who with his I renounce abhorre his detestations abrenunciations did so amaze the simple people that they not able to conceive all those things utterlie gave over all falling backe to Poperie or remaining still in their former ignorance These are the Kings words about Mr. Craige the Authour his Confession which you may compare with the Act you pretend to at your leisure The approbation of the Assemblie was but the harmonie of a faction such being excluded as were not prejudged approvers or if praesent overaw'd by a praevalent partie in their vote as much as other Ministers abroad by Philadelphi Vindicatours confession in their consent Quâ—…s credat quenquam qui rem sacram administrabat ....... ausum fuisse calculo suo non probare Or if they were free did approve it they did it in that sense that many Orthodoxe persons did sweare or subscribe it ........... in eam confessionem jurâsse neminem Presbyteriorum regimini alligat Which King Ch. 1. in his large Declaration tells you to be consistent with Episcopacie is unquaestionablie true Or it may be the register of your approvers was handled as the roll of subscribers wherein were a great many more names then had been hands ............. adde Episcopos nunc sedentes magnam partem Ministrorum subscriptiones illas inficiari The opposition Of the Kings Commissioner it may be was ingrossed in the two leaves torne out of your publike records if not left out as impertinent to the proceedings of that Assemblie If he gave a passive consent by his silence it was in conformitie to his Masters subscription command which you mention'd The direction of His Majestie for the 50. Classical Assemblies was specializ'd by your power which did direct him The erecting of them was with no intent to pull downe Episcopacie as may be in effect gather'd from your words For if they remaine to this day the same stood while the Bishops were in power as subordinate chapters or consistories unto them These some Noble men you speake of were most of the Nobilitie as your Brother Andr. Melvin doth acknowledge .......... reluctantibus nobilium plerisque And these did not now erect of new a titular Episcopacie but maintained that which had been legallie established And this they did not onelie to hold fast their Ecclesiastical revenue but upon other more conscientious grounds as he ingenuouslie confesseth Viz. To keep the state of the Kingdome entire from being rent in pieces sublato enim Episcopatu I l'e leave the lie for his heires to licke up regni statum convelli To praeserve Majestie due to the King constitutis Presbyteriis regiam Majestatem imminui And by asserting his right to some Church revenues to prevent the utter exhausting of his exchequer ......... bonis Ecclesiasticis ........... restitutis Regis aerarium exhauriri causantur That the Nobilitie enjoyed so much of the revenue beside what was payd in to the King came upon the perpetual divisions rais'd by the Presbyterie in the Kingdome which perturbing ever the establishment of the Episcopal order voting them to have no more right to the meanes then they had to the office the learned at least prudent Nobilitie having better assurance that neither power nor meanes belong'd de jure to the brethren of the discipline it is not unlikelie till the controversie should be ended they framed a kind of plausible argument to continue the steward ship in themselves Yet in the meane time by your leave they did effectuate more then a title to this tulâ—…han Bishop And this kind of Prelates pretended right to every part of the Episcopal office exerciz'd much more then you mention'd Which having been made good against you in several volumes I shall onelie bring an undeniable argument by producing confitentes reos the whole packe of Covenanters of all orders qualities aswell Ministers as others Who in their publike bill or Complaint upon which an Act of the Presbyterie of Edenburgh passed Octob. 24. 1638. have these words Whereas the office of a Bishop as it is now used within this Realme was condemned by the booke of policie by the Act of the Assemblie holden at Dundee Anno 1580. Whereof these are the words For asmuch as the office of a Bishop as it is now used commonlie taken within this Realme hath no sure warrant from Authoritie c. Hence I argue thus The office of a Bishop now used in the yeare 1580. the office of a Bishop now used in the yeare 1638. is ex confesso the same But the office of a Bishop 1638. consisted in the power of ordination jurisdiction Ergo so did the office of a Bishop 1580. And as much is implied by the Act of that Synod which condemnes expresselie the power as well as the title of Bishops that with reference to the persons of the Bishops then living that had executed this power were to lay it downâ—… or become excommunicate Therefore you shew us but the halfe face in your discovrse about their voting in Parliament Into which imployment they crept not but came upon confidence of better authoritie then any general Assemblie could give them as shall be proved hereafter particularlie in the case of Rob. Montgomerie Arch-Bishop of Glasgow whom you name That there was some debate takes of somewhat from the Kings forwardnesse in commanding subscribing directing in special That he shew'd hi good satisfaction I beleeve not when you publish it with a blancke Reviewer But the Warner heere jumps over no lesse then 27. yeares time c. Ans. The Bishop undertooke no continued historie of your Disciplinarian rebellions Therefore in passing over 27. yeares he sav'd himself a trouble but hath done too great a courtesie for you unlesse you were more thankefull for his silence Though indeed this signal rebellious Convention of a few stubborne ignaro's at Aberdener shewes to what an height maturitie of mischiefe your other sucking Conspiracies had come to if Royal presence had not been at hand to suppresse their growth nip these blacke boutefeus in the buâ—… That King Iames at that time was by his English Bishops perswasions resolv'd to put downe the general Assemblies of Scotland is disavowed in words by publike proclamation bearing date the 26. Septemb. in act by appointing one to be holden at Dundee the last Tuesday of Julie Yet if he had with the grave advice consent of his three Estates your Church lanes constant practice must have strooke saile as it afterward did unto the supremacie of that power Himselfe telling you That no Monarchie either in Civillor Ecclesiastical policie had then attained to that perfection that it needed no reformation Nor that infinite occasiouâ—… might not arise whereupon wise Princes might foresee for the benefit of their 〈◊〉 just cause of alteration For what immediatelie followes take His Majesties answer out of a Declaration penned with
requiring their assistance on the day of their trial That his letter was intercepted and sent to the Queen whereupon he was summond before the Queen and Councel That when he made his appearance His clients the Brethren of the Towne followed in such number 〈◊〉 the inner Close was full and all the staires even to the chamber doore wher they sate That he confessed his vocation of the Queenes leiger c. That if in thâ—… he had been guiltie he had â—…st offended since he came last in Scotland demanding Sawcilie what vocation of Brethren had ever been to that day unto which hâ—… pen had not served That he told the Queen If her Majestie complained that this was done without her Majesties commandement so had all that God had blessed within the Realme from the beginning of this action meaning the Presbyterian Reformation That he was a watchman both over the Realme and over the Church of God gathered within the same by reason whereof he was bound in conscience to blow trumpet publikelie so oft as ever he saw any appearance of danger either of the one or of the other This Act thus related the Bishop will have what you can not disprove to be a huge rebellion not onelie in the Actours but also in Iohn Knox who was praesent if not in person by full consent and approbation To breake open the Royal Palace to bring any delinquent to trial is according to no law but what your Rebellious Assemblie hath framed That this Priest saying Masse within the Liberties of the Court did contrarie to law the Queen having ever reserved that priviledge to her familie remaines yet to be proved You did the like to the Arch-Bishop of Saint Andrewes which Camden tells you was permitted by law and though you had Murrays authoritie for it accounts you no better then Rebells for your paines .... Servidi Ecclesiae Ministri Morâ—…vij authoritate suffulti vim facerent impune sacerdoti qui missam in aula quod lege permissum erat doe you marke it celebrârat Iohn Knox's confession which I gave you under his hand may be the harbinger to lodge credit enough to the next storie that followes in any man that knowes what superstitious observers your Assemblies have been of all the principles and praecedents he gave them Nor need you be so coy in taking upon you here the defense of their Convocating the people in armes which you are forc'd to do other where as well as you mince it into god'lie directions and conscientions advertisement and upon lesse colourable occasions approve it every where when done Though Mr. Spotswood's testimonie can not be refused in the particular evidence he gives in yet I 'll be confined for once to your owne brother in Evill that confutes him When his Grace relates the Ministers commanding the people to armes Your brother playes the Critike upon the word but grants the matter in controversie between them and justifies it from the danger that was at hand from the Popish Lords whom he makes Conspiratours with Spaine Hortate sunt nam juberâ—… aâ—… imperare non poterant quod cum in tanto periculo constitutâ—… essent respublica Ecclesia illâ—… vitiâ—… vertendum non est When his Grace sayth planilie The King praefixed a day for their trial the menacing libells put up in the name of a national Synod the tumultuarie meeting of the faythfull deferr'd it and made the onelie remedie a necessitie of his remitting their exile Your brother denies not one clause of all this but onelie moderates the termes and enlargeth in some particular circumstances that aggravate the fact viz. That they appointed a fast this I hope was done by the Assemblie That they moved the King to appoint a day for their trial the Barons those of Perth not to admit them which advice or injunction they followed till they had received letters from the King which because they obey'd the brethren tooke pet armes for the defence of religion by whose advice let any man judge That the King commanded the Conspiratours to submit themselves in a small number to a judical proceeding That upon the 12. of November they met at Edenburgh The Conspiratours pleade by their lawyers c. Propound their conditions The King declares in a speach the inconveniences very likelie to followe if the Lords were not restored That an Act of oblivion was voted which offended the brethren What Seditious Sermons and actions ensued appeares undeniablie in your storie Let this be compared with the Bp of Derries relation That the King was forced to take armes come upon a fatal necessitie by your rebelling when your importunitie praevaild not How farre he pursued them What acts of grace he afterward vouchsafd them you there fore conceale because it confutes what your imperfect historie imports CHAPTER VIII The divine right of Episcopacie better grounded then that praetended in behalfe of Presbyterie HAd I any hopes to keep you in your wits when you were revived I would here sprinkle a litle cold water pitie upon your faynting spirits who any man may see are giving up the ghost by your grasping and catching at what you finde within reach and not liking the lookes of that spirit which appeares readie at hand to conduct you would have you care not whether Anti-Christian Bishop or Papist to secure you His Lp. having remonstrated at large your exorbitand power here summarilie shewes how by the divine right you praetend to this sore is incurable your selves incorrigible and how Princes must necessarilie despaire of recovering or keeping thairs while Christs Kingdome is yours and you have Christs Scepter in your hand The streame of divine Rhethorike and reason he brings for it you and your Companie whom the prophet Isai. Describes to be a troubled sea that can not rest whose waters cast up mire and dirt hope invisiblie to swallow To which if Mercurius Aulicus must be initled Let Britannicus be more properlie to yours whom I have often heard to be a Common lawyer but must now take him for some classical divine since you have grac'd him so much as to serive most of his mater language into your booke How unhappie soever you make the Bishop in this chalenge as in the rest he carieâ—… fortune enough in his argument to confute you Miscro cui plura supersunt Quam tibi faelici post tot quoque funera vincet Those of his brethren who stand for the divine right of the Discipline of the Church doe it chieflie in reference to that power of order and the distinction they finde of Bishop from inferiour Presbyters in the text They that draw in the other power of jurisdiction relate onelie to what they finde practic'd by the Apostles or by God in them going under the name of excommunication and the keyes How many circumstanciais must passe for substancials when determind by the judicatories of your Church and be made adaequate in
these he calls Apostolici seminis traduces If they be Apostolical grafes good Mr. Baylie from what tree thinke you were they taken and of what may they without arrogancie beare the name Other of the Ancients call'd Timothie Bishop of Ephesus an Apostle among whom what enterfeering there was of these two termes you may reade in Theodoret upon 1. Tim. Jn the like sense may they be sayd to be Euangelists aswell as in the Revelation they are called Angels who praeside over the preaching of the Gospell and publication of it to them that have not heard Euangelion Kerygma being the same And they either are or should be Prophets in one kinde according to Saint Ambrose Scripturas revelances the ablest interpreters of Scripture or speakers of mysteries in the spirit to aedification exhortation and comfort though not foretellers of things to come Nam quicquid later sive id 〈◊〉 est sive praesens mysterium dicitur The reason why your adversaries pitch upon the fourth is to decline your trivial objections against the other three Your syllogisme that labours to prove Bishops no Pastours hath no doubt but a certaintie of falshood in the major which your argumentum a paribus comes some what improperlie to make good you having spoke of a confess'd imparitie but just before But for once a bargaine no bargaine pactum non pactum fit non pactum pactum quod vâ—…bis lubet It would be a rare invention surpassing Aristoles Logike if without a reserve you could get a conclusion to creep out of a single proposition for take it on my word your lucke is bad in majours which whether you play at even or odde are all pariter falsâ—… sicke of a disease and this here left desperate without any remedie to recover it No Apostle you say is superiour to an Apostle This is contrarie to what one Walo Messalinus whom under another name you mistake to be your friend hath frequentlie asserted That they were primi secundi majores minores The second and lesse subordinate in spiritual power to the first and greater This he gathers out of Theodoret and others The greater he explaines to be the twelve the lesse those deputed by them for teaching and governing Nay he discovers a third order inferiour to them both of which was Epaphâ—…oditus subordinate to Saint Paul who himselfe was but minor Apostolus being none of the twelve So that here being three degrees I tell you from him what I might from others or with them rather collect from the text That an Apostle is superiour to an Apostle As much might besayd for Euangelists whereof foure were principal or if not it is because they were by their office of the lower classe or Coadiutours to the Apostles Such were Titus Timothie Apollos c. Saint Hierom sayth all Apostles were Euangelists but not all Euangelists Apostles And so likewise that all pastours were Doctours but not vice versa The learned Grotius That Doctours were Bishops or Arch-Bishops rather the same with those call'd Metropolitans afterward Paeteres Kai didascaloi are Epiphanius titles for them To prove majour minor prophets under the new Testament is needlesse till you answer what I have brought about Apostles or strengthned the majour in your argument which I absolutelie denie And besides remit you to a learned Doctour who proves the word Pastor to be the Bishops peculiar among the Ancients and frustrates that imparitie from which you argue Your second reason out of Saint Matthew and Saint Paul hath a litle Philosophical Soul and forme in the majour but no divine one in in the minour and so according to your similitude in the moment of removal or separation must periâ—…h The first text 1. Tim. 4. 14. puts no power more then approbant or assistent of ordination in the Eldership a Bishop is as much a Presbyterie and no more a Presbyter I meane in your sense of diminution then Saint Paul who seemes to make that act of ordination solitarie and personallie his owne 2. Tim. 1. 6. And the Greeke Scholiasts say the Elders here were Bishops excluding interminis all presbyters from that power ou gar hoi Presbyteroi â—…heirotonoun ton Episcopon say both Theophylact and Oecomenius For the word which you will needes have to be classical not personal perchance some will say it may denote the order or office the Episcopate they meane and be put figurativelie here for the single person of the Apostle comparing these words together meta Epithescoos â—…oon cheiroon â—…ou Presbyteriou dia tes epithescoos â—…oon cheiroon mou But let it be what it will the power of ordination must continue in the Bishop so long as Christians keep to the New Testament and Fathers and fetch us not a fift Gospel or some newer Apostle from Geneva That the second Saint Matth. 18. puts the power of jurisdiction in the Church is gratis dictum your authoritie not so great as that your autos ephen will be able to carie it First therefore you are required to prove that excommunication the act of jurisdiction you meane is here at all intended and not rather no more then the three degrees of fraternal correption the highest whereof is that elegsis enoopiâ—…n pantoon a rebuke before all 1. Tim. 5. 20. Vt qui non potuit pudore Salvari Salvetur opprobrijâ—… sayth Saint Hierom he sayth not damnetur or eijciatur â—…nsuris That he which could not be saved by private shame might by more publike reproach Secondlie That the Church here was a judicial Assemblie call'd to that purpose or if met to other that a formal processe was brought before it And that they were not rather some greater number then the two or three witnesses upon what occasion soever met together which may very well be call'd Ecclessâ—… with out the signal meaning of the word Coram multis Lib. Musar Kata Koinon Justin tunc multis dicendum est in Saint Hierom. Nor is it likelie a deliberate judgement in Court into which a Christian Congregation converted should be after processe in hazard to be slighted or neglected by one Member delinquent â—…an paracouse Nor that to be such which relates rather to the person of the plaintiffe then Iudges estoo soi Let him be unto thee ... Thirdlie If it be such a Congregation or Church as you would have it whether the complaint were to be repraesented to them in general and not rather in their hearing to their superintendents or praesident above them Epi toon tes Ecclesias proedroon demofiseoson to ptaisma sayth Theophylact. Fourthlie That sit sicut Ethnicus publicanus Let him be unto thee as an heathenman and a publicane is undoubtedlie a sentence commanded to be pronounced by those superintendents or that Church or an injunction rather then permission to the partie injur'd to have no farther familiaritie or friendship to have no more to doe with him then
both in the word of God religious reason And the praeface to the English Directorie telling you That their care hath been to hold forth such things as are of divine institution in every ordinance Were it not to tire out my Reader I could shew this to be your language ever since your Discipline was framed thought so necessarie a truth that your denial must make Christ not so wise as Solon or Lycurgus if he left it as a thing mutable by men or now after so many ages of his Church to be put to the vote in their Parliaments and Synods So sayth a friend of yours in these words Equidâ—…m non novi neque credam Christum qui Dei sapientia fuit remp suam que omnium ' est perfectissima arbitrio stultorum hominum religuisse agitandam .... quod ne Solon quidem aut Lycurgus aljusve quis pium Legislator pateretur For that and the rest of your religion your Confession of faith sayth That you are throughlie resolved by the â—…ord spirit of God that onelie is the true Christian sayth Religion pleasing God c. ... Gods aeternal truth ground of your salvation .... Gods undoubted truth and veritie grounded onelie upon his written word Nay afterwards you protest and promise with your hearts under the same oath c that you will defend the Kings person and authoritie in the defense of Christs Euangel and liberties of your Countrey which is or if it be not speake the same with Religion and liberties in your league Besides all which otherwhere you blasphemouslie compare both your confessions with the old Testament and the New That which followes wherein you moderate the first article of your Covenant imposing an endeavour to reforme onelie according to the word of God with out introducing Scotes Presbyterie or any other of the best reformed unlesse it be found according to that paterne though it served to palliate all blemishes and deformities that were in it To invite possiblie some well meaning people into your fraternitie who like harmelesse bees relishing that sweetnesse litle thought what poyson they left behinde for other venemous insectiles to sucke out To furnish others withan excuse a petiful one for using so bad meanes to so good an end and when it undeniablie proves the contrarie the same it may be they intended crie they were mistaken though now they can not helpe it Yet it may be shewed to be a dubious frivolous limitation the same commendation your friends gave it when translated into an oath tenderd in behalfe of Episcopacie by the King First infirming that member and so fâ—…r disinabling it from beaâ—…ing part in the mater of an oath as subjection is required unto the reforming power in a Church Secondlie Quitting all that swore it of their engagement every moment if they see cleaâ—…lie or judge erroneouslie your reforming Principals to digresse from that path Thirdlie either supposing your reformed religion in Scotland to be allreadie conform'd to that paterne or else enjoining to sweare contradictions Lastlie If leaving every man to judge what is according to the word and to endeavour according to that judgement imposing an oath productive of confusion there being as many mindes as men scarce two united in one touching Doctrine Worship Discipline and government The first might be illustrated argued from the fallibilitie and uncertaintie in the Reforming power a maim'd Parliament an illegitimate Assemblie then siting whom I could not be assured to have the spirit of God so illuminating their mindes as whereby jointlie to judge the same reformation according to Gods word Secondlie as uncertaine should I bee setâ—…ng aside all partialitie and passion that they would declare what they so judg'd against many of whom if not the most having a well grounded praejudice whether just or no maters not if not know'n to me I could not sweare de futuro a conformitie to their acts In which cases wisemen advise us to abstaine .... Ten apochen tou omnynai prostattei peri toon endâ—…chomenoon kai â—…oriston tes â—…baseoos â—…chontoon to peras Hierocl in Carm. Pythag. and â—…urans praesumitur certioratus deliberatus accedere ad â—…ctum super quo â—…urat sayth the Lawyer The second is strengthned sâ—…fficientlie by your words which oblige the Covenanter no farther then he findes your great worke proceeding according to Gods word The successe whereof if no beter then in your Discipline and the Directorie will keep no man in his Covenant Gods word praescribing many parts of neither The Third is evident from the very clauses in the article where first an oath must be taken to praeserve the reformed religion in Scotland which if not according to Gods word is contradicted in the next that enjoines reformation onelie according to the word And if it be then that is â—…t wherewith a uniformitie must be made and yet you tell us there is no such word nor any such mater in the Covenant About the last let every man speake his minde as freelie as I shall mine That I hold no Presbyterian government Scotish or other according to Gods word That I have read of much dissension among your selves in former times and heard of some in later That all Papists all orthodoxe persons in the Church of England are jointlie for Episcopacie in the order as according to Gods word and separatelie for it in the jurisdiction and discipline neither holding all parts of it exemplified in the word so not applicable unto it both not the same extensive particulars in the ordinance and exercise of the Church Besides such as you call Socinians Sectaries separatists whether individual or congregational All which having distinct opinions of Doctrine Worship Discipline and Government according to the word if not concentred in the sense of the House or Assemblie but left to their several endeavours are sworne among them to delineate a pretie implicated diagramme of a Church But for a farther answer to this article of your covenant I remit you to the solide judgement of the Vniversitie of Oxford As likewise to that of several learned men in the Vniversitie of Cambridge who joined in one minde published their refutation of the whole treacherous league A. 1644. Onelie I must adde what persons of knowledge integritie say they will make good That your Covenant came into England with some such clause as this We shall reforme our Church in doctrine and Discipline conforme to the Church of Scotland Whereof Master Nye his Independent friends fairlie cheated you making that be rased out and this inserted which we treat of By which tricke they have pack'd Presbyterie away and yet pleade with you in publike That they still keepe the Covenant and goe on to reforme according to Gods word The second ground of the Bishops demonstration is no evident errour it being an evident truth That the principal Covenanters Noblemen Gentlemen and Ministers in Scotland
perpetuitie becoming very efficacious in imposing fallacies upon the understanding so that he which doth ill may hereby be aswell perswaded that what he doth is good as he that often tells a lie hath at length himselfe believ'dit to be a truth His rigid adhaerence to the praetended rights priviledges of his Countrey being professed haereditarie takes off some what from the personal imputation yet with all demonstrates that it is not all bloud Royal which runnes in His Lordships veines nor it may be all bloud Noble having so ample testimonie from him who had allwayes some dregs of the Common shoare in his inke whose power is cankerd with envious invectives against them that have not layd their honour in the vulgar dust levell'd Majestie as well as Nobilitie with the people Whose Ghost will not thanke the Reviewer for calling him Prince of Historians being so litle enamourd with titles of that nature that he accounted them where they were more properlie due the filth of flaterie the plague of all legitimate praerogative His exemplarie practice in publike-private duties is indeed some what singular my selfe having seen him very zealouslie penning downe such slender to omit what I might call in the Reviewers language praeter anti-scripturall divinitie as was not fitting for any Novice or Catechumen in Religion to owne much lesse for so grave a Theologue to preach so well exerciz'd an adultist to register for his use I commend beter the exemplarie practice of the Reviewers brother Presbyter who seem'd to take a sound nap in the meane time hoping it may be to be better inspired in his dreame This potent Lord thus qualified brought up to his hand I can not blame Mr. Baylie for chusing him to be his patron who discernes with his eyes decernes by his dictates who being judge partie both will quaestionlesse doe right like a Lord Justice in the businesse The praejudice the Reviewer would here at first cast upon the person of the Bishop will advance his owne reputation but a litle in high way Rhetorike not advantage him one whit with any of those judicious aequitable comparers he expects who being able to instruct themselves upon these many late yeares experience that what Mr. Baylie calls that Church Kingdome is onely a praevalent partie of Schismatikes Rebells what adhaerence to the sacred truth of God an obstinate perseverance in an execrable covenant which hath tied up the hands of many a poor subject from the enjoyment of all the just liberties the established Iawes of Scotland hold out to him will looke upon the Bishop as a couragious assertour of Gods truth the Churches puritie the Kings supremacie the subjects libertie if for that condemned by an unanimous faction in both Kingdomes will commend his zeale reverence his name and ranke him with the prime Fathers of the Church who so soon endeavoured to stop that deluge of miserie wherewith Britanie Ireland have been most unhapilie overwhelmed For the dirtie language he useth here otherwhere extreme sawcie spirit stigmatiz'd incendiarie c. I desire the Reader to take notice I shall sweep it out of his my way yet if he thinkes it may serve his turne as well as the garlike heads did Cario his master in the Comoedie the Printers boy shall throw it by itselfe at the backe side of my replie in a piece of white paper that he may not fowle his fingers What the Reviewer calls Boldnesse was prudence seasonable caution in the Bishop to praesent his booke to the eminent personages in this place observing the indefatigable industrie of Mr. Baylie his brethren of the mission very frequentlie in their persons perpetuallie by many subtile active instruments they imploy'd before after their coming hither insinuating into the hearts affections of all people here of what sexe or condition soever in Courts Townes Vniversities Countrey praepossessing them with the Justice of their cause the innocencie of their proceedings the moderation of their demands the conformitie of their practice designe to the praesent discipline Government of the Church presbyterie in these Provinces And great pitie it is that all people nations languages have it not translated into their owne dialect that a discoverie of this grand imposture may be made to them who are so insolentlie summon'd to fall downe worship this wooden idol of the discipline threatned the aeternal fierie furnace if they refuse it In the next Paragraph the Reviewer drawes Cerberus like his threeheaded monster out of hell Discipline Covenant unkindne's to our late soveraigne Novos Resumit animos victus vastas furens Quassat catenas HIs Apologie for the first being the conformitie I mentioned principally with the Brethren of Holland France whom he would very faine flater into his partie make the Bishop whether he will or no fall foule upon them whom His Lordship hath scarce mentioned in all his tract And I having no reason nor desire to enlarge the breach shall say no more then this because some what he will have sayd That if their discipline harmoniouslie be the same particularlie in those extravagancies His Lordship mentions which to my knowledge they denie for alleging which they are litle beholding to Mr. Baylie they are all alike concerned yet having as learned Apologists of their owne when they finde themselves agriev'd will in their owne case very likely speake their pleasure In the interim I must require his instance where any Reformed Church hath declared regular Episcopacie which we call Apostolical Antichristian What particular persons of Mr. Baylies temper may have publish'd must not passe for an Ecclesiastical decree And if all even in those Churches he mentions might freelie speake their minde I believe that order would have their Christian approbation as it is in any reformed Countreys established some such relation was made not long since about certain Divines of the Religion in France some that came from other parts to the Synod of Dort And I can acquaint the Reviewer with the like piece of charitie bestowed by P. Mâ—…lin in the letters that passed from him to Bishop Andrewes beside what Mr. Chillingworth as I take it hath collected out of him Beza in favour both of name thing though not to the same latitude we extend them And which will not be alltogether impertinent to adde I doe not remember I have heard that Causabon Vossius no obscure men in the French Dutch Churches were at any time by their presbyterie excommunicate for becoming limbes of the English Antichrist Praebendaries of the Archiepiscopall Church of Canterburie with us But if the Reviewer here begin to cant distinguish between Episcopacie Episcopal declinations for that indeed is the expression that he useth I must ingenuouslie acknowledge that there may
the Church concernd you aswell to prove as to mention then to have draw'n a parallel of the like flaterie in the Bishop Your doubting argues you ignorant or negligent confirmes my beleefe that you have travail'd as litle in Erastus's doctrines as his wayes gone no farther then the title of his booke What His Lordship asserts about the supremacie of the Civile Magistrate Ecclesiastike jurisdiction derived from thence is but what he all his brethren have sworne to not one of the late Bishops retracted who claim'd Episcopacie by divine righs nor were they at daggers drawing with that horrible word Erastian Caesaro-papisme having a farre more monstrous creature call'd Scoto-Presbytero-Papisme to encounter Our lawes are the same aswell to the latter as the elder Bishops if their subjection to them must be accounted such an errour the next pedlars pack that you open we may looke to finde Christianitie bundell'd up into a sect The Bishop hath more charitie in him then to become an accuser of his friends so much ingenuitie as to heare your sense not onelie speake his owne about their writings which when you bring in any particular instance shewing them to joyne with the most rigid Presbyterians in opposing Erastus about the Magistrates power you may looke for your answer Here the Reviewer I can not say for want of a pare of spectacles for who is more blinde then he that will not see is pleas'd to over looke the whole bodie of the Bishops charge against them instead of quiting himselfe to any purpose recriminates onelie upon other mens scores having as it seemes been very slenderlie acquainted with the late controversies between the Papists us not sounded the depth of the question as it was stated by our later most learned writers particularlie that most glorious martyr the Right Reverend Arch-Bishop of Canterburie with the rational subtile Mr. Chillingworth who between them having clear'd the well of that dirt which defil'd commonlie the fingars of them that went to draw water at it before made the face of truth appeare at the botome to any that came impartiallie to behold it But the Bishop mentioning nothing hearebout I have no authoritie farther to enlarge being oblig'd onelie to put Mr. Baylie in mind that in his next Review he give account to the world Why the Scotish Presbyterie comes not into the harmonie of all Protestants both Lutharans Calvinists who give unto the English Episcopal Church the right hand of fellowship why he his later Brethren out doe their forefathers who durst not condemne her either as defective in any necessarie point of Christian pietie or redundant in any thing that might virtuallie or by consequence overthrow the foundation The Canterburian designe was forged at Edenburgh into a passe for the Scots to come over the borders The Prelatical partie might charitablie wish but never rationallie hope to see all Christian Churches united in truth love so long as the perverse Presbyterie confines all Religion to it selfe For whatsoever the blew caps came in we know when they went out they caried many vvainloades of somevvhat else beside the spoile of the blacke-caps reconciliation vvith Rome so long as such bootie is to be had they want more power then will to set up a new controversie in England But while they are thinking of that I must put them in mind of what we have in hand notwithstanding Mr. Baylies pretense assure him King James who had trouble enough with them makes good upon his owne experience that every nicitie u a fundamental among them every toy takes up as great a dispute as if the Holie Trinitie were question'd ...... De minimis Politiae Ecclesiasticae quaestiunculis tantum excitant turbarum ac si de sacrosancta Trinitate ageretur As touching your answer to the last charge you cunninglie omit what is found in the letter a word at least of approbation to the office of Episcopacie in that Bishops are call'd guides or leaders of Christs flockâ—… wherein a superintendence Prelacie or precedence is own they being Pastorum Pastores for by the flocke there is mean'd the inferiour Ministerie not Laitie otherwise that text of St. Peter is unfitlie applied Feed the flocke of Christ which is committed to your charge caring for it not by constraint e'piscopôuntes mi a'nagkastôs e'piscopôuntes is being Bishops over it where a'nagkastôs must relate to the Ministers who were constrained to weare the cap surplice tippet or else be deprived of all Ecclesiastical function as your Assemblie complaines at the very begining of the letter Yet had they writ no more then you produce had been of the same minde with you now it would follow necessarilie that you acknowledge several members of Antichrist Ministers of the word reverend Pastours brethren of the Kircke Which give me but under your hand in your next My Lord of Derrie I presume will use you as his profess'd brother very kindlie trouble you no more about that businesse I must adde this Mr. Knox as furious otherwise as he was before Queen Elizabeths time when as your Historian relates in his life K. Edward VI. offered him a Bishoprike he refus'd it with a grave severe yet not so severe speach saying the title of Lordship great state had quid commune cum Antichristo somewhat common with Antichrist he sayd not the office of an English Bishop was Antichristian nor his person a limbe of Antichrist himselfe What the same Assemblie sayd or did about the Arch-Bishop of St. Andrewes was in the midst of their freanzie when as by their actions may be judged they had alreadie made good what they threatned were become subjects or slaves to the tyrannie of the Devil Whose title their successours have these last ten yeares renewd payd a greater homage then ever to that Lord. What you suppone is a grant of the question That some 80. yeares agoe the Scots might admit the Proiestant Bishops tolerable in England the law being still the same upon which they are founded if their practice be not which is more then you prove whatsoever it may detract from their persons it derogates no thing from the continuance of their office Neither hath your inspection been so accurate of its nature but that like unskillfull physicians ye have cast away that balme of Gilead whereby the health of the daughter of Gods people must be recovered like ignorant simplers have throw'n over the hedge for a noxious weed that Soveraigne plant which God ordain'd for the perpetual service sanitie of his Church As for those crimes which you mention though you will never be able to make them good against the Reverend Prelates of any the three Kingdomes yet for shame say not for those you got the consent of the King to condemne kill burie in your countrey the sacred order of Episcopacie in
His Lordship brings nnto your doore As fine as here you make your selfe for the triumph out of every wing you plucke you will by by be at a losse for your victorie must then weare your blew cap without a feather For that you may know my meaning His Lordship can afford you no such pretie thing as the antichronisme you lay hold on He sayth not That statute of treason was in being in the yeare 1580. And his Printer you might see had done him so much right as to set a number 4. yeares older directlie against the place where it is mention'd His Lordships words are these Which ridiculous ordinance was maintain'd stiffelie by the succeeding Synods notwithstanding the statute That it should be treason to impugne the authoritie of the three Estates The plaine sense whereof is this The succeeding Synods to the yeare 1584. maintain'd it stiffelie And not onelie they but likewise the succeeding Synods afterward notwithstanding the statute then made That c. Yet not to be too literal That there should be three Estates to whom your brethren presented their Assemblie Acts as they did by the King them to be confirmed even before the yeare 1580. yet That to impugne the authoritie of the three estates or to procure the innovation or diminution of any of them should have no statute nor law to make it at least interpretative treason is a peice of politikes that Iapan nor Vtâ—…pia will never owne nor any man that is civiliz'd in submission to government beleeve The businesse of appeales we are to meet with in the chapter following so farre you shall have leave to travaile with the counterfeit credit of that untruth What you make here such a positive consent of Lundie the Kings Commissioner in that Assemblie even now went no farther then a suspense in silence where all you found was That it appear'd not he apposed And how that might be I there gave you my conjecture In the next Assemblie 1581. the Kings Commissioner Caprington was not so hastie to erect in His Majesties name Presbyteries in all the land The businesse was this The King sends him Cuningham with letters to the Assemblie at Glasgow to signifie That the thirds of the Ecclesiastical revenues upon the conference had between his Commissioners those which they had before sent from Dundee were not found to be the safest maintenance for the Ministrie they having been so impair'd in twentie yeares before that nothing of certaintie could appeare That thereupon had been drawn a diagrame of several Presbyteries whereby a division of the greatest parishes was to be made a uniting of the lesse to the end that the Ministers might be with more aequalitie maintained and the people more convenientlie assemble'd That His Maâ—…estie had determined to sent letters to several of his Nobilitie in the Countrey to command their meetings and counsel here about This he did not till the next summer nor was any thing effected diverse yeares after The conventions of the Ministrie were to be moderated by every Bishop in his Dioecesse who was by agreement to praeside in the Presbyteries with in his limits So that the modelling Presbyteries was onelie for setling a convenient revenue upon the Ministers so farre was it from abolishing Episcopacie that the Bishops were to have the managing the affaire It would not have cost you nor your printer much paines to have put in what hapened before the yeare 1584 The opposition against your abuse hereof by the Bishops Montgoinerie Adamson His Majesties discharging by proclamation the Ministers conventions Assemblies under paine to be punished as Rebeils publishing them to be unnatural subjects seditious persons troublesome unquiet spirits members of Satan enemies to the King the Commonwealth of their native Countrey charging them to desist from preaching in such sort as they did viz. against the authoritie in Church causes against the calling of Bishops c. removing imprisoning inditing them c. Which put you upon the desperate attempts of surprizing and restraining His Majestie 's person whereof otherwhere So that the King you see had very good preparatives to purge his Kingdome of such turbulent humours before Captain Stuart put him in minde to make use of that physike Which Captaine Iames was no such wicked Courtier when the saints in behalve of the Discipline set him up to justle with Esme Stuart Lord Aubignie for the nearest approach unto Royal favour This Parliament 1584. was summon'd with as loud a voyce as any other was as open as the sun at Edenburgh could make it Nor was Captain Stuarts crime about it such as to denominate his exile the vengeance of God which was wrought in the eyes of the world by your rebellion Nor his death by Dowglasse's high way murder aveng'd afterward in alike terrible destruction that in Edenburgh high street where sanguis sanguinem tetigit bloud touched bloud though I dare not as you doe judge for reward nor divine such ambiguous cruelties for money being no Priest nor Prophet as you are to the heires of those bloudie soulders in Micah chapt 3. I dare not say that it either was the fingar of God though he imploy not the hand of his power to restraine them Rev. ........... these acts of his Parliament the very next yeare were disclaimed by the King c. Ans. They were not disclaimed the 21 of December the next yeare when James Gibson being question'd for disloyal speaches about them before His Majestie his Councel very impudentlie told the King he was a persecutour for maintaining them and compar'd him to Ieroboam threatned he should be rooted out conclude that race His confidence was in the returne of the banish'd Rebel-Nobles who forced all honest men from the Court possessed themselves of His Majesties person acted all disorder in his name This was the regular restoring of Presbyterie Which to say was never more removed to this day in that sense you must speake it is to abuse the ignorance of some new convert you have got in the Indies who it may be at that distance know not that Bishops had the visible Church government in Scotland for about theirtie yeares together since that time Rev. The Warners digression to the the perpetuitie of Bishops in Scotland c. Ans. The perpetuitie of their order in that Kingdome is no disgression in this place where His Lordship shewes your practical contradiction in pulling downe Episcopacie with one hand yet seting it up though under the name of Superintendencie with the other The sequestring their revenue altering their names pruning off some part of their power he takes to be no root branch ordinance for the deposition of their office or utter extirpation of their order This he asserts to be the greatest injurie your malice could ever hitherto bring about therefore goes not one step
pensious If in no particular you actuallie proceeded to Church censureâ—… It was because you foresaw they would not restraine the corruption no more of the laitie then the Clergie then your menasing petitions sometime obtein'd strength from some partial or pusillanimous Parliament or when you praevail'd not you wrapt this up with the rest of your discipline put all to the processe of a warre And this was you know the mysterious sense of Knox's method upon good experience praescrib'd on his death bed First protest then denounce vengeance then to the execution thereof seeke redresse of God man Of God by fasting as you did order for this very cause wasting of the Church rents without remedie in the Assemblie at St. Andrewes 1582. Of man by rebelling which you practis'd noâ—… long afterward With which godlie advice that saint shut his teeth departed if not after a minutes repentance as I hope in litle better peace then he had liv'd To what followes in the Bishops charge the legislative power they praetend to To make â—…ules constitutions for keeping good order in the Kirke To abrogate abolish all statutes ordinances concearning Ecclesiastical matters that are found noysome unprofitable agree not with the time or are abused by the people And all this without any reclamation or appellation to any judge Civile or Ecclesiastical we have not one word in answer from Mr. Baylie And indeed being taken up so much with his seemings fallacious apparences he may sometimes overlooke the realities of what allegations he dislikes for this indeed he had very good reason knowing the natural inseparable connexion to be such between it the power of jurisdiction that to whomsoever belongs the supremacie of the one upon him necessarilie descends the praerogative of the other For the fourth objection If the Reviewer had minded the ill consequences upon the antecedent of Ecclesiastike jurisdiction by divine right he would not have held that conclusion at large without professing an infallible assurance that it is haereditarie to the Presbyterie Some danger there may be of drawing after it an adaequate right in that ominous Episcopal order which with no great difficultie may be prov'd from time to time to have executed this jurisdiction he meanes Howsoever this inconvenience he gaines by it That if it be such it is indispensable turnes all the confessed indulgence of the Scotish Assemblies into sinne for Nulli homini licet cuiquam juris divini gratiam facere What divines there have been in the world of another minde which are all except Donatus the haeretikes disciples among the rigid Papists Anabaptists Scotish Scotizing Presbyterians who demand as boldly as their Master Quid est Imperatori cum Ecclesia he may reade though I looke not that he nor all his brethren should muster up abilities to answer in the nineth chapter of the fore-cited famous Grotius's booke Vnder the safe conduct of whom the Bishop may travaile with the truth of these contradictionâ—… about him through all the Assemblies highway men of the Scots That all Ecclesiastike power flowes from the Magistrate ...... 〈◊〉 Ecclesiasticos judices per Archiepiscopos Episcopos derivata a Regia potestate jurisdictio Ecclesiastica consistit That the Magistrate may praescribe a rule how Ecclesiastike censures should be regulated in case of resistance see them executed by his power Constitutum fuit eis ergon tà krinomena parà ton episcopon agein tous archontas kai tous diaconoumâ—…nous autois stratiotas That all the officers praetended to be appointed by Christ for the Government of his Church if they governe it not according to his Apostolike example may be lay'd aside such a kind of Governers be put in their place as the Magistrate shall be pleased to appoint as more just upright stewards in that trust Non frustra gladium gerit potestas sed vindex est in omnes male agentes ergo etiam in eos qui circa 〈◊〉 delinquunt ...... Iurisdictionis enim est reâ—…egare è loco sive in locum That it is not yet universallie unquaestionablie defin'd that the spiritual sword Keyes are in any other then the hand of Christ. Nor that ever his Apostles Priests layd claime to an absolutelie intrinseâ—…al right to execute the power of either Vtinam exscindantur qui vos perturbant Videtur non imperantis sed optantis Apostoli That for the sword Sacerdos quidem officium exhibet sed nullius potestatis jura exercet That he cites out of St. Ambrose for the Keyes him I cite but doe not being not oblig'd assert any thing Your difference herein I meane the power of the Magistrate from the Warner is Donatisme an haeresie so great as deserv'd it seemes to be anathematized by the Catholike Church your practice schisme whereby you rend your selves from the Congregations of all the Reformed as Vedelius hath shew'd you And whether it be not rebellion by your lawes I leave to the verdict of your 15. Godfathers who gave it in to be such against your differing brethren at Aberdene Had Mr. Baylie in his answer to what he calls the last challenged principle tooke upon him to alter that axiom in Ethikes make it Nolenti non fis iâ—…juria the dispute had been onelie whether his authoritie or Aristotles should have caried it But when he deletes the commentarie upon it he conjures the sense into a circle of his owne by such language as none but himselfe his spirits understand Indeed for a madman to have his hands bound who were they at libertie would doe himselfe mischief For a sicke man to have physike forc'd into his stomake which may worke his recoverie otherwise desperate if his aversion be countenanc'd may be courteous violence improv'd to their good But to contervene a Magistrates commands praetending punctual obedience thereby if not an advancement of his power To wrest the sword out of his hands disarme him for the securitie of his person is a piece of invisible justice a favour left by all law and reason to be whollie at the disposal of the Discipline But in Scotland you say there is no such case c. Which must relate to mater of fact or right If to the former I must crave libertie to averre That scarce any one of your Synods proceedings was ever freelie justified by the consent of the Magistrate for the time That most were not I have shall sufficientlie prove here otherwhere If to the latter your selfe confesse that your booke of Discipline which includes the jurisdiction you have could not passe the Parliament 1590. Nor can you make appeare where ever after it did with an exception onelie against the chapter De Diaconatu In what followes you praetend too much acquaintance with the King to know what His Majestie â—…ontroverts in his thoughts with whom I have
divine right to the general rules to which you reduce them need not here to be numberd being scatered every where in this discourse and very obvious to the Reades in your storie But in answer to what the Bishop objects of geting both swords spiritual and temporal into your hands the one ordinarilie by common right the other extraordinarilie the one belonging directlie to the Church the other indirectlie the one of the Kingdome of Christ the other for his Kingdome in order to the propagation of religion and to let the Papist a lone whom out of what mysterie I know not you very often me thinkes call to your assistance I pray name one of his Lp's learned brethren that ever writ for 't what concessions have pass'd from the elder Edward and Elizabeth Praelates of England or what from the later Erastianâ—… as you style them in diminution of the jus divinum of Episcopacie desends not to the jus humanum in your sense there being a midle Apostolical right participant of both enough to constitute an immutabilitie in their order whatsoever change their jurisdiction may admit of at least such as they finde aequivalent to the communicating of women baptizing of infants observation of Sunday which when you bring arguments to unfixe you may with greater confidence treate against Bishops wherein those friends His Lo. hath about the King are so perfectlie instructed that they laugh at your sillie stratagems to pervert them being such as if at any time they repraesent to His Majestie as you earnestlie desire will thereby no quaestion confirme his pious resolution in the continuance of that holie order especiallie since the maxime you build upon That conscience is bottom'd onelie upon a divine right they finde ruind by Saint Paul in his doctrine and practice who convinceth the heathen upon the right or principles of nature and argues from the testimonie of conscience they had sufficientlie bottom'd upon the worke of the law written in their hearts Nor had he ever converted any of the nations without divine revelation antecedent I meane in them aswell as in himselfe which had made lesse effectual and pertinent the ministrie of the Gospell if no moral arguments had obliged their consent How farre this is applicable to Episcopacie though were it not it is to your argument against it I am not here to discusse onelie intimate I may that in proportion it is possible as much to a sacred as civile Monarchie I meane not coordinate the later had it not the law of God hath the language of nature importunate to commend it I will trifle with you no farther in this matter but lay downe this conclusion which you may take up to what advantage you can That in a thing ambiguous such as you here seem to give if not grant Episcopacie to be since no command of God nor warrant from scripture enjoynes or tolerates the change since no Apostolical nor Christian Church for so many hundred yeares before that single citie of Geneva began it since neither that nor any other besides ever acted or at least publikelie avowed what change you demand in the many particulars that have been and shall be inserted in this dispute to the inevitable subversion of Regal government to the confusion of Christian subjection in the enjoyment of just libertie to the plaine praejudice of Parliament priviledge in three dominions to the seting up of much spiritual and carnal wickednesse some grave reverend Divine might modestlie speake a word in season and say His Majesties conscience can not at the best but doubt and doubting ought not by the law of God and rule of reason to resolve on it Which indeed is the substance of his Royal Fathers printed profession That he found it impossible for a Prince to praeserve the state inquies unlesse he had such influence upon Church men and they such a dependance on him as might best restraine the seditious exorbitances of Ministers tongues c. And this is onelie to be had in that government which was one bottome for his conscience ..... That since the first age for 1500. yeares not one example can be produc'd of any setled Church wherein were many Ministers Congregations which had not some Bishop above them under whose jurisdiction and government they were This was another bottome for his conscience To which such a divine as I spake of might adde with a due reserve of all humblie revence to and most unshaken confidence in that Holiâ—… Martyr and his most pious hopefull successour our gracious soveraigne now living That he who for any politike end suggested or necessitie most fond'le praetended of the subtilest presbyterian of you all shall adventure to take himselfe off from this bottome when Iudaisme or Turcisme some part of your mixture shall be alike plausible praetended as more advantageous to his purpose may be fear'd to be found not well setled upon Christianitie it selfe but fall from it throw away one or both Testaments of Scripture which upon the universal tradition of the Church as the other upon the Catholike practice of the same he first rationallie received as the word of God though afterward he found other motives prompting a beliefe of it to be such which at last be had superinduc'd by what too many vainlie praetend to the instinct or plerophorie of the spirit His Majestie likewise found most agreeable both to reason and religion that frame of government because paternal not magisterial c. Which was a third bottome for his conscience Nor did he thinke it any point of wisdome or charitie where Christians differ ..... there to widen the differences and at once to give all the Christian world except a handfull of some Protestants so great a scandal in point of Church government c. of which wisdome and charitie the gifts of the spirit of God he made another very good botome for his conscience Let Mr. Baylie reade the rest of that most excellent divine chapter and answer it if he can The maine ground of the Bishops discourse being wilfullie mistaken by the Reviewer his structure is weake about the Warners conscience And the Kings advantage His cordial beliefe of the divine right of Synodâ—… and Presbyteries together with that of the Reformed Churches which the Bishop shewes to be different may come from a private spirit that misinformes them then is no good interpreter of Scripture nor any sure praecedent for Christianitie throughout Their strict and inseparable adhaerence to his errour beside that it antidates all treaties null without an effectual complinance against conscience and honour excommunicates all the world but themselves excludes them from all hope of fellow ship with this new select societie of Saints who could they multiplie into a number large enough to fill the circle of their ambition and had they every one a drop of Scotish rebellious bloud in their veines would no longer labour the
the pit that should encounter him the cocke crowed no more and with the Brethrens good liking the controversie ceased Till afterward on good occasion a Member offering to prove there was no such thing in the Christian world before Calvins dayes the Moderatour learnedlie confuted him saying His father while he liv'd was of another minde The E. Argile who was surprized as he sayd at the sodain rupture of this Assemblie held the Members a litle while by the eares with his argument of convenience telling them He held it fit the Assemblie should consist of Lay-men aswell as Churchmen Take this with you Your Assemblie Ministers are chosen by the lay Elders your Moderatours some times are laymen a course not justifiable by law praecedent or reason The Kings Majesties person or in his absence his high Commissioner is there onelie you tell him to countenance not vote in your meetings and proesides in them for exernal order not for any intrinsecal power So that when you goe on calmelie in your businesse he findes litle to doe without Domitians flie-flap of more use by farre in a summer Synod then a Scepter among you which you often times wrest out of his hand and continue your meetings after he hath dissolv'd them You can denie him or his commissioner the sight of publike papers brought into the Court which libertie the meanest subject may challenge And when he hath any thing to object against suppositions or at best suspicious Registers the E. Rothes can tell him boldlie in your names he must speake it praesentlie if at al and because he doth not you wait no longer but pro imperio vote them to be authentike Beside to deminish as well the Kings state as authoritie you send Assessours or Assistants to your Elders and invest them with power aequivalent to his Councel This meeting thus disordered sits too long by a moneth when no more and Assembles too often when but once in a yeare The number of such Members no more hindereth an appeale then a multitude of Malefactours can sentence a necessitie of becoming their followers in doing evil Their wisdome is such as his to whom a wiser man tells us it is a sport to doe mischief Their eminencie like Sauls head and shoulders higher then the common people in Rebellion And their honour somewhat like Absoloms mule beares them up to the priviledge of the great oake in the wood for their hanging in beter aequipage then their fellowes So that beside the justice there 's an absolute necessitie of appeal to the Parliament or in that to the King from himselfe to himselfe who sits there as supreme here in no other capacitie but of your servant Which is farre more justifiable and necessarie then vour appeale from both Parliament and Assemblie to the bodie of the people which I tell you againe is the final appeale you make when Assemblies are not modell'd to vour minde The number and qualification of Knights and Burgessesis therefore large and as great in your Assemblie as Parliament that your power may be as large and great in the State as the Church and the Nobilitie sit in one by election because they sit in the other by birth and so in a condition to unite the counsels of both according to the instructions of some few Presbyters that by Sycophantike insinuations have got possession of their soules and by their Spiritual Scepter dominion of their suffrages Headie zeale craft and hypocrisie got in commission or Covenant together we finde by experience can fit them to judge in Ecclesiastike affaires when age wisdome and pietie are sentenc'd If ihe hundred choyce unparliamentarie pastours make up the oddes of some absent Noblemen it should seem you and the Nobilitie are even pares cum paribus Peeres alike in your honourable Assemblie Which they must not disdaine since Christ himselfe I meane not his Anoynted that you take to be out of quaestion goes but for a single Elder or Moderatour at most So Cartwright and his Demonstratour cajoles them together when he sayth If they the Princes and Nobles should disdaine to joine in consultation with poore men they should disdaine not men but Christ himselfe So that Christ being in his name made your Assembly Praesident or Prolocutour the King in his Commissioner your protectour the Nobilitie your awâ—…full subvoters or suffraganes I see nothing wanting can conciliaâ—…e a tyrannie to your Presbyterie nor keep your foot of pride from trampling as basely as may be upon the people But not to forget at last what you set in the front as first to be answered The Presbyterian course as you or I more trulie have describ'd it is not much more readie then the Praelatical because the benefit of appeale is to be had ordinarilie but once or twice in a yeare not much more solide because most of your Iudges can reasonablie be thought neither good Civilians nor Casuists not much more aequitable because as you order them many more of the laitie then Clergie In the second hurt your Nobilitie sustaine the Bishop lookes not upon the judgement of foreigne Reformed Devines you doe not say of Churches nor yet on their practice which I have know'n some time a great deale too sawcie with Princelie Patrons but upon the aequity of the thing upon the priviledge our Nobles in England enjoy the right yours have to the same by many yeares praescription and the lawes of your land The first will be found if the original be searched The right of patronage being by the due gratitude or favor of Kings Bishops reserved to such as either built Churches or endowed them with some considerable revenue as likewise for the encouragement of others to propagate meanes and multiplie decent distinct places for Christian conventions Hoc singulari favore sustinetur ut allectentur Laici invitentur inducantur ad constructionem Ecclesiarum The exercise hereof in Iustinian is expressed by the termes Epilegein or onomazein which signifies an addiction or simple nomination to stand good or be null'd at the â—…ust pleasure of the Bishop and therefore accounted no spiritual act in the Patron but a temporal annexed to that which is spiritual in the Bishop and therefore not simonaical as your brother Didoclave would have it Nor is there that absurditie he mentions of arrogating to one what belong to all the Members of the Church as is praetended but can never be proved Nor that danger in transmitting this right from one to another if the care of the first patron descend not with it which defect the care of the praesent Bishop must supplie Nor is it requisite he should be a Member of the same parish to which he praesents since the Bishop is head of the same diocese to whom That this is contrarie to the libertie of the Primitive and Apostolike Kirke to the order which Gods word craves and good order is onelie sayd but not argued in
ourâ—… whose parsimonie or 〈◊〉 for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 was not that which advanced him a summe to make a purchase If the sulplusage of his revenâ—…e could â—…e it in a cheape and plentifull Countrey I know not who have beter title to 〈◊〉 theâ—… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Though as I am informed where I may trust 〈◊〉 with a profess'd enmitie against his office whatsoever reserve of kindnesse was for his person This great 〈◊〉 you 〈◊〉 was the recoverie of lands 〈◊〉 taken and 〈◊〉 from the Church in the 〈◊〉 whereof â—…t he â—…pared no endeavour so it should â—…eem he was well rewarded with 〈◊〉 Allthough prating and praying non sense in the Church may well passe for a paraphrase on that which the preacher 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 Yet I wish that were the worst which Presbyterie brings when she sets her foot in the House of God and not another * of bewitching rebells mention'd by Samuel or treacherous K. K which the prophet Habakkuk calls 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 â—…o the not 〈◊〉 â—…king men as the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—…s the 〈◊〉 things that have no 〈…〉 1. Habak 14. In whose praying or preaching whereof doubtlesse we had the quintessence sent us by the Reviewer and his brethren of the mission what knowledge there is beside that conâ—…ing of texts of the Concordance helpt them to What 〈◊〉 but of the lips and the lungs neither mater nor method requiring their studie What conference when no doctrine was proved but by Scripoure wrested I am sure not to the salvation of the hearer I feare to somewhat worse of the speaker I leave to the testimonie of any knowing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 person that at any time was there And for my selfe that was sometime seting aâ—…e all 〈◊〉 and prâ—…judice I will in the word of a Priest professe that I found 〈◊〉 But what else in the place of it is best know'n to God and my conscience 〈◊〉 â—…etit be to the world to be that which makes me tremble to thinke of their danger that shall adventure their 〈◊〉 in the 〈◊〉 of such hypocrisie and ignorance To the calumnies which this 〈◊〉 â—…shekal casts on our Church I answer 1. That a read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the exercizâ—… of few and why it may not be of some aswell as a read chapter Psalme is of many where the Discipline takes place I know not Since care is taken that where they 〈◊〉 no necessarie 〈◊〉 is waâ—…ting Since none that are not in orders may reade it the office of prayer in the Congregation being as much a 〈…〉 the ordinance of preaching Since all that are have thereby no commission to gâ—… preach in your 〈◊〉 and why they may not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 administer the Sacrements conferring with and catechizing the ignorant according to their talent I see no reason Ite pradicate sending not all the Disciples up into a pulpit to make an houre or two's continued discourse New had Nations eves been converted nor Christians improv'd and confirmed if pradicate had been no otherwise order'd not one of an hundred having abilities to draw arguments out of sermons convictive of their judgements not all Presbyterians so good Logicians as to frame them And he that yeilds himselfe up to be caried with the streame of their words wind of their fancies may have as many changes in fayth as their are points different in Christianities compasse being like a child Clydonicomenos peripherâ—… as St. Paul speakes tossed to and fro and caried about ... by 〈◊〉 â—…right of men who are many thaâ—… 〈◊〉 in wait to deceive him Secondlie Your first Reformers made the same use of Readers as we doe of â—…n preaching Ministers and continued them as long as necessitie required nor shall we any longer if you can furnish us with as many learned preachers as we have pulpits them with stipends where are not tithes but impropriate proportionable to their abilities and paines To the Churches where no Ministers can be had praesentlie must be appointed the most apt men that distinctlie can reade the Common prayers and the Scriptures sayth your first Book Disc. It was the late labour of no 〈◊〉 of ours to disgrace preaching without booke who ever respected and cherished men whose praesence of minde and memoire served them to deliver gravelie and readilie what they had at leisure deliberated on and for the true benefit of their hearers digested into the clearest method and a domed with selected significant language before they came into the pulpit Those who having taken that paines yet wanted the other abilitie not in their power or some litle confidence to command it in publike they were at least to excuse and condemne such itching eares as would hearken unto no sound doctrine but when taught after their lusts and luxurious desires more for their pleasure then their use That they disparaged those of your tribe was no wonder who like your selfe that goe for one of the best consulted litle before hand with their bookes or thoughts onelie whet their tongues like their knives for a meale with which so they cut out bread for them selves they car'd not what contemptible fragments they cast among the people Of their best kinde of speaking We may say as Seneca of one not much unlike it Haec popularis oratio nihil habes veri mouere 〈◊〉 turbam 〈◊〉 aures impetu rapere tracâ—… sâ—… non prâ—…bet aufertur .... multum habet manitates vâ—…ni plus 〈…〉 It hath a great deale of vanitie and emptinesse in it more found then substance you may reade the whole epistle and learne I 'll warrant you to preach better by it if you afflect it For praying without booke all though without a command it may be indifferent you can bring no more for it then for praysing and you sing not all without booke as I remember they thought best a conformitie with Catholike Christians whose liturgies were ever read in their Churches and that I guesse besides some decencie it seemes to carie with it because they had great varietie of prayers in the exhibition of which a constant order was to be observed between and in them some varietie of gesture and ceremonious worship for direction in which they thought humane infirmitie subject to mistakes might have cause some times to consult by a glance the rubrikes every where inserted As for you that have naught else to doe but to turne over the tip of your tongue what comes next in your head and up the white of your eyes as if the balls were run in to looke after the extravagant conceptions of your braines a booke 's of no use though I wish we had one of all the profane and vaine babling amongst you that we might make such unskillfull workemen ashamed and shew our selves approved aswell to the world as to God The Praelates never cried up our Liturgie as the onelie service of God Who thinke him serv'd in some other Churches that have it not
communication though advised by the Church they were put to purge themselves from the imputation of Poperie in practizing auricular confession and injunction of penance Your order and practice is to keep off from the holie Table not such onelie as conjunctive are grosselie and willfullie but divisivé intoo strict aÌ„ sense grosselie or willfullie ignorant Touching which allthough their negligence is inexcusable and their dulnesse pitiable yet that your act of cruel jurisdiction is justified by no divine command nor Catholike example If never any for simple ignorance were excommunicated in Scotland You must be rebuk'd for transgressing your rule and failing in your dutie as your Kirke pleaseth thus to declare it In sufferable we judge it that men be permitted to live and continue in ignorance as Members of the Kirke Whether greater tyrannie were exerciz'd in the High Commission Courts or your Consistories your aequitable comparers by this time are not to seeke What excesse on your side hath been evidenc'd is here resumed onelie to aggravate your floud of boundlesse crueltie by the many heads from which it issues and the cataracts it powres upon the poor people in every parish The Bishops playd indeed the Râ—…x in that their Court because they acted in it by authoritie and deputation from the King But you and your Brethren playd the Rebells to the purpose when you first rioted then rebell'd and covenanted before er you supplicated to suppresse it K. Ch. 1. by his grace and too fluent charitie praevented the violence intended by your Parliament though he found no thankes nor yet acceptance at your hands His proclamation being rudelie encountred with a rebellious protestation read by Iohnston The King Anticlerical Parliament in England that alasse joind hands in a maner yet scarce agreed to throw downe the other about their eares without which the Praelates had no power lesse then no reason if it might be to let it fall have not onelie covered the poor Bishops with the ruine of that Court but since hands and hearts were divided the laborious Lords and Commons without him have pull'd the Fabrike of both Houses and of Monarchie upon themselves The Congregational Eldership a thing wheresoever more to be jeerd at and lesse endured then a Commission is enjoy'd with so much more comfort among other of the Reformed then in Scotland as we are eye witnesses of lesse authoritie rigour in it And while I am writing this Replie one of the Reformed Presbyters your Countreyman ingenuouslie confesseth to me that he thinkes in his conscience the praesent Kirke tyrannie in Scotland he speakes it indeed rather of the practice then rule is farre beyond what ever could be alledged against our Bishops or the Pope And that if he others of his minde tooke the constitution of that government every where to be the same as it is executed in Scotland they would not continue a day longer in that communion The lawes of these Scotish Elderships taken out of Holie scripture can not be very particular in many cases Their Acts of superiour judicatories doe not can not so specifie interpretative Scandals nor in all occurring possibilities proportion corporal punishments or pecuniarie mulcts in the arbitrement of which lies the tyrannie of this petie Aristocratie and most ridiculouslie many times used in cutting halfe the haire shaving beards c. as before now hath been objected by others that having I beleeve seen it better know it In the abuses by such censures and difficultie of some cases when appeale is made to a Synod the Bishop tells you which you observe not that the shortnesse of its continuance can afford the condition of the persons will afford litle reliefe Your dozen of the most able pious plowmen in many parishes with an unexperienc'd illiterate Pastour praesiding in their Councel are no very reverend Iudges in many cases And what pitifull creatures they must be of necessitie in some places may be guessed untill this quaestion be answer'd which is sent you from another Countreyman of yours an honest able Divine Whether you have not heard of Countrey Churches in Scotland especiallie amongst the Saints of Argile where not three hapilie not one in the whole parish could reade Amphictyonum consessus A very honourable bench A Senate that no doubt would strike greater amazement but upon other reasons then the Romane if any foraigner should behold them In that you say the Episcopal way is to have no discipline at all in any congregation you are somewhat more hard hearted then your brethren Who acknowledge some of the functional rubbish of your Temple building Elders and Deacons upon the shoulders of our Church wardens Sidemen and Collectours part of whose charge is to observe maners inquire out ilâ—… livers admonish the scandalous and praesent them to the ordinarie To direct them in this dutie the Bishops articles are disspersed and an Audit held of their account at every visitation The officials pleasure regulates not their information which is to be as impartial as an oath can make it His conscience commonlie is not to large though his learning and wisdome be of greater extension then the Elders What power he exerciseth is by law and custome In correctionis negotijs alia quidem facient omnia excommunication is more â—…iselie and conscientiouslie excepted quae de jure possunt solent fieri Constit. 1571 To the Presbyterian tendernesse of medling with domestike infirmities somewhat is sayd allreadie which the Answerer by leter thus avoucheth It is certaine that a foolish man revealing foolishlie his faults to his wife the zealous wife upon some quarelling betwixt her and her husband hath gone to a good Minister revealed what was told her and the honest impertial Minister hath convented the man charged him with his sinne and made him confesse satisfie and doe penance publikelie Here the flagrant scandal was onelie the fire or furie that broke out of a weake womans breast into a pragmatical Presbyters eares whose heade is no sanctuarie for spiritual secrecies but his curiositie the mine that under workes the foundation of private families and palaces too whereof that of Mary Queen of Scots may be a formidable and lamentable example and when jealousies faile of materiall truth in the discoverie to blow them up with malicious calumnies what they can For suits and differences incident between Pastour and flocke Lay Elder and his neighbour the passion upon which perverts blindes the eyes of the wisest men that are your Congregational or Classical Iudges you passe quietlie by it as having nothing to say for it These are the great injuries and hurts which make the Scotish Discipline Scandalous to all the Reformed world being prov'd destructive to the just praerogative of Kings the power of Parliaments the libertie of subjects enslaving all orders of men where it takes place to the arbitrarie jurisdiction of a corrupt Synod and that commonlie moderated by the usurped
that Church His Majestie having not expressed the least word or syllabe to that purpose The most that ever he yeilded was this For it should be considered that Episcopacie was not so rooted setled there in Scotland as t is here in England nor I in that respect so strictlie bound to continue it in that Kingdome as this for what I thinke in my judgement best I may not thinke so absolutelie necessarie for all places at all times Not so rooted setled not so absolutelie necessarie implies no act of everting the foundations both of Religion Government c. nor can such an act be so pleasing to Kings nor that order which is wholelie imployed therein win so much upon their affections judgements as to make them professe to the world they thinke it best as you see our King of blessed memorie hath done When England thereafter as you terme it did root out that unhappie plant they danc'd after the Scotish pipe though England was neither in that thing calld an assemblie nor in any full free Parliament that did it They were but a few rotten members that had strength enough then to articulate their malice in a vote but have since given up the ghost being cut downe by the independencie of the sword their presbyterie with them for a Stinking weed throw'n over the hedge or Severu's wall into Scotland where they their blew-bottle brethren are left to lie unpittied on the dunghill together The rest of the Reformed Churches otherwhere did never cast out what they never had such an happie plant as regular Episcopacie in their grounds those that have as some such I have told you there are carefullie keep it The one part hath been more wise in their actions the other more charitable to us in their words Let the Scots applaud or clap their hands when they please there is an act behind the plays ' not yet done CHAPTER II. The Scottish Discipline overthrowes the right of Magistrates to convocate Synods otherwise to order Ecclesiastical affaires THe Bishop doth not forget his challenge about the Magistrates right in convocating Synods But if Mr. Baylie's eyes be too old to see a good argument in an enthymem let him take it out of an explicite syllogisme which may fairlie be draw'n out of His Lordships first second paragraph in this Chapter MAJ. That Discipline which doth countenance the Church to convene within the Magistrates territories whensoever wheresoever they list To call before them whomsoever they please c doth overthrow the Magistrates right to convocate Synods to confirme their Acts c. MIN. But this new Discipline doth countenance the Church to convene within the Magistrates territories whensoever wheresoever they list c. Ergo CONCL. This new Discipline doth overthrow the Magistrates right to convocate Synods c. The Major his Lordship proves from that know'n Soveraignite of power wherewith all Princes States are indued From the warinesse of the Synod of Dort Can. 50. From that decree out of Ench. Cand smin Synods ought to be called by the supreme Magistrate if he be a Christian c. From the power the Emperours of old did challenge over General Councels Christian Monarches in the time of Poperie over National Synods The Kings of England over their Convocations The Estates of the Vnited Provinces From the professions of all Catholikes Protestants in France very particularlie liberallie the State of Geneva where the ordering of all Ecclesiastike affaires is assumed by the Seigniorie The Minor he takes for granted is know'n out of all the proceedings in the Presbyterie which from time to time have thus conven'd convocated themselves therefore His Lordship onelie intimates it in his first paragraph yet afterward proves it in part by an Assemblie meeting when it had been prohibited sitting after it was discharged by the King which the 20. Presbyters did at Aberdene Anno 1600. And all this with the Reviewer is to forget the challenge because he hath forgot his logike the new light hath dazeld the eye of his old intellectual facultie to discerne The truth of it is this was a litle too hot for Mr. Baylies fingars because it makes such cleare instances about the Synod of Dort Geneva wherein they differ from the Scotish Presbyterie which he will not owne because he every where denies therefore takes no notice of it as he goes Nor can any ignorance of the way of the Scotish Discipline be imputed to the Bishop who produceth so numerouslie the practical enormities thereof strikes at the very foundation as infirme because contrarie to the know'n lawes lawfull customeâ—… the supreme Magistrate dissenting disclaiming For what he pretends to have been unquestionablie authentike by vertue of Parliament Acts the Kings consent since the first reformation I have otherwhere successivelie evidenc'd up as farre as the unhappie beheading of Marie Queen of Scots in England to which the rest may be hereafter annexed to have no other strength then what rage violence could afford it The power which he sayth every man in Scotland gives the King without controversie to call extraordinarie Assemblies when he pleaseth takes not away in its hast the maine part of the Bishops objection implying no negative to this That the Presbyterie hath often extraordinarilie assembled without the Kings leave nay against his command nor will they be checkt in that rebellious license by his power What the Bishop meanes to speake of the Kings power in chusing Elders c. Mr. Baylie might know but that still he hath no mind to take notice That in the former paragraph His Lordship spake of a seigniorie a Civile Magistrate at Geneva to which at the end of the yeare are presented the Elders by that continued or discharged The Civile Magistrate in Scotland hath no more power in placing or displacing which before was calld continuing or discharging the Elders then in the election of the Emperour whose inhaerent right he conceives to be as good there as at Geneva therefore if the lawes do not expresselie provide it they are such he thinkes as tend to the overthrowing of that right This His Lordship meanes as part of that he was to prove being a clause in the title of his Chapter Your closing with the Parliament which the Bishop hath not mention'd is but to beget a wonder by making an hermaphrodite of the question which before was but single in your sexe You are not so united but that I can untwist you though against your will consider in this case the Presbyterie by it selfe The making of Ecclesiastike lawes in Scotland as for England it shall not be here disputed as desirous as you are to be wandring from home was never in justice nor with any Kings content referred so absolutelie to Ecclesiastike Assemblies as not to aske a ratification from the crowne What the Bishops minde