor of Kings Bishops reserved to such as either built Churches or endowed them with some considerable revenue as likewise for the encouragement of others to propagate meanes and multiplie decent distinct places for Christian conventions Hoc singulari favore sustinetur ut allectentur Laâ—…ci invitentur indâ—…antur ad constructionem Ecclesiarum The exercise hereof in Iustinian is expressed by the termes Epilegein or onomazein which signifies an addiction or simple nomination to stand good or be null'd at the just pleasure of the Bishop and therefore accounted no spiritual act in the Patron but a temporal annexed to that which is spiritual in the Bishop and therefore not simonaical as your brother Didoclave would have it Nor is there that absurdâ—…ie he mentions of arrogating to one what belong to all the Members of the Church as is praetended but can never be proved Nor that danger in transmitting this right from one to another if the care of the first patron desâ—…end not with it which defect the care of the praesent Bishop must supplie Nor is it requisite he should be a Member of the same parish to which he praesents since the Bishop is head of the same diocese to whom That this is contrarie to the libertie of the Primitive and Apostolike Kirke to the order which Gods word craves and good order is onelie sayd but not argued in your Discipline no more then by you when and to whom it became a grievance Your patience in enduring it goes for no heroical vertue being peevish enough soon after the Act of annexation had passed as appeares by your cariage in the Assemblie at Edenburgh 1588. and turned into a Rebellious Conspiracie allthough painted with the name of a Parliamâ—…nt that now at last because it could not at first hath taken it away The Nobilities losse of their Impropriations and Abbey lands is very considerable when they bethinke themselves upon what false pleas and to what unconcern'd persons they must part with them Touching which as Sycophantike as is the Bishops accusation he 'll not abate a sig of his right for
uttered by Bruce lookes more like a calumnie then their relation to a fable And yet such a superstitious reverence is payd by your fond brother Didoclave to the memorie of his name that he could be content to pin his fayth on his sleeve and hang his soul at his girdle Anima meâ—… cumanima tua Bruci si ex aliena â—…ide esset pendendum and were there to be but one priviledge of aeternal residence in heaven he thinkes neither Patriach nor Prophet Apostle nor Martyr no nor the Virgin Mary her selfe were likelie to carie it from Bruce Which compar'd with King Iames's opinion of him as a perfidious madman that had a whirligigge in his head delivered after to many experiments of his rebellious zeale and frantike restivenesse is enough to condemne both saint and votarie to some bedlam purgatorie before imposture can fixe or facilitie of fancie finde these new imaginarie lights among the starres Your following invective is writ with Arrius's quill and by such scribling you gaine the title that Constantine gave him patroctonos epiâ—…iceias discovering your selfe to be a parricide of aequitie murdering truth in your relation and justice in your parallel His Lordship takes himselfe not concern'd in this case to recollect 800. yeares Historie of Europe to picke out of the pietie humilitie of many Reverend Bishops the pride and passionate errours of some few Noâ—… hath he malice enough with you to make that the nature of their office which hath been some litle monstrositie of minde by ill habits accidental to their persons Beside what among the Papists the nobilitiâ—… by birth of many Bishops concurring with the received dominion and large revenve of their Spiritual pâ—…aeferment may elevate their thoughts and enhaunce their owne opinion of themselves if impaâ—…donable addes litle to the condemnation of ours which partake in litle with them but their titles The universal supremacie which the Pope arrogates aswell over Kings as Bishops may puffe up a litle Cardinal that is neare him in his purple possesse him with a conceit that he may Write himselfe companion to a King whom he thinkes but is mistaken oblig'd in Spiritual humilitie to lie prostrate at his holinesse foot and kisse his slippeâ—… But the same Kings soveraigntie in Ecclesiasticiâ—… at home secur'd him from all such conâ—…estation with his Bishops Though had it not the argument from a Cardinal in Rome to a Praelate in England will hardliâ—… finde a topike Those in Scotland take themselves as capable of honour conferr'd upon their order as their Popish praedecessours Nor are such legal establishments if not of right of Princelie favour to becast away in complement Nor were they to make an unnecessarie distance out of forme when the material meaning of their vicinitie to the throne was the neare concernment of their counsel to the King Orthodoxe Monarchs as well as Papists having doubting consciences and orthodoxe Bishops as good abilities to resolve them I have not heard they crowded much or quickened their pace to get the doore of the Earles c. Their Provincial that with much humilitie and respect unto their H. H. tooke it was lead to it by the hand that had exalted them or their progernitours But for the reason of praecedence which I guesse to be your meaning you were best review the Heralds office and reforme it Poor podants are not to be reproached for making a litle diocese of their Schooles Priests being charged to make such of their houses and from the experimental regiment of boyes raising their abilities by honest endeavours to the meriting an higher Episcopate of men Nor their conscientious demeanour in that office to be aesteemed the arroganciâ—… of their order if it move Kings to commit the white staves to the crosiar and great seales to be under the keyes of the Church The most capricious of them all and most contentious for the honour which I thinke were none but such as did you too much service when they had it were many straines below your Presbyterie of Knoxes Bruces c Who have contested with Kings for their Scepters which with white staves and seales they brought under the pedantike jurisdiction of their rod. Never have Bishops so ruâ—…led it as many base borno Presbyters with the secret Counsel To whose Consistories all Courts of Iustice were faine to doe homage the greatest Lords of the land become subordinate Elders to the parson of their parish It 's not so long that yet it can be forgoten since a most violent and malicious man call'd the Goodman of Earlstounne a client of the E. Argile for interrupting of divine service forceable overturning the Communion Table in his Parish Kirke thâ—…eatning and abusing the Minister with many other such enormous crimes was fined but the fine never exacted by the High Commission and confined for a season The E. Argile complain'd of his hard usâ—…ge to the Lords of Counsell and enformed against the Bishop of Galloway that he promised to him somewhat which he had not perfâ—…rmed The Bishop denied the promise gainsayd what the Earle alledged whereupon sayd the Earle If you say so 't is as much as if I liâ—… The Bishop modestlie replied I doe not say so but I beseech your Lp. to call your selfe beter to minde you will finde it as I say This is giving the lie because he would not take it on himselfe and ruâ—…ling with a great Lord because he would not be ruâ—…led out of a just vindication of the truth yeild his consent that a Counsel Table should approve turning the communion table out of the Church The Reviewers should doe well to bring in his accounts fuller when he reckons with Bishops for braving of Noblemen All Presbyterians are heterodoxe to all good Catholike Christians with whom Episcopacie is so necessarie a truth as next to the divine institution Vniversalitie Vbiquitie and perpetuitie can render it Confingant tale aliquid haeretici … nihil promovebunt Could your invention seigne such authoritie to Presbyterie yet your doctrine would diversifie you into a sect What the Bishops following words cleare shall not one whit be clouded by any obscuritie in my replie though the strongest eradiations that come from them would sinke themselves silentlie in the deep playd you not the malignant Archimede though no such exact Mathematical Divine to reflect them into a flame that may set the ship of the Church on fire about our earâ—…s some coales of this fire I shall heape on your head cast backe into your bosome which if you meane not to quench you may blow up to what faâ—…ther mischief you thinke good The Apostles were Bishops who did undoubtedlie delegate the power of ordination to none but such as were constituted Bishops by them to that purpose This power appeares not undoubtedlie to have been exerciz'd by any but Bishops in the Historie of the Scripture This power was
E Huntley's case truelie related 61 I. K. Iames a greater Anti-Presbyterian then Anti-Erastian 64 The Praelates title to Impropriations and Abbey lands beter then that of Presbyters 137 Presbyterian indulgence in cases of sedition and rebellion 47 Their monstrous ingratitude for the too liberal graces of K. Ch. I. 104 The Kings concessions to the Irish more justifiable then the other could be to the Scotish Presbyterian demands 146 The Pr. Scots endeavours to impose their Discipline upon England 5 The Assemblie at Westminster having no power to authorize it 6 Many of the Presbyteries in Scotland have very unfit unable Iudges 174 Iurisdiction Ecclesiastical sloweth from the Magistrate 34 Sc. Presbyters usurpe Civile jurisdiction 69 No power of jurisdiction in what the Reviwer misse interprets the Church 108 Nor in a companic mot together 109 K. THe election of a King not originallie justifiable in any people 164 K. Ch. I. not inclinable though by counterseit promises praevail'd with to cast himselfe upon the Presbyterian Scots Ans. to Ep. Ded. 12 His writings not interlined by the Bishops The Reviewers commendation of them unawares Ibid. 〈◊〉 K. Ch. II. hath expressed no inelination to the Covenant If any praeventive disswasion of His Majesties from it hath been used by the Praelatical pattie it was a dutifull act of conscience and prudence 149 His Majestie can not so easilie will not so readilie grant what his Royall Father denied 191 Scots Presbyterians never seriouslie asscribed any good intentions to K. Ch I. nor 2. 197 L. MOre learning under Episcopacie then Presbyterie 150 The King supreme Legislatour 193 The Bishops share in making lawes as great as any one of the three Estates Ibid. Our Liturgie why read A parallel of it with primitive formes fiter then with the Breviarie 156 The Church of Scotland hath had a liturgie not onelie for helpe but practice 160 The Presbyterians hypocritical use of it 161 M. THe Magistrates definitive judgement in Synods owned by the Reformed Divines both Praelatical and Presbyterian 28 Sc. Presbytetie will have Magistrates subject to the Kirke 120 Presbyters why against clandestine marriages 166 Consent of Parents how to be required Ibid. No obedience due to them commanding an unjust marriage 169 The Bishops cautelous in giving license for clandestine marriages 170 Gods mercie in praeserving Arch-Bishop Maxwel falsified by the Reviewer 3 The businesse about the Spanish Merchants sophisticated 80 Sc. Presbyters controllers in the Militia 79 The power of it in the King 186 Pr. Ministers rebellious meeting at Mauchlin moore 119 They exceed their commission 121 Their power with the people dangerous to the government 122 Their rebellious proceeding in the persecution of Arch-Bishop Montgomerie and Arch-Bishop Adamson 43 The murders other prodigious impieties acted by the Sc. Presbyterians in prosecution of their ends 82 The scale of degrees whereby they asscended to the murder of K. Ch. I. 38 Which might have been foreseen by their propositions never repealed 76 Murder may be pardoned by the King who hath been petitioned in that case by the Disciplinarians themselves 60 N. THe King 's negative voyce justified as well in Scotland as England 77 What is the power of his affirmative 78 The Sc. Presbyters gave the occasion and opportunitie for the Nobles to get the Ecclesiastike revenue The Episcopacie more then titular they kept up 15 Presbyterie more oppressive to the Nobilitie Gentrie then Praelacie 130 Noblemen why chosen Elders 〈◊〉 131 Where such how slighted by the Presbyters 139 O. SC. Presbyters assume the arbitration of oeconomical differences 68 The Officers appointed by Christ in his Church need not be restrained to the number of five Nor those taken to be the same the Presbyterians would have them 106 The Officials Court a more competent Iudicatoric then the Classical Presbyterie 132 No power of ordination in the Presbybyterie 108. 142 No comfortable assurance but from Apostolical succession Episcopal ordination which Presbyterians want Ibi. The Sc. Presbyterians trial before ordination more formal then truelie experimental of abilitie in the persons 150 The qualification different from that required by the Bishops 152 The original of the pretended oath taken by the King for securitie of the Sc. Discipline 163 P. THe Sc. Assemblies decrees to be ratified by Parliament 24 As those of our Convocations 32 Presbyterie makes Parliaments subject to Assemblies 120 The Parliament of Scotland in no capacitie to make demands after the murder of the King 163 Presbyterie hath no claime to the Church patrimonie given by Episcopal founders and benefactours 25 Their disputes with Princes about Church revenue 63 The original right of patronage in Lay persons 136 Peirth Assemblie 1596. 111 Provision under Episcopacie against the povertie of such as are ordained 153 The Praelats still of the same minde rhey were about the rights and priviledges of Bishops 103 Reason of bidding prayer before sermon 159 In the Canon forme is no prayer for the dead 160 Set formes of no use to beginers that pray by the spirit 161 The gift of prayer in the Pater Noster Ibid. Presbyterians divided about prayer 162 The injuries by extemporarie prayer Ibi. Presbyteries when and how erected in Scotland Bishops to praeside in them 20 Christianitie at its first entrance into Scotland brought not Presbyterie with it 22 Fallacie in the immediate division of religion into Presbyterian Popish 53 No authoritie of Scripture for the many practices of Scotish Presbyterie 101 Litle knowledge labour or conscience shewed in Presbyterian preaching 154 Scotish Presbyterians beter conceited of themselves then of any other Reformed Church to which yet they praetend a conformitie in their new model 198 K. Iames's speach concerning Scotish Presbyterie 30 How a King may and when exercise the office of a Priest 195 Sc. Presbyteries processe for Church rents 33 The same fault under a different formalitie not to be twice punished 126 Q. K. Iames's 55. Quaestions 111 R. REading Ministers usefull and justifiable in our Church 154 The Praelats doe not annull the being of all Reformed Churches 143 Though they have no full assurance 144 The Reviewers speach of Bishops and Peirth articles 199 The Church of Rome true though not most true 145 A rigid separation from her in many things needlesse 146 Assemblies can reforme onelie according to canon not the canon 84 The Primitive Christians reformation different from that of Sc. Presbyterians 85 That of the Church of England began rather at K. Edw. VI. then Henr. VIII 86 The Parliament can noâ—… reforme without the King 188 Resistance against the person of the Magistrate can not be made inobedience to his office 35 Reviewer willfullie missetakes the scope of the Bishops booke 45 His barbarous implacable malice against the dead 49 A riot under praetense of taking a Priest at Masse 91 Abetted by Knoxe with his confessed interest in many more 92 The Pr. Scots must bring beter markes then their bare words for revelations 201 S. FOraigne
the Subjects in armes yea give warrant to a particular person to â—…onveen them by his letters missives according to his discretion in order to religion Of all which we have seen instances in this discourse The priviledges of Parliaments are the Graces and Concessions of man and may be taken away by humane Authority but the priviledges of Synods they say are from God and cannot without Sactiledge be taken away by mortall man The two Houses of Parliament can not name Commissioners to sit in the intervalles and take care ne quid detrimenti capiat respublica that the Common-wealth receive no prejudice But Synods have power to name vicars Generall or Commissioners to sit in the intervalles of Synods and take order that neither King nor Parliament nor people do incroach upon the Liberties of the Church If there be any thing to do they are like the fox in Aesops fables sure to be in at one end of it CHAP. XI That this Discipline is oppressive to particular persons TOwards particular persons this Discipline is too full of rigour like Dracos lawes that were written in blood First in lesser saults inflicting Church censures upon sl ight grounds As for an uncomely gesture for a vain word for suspition of covetousnesse or pride for superfluity in raiment either for cost or fashion for keeping a table above a mans calling or means for dancing at a wedding or of servants in the streets for wearing a mans hair aâ—…la mode for not paying of debts for using the least recreation upon the Sabbath though void of scandall and consistent with the duties of the day I wish they were acquainted with the practise of all other Protestant Countries But if they did but see one of those kirmesses which are observed in some places the pulpit the consistory the whole Kingdom would not be able to hold them What digladiations have there been among some of their sect about starch and cuffes c. just like those grave debates which were sometimes among the Franciscans about the colour and fashion of their gowns They do not allow men a latitude of discretion in any thing All men even their Superiours must be their slaves or pupils It is true they begin their censures with admonition And if a man will confesse himself a delinquent be sorry for giving the Presbyters any offence and conform himself in his hair apparrell diet every thing to what these rough hewen Catos shall prescribe he may escape the stool of repentance otherwise they will proceed against him for contumacy to Excommunication Secondly this discipline is oppressive in greater saults The same man is punished twice for the same crime first by the Magistrate according to the lawes of God and the land for the offence then by the censures of the Church for the scandall To this agrees their Synod Nothing forbids the same fault in the same man to be punished one way by the politicall power another way by the Ecclesiasticall by that under the formality of a crime with Corporall or pecuniary punishment by this under the formality of scandall with spirituall censures And their book of Discipline If the civill sword foolishly spare the life of the offender yet may not the Kirk be negligent in their office Thus their Liturgy in expresse termes All crimes which by the law of God deserve death deserve also Excommunication Yea though an offender abide an assise and be absolved by the same yet may the Church injoyn him publick satisfaction Or if the Magistrate shall not think sit in his judgement or cannot in conscience prosecure the party upon the Churches intimation the Church may admonish the Magistrate publickly And if no remedy be found excommunicate the offender first for his crime and then for being suspected to have corrupted the judge Observe first that by hook or crook they will bring all crimes whatsoever great and small within their Iurisdiction Secondly observe that a delinquents triall for his life is no sufficient satisfaction to these third Cato's Lastly observe that to satisfie their own humour they care not how they blemish publickly the reputation of the Magistrate upon frivolous conjectures Thirdly adde to this which hath been said the severity and extreame rigour of their Excommunication after which sentence no person his wife and family onely excepted may have any kinde of conversation with him that is excommunicate they may not eate with him nor drink with him nor buy with him nor sell with him they may not salute him nor speak to him except it be by the license of the Presbytery His children begotten and born after that sentence and before his reconciliation to the Church may not be admitted to baptisme untill they be of age to require it or the mother or some speciall friend being a member of the Church present the childe abhorring and damning the iniquity and obstinate contempt of the Father Adde further that upon this sentence letters of horning as they use to call them in Scotland do follow of course that is an out-lawing of the party a confiscation of his goods a putting him out of the Kings protection so as any man may kill him and be unpunished yea the party excommunicate is not so much as cited to hear those fatall Letters granted Had not David reason to pray Let me fall into the hands of the Lord not into the hands of men for their mercies are cruell Cruell indeed that when a man is prosecuted for his life perhaps justly perhapâ—… unjustly so as appearing and hanging are to him in effect the same thing yet if he appeare not this pitifull Church will Excommunicate him for contumacy Whether the offender be convict in judgement or bâ—… fugitivâ—… from the Law the Church ought to proceed to the sentence of Excommunication as if the just and evident fear of death did not purge away contumacy CHAP. XII That this Discipline is hurtfull to all orders of men LAstly this Discipline is burthensome and disadvantagious to all orders of men The Nobility and Gentry must expect to follow the fortune of their Prince Vpon the abatement of Monarchy in Rome remember what dismall controversies did presently spring up between the Patricii and Plebci They shall be subjected to the censures of a raw heady novice a few ignorant Artificers they shall lose all their advowsons of such Benefices as have cure of soules as they have lately found in Scotland for every Congregation ought to choose their own Pastour They shall hazzard their Appropriations and Abbey-lands A Sacrilege which their Nationall Synod cannot in conscience tolerate longer then they have strength sufficient to overthrow it And if they proceed as they begin the Presbyters will in a short time either accomplish their designe or change their soyle They shall be bearded and maited by every ordinary Presbyter witnesse that insolent speech of Mr. Robert Bruce to King Iames Sir I see your resolution is
this without and before any Parliament must be very consistent with conscience honor and all good reason Yea to bind up the soule of the most sweet and ingenuous of Princes in their chaines of their slavery for ever they have fallen upon a most rare trick which hardly the inventions of all their praedecessors can pararel They rest not satisfied that for the upholding of their ambition and greed they did harden our late Soveraigne to his very last in their Errours and without compassion did dryve him on to his satal praecipice unles they make him continue after his death to cry loud every day in the eares of his Son in his later will and testament to follow him in that same way of ruine rather then to give over to serve the lu◅ts of the praelaticall clergy They have gathered together his Majesties last papers and out of them have made a book whereupon their best pens have dropped the greatest eloqution reason and devotion was among them by way of essayes as it were to frame the heart of the Son by the fingers of the dying Father to piety wisedome patience and every virtue but ever anone to let fall so much of their own ungracious dew as may irrigat the seeds of their praelaticall Errors and Church interest so farre as to charge him to perseveer in the maintainance of Episcopall governement upon all hazards without the change of any thing except a little p. 278. and to assure that all Covenanters are of a faction engaged into a Religious rebellion who may never be trusted till they have repented of their Covenant and that till then never lesse loyalty justice or humanity may be expected from any then from them that if hee stand in need of them hee is undone for they will devoure him as the Serpent does the dove These and the like pernicious maximes framed by an Episcopall hand of purpose to separat for ever the King from all his covenanted subjects how farr they were from the heart language and wrytings of our late Soveraigne all who were aquainted with his carriage and most intime affections at New-Castle in the Isle of Wight and thereafter can testify But it is reason when the Praelats doe frame an image of a King that they should have liberty to place their owne image in its forheade as the statuary of old did his in the Boss of Pallas targe with such arti◅ice that all her worshipers were necessitat to worship him and that no hand was able to destroy the one without the dissolution and breaking in peeces of the other yet our Praelats would know that in this age there be many excellent Engyneers whose witty practicks transcend the most skilfull experiments of our Auncestors and what ever may be the ignorance or weaknes of men wee trust the breath of our Lords mouth will not faile to blow out the Bishop from the Kings armes without any detriment at all to royalty Allwayes the wicked and impious cunning of these craftsemen is much to be blamed who dare be bold to insert and engrave themselfes so deeply in the images of the Gods as the one cannot be intended to be picked out of the other more then the Aple from the eye unles the subsistance of both be put in hazard The other matter of his rayling against us is the solemne league and covenant when this nimble and quick enough Doctor comes assisted with all the reasons the whole University of Oxford can afford him to demonstrat it as he professes in his last Chapter to be wicked false void and what not wee find his most demonstrative proofes to be so poor and silly that they infere nothing of his conclusion To this day no man has shewed any errour in the mater of that covenant as for our framing and taking of it our adversaries drave us thereunto with a great deale of necessity and now being in it neither their fraud nor force may bring us from it againe for we feare the oath of God After much deliberation we found that covenant the soveraigne meanes to joyne and keep together the whole orthodox party in the three Kingdomes for the defence of their Religion and Liberties which a popish praelaticall and malignant faction with all their might were overtarning who still to this day are going on in the same designe without any visible change in the most of their former principles And why should any who loves the King hate this covenant which is the straytestty the world can devise to knit all to him and his posterity if so be his Majestie might be pleased to enter therein but by all meanes such a mischiefe must be averted for so the roote of Episcopacy would quickly wither without any hope of repullulation an evill farr greater in the thoughts of them who now mannage the conscience of the Court thē the extirpation of Monarchy the eversion of all the three Kingdomes or any other earthly misery As for the third subject of the Warners fury against us our unkindnes to the late King if any truth were in this false challenge no other creature on earth could be supposed the true cause thereof but our unhappy praelats all our grievances both of Church and State first and last came principally from them had they never been authors of any more mischiefe then what they occasioned to our late Soveraigne his person family and Dominions this last dozn of yeares there is abundant reason of burying that their praeter and Antiscripturall order in the grave of perpetuall infamy But the truth is beside more auncient quarrels since the dayes of our fathers the Albigenses this limb of Antichrist has ever been witnessed against Wickleif Huss and their followers were zealous in this charge till Luther and his disciples got it flung out of all the reformed world except England where the violence of the ill advised princes did keep it up for the perpetuall trouble of that land till now at last it hath well neare kicked downe to the ground there both Church and Kingdome As for the point in hand we deny all unkindnes to our King whereof any reasonable complaint can be framed against us Our first contests stand justified this day by King and Parliament in both Kingdomes When his Majestie was so ill advised as to bring downe upon our borders an English army for to punish our refusing of a world of novations in our Religion contrary to the lawes of God and of our country what could our land doe lesse then lie downe in their armes upon Dunce law for their just and necessary defence when it was in their power with ease to haue dissipat the opposit army they shew themselves most ready upon very easy conditions to goe home in peace and gladly would have rested there had not the furious Bishops moved his Majestie without all provocation to breake that first peace and make for a second invasion of Scotland only to
second their unreasonable rage was it not then necessary for the Scots to arme againe when they had defeate the Episcopall Army and taken New-castle though they found nothing considerable to stand in their way to London yet they were content to lie still in Northumberland and upon very meane tearnes to returne the second time in peace For all this the praelats could not give it over but raised a new Army and filled England with fire and sword yea well neere subdued the Parliament and their followers and did almost accomplish their first designes upon the whole Isle The Scots then with most earnest and pitifull entreaties were called upon by their Brethren of England for helpe where unwilling that their brethren should perish in their sight and a bridge should be made over their carcasses for a third warre upon Scotland when after long tryall they had found all their intercessions with the King for a moderat and reasonable accommodation slighted and rejected they suffered themselves to be perswaded to enter in covenant with their oppressed and fainting brethren for the mantainance of the common cause of Religion and liberty but with expresse Articles for the preservation of royalty in all its just rights in his Majestie and his posterity what unkindnes was heer in the Scots to their King When by Gods blessing on the Scotes helpe the opposit faction was fully subdued his Majestie left Oxford with a purpose for London but by the severity of the ordinances against his receivers he diverted towards Linn to ship for Holland or France where by the way fearing a discovery and surprise he was necessitate to cast himselfe upon the Scotes army at New-wark upon his promise to give satisfaction to the propositions of both Kingdomes he was received there and to New-castle here his old oathes to adhaere unto Episcopacy hindred him to give the expected satisfaction At that time the prime leaders of the English army were seeking with all earnestnes occasion to fall upon the Scots much out of heart and reputation by Iames Grahame and his Irishes incursions most unhappy for the Kings affaires Scotland at that time was so full of divisions that if the King had gone thither they were in an evident hazard of a present war both within among themselfes and without from England our friends in the English Parliament whom we did and had reason to trust assured us that our taking the King with us to Scotland was the keeping of the Sectarian Army on foot for the wracke of the King of Scorland of the Presbyterian party in England as the sending of his Majestie to one of his houses neer London upon the faith of the Parliament of England was the only way to get the Sectaryes disarmed the King and the people settled in a peace upon such tearmes as should be satisfactory both to the King and the Scots and all the wel-affected in England This being the true case was it any either unjustice unkindnes or imprudence in the Scots to leave the King with his Parliament of England was this a selling of him to his enemies the monyes the Scots received at their departure out of England had no relation at all to the King they were scarce the sixth parte of the arreares due to them for bygon service they were but the one halfe of the sume capitulat for not only without any reference to the King but by an act of the English Parliament excluding expresly from that Treaty of the armies departure all consideration of the disposall of the Kings person The unexpected evills that followed in the Armies rebellion in their seasing on London destroying the Parliament murthering the King no mortall eye could have forseen The Scots were ever ready to the utmost of their power to have prevented all these mischiefes with the hazard of what was dearest to them notwithstanding of all the hard measure they had often received both from the King and the most of their friends in England That they did not in time and unanimously stur to purpose for these ends they are to answer it to God who were the true Authors the innocency of the Church is cleered in the following treatise Among the many causes of these miseries the prime fountaine was the venome of Episcopall principles which some serpents constantly did infuse by their speaches and letters in the eares and heart of the King to keep him of from giving that satisfaction to his good subjects which they found most necessary and due the very same cause which ties up this day the hands of covenanters from redressing ali present misorders could they have the King to joyne with them in their covenant to quit his unhappy Bishops to lay aside his formall and dead Liturgie to cast himselfe upon the counsels of his Parliaments it were easy to prophecie what quickly would become of all his enemies but so long as Episcopall and malignant agents compasseth him about though all that comes neer may see him as lovely hopfull and promising a prince for all naturall endowments as this day breaths in Europe or for a long time has swayed a Scepter in Britaine yet while such unlucky birds nest in his Cabin and men so ungraciously principled doe daily besiege him what can his good people doe but sit downe with mournfull eyes and bleeding hearâ—…s till the Lord amend these otherwise remediles and insuperable evills but I hold heer least I transgresse to farr the bounds of an Epistle I account it an advantage to have your Lordship my judge in what heere and in my following treatise I spake of Religion the liberties of our country and the Royall Family I know non fitter then your Lordship both to discerne and decerne in all these matters Me thinks I may say it without flattery which I never much loved either in my selfe or others that among all our Nobles for constancy in a zealous profession for exemplary practise in publick and privat duties the mercy of God has given to your Lordship a reputation second to none And for a rigid adhaerence to the Rights and Priviledges of your Country according to that auncient disposition of your most Noble Family noted in our Historians especially that Prince of them Georg Buchanan the Tutor of your Grand-Father I know none in our Land who wil pretend to goe before you and for the affairs of the King your interest of blood in the Royall Family is so well known that it would be a strange impudency in me if in your audience I durst be bold wittingly to give sinistrous information Praying to God that what in the candid ingenuity true zeale of my spirit I present under your Lordships patrociny unto the eye of the World for the vindication of my mother Church and Country from the Sicophantick accusations of a Stigmatised incendiary may produce the intended effects Hague this 28 May 7 Iunie 1649. I rest your Lordships in all Christian duety R. B. G.
Churches had not the Scotes all the reason in the World to applaud such pious just and necessary resolutions of their English Brethren though the warner should call it the greatest crime CHAP. II. The Presbiterians assert positively the Magistrats right to convocat Synods to confirme their acts to reforme the Churches within their dominions IN the second Chapter the warner charges the Scotes presbytery with the overthrowing the Magistrats right in convocating of Synods When he comes to prove this he forgets his challenge and digresses from it to the Magistrates power of choysing elders and making Ecclesiastick lawes avowing that these things are done in Scotland by Ecclesiastick persons alone without consent of the king or his counsel Ans. It seemes our Warner is very ignorant of the way of the Scotes discipline the ordinary and set meetings of all assemblies both nationall and provincionall since the first reformation are determined by acts of Parliament with the Kings consent so betwixt the King and the Church of Scotland there is no question for the convocating of ordinary assemblies for extraordinary no man in Scotland did ever controvert the Kings power to call them when and where he pleased as for the inhaerent power of the Church to meet for discipline alswell as for worship the Warner fals on it heereafter we must therefore passe it in this place What hee meanes to speake of the Kings power in choysing elders or making Ecclesiastick Lawes himselfe knowes his Majestie in Scotland did never require any such priviledge as the election of elders or Commissioners to Parliament or members of any incorporation civill or Ecclesiastick where the Lawes did not expresly provide the nomination to be in the crowne The making of Ecclesiastick Lawes in England alswell as in Scotland was ever with the Kings good contentment referred to Ecclesiastick assemblies but the Warner seemes to be in the mind of these his companions who put the power of preaching of administring the Sacraments and discipline in the supreame Magistrat alone and derives it out of him as the head of the Church to what members he thinks expedient to communicat it also that the legislative power alswell in Ecclesiastick as civill affairs is the property of the King alone That the Parliaments and generall assemblies are but his arbitrary counsels the one for matters of the state the other for matters of the Church with whom or without whom hee makes acts of Parliament and Church cannons according to his good pleasure that all the offices of the Kingdome both of Church and State are from him as he gives a Commission to whom he will to be a sheriffe or justice of peace so he sends out whom he pleaseth to preach celebrate Sacraments by virtue of his regal mission The Warner and his Erastian friends may well extend the royall supremacy to this largenes but no King of Scotland was ever willing to accept of such a power though by erroneous flaterers sometimes obtruded upon him see Canterburian self conviction cap. ult The Warner will not leave this matter in generall he discends to instance a number of particular incroatchments of the Scots Presbiters upon the royall authority wee must dispence in all his discourse with a small peckadillo in reasoning hee must bee permitted to lay all the faults of the Presbiterians in Scotland upon the back of the Presbitery it selfe as if the faylings of officers were naturall to and inseparable from their office mis-kenning this little more of unconsequentiall argumenting we will goe through his particular charges the first is that King James anno 1579 required the generall assembly to make no alteration in the Church-Policy till the next Parliament but they contemning their Kings command determined positively all their discipline without delay and questioned the Arch-Bischop of Sainct Andrews for voting in Parliament according to the undoubted Lawes of the Land yea twenty Presbiters did hold the generall assembly at Aberdeen after it was discharged by the King Ans. The Warner possibly may know yet certainly he doth not care what he writes in these things to which hee is a meere stranger the authentick registers of the Church of Scotland convinces him heire of falshood His Majestie did write from Stirling to the generall assembly at Edinburgh 1579 that they should ceasse from concluding any thing in the discipline of the Church during the time of his minority upon this desire the assembly did abstaine from all conclusions only they named a committee to goe to Striveling for conference which his Majestie upon that subject What followeth thereupon I. Immediatly a Parliament is called in October 1579 and in the first act declares and grantes jurisdiction unto the Kirk whilk consistes in the true preaching of the word of Jesus Christ correction of maners and administration of the true Sacraments and declares that there is no other face of Kirk nor other face of Religion then is presently by the favour of God established within this realme and that there be no other jurisdiction Ecclesiastical acknowledged within this realme then that whilk is and shal be within the samen Kirk or that which flowes therfra concerning the premisses II. In Aprile 1580. Proclamation was made ex deliberatione Dominorum Consilii in name of the King charging all Superintendentes and Commissioners and Ministers serving at Kirkes To note the names of all the subjectes alsweel men as women suspected to be Papistes or and to admonish them to give Confession of their faith according to the Forme approved by the Parliament and to submitte unto the discipline of the true Kirk within a reasonable space and if they faile that the Superintendents or Commissioners presente a role or catalogue of their names unto the King and Lords of Secret Counsell whereby they shal be for the time between and the 15 day of Iulie nixt to come to the end that the actes of Parliament made against such persones may be execute III. The shorte Confession wes drawen up at the Kings command which was first subscrived by his royall hand and an act of Secret Counsell commanding all subjectes to subscrive the same as is to be seen by the Act printed with the Confession wherein Hierarchie is abjured that is as hath been since declared by Nationall assemblies and Parliamentes both called and held by the King episcopacie is abjured IV. In the assemblies 1580 and 1581 that Confession of faith and the second book of discipline after debating many praeceding years were approved except one chapter de diaconatu by the Assemblie the Kings Commissioner being alwayes presente not finde we any thing opposed then by him yea then at his Majesties speciall direction about fifty classical Presbyteries were set up over all Scotland which remaine unto this day Was there heer any contempt of the royall authority About that time some noble men had gote the revenues of the Bisshop-rickes for their private use and because they could not enjoy them
Mauchlin The paralell that the Warner makes betwixt the generall assembly and Parliament is malicious in all its parts For the first though the one Court be civill and the other Spirituall yet the Presbyterians lay the authority of both upon a divine fundation that for conscience sake the Courts civil must be obeyed in all their Lawfull commands alsewell as the assemblyes of the Church God being the author of the politick order as well as the Ecclesiastick and the revenger of the contempt of the one alswell as of the other But what doth the Warner meane to mock at Ministers for carrying themselves as the Ambassadors of Christ for judging according to the rule of Scripture for caring for life eternall is he become so shamefullie impious as to perswade Ministers to give over the care of life eternall to lay aside the holy Scripture and deny their ambassage from Jesus Christ behold what Spirit leads our praelats while they jeere the World out of all Religion and chase away Ministers from Christ from Scripture from eternall life Of the second part of the parallell that people are more ready to obey their Ministers then their Magistrats what shall be made all the power which Ministers have with the people is builded on their love to God and religion how much so ever it is a good Statseman will not envy it for he knowes that God and conscience constraine Ministers to imploy all the power they have with the people to the good of the Magistrat as the deputy and servant of God for the peoples true good The Warner heer understands best his owne meaning while he scoffes at Ministers for their threatning of men with hells fire Are our Praelats come to such open proclamations of their Atheisme as to printe their desires to banish out of the hearts of people all feare not only of Church-censures but even of hell it selfe whither may not Satan dryve at last the instruments of his Kingdome The third parte of the paralell consists of a number of unjust and false imputations before particularly refuted What he subjoines of the power of the generall Assembly to name Comittees to sit in the intervalls of Assemblies it is but a pcore charge is it not the dayly practise of the Parliaments of Scotland to nominat their Comittees of State for the intervalls of Parliament Is it not ane inhaerent right to every Court to name some of their number to cognosce upon things within their owne spheare at what ever times the court it selfe finds expedient how ever the judicatories of the Church by the lawes of the Kingdome being authorized to meet when themselves think fit both ordinarly and pro renata their power of appointing Comittees for their owne affaires was never questioned and truely these Comittees in the times of our late troubles when many were lying in waite to disturbe both Church and State have been forced to meet oftner then otherwise any of their members did desire whose diversion from their particular charges though for attendance on the publick is joyned with so great fashery and expence that with all their heart they could be glade to decline it if feare of detriment to the Church made not these meetings very necessary CHAP. XI The Presbytery is no burden to any honest man THE bounds and compasse of the Warners rage against the Presbytery is very large not being content to have incensed the King and Parliament against it he comes downe to the body of the people and will have them beleeve the speciall enimity of the Scots discipline against them first because it inflicts Church censures upon every one for the smallest faults Ans. The faults which the Warner mentions may well be ane occasion of a private advice in the eare but that any of them did ever procure the smallest censure of the Church it is a great untruth no man who knowes us will complaine of our rigour heer we wish we were able to refute upon as good reason the charge of our laxenes in the mouth of sectaries as we are that of our strictnes in the mouth of Erastianes Wee would know of the Warner what are these Sabbath recreations which he saith are void of scandal and consistent with the dutyes of the day are they not the stage playes and the other honest pastimes wherewith his friends were wonte to sanctify the Lords day as no more a Sabbath then any other day in the yeare and much lesse then diverse popish festivalls An Aposteme in the lowest gutt will shew it selfe by the unsavory vapours which now and then are eructat from it That ever in Scotland there was one word of debate about starch and cuffs is more then the Warner can prove The second oppression whereby the Presbytery trods the people under foot is a rare cruelty that persons for grievous crimes whereof the Magistrate takes notice are called to Ecclesiastick repentance Will the Doctor in his fury against us run out upon all his owne friends for no appearance of a fault Will either the English or popish praelats admit murtherers whoores or theeves to the holy table without any signes of repentance Is not the greatest crime the ground of the greatest scandal Shall small scandals be purged away by repentance and the greatest be totally past by The Warner heer may know his owne meaning but others will confesse their ignorance of his minde The third grievance he would have the people conceive against the Presbytery is the rigour of their excommunication in this also the Warner seemes to know little of the Scots way let excommunication be so seveer in Scotland as is possible yet the hurt of it is but small it is so rare an accident men may live long in Scotland and al their life never see that censure execute I have lived in one of the greatest Cities of that land and for fourty seven yeares even from my birth to this day that censure to my knowledge or hearing was never execute there in my dayes but twice first upon ane obstinat and very profane Papist and nixt on some horrible scandalous praelats Againe when any is excommunicated by the Church we goe no further with them then Pauls commande 2. Thes. 3. 14. only they who are not tyed to them by naturall bonds abstaine from familiar and unnecessary conversation to bring them by the sence of this shame to repentance for their sins Thirdly the civil inconvenientes which followe that censure come along from the State and the acts of Parliament for which the Church ought not to be challenged especially by praelats who wont to allow their officials to excommunicat whole incorporations of people for a small debt of mony and to presse the contemners of that frivolous and profane sentence with all the civil inconvenientes they could Fourthly what ever be the laws in Scotland against them who continues long in the contempt of Excommunication which are not inflicted but
on He sayth not That statute of treason waâ—… in being in the yeare 1580. And his Printer you might see had done him so much right as to set a number 4. yeares older directlie against the place where it is mention'd His Lordships words are these Which ridiculous ordinance was maintain'd stiffelie by the succeeding Synods notwithstanding the statute That it should be treason to impugne the authoritie of the thrce Estates The plaine sense whereof is this The succeeding Synods to the yeare 1584. maintain'd it stisfclie And not onelie they but likewise the succeeding Synods afterward notwithstanding the statute then made That c. Yet not to be too literal That there should be three Estates to whom your brethren presented their Assemblie Acts as they did by the King them to be confirmed even before the yeare 1580. yet That to impugne the authoritie of the three estates or to procure the innovation or diminution of any of them should have no statute nor law to make it at least interpretative treason is a peice of politikes that Iapan nor Vtopia will never owne nor any man that is civiliz'd in submission to government beleeve The businesse of appeales we are to meet with in the chapter following so farre you shall have leave to travaile with the counterfeit credit of that untruth What you make here such a positive consent of Lundie the Kings Commissioner in that Assemblie even now went no farther then a suspense in silence where all you found was That it appear'd not he apposed And how that might be I there gave you my conjecture In the next Assemblie 1581. the Kings Commissioner Caprington was not so hastie to erect in His Majesties name Presbyteries in all the land The businesse was this The King sends him Cuningham with letters to the Assemblie at Glasgow to signifie That the thirds of the Ecclesiastical revenues upon the conference had between his Commissioners those which they had before sent from Dundee were not found to be the safest maintenance for the Ministrie they having been so impair'd in twentie yeares before that nothing of certaintie could appeare That thereupon had been drawn a diagrame of several Presbyteries whereby a division of the greatest parishes was to be made a uniting of the lesse to the end that the Ministers might be with more aequalitie maintained and the people more convenientlie assemble'd That His Majestie had determined to sent letters to several of his Nobilitie in the Countrey to command their meetings and counsel here about This he did not till the next summer nor was any thing effected diverse yeares after The conventions of the Ministrie were to be moderated by every Bishop in his Dioecesse who was by agreement to praeside in the Presbyteries with in his limits So that the modelling Presbyteries was onelie for setling a convenient revenue upon the Ministers so farre was it from abolishing Episcopacie that the Bishops were to have the managing the affaire It would not have cost you nor your printer much paines to have put in what hapened before the yeare 1584 The opposition against your abuse hereof by the Bishops Montgoinerie Adamson His Majesties discharging by proclamation the Ministers conventions Assemblies under paine to be punished as Rebells publishing them to be unnatural subjects seditious persons troublesome unquiet spirits members of Satan enemies to the King the Commonwealth of their native Countrey charging them to desist from preaching in such sort as they did viz. against the authoritie in Church causes against the calling of Bishops c. removing imprisoning inditing them c. Which put you upon the desperate attempts of surprizing and restraining His Majestie 's person whereof otherwhere So that the King you see had very good preparatives to purge his Kingdome of such turbulent humours before Captain Stuart put him in minde to make use of that physike Which Captaine Iames was no such wicked Courtier when the saints in behalve of the Discipline set him up to justle with Esme Stuart Lord Aubignie for the nearest approach unto Royal favour This Parliament 1584. was summon'd with as loud a voyce as any other was as open as the sun at Edenburgh could make it Nor was Captain Stuarts crime about it such as to denominate his exile the vengeance of God which was wrought in the eyes of the world by your rebellion Nor his death by Dowglasse's high way murder aveng'd afterward in alike terrible destruction that in Edenburgh high street where sanguis sanguinem tetigit bloud touched bloud though I dare not as you doe judge for reward nor divine such ambiguous cruelties for money being no Priest nor Prophet as you are to the heires of those bloudie soulders in Micah chapt 3. I dare not say that it either was the fingar of God though he imploy not the hand of his power to restraine them Rev. … these acts of his Parliament the very next yeare were disclaimed by the King c. Ans. They were not disclaimed the 21 of December the next yeare when James Gibson being question'd for dis loyal speaches about them before His Majestie his Councel very impudentlie told the King he was a persecutour for maintaining them and compar'd him to Ieroboam threatned he should be rooted out conclude that race His confidence was in the returne of the banish'd Rebel-Nobles who forced all honest men from the Court possessed themselves of His Majesties person acted all disorder in his name This was the regular restoring of Presbyterie Which to say was never more removed to this day in that sense you must speake it is to abuse the ignorance of some new convert you have got in the Indies who it may be at that distance know not that Bishops had the visible Church government in Scotland for about theirtie yeares together since that time Rev. The Warners digression to the the perpetuitie of Bishops in Scotland c. Ans. The perpetuitie of their order in that Kingdome is no disgression in this place where His Lordship shewes your practical contradiction in pulling downe Episcopacie with one hand yet seting it up though under the name of Superintendencie with the other The sequestring their revenue altering their names pruning off some part of their power he takes to be no root branch ordinance for the deposition of their office or utter extirpation of their order This he asserts to be the greatest injurie your malice could ever hitherto bring about therefore goes not one step out of his way to let you know That Bishops have been perpetual in your Church Nor doe you out of yours but keep the same path of truth you began in in acquainting us with the antiquitie of Presbyters who it should seem are terrae filii that sprung up in Scotland like so many mushromes the next night after Christianitie came in Though
he that is read in your opinions actions will take it for granted that you must pay the acknowledgement of your Presbyterie to the Sanhedrin your sects conversion to the lewes If you will impudentlie crowd it into the companie of the first Christians that came into Scotland you can not denie but that for some part of the Centuries you speake of it was confin'd to the monkes colls never came to clamour at the Court the poore Culdiis with a great deale more humilitie pietie then the Covenanters caried it in their cowles Rev. … after the reformation there was no Bishop in that land Ans. The reformation you meane began the day before or after the Greeke Calends if you will helpe me to an account of the one I shall know how to order the aera of the other Many yeares confusion there was of Poperie Presbyterie Superintendencie The reform'd Episcopacie could never get ground till King James set it forward then it went not far before it met with your violent encounter by Sword Covenant which never suffered the crowne nor Miter to stand long unshaken till both were held up by the Armes of England the Kings person secure at a distance to command you That ever such a thing as reformed Presbyterie according to the Canon in your Discipline had the free positive consent of King Parliament without which it can not legallie passe for the Religion of your Kingdome I denie to be visible any where in your storie Rev. … till the yeare 1610. Ans. That yeare did indeed complete the Episcopal power which King James had by degrees piouslie industriouslie promoted many yeares before Rev. … When Bancrost did consecrate three Scots Ministers c. Ans. A brother of yours tells us they were consecrated by Bishop Abbot As evil as their report was the men were not so bad as their names need be in charitie conceled They were Iohn Spotswood Andrew Lamb Gawin Hamilton Bishops of Glasgow Brechen Galloway Who enjoy now their reward in heaven for the râ—…viling they had on earth it being for Gods sake his Church according to our Saviours promise St. Matth. 5. 11. The first was a man for zeale to the Church fidelitie to the King prudence in Government constancie under affliction singular inimitable indeed for his excellent gifts onelic hatefull to the Disciplinarians though especiallie because he through long experienec was of all Scotish men best acquainted with ablest to detect their crosse wayes to the King all Soveraigne Magistracie He died piouslie peaceablie at Westminster in the second yeare of this rebellion was buried in the Abbey Church The second was a great assiduous preacher even when he was blinde through extreme age He also died in peace with the good report of all except these calumniatores who hold that no Bishop can be an honest man whose invention is so rich of nothing as reproaches against better men then themselves The third was a reverend Praelate of great parts singular learning a most constant preacher who lived in peace died in his bed Rev. … that violent Commissioner the Earle of Dunbar Ans. His violence did not carie him beyond his Commission because he executed that upon the rebellious Aberdene Assemblers would not take off some of his kindred or acquaintance who were in the jurie that deliberatelie cast them in their verdict nor intercede for their stay in Scotland being desir'd you here meet with him at the Synod of Glasgow Which being at large prov'd legitimate in every circumstance required by law is in vaine condem'd as null by your faction Nor was it corrupt in any more then three members of about 140. who being rotten drop of from the close union harmonious suffrage of the rest Rev … got authorized in some part of the Bishops office Ans. I hope you will not denie that Bishops were authorized to ordaine in this Synod And into how many particulars their power of jurisdiction was branched your brother very pittifullie complaines… jurisdictio in omnibus offendiculis sive in doctrina sive in moribus … Armantur … potestate exauctorandi ministros suspensionis censuram irrogandi excommunicationem decernendi c. you may reade the rest then tell us what part of their office was left out Rev. Superintendents are no where the same with Bishops much lesse in Scotland Ans. That they are aequivalent to Bishops is evident by the conformitie in their offices power The particulars whereof His Lordship recites out of the fourth sixt heads of your 1. Book Discipl To which upon my Review I could adde some more if those were not enough Their ambulatorie commission was no other then our Bishops ambulatorie visitation If your onclic in the time before have any influence here exempt them from all duties in their visitation but preaching the word c. you cut of three parts of their injunction in the Discipline If they were onelie as you say for a time it concerneâ—… you to tell us where they ceas'd denie there were any since or ever shall be more but upon some future new plantation in your Churches Being pressed about obtruding your Discipline you tell us For the Eâ—…clesiastike enjoyning of a general Assemblies decrees a particular ratisication of Parliament is unnecessarie Which holds not where the particular decrees of your Assemblie transgresse the general intent of that Act whereby you are authoriz'd to meet That relates to the times and matters to be treated of In the former you are limited to custome or praescription In the later to the doctrine discipline receiv'd Which are therefore ratified in such Acts together with your Assemblies Presbyterie Sessions that obedience might be render'd upon the visible conformitie of your decrees injunctions to that rule But to make any Act of Parliament so general as to ratisie at adventure all possible arbitrarie commamds of your Assemblie to the altering of the doctrine or discipline established were to praecontract affinitie with all sects haeresies to enter into an implicite league or Covenant with the Devil about his worship so it may be de futuro ad placitum Synodi generalis Let me put this case suppose a general Assemblie should by an Ecclesiastical decree enjoyne the canons of that Antichristian government against which you praetend your discipline is framed Whether or no is that injunction authentike upon the general A of Parliament for their Assembling without a particular ratification thereof I might adde how ridiculous it is for you to make the power of your Assemblies so absolute yet trouble King Parliament so often with your importunate petitions to passe what is fullie ratified before that by their owne General Acts including that very particular for which you supplicate The debates about the second booke of Discipline I
or sau'd by the benefit of their Clergie And this upon beter grounds then the Presbyters denie them communion with those who as much as they make up their mouthes dare not take up a stone to cast at them The Doctour knowes his owne meaning and plainelie speakes it And they must be very ignorant or worse that are not of his minde or rather of St. Pauls which I take to be this That when a man shall without visible hypocrisie say be hath examin'd himselfe he is not to be againe examin'd by the Classe but may eate of that bread and drinke of that cup That when he hath judged himselfe he should not be judged That when he is judg'd he is chastened of the Lord not condemn'd and executed by the Kirke Your interrogatorie or argument a minore ad majus in case of Scandal is defective untill you render a just definition of scandal applicable to all where in your discipline doth instance After which having made your scale of degrees your antecedent requires your proofe viz. That small scandals are to be purg'd away by that repentance that here is in quaestion between us Had I ever read of any Presbyter in Scotland what I have of Fabian once Bishop of Rome That he was chosen by the extraordinarie descent of a dove upon his head I might charitablie hope sor some spirit of meekenesse among the brethren of the Discipline and have some litle credulitie that the want of gall in any one of the number might qualifie the exuberance and overflowing biternesse in the rest But when I meet with such tragike Histories of their implacable furie and see every where their unjust judgement running downe like a torrent and their unrighteous rigour like a mightie streame I can put litle trust in the slender banke of Master Baylies professions in behalfe of his Presbyterie from whom expect as litle mercie as truth and as litle Christian righteousnesse as peace The Warner can not be ignorant of your Scotish wayes while his eyes are open to reade them in your bookes or his eares to heare them in very credible reports He that lives in Scotland and never seeth the execution of that censure must betake himselfe to the mountaines converse in some corner with those creatures who know as litle of excommunicating by as they ever did of communicating with a Church For the 47. yeares halcion dayes that you have seen of which from your birth which you so superstitiouslie mention you must give us leave to abate at least one or two as praegnant in knowledge and as quicke an Intelligencer as you could be in your cradle and about 30. of 40. more wherein the curst blacke cowes had short hornes the Presbyterian severitie being regulated by the Bishops who caried the badge of clemencie aswell as innocencie on their armes the great citie you liv'd in must be taken for the onelie bright Mercie seate in your Countrey while the sun of righteousnesse did never arise otherwhere but turn'd his face away from it as a land of darkenesse full of cruel habitations As touching the two censures you acknowledge had the profanesse in the papist and the horrible scandal in the Praelates been priviledg'd as much in the punishment with a proxie as they say the more true and more horrible scandal in a brother of the Commission the rod of that furie had passed upon the backes of the fooles in your Citie as for the luftie Presbyters delinquencie I have heard your excommunication was executed upon the Nodie-Innocents in his parish If you goe no farther then Saint Pauls command 2. Thes. 3. 14. You should denounce no publike excommunication in the Church but diates epistoles scmeiousthai by private leters signifie his fault You should have no companie nor familiaritie with him that he may be ashamed not forbid every man to sell him bread that he may be sterved You should admonish him as a brother not count him as an enemie commanding him to be reputed as accursed delivered to the devil Much lesse should you arrogate the praerogative of God if not a greater in visiting the sinne of the father upon the children such it may be as hate you not denying them baptisme till they come to be of age c. And to shew what good Angels you are after sentence pronounced you dismisse not the Congregation before they have sung with you the 100. Psalme a Psalme of exultation whereby as much as may be you rejoyce at the confusion of a sinner Nor is your reserve of litle kindnesse very constant in permitting the excommunicate the companie of them that are tied by natural bonds unto him when the sharpenesse of your censure cut ' these bonds with-held this indulgence from Master Iohn Guthrie Bishop of Murray to whom when he lived in Angus you denied the comfort and conversation of his brother though a preacher of a parish thereabout For the inconveniences that follow how powerfull hath been the influence of the Church upon the State in such Acts of Parliament as are made consequential to their Acts of Assemblies may be guessed by the frequent servile submission to the tyrannie of their papers In the Parliaments where your Princes were ever praedominant it can not be thought they would ratifie an Act so destructive to their owne strength in the diminution of their subjects as to set the heads of wolves upon the shoulders of men and for such trivial faults as the Bishop mentions antecedent to your censure with leters of horning expose them to be worried by dogges For this crueltie may your Church be deservedly challenged and that by Proelates who gave no such customarie allowance to thier officials to excommunicate as appeares by the caution in the Canon 1571. Nullus horum nec Cancellarius nec Commissarius nec Officialis in cognitione causarum procedâ—…t usque ad serendam sententiam excommunicationis nisi tantum in causis instantiarum And in the Canon 1604. If the delinquent made his appearance and after processe was to be censured the official was nor to pronounce the sentence but the Bishop nullam ejusmodi sententiam pronunciari volumus praeterquam per Episcopum c. Nor were the civile inconvenients like those after leters of horning And how easilie all for great crimes was commuted for your brother Didoclave complaineth at large Where as you run againe from the severitie in your lawes to the clemencie in your practice though that be no answer to the Bishop who presseth upon your Canon your diverse late yeares crueltie which still is continued confutes you in the face of the world In which if your sentence tooke place in heaven as it doth to their confusion on earth so many have payd the price of their soules for observance of the first fift Commandements their dutie to God obedience to their King Your parenthesis that hookes in the greatnesse of sinnes is convict by the slight
some Seraphical fathers to breed their children by the rod or institution of the Spirit But to returne to our Doctour From his single sentence appeale may be made to a Court of Delegates consisting of a number the most learned and in humane opinion the most upright lawyers in the land Which can be taken for no miserable reliefe being the highest Court constituted by the authoritie of the King where if not His Majestie in person his immediate Commissioners are Iudges Your twice a yeare Synods seem somewhat unnecessarie if intended principallie for receiving appeales your Classical Presbyteries consisting of persons as you praetend of such sinceritie honour somewhere as I remember Didoclave tells us they have litle worke which if well examin'd hapeneth not so much by reason of the aequitable proceedings in inferiour judicatures as from the assurance which persons oppressed have to meet with the same measure from the same men that are the Members of your Synods who know well enough how to gratisie one another in the mutual ratification of the particular sentences pass'd before The Primitive Synods found other worke praeserving in their Provinces the puritie of doctrine uniformitie in practice trusting Bishops in their Dioceses except in singular cases with the censures of persons redresse of grievances Yet whatsoever convenience may be in it our Episcopal twice a yeare visitation may parallel If the chiefe Noblemen c have decisive voyces in your Synods they gaine that priviledge by their birth or estates to neither of which is inseparably annexed wisdome pietis learning the three gifts or spirits you require in your Iudges How farre private instructions and interests praevaile with your Presbyteries in their elections to exauctorate all the good qualifications in the competition of Candidates the records of your Edenburgh Tables at the begining of this Rebellion can justifie Though were their Honourable heads gaged and concluded capacious to hold no lesse then a tunn of wisdome learning and their armes clasped upon the embrace of the whole sisterhood of zeale vertue and grace with all other abilities requisite to your Elders your Presbyteries full approbation and choyce could not authorize them to suffrage in a Synod whereto of old they had no admission but as in the Second Councel of Orange when sent thither by the King I shall not insist upon the comparison or disparitie between them inferiour Civile Court Judges in whom no parts are wanting to the execution of their place in whose choyce the Canon of their institution is observed All hopes of redresse by appeale from your Synods to a General Assemblie are crush'd in the shell by your underhand violence in election of Members and praelimitation of them that are chosen in their votes You remember the seven private directions sent to your Presbyteries before the Assemblie at Glasgow 1638. the fourth of which was That such as are erroneous in doctrine or scandalous in life be praesentlie processed that they be not chosen Commissioners and if they shall hapen to be chosen by the greater part that all the best affected both Minicters and Elders protest and come to the Assemblie to trstisic the same By this tricke you not onelie praeâ—…udg'd or praecondemn'd the legal freedome in choyce but caus'd to be process'd all suspected to be of a different sense from that which you praedesign'd or praescrib'd to the Assemblie Thus the Presbyterie of Edenburgh put very many of their Ministers under processe begining with Master David Michel their proceeding against whom His Majesties Commissioner could not get deferred untill the meeting of the Assemblie Thus the Laird of Dun chosen Lay Elder for the Presbyterie of Brechen by the voyce but of one Minister and a few Lay Elders was accepted the Lord Carnaegie a Covenanter too but somewhat more moderate more lawfullie chosen by the voyces of all the rest was rejected There was another paper of instructions dated August 27. 1638. which is mors in olla the Collaquintada that spoyles all the pottage you bring us in this parapraph the Second of which is this Order must be taken that none be chosen ruling Elders but Covenanters and those well affected to the businesse so that parts for judgement wisdome pietie c are no considerable qualities in your Members of Assemblies when the Covenant and good inclinations to the busâ—…nesse of rebellion can be found though but in Ideots Atheists The multitude of Burgesses Gentlemen is so great to some such good intent as this that you may praeponderate the Parliament in your laike votes and anticipate any just exception they can make against your Acts. The ground of their admission in your first reformation was a defect of Clergie which when once supplied had for 40. yeares possessed all the places till exchange was made at your Glasgow null Assemblie to doe the worke in hand The prime Nobilitie are not allwayes the men but such among them as are first in popular opinion and for that in your favour Your choyce of them is many times illegal when to serve your turnes you call them from one Presbyterie to another Yet when all is done you can pleade no praecendent from antiquitie for any more then a declarative consent no definitive sentence no decisive voyce the subscriptions in the Ancient Councels distinguishing the Clergie and Laitie in this maner Ego N. definiens subscripst Ego N. consentiens subscripst Those that at any time had greater priviledge if the words cited by your Bishop of Brechen must needs give it them Gloriosissimi edicunt Gloriesissimi Iudicos dixreunt were special Commissioners sent from the emperours not from any Presbyteries as he tells you and more to this purpose which you may answer as likewise what the Reverend Bishops objected in their Declinatour about Theodosius the yonger Pulcheria the Emperesse Martinius in the fourth General Councel of Chalcedon Master Andrew Ramsey undertoke an hard taske upon the top of his stool offering to prove the lawfulnesse of Lay Elders by Scripture Antiquitie Fathers Councels the judgement of all the Reformed Churches And therefore when His Majesties Commissioners offered to bring one into the pit that should encounter him the cocke crowed no more and with the Brethrens good liking the controversie ceased Till afterward on good occasion a Member offering to prove there was no such thing in the Christian world before Calvins dayes the Moderatour learnedlie confuted him saying His father while he liv'd was of another minde The E. Argile who was surprized as he sayd at the sodain rupture of this Assemblie held the Members a litle while by the eares with his argument of convenience telling them He held it sit the Assemblie should consist of Lay-men aswell as Churchmen Take this with you Your Assemblie Ministers are chosen by the lay Elders your Moderatours some times are laymen a course not justifiable by law
the Presbyters answer nor I a leter take which he will in exchange for his name Aedepol nugatorem lepidum lepidé hunc pactu'st… Calophantam an sycophantam hunc magis esse dicam nescio That the whole generation of the praelatike faction as your style it did hyperbolize in zeale against that which they call sacriledge is an argument they were all true bred no bastard children of the Church not so meane condition'd as to sell their spiritual birthright for potage Were your title as good which can appeare to be nothing but your rough hands and red soules with the bloud of the Martyrs of your owne making we should commend so farre as we act our selves your strugling aswell for the inheritance as primogeniture But when we compare our professions or evidences finde our brethren to say that the benefactours and founders of these Ecclesiastike possessions were true Christians though mistaken we thinke in many maters of doctrine and worship yours that that they were Members of Anti-Christ undoubted Idolaters and haeretikes Ours that the Churches which they endowed were Episcopal such as we continue them or to our utmost endeavour it From which you degenerate schismaticallie separating and arming your selves with all resolution rage to demolish beside what other advantage we may use of a nearer union uniformitie in religion more consonant to the minde of the doners at least if such as your malice doth render it litle thinking it may be to have it so unhapilie retorted in that which is the chiefe drift of all your rebelling and covenanting when we thinke of no other restitution but by the possessours consent when it may be transferred to us by the same supreme hand that conserr'd it on them out of which you no sooner get opportunitie and power but you violentlie ravish it calling Princes nobles sacrilegious robbers while they over-power you and deteine it I beleeve all our Religious and prudent Nobilitie will unanimouslie grant our plea more just our proceedings more moderate when God shall if ever touch their consciences not we the skirt of their estates and livelihoods with an humble feare that such an inheritance with-held from such a Church may be sacrilegious indeed with assurance that if it be so 't is sinfull they will not value their lands at so deare a rate as to pay their soules for the purchase but with courage confidence in a blessing from God to be multiplied on their undevoted temporal possessions returne them to him the King I meane from whom they receiv'd them and be beter content that Episcopal Christians then Presbyterian counterfeits should repossesse them But if such of them as are not perswaded in conscience they are oblig'd to restore them upon the arguments we bring which would ne'r be convictive if our plea were no beter then yours shall adventure to leave the suit depending till the Court of heaven give final sentence upon it at their peril be it the Praelates their followers use no violence nor course of law here below to put them out of these their possessions no threats but those against sacriledge in Scripture fearing this may be such no activitic but that of a swift charitie to catch hold of their soules and snatch them out of the snare when they finde them devouring the bate and to put them ante vota before vowes upon making enquirie or if post vota to retract them Therefore such of the Nobilitie and Gentrie as were wakened hereby to take heed of their rights were best have a care they slumber not in the wrong and take Solomons counsel intended Prov. 16. 8. Beter is a litle with righteousnesse then great revenues without right But which requires the Readers advertence for you here to call those the rights of the Nobilitce and Gentrie which so many Assemblies have declar'd to belong jure divino to the Church which in your first booke of Discipline you tell them they had from theeves and murderers and hold as unjust possessions or indeed no possession before God which in your second you hold a detesiable sacriledge before God For you to twit the Praelates with violence threats who are bound in Iohn Knox's bond not onelie to withstand the mercilesse devourers of the Church patrimonie… but to seeke redresse at the hands of God man That declare the same obligation upon you to root out of the Kingdome aswell the monster of sacriledge as that of Episcopacie and so aswell the persons of most your Nobles as the Bishops For you to object a â—…ourse of law and activitie who by incessant demands and praeter legal devices never gave over till the lawes that annexed lands to the crowne were repealed For you to bragge of your last Parliament's conâ—…irmation of titles because your last Assemblie power could not reach beyond the destruction of patronages What is this but apertlie Sucophantein calophantein to fawne accuse dissemble destroy flater your with mouth while you spread a net for their feet and worke the ruine of their persons and estates If Noblemen once abase themselves to be Elders of every ordinarie Presbyterie it 's not to be doubted but evey ordinarie Presbyter takes himselfe for their fellow if not their superiour which they finde to their griefe Therefore all or most respect that they give to their gracious Ministers is alas a litle Court holy water cast on the flame of their zeale a sacrifice made for their owne securitie from your tonâ—…ues and pennes and from the armes of the people that serve youâ—… warrants oft times in tumults upon their persons For the honâ—…ur on pay them they are faine like wretches to morgage their conscience those that doe not gaine the honourable titles of Traytours of Gâ—…d are cashier'd your companie and then passe for no 〈◊〉 honourable heathen publicans and sinners If they becomâ—… 〈◊〉 hmen between a single Presbyter and a Prince when he 〈◊〉 with his I require you in my name c. Before every charge no very humble forme as I take it they â—…all be called abusers of the world neutral livers aâ—… their pleasure if not shedders of Scotch bloud And some that draw on themselves their Prince's displeasure for a Rethorical libertie used in their behalfe shall be pay'd for their paines with the honourable essay of men sold unto sin enemies to God and all godlinesse the L. Sempils reward which he had from Iohn Knox as this gratefull Presbyter hath registred in his storie They that bridle the rage of their Princes the phrase usd as occasion serves will not sticke to halter the heads of their Nobles if they will neither leade nor drive but molest the progresse of their Presbyterian designes Your Historical Vindication I hope is no new nam'd Logike to prove negatives of fact your detraction from the credit of many irrefragable authours that Historize that insolent speach
unchurch the greatest part of Christians and contract this Soveraigne excellencie to your selves Your Latin disputations when they come by course among the ignorant or yonger frie of your Ministrie doe but multiplie haeresies make them now and then in their heate blaspheme God more learnedlie then in their weeklie exercizes and Sermons As occasion shall serve I may helpe you hereafter to more instances then one of the like practice among some of your brethren abroad where every beardlesse boy for with such your Presbyterie every where abounds hath libertie to talke for I can not call 't disputing upon the highest mysteries the Trinitie Praedestination c. As considentlie to the shame of your religion as the gravest Doctour can determine in the chaire What of this may be tolerable among the learned super rotam materiam Is litle beter then a forme and litle decencie in that which approves not much improves lesse the abilities of the longest liver among you all Our aequivalent to this let it be what it will in our Archdeacons Visitation your friend Didoclaves turnes off with a jeer making as if the abilities of our Ministrie were inquir'd into after they were constituted leaders of the flocke Primum creâ—…tur duâ—…ores gregis deinde siunt discipuli where as it is principallie to discerne the advancement by studie of what abilities they had at their ordination whereby the election of rural Deanes may be regulated persons know'n that are enriched by gifts befitting them to be Bishops Your experience shall not draw me into an unnecessarie comparison between our English Clergie and the French or Dutch Divines whose ordination you are not ignorant hath been impeached by their adversaries whether deservedlie or no they are to looke to and their abilities resolv'd just like yours into an effusive readinesse of words But I bid defiance to you and your Countreymen of the Discipline to shew me among you all a Law'd an Andrewee a Montague a White to whom the English you name must give the guerdon of learning which I beleâ—…ve Reynolds caried not at Hampton Court Conference unlesse Perkins had more in his Chaine of pâ—…aedestination or Parker in his silie Arraignment of the Crosse. But how solide and singular soever was their learning their defection from the doctrines and practical praecedents of so many yeares standing among Catholike Christians makes their fayth in many things and their good parts comparitivelie in all but as chaffe to be blow'n away with the winde and the memoire of them to be winowed by our breath that the truer graine may be visible in Gods Church Avolent quantum volent pallea levis fidei quoâ—…unque Assltu tentationum eopurioâ—… mass a frumenti in horrea Domini reponetur It 's well your conscience can be enlarged in some litle charitie towards any of our Bishops though we may be justlie jealous of this kindnesse feare if we hear'd their names it may be placed upon persons inclined to your interest rather then commended to your good opinion by their mâ—…rit But whoso'er they be you meane we know you never prike any in the list of the learned but the best read men in Synopis's and systems in Common place bookes and Centurists or general lie in your select Reformed Fathers whom in a fallacie often times you perswade your Disciples to be the more proper men because standing you tell them upon the shoulders of the ancients when if set on even ground the longest arme they can make in true learning and eloquence will not reach halfe way up to their girdles But to proceed in some answer to your quaestion The Warner therefore speakes to you of ignorance because your Presbyteriâ—… parts with the greatest incentives and encouragements of studie Therefore of contempt because it quits those dignities which give praecedence to their persons and draw reverence to their function Therefore of beggerie because it diverts the Ecclestastical revenue and makes you but stipendiaries of the people Of this very conciselie yet fullie hath his late Majestie admonish'd you Chapt. 17. of Eâ—…x Buâ—… He that surveyes impartiallie the multitude of good Livings and other Clerical praeferments in England which might serve as a supplement to the bad will finde litle reason for any none at all for the greatest part of our Priests I meane those that had a title that were eidiâ—… cheirotonoumenoi as it is Can. 6. Concil Chalced to be begarlie contemptible for their want especiallie since those Pluralists you confesse were searce one of twentie that lived in splendour at Courtâ—… or were Nonresident in the Countrey Such as were apolelymenoos ordinat ordained at large without title to any benefice or cure the Bishop was charged with them till provided for And they that complained of their povertie had no cause there being as you tell us such plentie in his palace The ignorance of our Clergie which it may be was not incomparable if we bring yours into the light was never greater then when Calvin and Knox had some heires and successours that crept into the praelacie degenerating from the austeritie of their Fathers who because they lov'd not the office never mean'd to discharge it Yet could dispense in their conscience with the title lawne sleeves into the bargain that under them they might take the revenues of our Bishopsâ—… But when and where we had Austins and Chrisoâ—… Lawds and Andrews's never cloud was dispelld with the rising sun so as ignorance at their asscent in the Epâ—…scopate of our Church And they that heard not of the great studie in these Prâ—…lates to remedie the evils brought in by the other are such as Zecharie speakes of that imagine evil against their brother their heart refusing to hearâ—…en and pulling away the shoulder and stopping the eare that they should not heare and making their hearts as an adamâ—… that they may not c. Those some that were most provident you meane I thinke most penurious in their families were those I told you of that made a trade of â—…ieir proeferinents and would dispense with any thing among the putitans but their purfes Such as those soms other that I named as they were apter to teach so were they know'n to be of beter behaviour and given to hospâ—…a litie the requifites of a Bishop and accomplishments of ours whose parsimonie or providence for hu samilie was not that which advanced him a sumine to make a purchase If the suâ—…plusage of his â—…evenue could doe it in a cheape and plentifull Countrey J know not who have beter title to it then his heire Though as I am informed where I may trust meeting with a profess'd enmitie against his office whatsoever reserve of kindnesse was for his person This great purchase you meane was the recoverie of lands sacrilegiouslie taken and deteined from the Church in the pursâ—… whereof as he spared no endeavour so it should seem
not a proposition is there in prosyllogisme or syllogisme that is seemes you can denie though you scarce any where shew ingenuitie to grant For the second which you thinke so hard to prove let it be adventur'd thus He that by covenant disposeth of himselfe and armes contrarie to the established lawes which by the Kings right in him he is obliged to maintaine disposeth of them against that rights But every Covenanter disposeth c. For the established lawes enjoine him to defend the Kings person without limitation or reference to religion at least not to fight against it which the Covenant by your practike interpretation doth oblige to Where the power of the Militia resides His Maâ—…esties unanswerable Declaration for the Commission of array will best satisfie you And himselfe tells you trulie it is no lesse his undoubted right then is the crowne In the exercise of it though the Parliament be not excluded yet their power is never legallie considerable but when they are as the bodie with the soul in stain conjunctâ—… with the King Defense of liberties hath no law to arme them against praerogative nor is there a cause imaginable impowering them to take up armes against a partic countenanced by the Kings praesence which can be according to no law but what is call'd such by rebellious people that offer violence to Royal right If any such there be let us have but one impraegnable instance and we 'll shake hands I beleeve you are not much in love with that old custome of the Frisians long before they became Presbyters who chose their Earle carying him upon their bucklers and crying alowd Haecest potestas Frisiae You can now adayes beter indoctrinate them according to the custome of yourfaction when praevalent which is to admit no new King but at the swords point and there to keepe him crying after this maner or somewhat like it in your proclamational libells Haec est libertas Presbyteriales Scotiae Yet your Commissioners when in the mood can praesent the hilt to his hand and argue with both houses as they did upon the new propositions why the power of the militia should be in the crowne asking How Kingâ—… otherwise can be able to resist their enemies and the enemies of the Kingdome protect their subjects keep friendship or correspondence with their allies … asserting that the depriving them of this power rootes up the strongest foundations of honour and sasctie which the crowne affords will be interpreted in the eyes of the world to be a wresting of the scepter and sword out of their hands So that the Bishops friends may take from yours aswell as from him the same demonstrable conclusion he layd downe And this for all the Kings acknowledgement which was never any of the Parliaments joint interest in his authoritie against his person which is the true case though you shamefullie conceale it Nor did His Majestie so put the whole Militia in their hands as to part with his right when he bound his owne from the exercise Nor was he sure he was not or might not seeme to be perjur'd for his courtesie which all Kings will not hazard though he layd the guilt or dishonour at their doores whither God hath brought allreadie a portion of their just punishment that constraind him saying I conceive those men are guiltic of the enforced persurie if so it may seem who compell me to take this new and strange way of discharging my trust by seeming to desert it of protecting my subjects by exposing my selfe to danger or dishonour for their safetie and quiet Therefore what thoughts he had of your parties medling with the Militia may be best judg'd by his words How great invasion in that kinde will state rebellion in a Parliament when there 's any as there was none at that time nor since shall be told you when the Bishop gives you occasion to demand it Or if you can not stay so long I must send you againe to the judicious Digges to satiate your too curious and greedie appetite of such fare as will not well be digested in many stomackes To the nulling yourCovenant by His Majesties proclamation you say nothing because it separates him from the partie to which you attribute all malignance and you know you can not securelie medle with him but in a croud In the Bishops second demonstration we must be beholding to you for giving what you can not keep with any credit which more awes you then conscience That where the mater is evidentlic unlawfull the oath is not binding The application of which up to your covenant will be justified when brought to the touch by Gods lawe or the Kingdome 's But you first summon it before reason which helpes you with no rule To lay aside what might be otherwise rectified were there cause for 't Nor any evidence that the burden of Bishops and ceremonies was so heavie as to presse you into the necessitie of a Covenant This his Lordship need not offer to dispute since the King ever offerd a regulation of that order and those rites by the primitive paterne wherein it otherwise differed then in a necessarie innocent compliance with the politike constitution of his Kingdome And the Church had render'd all rational satisfaction aswell for the ceremonies reteined as those abolish'd And both by particular men most eminent in learning and judgement had been unanswerablie maintained in every graine or scruple that could be quaestion'd or complaind of Yet the praesent government how light soever is burdensome especiallie to men that looke for advantages by the change And the worst of men can seeme as serious in complaint as if their vertues had been the onelie martyrs to crueltie and the very common hackneyes for oppression Quid reliqui habemus praeter miseram animam came out which a sad sigh from Catiline before his bankrupt Comrades who had left no such subject for rebellion to thetoricate on if their lives had been as good pawnes in the midst of their prodigalitie as their lands This your method of reformation whereof the Bishop complaines for which you plead custome failes not onelie in the maner but of the power the most material requisite to effect it And the high path way is not so ordinarie as you can name the Parliament that ever trod in it before We in England having no such custome nor indeed any where the true Churches of God as to alter religion and government without the King To your quaestion which ever shelters fraud in universals I particularlie answer and to our purpose 1. That the Houses of Parliament are not to begin with an ordinance for a covenant or oath to change the lawes of the Realme to abolish the Discipline of the Church and the Liturgie lawfullie established by the sword which are the Bishops words before the Kings consent be sought to that beginning much lesse when his dissent is foreknow'n of that