principem legem legislatoris non Consiliarii esse non ex vi consensus consilii habiti sed ex regia legislatoris â—i obligantem Ibid. pag. 38. Non erubescimus Iuristaturum reiicere opinionem qui volunt in monarchiis non obligare legem nisi à populo acceptetur cum monarcha sit legislator lex lata qualex obliget adeo ut ad eam acceptandam cogendi sint subditi post legis a monarchae lata publicationem temporisque quoà d populi notitiam pervenat sufficientis lapsum potest sine ulla acceptatione publica legis observatio praecisem ingeri Heylyns antid pag. 66. The declaration of his Majesties pleasure in the case of S. Gregorie is to be extended to all other cases of the same nature It is a maxime in the civill law Sententia Principis ius dubium â—eclarans ius facit quoad omnes Item Quodcunque imperator per epistolam constituit vel cognoscens decrevit legem esse constat Id. in his moderate answere pag. 29. Only these commands of the King are to bee refused which are directly against Scripture or include manifest impietie Hee learned this from his opposite the Lincobishire Minister pag. 68. I say that all commands of the King that are not upon the clear and immediat inference without all profylogismus contrarie to a cleare passage of the word of God or to an evident Sun-beame of the law of nature are precisely to bee obeyed nor is it enough to finde a remote and possible inconvenience that may ensue 2. When he is pleased to call a Parliament it is his due right by his letter to ordaine such Barrons to be Commissionars for the Shires and such Citizens to bee Commissionars for Burrowes as hee shall bee pleased to name (f) Ioannes Wemius pag. 23. Baronum ut civium ad Comitia delegatos non ita absolute à Baronum vel Civium delectu pendere volumus ut non possit rex quos ille maxime idoneos censuerit eligendos nominare praesertim cum pro legibus ferendis ijsque quae administrationis sunt publicae statuendis Comitia indictae sunt in quibus liberum denegare regi arbitrium quos aestimarit prudentissimos quibuscum deliberet sibi in Concilium ascâ—scendi esset ex rege non regem eum facere statuumque voluntati ad regiae depressionem eminent à nimis subjectum 3. That he may lawfully exact when he hath to do what portion of his Subjects goods hee thinks meet and by himselfe alone may make such Lawes for exactions in times to come as seemes to him best (g) Joannes Wemius pag. 19. Omnia fatemur quae in regno sunt regis esse qua rex est id est qua paternus regni dominus adeoque qua postulat ipsius qua rex est aut publica regni conditio posse regem de singulorum bonis disponere praesertim ubi omnes in regno terrae in feuda concessae fuerint à rege aliquod penes se dominium retinente Id. pag. 17. Licet non de jure omnium bona exigendo tamen de jure in omnes leges ferendo sine omnium consensu statuere potest Montag orig pag. 320. Omni lege divina naturali vel politica licite semper reges principes suis subditis tributa imposuerunt licitè quoque exegerunt cum ad patriae reipublicae desensionem tum ad ipsorum familiae honestam procurationem Hanc doctrinam accurate tuetur Ecclesia Anglicana in qua sacerdotes licet magis gaudere soleant debeant immunitatibus tamen frequentius exuberantius libentius quam Laici decimarum decimas subsidia annatas primitias solvunt 4. That no Subject of his Kingdome can have any hereditarie jurisdiction but any jurisdiction that either any of the Nobilitie or any other Magistrate or officer possesseth they have it alone during his pleasure that at his presence the power of all others must cease and at his death evanish and be quite exstinguished till by his successors by new gift it be renewed (h) Joannes Wemius pag. 136. Cum regis sit in suo regno judices magistratus constituere qui ipsius sint in judicando jubendo vicarli potest tex jubendi judicandique jus ac magistratus judicesque constituendi potestatem inferioribus concessam prout regno utile esse visum ei fuerit abutentibus auferre nulla proprie est sub Rege patrimonialis haereditaria jurisdictio rege solo jurisdictionem tanquam propriam habente aliisque quibus eam non dat sed communicat tanquam depositam accipientibus Igitur non ut terras ita jurisdictionem simpliciter ut loquuntur privative rex alienare potest nisi rex esse desinat Ibid. pag. 157. Si judices sint principum vicarii nulla est eorum principe presente potestas cum solius absentis teneat quis locum si quae est alicubi aliquando videatur non nisi jus est â—â—dicium regium volente Rege declarandi ut ita ex judicam ore proferatur Regis sententia Ibid. pag. 17. In statuum caetu non tam judicantibuâ— ipsis quam assistentibus imperium exercet rex quandoquidem praesente jurisdictionis sente evanescat aboram omnium jurisdicâ—â—o derivata ut fluviorum perditum nomen potestas cum in mare discenderint Ibid. pag. 143. Principus occasis evanescit judicum omnium tam ordinariorum quam delegatorum jus Negari non potest tam apud Romanos quam alios in usu fuisse ut qui in demortuorum succederent locum reges quamprimum regnorum gubernacula capesserent magistratuum judicumque jurisdictionem confirmarent ut ostenderetur extinctis regibus nullam esse inferiorum authoritatem nisi successorum edicto confirmentur saltem patientia tacite approbentur 5. That Scotland is a subdued Nation that Fergus our first King did conquer us by the sword and establish an absolute Monarchie for himself and his heires giving to us what Lawes hee thought meetest (i) Corbet p. 45. There was no law in the Kingdom of Scotland before the kings gave it For before Fergus his days we were genus hominum agreste sine legibus sine imperio He and his successors gave lawes Ibid. Fergus did conquere us 6. That al the Lands in Scotland were once the Kings propertie and what thereof hath beene given out for service yet remaines his owne by a manifold right (k) Corbet pag. 45. Fergus and his successors divided the whole land which was their owne and distinguished the orders of men and did establish a politick government This is cleare ex archivis regiis ubi satis constat regem esse dominum omnium bonorum directum omnes subditos esse ejus vassallos qui latifundia sua ipsi domino referant accepta sui nempe obsequii servitii praemia 7. That to deny any of the named parts of this power to
articles of Parliament it is commanded to be subscribed by the hearts and hands of all in this Kingdome without exception So that new there stands at the back of that long blasphemed Covenant among the first and most conspicuous hands not onely Roxburgh Lawder-dale Southâ—ke and others of the prime Counsellours but also Traquair the Kings great Commissioner for that effect We hope then that you and your like if there remaine any sparke of reverence in your breast towards that authoritie which oft yee pretend to adore will not onely for ever hereafter bridle your very loose tongues but also eate in againe or at last cover so farre as ye can for hidding of your shame these most false lies and unchristian railings which these two yeares by-gone in word writ Print ye have vomitted out against our proceedings especially that most hatred slandered passage of them the renewing of our Covenant The fi st point wherein ye parallell us with Jesuites 1. paralel Wee are for Monarchie but against Monarchical tyranny is in our opposition to Monarchicall government By Monarchicall government yee expreslâ— enough declare that ye understand such an absolute and illimitate power as exeemeth the Prince from the tye of all Law and puts in his hand the full libertie to make what Lawes he wâ—ll withâ—ut the advice let bee consent of Parliament of Counsell or of any others and taketh absolutely all Liberty from his Subjects though met together in Parliament to defend them elves by Armes in any imaginable oppression even such a Mâ—narchie as the great Turke or the Mâ—gor of Iâ—dia or the Châ—m of Taâ—tarie this day doth enjoy over their slaves even that strange kinde of government which in my last Chapter I descrived in the words of your brethren We confesse freely that our heart is much opposite to such a Mâ—narchie yet no more then our gracious Prince king Charles his glorious Father king Iames give us expresse warrant The one in his fore-cited writ of his Atturney Suprâ— chap 8. Q.R. abhorring these injurious flatterers who would impute unto him the making of Lawes without his Parliament the other in his Parliamentary Speach Page 531. A king governing in a setled kingdome leaveth to bee a King degenerateth in to a tiraÌ„t as soone as hee leaveth off to rule according to his Lawes Therefore all Kings that are no tyrants or perjured will be glad to bound themselves within the limits of their Lawes They that perswade them the contrarie are vipers and posts both against them and the Common-wealth making that Prince a perjured tyrant who would not gladly bound himself within the limits of his laws and these men to be taken for vipers pests and common enemies to Princes and people who would assay by their flatteries to loose Princes from their pactions made with their people at their Coronation and the setled lawes of their Kingdome yea we show that your own great Bishop Laud possibly as great a Royalist as is needfull goeth before us with his own mouth what ever he directeth you and many other of his followers to the contrary to teach that no statute Supra Cap. â— Q Law can bee made any where but in Parliament even in England let bee â—cotland where to this day never any conquerour did dwell But as for true Monarchie so high as the lowable lawes any where do make it we are in nothing opposite thereto for what have we to doe to condemne the setled state Lawes of any other Nation Certainly the royall authority of our owne gratious Soveraigne so far as the lowable lawes of our Kingdome doe extend it we are sworne in our Covenant heartily to the uttermost of our power to maintaine As for the lawfulnesse The lawfulnesse of defensive Arms of resistance in the present case of our invasion I may not enter in this short postscript in any such question onely ye may if ye please understand that it hath been the tenet of our Church since the reformation it hath been the right and practice of our Kingdome since the first foundation a number of instances thereof are approved in our standing acts of Parliament unrepealed to this day it hath been the practice of all the reformed Churches abroad wherein by Queen Elizabeth King Iames King Charles they have been all allowed and the most of them countenanced with powerfull assistance of men and money Your self cannot deny but in the judgement of reformed Divines resistance in many cases is lawfull even in Kingdomes where the Prince is tyed in the fundamentall lawes by paction to his people That this is the State of the kingdome of Scotland though ye may deny it yet King James who is like to have as great understanding in the rights of the Crowne and Kingdome of Scotland as you or your like gives us assurance that by a fundamentall law the King of Scotland is obliged at his coronation to paction under his great oath the preservation of the established Religion of the Lawes of the Kingdome of the Liberties and priviledges of the Subjects P. 105 In the Coronation our Kings give their oath first to maintaine the Religion presently professed punish al those that should alter or disturbe the profession thereof and next to maintaine the lowable good lawes made by their predecessours lastly to maintain the whole Countrie and every state therein And this oath in the Coronation is the clearest civill fundamentall Law whereby the Kings office is properly defined However we love your ingenuity who doe not dissemble but professe openly your minde that when a faction about a Prince by divine providence is permitted to take courses for the evident overthrow both of the Religion of the Lawes of the Liberties of the goods of the lives and all that is deare to an whole kingdome that in those or any other imaginable cases of tyrannie whole Parliaments may not proceed for their defence one step beyond teares prayers and flight That what ever is done more by whole and consentient nations against a faction of Court misleading the Prince is simplie unlawfull Your scoffes about the questions of Bishops and Elders deserve no answer Our Tenets about bishops and ruling Elders the king hath approved nothing doe we maintaine in them but what the assemblies of our church at our first reformation ordained and was in peaceable practice among us ever till men of your coat by fraudulent and violent wayes for their owne ambition and avarice set up their novations We have no other minde in those questions then the Church of Holland and France All our tenets are so well cleared by that Learned Hollander Gersome Bucerus as none of your partie hath yet beene bold after 22. yeares advisement to make any reply yea we maintaine no more in these questions then that wherewith our gracious Prince by his Commissioner and act of Counsell in our last generall assemblie hath declared himselfe to be well pleased but ye are a
to goe kill one another alone for the bearing up of Prelates tailes and that of Prelates as unworthie of respect as any that ever wore a Mytre Let our kindred let our friends let all the Protestant churches perish let our own lives estates run never so evident an hazard yet the Prelates pride must be borne up their furious desire of revenge must be satiate all their Mandamus in these dominions must be execute with greater severitie and rigour then those of their brethren are this day in Italy or Spaine or those of their grand-father at Rome To us surely it is a strange Paradox that a Parliament of England The Canterburian faction deserveth not so well of England that armes in their favour ought to be taken against Scotland so wise grave equitable a Court as in all bygone times it hath ever proven should bee thought in danger at any time let be now to be induced by any allurement by any terrour to submitt themselves as Varlets and Pages to the execution of the lusts the furies and outragious counsels of Canturberrie and his dependars for they know much better then we that the maine greevances both of their Church and State have no other originall no other fountaine on earth but those men Who other but they have keept our most gracous Prince at a distance from the Countrie almost ever since he came to the Crowne For whose cause have Parliaments these many yeares beene hindred to meet and when they haue met beene quickly raised to the unspeakable grief and prejudice of the whole land and of all our friends abroad By whose connivence is it that the idolatrous Chappels of both the Queenes in the most conspicuous places of the Court are so gorgeous and much frequented Whose tollerance is it that at London three Masse-priests are to bee found for one Minister that three hundreth of them reside in the cittie in ordinat and six thousand at least in the countrie If yee trust the Jesuites Catalogue to Rome Whence comes their immunitie from the Lawes who have sett up Cloysters for Monks Nuns let bee houses for open Masses in divers cities of the Kings dominions Why is our correspondence with the Pope no more secret but our Agents avowedly sent to Rome his Holinesse Nuntioes received here in state and that such ones as in publick writs have lately defamed with unspeakable reproaches the person and birth of that most sacred Queene Elizabeth Such actions or at least long permission of such abominations doe they flow from any other but his Grace the head heart of the Cabbine Counsell Did any other but hee his creatures his legs and armes hinder alwaies our effectual alliance with the Sweeds French when their armies did most flourish in Germanie for the relief of the oppressed Churches Why was that poore Prince the king of Boheme to his dying day keept from any considerable help from Britaine How was these young Princes the other yeare permitted to take the fields with so small forces that a very meane power of a silly commander beat them both tooke the one captive and put the other in his flight to an evident hazard of his life Who moved that innocent Prince after his escape to take so strange a counsell as the world now speake off and when he was engadged who did betray both his purpose and person to the French king could any without the Cabbine understand the convey of such matters and within that Cabbine does any come without his Graces permission Is not that man the evident author of all the Scotish broyles Are not his Letters extant his holy hands interlynings of the Scotish service to bee seene his other writtes also are in our hands making manifest that the beginning and continuance of that cursed worke hath no spring without his braine When the King himselfe after ripe advertisement and all about him both English and Scots had returned in peace who incontinent did change the face of the Court and revive that fire which in the heart of the Prince and all his good Subjects was once closse dead That a Parliament of England will not onely let such a man his complices goe free Wee offer to instruct by the writâ— of our partie their unsupportable crimes but to serve his humour will bee content to ingadge their lives and estates for the overthrow inslaving of us their best neighbours that over our carkases a path-way may be made for Bishops now and at once for the Pope and Spaniard â—o â—red on the neck both of their bodies and souls we canÌ„â—t beleeve Yet if any such things should be propâ—unded for what dare not effronted impudence attempt we would require that sage Senat before they passe any bloudy sentence of war against us to consider a little the quality of that party for whose cause they take arms we offer to instruct to the ful satisfaction of the whole world of free imprejudicat mindes not by flying reports not by probable likelihoods not by the sentences of the gravest most solemne judicatories of this land our two last generall assemblies late parliam who at far greater length with more mature advisement did cognosce of those causes then ever any assembly or parlia among us since the first foundation of our Church kingdom did resolve upon any matter whatsoever All those means of probation we shall set aside and take us alone to the mouth of our very adversaries If by their own testimonie we make it evident that beside bookes ceremonies and Bishops which make the proper particular quarrel of this nationall Kirk against them they are guilty of grosse Arminianisme plaine popery and of setting up of barbarous tyrannie which is the common quarrell of the Kirk of England of all the reformed Kirks and of all men who delite not to live dye in the fetters of slavery If we demonstrate not so much by their preachings and practises amongst us as by their maximes printed with priviledge among your selvs which to this day though oft pressed thereto they have never recanted If wee shew that yet still they stifly avow all the articles of Arminius a number of the grossest abominations of popery specially the authoritie of the Sea of Rome that they urge conclusioÌ„s that will force you without any reluctance so much as by a verball protestation not onely to give way unto any iniquitie whatsoever either in Kirk or State whereto they can get stollen the pretext of the kings name but also to lay down your neck under the yoke of the king of Spaine if once he had any sitting in this Yle without any further resistance though in your Church by force that Tyrant should set up the latine Masse in place of the Bible and in your State for your Magna-Charta and acts of Parliament the Lawes of Castile though in your eyes he should destroy the whole race of the royall familie
observationem hoc sensu promittere id est ut a subditis observentur se effecturum ad earum observationem teneri eum confitemur sed religionis potius quam iustitiae legalis observatione 3. That the prince alone is the lawgiver both in church and state (x) Iohannes Wemius pag. 26. Legum latio praecipuum est supremae dominationis ac maiestatis caput Ib. pag. 74 Legum ecclesiasticarum principes latores sunt nec differunta civilibus ecclesiastica natione cause efficientis 4. That in maters ecclesiasticall they themselves alone without the advice of any of the Cleargie may lawfully make what canons they please and compell their Cleargie to embrace them (y) Iohannes Wemius pag. 59. Potestatem in ecclesiasticis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 posse a princibus iure suo extra concilia exerceri docent quas ita tulerunt leges imperatores atque iis Regis legibus Ecclesiasticis quae legi devinae non repugnant nequit quit bona cum conscientia obedientiam detrestare quamvis non accessent ad earum constitutionem Pastorum ecclesiae consensus Ib. p. 93. Etiamsi extra concilia jubendi autoritatem habeat Princeps tamen libentius obsequuntur subditiillis principum statutis quibus pastorum in conciliis honorantur iudicia 5. That it is a part of the Kings prerogative to have power to impose upon all his subjects such confessions of faith such liturgies such canons as he thinks meetest without the advice of any church Assembly (z) Large declaration p. 222. Did not wee and our Councell be equall authority command these innovations of canons liturgie Was not then ye Prelats practice of then as well warranted as this confession of faith and the band annexed which were never brought in by acts of Parliament or Assembly but meerly by our royall Fathers prerogative and put in execution by the authority of his councell 6. When it is his pleasure to call an Assembly the members of that ecclesiastick court are onely such as he is pleased to call whether of the Clergie or of the Laitie ( ) Johannes Wemius pag. 66. Laicos saepe à principibus advocatos in Concilia videre est quibus non modo consultivam sed definitivam vocem permitterent Iste fuit electionis mittendorum ad Concilia modus ut Ecclesiarum presulibus quos vellent mittendi liberam plerumque potestatem permitteret princeps quod illis exploratius quam sibi esset qui ad eam provinciam aptiores Non quod principi penitus neganda sit quod autum aut nonnulli particularis personarum quae consilio eum leges Ecclesiasticas laturum adjuvent designatio Istud enim esset principum juri detrahere Ex singulis diaecesibus moderatus aliquis numerus eruditorum ac prudentiorum Presbyterorum Diaconorum Laicorum à principe aut metropolita principis delegate eligebatur 7. That when they are called only the Princes voice is decisive the voice of all the rest at most but consultive or if any of them become decisive it is by the Princes favour or at least permission (a) Iohannes Wemius pag. 89. Consultivam habent vocem Pastores tanquam juris divini consulti definitivam princeps ut judex dante illis consilii his judicii potestatem Legis latore Deo penes quem solum summa in spiritualibus imperii residet Ib. pag. 70. Vocem habere qui congregantur Presbyteros non qua Presbyteri sed qua Ecclesiarum sunt legatià principe vocati Ib. pag. 74. Definitiva sententiae dictio corum est qui à principe summo moderatore eos consulente vocemque decisivam iis dante vocantur Ib. Asserimus non agitato in conciliis fuisse saltem quae majoris momenti essent negotia nisi quatenus ea princeps per legatos proponeret aut patribus descripta traderet 8. That church Assemblies are only politick conventions not grounded upon any devine right and so to be used or disused as the prince shall think expedient (b) Iohannes Wemius pag. 126. Nullo in scriptura mandato nititur concilia celebrandimos sed à principibus Ecclesiae curam suscipientibus cum non essent principes à pastoribus ipsis volentibus ortum habuit 9. That it is in the power of all Soveraignes whihher Monarchick Aristocratick or democratick to appoint for the government of the church in their dominions such officers and spirituall courts as they finde most meet and agreable to their temporall estates to erect bishops and put down Presbyteries to erect Presbyteries and put down bishops (c) Iohannes VVemius p. 78. 79. Officiorum Ecclesiae modus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 est à principe pastoros Ecclesiae non consulente praescribi posse affirmamamus putantes cum serenissimo nostro Rege summis quibusque imperitantibus concessum esse externam in Ecclesiasticis regiminis formam suis praescribere quae ad civilis administrationis modum quam proxime accedat dummodo à fidei veraeque religionis fundamentis ne tantillum abscedat 10. That all this power to conclude every ecclesiastick affaire which can be subject to the jurisdiction of any ecclesiasticall synod doth belong alike to all soveraignes whether Turkish Iewish Pagan hereticall or Christian and Orthodox (d) Iohannes VVemius pag. 124. Regi omni confertur Ecclesiasticae jurisdictionis potestas per regium quod à Deo habet munus licet Regi tantum Christiano aptitudo oû recte utendi Christi gratia donetur Tamet si primatus ecclesiastici ius perfectius administret Rex Christianus Primatus tamen ius officii seu vocationis non facultatis aut exercitii ratione Rex obtinet Quae Regi supervenit gratia regiam in eo potestatem perficit non facit potestatem non repellit gratiae interna nedum professionis externae defectus Concerning the Kings power in matter of Stat They give to the King power to do in the State what ever he will without the advice of his parliament they teach first that a Parliaments is but his arbitrarie Councell which in making or annulling of his Lawes hee may use or not use as hee pleaseth (e) Ioannes VVemius p. 17. Neque verò putan dum est quia solet rex ex modesta prudenti virium suarum diffidentia non nisi de ordinum consensu leges ferre absolutam ideo ei imponi eiusque successoribus necessitatem illorum obtinendi consensus ac si nullo modo iis liceret perse sine eorundem suffragiis bonas edere constitutiones quibus qua quaeso conscientia non parebunt omnes Ibid. pag. 19. In Monarchia Regis sola voluntas de substantia legis est praevia cum populo consultatio si utilis imò ultilissimae sit necessaria tamen non est Itaque cum imperatore Iustiniano dicendum videtur explosis ridiculosis ambiguitatibus verum conditorem interpretem legum esse solum
the rest to our acerâ—st and sibbest sister of England as it were in a table divers of these errours which our partie first by craft and subtilitie but now by extreame violence of fire and Sword are labouring to bring upon us to the end that our deare Brethren understanding our sufferings in the defence of such a cause may bee the more willing at this time to contribute for our assistance from God the helpe of their earnest Prayers and for ever hereafter to condole with the more hearty compassion any misery which possibly may befall us in such a quarrell All our plea is but one cleare syllogisme Albeit truely our hopes are yet greater then our feares if we could become so happie as once to get our plea but entered before our Prince for we can hardlie conceave what in reason should hinder our full assurance of a favorable decision from that Sacred mouth whose naturall equitie the World knowes in all causes whereof hee is impartially informed since our whole action is â— uâ—ht but one formall argument whereof the Mâ—j r is â—he verdict of our judge the Minor shal be the open and â—â—â—wâ—d Testimonie of our partie need we feare thâ—â— either our judge or partie will bee so irrationall as to vâ—nture upon the denyall of a conclusion whereof both the premisses is their owne open profession Our Major is this The Major thereof VVho ever in the Kings Dominions spreads abroad Poperie or any Doctrine opposite to the Religion and Lawes of the Land now established ought not to bee countenanced but severely punished by the King This Major the King hath made certaine tâ— us in his frequent most solemne asseverations not onely at his coronation both here and in England in his proclamations both here and there (a) Neither shall we ever give way to the authorizing of any tâ—â—ng wherby any innovation many steal or creep into the Church but shall preserve that unitie of doctrine discâ—pline established â—n Q. Elizabeths reign wherby the Church of England have stood flouâ— sâ—ed since Proclam dissolving the Parl of England 1628. and therefore oâ—ce for all we have thought fit to declare and hereby to assure all our good people that we neitâ—er were are nor ever by the grace of God shall bee slained with popish superstition but by the conâ—tarie are resolved to maintain the true Protestant Christian religion already professed within this our ancient Kingdom We neither intend innovation in religion or lawes proclam â—une 8. 1638. to free al our good subjects of tâ—e least suâ—pition of any intent on in us to innovate any thing either in religion or lawes and to sati fie not onely their desires but even their doubts We have discharged c. proclam Septemb 22. 1638. and to give all his Maj. people full assurance that he never intended to admit any alâ—eration or change in the true religoÌ„ pofessed wiâ—â—in this kingdome and that they may be truely and fully satisfied of the realitie of his intentions and integritie of the same his Maj. hath been pleased to require command all his good Subjects to subscribe the confession of Faith formerly signed by his dear Father in anno 1580. and it is his Maj will that this be insert and registrat in the books of Assembly as a testimony to pâ—steritie not only of the sinceritie of his intentions to the said true religion but also of his resolution to maintaine and defend the same and his Subjects in the proâ—ession thereof proclam Decemb. 18. 1638. but also in his late large declaration oftimes giving out his resolution to live and die in the reformed protestant religion opposite to all Poperie to maintaine his established lawes and in nothing to permitt the enervating of them Yea this resolution of the king is so peremptor publickly avowed thâ—t Canterburie himselfe dare not but applaud thereto (b) If any Prelate would labour to bring in the superstitions of the Church of Rome I doe not onely leave him to Gods judgement but if his irreligious falshood can bee discovered also to shame and severe punishment from the State and in any just way no maÌ„s hands should bee sooner against him then mine in his Starre chamber speech who can seeme more foreward then he for the great equitie to punish condignlie all who would but mind to bring in any Poperie in this Isle or assay to make any innovation in Religion or Lawes Wee beleeve indeed that my Lord Canterburie doth but juggle with the world in his fair ambiguous generalities being content to invegh as much against poperie and innovation as we could wish upon hopes ever when it comes to any particular of the grossest poperie we can name by his subtile distinctions and disputations to slide out of our hands But wee are perswaded what ever may be the jugling of sophisticating Bishops yet the magnanimous ingenuitie the royall integritie of our gracious Soveraigne is not compatible with such fraudulent equivocations as to proclaime his detestation of poperie in generals and not thereby to give us a full assurance of his abhorring every particular which all the orthodox Preachers of this Isle since the reformation by Queene Elizabeth and King Iames allowance hath ever condemned as popish errours Our Major then wee trust may be past as unquestionable Wee subjoyne our Minor The Minor But so it is that Canterburie and his dependars men raised and yet maintained by him have openly in their printed bookes without any recantation or punishment to this day spread abroad in all the Kings Dominions doctrines opposite to our Religion and Lawes especially the most points of the grossest poperie In reason all our bickering ought to be here alone This Minor I offer to instruct and that by no other middes then the testimonie of their owne pens If J doe so to the full satisfaction of all who know what are the particular heads of the reformed Religion and what the Tenets of Poperie â—pposite thereto what are the Lawes standing in all the thrâ—e Dominions and what the contrarie maximes of the Turkish Empire wherewith Matchivelists this day every where are labouring to poyson the eares of all Christian Princes for enervating the Lawes and Liberties of their Kingdomes I hope that reason and justice which stand night and day attending on either side of King Charles Throne will not faile to perswade the chearfull embracement of the conclusion The conclusion which followes by a cleare and naturall necessitie from the forenamed premisses to witt that Canterburie and his dependars in all the three Dominions ought not to be countenanced by the King but severally punished Let be that for their pastime a bloodie hazardous warre should be raised in so unseasonable a time for the undoing of that countrie and church which God hath honoured with the birth and baptisme both of his Majesties owne person and of his renowned Father and to the which both of them as
autâ—m dicit author ille tuus dans gloriam Deo 8 That the temporall principalities which the Pope enjoyeth this day in Italie or elswhere are but his just possessions which none ought to invy him (p) Montag antid pag. 95. Habeat ille suas sibi opes facultates fundos habeat latifundia principatum dominium per Ecclesia terras Petri possessiones obtineat dummode contentus vetuctiorum principum liberalitate alienam non invadat possessionem 9. That the restitution of the Popes ancient authority in England and yeelding unto him all the power that this day he hath in Spaine or France would be many wayes advantageous and in nothing prejudiciall to the King (q) Cant. relat pag. 202 Hee that is not blinde may see if hee wil of what little value the popes power in France and Spaine is this day further then to serve the turns of their Kings therewith which they doe to their great advantage 10 The old constitution of the Emperour whereby all the westerne clergie is so farre subjected to the Bishop of Rome that without him they are disabled to make any Ecclesiasticall law and obliged to receave for lawes what he doth enjoyne was very reasonable Yea if the King would be pleased to command all the church men in his dominions to be that far subject to the Pope they would be unreasonable to refuse present obedience (r) Montag antid pag. 156. Quod è codice allegatur Theodosiano decernimus ne quid tam Episcopis Gallicanis quaÌ„ aliarum provinciarum contra consuetudinem veterem liceat sine viri venerabilis Papae urbis alternae authoritate tentare sed illis omnibusque legis loco sit quicquid sanxit sanxeritve sedis apostolicae authoritas Quicquid hic pontifici sayeth Montagow arrogatur id totum edicto debetur Theodosiano vel vetustae consuetudini quicquid autem per rescriptum tribuitur imperatoris ad occidentales credo solos pertinebat nec omnes quibus juxta veterem consuetudinem Pontifex praesidebat ut Patriarcha Decernat imperator de Gâ—rmanis episcopis Rex Angliâ— de Britannis suis Francorum de Gallicanis quod olim Theodosius decrevit dicto erunt omnes obedientes Onely by all meanes my Lord of Canterburies prerogative behoved to bee secured his ancient right to the patriarchat of the whole Isle of Britaine behoved to be made cleare that to his rod the whole clergie of the Isle might submit their shoulders as to their spirituall head and Monarch from whom to Rome there could bee no appeale (Å¿) Cant. relat pag. 171. It is plaine that in these ancient times in the Church government Britaine was neever subject to the Sea of Rome for it was one of the six diocies of the West Empire and had a pâ—â—mat of its own Nay Iohn Capgraw and William Mabinnesburrie tell us that Pope Vrbâ—n the second in the Councel at Bari in Apuleia accounâ—ed my worthie predecessor S. Anselme as his owne Compeer and said Hee was as the patriarch and apostolick of the other world quasi comparem veluti Apostolicum alterius orbis Patriarcham Now the Britains having a primate of their own which is greater then a Metropolitan yea a patriarch if yee wil he could not be appealed from to Rome in any cause which concerned onely the churches of the Kings dominions for in causes more universall of the whole catholicke Church willingly they are contented that the Patriarch of Britaine and all others should submit to their grand Apostolicke father of Rome (t) Montag Antid pag. 57. Rectè cautum erat olim per canones vetustae Ecclesiae ut Romanus ille primus Episcoporum cui tot per occidentem suffraganei adherebant suam sententiam rogatus adhiberet ubi fidei Ecclesiae universalis vel 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in rebus ad politiam spectantibus agitabatur supra Everie one of these pontificall positions since the midst of Henrie rhe eights raigne would have beene counted in England great paradoxes yet now all of them are avowed by Canterbuerie himself in that verie booke which the last yeare at the Kings direction hee set forth for to satisfie the world anent their suspition of his Poperie or else by D. Montagu in his books yet unrepealed and cleanged of all suspition of Poperie by M. Dow under the seal of his Graces licencing servant This much for the Pope About the Cardinalls they tell us that their office is an high and eminent dignitie in the Church of God Their minde to the Cardinalat for the which their persons are to be handled with great reverence and honour (w) Montag ap pag. 56 Penitere non potuit Baronium eruditissimuÌ„ laboriosissimum virum industriae suae ac deligentiae Cardinalitiame niminde merito quidem suo adeptus suscepit dignitateÌ„ ibid. pag. 75. Virum illustri adeo nominis celebritate eminentissima dignitate coÌ„stitutum honestum probum preterea in vita privata rigidem severum ac tantum non 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nusquam nisi honorificentissime compellavi that their office is a reward due to high graces and vertues that some of them though the greatest enemies that ever the reformed Churches have felt such as Baronius that spent all his time in opposing the trueth and advancing Antichristianisme and Barromaeus (x) Pokling Alt. pag. 34. The Linchonshire Minister it his jearing veine flouteth Cardinal Baromaeus whereas if he list to read his life he may not be ignorant that the Cardinall was a man of exemplarie holinesse and spent the greatest part of his life in fasting prayer almes-deeds preaching exhoration and doctrine and did detest both impietie and vanitie both in word and deed Me thinkes his conscience should checke him for his scornfull usage of a man who had the report of so vertuous and pious a Bishop a bloudy persecutor of our religion and one of the fathers of Trent that even such men are so full of grace and pietie that it is a great fault in any protestant to break so much as a jest on their red hattes Where the head and shoulders are so much affected it is hard to restraine charitie from the rest of the bodie These good men vent their passion no lesse towards the bodie of the present Church of Rome then towards the Pope and the Cardinalls Foâ— first his grace avowes over and over againe that the Papists and wee are of one and the same religion They affect much to be joyned with the Church of Rome as shee stands that to speak otherwayes as the Liturgie of England did all King Iames dayes were a matter of very dangerous consequent and therefore he confesseth his helping that part of the liturgie which puts a note of infamie upon the popish religion least that note should fall upon our owne religion which with the popish is but all one (y) Cant. relat p 36 The Church of Rome
ceremonias à maioribus hominibus religiosissimis usurpatas quod advarios pietatis usus valeant exercitia quedam sunt quibus mens externarum rerum sensu significatione ad divinum cultum ipsumque Deum attrahitur in Ecclesia retinendas ubi abrogatae fuerant restituendas esse statuimus Andrews stricturae p. 13. Chrisme salt candles exorcismes signe of the crosse ephata and the consecration of the water those being all matters of ceremonie are therefore in the Church power on good reasons either to retaine are to alter For their tenets in the sacrament of the supper wee shall speak anone of them in the head of the masse 4. They tell us that our dispute about the five bastard sacraments is a plaine logomachie (y) Andrews stristurae p. 11. The whole matter about the five Sacraments is a meer 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 5. They tell us that not only infants after their baptisme but even men baptised in perfect age who before baptisme gave sufficient count of their faith yet they may not be esteemed full Christians while they have received confirmation by the imposition of hands and that alone by a Bishop (z) pokling altare p. 165. And because the competentes were persons of full age they received also consumation by imposition of hands ut pleni Christiani inveriantur About the orders they tell us that they agree with the papists in their number that the reason why they want their Acolits sub-deacons and the rest is but their Churches pouerty (zz) Andrews stricturae p. 12 The five orders is a point not worth the standing on while the revenues of the church were able to mantaine so many degrees it can not be denyed but that there were so many but by the Churches owne order neither by commandement nor example of Scripture but what is this to the present estate of the Church scarce able to mantaine twon Which can scarce wel mantaine the two orders of priests and deacons But which in their questions is worst of all they side here with the papists in giving to all the protestant Churches a wound which our enemies proclame to be mortall fatall incurable They tie the conferring of ordours by a full divine right to the office of bishops they avow that the lawfull use of all ordination and outward ecclesiastick jurisdiction is by God put in the hands of their persons alone Other reformed Kirks therefore wanting bishops their ministers must preacù celebrate the sacraments administer discipline not only without a lawfull warrand but also against the ordinance of God When they are put in minde of this great wound given by them to all other reformed Churches they either strive to cover it with the fig-tree-leaffs of an imagined case of necessity which never was or else plainly to passe over it as immedicable ( c.) Heylens antid sect 3. pag 8. Let the bishops stande alone on Apolicall right and no more then so and doubt it not but some will take it on your word and then plead accordingly that thing of apostolicall institution may bee laid aside When Bishop Andrews had learnedly asserted the episcopal order too bee of Christ institution I have heard that some who were there in place did secrerly interceed with King Iames to have had it altered for fear forsooth of offending our neighbour Churches Andrews resp ad epist. 3. Molm p. 195. Dixi abesse ab ecclesiis vestris aliquid quod de jure divino sit culpa autem vestra non abesse sed injuria temporum non enim tam propitios habuisse Reges Galliam vestram in Ecclesia reformanda quam habuit Brittannia nostra Interim ubi dabit meliora Deus hoc quoque quod jam abest per Dei gratiam suppletum iri Relatum inter haereticos Aerium qui Epiphanio credat vel Augustino necesse est fateatur tu qui damnes Aerium quo nomine damnas An quod se opposuerit consensui universalis ecclesiae Idem quisentit an non itidem se opponit ac eo nomine damnandus erit Montag antid page 138. Ordinationis jus autoritatem ita credimus annexam episcoporum personis ut a nemine non episcopo ordinato consecrato possit aut de beat adhiberi irritam ordinationem omnem pronunciamus quae non a legitimo canonico more proficiscatur quod si a se oriantur aliqui non missi ingerant caelesti huic muneri functioni manus viderint ipsi quid sint responsuri olim summo sacerdoti cujus partes usurpant nos nostras non aliorum tuemur vocationes Yea not only they ty ordination and jurisdiction to the person of bishops but of such bishops who must of necessity shew the derivation of al their power from the Pope as was shown before 6. In matrimonie they will keep not only the popish sacramentall words and signes the popish times of lent and other dysmall-dayes except the bishops give their dispensation but also they will have the whole matrimoniall causes ruled by the popes cannons yea which is more they avow that the Cannon-law by acts of parliament yet unrepealled stands in vigour amongst them (a) Dow p. 184. By his favour I must tell him that neither the law of God nor of the King doth disallow the use of the old canons and constitutious though made in the time of popery and by the pope or popish prelats which are not contrary to the law of God or the King If he desire proof of this let him consider whether the statute 25. Hen. 8.19 do not say as much as I affirme which having regulated diverse things touching the exercise of ecclesiasticall jurisdiction At last the statute concluds with this proviso provyded also that such Canons constitutions ordinances and synodals provinciall being already made not repugnant to the laws customes of this Realme nor to the hurt of the Kings prerogative royall shal now still be used and executed as they were before the making of this act till such time as they be viewed searched or otherwise ordered by the said two thirty persons or the more part of them according to the tenour of this present act It followes then that till these thirtie two persons determine otherwise old Canons may be still executed retaine their ancient vigour authoritie when that will be I know not but as yet I am sure it hath not been done Except in some few things which are directly opposit to some late laws of the land and that Cannon-law they will haue extendid as far down as the very councel of Basil (b) Femal glory pag. 128. With this pious and gratefull ordinance I conclude the visitation of our incomparable Ladie he meanes the act of the late Councell of Basile which ordained a festivall fo that visitation And as far up as the constitutions of the first Popes (c) Pocklingtoun altar pag. 52. There
more facilitating of their purposes they advance the secular power of Princes and of all soveraigne Estates above all that themselves either crave or desire alone for this end that their clerks may ride upon the shoulders of Soveraignitie to tread under the feet of their domination first the Subjects and then the Soveraignes themselves The tyrannous usurpation of the Canterburians are as many and heavie as these of the Romist Clergie How much our men are behinde the greatest tyrants that ever were in Rome let any pronounce when they have considered these their following maximes They tell us first that the making of all Ecclesiastick constitutions doth belong alone to the Bishop of the Diocesse no lesse out of Synod then in Synod That some of the inferior clergie may bee called if the Bishops please to give their advice and deliberative voice That the Prince may lend his power for confirming and executing of the constitutions made but for the work of their making it is the Bishops priviledge belonging to them alone by Divine right (a) Samuel Hoards sermons pag. 7. By the Chruch I meane the Churches Pilots who sit at the sterne Heads members divide all bodies Ecclesiasticall and civill what ever is to bee done in matters of direction and government hath alwayes beene and must be the sole prerogative of the heads of these bodies unlesse wee will have all common-wealths and churches broken in picees Ibid. pag. 8. The key of jurisdiction which is a power of binding and lousing men in foro exteriori in the coutts of justice and of making lawes and orders for the government of Gods house is peculiar to the heads and bishops of the church Ibid. p. 31. what was Ignatius and Ambrose if we look at their authoritie more than other bishops of the church That libertie therfore which they had to make new orders when they saw cause have all other prelats in their churches Edward Boughanes serm Pag. 17. Submit your selves to those that are put in authoritie by kings so then to Bishops because they are put in authoritie by Kings if they had no other clame But blessed bee God they hold not only by this but by a higher tenor since all powers are of God from him they have their spirituall jurisdiction what ever it be S. Paul therfore you see assumes this power unto himselfe of setting things in order in the kirk before any Prince become Christian 1 Cor. 11.34 The like power hee acknowledgeth to be in Titus 1.5 and in all bishops Heb. 15.17 Ibid. pag. 18. Kings make lawes and bishops make canons This indeed it was of necessitie in the beginning of Christianitie Kings made lawes for the State and bishops for the kirk because then there was no Christian Kings either to authorize them to make such lawes or who would countenance them when they were made But after that Kings became nourishing fathers to the Church in these pious and regular times bishops made no Canons without the assent and confirmation of Christian Kings and such are our Canons so made so confirmed Chounei collect pag. 53. Reges membra quidem filios Eccesiae se esse habitos reiecisse contempsisse nonnunquam audivimus obediunt simulque regnant Iura quibus gubernari se permittunt sua sunt vitalitatem nativam ex praepositis Ecclesiae tanquam ex corde recipiunt vivacitatem ex ipsis tanquam ex capitibus derivant Samuel Hoards pag. 9. Nor did they exercise this power when they were in Counsell only but when they were asunder also Speaking of apostles as they are paterns to all bishops 2. That in a whole Kingdome the Bishops alone without the privitie of any of the clergie of any of the laitie may abolish all the Ecclesiastick judicatories which the standing and unrepealled lawes which the constant customes ever since the reformation had setled and put in their rowme new forraigne courts which the kingdome had never known scarce so much as by their name (b) Our Chrurch Sessions our weekly presbyteries our yearly generall Assemblies whereof by our standing lawes wee have beene in possession are closse put downe by our book of Canons and in their rowme Church-wardens officiall courts synods for Episcopall visitation and generall Assemblies to bee called when they will to be constitute of what members they please to name are put in their place That at one stroke they may annull all the Acts of three or fourscore National Afsemblies and set up in their roome a Book of Canons of their own devysing (c) So is their book entituled Canons and Constitutions Ecclesiasticall gathered and put in forme for the governement of the Church of Scotland and ordained to bee observed by the clergie and all others whom they concerne That they may abolish all the formes used in the worship of God without any question for threescore yeares and above both in the publicke prayers in the administration of the Sacraments in singing of Psalmes in preaching the Word in celebrating of Marriage in visiting the sicke and in ordination of Ministers Neither this alone but that it is in their hand to impose in place of these accustomed formes foure new Bookes of their owne of Service of Psalmes of Ordination of Homilies All this our Bishops in Scotland have done and to this day not any of them to our knowledge can be moved to confesse in that deed any faile against the rules either of equitie or justice what ever slips of imprudence there may bee therein And all this they have done at my lord of Canterburies direction as wee shall make good by his owne hand if ever we shall be so happy as to be permitted to produce his owne authentick autographs before the Parliament of England or any other Judicatorie that his Majestie will command to cognosce upon this our alleadgance Readily Rome it self can not be able in any one age to paralell this worke which our faction did bring foorth in one yeare It is a bundel of so many so various and so heavie acts of tyrannie Certainly England was never acquaint with the like wee see what great trouble it hath cost his Grace to get thorow there one poore ceremonie of setting the Communion table altar-wayes for there themselves dar not deny that it is repugnant to the established Lawes of their church and state for any Bishop yea for all the Bishops being joined to make the poorest Canon without the voices of their convocation-house or Nationall Assemblie yea without the Parliaments good pleasure (d) VVhites examination of the dialogue pag 22. By the lawes of our kingdome and Canons of our Church many learned persons are appointed to be assistants unto bishops and in our nationall Synods in which all weightie matters concerning religion are determined nothing is or may be concluded but by the common vote and counsell of the major part of the convocation which consisteth of many other learned Divines besides Bishops Andrews sermons
of Trumpets dedicated to the King by Canterburie As for the Churches lawes which wee call Canons or rules made to restrain or redresse abuses they have alwayes been made at Church assemblies and in her owne Councels not elsewhere Heylens antidot pag. 29. I trow you are not ignorant that the kirk makes canons it is the work of Cleargie men in their Convocations having his Majesties leave for their conveening and approbation of their doings His Majestie in the declaration before the articles hath resolved it so and the late practice in King Iames raigne what time the Book of Canons was composed in the Convocation hath declared it soo to 3. They avow that all their injunctions though so many and so new yet they are so holy and so just that the whole kingdome in conscience must embrace them all as the commands of God (e) VVhites examination pag. 20. telleth us as it were from Eusebius Quicqued in Sanctis Episcoporum conciliis decernitur id universum Divina voluntati debet attribus And from Bernard Sive Deus sive homo vicarius Dei mandatum quodcunque tradiderit pari profectó obsequendum est cura pari reverentia suscipiendum ubi tamen Deo contraria non praecepit homo That whoever will be so peart as to affirm in any one of them the least contrarietie to the Word of God he must have no lesse censure then the great excommunication from which he must never be relaxed but by the Bishops own mouth after his publick repentance and revocation of so vile an errour (f) Book of Canons pag. 8. VVhosoever shall hereafter affirme that the forme of worship contained in the booke of Commoun Prayer that the rites and ceremonies of the church that the government of y Church by archbishops bishops and others that the forme of consecrating archbishops bishops presbyters and deacons as they are now established under his Maiesties authoritie doe containe in them any thing repugnant to the Scriptures or are corrupt superstitious or unlawfull in the service and worship of God let him be excommunicate and not restored but by the bishop of the place or archbishop of the province after his repentance and publick revocation of such his wicked errours That his bodily and pecuniall penaltie shall be at the free will and discretion of the Bishop (g) Book of Canons pag. 37. In all this book of Canons whersoever there is no penaltie expressely set downe it is to be understood that so the crime or offence bee proved the punishment shall be arbitrarie as the ordinarie shall think fittest That the worthiest men of any liberall profession get savour to losse but their eares to have their noses slit and cheeks burnt for contradicting their innovations (h) Canterburies Star chamber speach in his epistle to the King I shall rather magnifie your clemencie that proceeded with those offenders Burtoun Bastmijck Prinne in a Court of Mercie as well as Iustice since as the reverend Iudges then declared yee might have justly called the offenders into another Court and put them to it in a way that might have exacted their lives That the furthest banishments for tearme of life is a priviledge which their indulgence may grant but to few (i) The world knowes that numbers who have beene flying from episcopall tyrannie out of England to the very new found lands never to return have beene by violence keeped back and cast in their prisons and wee see dayly that numbers not onely of men but even of sillie women are drawn back in Ireland from their flight out of the kingdom to close prisons That the vilest dungeons yrons whippings bread and water chaining to posts without all company day or night in the coldest and longest winters is but a part of their opposers deserving (k) Huntly in his Breviat reports as a known case among many other this one also that M. Iohn Hayden a poore Devonshire Minister for preaching at Norwich a Sermon wherein he let fall some passages against setting up of images and bowing at the name of Iesus was apprehended like a traitour with the Constables bills and halberts by D. Harsnet then Bishop and brought manacled to him like a fellon and committed to the common Iayle close prisoner above thirteene weekes where hee was like to sterve the Bishop having taken from him his horse papers and all thereafter he was sent by a pursevant to London and keeped two full tearms At last by the high Commission he was deprived of his orders thereafter the high Commissionars imprisoned him in the Gate house common dungeon and Canterburie sent him to be whipped in Bredwall and there keeped him all the long extreame cold winter in a dark cold dungeon without fire or candle light chained to a post in the mids of the room with heavy yrons on his hands and feet allowing him only bread and water with a pad of straw to ly on And since on his reliefe hath caused him to take an oath and give band to preach no more and to depart the Kingdome within three weeks without returning and all this for preaching after his first uniust deprivation though no exception was taken against his doctrine That the greatest Nobles of the Land ought in Law to for-fault their Life and Estate if they be so bold as to put their hand to a supplication unto their gratious Prince against their practices (l) Sundrie of our prime Earles and Lords did present a supplication to our King after his Coronation wherein the matter of their greatest complaint was so far as ever wee heard their challenging of the Bishops for what they had done and were likely to doe The copie of this privie supplication being privily convoyed by an unfriend some two or three years thereafter out of my Lord Balmerinochs chamber was a dittay for which hee was condemned to die for an example to all other Noble Men to beware of the like rashnesse especially his Fellow-supplicants who are all declared to have deserved by that fault the same sentence of death Large Declaration pag. 14. Nor could they have found the least blemish in our justice if wee should have given warrant both for his sentence and execution whose life was now legally devolved into our hands Ibid. pag. 13. VVee were graciously pleased that the feare and example might reach to all but the punishment onely to one of them to passe by many who undoubtedly had beene concluded and involved by our Lawes in the same sentence if wee had proceeded against them That all this is but just severitie and the very expedient meane to advance their cause which they glory have well neere already close undone their opposites (m) Studley about the end of his wicked storie avowes that since by severe punishment the number of the unconformists have decayed that their cause can not bee from God and which they boast shall still bee used (n) Canterburie in his epistle to the
King before Starchamber speach having magnified the Kings mercie for saving the life of Bourtoun and his companions is bold to advise the King not alwayes to bee so mercifull in these words Yet this I shall bee bold to say that your Majestie may consider of it in your wisedome that one way of government is not alwayes either fit or safe when the humours of the people are in a continuall change especially when such men as those shall work upon your people and labour to infuse into them such malignant principles to introduce a paritie in the Church or Commonwealth Etsi non satis sua sponte insaniant instigare Heylen in his moderat answer pag. 187. hath many reasons and examples to prove that Burtoun and his like deserved no lesse than publick execution And yet these men are so gentle to Papists that they glory in their meeknesse towards them professing that to the bitterest of the Iesuits they have never given so much as a course word So Canterburie in his Epistle the other yeare to the King before the relation of the conference God forbid that I should ever offer to perswade a persecution in any kinde against the Iesuits or practice it in the least for to my rememberance I have not given him or his so much as course language But alasse it is gone now beyond boasts when they are the second time upon the very point to kill millions of the Kings best Subjects to dash together all his dominions in a bloody warre as pitchers one upon another for the confirmation of their intollerable tyrannie where long it hath beene tottering and the reerection of it where it s owne unsupportable weight hath caused it to fall As for the power of princes King Charles hates all tyranny the most of those this day who are Christians and especially our gracious Soveraigne are very well content to be limited within the bounds of the laws which themselves and their predecessors have setled in the church and state of their dominions to make the preservation of those laws and of their subjects liberties ecclesiastick and civill according to them the greatest glorie of their prerogative royall (o) His majesties speach in Parliament 28. p. 75. The peoples liberties strengthen the Kings prerogative and the Kings prerogative is to defend the peoples liberties To give assurance of their resolution never to abolish any old or bring in any new act either in church or state without the concurrence of Assemblies and Parliaments p Neither to impose any taxation on their subjects goods without their free consent there to given by their Commissioners in Parliament (q) Proclam at Yorck April 25. 1639. VVe heartily declare and faithfully promise that althogh we be now in armes they shall be no wayes used either to force upon that our native Kingdome any innovation of religion or to infringe any of the civill liberties or the laws thereof accounting it our glory to preserve libertie and freedome among them according to their laws Therefore wee do once again by this renew our former promises for the mantenance of religion and laws and this we do in all sinceritie of heart we take God the searcher of all hearts to witnesse that as we are defender of the true Protestant religion which we from our heart professe so we trust we shall by his goodnesse continue in the same and never shall permit any innovation to creep in this or any other of our kingdomes One of the articles of Dunce pacification is this VVe are further graciously pleased that according to the petitioners humble desires all matters ecclesiasticall shall be determined by the Assemblies of the Church and matters civill by the Parliament and other inferior Iudicatories established by law which accordingly shall be keeped once a year or so oft as the affairs of the Church and kingdome shall require the extending of the prerogative to the making of new laws or abolishing of old to the imposing of taxes by simple proclamation without Parliament our Prince doth so far abhorre that he condemned a certaine writ for importing his Majesties intertainment of such motions Yea his Majestie by his Atturney generall called the Earl of Bedfoord and other noble personages to censure for keeping such a writ wherein did ly so pernicious positions (r) The which seditious discourse and writting the authors thereof intended should be dispersed as if the same had been intertained by your Majestie with purpose to put it in execution and to alter the ancient laws of this kingdome and to draw all things to your Majesties absolute will and plessure and to dispose of your Subiects goods without their consent and to make and repeale laws by your Maiestise proclamation only with out consent of parliament which if it should be beleeved by your people could not but raise infinit discontentment amongst them the consequence whereof might bee of extreame and almost inevitable danger to your Maiesties person and to the whole frame of the kingdome Where some Princes misled through passion mis-information have deviat so far from the path of justice as to intend by violence and armes the overthrow of the true religion and ancient (q) Cant. relat p. 112. In some kingdome there are diverse businesses of greatest consequence which cannot be finally and binedingly ordered but in and by Parliament and particulary the statute laws which must bind all the Subjects can not be made or ratified but there the supreme Magistrate in the civill state may not abrogat laws made in Parliament though he may dispense with the penaltie of the law quoad hic nunc liberties of their subjects the opposition which the subjects are forced to make in this case against the oppression of their Prince our gracious Soveraigne hath been so far ever from counting of it rebellion of which crime the greatest royallists in England wont alway to absolve it (Å¿) Bilson of subjection pag. 280. Neither will I rashly pronounce all that resist to be rebells Cases may fall out even in Christian kingdomes where people may plead their right against the Prince and not be charged with rebellion As for example if a Prince should go about to subject his Kingdome to a forraine realme or change the forme of the common wealth from imperie to tyranny or neglect the laws established by common consent of Prince and people to execute his own pleasure In those and other cases which might be named if the nobles and commons ioine together to defend their ancient and accustomed libertie regiment and laws they may not well be counted rebels Ib. By superior powers ordained of God we do not mean the Princes privat will against his laws but his precepts derived from his laws and agreeing with his laws which though it be wicked yet may it not be resisted by any subject with armed violence but when Princes offer their subjects no justice but force and despise all laws to
practise their lusts not any privat man may take the sword to redresse the prince but if the laws of the land appoint the nobles as next to the King to assist him in doing right and withhold him from doing wrong then be they licenced by mans law and so not prohibited by Gods law for to interpose themselves for the safegard of equity and innocencie and by all lawfull and needfull means to procure the prince to be reformed but in no case to deprive him where the scepter is inherited Ib. pag. 54. Spoiles mâ—ssacres conspiracies treasons even to the destruction and murther of Princes by their owne seâ—vants if a priest say the word you count in your selves to be just honourable and Godly war if others do but stand on their guaird to keep their lives and families from the blinded rage of their enemies seeking to put whole towns and provinces to the sword gainst all law and reason and to disturbe Kingdomes in the minoritie of the right governours or if they defend their Christian and ancient liberties covenanted and agreed upon by those princes to whom they first submitted themselves and ever since confirmed and allowed by the Kings that have succeeded If in neither of these two cases the Godly require their right and offer no wrong neither impugne their princes but only save their own lives you cry rebellious Hereticks rebellious Calvinist furie frenesie mutinie and I know not what ye may persue depose muther princes when the B. of Rome bids you and that without breach of duety law or conscience to God or man as you vant And that when neither life nor limme of you is touched we may not so much as beseech princes that we may be used like subjects not like slaves like men not like beasts that we may be convented by laws before judges not murthered by inquisirours in corners but incontinent the fume of your unclean mouth is ready to call us by all the names you can devise that his Majestie hath thought meet before all Europe after the example of his glorious Father and renowned predecesrix Elizabeth to give his countenance aid and powerfull assistance to them all when their just grievances and fears were laid out before his throne If so be King Charles had esteemed the late wars of France of the Protestants against their king the present wars of Holland and of the high Dutches against the Spaniard and Emperour an unlawfull defence let be a traiterous insurrection of subjects against their Soveraignes We presuppone his Majesties justice would have been loath ever to have defiled his scepter by supporting them all with men and moneys as oft he hath done and yet doth avow the deed The Canterburians flatter the King in much more power than ever he will take And inable him vvithout advice of the Clergie to do in the church what he pleaseth While our gracious Prince is so far inflamed with hatred against all tyrannie yet behold this wicked faction how carefully they go about by all the means they can to draw his royall minde to that which naturally it doth so much abhore For they tell us first that the power of all true Kings is so simply absolute and illimitate that for any man to reason what they may not is a crime no lesse than treason that they are far above all law (t) Heylens moderat answer pag. 28. VVhat spirit leads you that you are grieved vvith illimitat povver which men of better understanding than you have given to princes Ib. pag. 32. Princes are Gods de puts of whom should they bee limited if ye say by the laws of the land those themselves have made a prince in abctracto is above the laws though in concreto a just Prince will not break the laws which himself hath promised to observe otherwise we say of princes Principi lex non est posita that they do not governe only by the law but are above it that he is sure and hath an absolute authoritie Ibid. p. 179 I will be bold to tell you that as it is a kinde of Atheisme to dispute pro contra what God can do and what hee can not though such disputs are raised some times by unquiet wits so it is a kinde of disobedience and disloyalty to determine what a king can and what he can not Lysimachus p. 3. Hence it is that princes being Legislators are above their laws and dispense with them as they think expedient A prince is not bound to his own laws because no man can impose a law on himself Aberdeen duplyes p. 22. The king is above the law as both the author and giver of strength thereto 2. That the oath which a prince makes to keep the laws is but a personall deed which can not oblidge his successor that his oath and promise at his coronation to keep the laws is to be exponed of his resolution to make his laws to be keeped by others That all the oath and promises he makes at his coronation are but of his meer free-will and arbitrement that by theÌ„ all no true covenant or paction caÌ„ be inferred betwixt the King and his subjects (w) Dominus Ioannes Wemius de Craigioun a man advanced by our bishops to be a lord both of Councell and Session in his book de primatu Regis printed in Edinburgh 1623. And going among them to this day with applause p. 18. Sed quid si princeps leges statuat adhibito etiam iurisiurandi sacramento velin sua inauguratione promittat se leges non laturum absque populi ordinumque non modo consilio sed etiam consensu ac determinante sententia siquidem non fuerit haec in prima regni constitutione conditio imperii coaeva ac fundamentalis regni lex non sit quo casu dicerem non proprie esse regnum sed aristocratiam vel democratiam sed post regni constitutionem pactum tantummodo sit regis alicuius voluntarium etiamsi forsan pollicentum ipsum obliget quoniam praestanda est sides dat a ne sine fide licet non sine iure regnet successores tamen in regno quomodo constringet vix intelligimus etiamsi inhonesta quoque sit ut ait quidam illegittima omnis ea pactio quae inter patrem filium maritum uxorem dominum servum regem subditum celebratur quod dicto oportet hos audientes esse Ib. p. 39. Audemus dicere in monarchiis Reges supra leges esse iisque solutos nemo enim sibi legislator vindex aut iudex distinctio non probanda principem quoad vim Legum directivam Legum non coactivam legibus subditum esse non enim magis derigere quam cogere seipsum potest quis cum actio onmis sit inter agens patiens Ib. 41. Si leges suas se observaturum pacto obligaverit princeps Quod raro aut nanquam fit etiamsi soleat princeps quisque legum suarum
without all occasion to keepe your selfe off the Irish oath â—ff these Scottish Ministers whom yee did banish from Ireland off the excessive praises of your patron the Deputie These and such other passages of your booke lift up your maske and lead any who will under the shaddow of the Jesuites hart to behold D. Leslies head that upon it without mistaking may be cast all the garlants of honour which the penning of so brave a piece in so necessary a time doth deserve But whoever you bee whether Leslie or Maxwell or Michell The laÌ„ds griefe is the CanterburiaÌ„s joy or who else of the faction certainly yee are a mirrie man in a very unseasonable time When the whole Yle is in sadnesse and dule in feare and trembling ye are upon your congratularie Epistles And why not These are the dayes yee have panted long for fire and Sword is your Element rather then Episcopall honour should lye in the dust fire water heaveÌ„ hel must all goe thorow other yet who knoweth but your singing in so foule weather may end in mourning to you and jot to all those who now are weeping for that black storme which ye his Grace your Prince have raised in our clemat If wee in one point our adversaries in an hundreth are Iesuited The onely point wherein yee make Covenanters draw neare to Iesuitisme is in their doctrine of the civill Magistrate which ye branch out in 16 particulars Is it not then your mind that whoever leaveth the Protestants in one head of doctrine doth give to the Iesuites matter of congratulation and a good ground to expect their totall apostasie to the popish religion This is the onely scope of your whole booke What then doe you thinke of your fellowes whom I have assayed to convince by their owne testimonies of a defection from the Protestantâ— to the worst of the Iesuites not in one head but so exceeding many that very few contraverted heads doe remaine wherein they are not joyned long agoe with the Jesuites Shall partialitie so farre predomine with you that we Covenanters for conformitie with Jesuites in one point alone must be reputed Apostates from the reformed church of Rome yet ye Canterburians though ye declare your conformitie with Rome in twentie in an hundreth yea well neare in all the contraverted heads of Doctrine yet no man without a great dash to a charitie may begin so much as to doubt of your full Protestanisme That one point wherein ye make us Iesuited is the doctrine of the Magistrate This to you is the head of the Protestant Faith and all their other teners but members following that head your practice is very consonant to this your profession for your new doctrine of the Magistrate is the first and most beloved article of your Creed which above all other ye preach and presse with extreame violence Your new stamped oath of alleadgeance and Supremacie whereby yee would set up the King in a place so farre above the ty of all Lawes divine and humane as his royall heart hath ever abhorred to be maâ—e such an idol Good Princes in this are like the Saints in glory all which giveth to them a degree of honour exceeding the Sphere of man and entrenshing upon Gods proper glorie they esteeme them as they are indeed nothing but flattering effronters of their sacred persons That which ye call the head of all Protestant Religion The bounds of Princes power and peoples subiectioÌ„ are points of state not oâ— Religion readily doth not concerne Religion at all Religion indeed doth oblige the conscience to give unto all Magistrates their due honour and obedience but the bounds and limits of that obedience which is the onely point ye speake off Religion meddleth not with them till the civill Lawes of States Empires have clearly defined them No Religion will oblige a Spaniard to be so farre subject to King Philip as a Grecian slave must be to the Great Turke neither doth any Religion equall the Polonish Subjection to their King with the Spanish to theirs Doth any Religion oblige the Electours of Germanie to be so much subiect to their Emperour as the Nobles in Pole are to their King or so little subject as the Venetian Senate is to their Duke or the States of Holland is to the Prince of Orange The civill Lawes and Customes set downe the limites both of the Soveraignes commanding and the subjects obedience Religion causeth these march-stones conscienciously to bee kept when once Policie hath fixed them It seemeth ye intend to make England quit their Priviledgâ— and burn their magna charta to make Scotland bury their Assemblies Parliaments that a blank may be put in Canterburies hand to write down what Lawes he will for the Church and State of both the Nations But thankes be to God that King Charles doth live to be judge betwixt you and us in so materiall a question Yee tell us further in your preambles The present danger of this Yle to fall in hands of the Pope Spaniard before ye come to your first paralell of Pope Vrbans hope to make Scotland return to Rome yee might have told us further from your companion Con who is more acquainted with Vrbans secrets then other men that the Pope hath a pretty confidence to joyne England to Scotland that so the reduction of the whole Yle your Iâ—eland with it to the Sea of Rome may be set up as an eternall trophee to the honour of this pâ—pes family Surely the ground-stones of this hope are laid on so deepe plots that except the hand of God and the king in this present Parliament pull them up Pope Vrban for all his age may yet live to putt the triumphall cope stone upon that building We grant you also that the Pope and Jesuites as yee say â—re hovering above the head of us all to fall upon the prey of â—ll Britaine when both parties which your mallice will compell to fight are wearied with mutuall wounds in this prophecie we thinke you but too true divines specially if ye will adde which all without the gift of prophecie may see to be consequent that when the Pope hath gotten the soules of those who out-live this warre for his part his Sons the French or Catholik King will not be quiet except for their share they gett the bodies The most hated of the covenanters proceedings their covenant it self is approved by the king the goods and liberties of all this poore Yle Your other gybes at the Covenanters proceedings yee might have holden in if the honour of the King had any wayes been deare unto you the worst of all our actions even that which ye were wont to proclaime our most vile and hellish rebellion Sedition Treason and what else ye could devise is now by our gracious Prince after a full search of it to the very bottome not onely absolved of all crime but so farre approved that by act of Assembly Counsell
notable deceaver while ye would make the world beleeve that the great questions betwixt you and us are alone about Bishops and Elders while as ye are very like if ye be not marred by the hands of Bishops to bring in upon us the whole bodie of Poperie and to overthrow the whole civill Priviledges of both the Nations without any possible remedie as your selfe in this same place doeth too evidently declare Upon your first parallell we make but one other remarke The CanterburiaÌ„s in all their lectures of tyrannie have the Jesuites for their Masters Yee wrong much the Iesuites in denying them the honour to be your adiuncts in the re-erection of a tyrannick and turkish Monarchie in Christendome Your ambition herein is too great it were better to admitt these pregnant wits to be copartners in your glorie then to venture you alone upon so high a designe The opposition which that worke can not but suffer may make it breake in your hands if ye be not supported with their effectuall assistance in this art they are your Masters yee are but meere novices it is unjustice to dissemble from whom ye have learned if ye deny your theifts from them the world about you is not blinde they see laugh at your poore and ill contrived cunning for who now is ignorant that the Jesuites above all men living have obtained long agoe the priviledge to sit in Machiavels chaire that from thence they may teach every where their lectures of tyrannie for the re-erection of a spirituall Monarchie in the whole Church for the pope in their owne societie for the generall in the whole universe in things temporall a Catholick Monarchie for the Spaniard And while these furthest ends may bee gotten and compassed an absolute Monarchie for the Prince in every countrie where they can gett footing What ever paines of old the Pope did take to weaken Emperours and Kings for the promoting of his owne greatnesse yet now being fully assured of their constant affection to beare his Yoake he hath this last age beene as busie as lay in his power in lifting up of their head by the hands chiefly of the Jesuites to the toppe of all Tyrannie with the extreame prejudice of their Subiects Liberties and Lawes Who else were the prime Counsellours of Philip the second for to spoile his ancient Kingdome of Arragon of their great priviledges and to bring them downe to the same basenesse of Subiection wherein his great grand father Ferdinand had putt the Mâ—ores of Granada Who else did stirre him up to begin that course of tirannie with Flanders which hath cost him more money alreadie then this day all Europe can command and more men then are living Spaniards Who else were the advisers of King Lues the 13. to spoile his ancient Kingdome of Navarre and his Fathers best friends the Protestants of these priviledges which they had long enjoyed peaceably under former Kings Who wakened the late King of Pole to present the Yoake of tirannie to the necke of his ancient Subiects in Swaine Had the late Emperour any other movers to these cruell oppressions which first in his own hereditarie Estates then in the Kingdome of Boheme and last in the whole Empire hee did practise to the very evident hazard of his Crowne to the infinite unspeakable afflictions of Germanie through the mids and all the foure corners thereof was not the maine and graund quarrell of all these Troubles the too great affection of a Monarchick tyrannie of an absolute domination without tye of Lawes Oaths Covenants wherewith the Jesuites inspired the heart of that man otherwise not the worst of Princes Though therefore it be your craft for your better lurking to professe your Separation from the Jesuits in this your great enterprise of erecting in Britaine a new Monarchicke tirannie Yet the world is not so blinde as you suppose but seeth you clearly linked hand in hand the Jesuites leading the ring and you but following and dancing to their measures Your second paralell is wholie Jesuitick 2 Paralell We are farr from subiecting the Crowne of our King to will of his people the throwing of holie Scriptures unto your wicked Scoffes at the gracious Servants of God the laying to our charge imputations which never entred in our thoughts Did anie of us ever teach that royall authoritie did depend upon the multitude and that it was in their power to give Crownes to whom they would When these men are bold to put in print before the Eyes of the world such slanders of us what doe they instill in the eares of our King and his Servants in their privie Conferences Shall anie wonder that so long as such men get leave to spread without a reply such horrible calumnies of us that the heart of our gracious Prince and manie about him should be much inflammed to our hatred What he speaketh of divine institution of Kings wee doe believe it that by God Kings doe reigne it is plaine Scriptures as also that all advancement is neither from the East nor the West but from the hand of the most High So that all who denie to any Superiour the obedience which is due to their Lawfull commands must sinne against God We grant that some of our Opposites have here a conceit which we doe not well understand they seeme to teach that royaltie alone and that most absolute without any limitation is of divine institution that all other governments whether of republick or aristocracies are but humane inventions opposite to the Law of nature and the first institution of God This state-speculiation seemeth to us a curiositie wherewith we have nothing to doe it is enough for us to beleeve that our King is set over us by God as his Deputy that since the time our old ancestours did choose Fergus for their King oblidging themselves by their oath to be ruled by his race alone according to the laws made and to be made with publick consent yea since the days of King Kenneth the third to be governed by his nearest heire Our subiection to the nearest heire of that race is now simplie unchangeable The least motion of any such change hath as little come in the minde of our Nation in these dayes of King Charles as in any age of the last two thousand Yeares wherein our Fathers have shewed more constant affection to the service of his Antecessours then any other Nation under the Heaven this day to their royall families Wâ—at here ye rechant of our minde to a resistance and defensive warre in some cases is nothing contrarie to this our profession Many bickerings have our predecessours had with misleading factions to which the Prince for a time hath given his countenance but they were ever willing to distinguish betwixt the Prince and his misinformers 3. Parallell The CanterburiaÌ„s give to the Prince much more power over the Church then the Iesuites give to the Pope to see them punished when their insolent tyrannie
become intolerable but the Prince setled in the full strength of his authoritie which for a time the cloud of these grassehoppers did eclipse in the hearts of his people The third point wherein ye joyne us with the Iesuites is our denying to the King the government of the Church In this ye doe us wrong as in all the rest for we reiect the Popish doctrine here They make Princes meer sheep they command them to follow the Pope their pastor where ever he leads were it to the bottome of Hell without asking so much as Domine quid facis but we esteeme it to be a chiefe part of the Magistrates office to command all Church-men to doe their dutie and when they will not be perswaded with cleare reasons to compell them by force to reforms the corruptions in the worship of God But ye skift out here much further to an extravagance wherein ye have no approved divine to be your patron Yee teach that all Soveraignes are the true heads of the Churches in their Dominions Such styles the Bishops of England since the beginning of Queene EliZabeths reigne have ever denyed to their Princes with their owne contentment Ye will have not only the Magistrate to command that which is right in the service of God as Austine and wee doe gladly grant but also ye make it his right were he a professed heretick or Pagan to give what lawes he will to the Church without her consent or so much as advice Ye give to the Prince much more then the Iesuites will grant to the Pope to doe in the Church even without a Counsell what he thinkes meetest and if it be his pleasure to call a Counsell ye make it his only right to call either of the laitie or the Cleargie whom he will to be members thereof and when these members are conveened ye give to the Prince alone the power of judging and deciding and to all others but of meere advice Except so farre as the Prince is pleased to communicate to so many of them as he thinkes meete his owne decisive voice In such a Counsell or without it ye make it the Princes right to destroy at his pleasure all Church-Canons Church-judicatories and formes of divine worship which by Lawes and long customes have been established and to impose new Confessions of Faith new Ecclesiasticke judicatories new Bookes of Canons Leiturgie Ordination Homilies Psalmes by meere authoritie All this by your perswasion yee moved our Prince to assay but upon better information his royall justice is now pleased to reiect all such your designes for his Majestie hath given to us assurance not only at his Campe but by his Commissioner in our last Assemblie and we hope also that at once this assurance shall be confirmed in Parliament that no ecclesiastick novation shal over be required by his Maj but that wherto a free generall Assemblie shall give their full assent In this point therefore betwixt us and our Prince there is no discrepance neither here had wee ever any difference with any reformed Divine 4. Paralell About convocation of Synods we have no questioÌ„ with the king Your fourth challenge that we deny to the King power to convocate Assemblies yet know the contrarie that we give to all Christian Soveraignes so much interesse in the affaires of the Church as to convocate Assemblies where and whensoever they please But we grant that we are no wayes of your minde in this point that the Church may never lawfully meere in any case though Heresie and Schisme were eating up her life and drinking her heart bloud without the call of the Magistrate that no Church meeting at all is lawfull no not for prayer or Sacraments without the Magistrates permission That all Churches must lye under an interdict and no publick meeting in them must bee till the Magistrates licence bee first obtained Is all opposition to you in these things Iesuitisme what ever difference we have here with you yet with our Prince in this point we are fully agreed Your gratious Brethren and Fathers when we had beene in possession continually after the reformation for common of two generall Assemblies yearlie by their wicked dealing spoiled us of all that Libertie so that for 38 Yeares space wee had no generall Assemblie to count of but two both which were thrust upon us against our heart for the advancement alone of their evill purposes Yet now thankes be to God our Prince being wel informed of the mischivous wrong your partie did to us in this matter hath granted our reasonable desires if so be the like of you make not this grant fruitlesse unto us as ye truely intend The old act of Parliament for yearlie generall Assemblies and ofter pro re nata is acknowledged by the Kings Commissioner to be very reasonable and with his consent hath past the articles of our late Parliament so that our Prince now is very well content that from the generall Assemblie the highest Ecclesiastick Court being so frequently to bee keept should come no appeale at all to him Your fift and sixt parallell are cast together The 5. 6. Paralell We have no question with our Prince about his presidencie and supremacie in counsels the Kings Presidencie in generall Assemblies Supremacie in Ecclesiastick affaires yee handle these so confusedlie with so many wicked scoffings and scurrilous abusing of scripture that your meaning can scarce be understood Wee are so faâ—re from denying to the Prince the place of royall presidencie and moderation in our Assemblies as Constantine used it at Nâ—oâ— and King Iames oft in Scotland that it is one of the things our hearts mâ—st desire to see King Charles possessing in his owne person that priviledge His royall Sâ—premacie we willingly yeel◠〈◊〉 so farre as the fundamentall Lawes of our Câ—urch and Kingdome extend it yea we make no question that in that sense Bilson and the old Bishops of England understood it But your late Commentarie of the Kâ—ngs Supremacie whereby ye ascrive to every Soveraigne much more then any Iesuite ever gave to the Pope wee doe reject it with the Kings good leave as before was said Your repeated cavills at our Elders Sessions Presbyteries and Assemblies is not worth the answering The frame of our Discipline established by the Lawes of our Church and State in Holland France practized peaceably in the happiest times of our Church and in daily use since the first reformation without any quarrell is now ratified by our Prince 7. Paralel We are much for ther then our opposites from the doctrine of the churches infallibilitie So your mouth should bee stopped and your tongue silent what ever boyling be in your breast In your seventh parallell ye lay upon the Iesuites and our back that which is your owne burden ye might have knowne that the Iesuites ascrive to no Counsell any infallibilitie without many distinctions And as for us none is ignorant that we beleeve all meetings of men since
to others who by their flattering service and wicked perswasions moved them to take up their unjust armes Ye doe well by the passages of King James writs which hee let fall in passion against some few persons as himselfe professeth to incite King Charles to destroy the whole generation of your opposits For that equivocation which ye obiect to some in their subscribing of the Covenant at the Commissioners and Counsels direction sufficient satisfaction is given long agoe to all reasonable men by published writs The matter shortly was this one of your factious ingines to draw us subtilie from that Covenant wherein we did abiure Bishops Bookes and the rest of your novations which were contrarie to the doctrine and discipline of our Church was a new subscription to the first part of this Covenant as it was first set downe in the yeare 1580 without our late addition wherein it was applyed to your newly obtruded novations Upon hope by this new subscription that not only the formerly subscribed addition and abjuration of these novelties expressed in that addition should be forgotten but also that meanes should be gotten to perswade that these once abiured novations were in nothing contrary to the Kings Covenant yea that all of them were so much conforme to it and virtually contained therein that all the subscrivers should finde themselves oblidged by that oath and subscription to embrace the articles of Perth the Canons the Leiturgie and all the intended novations at least without all doubt Episcopacie the Fountaine whence the rest had proceeded and from which they knew they would flow againe in due time if it alone could be gotten preserved This was the true intention of the Commissioner in pressing that new subscription as his Grace did publish thereafter in print but in the first proposition of that new oath all such designe was carefully concealed yet wise men among us fearing and foreseing the plot did carefully diswade that new subscription as a dangerous master piece invented for the utter destruction of the true sense of our first subscribed Covenant Their advice was heard by the most part who thereupon refused that new subscription yet some knowing perfectly well that the Covenant in the 1581 did not include Episcopacie or any of the late novations but clearely enough excluded them Since the Commissioner his Grace in the proponing that subscription did make no declaration at all neither of his owne nor of his Master the Kings minde to have Episcopacie or any of these novations included in that Covenant they were content at his desire to subscribe it but with this expresse declaration which they required and obtained to be acted in the Counsell Bookes so farre were they from any Equivocation that they did subscribe that Covenant in that same sense and no other wherein it was understood at the first framing in the 1580. What that sense was we had for a time too much dispute but at last the Registers of our Church in the generall Assembly being carefully cast over it was found that the doctrine and discipline of our Church in that 80. yeare did runne so crosse to Episcopacie to Perth articles to the Leiturgie and all the rest of our troublesome novelties that whosoever did heartily subscribe the Covenant of our Church in that sense it behoved to have in the yeare of his first framing did stand no lesse oblidged thereby to renounce the posteriour novations then those who had subscribed the other Covenant with the addition wherein all these novations were expressely named It was found even in our last Assembly whereto Traquaire according to his commission from the King did consent that both these Covenants that with the application and that without the application were but both one So that your equivocation whereupon your brethren also have too much tinkled is cleared without the disgrace of any but the like of you who were the authours of all the mistake that for a time was in this matter 15. Paralell The fifteenth paralell of your piae fraudes is but like the rest the ground of this great commotion could not be the malcontentment of any man for losse of what they possessed in the tyths or any thing else of the Church patrimonie or for want of such favour they desired to have with their Prince All these are but sillie fables These whose hand hath beene prime in this high affaire from the beginning hath had very little or no entresse at all in any part of the Church patrimonie ye may know that the most of the tithes were in the hands of the not covenanting Lords and that the small portion which remained with Covenanters was made so sure to them as the King and his Lawes were able to make it Also it is very well knowne that the chiefe in the Covenant had so much favour of their Prince as their heart could wish which they constantly did brook till their zeale unto this cause did crack their credit Yee are exceedingly injurious to say that we did ever slander our King with any idolatrie with any poperie Our thoughts of that gracious Princeâ— are farre more considerate and our words of so sacred person more full of due regard But indeed though we both say preach and print that so long as the like of you gett leave to possesse his eare we can have little hope that any true Protestant so farre as ye are able shall ever gett living in quiet in this I le and though we avow that by the Service-booke and other novations yee intended to make us all trot backe againe unto Rome believe us that in those Speeches we wrong not our minde that we speake no other then we thinke and we hope now have given tolerable evidence for these our thoughts and Speeches though ye and the Pope both should laugh in the Sardonian fashion when ye are like to lose your game In your last paralell The last paralell The paterne of a perfect Iesuite your motion that it may appeare to be naturall is swifter then at the beginning ye â—ere overcome your very selfe any Iesuite J have ever read in vilenesse of lies slanders filthie Speeches railings scâ—ffings and blasphemous abuse of the holy Scripture to all this stuffe Ye prove a good Scholler to your Masters Petroneus Arbiter Lucian Rabelais none that come in your way whether men or wâ—men whether living or dead Nobles Pastors Commanders People may escape the fire and filth of your envenomed tongue All your opposites if the King can be perswaded to follow your advice must quickly be packing out of these dominions as the vilest straitours but to our nobles and leaders ye will not shew such favour they as ye tel us with Râ—villiack Coppinger must be hanged drawen quartered and buried with the buriall of an asse That Jesuite Abernethy should have become Protestant ye can not abide with patience for so is the doctrine of your Society that separation from Rome is needlesse That