as well Noble-men as Barons and those of other estates to meet and give their personal appearance at Edenburgh the 20 of Iuly ensuing for giving their advise and concurrence in matters then to be proponed especially for purging the Realm of Popery establishing the policy of the Church and restoring the patrimony thereof to the just possessours Assuring such as did absent themselves that they should be esteemed dissimulate professours unworthy of the fellowship of Christs flock who thinks your Scotish Disciplinarians know not how to ruffle it Upon this ground they assume a power to abrogate and invalidate Laws and Acts of Parliament if they seem disadvantagious to the Church Church Assemblies have power to abrogate and abolish all statutes and ordinances concerning Ecclesiastical matters that are found noysom and unprofitable and agree not with the times or are abused by the people So the Acts of Parliament 1584. at the very same time that they were proclaimed were protested against at the market crosse of Edenburgh by the Ministers in the name of the Kirk of Scotland And a little before whatsoever be the Treason of impugning the authority of Parliament it can be no Treason to obey God rather than man Neither did the General assembly of Glasgow 1638 c. commit any treason when they impugned Episcopacy and Perth-Articles although ratified by Acts of Parliament and standing laws then unrepealed He saith so far true that we ought rather to obey God than man that is to suffer when we cannot act but to impugn the authority of a lawfull Magistrate is neither to obey God nor man God commands us to die innocent rather than live nocent they teach us rather to live nocent than die innocent Away with these seeds of sedition these rebellious principles Our Master Christ hath left us no such warrant and the unsound practise of an obscure Conventicle is no safe patern The King was surprized at Ruthen by a company of Lords and other conspirators this fact was as plain Treason as could be imagined and so it was declared I say declared not made in Parliament Yet an Assembly Generall no man gain-saying did justify that Treason in order to Religion as good and acceptable service to God their Soveraign and native Countrey requiring the Ministers in all their Churches to commend it to the people and exhort all men to concurre with the actors as they tendred the glory of God the full deliverance of the Church and perfect reformation of the Common-wealth threatning all those who subscribed not to their judgement with Excommunication We see this is not the first time that Disciplinarian Spectacles have made abominable Treason to seem Religion if it serve for the advancement of the good Cause And it were well if they could rest here or their zeale to advance their Ecclesiasticall Soveraignty by force of Armes and effusion of Christian blood would confine it self within the limits of Scotland No those bounds are too narrow for their pragmaticall spirits And for busie Bishops in other mens Diocesses see the Articles of Sterling That the securing and setling Religion at home and promoting the work of Reformation abroad in England and Ireland be referred to the determination of the General Assembly of the Kirk or their Commissioners What is old Edenburgh turned new Rome and the old Presbyters young Cardinals and their Consistory a Conclave and their Committees a Juncto for propagating the faith Themselves stand most in need of Reformation If there be a more in the eye of our Church there is a beam in theirs Neither want we at home God be praised those who are a thousand times fitter for learning for piety for discretion to be reformers then a few giddy innovators This I am sure since they undertook our cure against our wills they have made many fat Church-yards in England Nothing is more civill or essentiall to the Crowne then the Militia or power of raising Armes Yet we have seen in the attempt at Ruthen in their Letter to the Lord Hamilton in their Sermons what is their opinion They insinuate as much in their Theorems It is lawfull to resist the Magistrate by certain extraordinary wayes or meanes not to be ordinarily allowed It were no difficult task out of their private Authors to justifie the barbarous acts that have been committed in England But I shall hold my selfe to their publike actions and records A mutinous company of Citizens forced the gates of Halyrood-house to search for a Priest and plundâ—…r at their pleasure Mr. Knox was charged by the Councell to have bin the author of the sedition and further to have convocated his Majesties Subjects by Letters missive when he pleased He answered that he was no preacher of Rebellion but taught people to obey their Princes in the Lord I fear he taught them likewise that he and they were the competent judges what is obedience in the Lord. He confessed his convocating of the Subjects by vertue of a command from the Church to advertise the brethren when he saw a necessity of their meeting especially if he perceived Religion to be in peril Take another instance The Assembly having received an answer from the King about the tryall of the Popish Lords not to their contentment resolve all to convene in Armes at the place appointed for the tryall whereupon some were left at Edenburgh to give timely advertisement to the rest The King at his return gets notioe of it calls the Ministers before him shewes them what an undutifull part it was in them to levy Forces and draw his Subjects into Armes without his Warrant The Ministers pleaded That it was the cause of God in defence whereof they could not be defieient This is the Presbyterian wont to subject all causes and persons to their Consistories to ratifie and abolish civill Lawes to confirm and pull down Parliaments to levy Forces to invade other Kingdoms to do any thing respectively to the advancement of the good cause and in order to Religion CHAP. VIII That the Disciplinarians challenge this exorbitant Power by Divine Right BEhold both Swords spirituall and temporall in the hands of the Presbytery the one ordinarily by common right the other extraordinarily the one belonging directly to the Church the other indirectly the one of the Kingdome of Christ the other for his Kingdom in order to the propagation of Religion See how these hocas pâ—…cases with stripping up their sleeves and professions of plain-dealing with declaiming against the tyranny of Prelates under the pretense of humility and Ministeriall duty have wrested the Scepter out of the hand of Majesty and jugled themselves into as absolute a Papacy as ever was within the walls of Rome O Saviour behold thy Vicars and see whither the pride of the servants of thy servants is ascended Now their Consistories are become the Tribunalls of Christ. That were strange indeed Christ hath but one Tribunall his Kingdome is
Churches had not the Scotes all the reason in the World to applaud such pious just and necessary resolutions of their English Brethren though the warner should call it the greatest crime CHAP. II. The Presbiterians assert positively the Magistrats right to convocat Synods to confirme their acts to reforme the Churches within their dominions IN the second Chapter the warner charges the Scotes presbytery with the overthrowing the Magistrats right in convocating of Synods When he comes to prove this he forgets his challenge and digresses from it to the Magistrates power of choysing elders and making Ecclesiastick lawes avowing that these things are done in Scotland by Ecclesiastick persons alone without consent of the king or his counsel Ans. It seemes our Warner is very ignorant of the way of the Scotes discipline the ordinary and set meetings of all assemblies both nationall and provincionall since the first reformation are determined by acts of Parliament with the Kings consent so betwixt the King and the Church of Scotland there is no question for the convocating of ordinary assemblies for extraordinary no man in Scotland did ever controvert the Kings power to call them when and where he pleased as for the inhaerent power of the Church to meet for discipline alswell as for worship the Warner fals on it heereafter we must therefore passe it in this place What hee meanes to speake of the Kings power in choysing elders or making Ecclesiastick Lawes himselfe knowes his Majestie in Scotland did never require any such priviledge as the election of elders or Commissioners to Parliament or members of any incorporation civill or Ecclesiastick where the Lawes did not expresly provide the nomination to be in the crowne The making of Ecclesiastick Lawes in England alswell as in Scotland was ever with the Kings good contentment referred to Ecclesiastick assemblies but the Warner seemes to be in the mind of these his companions who put the power of preaching of administring the Sacraments and discipline in the supreame Magistrat alone and derives it out of him as the head of the Church to what members he thinks expedient to communicat it also that the legislative power alswell in Ecclesiastick as civill affairs is the property of the King alone That the Parliaments and generall assemblies are but his arbitrary counsels the one for matters of the state the other for matters of the Church with whom or without whom hee makes acts of Parliament and Church cannons according to his good pleasure that all the offices of the Kingdome both of Church and State are from him as he gives a Commission to whom he will to be a sheriffe or justice of peace so he sends out whom he pleaseth to preach celebrate Sacraments by virtue of his regal mission The Warner and his Erastian friends may well extend the royall supremacy to this largenes but no King of Scotland was ever willing to accept of such a power though by erroneous flaterers sometimes obtruded upon him see Canterburian self conviction cap. ult The Warner will not leave this matter in generall he discends to instance a number of particular incroatchments of the Scots Presbiters upon the royall authority wee must dispence in all his discourse with a small peckadillo in reasoning hee must bee permitted to lay all the faults of the Presbiterians in Scotland upon the back of the Presbitery it selfe as if the faylings of officers were naturall to and inseparable from their office mis-kenning this little more of unconsequentiall argumenting we will goe through his particular charges the first is that King James anno 1579 required the generall assembly to make no alteration in the Church-Policy till the next Parliament but they contemning their Kings command determined positively all their discipline without delay and questioned the Arch-Bischop of Sainct Andrews for voting in Parliament according to the undoubted Lawes of the Land yea twenty Presbiters did hold the generall assembly at Aberdeen after it was discharged by the King Ans. The Warner possibly may know yet certainly he doth not care what he writes in these things to which hee is a meere stranger the authentick registers of the Church of Scotland convinces him heire of falshood His Majestie did write from Stirling to the generall assembly at Edinburgh 1579 that they should ceasse from concluding any thing in the discipline of the Church during the time of his minority upon this desire the assembly did abstaine from all conclusions only they named a committee to goe to Striveling for conference which his Majestie upon that subject What followeth thereupon I. Immediatly a Parliament is called in October 1579 and in the first act declares and grantes jurisdiction unto the Kirk whilk consistes in the true preaching of the word of Jesus Christ correction of maners and administration of the true Sacraments and declares that there is no other face of Kirk nor other face of Religion then is presently by the favour of God established within this realme and that there be no other jurisdiction Ecclesiastical acknowledged within this realme then that whilk is and shal be within the samen Kirk or that which flowes therfra concerning the premisses II. In Aprile 1580. Proclamation was made ex deliberatione Dominorum Consilii in name of the King charging all Superintendentes and Commissioners and Ministers serving at Kirkes To note the names of all the subjectes alsweel men as women suspected to be Papistes or and to admonish them to give Confession of their faith according to the Forme approved by the Parliament and to submitte unto the discipline of the true Kirk within a reasonable space and if they faile that the Superintendents or Commissioners presente a role or catalogue of their names unto the King and Lords of Secret Counsell whereby they shal be for the time between and the 15 day of Iulie nixt to come to the end that the actes of Parliament made against such persones may be execute III. The shorte Confession wes drawen up at the Kings command which was first subscrived by his royall hand and an act of Secret Counsell commanding all subjectes to subscrive the same as is to be seen by the Act printed with the Confession wherein Hierarchie is abjured that is as hath been since declared by Nationall assemblies and Parliamentes both called and held by the King episcopacie is abjured IV. In the assemblies 1580 and 1581 that Confession of faith and the second book of discipline after debating many praeceding years were approved except one chapter de diaconatu by the Assemblie the Kings Commissioner being alwayes presente not finde we any thing opposed then by him yea then at his Majesties speciall direction about fifty classical Presbyteries were set up over all Scotland which remaine unto this day Was there heer any contempt of the royall authority About that time some noble men had gote the revenues of the Bisshop-rickes for their private use and because they could not enjoy them
to meet when an erroneous Magistrat by his Tyrannous edict commands them to doe so let him call up Erastus from the dead to be disciplined in this new doctrine of the praelats impious loyalty The third principle is that the judgment of true and false doctrine of suspension and deprivation of Ministers belongeth to the Church Ans. If this be a great heresie it is to be charged as much upon the state as upon the Church for the acts of Parliament give all this power to the Church neither did the lawes of England or of any Christian state popish or protestant refuse to the Church the determination of such Ecclesiastick causes some indeed doe debate upon the power of appeales from the Church but in Scotland by the law as no appeale in things civill goes higher then the Parliament so in matters Ecclesiastick none goes above the generall assembly Complaints indeed may goe to the King and Parliament for redresse of any wrong has been done in Ecclesiastick Courts who being custodes religionis may by their coercive power command Ecclesiastick Courts to rectifie any wrong done by them contraire to Scripture or if they persist take order with them But that two or three praelats should become a Court of delegats to receave appeales from a generall assembly neither Law nor practise in Scotland did ever admit nor can the word of God or any Equity require it In the Scotes assemblies no causes are agitat but such as the Parliament hath agreed to bee Ecclesiastick and of the Churches cognisance no Processe about any Church rent was ever cognosced upon in Scotland but in a civill Court it s very false that ever any Church censure much lesse the highest of excommunication did fall upon any for robbing the Church of its patrimony Our fourth challenged principle is that wee maintain Ecclesiastick jurisdiction by a divine right Ans. Is this a huge crime is there divine in the world either Papist or Potestant except a few praelaticall Erastians but they doe so If the Warner will professe as it seemes hee must the contradiction of that which he ascribes to us his avowed tenet must bee that all Ecclesiastick power flowes from the Magistrat that the Magistrat himself may execute all Church censures that all the Officers appointed by Christ for the governement of his Church may bee laid aside and such a kind of governors bee put in their place as the Magistrate shal be pleased to appoint that the spirituall sword and Keies of heaven belong to the Magistrate by vertue of his supremacy al 's wel as the temporall sword and the Keies of his earthly Kingdome our difference heere from the Warner will not I hope be found the greatest heresie Our last challenged principle is that wee will have all our power against the Magistrat that is although hee dissent Ans. It is an evill comentare that al must be against the Magistrate which is done against his consent but in Scotland their is no such case for all the jurisdiction which the church there does enjoy they have it with the consent of the Magistrat all is ratified to them by such acts of Parliament as his Majestie doth not at all controvert Concerning that odious case the Warner intimats whither in time of persecutiō when the Magistrat classheth with the Church any Ecclesiastick disciplin be then to be exercised himselfe can better answer it then we who with the auncient Christians doe think that on all hazards even of life the church may not be dissolved but must meet in dens and caves and in the wildernes for the word and Sacraments and keeping it selfe pure by the divine ordinance of discipline Having cleered all the pernicious practises and all the wicked Doctrines which the Warner layes upon us I think it needles to insist upon these defenses which he in his aboundant charity brings for us but in his owne way that he may with the greater advantage impugne them only I touch one passage whereupon he make injurious exclamations that which Mr. Gilespie in his theoremes wryts when the Magistrate abuses his power unto Tyranny and makes havock of all it is lawfull to resist him by some extraordinary wayes and meanes which are not ordinarily to bee allowed see the principles from which all our miseryes and the losse of our gracious Master have flowed Ans. Wee must heere yeeld to the Warner the great equity and necessity that every doctrine of a Presbyter should be charged on the Presbytery it selfe and that any Presbyter teaching the lawfulnesse of a Parliaments defensive armes is tantamont to the Churches taking of armes against the king These small unconsequences wee must permit the Warner to swallow downe without any stick however wee doe deny that the maxime in hand was the fountaine of any our miseryes or the cause at all of the losse of our late Soveraigne Did ever his Majestie or any of his advised counsellers declare it simply unlawfull for a Parliament to take armes for defence in some extraordinary cases however the unhappines of the Canterburian Prelats did put his Majestie on these courses which did begin and promote all our misery and to the very last these men were so wicked as to refuse the lousing of these bands which their hands had tyed about his misinformed conscience yea to this day they will not give their consent that his Majestie who now is should say aside Episcopacy were it for the gayning the peaceable possession of all his three Kingdomes but are urgers of him night and day to adhaere to their errours upon the hazard of all the miseries that may come on his person on his family and all his people yet few of them to this day durst be so bold as to print with this Warner the unlawfulnes of a Parliaments armes against the Tyranny of a Prince in any imaginable case how extraordinary soever CHAP. III. The Lawes and customes of Scotland admitte of no appeal from the generall assembly IN this chapter the challenge is that there are no appeales from the generall Assembly to the King as in England from the Bishops Courts to the King in Chauncery where a Commission uses to be given to delegats who discusse the appeales Ans. The warner considers not the difference of the Government of the Church of Scotland from that which was in England what the Parliament is in the State that the generall assembly is in the Church of Scotland both are the highest courts in their owne kind There is no appeale any where in moderat Monarchies to the Kings person but to the King in certaine legall courts as the Warner here confesseth the appeale from Bishops lyes not to the King in his person but to the King in his court of Chauncery As no man in Scotland is permitted to appeale in a civil cause from the Lords of Session much lesse from the Parliament so no man in an Ecclesiastick cause is permitted by
to the end people might be brought back to their old licentiousnes and ignorance by which the Episcopall Kingdome was advanced It was visible in Scotland that the most eminent Bishops were usual players on the Sabbath even in time of divine service And so soone as they were cast out of the Parliament the Churches supplications were granted and acts obtained for the carefull sanctification of the Lords day and removing of the mercats in all the land from the Munday to other dayes of the week The Warners nixt challenge of our usurpation is the assembly at Edinburgh 1567 their ratifying of acts of Parliament and summoning of all the country to appeare at the nixt assembly Ans. If the Warner had knowne the history of that time he would have choysed rather to have omitted this challenge then to have proclaimed to the world the great rottennesse of his own heart at that time the condition of the Church and Kingdome of Scotland was lamentable the Queen was declared for popery King James's Father was cruelly without any cause murthered by the Earle of Bothwell King James himselfe in his infancy was very neare to have been destroyed by the murtherer of his Father there was no other way conceivable of saftie for Religion for the infant King for the Kingdome but that the Protestantes should joine together for the defence of King James against these popish murtherers For this end the generall assembly did crave conference of the secrete counsel and they with mutual advise did call for a meeting of the whole Protestant party which did conveen at the time appointed most frequently in an extraordinary and mixed assembly of all the considerable persons of the Religion Earles Lords Barrons Gentlemen Burgesses and Ministers and subscribed a bond for the revenge of King Henryes death and the defence of King Iames his life This mixed and extraordinary assembly made it one of the chiefe articles in their bond to defend these Actes of the Parliament 1560 concerning religion and to endeavour the ratification of them in the nixt ensuing Parliament As for the assemblies letter to their Brethren for so frequent a meeting at the nixt extraordinary assembly it had the authority of the secret counsel it was in a time of the greatest necessity when the Religion and liberties of the land were in evident hazard from the potent and wicked counsels of the popish party both at home and abroad when the life of the young King was daily in visible danger from the hands of them who had murthered his Father and ravished his Mother Lesse could not have been done in such a juncture of time by men of wisedom and courage who had any love to their Religion King and country but the resolution of our praelats is to the contrary when a most wicked villaine had obtained the connivance of a Queen to kill her husband and to make way for the killing of her Son in his Cradle and after these murders to draw a nation Church from the true Religion established by Law into popery and a free Kingdome to an illegall Tyranny in this case there may be no meeting either of Church or State to provide remedies against such extraordinary mischiefes Beleeve it the Scotes were never of this opinion What is subjoined in the nixt paragraph of our Churches praesumption to abolish acts of Parliament is but a repetition of what is spoken before Not only the lawes of Scotland but equity and necessity referres the ordinary reformation of errours and abuses in Religion to the Ecclesiasticall assemblies what they find wrong in the Church though ratified by acts of Parliament they rectify it from the word of God and thereafter by petition obtaines their rectification to be ratifyed in a following Parliament and all former acts to the contrary to be annulled This is the ordinary Methode of proceeding in Scotland and as I take it in all other States and Kingdomes Were Christians of old hindred to leave paganisme and embrace the Gospell till the emperiall lawes for paganisme and against Christianity were revoked did the oecumenicall and National Synods of the auncients stay their reformation of heresies and corruptions in religion till the lawes of State which did countenance these errors were cancelled Was not popery in Germany France and Britaine so firmely established as civil lawes could doe it It seems the Warner heer does joyne with his Brother Issachar to proclaime all our Reformers in Britaine France and Germany to be Rebells for daring by their preachings and Assemblies to change these things which by acts of Parliaments had been approven before new Parliaments had allowed of their reformation Neverthelesse this plea is foolishly intended against us for the Ministers protestation against the acts of Parliament 1584 establishing in that houre of darknes iniquity by a law and against the acts of the Assembly of Glasgow declaring the unlawfulnesse of Bishops and ceremonies which some Parliaments upon Episcopall mis-information had approven both these actions of the Church were according to former Lawes and were ratified afterward by acts of Parliament yet standing in force which for the Warner a privatman and a stranger to challenge is to contemne much more grossly the law then they doe whom here he is accusing of that crime By the nixt Story the Warner will gaine nothing when the true case of it is knowne In King Iames minority one Captaine Iames Stuart did so farre prevail upon the tender and unexperienced yeares of the Prince as to steale his countenance unto acts of the greatest oppression so farre that Iames Hamelton Earle of Arran the nixt to the King in blood in his health a most gallant Prince and a most zealous professor of the true Religion in time of his sicknes when he was not capable to commit any crime against the State was notwithstanding spoiled of all his lively hood and liberty his Lands and honour with the dignity of high Chancelor of Scotland were conferred on that very wicked Tyrant Captain Iames a number of the best affected and prime nobility impatient of such unheard-of oppressiones with meere boasts and no violence at the road of Ruthven chased away that unhappy chancelor from the Kings persone this his Majestie for the time professed to take in so good part that under his hand he did allow it for good service in his letters to the most of the Neighbour princes he dealt also with the secrete counsel and the chiefe judicatories of the land and obtained from them the approbation of that act of the Lords as convenient and laudable promising likewise to ratify it in the nixt ensuing Parliament When the Lords for their more abundante cleering required the Assemblies declaration there upon the Ministers declined to medle at all with the case but the Kings Majestie sent his Commissioners to the Assembly entreating them withall earnestnesse to declare their good liking of that action which he assured them was for his
a long time was willing to acknowledge the Parliaments jointe interest in the militia yea to put the whole militia in their hands alone for a good number of yeares to come so farre was his Majestie from the thoughts that the Parliaments medling with a parte of the militia in the time of evident dangers should be so certainly and clearly the crime of rebellion The Warners second demonstrative ground wee admit without question in the major that where the matter is evidently unlawfull the oath is not binding but the application of this in the minor is very false All that hee brings to make it appeare to be true is that the King is the supreame Legislator that it is unlawfull for the subjects of England to change any thing established by Law especially to the prejudice of the Praelats without their own consent they being a third order of the Kingdom otherwise it would be a harder measure then the Friers and Abbots received from Henry the eight Ans. May the Warner be pleased to consider how farre his dictats heere are from all reason much more from evident demonstrations That the burden of Bishops and ceremonies was become so heavy to all the three Kingdomes that there was reason to endeavour their laying aside he does not offer to dispute but all his complanit runnes against the manner of their removall this say I was done in no other then the ordinary and high path-way whereby all burdensome Lawes and customes use to be removed Doth not the Houses of Parliament first begin with their ordinance before the Kings consent be sought to a Law is not an ordinance of the Lords and Commons a good warrant to change a former Law during the sitting of the Parliament The Lawes and customes of England permit not the King by his dissent to stoppe that change I grant for the turning an ordinance to a standing Law the Kings consent is required but with what qualifications and exceptions wee need not heere to debate since his Majesties consent to the present case of abolishing Bishops was obtained well neere as farre as was desired and what is yet lacking wee are in a faire way to obtaine it for the Kings Majestie long agoe did agree to the rooting out of Episcopacy in Scotland he was willing also in England and Ireland to put them out of the Parliament and all civil courts and to divest them of all civil power and to joyne with them Presbyteries for ordination and spirituall jurisdiction yea to abolish them totally name and thing not only for three yeares but ever till he and his Parliament should agree upon some setled order for the Church was not this Tantamont to a perpetuall abolition for all and every one in both houses having abjured Episcopacy by solemne oath and Covenant the Parliament was in no hazard of agreing with the King to re-erect the fallen chaires of the Bishops so there remained no other but that either his Majestie should come over to their judgement or by his not agreing with them yet really to agree with them in the perpetuall abolition of Episcopacy since the concession was for the laying Bishops aside ever till hee and his houses had agreed upon a settled order for the Church If this be not a full and formall enough consent to the ordinance of changing the former Lawes anent praelats his Majestie who now is easily may and readily would supply all such defects if some of the faction did not continually for their own evill interests whisper in his eares pernicious counsel as our Warner in this place also doeth by frighting the King in conscience from any such consent for this end he casts out a discourse the sinshews whereof are in these three Episcopall maximes First that the legislative power is sollie in the King that is according to his Brethrens Cōmentary that the Parliament is but the Kings great counsel of free choyce without or against whose votes hee may make or unmake what Lawes he thinks expedient but for them to make any ordinance for changing without his consent of any thing that has been or instituting any new thing or for them to defend this their legall right and custome time out of mind against the armes of the Malignant party no man may deny it to be plaine rebellion II. That the King and Parliament both together cannot make a Law to the praejudice of Bishops without their own consent they being the third order of the Kingdome for albeit it be sacriledge in the Lords and Commons to clame any the smallest share of the legislative power this i◅ them were to pyck the chiefest jewel out of the Kings Crowne yet this must be the due priviledge of the Bishops they must be the third order of the Kingdome yea the first and most high of the three far above the other two temporall States of Lords and Commons their share in the Legislative power must be so great that neither King nor Parliament can passe any Law without their consent so that according to their humble protestation all the Lawes and acts which have been made by King and Parliament since they were expelled the house of Lords are cleerly voide and null That the King and Parliament in divesting Bishops of their temporall honour and estats in abolishing their places in the Church doe sin more against conscience then did Henry the eight and his Parliament when they put down the Abbots and the Fryers Wee must beleeve that Henry the eight his abolishing the order of Monks was one of the acts of his greatest Tyranny and greed wee must not doubt but according to Law and reason Abbots and priours ought to have kept still their vote in Parliament that the Monasteryes and Nunryes should have stood in their integrity that the King and Parliament did wrong in casting them down and that now they ought in conscience to be set up againe yea that Henry the eight against all reason and conscience did renounce his due obedience to the Pope the Patriarch of the West the first Bishop of the universe to whom the superinspection and government of the whole Catholick Church in all reason doth belong Though all this be heere glaunced at by the Warner and elsewhere hee prove it to be the declared mind of his Brethren yet we must be pardoned not to accept them as undenyable principles of cleare demonstrations The last ground of the Doctors demonstration is that the covenant is ane oath to set up the Presbyterian government in England at it is in Scotland and that this is contrary ◅o the oath of Supremacy for the oath of Supremacy makes the King the only supreame head and governour of the Church of England that is the civil head to see that every man doe his duty in his calling also it gives the King a supreame power over all persons in all causes but the Presbytery is a politicall papacie acknowledging no governours but
of the King you were best turne over Erastus the learned Grotius after which I guesse we shall heare of you no more Your Assemblies are Arbitrarie but at Royal pleasure otherwise then as by your covenanting sword you cut of their relation to the King his great Councels So that your Kings were willing to accept had good reason to assume more then ever you would give them How you robd them of their right by your multipli'd rebellions see Scotish-Presbyterian selfe conviction in my Epitome of your storie If the Bishop had left this matter in generall your hue crie to be sure had gone after him for particulars His reasoning stands not to the courtesie of your indulgence being grounded upon the Acts of your Assemblies whose backes had been long since broke with the weight of no peckadillos in disputing but high mightie villanies in rebelling had it not the strength of the whole lay Presbyterie to support it Though by the way I must tell you The failings of your officers may be taken as naturall to inseparable from your office when having been so noto riouslie publike they passe without your censure or dislike So that this mote as much as you miskenne it will prove a beame in your eye of such consequence in this argument as you will scarce finde the way through the most hainous particulars that follow The first of which layes such a blocke in your way as you can not step over till you have as good as acknowledged one of the principal articles in that charge You confesse His Majestie did write from Stirling to the General Assemblie at Edenburgh 1579. that they should cease from concluding any thing in the discipline of the Church during the time of his minoritis And how well you obey'd it we may collect by what followes Vpon this desire dutifull subjects would have taken it for a command the Assemblie did abstaine srom all conclusions that we shall see presentlie onelie they named a Committee to goe to Striveling for conference with His Majestie upon that subject Any man that is acquainted with your Assemblie logike will know that this clause with the onelie if it passe not for a conclusion caries the force of two praemises with it And he must be very ignorant in your storie that hath not found all your conferences with your Kings to have been contests Whether this was so or no I leave to the discretion of the reader when he sees what you say followed thereupon Immediatelie a Parliament is called in Octob. 1579. And in the first Act declares grants jurisdiction unto the Kirke… And declares that there is no other face of a Kirke nor other face of Religion then is praesentlie by the favour of God established within this Realme And that there be no other jurisdiction Ecclesiasticall acknowledged within this Realme then that whilke is shall be within the samen Kirke or that which followes therefra concerning the praemises Now let us lay all this together The young King is resolved to have no medling with the discipline yet no sooner doth he see your Commissioners sweet faces but immediatelie a Parliament is called And in that Parliament your Discipline must have the primacie In the Acts And that leading Act must not onelie establish what you have at hand but upon the engagement of Regal Parliamentarie power purchase all future possibilities of your pleasure give your invention a patent to play the wanton There must be some witch craft sure in your Committee by your relation a magicke spell to retrive on such a sodaine the Kings wandring affections to the Discipline But when I finde His Majestie professing that after ten yeares of age you never had his heart A brother of yours lamcnting that for five yeares before this you had had a perpetual conflict with the Bishops ever got the worst That most of the Nobilitie upon several interests were at this time bent against you I am at a losse for the Kings libertie as much as for some other concurrent due authoritie in this Act reade nothing but your violence in these proceedings But let us see how you a namelesse friend of yours agree He tells us the letter that Dunkenson brought to this Assemblie had otherguede contents That the King onelie quickned your dispatch in consultation a. bout some head of the discipline preparing your unanimous result for the consent of the Parliament that followes The Kings jealousie of your medling with these affaires he seemes to anticipate by two yeares of your account if there were any such thing whereof he doubts he sayth the King was better informed of the truth He farther complaines of two whole leaves about this businesse that were rent out of your publike records that ever since left posteritie in a cloud this was done in the yeare 1584. which he calls the houre of darknesse You say the authentike Registers are extant â—…onvince the Bishop to be heire of falshood Error cauâ—… quâ coepit eat All the truth that I can picke out of this confusion is That the King was disaffected to the Discipline That the Assemblie did not obey his command nor answer his desire with their silence And that what consent you say he gave in Parliament soon after was either forg'd or procured by constraint What followes concerning your rigour to the Papists many orthodoxe Christians comprehended in that title is easilie credited But you should have done well to have set downe the names Dominorum Consilii ex quornm deliberatione proclamation â—…as made then we should have know'n how neare they were of kinn to your faction Some bodie tells us That the Ministers did deliberate Buchanan did act according to the maximes of loyaltie he publish'd That the Kings name was to it what else you pleased is not much to be doubted when you had got his person in your power For how short a time you could keep his inclination to the Discipline which was proclaim'd ap peares out of your storie of an Assemblie mans penning How cordiallie peremptorie the king was in his command how forward in subscribing whatsoever is in the Act for the short Confession of fayth And what good effects it wrought among the people you may take notice out of His Majestie speach in the Conference at Hampton Court wherein he shewes how ridiculous the thing was the person that drew it up I thinke it unfit to thrust into the booke every position negative…according to the example of Mr. Craige in Scotland 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
guilt of which you would gladlie runne into dens caves or move the hills mountaines to cover you In the meane time in vaine you hope to have any the anâ—…nt Christians companie Who in times of their persecution never held publike Assemblies in their Edenburghs Imperial Cities never arm'd themselves to maintaine the divine ordinance of the Discipline Though had they done it litle would their praecedent availe you the just imposition of a Christian King being very unlike the heathen Emperous persecution Nor was the Presbyterie that divine ordinance of Discipline practiz'd by the persecuted in the wildernesse Mr. Baylie in this time by his affected diversions devious mazes having run himselfe halfe out of breath begins to thinke on the shortest way home to finde which he takes a large leape over the hedge by vertue of some Disciplinarian priviledge passeth two whole pages of consequence unanswer'd Perit libertas nisâ—…tlla contemnis quae jugem imponunt yet not so cleare but that one bramble hath catch'd him by the sleeve if the truth were known I beleeve many more have prick'd him to the heart for one of most danger I advise him to seeke out a timelie remedie stand to the charitie of his aequitable comparers for the rest 't is that sharpe quaestion which the Bishope propounds Who shall judge when the Church is corrupted the Magistrates or Church-men If the Magistrates why not over you aswell as others If the Church-men why not others aswell as you Mr. Gilespies Theorem because pressing such downright rebellion he without any brotherlie love leaves on the shoulders of a single Presbyter will not afford one fingar of the Presbyterie to ease him though the tantamout be not so unconsequential as to need a stake to helpe it downe in a swallow It being very well know'n that if Mr. Baylie should not tantamont in this businesse the Assemblie brethren would give him a drench in the Scotish horne send him to grasse with the long-eard creatures as being no fit companie for the late more rational rebells in a Synod The consequence if it must need be such from one particular denied by none to a universal affirmative as strange as it lookes may be made good by the new Disciplinarian logike Mr. Baylie himselve having more then once profess'd an identitie in the Scotish with the Reformed disciplines abroad in the harmonie of which I finde such a canon as this Si Minister donum habet aliquid ad aedificationem conscribendi illud typis non mandabit quin prius a classe examinetur probetur From the Classe he knowes it takes a remove to the provincial Synod thence to the national Assemblie Now if the Reviewer will not tell us in what Assemblie Mr. Gilespie was censur'd or this theoreme of his disavow'd because it will be such a singular case as never was heard of Rebellion disclaim'd in a Scotish Presbyterian Assemblie otherwise then in a Catholike mist which never drops in any particulars he shall have the reputation of catching this unconsequence for once But as the Bishops sayth Take nothing hold it fast if he can Beside he knowes there are many other such theoremes of Mr. Gilespies upon which the Bishop hath built many high accusations which the Discipline must acknowlege must be meant to be of that number which had the approbatorie suffrages of the Vniversities in Holland viz. Leyden Vtrecht or else he spake litle truth and as litle to the purpose in his Epistle Yet to helpe him to somewhat of better authoritie He is desir'd to take notice That the substance of this theoreme was not declin'd in a protestation made he knowes by whom in Edenburgh Parliament 1558. In the dutifull letter to the Queen Regent from the faythfull Congregation of Christ Iesus in Scotland 22. May 1549. In another from the Lords of the Congregation 2. Jul. 1559 In an answer to the Queenes proclamation by the Lords Barons other brethren of the Congregation 1559. In a declaration of the Lords against another proclamation of the Queenes 1559. To all thesé 't is undeniable that the Assemblies adhaer'd or indeed rather the Lords c to them In the Church Assemblie's supplication 28. May 1561. In the vote of the whole Assemblie 1563. In the Superintendents Ministers Commissioners letter to the Bishops and Pastours in England they write If authoritie urge you farther ye ought to oppose your selves boldlie not onclie to all power that dare extol it selfe against God but also against all such as dare burthen the consciences of the faythfull they mean'd the same opposition themselves made in Scotland In the seventh article fram'd by the Assemblie 1567. Beside what was very particularlie pressed by Knox in Sermons Conferences letters c all acknowledge the sense of several Assemblies But all these authorities are absolet the several ends of such speaches actions being long since accomplish'd in Scotland However M. Baylie denies that the maxime in hand was the fountaine of any our late miseries or the cause at all of the losse of our Soveraigne Fati ista culpa est nemo fit fato nocens If he had but in kindnesse delivered his meaning at large quitted aswell his independent brethren of their bloudie performance in the fift act as he doth the Presbyterian properties that caried on the rebellion in the foure first of the Tragoedie they might have masked merrilie together in their antike disguises of innocencie pointed out to some sillie credulous spectators the guilt of this horrid murder in the starres But I shall reach him a ladder where by he may ascend to the top of this truth not aninch higher then Edenburgh Crosse what else he wants when he comes there to doe justice accordinglie as he shall be enlightned upon his owne selfe for his share in this maxime unpardonable mischiefe The first step hereof begins neare the ground with the meane baser sort of the people who on the 23. Jul. 1637. when by his Blessed Majesties command the service booke was to be read in Edenburgh Great Church fell into the extraordinarie wayes of clapping hands cursing outcries throwing stones at the windowes aiming at the Bishop with a stool Continuing this hubbub in the streets besetting the counsel house whether the reverend learned worthie Bishop of Galloway was forced to flie for his refuge Their outcries being commonlie such as this God defend all those who will defend Gods cause God confound the service booke all the maintainers of it of whom the King must needs be mean'd to be one who had expressclie authoriz'd it Vpon this follow two extraordinarie petitions one in the names of the Noblemen Gentrie Ministers Burgesses against the service booke booke of Canons which being not answerd to their mind at Sterlin otherwhere themselves in protesting did the same thing which they had call'd the uproare
office and function And the scepter and sword are the badges of that power Yet the new praeface compared with other parts of these new propositions takes away the Kings negative voice and cuts off all Royall power and right in the making of lawes contrarie to the constant practice of this and all other Kingdomes For the legislative power in some Monarchies is penes Principem solum … in other … by compact between the Prince and the People … In the last the power of the King is least but best regulated where neither the King alone without his Parliament nor the Parliament without the King can make lawes … which likewise is cleare by the expressions of the Kings answers Le Royle vent and Le Roys ' avisera So as it is cleare from the words of assent when Statutes are made and from the words of dissent that the Kings power in the making of lawes is one of the chiefest jewels of the cronne and an essential part of Soveraignitie … somet mes the Kings denial had been beter then his assent to the desires of the Houses of Parliament … If I had transscribed all the Reader had found the argument more full Out of this compared with what you write he may rest assured that in declaring at that time against the Parliaments debate which in truth was vindicating the Kings negative voice you were resolved against Regal Government And whatsoever since you have publish'd in a mocke proclamation had your Covenanting brethren kept their station in England the Crowne and Scepter if not condemn'd to the coyning house had been kept perpetual prisoners in Edenburgh Castle whither with funeral solemnitie you have caried them nor had there been any Royal head or hand kept above ground for their investment while your Rebells could catch them and procure sword or axe to cut them off But to follow you in your tracke If your lawes admitted not absolute reprobation by a negative voice they did praeterition by a privative silence which was all together as damnable to your Parliament bills they being made Acts by His Majesties touch with the top of his Scepter and those irrefragablie null'd which he pass'd by In what followes you shew more ingenuitie then prudence by acknowledging the ground whereupon you built your censure of this debate in Parliament as needlesse and impertinent because of the power it might put in the hand of the King to denie your covenanted propositions But alasse you graspe the wind in your fist and embrace an anie cloud within your armes and like some fond Platonike are jealous over that jewel you never had The King of blessed memorie told you when he spake it to your brethren He would never foregoe his reason as man his Royaltie as King Though with Samson he consented to binde his hands and cut off his haire he would not put out his eyet himselfe to make you sport much lesse cut out his tongue to give you the legislative priviledge of this voice That you at best sit in Parliament as his subjects not superiours were call'd to be his Counsellers not Dictatours summond to recommend your advice not to command his dutie And what pretie puppets thinke you have you made your selves for so many yeares together to the scorne of all nations when you so formallie propounded to His Majestie to grant what you professe he had never any power to denie What comes next is one of the many springes you set to catch cockes but your lucke is bad or you mistaken in your sport I see if you were to make an harmonie of confessions you would be as liberal of other mens faith as of your own What the beliefe is of the warner and his faction about the absolute affirmative voice of any King you had heard more at large if you had fetchd your authoritie from any line in His Ld. booke for that demand Yet to keep up your credit that you may not mount to no purpose I will bring one who in spiritualibus at least shall take off this sublimate from your hands and pay you with more mysterie of reason then you have it may be found in any other of the faction Nulla in re magis ciucescit vis summi Imperii quà m quod in ejus sit arbitrio quaenam religio publicè exerceatur idque praecipuum inter Majestatis jura ponunt omnes qui politica scripserunt Docet idem experientia Si enim quaeras cur in Anglia Maria regnante Romanae Religio Elizabetha verò Imâ—…rante Evangelica viguerit causa proxima reddi non poterit nisi ex arbitrio Reginarum Going on in the Religion of the Spaniard Dane Swede he tells you ad voluntatem dominantium recurretur Though I shall onelie give you this quaestion in exchange for your language of concluding and impeding If Parliaments have power ad placitum to conclude or impede any thing by their votes what part of making or refusing lawes is to the King If the Bishop had challeng'd you for nominating officers of the armie you are not without some such parrot-praters abroad as can tattle more truth then that out of your Assemblies Nor need you be so nice in a mater so often exemplified in Knox his spiritual brethren who as appeares manifestlie by their leters c. Were the chiese modellers of all the militia in their time and His Ldp. having shewed you when your pulpit Ardelios incourag'd the seditious to send for though in vaine L. Hamilton by name and Robert Bruce dispatched an Expresse for him to be their head You are here charged onelie with not allowing such as the Parliament had named because not so qualified as you praetended That the State ever sent the officers they had chosen to doe over all the postures of their soules to discipline either their men or affections before you and to have your Consistorian judgement of their several qualifications and abilities is more I confesse then hitherto I have heard of That you put it to the last part of your answer relating to no part of the quaeltion was but to shew what you beare in your armes That as plaine as you looke the crosse on the top of the crowne is the proper embleme of your Assemblie whom no civile mater can escape having a birthright from Christ or deputation at least to overrule both his Kingdomes upon the earth Your Ifs And 's about the necessitie of a warre in that moment of time when the British Monarchie Lay gasping for life demonstrates what good meaning you had to praeserve the Person or Government of Kings The constant proofe of that integritie you required in the officers must have been the covenant-proofe of their rebellion and wickednesse which if blemished from the beginning of the warres with no religious nor loyal impression no sincere pietie toward God nor real dutie to the King had marck'd them out for your Mammon Champions and Goliahs
chalenge that followes The Bishop knowes so well the historie of that time that he is faine to leave a masse of horrour unstampt in his thoughts conceiving it uncapable of any due impression by his words And whosoever shall looke upon Scotland at that time shall finde it to be nefandi conscium monstri locum a place that had bred such an hideous monster as neither Hircania Seythia nor any of her Northerne sisterhood would foster Not long before when the Queen was great with child of that Prince to whom you professe so much tendernesse soon after not valuing the hazard of that Royal Embryo you hale her Secretarie her principal servant of trust from her side and murder him at her doore Because the King would not take upon him the praerogative guilt of that cruel murder according to the instructions you had given him you finde him uselesse must have him too dispatchd out of the way which was done though not by the hands by the know'n contrivance of Murray in his bed his corps throw'n out of doores and the house blow'n up with gunpowder where he lay To get a praetense for seizing upon the yong Prince you make the Queen and E. Bothwell because her favourite principals in the murder of his father possesse the people with jealousie of the like unnatural crueltie intended to him Hauing got the Royal infant in your hands you not onelie null the Regencie of his mother vou worke all the villanie you could thinke on against her person in his name and make him before he knew that he was borne act in your blacke or bloudie habits the praevious parts of a matricide in his cradle In order hereunto the Queen as you say was declared for Poperie which requires some Presbyterian Rebell glossarie to explaine it there being no such expression to be found in the language of any orthodoxe loyal Christians in the world In this conjuncture of wickednesse that no other way of safetie was conceivable for your Protesting and Banding religion but a continued rebellion no other to make sure of the infant King for your prisoner the Kingdome your vassal but by such a grand combination in treason may be granted at sight of your several praeceding desperate exploits For this end your General Assemblie might crave conference with such of the secret Councel who were as publike Kebells as your selves That your advice was mutual whose end and interest was the same is not to be doubted saving that we may observe such godlie motions to spring first from the vertuous Assemblie as you confesse touching this Your call was in much more hast then good speed and your considerable persons conven'd a great deale more frequentlie then they covenanted Argile that did slept not wel the next night nor was he well at ease the day after till he had reveald your treason to the Queen Knox tells you That the people did not joine to the lords and diverse of the Nobles were adversaries to the businesse Others stood Neuters The slender partie that subscribed your bond began to distrust were thinking to dissolve and leave off the enterprise a confessed casualtie gave up the Victorie with the Queenes person unhapilie into your hands This mixed extraordinarie Assemblie had litle sincere or ordinarie maners to call that a Parliament which was none having no commission nor proxie from their Soveraigne and to make it one chiefe article in their bond to defend or endeavour to ratifie those Acts which their Soveraigne would not when the lord St. Iohn caried them into France But they persisted in the same rebellious principle professing in terminis that tender to have been but a shew of their dutifull obedience And that they beg'd of them their King and Queen not any strength to their Religion which from God had full power and needed not the suffrage of man c. They are Knox's words which were there no other evidence are enough to convince any your aequitable comparers That the just authoritie of Kings and Parliaments in making Acts or lawes is in consistent with the Presbyterian government Which is the summe of the controversie in hand No secret Councel especiallie if in open rebellion can impower an Assemblie to issue letters of summons when their Prince's publike proclamation disclaimes it The greatest necessitie can be no colour to that purpose Though what srivoulous ideas of great necessities the Presbyterie can frame we may judge by their late procedings in our time Your religion and liberties seem then to have been in no such evident hazard as you talke of if they were you may thanke your selves who had the Royal offer of securitie to both the Queen onelie conditioning craving with teares the like libertie of conscience to her selfe The life of the yong King was daylie indeed in visible danger from the hands of them who had murderd his father and ravished the crowne or Regencie from his mother but who they were I have told you In such an ambiguous time men of any wisdome other then that which is carnal and worldlie and so follie before God would have betaken them selves to their prayers teares men of courage and pietie would have waited the effects of providence and not so distrust fullie deceitfullie peic'd it with their owne strength From such lovers of Religion as contest covenant depose murder as rage ruin proscribe excommunicate Libra Reges Regiones Domme Good Lord deliver Kings countreyes from them all Fortis est ut 〈◊〉 dilectio jura sicut infernus amulatio Their love is strong as death in the letter their jealousie is cruel as the grave The coales thereof are coales of fire which have a most vehement flame No waters of widowes or orphans teares canquench it No flouds of innocent bloud can drowne it It 's not unlikelie the Praelates resolution may be That when a most wicked companie of villaines had deposed two Queenes and killed one King endeavourd to smother the spotlesse Majestie of a Royal Son with the fowle guilt of their injurie done to his Gracious Mother which they cast enviouslie upon his name And after these to draw a Nation and Church under the airie notion of a true Religion never establishd by Law of God norman into a Covenanting Rebellion And a free kingdome under a legal Monarchie into an illegal oppressive tyrannie That in this case there ough to be a general meeting of Church and state to vindicate Majestie lawes libertie and provide remedies against such extraordinarie mischiefes That the Presbyterian Scots never were nor will be of this opinion I take your word and beleeve it Take this supplement with you That E. Bothewell should kill the King to make way for Poperie and Murray before endeavour to hinder his mariage with the Queen under a praetense of a designe by that then to bring it in which historie relates will cost some paines to reconcile Errours and abuses in
reasonablie suppos'd incident to all that you call Saints and what securitie they have from all casualties all attempts in the very moment of sinne to destroy them The general promises can be no protection in such cases some it may be are not so general as to be made applicable to all which well scann'd incline to the peculiar concernment of them to whom they were made and of whom onelie they seeme to be â—…ean'd But in points of this nature whatsoever the Warners friends have avowed your exception against them is the same with that against the expresse words of the Church in the Assemblie at Glasgow 1638 draw'n from what she professd That insants baptiz'd have all things necessarie to salvation This you may take as the summe of that which the Bishop knew to have been with much moderation reason often answerd to your sore challenge Your slight replies thereunto being indeed but squibs and crackers for children to sport with had not the armes of sinfull men the Kings artillerie been rebelliouslie us'd as a more unanswerable argument to force them The following position His Lp. nowhere will dispute nor doth laugh aâ—… That Christ as King of his Church hath appointed lawes for governers of the same Who and what these are in the general Saint Paul hath left in his letters to the first Christians which they and their successours have kept for us that come after He takes you for usurpers tyrants who crosse to these lawes for pride filthie lucre make your selves not onelie Lords over Gods heritage but commanders of subjection from Kings 2. b. Disc ch 1. Pro Rege Regum Domino Dominantium presbyteria nobis Synodos supponentes The consequence hereupon That Acts of Synods must be Christs lawes where Synods make themselves Dictatours of his pleasure and repraesentatives of his person is no other follie then what the Logical rules of Relatives praescribe us which if your Sophistrie decline I must referre the Reader to the like expressions so frequentlie us'd in your publike papers in the several contests that Knox had with your Queenes their Councels in defense of your discipline And to come somewhat nearer in your very praeface before the booke it selfe where your Reformed Kirke is call'd the spouse of Icsus Christ the rules of her discipline in the language of Scripture The Lords lawes and commandements…the heavenlie proportion of divine discipline And at last compared to the booke of Gods covenant that lay hid in the Temple Under the name of which Discipline we are admonished is to be understood Beside the two bookes the Acts Constitutions and practices agreed upon and recorded in the Registers of the General and provincial Assemblics c. And a brother plainlie asserts That your Discipline in the general which we denie to have any other authoritie then your votes is as immutable as the Scripture I finde you now here such a Master of Rhethorike and language as to take your judgement in comparing of styles If the Bishop hath borrowed the Iesuites invectives or any from the Pagan philosophers he could not beter bestow them then on you that are neither good Protestants nor Christians His declamations against your noveltie will be regarded by such as take universalitie and perpetuitie for two discretive markes of Christs Kingdome government which must not be limited to a rebellious schismatical Centurie in one Countrey The antiquitie you boast of is founded upon as great a mistake of the Gospell as was the sadduces of the law you both erre not knowing the Scriptures Yet that being your plea I will urge the Bishops argument no farther concerning the change and difformitie of your discipline which may be prov'd in particulars not twice romov'd from your essentials themselves but appeale with you to Caesar who calling to his Councel the Primitive Fathers the most publike spirits most unbyassed Interpreters may by the tributarie assistance if his Majestie please of as many Bâ—…hops or Doctouâ—…s as sectarian Presbyters after a faire schelastike discussion discerne the truth decide the controversie and according as he findes Christs scepter was swayed among Catholike Christians by deputation of one part or other abolish the Rebell Vsurper at his pleasure But Annuneiare or imperare aliqued Christianis Chatholicis praeter id quod acceperunt nunquam licuit nusquam licet nunquam licebit To declare or command a beliefe of divine right in that which hath not been received in Gods Church never was no where is nor will it at any time be law full Your dearth of matter renders you taedious in the rest of the paragraph and the course faire wherewith you entertaine your reader flesh bloud and limbes of an English Bishop makes you suspected here to have been at a stand to have layd your spiritual scribling aside till you went to market and fetcht these carnal expressions from the â—…ambles My Lord of Derrie and his friends in citing authoritie and pressing reason for their order have dealt so farilie wrought so effectuallie as for all the stripping your sleeves and the other hocas pocas trickes that he tells you of you will finde no cleanlie conveyance of your Presbyterie into the heads of any your judicious comparers nor will their eares be chain'd by your brazen hypocrisie to maintaine it Your too curious anatomie of English Episcopacie touching which you interrogate will onelie countenance them in a demand not otherwise intended of a Scripture warrant for Scottish Presbyterie as such disciplining excommunicating deposing I shall doe no wrong if I adde what I prove justifying praysing God for the death if not the murder of Kings renouncing the name but acting every one a double part of a lord in Parliament not onelie voycing in but imperiouslie overruling all Acts of State all elections of principal officers in order to conscience for praevention of scandal keeping a lower Commission Court in every Towne parish forcing every Bayliffe and provest to be your creature A Presbyterie bold'lie ordaining without a Bishop and gulling the people into a foolish conceit of Gods call in them when 't is their lying spirit that hath praeposless'd them For let the people call or praesent whom they will if the learned the priviledge of which title every covie of Dunces challenge to themselves judge the person unable of the regiment he is set aside and they forced to take without violent intrusion they tell them whom the superintended Councel offereth to instruct them A Presbyterie exercing all jurisdiction without any appeale from themselves A Presbyterie feeding their flockes like swine with graine and huâ—…kes such divinitie as every brewer or hogheard can helpe them to never leading them through the gâ—…een pastures of the ancient learned and devout Fathers nor to any other waters of comfort but such as the very fountaine whereof the foot of schisme or rebellion hath troubled This is
Scottish Presbyterie in practice and such they would have it in law too if they could with all their Scripture collusions but once corrupt His Majesties judgement or by their sharpe-pointed swords two edged tongues affright him from a well grounded resolution into what his Royal Father esteem'd it a faint servile ungodlie and unkinglie consent The treasure you call for hath hitherto had God for its defense who hath made know'n and distributed those talents in Scripture which maintain'd the litle familie of the Church and discharg'd the itinerant Gospell of that time The greater mine hath been often discovered by them whose divina virgula hath stouped and put them upon the search of the veine that caried the Episcopal government through the 800. yeares of your account Your soon-shot bolts in many frivolous quaestions have been better feather'd with many wise mens answers and for all the horned impudence you hold out returned very often upon your heads one of whom I shall send you to who not to derogate from the happie endeavours of many others aswell of the learned Laitie as Reverend Clergie hath alone anticipated and fullie with much acutenesse and judgement answered allmost every particular you object Shewing that Christ himselfe hath made the office of Apostle or Bishop distinct from Presbyters Given them power to do some offices perpetuallie necessarie which to others he gave not Asof Ordination and confirmation And superioritie of jurisdiction Bishops by vertue of their office more then called observed as Lords in a more sublime sense then you mention And commended to the service of Kings Saint Chrysostom others imployed in Embassies Saint Ambrose a Praefect and Dorotheus a Chamberlaine to the Emperour Many of them Councellers to Princes and Iudges aswell in ordinarie secular affaires as Chanellors in extraordinarie by appeale Treasurers at least of the Church revenue and undergoing what ever civile charge the conscientious favour of Princes put upon them which was not in gradu impedimenti â—…lericalis Bishops with sole power of ordination and jurisdiction otherwise then as they thought good to call into their subordinate assistance or deputed Presbyters in their Dioceses Of officials and Commissaries I thinke he makes litle mention because he bends his discourse against all interest of Lay elders yet I doe not thinke he would denie that Civilians such as are our Officials and Commissaries might be instrumental to the Bishops especiallie having some learned Presbyter authorized in cases to which the others lay propertie extends not Bishops when necessitie may require using solitarie ordination which is good in nature rci as may be taken for granted by that Canon of the Apostles which as it enjoines no more then one Bishop so makes no mention of any Presbyter which it had quaestionlesse done if of absolute necessitie to the businesse Bishops ordaining not with the fashional but canonical assistance of any two Presbyters that they please by choyce of their owne chaplaines or others where are many or taking any two that chance otherwise to be neare Bishops principal pastours of their whole Dioceses when commanded or countenanc'd by the King to waite at Court not obliged to feed their flockes in their persons which they doe by many learned and religious proxies themselves in the meane time feeding by word or sacrament or ghostlie counsel the great shepheard whose Royal soul is worth 10000. of the peoples All this in effect a great deale more then your Parkers or Didoclaves could have answered hath this one learned Doctour defended as know'n long before the Pope gave over to say his creed which he did surelie when he became the Anti-Christ you call him I could goe up yet once againe helpe you to a third turne from the top of your demands Shew you that the Warner and his friends give the King the same assurance that erthey did that what they stand upon as unalterable in their order hath Scripture and Antiquitie for its warrant That upon the conversion of England to Christianitie the Ecclesiastike government there constituted was not Anti-Christian That a Bishop there is not a Lord in Parliament by vertue of his office as it may be to resolve spiritual doubts he ought to be but by the Baronie call which the favour of Kings hath annex'd unto it That in Scotland when it was decreed that Bishops should have no voyces in Parliament these your selfe-denying men desired of the King that such Commissioners as they should send to the Parliament and councel might from thence forth be authorized in the Bishops places for the Estate That not many protestant English Bishops have been High Treasurers not many Chancellars some that have you have litle reason to finde faultwith That they are not bound in law to devolve all jurisdiction That all which in practice did it are not to be condemned where they found able honest men to exercise it in their names That those which erre must not praejudice the care and deligence in government of the rest That solitarie ordinations were very rare therefore not to be objected as so common Nor did halfe the Bishops live at Court nor most that did halfe their time All these particulars could I enlarge on but that I beleeve the Reader satisfied with the execution done before and hath some what else to doe then to stay to see you stript In what followes you take a great deaie more then is given you naming that a donation from the Court divines conscience for which the Citie Divines chieflie of Edenburgh London forced the temple of God by such sacriledge to furnish the two tabernacles of robbers that then prospered too well in England and Scotland That Royal Saint that upon this most impious violence yeilded up so great a portion of his Ecclesiastike inheritance the Bishops avile imployment Arch-Bishops Arch-deacons with the c which might have been better spar'd did it in angusto comprchensus not upon any compunction of conscience Sed difficulter sed subductis supercilijs… vix exeuntibus verbis And had not his paternal affection prompted him to what your unnatural disobedience litle deserved he had given you not onelie panem lapidosum as Fabius was wont to call a gift very hardlie bestowed upon an hungrie beggar but pro pane lapidem without our saviours censure a stone instead of that bread which was never ordained to stuffe the insataite stomach of every gaping Rebell that call'd for 't Yet whatsoever you had was you know but for a triennal experiment which being exspired in the yeare of libertie that was to succeed according to Gods paterne in Ezekiel if you could then praetend no better title then you had done it was to returne to your Prince and the inheritance of such an inseparable right to be his sonnes who of your adversaries gave this unseasonable advice I know not nor who have acknowledg'd and recanted for errours those divine
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 Rex 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 searce 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 present Kirke tyranniem Scotland he speakes it indeed rather of the practice then rule ofâ—…se â—…se Scotish Elderships taken out of Holie scripture can not be very Particâ—… 〈◊〉 many cases Their Acts of superiour judicatories doe not can nâ—… 〈◊〉 â—…pecific interpretative Scandals nor in all occurring pofsibiâ—… 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 haifethe 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 Biâ—…op 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 plow men in many parishes with an unexperienc'd illiterate Pastour praesiding in their Councel are no very reverend Iudges in many cases Aud 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 Câ—…untres Churches in Scotland especiallie amongst the Saints of Argiâ—…e where not three hapâ—…e 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 ill 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 sacient omnia excommunication is more niselie and conscientiouslie excepted quae de jure possunt solent fieri Constit. 1571 To the Presbyterian tendernesse of medling with domestike infirmities some what is sayd allreadie which the Answerer by leter thus avoucheth It is certaine that a foolish man revealing foolishlic his faults to his wise 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 where of 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 Papacie of a Knox a Buchanan a Melvin an Henderson such meeke lambes as no misbeleeving Iew can misdoubt them to be fore runners of his Messias who hath prae-inspired this good principle into their heads To bring their Kings rather then goe themselves to the slaughter And wheresoe'r they get power to teare out the throat of the thearers and make them dumbe never more able to open their mouthes against the know'n Deitie of their Presbyterie CHAPTER XIII The Bishops exceptions against the Covenant made good and this proved That no man is obliged to keep it who hath taken it IF I had not found the Reviewer a
pretie round and plumpe Gentleman in blacke I might have misse-thought the habit of his bodie and conformation of his parts facilitating with some pleasure the operation of his physike to have enamourd him with the otherwise undecent metaphore of a vomit But Hippocrates praescribing to his constitution as J take it the other method for dejection of his humours I recollect with my selfe a triple cause that might at this time create his distemper in his penning force out this floud of gall upon his paper 1. His late fruitlesse voyage by sea might still sticke in his stomake having before been for many yeares accustomed to none but land waves of his raising the raging tumults and madnesse of the people 2. A violentagitation of his bodie the sixe Scotish Iehu's in zeale to the cause coaching it much too furiouslie about the Countrey 3. The abominable sight of his Majesties hand to diverse papers denying the very subject of this chapter the taking injoining or tolerating of the Covenant So a Doctour in the facultie nearest hand instructs me… vomituns vulgò concitare traduntur… violenta vehemens corporis agitatio insueta per mare navigatio… imaginatio intuitus rerum abominabilium Beside the pleasing sent of an Irish designe then in hand might offend him which is a fourth cause he addes and I end with Odor rerum saetidarum c. As to the substance of the chapter wherein his Lordship hath taken the Palladium of Presbyterie without which the successe of his other attempts had been nothing the Reviewers stratagems for strength of reason he brings none are unlikelie to rescue it The Bishop is very sensible how deep the conscience of an oath stickes in men whose hearts are not hardened against religious impressions And how perjurie is abhorred among heathen who have conscientious feare of punishment from their God and a politike one too of shame before men To undeceive therefore such as fondlie fancie because their hands were lift up that their covenant's with heaven And because their eyelids are open that they walke not in darkenesse and the shadow of death He brings them first the reliefe of several propositions which when draw'n out will appeare to be these All oathes vowcs â—…ovenants are not binding it being customarie among men to make the same bonds serve for iniquitie as justice tie up secret conspiracies with the publike liguments of communitie peace 2. Those that are not obligatoric may be broken viz where a greater judgement solveth the fallacie of a lesse or a beter conscience seekes to reduce rectifie a worse With what other false knots men are foolishlie entangled he demonstrates by the slight where in the Covenant hath catch'd them Their deliverance is this if they will accept it from the hands of unquaestionable truth That Covenant which is devised by strangers to the dishonour of a Nation imposed by subjects wanting requisue power and that as well upon their Soveraigne at aequals extorted by just scare of unjust sufferings is not binding But this is that Covenant Ergo. The majour thus put in forme the Reviewer will hardlie grant and yet dares not denie but sets his foot upon I know not what weaknesse and falsitie of the Minour the Commissioners of the Parliament of England as he calls them being among the number of the first and onelie framers thereof He must be wiser then Solomon that can know the way of a Serpent upon a rocke Yet the Presbyterian Scotish subtilitie is not such but that we may see whence if not by what gyres and uncertaine sinuations it came about and he that meetes it at Westminster may welcome it from Edenburgh if he likes it Leagues and Covenants are no usuall abasement of English allegeance such copper coyne hath been no where so currant as since Knox was Mint-master in Scotland whose original inscription With the image of his rebellion is propagated in this counterfeit as he that delights in such medalls may see if he compares them This for the thing For the persons I denie them to be Commissioners on either side no King nor Clergie legallie assembled deputing them to that purpose nor indeed any of the Laitie but Rebells They that gave life to it Lords Commons or what you will or wheresoe'r assemblad were in the very act Traitours against the King and so no part of a Parliament in the Kingdome Whither they are called by His Majesties writ to consult about the defense not to covenant the destruction of the Kingdome and Church The lawfulnesse of whose constitution and authoritie was no farther â—…cknowledged then it was lawfullie used and in that act absolutelie disclaimed the King sending for them onelie to discourse and treat with himselfe not to dispose and ordaine or enact any thing without him Therefore these men thus acting upon the praecedent advice and praescription of strangers foysted a Covenant devised by strangers how soever factiouslie denison'd in that Court But how strange the advice was will appeare beter by true storie then probable divination which being sent me in a leter from one well acquainted with these affaires of his owne countrey I will faythfullie communicate as it came unto my hands When the Commissioners came downe from the Parliament with their letter subscrived be some Ministers shewing that their blood was shed lyke water upon the ground for defense of the protestant relligione and the letter being red in the Assembly had no uther answer bot this Gentlemen wee are sorie for your case bot there is one thing in your letter Yee say yee sight for defense of the reformed relligione yee must not thinke us blind that wee see not your fighting to be for civill disputes of the law wherewhith wee are not acquame Goe home and reconcile with the King hee is a gracious Prince bee will receive you in his favour You can not say it is for the reformed relligione since yee have not begun to reforme your Church yee had thryven better if ye had done as wee did begun at the Church and thereafter striven to have gotten the civill sanction to what yee had done in the Church wee can not medle bet wixt his Majestie and you Few dayes after Sir W. Ermin Master Hamden with the rest were invited by some of their friends to make a new addresse to the Assembly their friends in the Assembly after a second desire of a more gracious answere propounded this Will yee joine in covenant with us to reforme doctrine and discipline conforme to this of Scotland and yee shall have a better answere Sir W. Ermin the rest answered that they had not that in their instructions bot thanked the Assembly sayd they would represent it to the Parliament of England the friends in the Assembly told them there would be much time loosed ere they could go to the Parliament for their resolutione and thereafter to returne to Scotland and
and all proceedings in that kinde 2. An ordinance of the Lords and Commons without and against the King is no good narrant to change such lawes during the fitting os the Parliament 3. No law nor lawfull custome of England debarres the King by dissenting to stop that change Untill which three assertions be refuted in law it will be needlesse to debate the qualifications and exceptions which can be none of moment in this case against the Kings consent requisite to turne an ordinance into a law But you take His Majesties concessions to have praevented all can be sayd in the praesent case Behold you that kindled the sire in his breast here compasse yourselves with the sparkes of his consent which charitie would have suffered to exspire with the breath that brought them forth or buried in his ashes which they made Yet can not you walke by the light of this fire unto the full accomplishment of your ends His successour being not yet conveighd into any such place as Holmebye or Carisbrooke Castle where you would â—…ave him some such fatal haereditarie confinement being the fairest apologie if any when he should subscribe so many of your uncâ—…nscionable desires and write after his Father in the extremitie of misfortune who as litle intended what himselfe accounted his failings for his copie as he desired his undeserved miseries should be a patrimonie transmitted to him by your hands As to the obtaining of what is lacking your way is not so faire in which visiblie lies the same Scripture Antiquitie law reason conscience and honour which heretofore hindred your journey to the end of your hopes the obtaining His Majesties plenarie consent Who did not agree to if you meane approve of the rooting out Episcopacie in Scotland That he gave so much way to such wild boares as were in your Presbyterie to doe it he afterward repented and you rewarded him not so well as that his Royal sonne should be encouraged to purchase sorow at so deare a rate 2. He was not willing allthough he yeilded to have them put out of the House of Pâ—…ercs in England and Ireland out of a generous scorne of your uncharitable susspicion that he would have them there onelie because he was to make use of their votes in State affaires 3 He divested them of civile power hoping to perswade such as your Lay Presbyters by the objections maâ—…e against them out of the Ecclesiasticall which they more irrationallie usurped 4. He joined Presbyters with them for ordination because he found it before seldome administred without them But he never made them coordinate in nor aequiparticipant of that power He joined them sor spiritual jurisdiction as being a fit meanes to avoyd… partialities incident to one man And tyrannie which becomes no Christians leaft of all Churchmen And thirdlie to take away from them the burden and Odium of afsaires which was a courteous diminution in such times How sacrilegiouslie you roh the Temple of Memorie of the pillar he set up in the period of your Treatie and erect in the place an impious calumnie of his abolishâ—…ng Episcopacie totallie name and thing will be seen by part of his inscription or ultimate answer to the Rebell Commissioners paper about the Church The words are these… His Majestie doth againe clearlie professle That he can not with a good conscience consent to the total abolition of the function and power of Bishops nor to the intire and abfâ—…lute alienation of their lands as is desired because he is yet perswaded in his judgement that the former is os Apostolical institution and that to take away the later is sacriledge… And if his two Houses shall not thinke fit to recede srom the strictnesse of their aemanas in these particularâ—… His Majestie can with more comfort cast himselfe upon his Saviours goodnesse to support him and desend him from all afflictions how great soever that may besall him then sor any politike consideration which may seems to be a meanes to restore him deprive himselfe of the inward tranquillitie of a quiet minde And some of his last words were I am firme to primitive Episcopacie not to have it extirpated if I can hinder it He sayd indeed that by his former answer he had totallie suspended Episcopal government for three yeares after the sayd time limited the same in the power of ordination and jurisdiction Which the Commissioners he dealt with so litle thought Tantamont to a perpetual abolition that they sayd it met not with their feares nor could praevent the inconveniences which must necessarilie follow upon the returne of Bishops and the power which he reserved to them after that time For that a Bishop so qualified as qualificd as â—…is Majestie expressed should rise againe then they declared whollie in his choyce unavoy dable by Parliament if they agreed not But behold a pretie peice of aequivocation call'd Anti-christian Iesuitisme by these Rabbi Presbyters of old to draw their dull Commissioners out of the mire and as good as inke for ivorie to wash them cleane His Majestie suspended it till he and his Parliament should agree All and every one in both Houses had abjured Episcopacie by solemne oath and Covenant and so in no hazard ever to agree with him Ergo He must either agree with them that is like wise abjure which is abolition or coutinue perpetuallte his suspension which is Tantamont unto it This is very well ordered especiallie if you call to minde somewhat else that was condition'd for viz. That twentie Divines of His Majesties nomination being added unto the Assemblie were to have a free consultation debate whence it might be determin'd by His Majestie and his two Houses how Church government c should be setled after the sayd time or sooner if differences might be agreed A very free debate when all demonstrative reasons should be forespoken to be silenced by an oath And a very conscionable treatie That a faction in both Houses should be without the restitution of the rest that were beter temper'd the men that should continue siting not onelie 3. yeares but 300. if they could live so long because sworne not to yeild a syllable of their owne tearmes Yet because you thinke your selfe so witie in your sophistrie letme aske you What assurance these all and every one in both Houses had to be immortal If they were not what you have that the new elected would be Covenanters and if they were not by what law they could have been excluded the Houses whither they should be sent as Repraesentatives of their Electours If admitted and so reasonable as to hearken to a possible result of the Divines debate in condemnation of Presbyterie and vote according to it what then were likelie to become of your perpetual abolition or the Tantamont unto it Such measure may you have if ever it come to treatie between you and your sectarian brethren now siting in one House who having
that can not constitute can abrogate no lawes But they will tell you in constituting the King can not be excluded And we inferre that no more he can be in repealing If your minde serve you to engage farther in this dispute you were best answer the learned Grotius 8. chap. De Imper. Sum. Pot. to which I promise you my replie In the next place as if you were moderating a matachin dance from seting the King and Parliament atoddes you turne both their faces and powers agaâ—…nst the Praelates whom I doe not finde His Lordship puting in competition with the King about the right of making lawes but aggravating the injurie done them by your partie in the Parliament and appealing to their conjcience with what justice they could covenant against the rights of a third order of the Kingdome without either their satisfaction or consent If the whole Repraesentative of the Kingdome have thus priviledg'd the Bishops one lame part can not deprive them of it Their prioritie and superioritie hath been so ancient that no Lords no Commons would scruple at it but such as likewise at the original supremacie of their King And therefore you may know the bill against their priviledges was five times rejected in the upper House the beter Court of honour of the two and when the sixt time it was caried by a few voyces it was when the most honourable persons were forced to be absent Their share in the Legislative power hath been so great that since any was allotted them your forefathers never heard of a law made in Parliament without them The King may passe what he pleaseth and what he doth so is a â—…an The two Temporal States with his baâ—…e name without his power can make none nor yet having it as they account it derived from his Regalitie not his person Ius enim serendarum legum sive generalium sive spâ—…ciaiium samma poteslas communicare alteri potest a se abdicare non potest What one orth ' other passe to the injurie of persons fundamentallie concern'd be it law can not be justified in conscience which is all J take to be urged by the Bishop But what would you have sayd if there had been such a law in behalfe of Episcopacie in England as there hath been in spaine That no King could reigneâ—… which is more then a Parliament sit and vote without the suffrage of the Bishops Which made Ervigius upon the resignation of Bamba that turn'd Monke call a Councel of them at Toledo to have a confirmation of his crowne And the time hath been in England when a difference fell between Edward and Ethelred about succession to K. Edgar a devolution of it unto the arbitrement of the Bishops The humble protestation of the twelve Bishops rudelie menaced and affronted did not pronounce the lawes acts after their recesse null and of none effect in derogation to the praerogative of the King either solitarie or in conjunction with what persons soever he pleas'd to make his Legislative Councel but in saving to themselves their rights and interests of siting and voting in the House of Peeres the violation of which they conceived to invalidate a Parliament at least without the Kings passing a rescissorie Act and an Act of new constitution Because in law and practice it is usual to any who conceive themselves praejudg'd even in those things where Acts of Parliament passe against them to protest Which if you remember were the words and part of a long plea to another purpose though upon the same advantage of the Bishops right in Scotland used by those your Countreymen that alike intended their ruine but could not colourablie offer at it without the Act anext the constitution of the Parliament Whether the Bishops being a third order of the Kingdome and by that craving their share in the Legislative power be more humble then the Presbyters who take themselves to be absolute without King and two states in making all Ecclestastike lawes and against King two states in abrogating all civile statutes Ordinances concerning Ecclestastical maters that are sound noysome and unprofitable and agree not with the time … And censuring punishing all persons King and Parliament not excepted I file up with the other references to your aequitable comparers let them be the Lords and Commons you here pleade for You may chuse whether you will grant what the Bishop takes as demonstrable That his brethren had harder measure from the thing call'd King and Parliament then the Abbots and Friars from Henry 8. When he devested them of their estates Your consecutorie Beleese hath no article made up out of any of the Bishops words Who though he could not keepe intruder out of his palace and possessions meanes to have no such troublesome inmates in his minde And since you have sequestred him from his gardens keepes out of your reach a Tarasse to exspatiate in his thoughts He commends your eyes that can see so distinctlie such Platonical Idea's as never had existence yet when you draw too neare commands you to your distance with the same answer that Bacchus did Hercules in the Comoedie for all his club Meton â—…mon oikei noun echeis gar oikeian The Bishops last reasoning is as sound as those before and in all is there a connexion of those parts which any demonstrative integral can require To your first impeachment by quaestion I answer That article of the Covenant beares the seting up of the Scotish Presbyterian government in England which is for a uniformitie in both Kingdomes if taken with the next that extirpates praelacie viz. Church government by Bishops For when Praelacie is downe I pray what remaines according to your principles but Presbyterie to set up As for Scotish Presbyterie you have often told us 't is the same with that of all Reformed Churches And if alltogether be not according to the Word of God after so many yeares Synods Conferences and Letters what blinde Covenanters you are to sweare a league of life death upon the like or more uncertanitie of future discoverie by a few unskilfull persons whose petie phantastike lights put together must be made a new imaginarie milkie way surpassing in a fermed singularitie of splendour any among the greater truer luminaries in the firmament of the Church But I have allreadie shewed how in vaine you aequivocate about that clause which hath cost your friend Rutherford and others so much paines What the oath of supremacie imports is evident by the words in it The varietie of sences to catch advantages like side windes in paper sailes which are subject to rend in pieces being the poor policie of Presbyters that dare not stand to the adventure of plaine dealing supreme Governer of this Realme c. Aswell in all spiritual or Ecclesiastical things or causes as temporal Which the Bishops you see conceald not though you gratâ—…e your selfe with the observation
change the whole Ecclesiastical pollicy of a Common-wealth to alter the Doctrine and Religion established to take away the legall rights and privileges of the Subjects to erect new tribunalls and courts of Justice to which Sovereigns themselves must submit and all this of their own heads â—…ue of a pretended power given them from heaven contrary to kâ—…own laws and lawfull customs the Supreme Magistrate dissenting disclaiming Synods ought to be called by the supreme Magistrate if he be a Christian c. And either by himself or by such as he shall please to choose for that purpose he ought to preside over them This power the Emperours of old did challenge over General Councels Christian Monarchs in the blindnesse of Popery over National Synods the Kings of England over their great Councels of old and their Convocation of later times The Estates of the united Provinces in the Synod of Dort this power neither Roman Catholick or Protestant in France dare denie to his King None have been more punctual in this case then the State of Geneva where it is expressely provided that no Synod or Presbytery shall alter the Ecclesiastical pollicy or adde any thing to it without the consent of the civil Magistrate Their elders do not challenge an uncontrolable power as the Commissioners of Christ but ate still called the Commissioners of the Signiory The lesser Councel names them with the advise of the Ministery their consent is not necessary The great Councel of 200 doth approve them or reject them At the end of the year they are presented to the Signiory who continue them or discharge them as they see cause At their admission they take an oath to keâ—…p the Ecclesiastical Ordinances of the civil Magistâ—…ate The finall determination of doctrinal differences in Religion after conference of and with the Ecclesiasticks is referred to the Magistrate The proclamations published with the sound of trumpet registered in the same book do plainly shew that the ordering of all Ecclesiastical affairs is assumed by the Signiory But in Scotland all things are quite contrarie the civil Magistrate hath no more to doe with the placing or displacing of Ecclesiastical Elders than he hath in the Electoral Colledge about the Election of an Emperor The King hath no more legislative Power in Ecclesiastical causes than a Cobler that is a single Vote in case he be chosen an Elder other wiâ—…e none at all In Scotland Ecclesiastical persons make repeal alter their Sanctions eyery day without consent of King or Councel King Jonâ—…s proclaimed a Parliament to be held at Edenburgh and a little before by his letter required the Assembly to abstain from making any Innovatioâ—…s in the Policy of the Church and from prejudging the decisions of the States by their conclusions and to suffer all things to continue in the condition they were until the approcâ—…ing Parliamâ—…nt What did they hereupon They neglected the Kings letter by their own Authority they determined all things positively questioned the Arch-Bishop of St. Andrews upon their own Canons For collating to benefices and Voting in Parliament according to the undoubted Laws of the Land Yea to that degâ—…ee of sawcines they arrived and into that contempt they reduced Sovereign power that twenty Presbyters no more at the highest sometimes but thirteen sometimes but seven or eight dared to hold and maintain a General Assembly as they miscalled it after it was discharged by the King against his Authority an Insolence which never any Parliament durst yet attempt By their own Authority long before there was any Statute made to that purpose they abolished all the Festivals of the Church even those which were observed in memory of the Birth Circumcision Resurrection and Ascension of our Saviour By their own Authority they decreed the abolition of Bishops requiring them to resign their offices as not having any calling from Gods word under pain of Excommunication And to desist from preacbing until they had a new admission from the General Assembly And to compleat their own folly added further that they would dispose of their possessions as the Churches Patrimony in the next Assembly which ridiculous Ordinance was maintained stifly by the succeeding Synods notwithstanding the Statute that it should be Treason to impugn the Authority of the three Estates or to procure the innovation or diminution of any of them Which was made on purpose to control their vain presumption Notwithstanding that themselves had formerly approved and as much as in them lay established Superintendents to endure for term of life with their numbers bounds salaries larger than those of other Ministers indewed with Episcopal power to plant Churches ordain Ministers assign Stipends preside in Synods direct the censures of the Church without whom there was no Excommunication The world is much mistaken concerning Episcopacie in Scotland for though the King and Parliament were compelled by the clamours and impetuous violence of the Presbyters to annex the temporalities of Bishops to the crown yet the Function it self was never taken away in Scotland from their first conversion to Christianity until these unhappy troubles And these very temporalities were restored by the Act of restitution and their full power was first established Synodically and afterwards confirmed by the three Estates of the Kingdom in Parliament By their own Authority when they saw they could not prevail with all their iterated indeavours and attempts to have their book of discipline ratified they obtruded it upon the Church themselves ordaining that all those who had born or did then bear any office in the Church should subscribe it under pain of Excommuication By their own Authority or rather by the like unwarrantable boldnesse they adopted themselves to be heirs of the Prelates and other dignities and orders of the Church suppressed by their tumultuous violence and decreed that all tythes rents lands oblations yea whatsoever had been given in former times or should be given in future times to the service of God was the patrimonie of the Church and ought to be collected and distributed by the Deasons as the Word of God appoints That to convert any of this to their particular or profane use of any person is detestable Sacriledge before God And elsewhere Gentle-men Barons Earls Lords and others must be content to live upon their just rents and suffer the Kirk to be restored to her libertie What this libertie is follows in the same place all things given in hospitalitie all rents pertaining to Priests Chanteries Colledges Chappelries Frieries of all orders the Sisters of the Seens all which ought to be retained still in the use of the Kiâ—…k Give them but leave to take their breath and expect the rest The whole revenues of the temporalities of Bishops Deans and Arch-Deans lands and all rents pertaining to Cathedrall Kirks Then supposing an objection that the Possessours had Leases and Estates
they answer That those who made them were theeves murtherers had no power so to alienate the common Good of the Kirk They desire that all such Estates may be anulled and avoided that all Collectours appointed by the King or others may be discharged from intermedling therewith and the Deacons permitted to collect the same yea to that height of madnesse were they come as to define and determin in their Assembly judge whether it be not a modest constitution for a Synod That the next Parliament the Church should be fully restored to its Patrimony and that nothing should be past in Parliament until that was first considered and approved Let all Estates take notice of theâ—…e pretensions and designs If their project have not yet taken effect it is onely becauâ—…e they wanted sufficient strength hitherto to accomplish it Lastly by their own Authority under the specious title of Jesus Christ King of kings and Lord of lords the onely Monarch of his Churcâ—… and under pretence of his Prerogative Royal they erected their own Courts and Presbyteries in the most parts of Scotland long before they were legally approved or received as appeareth by their own Act alledging that many suites had been made to the Magistrate for approbation of the Policy of the Kirk which had not taken that happy effect which good men would crave And by another act acknowledging that Presbytertes were then established Synodically in most parts of the Kingdom And lastly by the Act of another General Assembly at Edenburg ordaining that the Discipline contained in the acts of the General Assembly should be kept as well in Angus and Mernis as in the rest of the Kingdom You see sufficiently in point of practice how the Disciplinarians have trampled upon the Laws and justled the civil Magistrate out of his Supremacy in Ecclesiastical affairs My next task shall be to shew that this proceeds not from Inanimadvertence or Passion but from their Doctrine and Principles First they teach that no persons Magistrates nor others have power to Vote in their Synods but onely Eccl siâ—…tical Secondly they teach that Ecclesiastical persons have the sole power of convening and convocating such Assemblies All Ecclesiastical assemblies have power to convene lawfully together for treating of things concerning the Kirk They have power to appoint times and places Again National Assemblies of this Countrey ought alwayes to be retained in their own liberties with power to the Kirk to appoint times places Thus they make it a Liberty that is a Priviledge of the Church a part of its Patrimony not onely to convene but to convocate whomsoever whensoever wheresoever Thirdly for point of Power they teach that Synods have the judgement of true false Religion of Doctrine Heresies c. the election admission suspension deprivation of Ministers the determination of all things that pertain to the Discipline of the Church The judgement of Ecclesiastical matters causes beneficiary matrimonial and others Jurisdiction to proceed to excommunication against those that rob the Church of its patrimony They have legislative Power to make rules and constitutions for keeping good order in the Kirk They have power to abrogate and abolish all Statutes and Ordinances concerning Ecclesiastical matters that are found noisom and unprofitable and agree not with the time or are abused by the people And all this without any reclamation or appellation to any Jâ—…dge Civil or Ecclesiastical Fourthly they teach that they have these priviledges not from the Magistrate or People or particular Laws of any other Countrey The Magistâ—…ate can not execute the censares of the Church nor prescribe any rule how it should be done but Ecclesiastical power floweth immediatly from God from the Mediatour Jesus Christ And yet further The Church cannot be governed by others than those Ministers and Stewards set over it by Christ nor otherwise than by his Laws And therefore there is no power in earth that can challenge to it self a Command or Dominion upon the Church And again It is prohibited by the Law of God and of Christ for tho Christian Magistrate to invade the Government of the Church and consequently to challenge to himself the right of both Swords spiritual and temporal And if any Magistrate do arrogate so much to himself the Church shall have cause to complain and exclaim that the Pope is changed but the Papacy remains So if Kings and Magistrates stand in their way they are Political Popes as well as Bishops are Ecclesiastical Whatsoever these men do is in the Name of our Lord Jesus and by Authority delegated from him alone Lastly they teach that they have all this Power not onely without the Magistrate but against the Magistrate that is although he dissent send out his prohibitions to the contrary Parliamentary ratifications can no way alter Church canons concerning the worship of God For Ecclesiastical Discipline ought to be exercised whether it be ratified by the civil Magistrate or not The want of a civil Sanction to the Church is but like Lucrum cessans non damnum emergens As it addes nothing to it so it takes nothing away from it If there be any clashing of Jurisdictions or defect in this kind they lay the fault at the Magistrates door It is a great sin or wickednesse for the Magistrate to hinder the exercise or execution of Ecclesiastical Discipline Now we have seen the pernicious practices of their Synods with the Doctrines from which they flow it remains to dispel umbrages wherewith they seek to hide the uglinesse of their proceedings principles from the eyes of the world We say they do give the Christian Magistrate a political Power to convocate Synods to preside in Synods to ratifie the Acts of Synods to reform the Church We make him the keeper of both tables Take nothing and hold it fast here are good words but they signifie nothing Trust me whatsoever the Disciplinarians do give to the Magistrate it is alwayes with a saving of their own stakes not giving for his advantage but their own For they teach that this power of the Christian Magistrate is not private and destructive to the power of the Church but cumulative and onely auxiliary or assisting Besides the power which they call abusively authoritative but is indeed ministerial of executing their decrees contributing to their setlement they ascribe to the Magistrate concerning the Acts of Synods that which every private man hath a judgement of discretion but they retain to themselves the judgement of Jurisdiction And if he judge not as they would have him but suspend out of conscience the influence of his political power where they would have him exercise it they will either teach him another point of Popery that is an implicite faith or he may perchance feel the weight of their Church censures and find quickly what manner of men they be as our late gracious King Charls
power to give him remedy and to see Justice done In Scotland this would be taken in great scorn as an high indignity upon the Commissioners of Christ to appeal from his Tribunal to the judgement of a mortal man In the year 1582 King James by his letter by his messenger the Master of Requests and by an Herald at Arms prohibited the Assembly at Saint Andrews to proceed in the case of one Mongomery and Mongomery himself appealed to Cesar or to King and Councel What did our new Masters upon this They sleighted the Kings letter his Messenger his Herald rejected the Appeal as made to an incompetent Judge and proceeded most violenlty in the cause About four years after this another Synod held at Saint Andrews proceeded in like manner against the Bishop of that See for Voting in Parliament according to his conscience and for being suspected to have penned a Declaration published by the King and Parliament at the end of the Statutes notwithstanding that he declined their judicature and appealed to the King and Parliament When did any Bishops dare to doe such acts There need no more instances their book of Discipline it self being so full in the case from the Kirk there is no reclamation or appellation to any Judge Civil or Ecclsiastical within the Realm CHAP. IV. That it exempts the Ministers from due punishment THirdly if Ecclesiastick persons in their Pulpits or Assemblies shall leave their text and proper work to turn incendiaries trumpeters of sedition stirring up the people to tumults and disloial attempts in all well ordered Kingdoms and Common-wealths they are punishable by the civil Magistrate whose proper office it is to take cognisaâ—…ce of treason and sedition It was well said by a King of France to some such seditious Shebas that if they would not let him alone in their Pulpits he would send them to preach in another climate In the united provinces there want not examples of seditious Oratours who for controlling their Magistrates too sawcily in the Pulpit have been turned both out of their Churches and Cities without any fear of wresting Christs Scepter out of his hand In Geneva it self the correction of Ecclesiastical persons qua tales is expresly reserved to the Signiory So much our Disciplinarians have out-done their pattern as the passionate writings of heady men out-do the calmer decrees of a stayed Senate But the Ministers of Scotland have exempted themselves in this case from all secular judgement as King James who knew them best of any man living wirnesseth They said he was an incompetent judge in such cases and that matters of the Pulpit ought to be exempted from the judgement and correction of Princes They themselves speak plain enough It is an absurd thing that sundry of them Commissaries having no function of the Kirk should be judges to Ministers and depose them from their rooms The reason holds as well against Magistrates as Commissaries To passe by the sawcy and seditious expressions of Mr. Dury Mr. Mellvill Mr. Ballcanquall and their impunity Mr. James Gibson in his sermon taxed the King for a persecutor and threatened him with a curse that he should die childlesse and be the last of his race for which being convented before the Assembly and not appearing he was onely suspended during the pleasure of his brethren he should have been suspended indeed that is hanged But at another Assembly in August following upon his allegation that his not appearing was out of his tender care of the rights of the Church he was purged from his contumacy without once so much as acquainting his Majesty The case is famous of Mr. David Blake Minister of St. Andrews who had said in his sermon that the King had discovered the treachery of his heart in admitting the Popish Lords into the countrie That all Kings were the devils barus that the devil was in the Court and in the guiders of it And in his prayer for the Queen he used these words we must pray for her for â—…ashion sake but we have no cause she will never do us any good He â—…aid that the Queen of Englanâ—… Queen Elisabeth was an 〈◊〉 eist that the Lords of the Session were miâ—…creants and bribers that the Nobility were degenerated godless dissemblers and enemies to the Church that the Councel were holly glasses cormorants and men of no Religion I ap eal to all the Estates in Europe what punishment could be evere enough for such audacious virulence The â—…ish Ambassadour complains of it Blake is cited before the Councel The Commissioneâ—…s of the Church plead that it will be ill taken to bring Mâ—…ers in question upon such trifling delations as inconsistent with the liberties of the Church They conclude that a Declinatour should be used and a Protestation made against those proceedings saying it was Gods cause wheâ—…ein they ought to stand to all hazards Accordingly a Declinatour was framed and presented Blake desires to be remitted to the Presbytery as his Oâ—…dinary The Commissioners send the copie of the Declinatour to all the Presbyteries requiring them for the greater corroboration of their doings to subscribe the same and to commend the cause in hand in their private and publick prayers to God using their best credit with their flocks for the maintenance thereof The King justly incensed herewith dischargeth the meeting of the Commissioners Notwithstanding this Injunction they stay still and send Delegates to the King to represent the inconveniences that might insue The King more desirous to decline their envy than they his judgement offers peace The Commissioners refuse it and present an insolent petition which the King rejects deservedly and the cause was heard the very day that the Princâ—…sse Elisabeth now Queen of Bohemia was Christened The witnesses were produced Mâ—… Robert Ponte in the name of the Church makes a Protestation Blake presents a second Decliâ—…atour The Councel decree that the cause being treasonable is cognoscible before them The good King still seeks peace sends messengers treats offers to remit But it is labour in vain The Ministers answer peremtorily by Mr. Robert Brace their Prolocutor that the liberty of Christs Kingdom had received such a wound by this usurpation of the rights of the Church that if the lives of Mr. Blake and twenty others had been taken it would not have grieved the hearts of good people so much as these injurious proceedings The King still woos and confers At last the matter is concluded that the King shall make a Declaration in favour of the Church that Mr. Blake shall onely make an acknowledgement to the Queen and be pardoned But Mr. Blake refuseth to confesse any fault or to acknowledge the King and Councel to be any judges of his Sermon Hereupon he is convicted and sentenced to be guilty of false and treasonable slanders and his punishment referred to the King Still the King treats makes propositions unbeseeming his Majesty once or twice The
do what they list and say what they list in their Pulpits in their Consistories in their Synods and permit them to rule the whole Common-wealth in order to the advancement of the Kingdom of Christ. If he will be contented to become a subordinate Minister to their Assemblies to see their decrees executed then it may be they will become his good Masters and permit him to injoy a part of his civil power When Sovereigns are made but accessaries and inferiours do become principals when stronger obligations are devised than those of a subject to his Sovereign it is time for the Magistrate to look to himself these are prognosticks of insuing storms the avant curriers of seditious tumults When supremacy lights into strange and obscure hands it can hardly contain it self within any bounds Before our Disciplinatians be well warmed in their Ecclesiastical Supremacy they are beginning or rather they have already made a good progresse in the invasion of the temporal Supremacy also CHAP. VII That the Disciplinarians cheat the Magistrate of his Civil Power in order to Religion That is their sixt in croachment upon the Magistrate and the verticall point of Jeâ—…uitisine Consider first how many civil causes thev have drawn directly into their Consistories and made them of Ecclesiastical cognisance as traâ—… in Bargaining false wâ—…ights and measures opp essing one another c. and in the case of Ministers bribery perjury theft fighting â—…sury c. Secondly consider that all offences whatsoever are made cognoscible in their Consistoâ—…ies in case of candal yea even such as are punishable by the civil sword with death If the civi sword foolishly spate the life of the offender yet may not the Kirk be negligent in their office which is to excommunicate the wicked Thirdly they ascribe unto their Ministers a liberty and power to direct the Magistrate even in the Managerie of civil affairs To govern the Common-wealth and to establish civil laws is prope to the Magistrate To interpret the word of God and from thence to she v the Magistrate his duty how he ought to govern the Common-wealth and how he ought to use the Sword is comprehended in the office of the Minister for the holy Scripture is profitable to shew what is the best government of the Common-wealth And again all the duties of the second table as well as of the first between King and Subject parents and children husbands and wives Masters and servants c. are in difficult cases a subject of cognisance and judgement to the Assemblies of the Kiâ—…k Thus they are risen up from a judgement of direction to a judgement of Jurisdiction And if any persons Magistrares or others dare act contrary to this judgement of the Assembly as the Parliament and Committee of Estates did in Scotland in the late expedition thev make it to be an unlawfull ingagement a sinfull War contrary to the Testimonies of Gods servants and decâ—…ce the parties so offending to be 〈◊〉 sperâ—…ed from the communion and from their offices in the Kirk I confesse Ministers do well to exhort Christians to be carefull honest indust ious in their special callings but fo them to meddle pragmatically with themysteries of particular trades and much more with the mysteries of State which never came within the compasse of their shallow capacities is a most audacious insolence and an insufferable pre umption They may as well teach the Pilot how to steer his course in a tempest or the Physitian how to cure the distempers of his patient But their highest cheat is that Jesuiticall invention in ordine ad spiritualia they assume a power in worldly affairs indirectly and in order to the advancement of the kingdom of Christ. The Ecclesiastical Ministery is conversant spiritually about civil things Again must not duties to God whereof the securing of religion is a main one have the Supreme and first place duties to the King a subordinate and second place The case was this The Parliament levied forces to free their King out of prison A meer civil duty But the commissioners of the Assembly declare against it unlesse the King will first give assurance under hand and seal by solemn oath that he will establish the Covenant the Presbyterian discipline c. in all his Dominions and never indeavour any change thereof least otherwise his liberty might bring their bygone proceedings about the League Covenant into question there is their power in ordine ad spiritualia The Parliament will restore to the King his negative voice A meer civil thing The commissioners of the Church oppose it because of the great dangers that may thereby come to Religion The Parliament name Officers and Commanders for the Army A meer civil thing The Church will not allow them because they want such qualifications as Gods word requires that is to say in plain terms because they were not their confidents Was there ever Church challenged such an omnipotence as this Nothing in this world is so civil or political wherein they do not interest themselves in order to the advancement of the kingdom of Christ. Upon this ground their Synod enacted that no Scotish merchants should from thenceforth traffique in any of the dominions of the King of Spain until his Majesty had procured from that King some relaxation of the rigour of the inquisition upon pain of excommunication As likewise that the Munday market at Edenburgh should be abolished It seems they thought it ministered some occasion to the breach of the Sabbath The Merchants petitioned the king to maintain the liberty of their trade He grants their request but could not protect them for the Church prosecured the poor merchants with their censures untill they promised to give over the Spanish trade so soon as they had perfected their accounts and payed their Creditors in those parts But the Shoemakers who were most interested in the Munday markets with their tumults and threatenings compelled the Ministers to retract whereupon it became a jest in the City that the Souters could obtain more at the Ministers hands than the King So they may meddle with the Spanish trade or Munday markets or any thing in order to Religion Upon this ground they assume to themselves a power to ratifie Acts of Parliament So the assembly at Edenburgh enacted That the Acts made in the Parliament at Edenburgh the 24 of August 1560 without either Commission or Proxie from their Sovereign touching Religion c. should have the force of a publick Law And that the said Parliament so far as concerned Religion should be maintained by them c. and be ratified by the first Parliament that should happen to be kept within that Realm See how bold they make with Kings and Parliaments in order to Religion I cannot omit that famous summons which this assembly sent out not onely to entreat but to admonish all persons truly professing the Lord Jesus within the Realm
not of this world Their determinations passe for the Sentences of Christ. Alas there is too much faction and passion and ignorance in their Presbyteries Their Synodall Acts go for the Lawes of Christ. His Lawes are immutable mortall man may not presume to alter them or to adde to them but these men are chopping and changing their constitutions every day Their Elders must be looked upon as the Commissioners of Christ. It is impossible Geneva was the first City where this discipline was hatched though since it hath lighted into hucksters hands In those dayes they magnified the platform of Geneva for the pattern sbewed in the mount But there the Presbyters at their admission take an oath to observe the Ecclesiasticall Ordinances of the small great and generall Councels of that City Can any man be so stupid as to think that the high Commissioners of Christ swear fealty to the Burgers of Geneva Now forsooth their Discipline is become the Scepter of Christ the Eternall Gospel See how successe exalts mens desires and demands In good time where did this Scepter lye hid for 1500. yeers that we cannot finde the least footsteps of it in the meanest village of Christendome This world drawes towards an end was this discipline fitted and contrived for the world to come Or how should it be the Eternal Gospel When every man sees how different it is from it self in all Presbyterian Churches adapted and accommodated to the civill policy of each particular place where it is admitted except onely Scotland where it comes in like a Conqueror and makes the Civill Power stoop and strike topsaile to it Certainly if it be the Gospel it is the fifth Gospel for it hath no kindred with the other foure There is not a Text which they wrest against Episcopacy but the Independants may with as much colour of reason and truth urge it against their Presbyteries Where doth the Gospel distinguish between temporary and perpetuall Rulers Between the Government of a person and of a corporation There is not a Text which they produce for their Presbytery but may with much more reason be alledged for Episcopacy and more agreeable to the analogie of faith to the perpetuall practice and belief of the Catholick Church to the concurrent Expositions of all Interpreters and to the other Texts of holy Scripture for untill this new modell was yesterday devised none of those Texts were ever so understood When the practise ushers in the doctrine it is very suspicious or rather evident that the Scripture was not the rule of their reformation but their subsequent excuse This jure divine is that which makes their sore incurable themselves incorrigible that they father their own brat upon God Almighty and make this Mushrome which sprung but up the other night to be of heavenly descent It is just like the doctrine of the Popet infallibility which shuts the door against all hope of remedy How should they be brought to reform their errors who beleeve they cannot erre or they be brought to renounce their drowsy dreams who take it for granted that they are divine revelations And yet when that wise Prince King Iames a little before the Nationall Assembly at Perth published in print 55. Articles or Questions concerning the uncertainty of this Discipline and the vanity of their pretended plea of divine right and concerning the errours and abuses crept into it for the better preparation of all men to the ensuing Synod that Ministers might study the point beforehand and speak to the purpose they who stood affected to that way were extremely perplexed To give a particular account they knew well it was impossible but their chiefest trouble was that their foundation of divine right which they had given out all this while to be a solid rock should come now to be questioned for a shaking quagmire And so without any opposition they yeelded the bucklers Thus it continued untill these unhappy troubles when they started aside again like broken bowes This plant thrives better in the midst of tumults then in the times of peace and tranquillity The Elme which supports it is a factious multitude but a prudent and couragious Magistrate nips it in the bud CHAP. IX That this Discipline makes a monster of the Commonwealth VVE have seen how pernicious this Discipline as it is maintained in Scotland and endeavoured to be introduced into England by the Covenant is to the supreme Magistrate how it robâ—… him of his Supremacy in Ecclesiasticall affaires and of the last appeals of his own Subjects that it exempts the Presbyters from the power of the Magistrate and subjects the Magistrate to the Presbyters that it restraines his dispensative power of pardoning deprives him of the dependance of his Subjects that it doth challenge and usurp a power paramount both of the Word and of the Sword both of Peace and War over all Courts and Estates over all Laws Civill and Ecclesiasticall in order to the advancement of the Kingdom of Christ wherof the Presbyters alone are constituted rulers by God and all this by a pretended divine right which takes away all hope of remedy untill it be hissed out of the world in a word that it is the top-branch of Popery a greater tyranny then ever Rome was guilty of It remains to show how disadvantagious it is also to the Subject First to the Common-wealth in generall which it makes a Monster like an Amphisâ—…baina or a Serpent with two heads one at either end It makes a coordination of Soveraignty in the same Society two supremes in the same Kingdom or State the one Civill the other Ecclesiasticall then which nothing can be more pernicious either to the consciences or the estates of Subjects when it falls out as it often doth that from these two heads issue contrary commands If the Trumpet give an uncertain sound who shall prepare himself to the battel Much more when there are two Trumpets and the one sounds an Alarm the other a Retreat What should the poor Souldier do in such a case or the poor Subject in the other case If he obey the Civill Magistrate he is sure to be excommunicated by the Church if he obey the Church he is sure to be imprisoned by the Civill Magistrate What shall become of him I know no remedy but according to Solomons sentence the living Subject must be divided into two and the one half given to the one and the other half to the other For the Oracle of Truth hath said that one man cannot serve two Masters But in Scotland every man must serve two Masters and which is worse many times disagreeing Masters At the same time the Civill Magistrate hath commanded the Feast of the Nativity of our Saviour to be observed and the Church hath forbidden it At the same time the King hath summoned the Bishops to sit and Vote in Parliament and the Church hath forbidden them In the year 1582. Monsieur-le-mot a Knight of the Order
of the Holy Ghost with an associate were sent Ambassadours from France into Scotland The Ministers of Edenburgh approving not his Message though meerly Civill inveigh in their Pulpits bitterly against him calling his White Crosse the badge of Antichrist and himself the Ambassadour of a Murtherer The King was ashamed but did not know how to help it The Ambassadours were discontented and desired to be gone The King willing to preserve the ancient Amity between the two Crownes and to dismisse the Ambassadours with content requires the Magistrates of Edenburgh to feast them at their departure so they did But to hinder this feast upon the Sunday preceding the Ministers proclame a Fast to be kept the same day the Feast was appointed and to deteine the people all day at Church the three Preachers make three Sermons one after another without intermission thundring out curses against the Magistrates and Noblemen which waited upon the Ambassadors by the Kings appointment Neither stayed they here but pursued the Magistrates with the censures of the Church for not observing the Fast by them proclaimed and with much difficulty were wrought to abstaine from Excommunicating of them which censure how heavy it falls in Scotland you shall see by and by To come yet neerer the late Parliament in Scotland injoyned men to take up Armes for delivery of their King out of prison The Commissioners for the Assembly disallowed it and at this present how many are chased out of their Country How many are put to publike repentance in sackeloth how many are excommunicated for being obedient to the Supreme Ludicatory of the Kingdom that is King and Parliament Miserable is the condition of that people where there is such clashing and interfereing of Suprem Judicatories and Authorities If they shall pretend that this was no free Parliament First they affirm that which is not true either that Parliament was free or what will become of the rest Secondly this plea will advantage them nothing for which is all one with the former thus they make themselves Judges of the validity or invalidity of Parliaments CHAP. X. That this Discipline is most prejudiciall to the Parliament FRom the Essentiallbody of the Kingdom we are to proceed to the repraesentative body which is the Parliament We have already seen how it attributes a power to Nationall Synods to restrain Parliaments and to abrogate their Acts if they shall judge them prejudiciall to the Church We need no other instance to shew what small account Presbyteries do make of Parliaments then the late Parliament in Scotland Notwithstanding that the Parliament had declared their resolution to levy forces vigorously aâ—…d that they did expect as well from the Synods and Presbyteries as from all other his Majesties good Subiects aready obedience to the commands of Parliament and Committee of Estates The Commissioners of the Assembly not satisfied herewith do not onely make their proposalls that the grounds of the Warre and the breaches of the Peace might be cleared that the union of the Kingdomes might be preserved that the popish and prelaticall party might bee suppressed that his Majesties offers concerning Religion might be declared unsatisfactory that before his Majesties restitution to the exercise of his Royall power he shall first engage himself by folemn Oath under his hand and Seal to passe Acts for the settlement of the Covenant and Presbyterian Government in all his Dominions c. And never to oppose them or endeavour the Change of them An usurer will trust a bankrupt upon easier tearms then they will do their Soveraign and lastly that such persons onely might be intrusted as had given them no cause of jealousie which had been too much and more then any estates in Europe will take in good part from half a dozen Ministers But afterwards by their publick Declaration to the whole Kirk and Kingdom set forth that not being satisfied in these particulars they do plainly dissent and disagree and declare that they are clearly perswaded in their consciences that the Engagement is of dangerous consequence to true Religion prejudiciall to the Liberty of the Kirk favourable to the Malignant party inconsistent with the union of the Kingdom Contrary to the word of God and the Covenant wherefore they cannot allow either Ministers or any other whatsoever to concuâ—… and cooperate in it and trust that they will keep themselves free in this businesse and choose affliction rather then iniquitie And to say the Truth they made their word good For by their power over the Church-men and by their influence upon the people and by threatening all those who engaged in that action with the censures of the Church they retarded the Levies they deterred all preachers from accompanying the Army to do divine offices And when Saint Peters keyes would not serve the turn they made use of Saint Pauls sword and gathered the countrey together in arms at Machleene-Moore to oppose the expedition So if the high court of Parliament will set up Presbytery they must resolve to introduce an higher court then themselves which will overtop them for eminency of authority for extent of power and greatnesse of priviledges that is a Nationall Synod First for authority the one being acknowledged to be but an humain convention the other affirmed confidently to be a divine instistution The one sitting by vertue of the Kings writ the other by vertue of Gods writ The one as Councellers of the Prince the other as Ambassadours and Vicars of the sonne of God The one as Burgesses of Corporations the other as Commissioners of Iesus Christ. The one judging by the law of the land the other by the holy Scriptures The one taking care for this temporall life the other for eternall life Secondly for power as Curtius saith ubi multitudo vana religione capta est melius vatibus suit quam ducibus paret where the multitude is led with superstition they do more readily obey their Prophets then their Magistrates Have they not reason Pardon us O Magistrate thou threatenst us with prison they threaten us with hell fire Thy sentence deprives us of civill prorection and the benefit of the law so doth theirs indirectly and withall makes us strangers to the common-wealth of Israel Thou canst out-law us or horn us and confiscate our estates their keyes do the same also by consequence and moreover deprive us of the prayers of the Church and the comfortable use of the blessed Sacraments Thou canst deliver us to a Pursevant or commit us to the Black Rod they can deliver uâ—… over to Sathan and commit us to the prince of darknesse Thirdly for priviledges the priviledges of Parliament extend not to treason selony or breach of peace but they may talke treason and act treason in their pulpits and Synods without controlment They may securely commit not onely petilarciny but Burglary and force the dores of the pallace Royall They may not onely break the peace but convocate
the Subjects in armes yea give warrant to a particular person to â—…onveen them by his letters missives according to his discretion in order to religion Of all which we have seen instances in this discourse The priviledges of Parliaments are the Graces and Concessions of man and may be taken away by humane Authority but the priviledges of Synods they say are from God and cannot without Sactiledge be taken away by mortall man The two Houses of Parliament can not name Commissioners to sit in the intervalles and take care ne quid detrimenti capiat respublica that the Common-wealth receive no prejudice But Synods have power to name vicars Generall or Commissioners to sit in the intervalles of Synods and take order that neither King nor Parliament nor people do incroach upon the Liberties of the Church If there be any thing to do they are like the fox in Aesops fables sure to be in at one end of it CHAP. XI That this Discipline is oppressive to particular persons TOwards particular persons this Discipline is too full of rigour like Dracos lawes that were written in blood First in lesser saults inflicting Church censures upon sl ight grounds As for an uncomely gesture for a vain word for suspition of covetousnesse or pride for superfluity in raiment either for cost or fashion for keeping a table above a mans calling or means for dancing at a wedding or of servants in the streets for wearing a mans hair aâ—…la mode for not paying of debts for using the least recreation upon the Sabbath though void of scandall and consistent with the duties of the day I wish they were acquainted with the practise of all other Protestant Countries But if they did but see one of those kirmesses which are observed in some places the pulpit the consistory the whole Kingdom would not be able to hold them What digladiations have there been among some of their sect about starch and cuffes c. just like those grave debates which were sometimes among the Franciscans about the colour and fashion of their gowns They do not allow men a latitude of discretion in any thing All men even their Superiours must be their slaves or pupils It is true they begin their censures with admonition And if a man will confesse himself a delinquent be sorry for giving the Presbyters any offence and conform himself in his hair apparrell diet every thing to what these rough hewen Catos shall prescribe he may escape the stool of repentance otherwise they will proceed against him for contumacy to Excommunication Secondly this discipline is oppressive in greater saults The same man is punished twice for the same crime first by the Magistrate according to the lawes of God and the land for the offence then by the censures of the Church for the scandall To this agrees their Synod Nothing forbids the same fault in the same man to be punished one way by the politicall power another way by the Ecclesiasticall by that under the formality of a crime with Corporall or pecuniary punishment by this under the formality of scandall with spirituall censures And their book of Discipline If the civill sword foolishly spare the life of the offender yet may not the Kirk be negligent in their office Thus their Liturgy in expresse termes All crimes which by the law of God deserve death deserve also Excommunication Yea though an offender abide an assise and be absolved by the same yet may the Church injoyn him publick satisfaction Or if the Magistrate shall not think sit in his judgement or cannot in conscience prosecure the party upon the Churches intimation the Church may admonish the Magistrate publickly And if no remedy be found excommunicate the offender first for his crime and then for being suspected to have corrupted the judge Observe first that by hook or crook they will bring all crimes whatsoever great and small within their Iurisdiction Secondly observe that a delinquents triall for his life is no sufficient satisfaction to these third Cato's Lastly observe that to satisfie their own humour they care not how they blemish publickly the reputation of the Magistrate upon frivolous conjectures Thirdly adde to this which hath been said the severity and extreame rigour of their Excommunication after which sentence no person his wife and family onely excepted may have any kinde of conversation with him that is excommunicate they may not eate with him nor drink with him nor buy with him nor sell with him they may not salute him nor speak to him except it be by the license of the Presbytery His children begotten and born after that sentence and before his reconciliation to the Church may not be admitted to baptisme untill they be of age to require it or the mother or some speciall friend being a member of the Church present the childe abhorring and damning the iniquity and obstinate contempt of the Father Adde further that upon this sentence letters of horning as they use to call them in Scotland do follow of course that is an out-lawing of the party a confiscation of his goods a putting him out of the Kings protection so as any man may kill him and be unpunished yea the party excommunicate is not so much as cited to hear those fatall Letters granted Had not David reason to pray Let me fall into the hands of the Lord not into the hands of men for their mercies are cruell Cruell indeed that when a man is prosecuted for his life perhaps justly perhapâ—… unjustly so as appearing and hanging are to him in effect the same thing yet if he appeare not this pitifull Church will Excommunicate him for contumacy Whether the offender be convict in judgement or bâ—… fugitivâ—… from the Law the Church ought to proceed to the sentence of Excommunication as if the just and evident fear of death did not purge away contumacy CHAP. XII That this Discipline is hurtfull to all orders of men LAstly this Discipline is burthensome and disadvantagious to all orders of men The Nobility and Gentry must expect to follow the fortune of their Prince Vpon the abatement of Monarchy in Rome remember what dismall controversies did presently spring up between the Patricii and Plebci They shall be subjected to the censures of a raw heady novice a few ignorant Artificers they shall lose all their advowsons of such Benefices as have cure of soules as they have lately found in Scotland for every Congregation ought to choose their own Pastour They shall hazzard their Appropriations and Abbey-lands A Sacrilege which their Nationall Synod cannot in conscience tolerate longer then they have strength sufficient to overthrow it And if they proceed as they begin the Presbyters will in a short time either accomplish their designe or change their soyle They shall be bearded and maited by every ordinary Presbyter witnesse that insolent speech of Mr. Robert Bruce to King Iames Sir I see your resolution is
this without and before any Parliament must be very consistent with conscience honor and all good reason Yea to bind up the soule of the most sweet and ingenuous of Princes in their chaines of their slavery for ever they have fallen upon a most rare trick which hardly the inventions of all their praedecessors can pararel They rest not satisfied that for the upholding of their ambition and greed they did harden our late Soveraigne to his very last in their Errours and without compassion did dryve him on to his satal praecipice unles they make him continue after his death to cry loud every day in the eares of his Son in his later will and testament to follow him in that same way of ruine rather then to give over to serve the lu◅ts of the praelaticall clergy They have gathered together his Majesties last papers and out of them have made a book whereupon their best pens have dropped the greatest eloqution reason and devotion was among them by way of essayes as it were to frame the heart of the Son by the fingers of the dying Father to piety wisedome patience and every virtue but ever anone to let fall so much of their own ungracious dew as may irrigat the seeds of their praelaticall Errors and Church interest so farre as to charge him to perseveer in the maintainance of Episcopall governement upon all hazards without the change of any thing except a little p. 278. and to assure that all Covenanters are of a faction engaged into a Religious rebellion who may never be trusted till they have repented of their Covenant and that till then never lesse loyalty justice or humanity may be expected from any then from them that if hee stand in need of them hee is undone for they will devoure him as the Serpent does the dove These and the like pernicious maximes framed by an Episcopall hand of purpose to separat for ever the King from all his covenanted subjects how farr they were from the heart language and wrytings of our late Soveraigne all who were aquainted with his carriage and most intime affections at New-Castle in the Isle of Wight and thereafter can testify But it is reason when the Praelats doe frame an image of a King that they should have liberty to place their owne image in its forheade as the statuary of old did his in the Boss of Pallas targe with such arti◅ice that all her worshipers were necessitat to worship him and that no hand was able to destroy the one without the dissolution and breaking in peeces of the other yet our Praelats would know that in this age there be many excellent Engyneers whose witty practicks transcend the most skilfull experiments of our Auncestors and what ever may be the ignorance or weaknes of men wee trust the breath of our Lords mouth will not faile to blow out the Bishop from the Kings armes without any detriment at all to royalty Allwayes the wicked and impious cunning of these craftsemen is much to be blamed who dare be bold to insert and engrave themselfes so deeply in the images of the Gods as the one cannot be intended to be picked out of the other more then the Aple from the eye unles the subsistance of both be put in hazard The other matter of his rayling against us is the solemne league and covenant when this nimble and quick enough Doctor comes assisted with all the reasons the whole University of Oxford can afford him to demonstrat it as he professes in his last Chapter to be wicked false void and what not wee find his most demonstrative proofes to be so poor and silly that they infere nothing of his conclusion To this day no man has shewed any errour in the mater of that covenant as for our framing and taking of it our adversaries drave us thereunto with a great deale of necessity and now being in it neither their fraud nor force may bring us from it againe for we feare the oath of God After much deliberation we found that covenant the soveraigne meanes to joyne and keep together the whole orthodox party in the three Kingdomes for the defence of their Religion and Liberties which a popish praelaticall and malignant faction with all their might were overtarning who still to this day are going on in the same designe without any visible change in the most of their former principles And why should any who loves the King hate this covenant which is the straytestty the world can devise to knit all to him and his posterity if so be his Majestie might be pleased to enter therein but by all meanes such a mischiefe must be averted for so the roote of Episcopacy would quickly wither without any hope of repullulation an evill farr greater in the thoughts of them who now mannage the conscience of the Court thē the extirpation of Monarchy the eversion of all the three Kingdomes or any other earthly misery As for the third subject of the Warners fury against us our unkindnes to the late King if any truth were in this false challenge no other creature on earth could be supposed the true cause thereof but our unhappy praelats all our grievances both of Church and State first and last came principally from them had they never been authors of any more mischiefe then what they occasioned to our late Soveraigne his person family and Dominions this last dozn of yeares there is abundant reason of burying that their praeter and Antiscripturall order in the grave of perpetuall infamy But the truth is beside more auncient quarrels since the dayes of our fathers the Albigenses this limb of Antichrist has ever been witnessed against Wickleif Huss and their followers were zealous in this charge till Luther and his disciples got it flung out of all the reformed world except England where the violence of the ill advised princes did keep it up for the perpetuall trouble of that land till now at last it hath well neare kicked downe to the ground there both Church and Kingdome As for the point in hand we deny all unkindnes to our King whereof any reasonable complaint can be framed against us Our first contests stand justified this day by King and Parliament in both Kingdomes When his Majestie was so ill advised as to bring downe upon our borders an English army for to punish our refusing of a world of novations in our Religion contrary to the lawes of God and of our country what could our land doe lesse then lie downe in their armes upon Dunce law for their just and necessary defence when it was in their power with ease to haue dissipat the opposit army they shew themselves most ready upon very easy conditions to goe home in peace and gladly would have rested there had not the furious Bishops moved his Majestie without all provocation to breake that first peace and make for a second invasion of Scotland only to
second their unreasonable rage was it not then necessary for the Scots to arme againe when they had defeate the Episcopall Army and taken New-castle though they found nothing considerable to stand in their way to London yet they were content to lie still in Northumberland and upon very meane tearnes to returne the second time in peace For all this the praelats could not give it over but raised a new Army and filled England with fire and sword yea well neere subdued the Parliament and their followers and did almost accomplish their first designes upon the whole Isle The Scots then with most earnest and pitifull entreaties were called upon by their Brethren of England for helpe where unwilling that their brethren should perish in their sight and a bridge should be made over their carcasses for a third warre upon Scotland when after long tryall they had found all their intercessions with the King for a moderat and reasonable accommodation slighted and rejected they suffered themselves to be perswaded to enter in covenant with their oppressed and fainting brethren for the mantainance of the common cause of Religion and liberty but with expresse Articles for the preservation of royalty in all its just rights in his Majestie and his posterity what unkindnes was heer in the Scots to their King When by Gods blessing on the Scotes helpe the opposit faction was fully subdued his Majestie left Oxford with a purpose for London but by the severity of the ordinances against his receivers he diverted towards Linn to ship for Holland or France where by the way fearing a discovery and surprise he was necessitate to cast himselfe upon the Scotes army at New-wark upon his promise to give satisfaction to the propositions of both Kingdomes he was received there and to New-castle here his old oathes to adhaere unto Episcopacy hindred him to give the expected satisfaction At that time the prime leaders of the English army were seeking with all earnestnes occasion to fall upon the Scots much out of heart and reputation by Iames Grahame and his Irishes incursions most unhappy for the Kings affaires Scotland at that time was so full of divisions that if the King had gone thither they were in an evident hazard of a present war both within among themselfes and without from England our friends in the English Parliament whom we did and had reason to trust assured us that our taking the King with us to Scotland was the keeping of the Sectarian Army on foot for the wracke of the King of Scorland of the Presbyterian party in England as the sending of his Majestie to one of his houses neer London upon the faith of the Parliament of England was the only way to get the Sectaryes disarmed the King and the people settled in a peace upon such tearmes as should be satisfactory both to the King and the Scots and all the wel-affected in England This being the true case was it any either unjustice unkindnes or imprudence in the Scots to leave the King with his Parliament of England was this a selling of him to his enemies the monyes the Scots received at their departure out of England had no relation at all to the King they were scarce the sixth parte of the arreares due to them for bygon service they were but the one halfe of the sume capitulat for not only without any reference to the King but by an act of the English Parliament excluding expresly from that Treaty of the armies departure all consideration of the disposall of the Kings person The unexpected evills that followed in the Armies rebellion in their seasing on London destroying the Parliament murthering the King no mortall eye could have forseen The Scots were ever ready to the utmost of their power to have prevented all these mischiefes with the hazard of what was dearest to them notwithstanding of all the hard measure they had often received both from the King and the most of their friends in England That they did not in time and unanimously stur to purpose for these ends they are to answer it to God who were the true Authors the innocency of the Church is cleered in the following treatise Among the many causes of these miseries the prime fountaine was the venome of Episcopall principles which some serpents constantly did infuse by their speaches and letters in the eares and heart of the King to keep him of from giving that satisfaction to his good subjects which they found most necessary and due the very same cause which ties up this day the hands of covenanters from redressing ali present misorders could they have the King to joyne with them in their covenant to quit his unhappy Bishops to lay aside his formall and dead Liturgie to cast himselfe upon the counsels of his Parliaments it were easy to prophecie what quickly would become of all his enemies but so long as Episcopall and malignant agents compasseth him about though all that comes neer may see him as lovely hopfull and promising a prince for all naturall endowments as this day breaths in Europe or for a long time has swayed a Scepter in Britaine yet while such unlucky birds nest in his Cabin and men so ungraciously principled doe daily besiege him what can his good people doe but sit downe with mournfull eyes and bleeding hearâ—…s till the Lord amend these otherwise remediles and insuperable evills but I hold heer least I transgresse to farr the bounds of an Epistle I account it an advantage to have your Lordship my judge in what heere and in my following treatise I spake of Religion the liberties of our country and the Royall Family I know non fitter then your Lordship both to discerne and decerne in all these matters Me thinks I may say it without flattery which I never much loved either in my selfe or others that among all our Nobles for constancy in a zealous profession for exemplary practise in publick and privat duties the mercy of God has given to your Lordship a reputation second to none And for a rigid adhaerence to the Rights and Priviledges of your Country according to that auncient disposition of your most Noble Family noted in our Historians especially that Prince of them Georg Buchanan the Tutor of your Grand-Father I know none in our Land who wil pretend to goe before you and for the affairs of the King your interest of blood in the Royall Family is so well known that it would be a strange impudency in me if in your audience I durst be bold wittingly to give sinistrous information Praying to God that what in the candid ingenuity true zeale of my spirit I present under your Lordships patrociny unto the eye of the World for the vindication of my mother Church and Country from the Sicophantick accusations of a Stigmatised incendiary may produce the intended effects Hague this 28 May 7 Iunie 1649. I rest your Lordships in all Christian duety R. B. G.
CHAP. I. The proelaticall faction continue resolute that the King and all his people shall perish rather then the praelats be not restored to their former places of power for to set up Popery Profanity and Tirranny in all the three Kingdomes WHile the Comissioners of the Church and Kingdome of Scotland were on their way to make their first addresses to his Majestie for to condole his most lamentable afflictions and to make offer of their best affections and services for his comfort in this time of his great distresse it was the wisedome and charity of the praelaticall party to send out Doctor Bramble to meet them with his Faire Warning For what else but to discourage them in the very entry from tendering their propositions and before ever they were heard to stop his Majesties eares with grievous praejudice against all that possibly they could speake though the world sees that the only apparent fountaine of hope upon earth for recovery of the wofully confounded affaires of the King is in the hands of that Antipraelaticall nation but it is the hope of these who love the welfaire of the King and his people of the Churches and Kingdomes of Britain that the hand of God which hath broken all the former devices of the Praelats shall crush this their engine also Our warner undertaketh to oppugne the Scotes discipline in a way of his owne none of the most rational He does not so much as pretend to state a question nor in his whole book to bring against any maine position of his opposites either Scripture father or reason nor so much as assay to answer any one of their arguments against Episcopacy onely hee culs out some of their by-tenets belonging little or nothing to the maine questions and from them takes occasion to gather together in a heape all the calumnies which of old or of late their knowne enemies out of the forge of their malice and fraud did obtrude on the credulity of simple people also some detorted passages from the bookes of their friends to bring the way of that Church in detestation without any just reason These practises in our warner are the less pardonable that though he knowes the chiefe of his allegations to bee but borrowed from his late much beloved Comerads Master Corbet in his Lysimachus Nicanor and Master Maxewell in his Issachars Burden yet he was neither deterred by the strange punishments which God from heaven inflicted visibly on both these calumniatores of their mother Church nor was pleased in his repeating of their calumnious arguments to releeve any of them from the exceptions under the which they stand publickly confuted I suppose to his own distinct knowledge I know certainly to the open view ofthousands in Scotland England and Ireland but it makes for the warners designe to dissemble here in Holland that ever he heard of such books as Lysimachus Nicanor and Issachars Burden much lesse of Master Baylies answer to both printed some yeares agoe at London Edinburgh and Amsterdam without a rejoinder from any of that faction to this day How everlet our warner be heard In the very first page of his first chapter wee may tast the sweetnes of his meek Spirit at the verie entrie he concludeth but without any pretence to an argument there or else where the discipline of the Church of Scotland to be their owne invention whereon they dote the Diana which themselves have canonized their own dreams the counterfeyt image which they faine hath fallen down from Iupiter which they so much adore the very quintessence of refined popery not only most injurious to the civill Magistrat most oppressive to the subject most pernicious to both but also inconsistent with all formes of civill governement destructive to all sorts of Policy a rack to the conscience the heaviest pressure that can fall on a people So much truth and sobernes doth the warner breath out in his very first page Though he had no regard at all to the cleare passages of Holy Scripture whereupon the Scotes doe build their Anti-Episcopall tenets nor any reverence to the harmony of the reformed Churches which unanimously joyne with the Scotes in the maine of their discipline especially in that which the Doctor hates most therein the rejection of Episcopacy yet me thinks some little respect might have appeared in the man to the authority of the Magistrat and civil Lawes which are much more ingeminated by this worthy divine over all his book then the holy Scriptures Can hee so soon forget that the whole discipline of the Church of Scotland as it is there taught and practised is established by acts of Parliament and hath all the strength which the King and State can give to a civil Law the warner may wel be grieved but hardly can he be ignorant that the Kings Majestie this day does not at all question the justice of these sanctions what ever therefore be the Doctors thoughts yet so long as hee pretends to keep upon his face the maske of loyalty he must be content to eat his former words yea to burne his whole book otherwise hee layes against his own professions a slander upon the King and His Royal Father of great ignorance or huge unjustice the one having established the other offring to establish by their civill lawes a Church discipline for the whole nation of Scotland which truly is the quintessence of Popery pernicious and destructive to all formes of civill governement and the heaviest pressure that can fall on a people All the cause of this choler which the warner is pleased to speake out is the attempt of the Scotes to obtrude their discipline upon the King contrary to the dictats of his own conscience and to compell forraigne Churches to embrace the same Ans. Is it not presumption in our warner so soone to tell the world in print what are the dictats of the Kings conscience as yet he is not his Majesties confessor and if the Clerk of the Closet had whispered some what in his earâ—… what he heard in secret hee ought not to have proclaimed it without a warrant but we doe altogether mistrust his reports of the Kings conscience for who will beleeve him that a knowing and a just King will ever be content to command and impose on a whole Nation by his Lawes a discipline contrary to the dictats of his owne conscience This great stumble up on the Kings conscience in the first page must be an ominous cespitation on the threshold The other imputation had no just ground the Scotes did never medle to impose any thing upon forraigne Churches there is question of none but the English and the Scotes were never so presumptuous as to impose any thing of theirs upon that Church It was the assembly of divines at Westminster convocat by the King and Parliament of England which after long deliberation and much debate upanimously concluded the Presbiterian discipline in all the
parts thereof to be agreable to the word of God it was the two Houses of the Parliament of England without a contrary voice who did ordaine the abolition of Episcopacy and the setting up of Presbyteryes and Synods in England and Ireland Can heere the Scotes be said to compell the English to dance after their pype when their own assembly of divines begins the song when the Lords and Commons assembled in the Parliament of England concurre without a discording opinion when the King himselfe for perfecting the harmony offers to adde his voice for three whole yeares together In the remainder of the chapter the warner layes upon the Scotes three other crimes first That they count it Erastianisme to put the governement of the Church in the hand of the Magistrat Answ. The Doctors knowledge is greater then to bee ignorant that all these goe under the name of Erastians who walking in Erastus ways of flattering the Magistrat to the prejudice of the just rights of the Church run yet out much beyond Erastus personall tenets I doubt if that man went so far as the Doctor heere and else where to make all Ecclesiasticall jurisdiction but a part of the Magistrats civill power which for its execution the supreame Governours of any state may derive out of the fountaine of their supremacy to what ever hands civill or Ecclesiastick themselfes think fit to commit it Let the Doctor adde to this much knowledge but a little ingenuity and he shall confes that his Brethren the Later Bishops who claime Episcopacy by divine right are all as much against this Erastian Caesaro-papisme as any Presbiterian in Scotland The elder Bishops indeed of England and all the Lawes there for Episcopacy seeme to be point blank according to the Erastian errours for they make the crowne and royall supremacy the originall root and fountaine whence all the discipline of the Church doth flow as before the days of Henry the eight it did out of the Popes head-ship of the Church under Christ. How ever let the Doctor ingenuously speake out his sence and I am deceived if he shall not acknowledge that how grosse an Erastian so ever himselfe and the elder Bishops of England might have been yet that long agoe the most of his praelatical friends have become as much opposit to Erastianisme as the most rigid of the Presbiterians The other crime he layes to the charge of the Scotes is that they admit no latitude in Religion but will have every opinion afundamentall article of faith and are averse from the reconciliation of the Protestant Churches Ans. If the warner had found it seasonable to vent a little more of his true sence in this point he had charged this great crime far more home upon the heade of the Scotes for indeed though they were ever far from denying the true degrees of importance which doe cleerly appeare among the multitude of Christian truthes yet the great quarrell heer of the warner and his freinds against them is that they spoiled the Canterburian designe of reconcealing the Protestant Churches not among themselfes but with the Church of Rome When these good men were with all earnestnes proclaming the greatest controversies of Papists and Protestants to be upon no fundamentalls but only disputable opinions wherein beleefe on either side was safe enough and when they found that the Papists did stand punctually to the Tenets of the Church of Rome and were obstinately unwilling to come over to England their great labour was that the English and the rest of the Protestants casting aside their needlesse beleefe of problematick truths in piety charity and zeale to make up the breach and take away the shisme should be at all the paines to make the journey to Rome While this designe is far advanced and furiously driven on in all the three Kingdomes and by none more in Yreland then the Bishop of Derry behold the rude and plaine blewcapes step in to the play and marre all the game by no arte by no terrour can these be gotten alongs to such a reconciliation This was the first and greatest crime of the Scotes which the Doctor here glances at but is so wyse and modest a man as not to bring it above board The last charge of the Chapter is that the Scotes keep not still that respect to the Bishops of England which they were wont of old in the beginning of Queen Elizabeths reigne Ans. In that letter cited by the warner from the generall assembly of Scotland 1566. Sess. 3. there is no word of approbation to the office of Episcopacy they speake to the Bishops of England in no other quality or relation but as Ministers of the word the highest stile they give them is reverend Pastors and Brethren the tenour of the whole Epistle is a grave and brotherly admonition to beware of that fatall concomitant of the most moderat Episcopacy the troubling of the best and most zealous servants of Christ for idle fruitles Ceremonies How great a reverence the Church of Scotland at that time carried to praelacy may be seen in their supplication to the secret counsell of Scotland in that same assembly the very day and Session wherein they write the letter in hand to the Bishops of England The Arch-Bishop of S. Andrews being then usurping jurisdiction over the ministry by some warrant from the state the Assembly was grieved not only with the popery of that Bishop but with his auncient jurisdiction which in all Bishops Popish and protestant is one and the same That jurisdiction was the only matter of their present complaint and in relation thereto they assure the counsel in distinct tearmes that they would never be more subject unto that usurped tiranny the they would be to the devill himselfe So reverend an opinion had the Church of Scotland at that time of Episcopall jurisdiction But suppone that some fourscore yeares agoe the Scotes before they had tasted the fruits of Protestant Bishops had judged them tolerable in England yet since that time by the long tract of mischiefes which constantly has accompanied the order of praelacy they have been put upon a more accurat inspection of its nature and have found it not only a needles but a noxious and poysonous weed necessare to be plucked up by the root and cast over the hedge Beside al its former malefices it hath been deprehēded of late in the very act of everting the foundations both of Religion and governement of bringing in Popery and Tiranny in the Churches and States of all the three Kingdomes Canterburian self conviction cap. 1. And for these crimes it was condemned killed and buried in Scotland by the unanimous consent of King Church and Kingdom when England thereafter both in their Assembly and Parliament without a discording voice had found it necessary to root out that unhappy plant as long agoe with great wisedome it had been cast out of all the rest of the reformed
by any legal right therefore for eluding the Law they did effectuate that some Ministers should have the title of this or that Bishopricke and the revenues were gathered in the name of this titulare or tulchan Bishop albeit hee had but little part e. g. Robert Montgomerie Minister at Sterline was called Arch-Bishop of Glasgow and so it can bee instanced in other Bishop-rickes and abbacies Now this kind of praelats pretended no right to any part of the Episcopall office either in ordination or jurisdiction when some of these men began to creep in to vote for the Church in Parliament without any Law of the State without any commission from the Church the generall assembly discharged them being Ministers to practise any more such illegall insolencies with this ordinance of the Church after a little debate King James at that time did shew his good satisfaction But the Warner heere jumps over nolesse then twenty seven years time from the assembly at Edinburgh 1579 to that at Aberdeen 1605 then was King James by the English Bishops perswasion resolved to put down the generall assemblies of Scotland contrary to the Lawes and constant practise of that Church from the first reformation to that day The act of Parliament did bear that once at least a yeare the assembly should meet and after their busines was ended they should name time place for the next assembly When they had met in the yeare 1602 they were moved to adjourne without doing any thing for two whole yeares to 1604 when then they were conveened at the time and place agreed to by his Majestie they were content upon his Majesties desire without doing any thing againe to adjourne to the nixt yeare 1605 at Aberdeen when that dyet came his Majesties Commissioner offered them a Letter To the end they might be an Assembly and so in a Capacity to receave his Majesties Letter with the Commissioners good pleasure they sate downe they named their Moderator and Clark they received and read the Kings letter commanding them to rise which they obeyed without any farther action at all but naming a dyet for the nixt meeting according to the Lawes and constant practise of Scotland hereupon by the pernicious counsel of Arch-Bishop Banckroft at London the King was stirred up to bring sore trouble upon a number of gracious Ministers This is the whole matter which to the Warner heir is so tragick an insolence that never any Parliament durst attempt the like See more of this in the Historicall vindication The nixt instance of our Presbiteryes usurpation upon the Magistrat is their abolition before any statute of Parliament thereupon of the Church festivals in their first book of discipline Ans. Consider the grievousnesse of this crime in the intervall of Parliaments the great counsel of Scotland in the minority of the Prince entrusted by Parliament to rule the Kingdome did charge the Church to give them in wryte their judgement about matters Ecclesiasticall in obedience to this charge the Church did present the counsel with a wryte named since the first book of disciplin which the Lords of counsel did approve subscribe and ratify by an Act of State a part of the first head in that wryte was that Christmas Epiphany purification and other fond feasts of the virgin Mary as not warranted by the holy Scriptures should bee laid aside Was it any encroachment upon the Magistrate for the Church to give this advice to the privy counsell when earnestly they did crave it the people of Scotland ever since have shewed their ready obedience to that direction of the Church founded upon Scripture and backed from the beginning with an injunction of the state His third instance of the Church of Scotlands usurpation upon the Magistrat is their abolition of Episcopacy in the assembly 1580 when the Law made it treason to impugne the authority of Bishops being the third estate of the Kingdome Ans. The Warner seemes to have no more knowledge of the affairs of Scotland then of Japan or Utopia the Law hee speakes of was not in being some yeares after 1580 how ever all the generall assemblyes of Scotland are authorised by act of Parliament to determine finally without an appeale in all Ecclesiastick affaires in the named assembly Lundie the Kings Commissioner did sit and consent in his Majesties name to that act of abolition as in the nixt assembly 1581 the Kings Comissioner Caprinton did erect in his Majesties name the Presbiteryes in all the Land it is true three yeares thereafter a wicked Courtier Captaine James Stuart in a shadow of a closse and not summoned Parliament did procure an act to abolish Presbiteries and erect Bishops but for this and all the rest of his crimes that evill man was quickly rewarded by God before the world in a terrible destruction these acts of his Parliament the very nixt yeare were disclaimed by the King the Bishops were put downe and the Presbitry was set up again and never more removed to this day The Warners digression to the perpetuity of Bishops in Scotland to the acts of the Church and State for their restitution is but to shew his ignorance in the Scotes story what ever be the Episcopall boastings of other Nations yet it is evident that from the first entrance of Christian Religion into Scotland Presbiters alone without Bishops for some hundred yeares did governe that Church and after the reformation their was no Bishop in that Land but in tittle and benefice till the yeare 1610 when Bancroft did consecrat three Scotes Ministers all of them men of evill report whom that violent Commissioner the Earle of Dunbar in the corrupt and null assembly of Glasgow got authorised in some pairt of a Bishops office which part only and no more was ratified in a posterior Parliament Superintendents are no where the same with Bishops much lesse in Scotland where for a time only till the Churches were planted they were used as ambulatory Commissioners and visitors to preach the word and administer the Sacraments for the supply of vacant and unsetled congregations The fourth instance is the Churches obtruding the second book of discipline without the ratification of the State Ans. For the Ecclesiastick enjoining of a generall assemblyes decrees a particular ratification of Parliament is unnecessary generall acts of Parliament commanding obedience to the acts of the Church are a sufficient warrant from the State beside that second book of disciplin was much debated with the King and at last in the generall assembly 1590 his consent was obtained unto it for in that assembly where unanimously the subscription of the second book of disciplin by all the ministers of the Kingdome was decried his Majestie some time in person and alwayes by the chancelor his Commissioner was present and in the act for subscription Sess. 10. Augusti 8. it is expresly said that not only all the Ministers but also all the Commissioners praesent did consent among
which Commissioners the chancelor his Majesties Commissioner was chief But neither the King nor the Church could get it to passe the Parliament in regaird of the opposition which some States-men did make unto these parts thereof which touched on their owne interest of unjust advantage this was the only stick The next instance of the Churches encroachement is their usurpation of all the old rents of the clergy as the Churches patrimony and their decerning in anassembly that nothing in the nixt Parliament should passe before the Church were fully restored to her rents Ans. Consider heere the Warners hypocrisie and unjustice he challenges the Presbiterians for that which no praelate in the world did ever esteem a fault a meer declaration of their judgement that the Church had a just right to such rents as by law and long possession were theirs and not taken away from them by any lawfull meanes What if heere they had gone on with the most of the praelaticall party to advance that right to a jus divinum what if they had put themselves by a command from Court into the possession of that right without a processe as diverse of the Warners friends were begun lately to doe in all the three Kingdomes but all that he can here challenge the Scotes for is a meere declaration of their simple right with a supplication to the Regent his grace that hee would indeavour in the nixt Parliament to procure a ninth part of the Churches patrimony for the mantainance of the ministry and the poore of the country for all the rent that the Churches then could obtaine or did petition was but a third of the thirds of the benefices or tithes That ever any assembly in Scotland did make any other addresse to the Parliament for stipends then by way of humble supplication it is a great untruth The last instance is the erecting of Presbyteries through al the Kingdome by an act of the Church alone Ans. I have showne already the untruth of this alleadgeance the proofe heere brought for it is grounded only upon an ambiguous word which the Warners ignorance in the Scotish disciplin and Presbitery though the maine subject of his booke permits him not to understand The Presbyteries were set up by the King after the assembly 1580 but the second booke of discipline of which alone the citation speaks how ever enjoind by many assemblies yet it could never be gotten ratified in any Parliament only because of these parts of it which did speake for the patrimony of the Church and oppugne the right of patronages How well the Warner hath proven the Presbiterian practises to be injurious to the Magistrate we have considered possibly he will bee more happy in his nixt undertaking in his demonstrations that their doctrinall principles doe trample on the Magistrats supremacy and Lawes their first principle hee takes out of the second book of disciplin Cap. 7. That no Magistrat nor any but Ecclesiastick persons may vote in Synods Ans. Though I find nothing of this in the place cited yet there is nothing in it that crosseth either the Laws or the Kings supremacy for according to the acts of Parliament of Scotland both old and late and the constant practise of that Church the only members of Presbyteries are Ministers and ruling elders Is it the Warners minde to vent here his super-Erastianisme that all Ecclesiastick assemblies Classicall Provinciall nationall are but the arbitrary Courts of the Magistrat for to advise him in the execution of his inhaerent power about matters Ecclesiasticall and for this cause that it is in his arbitrement to give a decisive voyce in all Church assemblies to whom and how many so ever hee will Though this may bee the Warners minde as it hath been some of his friends yet the most of the praelaticall party will not mantaine him heerein How ever such principles are contrary to the Lawes of Scotland to the professions also and practises of all the Princes and Magistrats that ever have lived there But the Warner heere may possibily glaunce at another principle of his good friends who have been willing lately to vent before al Britaine in print their Elevating the supremacy of Soveraignes so far above Lawes that what ever people have obtained to bee established by never so many assemblies and Parliaments and confirmed with never so many great seales of ratification and peaceably injoyed by never so long a possession yet it is nothing but commendable wisedome and justice for the same Prince who made the first concessions or any of his successors when ever they find themselfes strong enough to cancell all and make void what ever Parliaments Assemblies royall ratifications and the longest possession made foolish people beleeve to be most firme and unquestionable To this purpose Bishop Maxwel from whom much of this warning is borrowed doth speak in his Sacro-Sancta regum Majestas Though this had been the Cabine divinity of our praelats yet what can be their intentions in speaking of it out in these times of confusion themselves must declare for the cleare consequente of such doctrine seemes to be a necessity either of such Warners perpetuall banishment from the Courts and eares of Soveraignes or else that subjects be kept up for ever in a strong jealousy and feare that they can never be secure of their liberties though never so well ratified by Lawes and promises of Princes any longer then the sword and power remaines in their owne hand to preserve what they have obtained Such Warners so long as they are possessed with such maximes of state are cleare everters of the first fundations of trust betwixt Soveraignes and subjects they take away all possibility of any solid peace of any confident setlement in any troubled state before both parties be totally ruined or one become so strong that they need no more to feare the others malcontentment in any time to come Our second challenged principle is that wee teach the whole power of convocating assemblies to be in the Church Ans. The Warners citations prove not that we maintaine any such assertion our doctrin and constant practise hath been to ascribe to the King a power of calling Synods when and wheresoever he thought fit but that which the Warner seemes to point at is our tenet of an intrinsicall power in the Church to meet as for the word and Sacraments so for disciplin in this all who are Christians old and late the praelaticall and Popish party as well as others goe along with us to mantaine in doctrine and practise a necessity even in times of persecution that the Church must meet for the worship of God and execution of Ecclesiastick disciplin among their owne members In this the doctrine and practise of the Scots is according to their setled lawes uncontroverted by his Majestie If the Warner will mantaine that in reason and conscience al the Churches of the world are oblidged to dissolve and never more
the verie civil Law of Scotland to appeale from the general assembly According to the Scots order practise the King in person or else by his high Commissioner sits al 's usually in the generall assembly as in Parliament But though it were not so yet an appeale from a generall assembly to be discussed in a Court of delegats were unbeseeming and unreasonable the one Court consisting of above two hundred all chosen men the best and most able of the Kingdome the other but of two or three often of very small either abilities or integrity who yet may be more fitt to decerne in an Ecclesiastick cause then a single Bishop over his officiall the ordinary trusted in all acts of jurisdiction for the whole dioces But the Scots way of managing Ecclesiastick causes is a great deale more just safe and Satisfactory to any rationall man then that old popish order of the English where all the spirituall jurisdiction of the whole dioces was in the hand of one mercenary officiall without all reliefe from his sentence except by an appeale as of old to the pope and his delegats so therafter to the King though never to be cognosced-upon by himselfe but as it was of old by two or three delegats the weakest of all courts often for the quality and ever for the number of the judges Two instances are brought by the Warner to prove the Church of Scotlands stopping of appeals from the generall Assembly to the King the cases of Montgomery and Adamson if the causes and events of the named cases had been wel knowne to the Warner as he made this chapter disproportionally short so readily he might have deleted it al together Both these men were infamous not only in their Ministeriall charges but in their life conversation both became so insolent that contrary to the established order of the Church Kingdome being suborned by wicked statesmen who in that day of darknes had wel neer brought ruine both to King and country would needs take upon them the office of Arch-Bishops While the assembly was in proces with them for their manifold and high misdeameanors the King was moved by them and their evill patrons to shew his high displeasure against the assemblyes of the Church they for his Majesties satisfaction sent their Commissioners and had many conferences whereby the pride and contempt of these prelats did so encrease that at last they drew the sentence of excommunication upon their own heads the King after some time did acknowledge the equity of the Church proceedings and professed his contentment their with both these unhappy men were brought to a humble confession of their crimes and such signes of repentance that both after a renunciation of their titulare Bishopriks were readmitted to the function of the ministry which they had deserted Never any other before or after in Scotland did appeale from the generall assembly to the King the late excommunicat praelats in their declinatour against the assembly of Glasgow did not appeale as I remember to the King but to another generall assembly to bee constitute according to their own Popish and Tyrannical principles CHAP. IV. Faulty Ministers in Scotland are lesse exempted from punishment then any other men THE Warner in his fourth Chapter offers to prove that the Scottish discipline doth exempt Ministers from punishment for any treason or sedition they can act in their pulpits Ans. This challenge is like the rest very false The rules of the Church discipline in Scotland obliges Churchmen to bee subject to punishment not only for every fault for which any other man is lyable to censure but ordaines them to bee punished for sundrie things which in other men are not at all questionable and what ever is censurable in any they appoint it to be much more so in a Minister It is very untrue that the pulpits in Scotland are Sanctuaries for any crime much lesse for the grievous crimes of sedition and treason Let the Warner remember how short a time it is since an Episcopall chayre or a canonicall coate did priviledge in England and Ireland from all censure either of Church or State great numbers who were notoriously knowne to be guilty of the foulest crimes Was ever the Warners companion Bishop Aderton challenged for his Sodomy so long as their commune patrone of Canterbury did rule the court did the warner never heare of a prelate very sibb to Doctour Bramble who to this day was never called to any account for flagrant scandals of such crimes as in Scotland are punishable by the gallows the Warner doth not well to insist upon the Scots Clergie exempting themselfe from civill punishments no where in the world are Churchmen more free of crimes deserving civil cognisance then in Scotland and if the ears and eyes of the world may be trusted the popish clergy this day in Italy and Spaine are not so challengeable as the praelaticall divines in England and Ireland lately were for many grosse misdemeanors But why does the Warners anger run out so farre as to the preachers in Holland is it because he knoweth the Church disciplin in Holland to be really the same with that he oppugnes in the Scots and that all the reformed Churches doejoyne cordially with Scotland in their rejection of Episcopacy is this a ground for him to slander our Brethren of Holland Is it charity for him a stranger to publish to the world in print that the ministers in Holland are seditious oratours and that they saucily controll the Magistrats in their pulpits Their crime seemes to be that for the love of Christ their master they are zealous in their doctrin to presse upon the Magistrat as well as upon the people the true practise of piety the sanctification of the sabbath day the suppression of heresy and shisme and repentance for the sins of the time place wherein they live This is a crime whereof few of the Warners friends were wont to be guilty of their shamefull silence and flattery was one of the great causes of all the sins and calamities that have wracked the three Kingdomes the streame of their sermons while the enjoyed the pulpit was to encourage to superstition and contempt of piety to sing asleepe by their ungracious way all that gave eare unto them The man is impatien t to see the Pastors of Holland or any where to walk in another path then his own and for this cause would stirre up their Magistrats against them as it was his and his Brethrens custome to stirre up the Magistrats of Britan and Ireland to imprison banish and heavily vex the most zealous servants of God only for their opposition to the praelats profanity and errours The Warner I hope has not yet forgotten how Doctor Bramble and his neighbour Lesly of Down did cast out of the Ministry and made flee out of the Kingdome men most eminent for zeale piety and learning who in a short time had
ever more guilty of that fault then the praelats of England and Ireland did they ever censure their own officialls for the pronouncing of that terrible sentence most profanly against any they would had it been for the non-payment of the smallest summes of mony As for the Scotes their doctrine and practise in the point of excommunication is as considerat as any other church in the world that censure in Scotland is most rare and only in the case of obstinacy in a great sin what ever be their doctrine in generall with all other Christians and as I think with the praelaticall party themselves that the object of Christian doctrine Sacraments and disciplin is one and the same and that no member of Christ no sone of the Church may plead a highnes above admonitions and Church censures yet I know they never thought it expedient so much as to intend any processe of Church animadversion against their Soveraigne To the worlds end I hope they shal not have againe greater grievances and truer causes of citation from their Princes then they have had already It may be confidently beleeved that they who upon so pregnant occasions did never so much as intend the beginning of a processe against their King can never be supposed in danger of any such proceeding for time to come How ever we love not the abused ground of the Warners flattering of Princes to their owne great hurt is it so indeed that all the sins of princes are only against God that all Kings are not only above all lawes of Church and State but when they fall into the greatest crimes that the worst of men have ever committed that even then their sins must not be against any man or against any law such Episcopall doctrin spurrs on princes to these unhappy praecipies and oppressed people unto these outrages that both fall into inextricable calamities CHAP. VI. It grieves the Praelats that Presbyterians are faithfull Watchmen to admonish Princes of their duty THE sixth Chapter is spent on an other crime of the Presbytery it makes the Presbiters cry to the Magistrat for justice upon capitall offenders Ans. What hes Presbytery to doe with this matter were it never so great an offence will the Warner have all the faults of the praelaticall faction flow from the fountaine of Episcopacy this unconsequentiall reasoning will not be permitted to men below the degrees of Doctors But was it a very great crime indeed for Ministers to plead the cause of the fatherlesse and widowes yea the cause of God their Master and to preach unto Magistrats that according to Scriptures murtherers ought to die and the Land bee purged from the staine of innocent blood when the shamefull impunity of murther made Scotland by deadly feuds in time of peace a feild of warre and blood was it not time for the faithfull servants of God to exhort the King to execute justice and to declare the danger of most frequent pardons drawne from his hand often against his heart by the importunity and deceitfull information of powerfull solicitors to the great offence of God against the whole land to the unexpressible griefe and wrong of the suffering party to the opening also of a new floodgate of more blood which by a legall revenge in time easily might have been stopped Too much pitty in sparing the wilfull shedders of innocent blood ordinarlie proves a great cruelty not only towards the disconsolat oppressed who cry to the vicegerents of God the avenger for justice in vaine but also towards the soule of him who is spared and the life of many more who are friends either to the oppressor or oppressed As for the named case of Huntly let the world judge whether the Ministers had reason often to give Warning against that wicked man and his complices Beside his apostacy and after-seeming-repentance his frequent relapses into avowed popery in the eighty eight he banded with the King of Spaine to overthrow the religion and government of the whole Iland and after pardon from time to time did renew his treasonable plots for the ruine of Britain hee did commit many murders he did invade under the nose of the King the house of his Cousin the Earle of Murray and most cruelly murdered that gallant Nobleman hee appeared with displayed Banner against the King in person he killed thereafter many hundreds of the Kings good people when these multiplyed outrages did cry up to the God of heaven was is not time for the men of God to cry to the judges of the earth to doe their duty according to the warrant of many Scriptures what a dangerous humour of flattery is this in our Praelats not only to lull asleep a Prince in a most sinfull neglect of his charge but also to cry out upon others more faithfull then themselves for assaying to breake of their slumber by their wholesome and seasonable admonitions from the word of God The nixt challenge of the Scotes Presbyters is that they spoile the King of his Tythes first fruits patronage and dependence of his subjects Ans. The Warner understands not what he writes the Kings Majestie in Scotland never had never craved any first fruits the Church never spoiled the King of any Tythes some other men indeed by the wickednesse most of Praelats and their followers did cousin both the King and the Church of many Tythes but his Majestie and the Church had never any controversie in Scotland about the Tythes for the King so far as concerned himselfe was ever willing that the Church should enjoy that which the very act of Parliament acknowledgeth to bee her patrimony Nor for the patronages had the Churh any plea with the King the Church declared often their minde of the iniquity of patronages wherein they never had from the King any considerable opposition but from the Nobility and gentry the opposition was so great that for peace-sake the Church was content to let patronages alone till God should make a Parliament lay to heart what was incumbent for gracious men to doe for liberating congregations from their slavery of having Ministers intruded upon them by the violence of Patrones Which now at last blessed be God according to our mind is performed As for the dependence of any vassals upon the King it was never questioned by any Presbyterian in Scotland What is added in the rest of the Chapter is but a repetition of that which went before to wit the Presbyters denying to the King the spirituall government of the Church and the power of the keyes of the Kingdome of heaven such an usurpation upon the Church King James declared under his hand as at length may be seen in the Historicall vindication to be a sinne against the Father Son and Holy Ghost which puts in the hand of the Magistrat the power of preaching and celebrating the Sacraments a power which since that time no Magistrat in Britaine did assume and if any would have
by the Church for the rectifying of that action which as it stood in the state and management was cleerly foretold to be exceeding like to destroy the King and his friends of all sorts in all the three Kingdomes The irreparable losses and unutterable calamities which quickly did follow at the heeles the misbeleefe and contempt of the Lords servants and the great danger religion is now brought unto in al these Kingdomes hes I suppose long agoe brought griefe enough to the heart of them whose unadvised rashnes and intemperate fervour did contribute most for the spoiling of that designe The first desire about that engagement which the Warner gives to us concernes the security of religion In all the debate of that matter it was aggreed without question upon all hands that the Sectarian party deserved punishment for their wicked attemptes upon the Kings persone contrary to the directions of the Parliamentes of both Kingdomes and that the King ought to be rescued out of their hands and brought to one of his houses for perfecting the treaty of peace which often had been begunne but here was the question Whither the Parliament and Army of Scotland ought to declare their resolutiones to bring his Majestie to London with honour freedome and safty before he did promise any security for establishing Religion The Parliaments of both Kingdomes in all their former treaties had ever pressed upon the King a number of propositions to be signed by his Majestie before at all he came to London was it then any fault in the Church of Scotland to desire the granting but of one of these propositions concerning Religion and the covenant before the King were brought by the new hazard of the lives and estats of all the Scottish nation to sit in his Parliament in that honnor and freedome which himselfe did desire There was no complaint when many of thirty propositions were pressed to be signed by his Majestie for satisfaction and security to his people after so great and long desolations how then is an out-cry made when all other propositions are postponed and only one for Religion is stuck upon and that not before his Majesties rescue and deliverance from the hands of the sectaries but only before his bringing to London in honor freedom and safety This demande to the Warner is a crime and may be so to all of his beleefe who takes it for a high unjustice to restraine in any King the absolute power by any condition for they doe mantaine that the administration of all things both of Church and state does reside so freely and absolutly in the meere will of a Soveraigne that no case at any time can fall out which ought to bound that absolutnesse with any limitation The second particular the Warner pitches upon is the Kings negative voyce behold how criminous we were in the point When some most needlesly would needs bring into debate the Kings negative voyce in the Parliament of England as one of the royall praerogatives to bee maintained by our engagement it was said that all discourse of that kynde might bee laid aside as impertinent for us if any debate should chance to fall upon it the proper place of it was in a free Parliament of England that our Lawes did not admit of a negative voyce to the King in a Parliament of Scotland and to presse it now as a prerogative of all Kings besides the reflection it might have upon the rights of our Kingdome it might put in the hand of the King a power to deny all and every one of these things which the Parliaments of both Kingdomes had found necessary for the setling the peace in all the three dominions Wee marvail not that the Warner heere should taxe us of a great errour seeing it is the beleefe of his faction that every King hath not onely a negative but an absolute affirmative voyce in all their Parliaments as if they were nothing but their arbitrary counsels for to perswade by their reasons but not to conclude nor impede any thing by their votes the whole and intire power of making or refusing Lawes being in the Prince alone and no part of it in the Parliament The Warners third challenge against us about the ingagement is as if the Church had taken upon it to nominate the officers of the army and upon this he makes his invectives Ans. The Church was farre from seeking power to nominate any one officer but the matter was thus when the State did require of them what in their judgement would give satisfaction to the people and what would encourage them to goe along in the ingagement one and the last parte of their answer was that they conceived if a Warre shal be found necessarie much of the peoples encouragement would depend upon the qualification of the commanders to whom the mannaging of that great trust should be committed for after the right stating of the Warre the nixt would be the carying on of it by such men who had given constante proofe of their integrity To put all the power of the Kingdome in their hande whose by past miscariadges had given just occasion to suspect their designes and firmenesse to the interest of God before their owne or any other mans would fill the hearts of the people with jealousies and feares and how wholsome an advice this was experience hath now too cleerly demonstrate To make the world know our further resolutiones to medle with civile affaires the Warner is pleased to bring out against us above 80 yeares old stories and all the stuffe which our malicious enemy Spotsewood can furnish to him from this good author he alledges that our Church discharged merchants to traffique with Spaine and commanded the change of the mercat dayes in Edenburgh Ans. Both these calumnies are taken of at length in the Historicall Vindication After the Spanish invasion of the yeare eighty eight many in Scotland kept correspondence with Spaine for treacherous designes the Inquisitors did seduce some and persecute others of our merchants in their traffique the Church did deale with his Majestie to interceed with the Spanish King for more liberty to our country men in their trading and in the meane time while an answer was returned from Madrile they advertised the people to be warry how they hazarded their soules for any worldly gaine which they could find about the inquisitors feet As for the mercat dayes I grante it was a great griefe to the Church to see the sabbath day profaned by handy labour and journeying by occasion of the munday-mercats in the most of the great tounes for remedie heerof many supplications have been made by the Assembly to the Parliament but so long as our Bishops satte there these petitiones of the Church were alwayes eluded for the praelats labour in the whole Iland was to have the sunday no Sabbath and to procure by their Doctrine and example the profanation of that day by all sorts of playes
good and the good both of the Church and Kingdome for their obedience to the Kings importunity they are heer railed upon by the wise Warner It is true Captaine Iames shortly after creept in againe into Court and obtained a sever revenge against the authors of that action before a Parliament could sit to approve it but within a few monthes the same Lords with some more did at Striveling chase againe that evill man from the Court whither he never more returned and this their action was ratified in the nixt Parliament and so stands to this day unquestioned by any but such as the Warner either out of ignorance or malice I am weary to follow the Warner in all his wandrings at the nixt loupe he jumps from the 1584 to the 1648 skipping over in a moment 64 yeares The articles of Striveling mentions that the promoving of the worke of Reformation in England and Ireland bee referred to the generall assembly upon this our friend does discharge a flood of his choler all the matter of his impatience heere is that Scotland when by fraud they had been long allured and at last by open violence invaded by the English Praelats that they might take on the yock of all their corruptions they were contented at the earnest desire of both the houses of Parliament and all the wel-affected in England to assist their Brethren to purge out the leaven of Episcopacy and the Service book with all the rest of the old corruptions of the English and Irish Churches with the mannaging of this so great and good an Ecclesiastick worke the Parliament of Scotland did intrust the generall assembly No mervaile that Doctor Bramble a zealous lover of all the Arminianisme Popery and Tyranny of which his great patron Doctor Lade stands convicted yet without an answer to have been bringing in upon the three nations should bee angry at the discoverers and dis-appointers of that most pious work as they wont to style it What heere the Warner repeats it is answered before as for the two Storyes in his conclusion which he takes out of his false Author Spots-wood adding his owne large amplifications I conceive there needs no more to be said to the first but that some of Iohn Knocks zealous hearers understanding of a Masse-Priest at their very side committing idolatry contrary to the Lawes did with violence break in upon him and sease upon his person and Masse-cloathes that they might present him to the ordinary Magistrat to receave justice according to the Law This act the Warner wil have to be a huge rebellion not only in the actors but also in Iohn Knocks who was not so much as present thereat What first he speaks of the Assemblies convocating the people in armes to be present at the tryall of the popish Lords and their avowing of that their deed to the King in his face we must be pardoned to mistrust the Warner heerin upon his bare word without the releefe of some witnes and that a more faithfull one then his Brother in evill Mr. Spotswood whom yet heere he does not professe to cite Against these popish Lords after their many treasons and bloody murders of the lieges the King himselfe at last was forced to arme the people but that the generall assembly did call any unto armes we require the Warners proofe that we may give it an answer CHAP. VIII The chiefe of the Praelats agree with the Presbyterians about the divine right of Church discipline THE Warners challenge in this chapter is that we mantaine our discipline by a Iure divino and for this he spewes out upon us a sea of such rhetorick as much better beseemed Ans. Mercurius Aulicus then either a Warner or a praelate In this challenge he is as unhappy as in the rest it is for a matter wherein the most of his owne Brethren though our Adversaries yet fully agree with us that the discipline of the Church is truely by divine right and that Jesus Christ holds out in scripture the substantials of that Governement whereby he will have his house to be ruled to the worlds end leaving the circumstantials to be determined by the judicatories of the Church according to the generall rules which are clear also in the word for matters of that nature In this neither Papists nor the learndest of the Praelats find any fault with us yet our Warner must spend a whole Chapter upon it It is true as we observed before the elder Praelats of England in Edwards Elizabeths dayes as the Erastians now did mantaine that no particular Governement of the Church was jure divino and if this be the Warners mind it were ingenuity in him to speake it out loud and to endeavour to perswade his friends about the King of the truth of this tenet he was never imployed about a better and more seasonable service for if the discipline of the Church be but humano jure then Episcopacy is keeped up upon no conscience conscience being bottomed only upon a divine right so Episcopacy wanting that bottom may well be laid aside at this time by the King for any thing that concernes conscience since no command of God nor warrant from scripture tyes him to keep it up This truely seemes to be the maine ground whereupon the whole discourse of this Chapter is builded Is it tolerable that such truthes should be concealed by our Warners against their conscience when the speaking of them out might be so advantagious to the King and all his Kingdomes how ever wee with all the reformed Churches doe beleeve in our heart the divine right of Synods and Presbyteries and for no possible inconvenient can be forced to deny or passe from this part of truth yet the Warner heere joynes with the elder Praelats who till Warner Banckrofts advancement to the sea of Canterburry did unanimously deny Episcopacy to be of divine right and by consequent affirmed it to be moveable and so lawfull to be laid aside by princes when so ever they found it expedient for their affaires to be quyte of it why does not the warner and his Brethren speake plainly their thoughts in his Majesties eares why do they longer dissemble their conscience only for the satisfaction of their ambition greed and revenge sundry of the Praelaticall divines come yet further to joyne fully with Erastus in denying not only Episcopacy and all other particular formes of Church government to be of divine institution but in avowing that no governement in the Church at all is to be imagined but such as is a part of the civill power of the Magistrat The Warner in the Chapter and in diverse other parts of his booke seemes to agree with this judgment and upon this ground if he had ingenuity he would offer his helping hand to untie the bonds of the Kings conscience if heere it were straytened by demonstrating from this his principle that very safely without any offence to God and nothing
paribus no Apostle is superior to an Apostle nor an Evangelists to an Evangelist nor prophet to a prophet nor a Doctour to a Doctour in any spirituall power according to scripture Ergo no Pastor to a Pastor Againe I reason from 1. Tim. 4. 14. Math 18. 15. 1. Cor. 5. 4. 12. 13 What taks the power of ordination and jurisdiction from Bishops destroyes Bishops as the removall of the soule kills the man and the denyall of the forme takes away the subject so the power of ordination and jurisdiction the essentiall forme whereby the Bishop is constitute and distinguished from the Presbyter and every other Church officer being removed from him he must perish but the quoted places take away cleerly these powers from the Bishop for the first puts the power of ordination in the Presbytery and a Bishop is not a Presbytery the second puts the power of jurisdiction in the Church and the third in a company of men which meet together but the Bishop is not the Church nor a company of men met together for these be many and he is but one persone When the Doctors learning hes satisfied us in these two he shall receave more scripturall arguments against Episcopacy But why doe wee expect answers from these men when after so long time for all their boasts of learning and their visible leasure none of their party hes hade the courage to offer one word of answer to the Scriptures and Fathers which in great plenty Mr. Parker and Mr. Didoclave of old and of late that miracle of learning most noble Somais and that Magazin of antiquity Mr. Blondel have printed against them What in the end of the Chapter the Warner addes of our trouble at King James his fiftie and five questions 1596 and of our yeelding the bucklers without any opposition till the late unhappy troubles we answer that in this as every where else the Warner proclaines his great and certaine knowledge of our Ecclesiastick story the troubles of the Scots divines at that time were very small for the matter of these questions all which they did answer so roundly that ther was no more speach of them therafter by the propounders but the manner and time of these questions did indeed perplex good men to see Erastian and Prelaticall counsellors so farr to prevaile with our King as to make him by captious questions carpe at these parts of Church-discipline which by statuts of Parliament and acts of Assemblyes were fully established Our Church at that time was far from yeelding to Episcopacy great trouble indeed by some wicked States-men was then brought upon the persones of the most able and faithfull Ministers but our land was so far from receiving of Bishops at that time that the question was not so much as proposed to them for many yeares thereafter it was in Ann. 1606 that the English Praelats did move the King by great violence to cast many of the best and most learned Preachers of Scotland out of their charges and in Ann. 1610 that a kind of Episcopacy was set up in the corrupt assembly of Glasgow under which the Church of Scotland did heavily groane till the yeare 1637 when their burdens was so much increased by the English praelaticall Tax-masters that all was shaken of together and divine justice did so closly follow at the heeles that oppressing praelacy of England as to the great joy of the long oppressed Scotes that evill root and all its branches was cast out of Britaine where wee trust no shadow of it shall ever againe be seen CHAP. IX The Common-wealth is no monster when God is made Soveraigne and their commands of men are subordinated to the clear will of God HAving cleered the vanity of these calumnious challenges wherewith the Warner did animate the King and all Magistrates against the Presbyterians let us try if his skill be any greater to inflame the people against it Hee would make the World beleeve that the Presbyterians are great transsubstantiators of whole Common-wealths into beasts and Metamorphosers of whole Kingdomes of men into Serpents with two heads how great and monstrous a Serpent must the Presbytery be when shee is the Mother of a Dragon with two heads But it is good that she has nothing to doe with the procreation of the Dragon with seven heads the great Antichrist the Pope of Rome this honour must bee left to Episcopacy the Presbytery must not pretend to any share in it The Warners ground for his pretty fimilitude is that the Presbyterians make two Soveraignities in every Christian State whose commands are contrary Ans. All the evill lyeth in the contrariety of the commands as for the double Soveraignity ther is no shew of truth in it for the Presbyterians cannot bee guilty of coordinating two Soveraignities in one State though the Praelats may wel be guilty of that fault since they with there Masters of Rome mantaine a true hierarchie a Spirituall Lord-ship a domination and principality in their Bishops above all the members of the Church but the Presbyterians know no 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 no dominion no Soveranity in Church officers but a meer ministry under Christ. As for the contrariety of commands its true Christs Ministers must publish all the commands oftheir Soveraigne Lord whereunto no command of any temporall Prince needs or ought to be contrary but if it fall out to bee so it is not the Presbytery but the holy Scriptures which command rather to obey God then man Dare the Warner heere oppose the Presbyterians dare he mantaine a subordination of the Church to the State in such a fashion that the cleer commands of God published by the Church ought to give place to the contrary commands of the State if the Warner must needs invert and contradict Christ ruling of this case let him goe on to preach doctrine point blank to the Apostles that it is better to obey men then God It falls out as rarely in Scotland as any where in the world that the Church and State run contrary wayes but if so it happen the commune rules of humane direction towards right and wrong judgement must be followed if a man find either the Church or the State or both command what he knowes to be wrong for neither the one nor the other hath any infallibility their is no doubt but either or both may be disobeyed yet with this difference that for disobedience to the Churches most just commands a man can not fall under the smallest temporall inconvenient without the States good pleasure but for his disobedience to the most unjust commands of the State he must suffer what ever punishment the law does inflict without any releefe from the Church Two instances are brought by the Warner of the Church and States contrary commands the first the King commanded Edenburgh to feast the frensh Ambassadours but the Church commanded Edenburgh to fast that day when the King desired them to feast
Mauchlin The paralell that the Warner makes betwixt the generall assembly and Parliament is malicious in all its parts For the first though the one Court be civill and the other Spirituall yet the Presbyterians lay the authority of both upon a divine fundation that for conscience sake the Courts civil must be obeyed in all their Lawfull commands alsewell as the assemblyes of the Church God being the author of the politick order as well as the Ecclesiastick and the revenger of the contempt of the one alswell as of the other But what doth the Warner meane to mock at Ministers for carrying themselves as the Ambassadors of Christ for judging according to the rule of Scripture for caring for life eternall is he become so shamefullie impious as to perswade Ministers to give over the care of life eternall to lay aside the holy Scripture and deny their ambassage from Jesus Christ behold what Spirit leads our praelats while they jeere the World out of all Religion and chase away Ministers from Christ from Scripture from eternall life Of the second part of the parallell that people are more ready to obey their Ministers then their Magistrats what shall be made all the power which Ministers have with the people is builded on their love to God and religion how much so ever it is a good Statseman will not envy it for he knowes that God and conscience constraine Ministers to imploy all the power they have with the people to the good of the Magistrat as the deputy and servant of God for the peoples true good The Warner heer understands best his owne meaning while he scoffes at Ministers for their threatning of men with hells fire Are our Praelats come to such open proclamations of their Atheisme as to printe their desires to banish out of the hearts of people all feare not only of Church-censures but even of hell it selfe whither may not Satan dryve at last the instruments of his Kingdome The third parte of the paralell consists of a number of unjust and false imputations before particularly refuted What he subjoines of the power of the generall Assembly to name Comittees to sit in the intervalls of Assemblies it is but a pcore charge is it not the dayly practise of the Parliaments of Scotland to nominat their Comittees of State for the intervalls of Parliament Is it not ane inhaerent right to every Court to name some of their number to cognosce upon things within their owne spheare at what ever times the court it selfe finds expedient how ever the judicatories of the Church by the lawes of the Kingdome being authorized to meet when themselves think fit both ordinarly and pro renata their power of appointing Comittees for their owne affaires was never questioned and truely these Comittees in the times of our late troubles when many were lying in waite to disturbe both Church and State have been forced to meet oftner then otherwise any of their members did desire whose diversion from their particular charges though for attendance on the publick is joyned with so great fashery and expence that with all their heart they could be glade to decline it if feare of detriment to the Church made not these meetings very necessary CHAP. XI The Presbytery is no burden to any honest man THE bounds and compasse of the Warners rage against the Presbytery is very large not being content to have incensed the King and Parliament against it he comes downe to the body of the people and will have them beleeve the speciall enimity of the Scots discipline against them first because it inflicts Church censures upon every one for the smallest faults Ans. The faults which the Warner mentions may well be ane occasion of a private advice in the eare but that any of them did ever procure the smallest censure of the Church it is a great untruth no man who knowes us will complaine of our rigour heer we wish we were able to refute upon as good reason the charge of our laxenes in the mouth of sectaries as we are that of our strictnes in the mouth of Erastianes Wee would know of the Warner what are these Sabbath recreations which he saith are void of scandal and consistent with the dutyes of the day are they not the stage playes and the other honest pastimes wherewith his friends were wonte to sanctify the Lords day as no more a Sabbath then any other day in the yeare and much lesse then diverse popish festivalls An Aposteme in the lowest gutt will shew it selfe by the unsavory vapours which now and then are eructat from it That ever in Scotland there was one word of debate about starch and cuffs is more then the Warner can prove The second oppression whereby the Presbytery trods the people under foot is a rare cruelty that persons for grievous crimes whereof the Magistrate takes notice are called to Ecclesiastick repentance Will the Doctor in his fury against us run out upon all his owne friends for no appearance of a fault Will either the English or popish praelats admit murtherers whoores or theeves to the holy table without any signes of repentance Is not the greatest crime the ground of the greatest scandal Shall small scandals be purged away by repentance and the greatest be totally past by The Warner heer may know his owne meaning but others will confesse their ignorance of his minde The third grievance he would have the people conceive against the Presbytery is the rigour of their excommunication in this also the Warner seemes to know little of the Scots way let excommunication be so seveer in Scotland as is possible yet the hurt of it is but small it is so rare an accident men may live long in Scotland and al their life never see that censure execute I have lived in one of the greatest Cities of that land and for fourty seven yeares even from my birth to this day that censure to my knowledge or hearing was never execute there in my dayes but twice first upon ane obstinat and very profane Papist and nixt on some horrible scandalous praelats Againe when any is excommunicated by the Church we goe no further with them then Pauls commande 2. Thes. 3. 14. only they who are not tyed to them by naturall bonds abstaine from familiar and unnecessary conversation to bring them by the sence of this shame to repentance for their sins Thirdly the civil inconvenientes which followe that censure come along from the State and the acts of Parliament for which the Church ought not to be challenged especially by praelats who wont to allow their officials to excommunicat whole incorporations of people for a small debt of mony and to presse the contemners of that frivolous and profane sentence with all the civil inconvenientes they could Fourthly what ever be the laws in Scotland against them who continues long in the contempt of Excommunication which are not inflicted but
for great sins and after a long processe yet certainly their execution is very farre from all cruelty as they who know the proceedings of that land will beare witnes What he objects about fugitives it is true when a proces is begunne a fugitive may have it concluded and sent after him but we count not that man a fugitive from discipline or contumacious as the Warner quarrels us who upon just feare to hazard his life does not compear CHAP. XII The Presbytery is hurtfull to no order of men PRaelaticall malice is exorbitant beyond the bounds of all shew of moderation was it not enough to have calumniat the Presbytery to Kings Princes and Soveraignes to Parliaments and all Courts of Justice to people and all particular persons but yet a new chapter must be made to shew in it the hurtfullnes of Presbytery to all orders of men wee must have patience to stand a little in the unsavoury aire of this vomite also Unto the nobility and gentry the Presbitery must be hurtfull because it subjecteth them to the censures of a raw heady novice and a few ignorant artificers Ans. It s good that our praelats are now turned pleaders against the oppression of the Nobility and gentry it s not long since the praelatical clergy were accustomed to set their foule feet on the necks of the greatest peeres of the three Kingdomes with to high a pride and pressure that to shake of their yock no suffering no hazard has been refused by the best of the Nobility and gentry of Britaine but natures and principles are so easy to be changed that no man now needs feare any more oppression from the praelats though they were set downe again and wel warned in their repaired throns But to the challenge we answer that the meanest Eldership of a small Congregation in Scotland consists of the Pastor and a dozen at least of the most wise pious and learned that are to be found in the whole flock which yet the Warner heer makes to be judges but of the common people in matters of smallest moment But for the classicall Presbytery to which he referres the Ecclesiasticall causes of the Nobility and gentry and before whom indeed every Church processe of any considerable weight or difficulty does come though it concerne the persons of the meanest of the people this Presbytery does consist ordinarly of fifeteen Ministers at least and fifeteen of the most qualified noblemen gentlemen and Burgesses which the circuit of fifteen parishes can affoord these I hope may make up a judicatory of a great deale more worth then any officiall court which consists but of one judge a petty mercenary lawyer to whose care alone the whole Ecclesiastick jurisdiction over all the Nobility and gentry of diverse shyres is committed and that without appeale as the Warner has told us except it be to a Court of delegats a miserable releefe that all the Nobility gentry and Commons of a Kingdome who are oppressed by Episcopall officials have no other remedie but to goe attende a Committee of two or three civilians at London deputed for the discussing of such appeales The Presbyterian course is much more ready solide and equitable if any grievance arise from the sentence of a Presbytery a Synode twice a yeare doth sit in the bounds and attends for a week or if need be longer to determine all appeales and redresse all grievances now the Synode does consist of all the Ministers within the bounds which ordinarly are of diverse whole shyres as that of Glasgow of the upper and neather ward of Clidsedaile Baerranfrow Lennox Kile Carrick and Cunninghame also beside Ministers the constant members who have decisive voice in Synodes are the chiefe Noblemen Gentlemen and Burgesses of all these shyres among whom their be such parts for judgment as are not to be found nor expected in any inferiour civil Court of the Kingdom yet if it fall out so that any party be grieved with the sentence of a Synode there is then a farther and finall appeale in a Generall assembly which consists of as many Burgesses and more Gentlemen from every shire of the Kingdome then come to any Parliament beside the prime Nobility and choisest Ministry of the land having the Kings Majestie in persone or in his absence his high Commissioner to be their praesident This meeting yeerly or oftner if need be sits ordinarly a month and if they think fit longer the number the wisedome the eminency of the members of this Court is so great that beside the unjustice it were a very needlesse labour to appeal from it to the Parliament for as we have said the King or his high Commissioner sits in both meetings albeit in a differēt capacity the number and qualification of knights and Burgesses is ever large as great in the assembly as in the Parliament only the difference is that in the Parliament all the Nobility in the Kingdom sit without any election and by virtue of their birth but in the Assembly only who for age wisedome and piety are chosen by the Presbyteries as fittest to judge in Ecclesiastick affairs but to make up this oddes of the absence of some Noblemen the Assembly is alwayes adorned with above ane hundred of the choisest Pastors of the whole land none where of may sit in Parliament nothing that can conciliate authority to a Court or can be found in the Nation is wanting to the generall assembly how basely so ever our praelats are pleased to trample upon it The second alledged hurt which the Nobility have from the Presbytery is the losse of their patronages by congregations electing their Pastors Ans. Howsoever the judgment of our Church about patronages is no other then that of the Reformed divines abroad yet have our Presbyteries alwayes with patience endured patrons to present unto vacant Churches till the Parliament now at last hath taken away that grievance The Nobilities last hurt by the Presbytry is their losse of all their impropriations and Abey-lands Ans. How Sycophantick an accusation is this for who knowes not how farre the whole generation of the praelaticke faction doe exceed the highest of the Presbyterians in zeale against that which they call Sacriledge never any of the Presbyterians did attempt either by violence or a course of Law to put out any of the Nobility or gentry from their possessions of the Church-lands but very lately the threats and vigorous activity of the praelats and their followers were so vehement in this kinde that all the Nobility and gentry who had any interest were wackned to purpose to take heed of their rights In the last Parliament of Scotland when the power of the Church was as great as they expect to see it againe though they obtained the abolition of patronages yet were the possessors of the Church-lands and tythes so little harmed that their rights therto were more cleerly and strongly confirmed then by any praeceding Parliament
The fourth hurt is that every ordinary Presbyter wil make himselfe a Noblemans fellow Ans. No where in the World does gracious Ministers though meane borne men receive more respect from the Nobility then in Scotland neither any where does the Nobility and gentry receive more duely their honour then from the Ministers there That insolent speach fathered on Mr. Robert Bruce is demonstrat to be a fabulous calumny in the historicall vindication How ever the Warner may know that in all Europe where Bishops have place it hes ever at least these 800 yeares been their nature to trample under foot the highest of the Nobility As the Pope must be above the Emperour so a little Cardinal Bellarmin can tell to King Iames that hee may well be counted a companion of any Ilander King were the Bishops in Scotland ever content till they got in Parliament the right hand and the nearest seates to the throne and the doore of the greatest Earles Marquesses and duks was it not Episcopacy that did advance poore and capricious pedants to strive for the whyte staves great Seales of both Kingdomes with the prime Nobility and often overcome them in that strife In Scotland I know and the Warner will assure for England and Ireland that the basest borne of his brethren hes ruffled it in the secreet counsel in the royall Exchequer in the highest courts of justice with the greatest Lords of the Land it s not so long that yet it can be forgotten since a Bishop of Galloway had the modesty to give unto a Marquise of Argile tanta mont to a broadly in his face at the counsel table The Warner shall doe well to reckon no more with Presbyters for braving of Noblemen The nixt hee will have to bee wronged by the Presbytery are the orthodoxe clergy Ans. All the Presbyterians to him it seemes are heterodoxe Episcopacy is so necessary a truth that who denies it must be stamped as for a grievous errour with the character of heterodox The following words cleere this to be his mind they losse saith hee the confortable assurance of undoubted succession by Episcopall ordination what sence can be made of these words but that all Ministers who are not ordained by Bishops must lie under the confortlesse uncertainty of any lawfull succession in their ministeriall charge for want of this succession through the lineall descent of Bishops from the Apostles at least for want of ordination by the hands of Bishops as if unto them only the power of mission and ordination to the Ministry were committed by Christ because of this defect the Presbyterian Ministers must not only want the confort of an assured and undoubted calling to the Ministry but may very well know and be assured that their calling and Ministry is null The words immediatly following are scraped out after their printing for what cause the author lest knoweth but the purpose in hand makes it probable that the deletted words did expresse more of his mind then it was safe in this time and place to speake out it was the late doctrine of Doctor Brambles prime friends that the want of Episcopall ordination did not only annuall the calling of all the Ministers of France Holland Zwit-zerland and Germany but also did hinder all these societies to be true Churches for that popular Sophisme of the Jesuits our praelats did greedily swallow where are no true Sacraments there is no true Church and where is no true Ministry there are no true Sacraments and where no true ordination there is no true ministry and where no Bishops there is no true ordination and so in no reformed country but in England and Ireland where were true Bishops is any true Church When Episcopacy comes to this height of elevation that the want of it must annull the Ministry yea null the Church and all the Reformed at one strock is it any mervaill that all of them doe concurre together for their own preservation to abolish this insolent abaddon and destroyer and notwithstanding all its ruine have yet no disconfort at all nor any the least doubt of their most lawfull ordination by the hands of the Presbytry After all this was writen as heer it stands another copie of the Warners book was brought to my hand wherin I found the deleted line stand printed in these distinct tearmes and put it to a dangerous question whither it be within the payle of the Church the deciphering of these words puts it beyond all peradventure that what I did conjecture of the Warner and his Brethrens minde of the state of all the reformed Churches was no mis-take but that they doe truely judge the want of Episcopall ordination to exclude all the Ministers of other Reformed Churches and their flocks also from the lines of the true Church This indeed is a most dangerous question for it stricks at the root of all If the Warner out of remorse of conscience had blotted out of his book that errour the repentance had been commendable But he hes left so much yet behind unscraped out as does shew his minde to continue what it was so that feare alone to provoke the reformed heere at this unseasonable time seemes to have been the cause of deleting these too cleare expressions of the praelaticall tenet against the very being and subsistence of all the Protestant Churches which want Episcopacy when these mē doe still stand upon the extreame pinacle of impudency and arrogance denying the Reformed to be true Churches and without scuple averring Rome as shee stands this day under the counsel of Trent to be a Church most true wherin there is an easy way of salvation from which all separation is needlesse and with which are-union were much to be desired That gracious faction this day is willing enough to perswade or at least to rest content without any opposition that the King should of himselfe without and before a Parliament though contrary to many standing Lawes grant under his hand and seale a full liberty of Religion to the bloody Irish and to put in their hands both armes Castles and prime Places of trust in the State that the King should give assurance of his endeavour to get all these ratified in the nixt Parliament of England these men can heare with all moderation and patience but behold their furious impatience their whole art and industry is wakned when they heare of any appearance of the Kings inclination towards covenanting Protestants night and day they beate in his Majesties head that all the mischieves of the world does lurke in that miserable covenant that death and any misfortune that the ruine of all the Kingdomes ought much rather to bee imbraced by his Majestie then that prodigious Monster that very hell of the Covenant because forsooth it doth oblige in plane tearmes the taker to endeavour in his station the abolition of their great Goddesse praelacy The nixt hurt of Ministers from the Presbytry is that by it they
are brought to ignorance contempt and beggery Ans. Whither Episcopacy or Presbytry is the fittest instrument to avert these evills let reason or experience teach men to judge The Presbyteriall discipline doth oblige to a great deale of severer tryalls in all sort of learning requisite in a divine before ordination then doth the Episcopall let either the rule or practise of Presbyterian and Episcopall ordination be compared or the weekly Exercises and monthly disputations in Latine upon the controverted heads be looked upon which the Presbytry exacts of every Minister after his ordination all the dayes of his life for experience let the French Dutch and Scots divines who have been or yet are be compared with the ordinary generation of the English Clergie and it will be found that the praelats have not great reason so superciliously to look downe with contempt upon their Brethrens learning I hope Cartwright Whitaker Perkins Reynolds Parker Ames and other Presbyterian English were inferior in learning to none of their opposits some of the English Bishops has not wanted good store of learning but the most of them I beleeve wil be content to leave of boasting in this subject what does the Warner speake to us of ignorance contempt and Beggery does not all the world know that albeit some few scarce one of twenty did brook good benefices yea plurality of them whereby to live in splendor at Court or where they listed in their non-residency neverthelesse it hath been much complained that the greatest parte of the priests who had the cure of soules thorow all the Kingdome of England were incomparably the most ignorant beggerly and contemptible clergy that ever have been seen in any of the reformed Churches neither did we ever heare of any great study in the Praelats to remeed these evils albeit some of them be provident enough for their owne families Doctor Bramble knowes who had the skill before they had sitten seven yeare in their charge to purchase above fifeteen hundred pounds a yeare for themselves and their heirs what somever The third evil which the Ptesbytery brings upon Ministers is that it makes them prat and pray nonsence everlastingly Ans. It is indeed a great heartbrake unto ignorant lazy and unconsciencious Ministers to be put to the paines of preaching and prayer when a read service was wont to be all their exercise but we thought that all indifferently ingenuous men had long agoe been put from such impudence It was the late labour of the praelats by all their skill to disgrace preaching and praying without booke to cry up the Liturgy as the only service of God and to idolize it as a most heavenly and divine peece of write which yet is nought but a transcript of the superstitious breviary and idolatrous missall of Rome The Warner would doe well to consider and answer after seven years advisement Mr. Bailie his pararell of the service with the missall and Breviarie before hee presente the world with new paralels of the English liturgy with the directories of the Reformed Churches Is it so indeed that all preaching and praying without book is but a pratting of non-sence everlastingly why then continues the King and many well minded men to be deceived by our Doctors while they affirme that they are as much for preaching in their practise and opinion as the Presbyterians and for prayer without book also before and after sermon and in many other occasions it seemes these affirmations are nothing but grosse dissimulation in this time of their lownesse and affliction to decline the envy of people against them for their profane contempt of divine ordinances for wee may see heere their tenet to remaine what it was and themselves ready enough when their season shall be fitter to ring it out loud in the eares of the World that for divine service people needs no more but the reading of the liturgy that sermons on week dayes and Sundayes afternoon must all be laid aside that on the Sabbath before noone Sermon is needlesse and from the mouths of the most Preachers very noxious that when some learned Schollars are pleased on some festivall dayes to have an oration it would be short and and according to the Court paterne without all Spirit and life for edification but by all meanes it must bee provided that no word of prayer either before or after be spoken except only a bidding to pray for many things even for the welfare of the soules departed and all this alone in the words of the Lords prayer If any shall dare to expresse the desires of his heart to God in privat or publick in any words of his own framing hee is a grosse Puritan who is bold to offer to God his own nonsence rather then the auncient and well advised prayers of the holy Church The Warner is heer also mistaken in his beleefe that ever the Church of Scotland had any Liturgy they had and have still some formes for helpe and direction but no ty ever in any of them by law or practise they doe not condemne the use of set formes for rules yea nor for use in beginners who are thereby endeavouring to attaine a readinesse to pray in their family out of their owne heart in the words which Gods spirit dytes to them but for Ministers to suppresse their most confortable and usefull gift of prayer by tying their mouth unto such formes which themselves or others have composed wee count it a wrong to the giver and to him who has received the gift and to the gift and to the Church for whose use that was bestowed In the nixt place the Warner makes the Presbytry injurious to parents by marying their children contrary to their consent and forcing them to give to the disobedient as large a portion as to any other of their obedient children and that it is no mervail the Scots should doe these things who have stripped the King the father of their country of his just rights Ans. By the Warners rule all the actions of a nation where a Presbytry lodges must be charged on the back of the Presbytry II. The Parliament of Scotland denyes that they have stripped the King of his just rights while he was stirred up and keeped on by the praelaticall faction to courses destructive to himselfe and all his people after the shedding of much blood before the exercise of all parts of his royall government they only required for all satisfaction and security to religion and liberties the grant of some few most equitable demands The unhappy Praelats from the beginning of our troubles to this day finding our great demande to runne upon the abolition of their office did everpresse his Majestie to deny us that satisfaction and rather then Bishops should be laid aside they have concluded that the King himselfe and all his family and all his three Kingdomes shall perish yet with all patience the Scotes continue to supplicat and to offer not
only their Kingdome but their lives and estats and all they have for his Majesties service upon the grant of their few and easy demands but no misery either of King or people can overcome the desperat obstinacy ofPraelaticall hearts As for parents consent to the mariage of their children how tenderly it is provided for in Scotland it may be seen at length in the very place cited It was the Bishops who by their warrants for clandestine mariages and dispensations with mariages without warrant have spoiled many parents of their deare children with such abhominations the Presbytery was never acquainted all that is alleadged out of that place of our discipline is when a cruel parent or tutor abuses their authority over their children and against all reason for their owne evill ends perversely will crosse their children in their lawfull and every way honest desires of mariage that in that case the Magistrats and Ministers may be intreated by the grieved childe to deale with the unjust parent or tutor that by their mediation reason may be done I beleeve this advice is so full of equity that no Church nor State in the world will complaine of it but how ever it be this case is so rare in Scotland that I professe I never in my life did know nor did heare of any child before my dayes who did assay by the authoritative sentence of a Magistrate or Minister to force their parents consent to their marriage As for the Warners addition of the Ministers compelling parents to give portions to their children that the Church of Scotland haths any such canon or practise its an impudent lie but in the place alledged is a passage against the sparing of the life of adulterers contrary to the Law of God and for the excommunication of Adulterers when by the negligence of the Magistrat their life is spared this possibly may be the thorne in the side of some which makes them bite and spurne with the heele so furiously against the Authors and lovers of so severe a discipline The Presbyteries nixt injury is done to the Lawyers Synodes other Ecclesiastick Courts revoke their Sentences Ans. No such matter ever was attempted in Scotland frequent prohibitions have been obtained by curtisan Bishops against the highest civil judicatories in England but that ever a Presbitry or Synode in Scotland did so much as assay to impede or repeale the proceedings of any the meanest civil court I did never heare it so much as alleaged by our adversaries The nixt injury is against all Masters and Mistresses of families whom the Presbytery will have to be personally examined in their knowledge once a yeare and to be excommunicat if grosly and wilfully ignorant Ans. If it bee a crime for a Minister to call together parcels of his congregation to be instructed in the grounds of Religion that servants and children and where ignorance is suspected others also may be tryed in their knowledge of the Catechisme or if it bee a crime that in family-visitations oftener then once a yeare the conversation of every member of the Church may be looked upon we confesse the Ministers of Scotland were guilty thereof and so farre as we know the generality of the Episcopall faction may purge themselves by oath of any such imputation for they had somewhat else to doe then to be at the pains of instructing or trying the Spirituall State of every sheep in their flocks we confesse likewise that it is both our order and practise to keep off from the holy table whom wee find groslly and wilfully ignorant but that ever any for simple ignorance was excommunicat in Scotland none who knowes us will affirme it The last whom he will have to be wronged by the Presbytery are the common people who must groane under a high commission in every parish where ignorant governors rule all without Law medling even in domesticall jarres be twixt man and wife Master and Servant Ans. This is but a gybe of revenge for the overthrow of their Tyrannous high Commission-Court where they were wont to play the Rex at their pleasure above the highest subjects of the three Kingdoms and would never give over that their insolent domeneering court till the King and Parliaments of both Kingdomes did agree to throw it down about their eares The thing he jeares at is the congregationall Eldership a judicatory which all the Reformed doe enjoy to their great confort as much as Scotland They are farre from all arbitrary judications their Lawes are the holy Scripture and acts of superior Church-judicatories which rule so clearly the cases of their cognisance that rarely any difficulty remaines therein or if it doe immediatly by reference or appeal it is transmitted to the Classes or Synode The judges in the lowest Eldership as wee have said before are a doszen at least of the most able and pious who can bee hade in a whole congregation to joine with the Pastors one or more as they fall to be but the Episcopall way is to have no discipline at all in any congregation only where there is hope of a fyne the Bishops officiall will summon before his owne learned and conscientious wisedome who ever within the whole dioces have fallen into such a fault as hee pleaseth to take notice of as for domestick infirmities Presbyterians are most tender to medle therein they come never before any judicatory but both where the fault is great and the scandal thereof flagrant and broken out beyond the wals of the family These are the great injuries and hurts which the Church discipline has procured to all orders of men in the whole reformed world when Episcopacy has been such an innocent lambe or rather so holy an angel upon earth that no harme at all has ever come by it to any mortall creature a misbeleeving Jew will nothing misdoubt this so evident a truth CHAP. ULT. The Warners exceptions against the covenant are full of considence but exceeding frivolous THough in the former Chapters the Warner has shewed out more venome and gall then the bagge of any one mans stomack could have been supposed capable of yet as if he were but beginning to vomite in this last Chapter of the covenant a new flood of blacker poyson rusheth out of his pen. His undertaking is great to demonstrat cleerly that the covenant is meerly void wicked and impious His first clear demonstration is that it was devised by strangers imposed by subjects who wanted requisite power and was extorted by just feare of unjust suffering so that many that took it with their lips never consented with their hearts Ans. This cleer demonstration is but a poor and evill argument the Major if it were put in forme would hardly be granted but I stand on the minor as weake and false for the covenant was not devised by strangers the Commissioners of the Parliament of England together with the Commissioners of the Parlia ment and generall assembly
of Scotland were the first and only framers thereof but they who gave the life and being to it in England were the Lords and Commons assembled in Parliament at West-Minster by the Kings call and at that time acknowledged by his Majestie without any question about the lawfullnes of their constitution and authority these men and that Court were not I hope great strangers in England The covenant was not imposed upon the King but the Parliaments of both Kingdomes made it their earnest desire unto his Majestie that he would be pleased to joyne with them in that Covenant which they did judge to be a maine peece of their security for their Religion and liberties in all the three Kingdomes As for their imposing of it upon the subjects of England an ordinance of Parliament though the King consent not by the uncontroverted lawes of England is a sufficient authority to crave obedience of all the subjects of England during the continuance of that Parliament The last part of the demonstration is dishonorable indeed to the English Nation if it were true it was no dishonour to England to joyne with their brethren of Scotland in a Covenant for mantainance of their Religion and Liberties but for many of the English to sweare a covenant with their lippes from which their heart did dissent and upon this difference of heart and mouth to plead the nullity of the oath and to advance this plea so high as to a cleer demonstration this is such a dishonour and dishonesty that a greater cannot fall upon a man of reputed integrity Especially when the ground of the lie and perjury is an evident falshood for the covenant was not extorted from any flesh in England by feare of any unjust suffering so far was it from this that to this day it could never be obtained from the Parliament of England to enjoyne that covenant upon any by the penulty of a two pence The Warners second demonstration is no better then the first the ground of it is that all oathes are void which have deceipt and errour of the substantiall conditions incident to them This ground had need to be much better cautioned then heere it is before it can stand for a major of a clear demonstration but how is the minor proved behold how much short the Warners proofes are of his great boastings His first argument is grounded upon an evident falshood that in the Covenant we sweare the lately devised discipline to be Christs institution Ans. There is no such word nor any such matter in all the Covenant was the Warners hatred so great against that peece of write that being to make cleare demonstrations against it hee would not so much as cast his eye upon that which he was to oppugne Covenanters sweare to endeavour the reformation of England according to the word of God and the best reformed Churches but not a word of the Scotes Presbytery nor of any thing in any Church even the best reformed unlesse it be found according to the paterne of Gods holy word The second ground of his demonstration is also an evident errour that the covenant in hand is one and the same with that of King Iames. Ans. Such a fancy came never in the head of any man I know much lesse was it ever writen or spoken by any that the Covenant of King Iames in Scotland 1580 should bee one and the same with the Covenant of all the three Kingdomes 1643 whatsoever identities may appeare in the matter and similitude in the ends of both but the grossest errors are solide enough grounds for praelaticall clear demonstrations Yet heere the Warner understands not how hee is cutting his own vines his friends in Scotland will give him small thanks for attributing unto the nationall Covenant of Scotland that Covenant of King Iames these three properties that it was issued out by the Kings authority that it was for the maintenance of the Lawes of the realme and for the maintenance of the established Religion tyme brings adversaries to confesse of their own accord long denyed truthes But the Characters which the Warner inprints upon the solemne league and Covenant of the three Kingdomes wee must bee pardoned to controvert till he have taken some leasure to trie his wilde assertions First that the league is against the authority of the King secondly that it is against the Law and thirdly that it is for the overthrow of Religion The man cannot think that any should beleeve his dictats of this kind without proofe since the expresse words of that league do flatly contradict him in all these three positions His gentle memento that Scotland when they sued for aid from the crowne of England had not the English discipline obtruded upon their Church might heer have been spaired was not the English discipline and liturgy obtruded upon us by the praelats of England with all craft and force did we ever obtrude our disciplin upon the English but when they of their owne free and long deliberate choice had abolished Bishops and promised to set up Presbytery so far as they had found it agreable to the word of Cod were wee not in all reason obliged to encourage and assist them in so pious a work In the nixt words the Warner for all his great boasts finding the weaknes of all the former grounds of his seconde demonstration he offers three new ones which doubtles will doe the deid for he avowes positively that his following grounds are demonstrative yet whosoever shal be pleased to grip them with never so soft an hand shall find them all to be but vanity and wind The first after a number of prosyllogismes rests upon these two foundations first that the right of the militia resides in the King alone secondly that by the covenant the militia is taken out of the Kings hands and that every covenanter by his covenant disposes of himselfe and of his armes against the right which the King hath into him Ans. The Warner will have much adoe to prove this second so that it may be a ground of a clear demonstration but for the first that the power of the militia of England doth reside in the King alone that the two houses of Parliament have nothing at all to doe with it and that their taking of armes for the defence of the liberties of England or any other imaginable cause against any party countenanced by the Kings presence against his lawes must be altogether unlawfull if his demonstration be no clearer then the ground where upon he builds it I am sure it will not be visible to any of his opposits who are not like to be convinced of open rebellion by his naked assertion upon which alone he layes this his mighty ground Beleeve it he had need to assay its releefe with some colour of ane argument for none of his owne friends will now take it of his hand for ane indemonstrable principle since the King for
only the Presbyters it gives the King power over all persons as subjects but none at all in Ecclesiastick causes Ans. Is there in all this reasoning any thing sound First what article of the covenant beares the setting up of the Presbyterian government in England as it is in Scotland II. If the oath of supremacy import no more then what the Warners expresse words are here that the King is a civil head to see every man doe his duty in his calling let him be assured that no Presbyterian in Scotland was ever contrary to that supremacy III. That the Presbytery is a papacy and that a politicall one the Warner knowes it ought not to be graunted upon his bare word IV. That in Scotland no other governors are acknowledged then Presbyters himselfe contradicts in the very nixt words where he tells that the Scots Presbytery ascribes to the King a power over all persons as subjects V. That any Presbyterian in Scotland makes it sacriledge to give the King any power at all in any Ecclesiastick cause it is a senselesse untruth The Warners arguments are not more idle and weake then his triumphing upon them is insolent for he concludes from these wise and strong demonstrations that the poor covenant is apparently deceitfull unvalide impious rebellious and what not yea that all the learned divines in Europe wil conclude it so that all the covenanters themselfes who have any ingenuity must grant this much and that no knowing English man can deny it but his owne conscience will give him the ly Ans. If the Warner with any seriousnesse hath weighed this part of his owne write and if his mind goe along with his pen I may without great presumption pronounce his judgment to be none of the most solide His following vapours being full of aire we let them evanish only while he mentioneth our charging the King with intentions of changing the Religion and government we answer that we have been most willing alwayes to ascribe to the King good intentions but withall we have long avowed that the praelaticall party have gone beyond intentions to manifest by printed declarations and publick actions their former designe to bring Tiranny upon the States and popery upon the Churches of all the three Kingdomes and that this very write of the Warners makes it evident that this same minde yet remaines within them without the least shew of repentance So long as the conscience of the court is mannaged by men of such principles it is not possible to free the hearts of the most understanding from a great deale of Jealousy and feare to have Religion and lawes still overturned by that factione But the Warner commands us to speake to his Dilemma whither we think it lawfull or unlawfull for subjects to take armes against their prince meerly for Religion We answer that the reasons whereby he thinks to conclude against us on both sides are very poor if we shall say it is unlawfull then he makes us to condemne our selfes because our covenant testifies to the world that we have taken up armes meerly to alter Religion and that we beare no alleadgance to our King but in order to Religion which in plaine tearmes is to our owne humours and conceits Ans. There be many untruthes here in few words first how much reality and truth the Warner and some of his fellowes beleeves to be in that thing which they call Religion their owne heart knowes but it can be no great charity in him to make the Religion of all covenanters to be nothing but their owne humours and conceits Secondly it is not true that Covenanters beare no alleadgance to the King but only in order to religion III. The Parliament of England denied that they took up armes against their King though to defend themselves against the popish praelaticall and malignant faction who were about to destroy them with armes IV. They have declared that their purpose was not at all to alter Religion but to purge it from the corruptions of Bishops and ceremonies that to long had been noxious unto them V. They have oft professed that their armes were taken for the defence of their just liberties whereof the preservation and reformation of Religion was but one The other horne of his Dilemma is as blunt in pushing as the former If we make it lawfull saith he to take up armes for Religion we then justify the independents and Anabaptists wee make way for any that will plant what ever they apprehend to be true Religion by force and to cut the throat of all Magistrats who are in a contrary opinion to them that it is a ridiculous partiality for any to priviledge their own Religion as truth and Gospell Ans. Whether will these men goe at last the strength of this reason is blak atheisme that their is no realty of truth in any Religion that no man may be permitted to take his Religion for any thing more but his owne apprehension which without ridiculous folly he must not praeferre to any other mans apprehension of a contrary Religion this is much worse then the pagane Scepticisme which turned all reality of truth into a meer apprehension of truth wherein their was no certainty at all this not only turnes the most certaine truths even these divine ones of Religion into meer uncertaine conceptions but which is worse it wil have the most orthodoxe beleever so to think speake and act as if the opinions of Independents Anabaptists Turks Jews Pagans or grosse Atheists were as good true and solide as the beleefe of Moyses or Paul were of the truths revealed to them from heaven Secondly we say that subjects defence of their Religion and liberties established by Law against the violent usurpation of Papists Praelats or Malignants is not the planting of Religion by arms much lesse is it the cutting of the throats of al Magistrats who differ in any point of Religion III. In the judgement of the praelaticall party the defensive armes of the Protestants in France Holland and Germany must be al 's much condemned as the offensive armes of the Anabaptists in Munster or of the sectaries this day in England Can these men dreame that the World for their pleasure will so farre divest themselves of all Religion and reason as to take from their hands so brutish and Atheisticall maximes He concluds with a wish of a generall counsel at least of all protestant Churches for to condemne all broatchers of seditious principles Ans. All true covenanters goe before him in that desire being confident that he and his fellowes as they have declined al ready the most solemne assemblies of their owne countries upon assurance of their condemnation so their tergiversation would be al 's great if they were to answer to an oecumenick Synod What I pray would the Warner say in a counsel of protestants for the practise of his party pointed at in his last words I meane their
they could So that this straight tie can in some cases we see play fast loose the strictnesse of it whereof we have had so sad an experiment will be found onelie by the hands of the holie leaguers for such we know were the newnam'd Independents at first to bind Religion Majestie Loyaltie to the blocke then lay the axe to the root of them all stifle them from repullulating if they can Therefore they that manage the conscience whether of Court or Citie or Countrey doe well if they possesse their Religious votaries with a particular full sense of the inevitable miserie that will follow them if they be catchd in this noose advise them to whip all such sawcie beggars such Whying Covenanters from their gates The next taske of the Reuiewers Engineer-ship is to draw an out worke about the open unkindnesse treason pretilie qualisied in the terme against the observe he sayth not our late King which he makes of so large a compasse that all the Presbyterian credit he can raise will never be able to maintaine it for an houre which this skillfull officer foreseeing despaire puts him first upon a salie where the Ghosts of Wicklisfe Husse Luther with a brazen piece of falshood his Disciples are draw'n out to assault his dangerous enemie in his trench For which he knowes as well as I can tell him there are other parts of the Reformed world beside England those of Luthers Disciples that keep up Episcopacie to this day And forgetting in part what he hath sayd allreadie minding lesse what he shall babble otherwhere about the businesse he tells us here 't is the violence of ill advised Princes which when he pleaseth he makes the Policie of the Bishops themselves that hath kept up this limbe of Antichrist he meanes the Episcopal order in England Since the first Reformation whence hath come the perpetual trouble in our land the Historie of the Schismatical Puritanâ—… will sufficientlie satisfie any man that will search And how the Church Kingdome are now at last come so neare the ground the Disciplinarian practices will evidence But the Scotish Presbyterie that gave the first kicke at the miter hath since lift up the other leg against the Crowne may chance to catch the fall in the end having now much adoe to light upon its feet Having made his retreat he begins to endeavour the maintaining of his masterpiece by degrees tell us Their first contests stand justified this day by King Parliament in both Kingdomes Ans And must so stand I say not jufied till King Parliament meet once againe in either to consider whether with out a new ratification by their favour your after contests make not a just forfeiture of their gracious condescension to your first His Majestie of ever blessed memorie hath told you His charitie Act of Pacification sorbids him to reflect on former passages Which argues some such passages to have been as were not very meritorious of his favour And though his Royal charitie may silence it doth not justisie your contests by that Act. The borders of Scotland being as well His Majestics as yours though you keep to your Presbyterian style which affords no proprietie to others then themselves yeilds very litle communitie to Kings the King our borders I hope it was free for him to move toward them as he pleas'd If your resistance to the Magistrates he deputed made him for the securitie of his person come attended with an armie for his guard or if the rod axe could inflict no paenal justice by vertue of the judge's word upon a banded companie of miscreants at home therefore sent abroad to crave the regular assistance of the sword no lawes of God nor your Countrey dictates any just or necessarie defense which is nothing but an unjustifiable rebellion Nor can Dunce law so justifie your meeke lying downe in your armes but that if the King would have made his passage to you with his sword you might have justlie been by a more learned law helpt up with a halter about your necke The novations in Religion were not such a world but that two words Liturgie Canons may compasse it What was in them contrarie to the lawes of God hath a blanke margin still that requires your proofe that any were to the lawes of your Countrey will never be made good having the King Lords of the Counsel I meane those of your Kingdome that did approve them The power in your armie to dissipate the Kings is but a litle of Pyrgopolynices breath The easie conditions given you to retreat may be attributed to His Majesties mercie aversenesse from bloud not to his apprehension of your power The Kings second coming toward you with an armie was upon no furious motion of the Bishops who had no stroke in his Councel for warre but upon the fierie trial you put him to by that many flagrant provocations wherewith you other incendiaries nearer home daylie environ'd him who fearing the precedent accommodation by peace might afford respite for a farther more particular discoverie of the principal actours in contributers toward the late warre expose many considerable brethren to a legal trial notwithstanding the agreement contracted impatient ambition having allreadie been too much impeded by observing the easie conditions you mention made the first breach according to the right account first rais'd a militarie power which His Majestie had very good reason to suppresse The successe you had by your first impression upon part of His Majesties Armie at New-bourne your easie purchace of the Towne of New-Castle was not such as cleard the passage to London without the farther hazard of which you were too well payd for your stay in Northumberland instead of a rod that was due you caried too honourable a badge at your backes of His Majesties meekncsse when the second time you returned in peace What passed after your packing away to the raising of the new armie you speake of you may reade blush if you have any grace in the former part of His martyr'd Majesties booke if you have none you may as I beleeve you doe laugh in your slovenlie slecve to see your prompt scholars come to so good perfection copie your owne rebellion to the life The Bishops then were litle at leisure to looke abroad to any such purpose being happie if they could get an house for their shelter from the threats stones that flew very thicke about their cares the rabble rout at London by that time being well inform'd what effectual weapons stones stooles such like as surie on a sodaine could furnish had been against blacke gownes white sleeves at Edenburgh before That any armie could at that time be raised when the Kings Forts Magazines Militia Navie were seizd into the hands of
mercisull armes of the sea then without the strongest deliberate engagement into the perfidious more fluctuating armie of the Scots Nor yet had all your underhand oathes promises prevaild for the unhappie credulitie of a most pious prudent King if some better credit in all likelihood had not interposed it selfe which it may be was more deceiv'd then it deceived Therefore your storie about London Lin Holland France is a greater circuit then his Majestie toke in his designed journey to Newarke The promise of satisfaction that caried him thence to New-Castle might have long before been his conduct to London if Religion Reason might have been permitted to goe along which him That he gave not what you expected that is to say his Royal soul to the Divel his old oathes might very well hinder him for I pray tell me why a King as well as a Rebell may not feare the oath of God It is not unlikelie that the prime leaders of the English armie were at that time wearie of your companie who fill'd the best of their quarters did least of your service Nor that you were out of heart as wel as reputation by the signal victories to a mitacle all most obteined against you by not your companion good Sir James Grahame but the Thrice renowned Marquesse Montrosse whose proceeding had been most successefull happie may they still be for His Majesties affaires If there were such divisions in Scotland what could better compose thém then the personal presence of the King but this was not according to the Kingdomes libertie meant in the third article of the covenant In the preservation of which that is so farre as you thought fit to make consistent with which in the defense of what they call the true Religion which you tooke for granted he never intended to complie with you had fworne to defend the Kings Majesties person that is one of the forenam'd expresse articles to that purpose The hazard of a warre weighed heavier in the balance of your counsels then the hazard of his Royal person in the hands of his irrecoucileable enemies forgeting that the â—…orke of righteousnesse in performance of your promises would have been a more lasting peace the effect of that righteousnesse quietnesse assurance for ever The sectarian Armie which you scarce durst have call'd so at that time had otherworke then to goe into Scotland but that your hollow-hearted professions to the King who was in no very indifferent case to make sure conditions of advantage to himselfe made him order the surrender of his garrisons into their hands So you sav'd His Majestie from the racke to bring him to the scaffold And you with your Brother-Presbyters escap'd the like torture then but if you goe on to stretch your conscience till it cracke we shall see as well the punishment as the guilt of that murder glowing at your heart After two such accidental confessions wherein your Armie demonstrativelie shew'd themselves either false foolishlie credulous or cowards at best you reckon up several conveniences of His Majesties being in one of his houses neare London when it had been ever before pretended to the poor deluded people that he was to be brought to his Parliament in London And this you did upon the fayth of that Parliament which you say kept up a sectarian Armie against you A very good argument to prevaile with you for their credit Upon such termes as should be satisfactorie to the King particularlie mentioned in the paper deliverd to the King by the Committe of Estates upon the 15 of May 1646. noted in that of Iune 8. to the speaker of the House of Peers subscribed By his affectionate friends humble servants Lauderdail Iohnston Henrie Kennedie your owne potent good Lord c. That if His Majestie should delay to goe about the readiest wayes meanes to satisfie both his Kingdomes they would be necessitated for their owne exoneration to acquaint the Committee of both Kingdomes at London that a course might be taken by joint advice of both Kingdomes for attempting the just ends expressed in the solemne league Covenant By which His Majestie was to bring satisfaction to them you not as you say to receive termes satisfactorie to himselfe Wherein because he made not what hast was required you exonerated your selfe of all the malice you had unto his person made an end of his dayes which was just the end you aim'd at in the Covenant This being the true case you aske Whether it were any injustice Yes to imprison his person by confining him to an house to weaken his power by robbing him of his garrisons Whether any unkindnesse Yes to give up your native King who you confesse cast himselfe on your protection to them who were so far from affording him any of his palaces neare London that it was death for any man to harbour him in his house What imprudence it was let the best politician of you all speake because ablest to judge Or the worst who by this time can evidence how besotted you were to your utter disrepute destruction What advantage at that time you had to lay the fairest colour upon the foulest fact that ever you committed win the world by an after-game into an high opinion of your trust What to gaine the length of your line in the libertie of Religion or lawes And as for wealth honour you might upon such a merit in all likelihood have had what the vastest ambitious Helluo could aske or three luxuriant Kingdomes could yeild you Whereas now you have ript up your false hearts throw'n your guilt in the face of the sun so that the sound of your rebellion is gone into all lands your treacherie travailes in a poverbe even to the ends of the earth Your Religion hath many times since struggled for life which the mercie or temporizing subtilitie of your sectarian enemie hath preserv'd your lawes have taken their libertie from his sword He deteines at this time the wages of your wickednesse in his house your honour not long since kissed his foot by fower Commissioners humblie waited on him to his doores But you come to a closer question Whether the deliverie of the Kings person were a selling of him to his enemies Ans It may be such for all that you say against it Your Masters are not allwayes wont to pay your arreares upon single service I hinted even now that your miscariages of late have cut you off a good sume that is behind which by Ordinance of Parliament is to be disposed otherwayes Let the capitulation have been in reference to what it will the Act of what you call the English Parliament exclude the disposal of the King we know that was the subject of many papers that pass'd between you which were penned with so much collusion cunning that any broker might
reference to its reception otherwhere because vested with the power of a civile law in Scotland nor is that law unalterable when a future Parliament may take into consideration the inconveniencies that accompanie it The Bishop need not be grieved being as ignorant as your selfe you are enough as King knowing as you would seem that His Majestie doth not at all question the justice because he doth not the legalitie of these sanctions Therefore his Lordship may thinke on speake on when he pleaseth more about this bussinesse yet vouch with out a maske loyaltie in his face nor for ought you draw from him need his veines be so emptie nor his stomake so sharpe set as to eate his former words much lesse be so desperate as to burne his whole booke the consistence of it with his toughts professions laying no slander upon the King his Royal Father of ignorance injustice the one having established the other offering to establish by your civile lawes such a Church discipline as is mentiond both having done it upon most unreasonable importunitie without any know'n inclination to or approbation of the same Farther what a slander this would prove upon your grounds beyond the irreverence toward any actions of a King which is haled hither in a forced consequence by the cords of your malice may be guessed by the Royal Father's confession in his solitude If any shall impute my yeilding to them the Scots as my failing sinne I can easilie acknowledge it but that is no argument to doe so agaiâ—…e or much more For the Royal sonne His Majestie now being you say he hath not yet gone beyond an offer therefore His Martyr'd Fathers poenitential acknowledgement of his failing sinne join'd to your seasonable admonition That there can be no such actual concession but upon the peril of ignorance or buge injustice except he ownes it aswell to be the religious dictate of his conscience as a poltike indulgence upon necessitie of state may probablie move him at leisure to deliberate whatsoever he shall determine to doe in this wherein God direct him for the best aswell for his owne sake as the saftie of his Kingdomes make him cautious hereafter how the importunitie of the mission gets ground upon his goodnesse when all his grants shall be so publikelie registred as conscientious acts by such barbarious pens deliver'd to posteritie as sealed with his soule The Bishops presumption in that which followes is none but what from the grounds of modest Christian charitie may be raised viz. That a knowing a just King such as your owne character renders him will acknowledge that contrarie to the dictates of his conscience which is proved contrarie to the lawes of God man And this may be proclaimed if not prohibited without being his Confessour or taking it from the Clerke of the closet in any whisper Nor doth your mistâ—…ust of reports beare authoritie enough to make His Majesties conscience passe for Presbyterian no more then that for a command or imposition by law which was by your petitionarie violence ravish'd from his passive innocencie into a grant So that you see in the very beginning you stumble at a strawe being to finde somewhat worse in your way you were best life your legs higher in your progresse How much the Disciplinarian Scots have contributed from the beginning toward the alteration of Religion in England is too large a storie to be inserted in this dispute Their old account the Rt Reverend Arch-Bishop Bancroft cast up in his Dangerous positions English Scotizing Discipline their later arreares ruu very high in the historie of our times beginning with his religious learned successour The losse of whose head is not more to be imputed to the peoples clamours then the Scotish papers Whatsoever they did before I hope they can not denie themselves to be one of the horned beasts which together with their English brethren make the supporters of the Presbyterian Rebells scutcheon in the Covenant This in their remonstrance upon their last inroad into England when their fainting brethren with the cause were giving up the ghost they tell the King plainlie they shall zealouslie constantlie in their severall vocations endeavour with their estates lives to persue advance This pursuance was against the King Bishops which with the Convocation of divines are the true full representatives of the Church of England The assemblie of Divines were but locusts caterpillars brought together at Westminster by a Northerne wind The lawes of England convocate no such creatures nor in such a maner King Parliament were mere names had then there no real being so no breath to such a purpose nor those in the two Houses afterward more then the heads on the top of them in any politike capacitie to ordaine the abolition of Episcopacie Beside what the Assemblie did deliberate debate poor mechanike people 't is very well know'n they did as daylie labourers sacrilegious hirelings spend the thred of their time in your service payd the price of their souls for a sequestration or two the Covenanting brethren's pillage of the Church So that if they began the song you know by whom they were payd for their paines if they danc'd not after your pipe poor scraping wretches they came at your call how soever you were in a medley together to be sure your Covenanting Divel had got you all into a circle will better distinguish you when he calls to you for his reâ—…koning But by your favour good Sir His Majestie kept out for the very three yeares you mention told you plainlie he would make one in the practike harmonie of the Catholike Church That permission for it was no more necessitie extorted though he could not at that time get you all into Bedlam he thought in thrce yeares you would pipe dance your selves wearie then be content to give way to a better solemnitie of the Cathedral musike to come in In the meane time estates lives engag'd in the advancement of the Covenant by the sword the end thereof being to setle discipline was medling with imposing upon our Church Quod erat demonstrandum The Bishop you see gives a shrewd guesse who they are you endeavour to brand with the name of Erastians how all Protestans Churches even such as are not Episcopal must be beholding to you for that title because they come not up to the rigour of your Discipline Wherein Erasttus slaterd the Magistrate to the prejudice of the just rights of 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
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 ReformedChurches 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 s. min. 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 custome 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 Presbyteric 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 this Chapter Your closing with the Parliament which the Bishop hath not mention'd is but to beget a wonder by making an hermaphroditc 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 is about the head of the Church will be clearlie rendred when just Authoritie demands it but His Lordship thinkes not good to be catechiz'd by every ignorant Scotish Presbyter nor give answer to every impertinent question he puts in If your fingars itch to be handling the extrinsccal power in the Minister derivative from the supremacie
he that is read in your opinions actions will take it for granted that you must pay the acknowledgement of your Presbyterie to the Sanhedrin your sects conversion to the lewes If you will impudentlie crowd it into the companie of the first Christians that came into Scotland you can not denie but that for some part of the Centuries you speake of it was confin'd to the monkes colls never came to clamour at the Court the poore Culdiis with a great deale more humilitie pietie then the Covenanters caried it in their cowles Rev. … after the reformation there was no Bishop in that land Ans. The reformation you meane began the day before or after the Greeke Calends if you will helpe me to an account of the one I shall know how to order the aera of the other Many yeares confusion there was of Poperie Presbyterie Superintendencie The reform'd Episcopacie could never get ground till King James set it forward then it went not far before it met with your violent encounter by Sword Covenant which never suffered the crowne nor Miter to stand long unshaken till both were held up by the Armes of England the Kings person secure at a distance to command you That ever such a thing as reformed Presbyterie according to the Canon in your Discipline had the free positive consent of King Parliament without which it can not legallie passe for the Religion of your Kingdome I denie to be visible any where in your storie Rev. … till the yeare 1610. Ans. That yeare did indeed complete the Episcopal power which King James had by degrees piouslie industriouslie promoted many yeares before Rev. … When Bancrost did consecrate three Scots Ministers c. Ans. A brother of yours tells us they were consecrated by Bishop Abbot As evil as their report was the men were not so bad as their names need be in charitie conceled They were Iohn Spotswood Andrew Lamb Gawin Hamilton Bishops of Glasgow Brechen Galloway Who enjoy now their reward in heaven for the râ—…viling they had on earth it being for Gods sake his Church according to our Saviours promise St. Matth. 5. 11. The first was a man for zeale to the Church fidelitie to the King prudence in Government constancie under affliction singular inimitable indeed for his excellent gifts onelic hatefull to the Disciplinarians though especiallie because he through long experienec was of all Scotish men best acquainted with ablest to detect their crosse wayes to the King all Soveraigne Magistracie He died piouslie peaceablie at Westminster in the second yeare of this rebellion was buried in the Abbey Church The second was a great assiduous preacher even when he was blinde through extreme age He also died in peace with the good report of all except these calumniatores who hold that no Bishop can be an honest man whose invention is so rich of nothing as reproaches against better men then themselves The third was a reverend Praelate of great parts singular learning a most constant preacher who lived in peace died in his bed Rev. … that violent Commissioner the Earle of Dunbar Ans. His violence did not carie him beyond his Commission because he executed that upon the rebellious Aberdene Assemblers would not take off some of his kindred or acquaintance who were in the jurie that deliberatelie cast them in their verdict nor intercede for their stay in Scotland being desir'd you here meet with him at the Synod of Glasgow Which being at large prov'd legitimate in every circumstance required by law is in vaine condem'd as null by your faction Nor was it corrupt in any more then three members of about 140. who being rotten drop of from the close union harmonious suffrage of the rest Rev … got authorized in some part of the Bishops office Ans. I hope you will not denie that Bishops were authorized to ordaine in this Synod And into how many particulars their power of jurisdiction was branched your brother very pittifullie complaines… jurisdictio in omnibus offendiculis sive in doctrina sive in moribus … Armantur … potestate exauctorandi ministros suspensionis censuram irrogandi excommunicationem decernendi c. you may reade the rest then tell us what part of their office was left out Rev. Superintendents are no where the same with Bishops much lesse in Scotland Ans. That they are aequivalent to Bishops is evident by the conformitie in their offices power The particulars whereof His Lordship recites out of the fourth sixt heads of your 1. Book Discipl To which upon my Review I could adde some more if those were not enough Their ambulatorie commission was no other then our Bishops ambulatorie visitation If your onclic in the time before have any influence here exempt them from all duties in their visitation but preaching the word c. you cut of three parts of their injunction in the Discipline If they were onelie as you say for a time it concerneâ—… you to tell us where they ceas'd denie there were any since or ever shall be more but upon some future new plantation in your Churches Being pressed about obtruding your Discipline you tell us For the Eâ—…clesiastike enjoyning of a general Assemblies decrees a particular ratisication of Parliament is unnecessarie Which holds not where the particular decrees of your Assemblie transgresse the general intent of that Act whereby you are authoriz'd to meet That relates to the times and matters to be treated of In the former you are limited to custome or praescription In the later to the doctrine discipline receiv'd Which are therefore ratified in such Acts together with your Assemblies Presbyterie Sessions that obedience might be render'd upon the visible conformitie of your decrees injunctions to that rule But to make any Act of Parliament so general as to ratisie at adventure all possible arbitrarie commamds of your Assemblie to the altering of the doctrine or discipline established were to praecontract affinitie with all sects haeresies to enter into an implicite league or Covenant with the Devil about his worship so it may be de futuro ad placitum Synodi generalis Let me put this case suppose a general Assemblie should by an Ecclesiastical decree enjoyne the canons of that Antichristian government against which you praetend your discipline is framed Whether or no is that injunction authentike upon the general A of Parliament for their Assembling without a particular ratification thereof I might adde how ridiculous it is for you to make the power of your Assemblies so absolute yet trouble King Parliament so often with your importunate petitions to passe what is fullie ratified before that by their owne General Acts including that very particular for which you supplicate The debates about the second booke of Discipline I
beleeve But that in the Assemblie 1590. the Kings consent to it was obtaind I can sooner admit upon undeniable authoritie then your Logike you pretend not to the perpetuitie of His Majesties personal praesence which was but some times it should seem not at that time of general consent Nor is your Act for subscription so cleare in the assurance you give us that His Majesties Commissioner was there you onelie take it for granted he was among the herd Nor so explicite in his positive consent you onelie collect it from a clowdie universal to serve your turne honour him with a primacie in suffrage Wherein you are a litle redundant in courtesie there having been a time when if His Majestie or His Commissioner siting in Assemblie should denie his voyce to any thing which appear'd unjust repugnant to his lawes yet it that were concluded by most voyces you would tell him he was bound jure divino to inforce obedience to your Act. The case for ought I know stood no otherwise here in this Assemblie Where to discountenance the testimonie you bring you have been told long before now That the superintendents of Angus Lothian Fife c. George Hayes Commissioner from the North. Arbuthnoth of Aberdene others were dissenters from this Act about the discipline whereby His Majesties or His Commissioners consent becomes somewhat improbable to the authoritie whereof such men as they had in prudence submitted if not in dutie by their silence That States-men in Parliament oppos'd it is evident That the King ever endeavourd to get it passe is your single assertion Neque usquam sictum neque pictum neque scriptum If your Church did it was for want of worke for you told us even now To this a particular ratisication of Parliament was unnecessarie What the Bishops opinion is about the patrimonie of the Church how farre by whom what part of it may be law fullie alienated when just occasion is given I praesume His Lordship freelic faythfullie will declare In the meane time his chalenge against the Scotish Presbyterians is without hypocrise injustice Himselfe many other good Prelates having ever aesteem'd it a fault to call the annexing some part of the Church revenues unto the crowne a detestable sacriledge before God Nor can Mr. Baylie instance in any indefinite disputes including all that hath been or shall be given to the Church that have hapened since the first reformation between the Kings of England their Bishops Who had they found their Princes rapacious sequestratours would not have failed in their dutie modestlie to admonish them of the danger yet had it may be abstained from calling them theeves murderers peculiar termes characteristical of the Discipline-To which I thinke I shall doe no injustice if I assert that the revenues of Bishops Dcanes Arch-deacous of Chapellries Friaries of all orders together with the sisters of the seenes abstracting from the favour of Princes no more belong to the Scotish Presbyters then they doe to the Mufties of the Turke The intention of the doners having never been that such strange catell should feed in their pastures Nor can M. Baylie shew me any law that makes him heir to Antichrist or a just inheriter of his lands Beside methinkes the weake stomack'd brethren should take checke at the meate offered unto idols any silken sould Presbyter be too nice to array himselfe in the ragges of Rome or be cloth'd at that cost that belong'd to the idolatrous Priesthood of Baal But it may be in the heate of Reformation they went to worke with the coyning irons which they more then once got into their possession with them altered the impression of the beast And the mattokes shoucls Which other armes being wanting they very often tooke in their hands were possiblie onelie to turne up the Church land whereever crop had been reap't by Antichrist that abominable glebe went downe to the center of the earth What he talkes about the Praelatical jus divinum their taking possessions by commands from Court without a processe requires his instance then he shall have his answer In the interim he playes the hypoctite in a question What if then the Disciplinarians had gone to advance that right to all jusdivinum when the Assemblie at Edenburgh did so April 24. 1576. But he sayth all the Scots can be challeng'd for is a mere declaration of their judgement simple right in a supplication to the Regents Grace 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 These Scots judgement was not allwayes in righteousnesse and their simplicitie in supplicates had many times more of the Lion then the Lambe Witnesse that to the Queen Regent 1559. where they declare their judgements freelie as true faithfull subjects they tell her yet this is the style of that declaration …Except this crueltie be stayed by your wisdome We shall be compelled to take the sword of just defense c. …If ye give eare to their pestilent counsel…neither ye neither yet your posteritie shall at any time after this finde that obedience faythfull service within this Realme which at all times ye have found in us In the assemblies supplications to the Lords of secret Councel May 28. 1561. the second article annexed to which was for the maintenance of the ministerie this Before ever these tyrants dumbe dogs Empire above us…we…are fullie determin'd to hazard life whatsoever we have recived of God in temporall things…And let these enemies of God assure themselves That if your Honours put not order unto them That we shall shortlie take such order That they shall neither be able to doe what they list neither yet to live upon the sweat of the browe December 25. 1566. They order requiring instead of Supplicating Churh censures to the disobedient Their sixt head of Church rents in the first booke of Discipline runnes very imperiouslie upon the must The Gentlemen Barons c. must be content to live upon their just rents suffer the Kirke to be restored to her libertie And Jul. 21. 1567. They tell them they shall doe it shall passe nothing in Parliament untill it be done That ever any assemblie in Scotland did make any other addresse to the Parliament for stipend then by way of such humble supplication I grant is a great untruth Nor were onelie the birds thus petition'd for but time after time all tithes rents whatsâ—…ever could be comprized under the patrimonie of the Church were demanded as insolentlie as could be which meetes me every where in their storie as frequentlie as Mr. Baylies dissembling falsifying in his Review In the last instance the Bishop denies not but there was a time when a kinde of Presbyteries was legallie approv'd receiv'd And this I presume he will admit to be after the Assemblie 1580. About which allreadie you have indeed alledged more untruth then you
had authoritie to shew for it I have given you as much as that you brought will beare What His Lordship brings here is another discoverie That you did erect them in your Assemblie Acts put them in execution as farre as you durst before any Parliament had pass'd them And Synodicallie established such as no Parliament had passed For this he cites your Acts of several Assemblies which you must either disavow or unriddle what the mistake is you impute Vnlesse you thinke good to save that labour confesse aswel as other your Brethren what is so manifest in your storie The particulars of your proceedings herein Arch-Bishop Bancroft long since collected in his booke of Dangerous Positions Where he shewes how you not onelie acted your selves at home but sent your emissaries into England to see the like practice there in the very face of Episcopal Government What other reasons beside the recalling the Church patrimonie caus'd the refusall of your second booke of Discipline I told you before Which with the rest may suffice to the vindication of what the Bishop premiseth in proofe of the conclusion he makes That the Dissiplinarians by their practies have trampled upon the lawes justled the Civile Magistrate out of his Supremacie in Ecclesiastical affaires His Lordship proceedes to his scrutinie of your doctrine wherein if he yet be more happie as you courteouslie tell us possiblie he will I shall take you to have the spirit of Tirestas having justlie lost your eye-sight for rash judging to be now better at prophesying then reviewing Which immediatelie appeares by your wandring at noonday being at a losse for that which every man may finde in the very place cited by the Bishop None are subject to repaire to this the National Assemblie to vote but Ecclesiastical persons c. This His Lordship conceives to crosse the Kings supremacie which being aswell Ecclesiasticall as civile gives him a power of voting presiding in Assemblies Nor was there ever act of free Parliament in Scotland old or late nor any regular justifiable practice of that Church but reserv'd this power to the King his deputed Commissioner without being chosen member of any Presbyterie or made a ruling elder in a National Assemblie which your booke of Discipline calls the generall Eldership of the Kirke Your hypercriticizing upon his thoughts while the spirit of divination comes upon you makes his Lordship no Super-Erastian in his doctrines Though what transscendent haeresie there is in a moderate answer to the malice in your question any of your aequitable comparers may reade in what Vedelius and Paraeus no herctikes I hope have published to that purpose as the doctrine of all reformed Churches the one quoting Bellarmine the other Stapleton as proper patrons of the Sub-Erastian principles in the Discipline Vedelius in his preface giving the world a caveat of the danger by the mischiefe it had brought upon England Scotland in the yeare 1638. How opposite they were to the Disciplinarian language sense in that particular which the Bishop remonstrates these single propositions can evidence Multo magu est Christiani Magistratus non solùm apprehensivè discretivè sed definitivè de religione judicare Here a definitive vote is asserted to the Magistrate …ad Magistratum pertinet judicium de religione seu rebus fidei causis Ecclesiasticis…tum formaliter tum objectivè Hereby a formal judgement in religion is attributed And this Doctor Rivet who I am told is call'd reverenc'd in the French Dutch Churches as the Calvin of these times hath vouched under his hand to be the Catholike doctrine of the Reformed If he had not we are sure it was the primitive practice of the good Christian Emperours to assume it to whom our conformitie is requisite Of Constantine the great who was personallie present in the Councel of Nice is sometimes called koinonos épiscopoumenon for his communite of suffrage with the Bishops Of the Emperour Theodosius who in the Councel of Constantinople sifted the several Confessions of the Arians Macedonians Eunomians as Brentius relates it cast himselfe upon his knees craving the assistance of Gods spirit to direct him in the choyce of what was most consonant to the doctrine of the Apostles Which epicrisis or completive judgement submitted unto by the Ancient Synods had these authoritative termes to expresse it Bebaioun épipscphizesthai épisphragizesthai cratinein cratioun epikyroun tà pepragmena To the exercise hereof the Discipline of your Reformed Brethren in these Countreyes not onelie admits but craves the presence suffrage of Delegates from the supreme Magistrate without which their Synodical Acts are not establish'd Quin etiam summi Magistratus delegati sunt postulandi ut in ipsorum praesentia eorumque suffragio Synodi Acta concludantur Nor did K. James any more in the Conference at Hampton Court then when in freedome He would have done in any Scotish Presbyterian Assemblie though he hated the name thought of the thing when somewhat was propounded that did not like him put it of with Le Roy Pavisera Rev. Yet the most of the prelatical partie will not maintaine him heerin Ans. Bishop Andrewes will in his Tortura Torti Bishop Field whom your friend Didoclave calls Hierambicorum eruditissimum in his volume of the Church beside many others And possiblie those that seem to be opposite may be reconcil'd if you have the maners to let them state the question among themselves The chiefe case wherein they not you instance of Leontius Bishop of Tripolis in his answer to Constantius the Emperour may be attended with circumstances which may terminate the dispute if not we must not take it on their word that for that as well as his other more regular demeanour he is own'd by Antiquitie to be kánon ecclesias as Suidas records The rule of the Church However it behoves you to cite your lawes to which the Bishops assertion is contrarie And I shall cut you short of that pompous traine which your vanitie holds up in the universal of all the Princes that have lived in Scotland confine you to two the rest being by their Religion unconcern'd in voting though not in permitting any Disciplinarian decrees King Iames the holie martyr King Charles the first who I hope you have not the impudence to say ever made profession so derogatorie to their right In what followes you practise over the fisher-man in the fable from whom you know that unlesse you trouble the water it is in vaine for you to cast in your net if you catch nothing for the Discipline you must sterve The whole paragraph is naught but a malicious seditious inference of your owne whereby you affixe an odious sense to the dutifull attributes of Royal prerogative your owne guilt causing a trembling in your joyuts at the thought of a scepter you buselie creep
anomia ergapiria the very shops or Laboratories of rebellion The Church is not dissolv'd where dissipline's not executed if it were it should be where it is at the pleasure of the Magistrate suspended To imagine a final ineapacitie of meeting by perpetual succession of Tyrants hath litle either of reason or conscience it assaults the certitude of fayth in Gods promises advanceth infidelitie in his providence But to give you at length your passe from this paragraph Such as you in a schismatical Assemblie may have frequentlie in Scotland pinn'd the character of erroneous upon an upright Magistrate a Disciplinarian rebell to save his credit call'd a Royal moderate proclamation a tyrdnous edist The Bishops third allegation you finde too heavie therefore let fall halfe of it by the way You have too good a conceit of your Parliaments bountie though had they been as prodigal as you make them it litle becomes you to proclaime them bankrupts by their favour Their Acts were allwayes ratified by your Princes any which whom tell me one wherein this right Royal was renounc'd of suspending seditious Ministers from their office or if cause were depriving them of their places It were a senselesse thing to suppose that the Bishop would denie to the Church a proprietie to consult determine about religion doctrine haeresie c. Yet its likelie His Lordship allowes it not in that mode which makes her power so absolute as to define consummate authorize the whole businesse by her selfe He hath heard the King to be somewhere accounted a mixt person thinkes it may be that the holie oyle of his unction is not onelie to swime on the top be sleeted off at the pleasure of a peevish Disciplinarian Assemblie but to incorporate with their power The lawes of England have not been hitherto so indulgent of libertie to our Convocation but that the King in the cases alledged did ever praedominate by his supremacie And the Parliament hath stood so much upon priviledge that if Religion fetch'd not her billet from West-minster the could have but a cold lodging at St. Pauls The booke of Statutes is no portable manual for us whom your good brethren have sent to wander in the world yet I can helpe you to one An. 1. Eliz. that restor'd the title of supreme to the Queen withall provided that none should have authoritie newlie to judge any thing to be haeresie not formerlie so judged but the High Court of Parliament with the assent of the Clergie in their Convocation Where the Convocations assent by the sound should not be so determinative as the Parliaments judgement which right or wrong here it assumes As touching appeales because you will have somewhat here sayd though it must be otherwhere handled No law of Scotland denies an appeale in things Civile or Ecclesiastike to the King One yet in force enjoines subjection unto them the Act of Parliament in May 1584. which was That any persons either spiritual or Temporal praesuming to decline the judgement of His Majestie His Councel shall incurre the paine of treason What you call a complaint is in our case an appeale what taking order is executing a definitive judgement without traversing backe the businesse to Ecclesiastike Courts or holding over the rod of a coercive power to awe them into due regular proceedings I confesse this the Presbyters in Scotland never made good by their practice Their appeales were still retrograde from the supreme Magistrate his Councel to a faction of Nobles or a seditious partie of the people Such is that of Knox printed at large Or which in effect is the same The Scotish Assemblies when they had no power appeald to providence when they had whereupon they might relie unto the sword In case of Religion or doctrine if the General Assemblie which is not infallible erre in judgement determîne any thing contrarie to the word of God the sense of Catholike Antiquitie the King may by a court of Orthodoxe Delegates consisting of no more then two or three Prelates if he please receive better information of truth establish that in his Church Or which often hapens in Scotland If the Presbyters frame Assemblie Acts derogatorie to the rights of his Crowne prejudicial to the peace of his people the King may personallie justifie his owne praerogative and keep the mischiefe they invented from becoming a praecedent in law This doth not the word of God nor any aequitie prohibite The judgement of causes concerning deprivations of Ministers in the yeare 1584 you would have had come by way of appellation to the General Assemblie there take final end but this you could not make good within yourselves nor doe I finde upon your proponing craving it was then or at any time granted you by the King Two yeares before you adventurd not onelie for your priviledge in that … but against the Magistrates puting preachers to silence…hindering staying or disannulling the censures of the Church in examining any offender Rev. In the Scotes Assemblies no causes are agitated but such as the Parliament hath agreed to be Ecclesiastike c. Ans If any Parliament have agreed all causes of what nature soever to be Ecclesiastike by reduction so of the Church cognizance you have that colour for your pragmatical Assemblies but if you admit of any exception you have for certaine transgressed yourlimits there being no crime nor praetended irregularitie whatsoever that stood in view or came to the knowledge of the world that hath escaped your discussion censure not been serv'd up in your supplicates to be punished Rev. … No processe about any Church rent was ever cognosced upon in Scotland but in a Civile Court Ans. Your imperious though supplicatorie prohibition 1576. I allreadie mention'd In the Assemblie at Edenburgh April 24. 1576. You concluded…That you might proceed against unjust possessours of the patrimonie of the Church…by doctrine admonition last of all if no remedie be with the censures of the Church In that at Montrosse June 24. 1595. About setting Benefices with diminution of the rental c. you appointed Commissioners with power to take oaths call an-inquest of men of best knowledge in the Countrey about to proceed against the Ministrie with sentence of deposition Master Tho. Craig the Solicitour for the Church to pursue the Pensiionars in Caitnes for reduction of their pensions If in no particular you actuallie proceeded to Church censures 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
of raskals at Edenburgh From protesting they mount up to covenanting by that engage multitudes of people to attend them at pleasure in affronting His Majesties Commissioner With whom when they came to capitulate they gave this extraordinarie answer That they would rather renounce their baptisme then Covenant good Christians or abate one word or syllable of the literal rigour of it If Mr. Baylie hath any minde to goe farther I shall desire him to step up beyond the preachers perswading the people to arme themselves to meet in the streets dutifullie to enterâ—…aine His Majesties proclamation Their protestations against that the rest with such loyal expressions as this That if the King will not call a general Assemblic which shall allow of their proceedings they themselves will Their branding the subscription of their owne confession of fayth with the most hideous horrible name of the very depth policie of Satan Their pulpit imprecations God scatter them in Israel divide them in Iacob who where the authours of this scattering divisive counsel of whom as â—…range as it seeme the King againe must be principal Their grand imposture in Michelson a mayd about whom their Ministers cosin'd the people into an implicite fayth that she was inspired by God while the vented their devillish rebellion in her fits Rollokes blasphemous praetense for his silence That he durst not speake while his Master was speaking in her Another having these words in his Sermon Let us never give over till we have the King in our power Another That the sharpest warre was rather to be endur'd then the least errour in doctrine or discispline Their maintaining this position among the rest That it is lawfull for subjects to make a Covenant combination without the King to enter into a band of mutual defense against the King all persons whatsoever Their laying open the true meaning of their protesting Covenanting Arming c. That Scotland had been too long a Monarchie that they could never doe well so long as one of the Stuarts was alive Their raising an armie for their extirpation meeting K. Ch. 1. to that purpose in the field Their renewing continuing the warre when their first designe had been obstructed by His Majesties unexpected unwelcome grant of their demands Their reasonable dealing with the King when he unhappilie made their Armie his refuge by cheating his pious facilitie of his strength delivering up his naked person to their fellow Rebells upon conditions litle coulorable in words not at all justifiable in substance sense Their laying chaines upon His Majestie when a prisoner linking his crowne with iron propositions Beside what was acted at Derbie house otherwhere in the darke not improbablie agreed on at Câ—…nthia's midnight Revells when Cromwell was in Scotland And all this under the fallacie of exstraordinarie resisting reforming And now let Mr. Baylie looke not up to the starres but downe into the depth of hell where that maxime was hammer'd before ever Gilespie fild it over see whether it were not the fountaine of all our miseries the cause of the losse of our late Soveraigne The quaestion that followes about defensive armes though there hath been no such thing as a free Parliament without freedome 't is none I returne on himselve demand Did ever his Majestie or any of his advised Counsellers I adde Did ever loyal Parliament in England or Scotland declare or intimate in what cases how extraordinarie so ever they thought it lawfull I retort this The unhappinesse of the Disciplinarian Presbyters did put the seditious part of the Parliament on these courses which did begin promote all our miserie And were so wicked as to the very last to endeavour to breake the bands asunder of reason justice honour a well informed conscience wherein His Majestie professed to the world the hand of God the lawes of the land had bound him The peaceable possession of His Majesties Kingdomes depends not upon his Clergies conditionate consent to have Episcopacie layd aside A handfull of Scots with an hypocritical Assemblies beâ—…ediction in their knapsackes could they hold their wind when they got over Tweed swell up to the picture of Boreas in the face would not be mistaken for probable Vmpires or over-ruling Elders in the quarell Nor can Mr. Baylie possesse any prudent men of the loyallay partie that that order obstructs the King from his happinesse Why it may not be layd aside the unanswerable reasons in the 9. 17. chapters of Eik Basil. His Royal fathers booke will abundantlie satisfie any man that will rest in what he can not denie Where he will finde enough of such devout Rhetorike Religious logike as this I must now in charitie be thought desirous to praeserve that Government in its right constitution as a mater of Religion wherein both my judgement is sullie satisfied that it hath of all other the fullest Scriptures grounds also the constant practice of all Christan Churches till of late yeares the tumultuarinesse of people or the factioâ—…siresse pride of Presbyters Reviewe that Mr. Baylie or the covetousnesse of some States Princes gave occasion to some menâ—… wits to invent new modells propose them under specious titles of Christs Government Scepter Kingdome which are the Scotish titles as I take it the better to serve their turnes to whom the change was beneficial The reasons that convinc'd the Royal Father have so confirm'd the Royal Sonne His Majestie now being that Mr. Baylie dares not say what he so praesumptuouslie intimates that he ever asked the consent of his Canterburian Praelates to the alteration of that government If without asking they spontaneouslie spake their conscience in due season there was litle boldnesse in it as litle in printing which hath been often as much more at large in volumes about the unlawfullnesse of subjects taking up of armes where Parliaments have unanswerablie been proved to be such though the name of tyrannie is very unhandsomelie unjustie maliciouslie used in this case let him speake out if he meanes to attribute it to the King CHAPTER III. The last appeale to the supreme Magistrate justifiable in Scotland THe Bishop consider'd that the Kings supremacie is the same in Scotland as in England upon that grounds the aequitie of ultimate appeale The altissimò either of the Parliament or Assemblie puts them not above the capacitie of Courts so makes them not coordinate with the King What allayes you have for government I know not therefore can not close with you in the terme till you give me an undisputable definition of the thing which you call a moderate Monarchie tell me in what part of the world I may finde it I know of none any where yet that inhibites appeales to the Kings person If the Empire may be the standerd to the rest the learned
Grotius that had better skill in the lawes then you or I sayth That in causes of Delegacie semper appellasio conscssa fuit ad Imperatorem si ex Imperiali jussione judicatum esset aut ad Iudicum quemcunque si ex judiciali praecepto which holds good against your general Assemblie if that judgeth earegali jussione that it doth so is cleare from your Assemblie Act April 24. 1578. wherein it petitioneth the King to set establish your policie a part whereof is your Assemblie judication That it is for the most part order'd to the King in his Courts is not any way to confine his power but to free him from frequent impertinencies unseasonable importnnities of trouble or it may be a voluntarie but no obligatorie Royal condescension to avoyd your querulous imputation of arbitrarie partialitie tyrannie in judicature Therefore you injure the Bishop by converting his assertion into a negative confession As if when he sayth it is to the King in Chancerie he must needs acknowledge It can be neither to the King out of Chancerie nor to him there but with collaterall aequipotential â—…ssistants Whereas your friend Didoclave complaines that our appeales are ever progressus â—…b unico ad unicum wherein whether he mean'd an aggregate or personal unitie I leave you to interpret That an appeale is not permitted from your Lords of session or Parliament in Scotland is because whatsoever is regularlie determin'd there receives its ratification from the King But if one or other in their session without him should determine a case evidentlie undeniablie destructive to the rights of his crowne or liberties of his people whether His Majestie may not admit an appeale assume his coercive power to restraine their license I thinke no loyal subject in Scotland will controvert As touching your Assemblies King Iames tells you It is to be generallie observed that no priviledge that any King gives to one particular bodie or state within the Kingdome of convening consulting among themselves which includes whatsoever they doe when they are convened consulting is to be understood to be privative given unto them so the King thereby depriving himselfe of his owne power praerogative but onelie to be given cumulative unto them as the lawyers call it without any way denuding the King of his owne power authoritie This His Majestie alledged against the Ministers at Aberdene whom he accuseth not onelie of convening but acting after they were convened He particularlie mentions their setting downe the dies of the next Assemblie His Councel addes their endâ—…vour to reverse overthrow all those good orders godlie constitutions formerlie concluded for keeping of good order in their Church If you alledge that His Majesties Commissioner was not there then you grant me their acts are not justifiable without him And that all are not necessarilie with him I argue from the language of the Commission whereby they meet which limits them thus secundum legem praâ—…im against which if any thing be acted upon appeale the Kings praerogative may rectifie it at pleasure if not any judge may praetend to be absolute then the King must be absolutelie nothing having committed or delegated all power from himselfe What civile law of Scotland it is that prohibites appeales from the General Assemblie you should doe well to mention in your next I know none nor did King Iames thinke of any when he cited his distinction from the Scottish Lawyers aswell as any other Where an Assemblie proceeds contrarie to the lawes of God man Which is not impossible while it may consist of a multitude men neither the best nor most able of the Kingdome the Bishop thinkes an appeale to a legal Court of delegates constituted by a superiour power might be neither unseeming nor unreasonable The law of old never intended they should be the weakest of all Court Where it hath so happened by your owne rule pag. 22. The Delegates not Delegacie are to be charged Such heretofore in England as imployed mercenarie officials for the most part were mercenarie Bishops if they had been cut to the core would have been found I doubt Disciplinarian in heart though Episcopal in title The Scots way of managing Ecclesiastical causes is not more just because more derogatorie to the right of the King And the late Martyr'd King found it not more safe therefore told Mr. Henderson plainlie the papacie in a multitude might be as dangerous as in one how that might be Gualter writ to Count Vnit-glupten in a letter Emergent hinc novae tyrannidis cornua paulatim cristas attollent ambitiosi Ecclesiarum pastores quibus facile fuerit suos assessores in suas partes attrahere cùm ipsii inter hos primatum teneant He might have found the experiment of it in Scotland Nor can it be more satisfactorie to those rational men with whom the Bishops arguments are prevalent beside what else may be effectuallie alledged against it Allthough the two instances the Bishop brings for stopping appeales were accompanied with so many treasonable circumstances as might have enlarged his chapter into a volume deleted the credit of a Scotish Disciplinarian Assemblie out of the opinion of all the Cristians in the world Yet His Lordship thought good to furnish his reader with better authoritie from the second Booke of Discip. ch 12. which shall here meet you againe to crave your acquaintance From the Kirke there is no reclamation or appellation to any Iudge Civile or Ecclesiasticall within the Realme The reputation of the two Reverend Arch-Bishops Montgomerie Adamson depends not upon the sentence of a turbulent envious Synod much lesse any single malicious Presbyter in a pamphlet with whom we know 't is crime hainous enough to be a Bishop shall not want his vote to make them excommunicate Their manifold high misdemeanours are mention'd in the censure of the Presbyterie of Striveling for admitting Montgomerie to the temporalitie of the Bishoprike of Glasgow his owne for aspiring thereto Assemblie 1587. And of the other for taking the Kings commission to sit in Parliament 1584. In the last Act of which his commission is printed to register â—…his guilt The principal of their evil patrons among the wicked States-men I meane next under the King to whom you yeild that praerogative at least is sayd to be the Earle of Arran who deserves that character for being second at that time in His Majesties favour he is sayd by your brethren to have taken them into the Parliament So that lay their commission Earle Arrans courtesie together which without the other had implied the pleasure of the King they tooke not without authoritie upon themselves as you sayd the Episcopal office nor place in that Parliament Whether the pride contempt of the Prelates or Presbyters were greater may be judg'd in the case of Arch-Bishop Montgomerie by the Assemblies slighting not onelie
his person was faine to put away his friends of greatest trust the Chancellor Treasurer Baron Humes c. but within a moneth repents him appeales to his Nobles by their advice recalls them yet permits Bothwell to depart The Ministers are angrie that the Papists are not persecuted by fire sword They assemble without the Kings order call together the Barons Burgers Bothwell enters againe with 400. Horse as farre as Leith makes proclamation summons all in to defen'd religion put away evil Counsellers sends it to the Synod at Dunbar which favour'd it The same day he marcheth against 3000. of the Kings forces neare Edenburgh fainteth in his businesse and gets away to the borders Queen Elizabeth sets out a proclamation against him yet presseth the King for proscription of Papists The Lords are but few that meet expresse some reluctance at it The Ministers Burgers are many which vote it take their armes downe out of the windowes c. Argile is sent against them beaten The King drawes toword them permits three of Huntley's houses to be pull'd downe Huntley escapes to his Aunt in Sutherland thence into France These were Huntley's notorious crimes multiplied outrages which cryed up to the God of heaven Out of which let the world judge what reason the Ministers those mercifull men of God had to give such warning crie to the Iudges of the earth to shed his bloud That appearance with display'd banner against the King in person should be made an article against him by Mr. Baylie a loyal peaceable assertour of ten yeares armed rebellion in three Kingdomes I dare not adventure my spleen to discourse on but in Mr. Baylies language hope by his good advise the Prelates will no more Lull ' Princes asleep in such a sinfull neglect of their charge but breake off their slumber by wholesome seasonable admonitions from the word of God such as that Prov. 10. A wise King seatercth the wicked bringeth the wheel over them Or what other texts their Lordships better know applicable to the most just necessarie chastisment of schismatikes Rebells About E. Angus Errol you thinke your selfe not concern'd to make answer because your brother Presbyter Mr. Rob. Bruce gave King Iames leave to recall them but with this considerable sentence against E. Huntley Well Sir you may doe as you list But chuse you you shall not have me the E. Huntley both for you Pretie humble soules who can weigh downe the chiefest Earles in the ballancing of a state In the next paragraph you dawbe with untemper'd morter such as can never keep the Kings right to any Ecclesiastike revenue the claime of the Discipline together For having comprehended in the patrimonie of the Kirke all things without exception given or to be given to that the service of God All such things as by law or custome or use of Countreys have been applied to the use utilitie of the Kirke 2. book Disc. ch 9 And call'd them theeves murderers without exception of persons that alienate any part of this patrimonie 1. books Disc 6. head you are the innocent dove that here bring us newes That the Church never spoyld the King of any tithes while those birds of spoyle your forefathers have left him neither eare nor straw to possesse But to deale with you at your owne weapon in your words If the King never had any first fruits then as the Bishop sayth you are the Popes that with-held it by you that were the Reformers was that point of papacie maintained If he neither had nor demanded to what purpose toke you such paines to obtaine in favour of the Church to have it declar'd in Parliament That all benesices of cure under Praelacies shall in all time coming be fee of the first yeares fruits fift penie the Ministers have their significations of presentation past at the Privie seale upon His Majesties owne subscription his secretaries onelie without any payment or caution to his Treasurer for the sayd first fruits fift penie About tithes you say His Majestie the Church had never any controversie in Scotland How agrees this with your Declaratour in his appendix to the maintenance of your sanctuarie When the minor-age of a good King had been abused to the making of a law whereby the most of these rents first fruits Tithes the lands belonging to Bishoprikes were annexed to the crowne the Church very earnestlie do labour for restitution never gave over till these lawes were repealed If you review your records you will finde in the yeare 1588. that you had a plea with which you call an earnest suit to His Majestie about patronages such considerable opposition as put you upon inhibiting all commissioners Presbyteries to give collation or admission to any person praesented by authoritie from the King And to omit many a greater you had before with the Queen Anno 1565 The Nobilitie Gentrie were more beholding to your impotencie then patience for peace What gracious men yon have shewd your selves since your rebell-Rebell-Parliament got that incumbent power into your hands your congregations would speake if they durst whom you feed with the bread of violence with that you cover them as a garment So that whether the Presbyterie be not as good patrons of the people as they are vassals to the King need never more be quaestion'd in Scotland Whether by the wickednesse of Praelates or Presbyters the King Church were cousin'd of the tither will appeare by them that bragg'd most when they were most endanger'd by the sequestring the other patrimonie from the Church which I finde to be the Presbyters that could not keep councel but boasted they had given a seasonable blow unto the Bishops That legitimate power in the Magistrate the Bishop pleades for King James never declared to be a sinne against Father Son or Holy Ghost nor did ever the patrons of Episcopacâ—…e oppose it That changeling you here substitute in the roome calls you Father by the ridiculous posture in which it stands your friend Didoclave had more ingenuitie then to inferre a claime to the power of preaching celebrating the Sacraments upon the power of iurisdiction over Ecclesiastical persons derived upon the King from his praedecessours in England given them by a statute Verba statuti de jurisdictione non de simplici functionum sacrarum administratione intelligenda esse quis dubitat The well grounded consequences which you call Castles in the aire will hereafter batter your Presbyterie to the ground when Princes shal retract their too liberal indulgence take a courageous resolution to claime their own relie upon Gods providence to maintaine it King Iames had given you the practical meaning of his wise sentence seven yeares before he spake it at St. Andrews For as you may very well remember when His
Ahabs the Independent Syrians push'd no otherwise then in mockerie and sport while his loyal subjects should be too seriouslie scatered on the hills as sheep that have no shepheard to enfold them If the misbeliefe contempt of whom you call the Lords servants the great danger unto which you make religion be brought were the onelie losses sustain'd in the last armies misfortune let those workers of iniquitie perish that to the ruine of soules endeavour to repaire them What griese of heart or repentance hath shew'd it selfe in those persons you say contributed to the spoiling but must meane unlesse you condemne your selves such as were forward in promoting that designe whether in a politike hypocrisie or which can hardlie be rationallie afforded then a misguided sinceritie will find it to be poenitenda poenitentia a hard retreat from the guilt shame of that botomlesse penance you praescrib'd them unlesse their judgement be as their sinne the same with his who sold his birth-right as they theirs to their libertie for a morsell of bread a poor inconsiderable temporal subsistence may finde no place of repentance though they secke it carefullie with teares Should all the Disciplinarian hands be cut off that were not held up to the agreement of bringing by a warlike engagement the Sectarian partie â—…in England to punishment David Lesley would have but a left-handed armie His Majestie might relie upon halfe his securitie aswell for his crowne as his religion They who to gaine their arreares so easilie I must say traitourouslie parted with that Royal person are not to be credited as men so unanimouslie resolv'd with hazard of lives estates upon his rescue Nor can any man whose faith as not resolv'd into aire so readie to engender with the faint breath of every dissembler beleeve that they would with such hazard make a long march to the Isle of Wight who would not with lesse conduct His Majestie a day or two from Holmebie But had you been at that trouble had Victorie strewed roses in your way when you should have with pleasure regain'd the rich purchase you went for I preceive you had been at a losse for a chapman a great uncertaintie where to dispose it untill you had got one For first you talke of bringing the King to one of his houses to perfect the treatit Then of bringing His Majestie to London with honour freedome safetie Next of bringing him to sit in his Parliament with what honour freedome himselfe should desire And all these with in the extent of a few lines which make three degrees of doubt in the Saints even after their debate of that matter universal agreement not to be quaestion'd But let us suppose the last best of the three in your purpose your avant Curriers on horsebacke to hasten it I see you are pleas'd to call them backe with a quaestion to which I pray tell me where the Lords servants or loyal subjects of Christs Kingdome e'r made a like Yet you shall have your answer by by though you shew not the like civilitie to the Bishop who seemes to state his quaestion thus Whether when the Parliament Armie of Scotland had declar'd their resolutions to bring His Majestie to London c. without conditioning for a promise of securitie for establishing at best a controverted religion any legitimate full Church Assemblie ought an illegitimate imperfect Clerical combination or Conventicle could in ordine ad spiritualia declare against the engagement call for the Kings hand seale oath to establisp a cut throat covenant to the ruine of his person posteritie Religion Lawes Libertie Monarchie whatsoever His Majestie was by a solemne oath indispensable peswasion of conscience obliged with the hazard of life Kingdomes to maintaine In answer to yours take this The Parliament armie of Scotland in declaring their resolutions c. did what they ought that according to your own principles for you had the securitie of His Majesties Royal word more then once for establishing your Religion in Scotland according to the treaties that had been perfected between the two Kingdomes If you intended the like courtesie to England your Parliament Armie had it consisted of none but the Saints were in no capacitie to take it being no part of the principals concer'd in the benefit nor deputed by England to capitulate for it Therefore their rescuing His Majesties person out of the Sectaries hands had been the untying of his puting him in a posture to give The bringing him to his Parliament in London where likewise your own Commissioners resided had been the seting him in sight of such as were to aske receive Which is the same kind of Logike you us'd in your answer to both Houses of Parliament upon the new propositions of peace the 4. bills to be sent 1647. Where I finde your opinion judgement to be this That the most aequal fairest just way to obtaine a well-grounded peace is by a personal treatie with the King that his Majestie for that end be invited to come to London with honour freedome safetie For which you offer 6. reasons 1. The sending of your propositions without a treatie hath been often essayed without successe… Of those propositions this ever was one To promise securitie for establishing religion And what better successe could now be exspected 2… His Majesties proesence with his Parliament must be the best â—…if not the onelie â—…remedie to remove our troubles This remedie the Parliament Armie intended to helpe you to 3… Without a treatie or giving reasons for asserting the lawfullnesse expedience of the propositions to be praesented they may be aesteemed impositions This proposition was to be sent without a treatie being neither lawfull nor expedient for the many reasons His Majestie had formerlie render'd I remit the Reader to your paper for the rest a great deale more of selfe contradiction with somewhat worse which one of the new English Lights hath discover'd in his answer But you shake of that like an old serving-man which had done your drudgerie in his youth bestow your liverie on the Parliaments praecedent which providence beleeve me will save you but litle Your argument's this The Parliaments of both Kingdomes in all their former treaties ever pressed upon the King a number of propositions Ergo The Church may desire the granting of one I should be too courteous in casting up the numerous account of their rebellions aequal to their propositions keep out but a single unitie for you I shall chuse rather to tell you cautioning first for the falshood in the fundamental hypothesis That in cases of treatie the Church of Scotland is subordinate to one therefore hath no adaequate conditioning priviledge with the Parliaments of both Kingdomes especiallie in her peevith state of opposition to both Secondlie This proposition desired is the Trojan horse into
which all the rest of your treason 's contrived there being no fraudulent possibilitie Ecclesâ—…astike nor Politike which your Sinon Assemblie hath not cunninglie lodg'd in the bellie the winding entrailes the maeanders of the Covenant Your clause in the parenthesis when the bolts are off set at libertie tells us your meaning is this Let the Kings person children continue imprison'd His Queen Prince c. banished His revenue sequester'd his life be irrecoverablie endanger'd rather then those of the Scottish Presbyterian partie for the rest you can not excommunicate out of your nation though not in your covenant should run the hazard of their lives estates Which was the true result of your debate agreement That you heard no complaint when many of the thirtie propositions were pressed was because your eares were stopt against the lamentations of everie English Jeremic that wept for the slaine of the daughter of his people being such an Assemblie as the nextâ—…verse describes you That an out crie as you call it is made when onelie one proposition is stucke upon is because that one streightneth the bands of your wickednesse layes heavier burdens upon the shoulders of innocencie will not let the oppressed goe free And then Gods Prophets are call'd upon to crie aloud not to spare to lift up their voyce like a trumpet c. This one was that the yeilding to which would most of all have violated His Majesties conscience in reference to which he tells you 'tis strange there can be no method of peace but by making warre upon his soul. Yet let the case be disputable your tender excusable at least in respect of the time which you say was not to be before His Majesties rescue but onelie before his bringing to London c. If so why was not His Majestie first rescued delivered out of the hands of the Sectaries then your proposition insisted on The Bishop tells you the reason out of Humble advice Edenb Jun. 10. 1648. viz. lest his libertie might bring your by gone proceedings about the league Covenant into quaestion All honest Christians loyal subjects though heathen are of the same beliefe with his Lordship whatsoever is their opinion in generall expect that you prove the innocence or justice of conditioning in this particular with your confess'd captive King Concerning the absolute soveraignitie of Kings you are other where answer'd if not satisfied may finde more worke made you by the famous Grotius whose booke was manifestlie penned against you your usurping brother-Rebells of England bids defiance to all your Didoclaves Buchanans Brutus's of both nations till replied to But away with your counterfeit inclination to treaties which you ever abhorred like death fearing in that peace there could be no peace for your wicked selves therefore gave publike thankes to God for delaying your torments in the disappointment of that at the Isle of Wight aswell by your plots devices as by the Sectaries armed-force The holinesse of this religious proposition was but the blinde under favour of which you stalked made safer approaches to His Majesties murder by another never hitherto repeald immutablie design'd Nor are there many of your publike papers but forespake the destruction of his Royal Person and Familie unlesse he submitted to the tyrannie of your tearmes and whether that had quitted him as much from your judgement as it assuredlie had from his supremacie and crownes may be guessed by the experiment he made in his first too full fatal concessions which your own Parliament Acts have registred completelie satisfactorie to the demands or desires of all sorts of people in Scotland which too indulgent paternal goodnesse having turn'd into poison you regorg'd in his face by a foreigne invasion and a base mercenarie rebellion till like evening wolves you rent in peices and prey'd upon his person in the darke The proposition I meane is that for which one of your sectarian brethren calls God Angels and Men to judge of your dissembling in pressing a personal treatie when His Majestie formerlie desiring one you told him There having been so much innocent bloud of his good subjects shed in this warre by His Majesties commands and commissions … you conceive that untill satisfaction and securitie be first given to both his Kingdomes His Majesties coming to London could not be convenient nor by you assented to What satisfaction you meane we know by your Discipline which makes murder unpardonable and then I pray what securitie could be taken but his life If the granting this one proposition you stand upon concerning Religion and the Covenant had draw'n after it as it seemes by your silence the satisfaction for bloud and securitie for your peace We may clearlie conclude your Religion was murder and no resting Canaan for your Covenant but in His Majesties death Which in effect was thus foretold him by that bold Henderson My soul trembleth to thinke and to foresee what may be the event if this opportunitie be neglested He would not use he said the words of Mordecai to Esther because he hoped beter things Whereas if his hopes faild him we may well argue he had us'd them as you doe that survive him in your endeavour that he and his fathers house should be destroy'd But that you take confession to be the Doctrine of Antichrist you mâ—…ght without an ironie put an â—…ce to your own being criminous to the purpose in declaring against the Parliaments debates which if therfore needlesse and impertinent because you thinke or will have them thought to be so the Great Councel you make but a subordinate Eldership or Classe to the supreme Assemblie of your Kiâ—…ke You are not allwayes so modest as to keep your distance from your English Parliaments affaires We have for many yeares found you like loving beagles upon eithers concernment so closelie coupled in the slip of your Covenant as if when the game should be lost upon eithers default you meant to be truss'd up together for companie If it be proper to have any King in Scotland the proper place of debate about his negative voice is as well a free Parliament there as in England If your lawes admit not of that they admit of no King whose Regalitie consisteth in that nor hath he any legislative authoritie without it It is the argument of your own Commissioners who use to fetch their Syllogismes from the Assemblie therfore you that made it are best able to solve it Their or your words are these The quaestion is where in his the Kings Royal authoritie and just power doth consist And we affirme and hope it can not be denied That Regal power and authoritie is chieslie in making and enaciing lawes and in protecting and desending their subjects which are of the very essence and being of all Kings And the exercise of that power are the chiefe parts and duties of their Royal
Religion the ordinarie reformation whereof is referred to your Ecclesiastical Assemblies are such onelie as appeare to be peccant against the ordinarie rule or canon by just authoritie established But that the Canon it selfe should be alterable at the pleasure of subjects in a combined Assemblies declining their subordination to a superiour power in King and Parliament and making them selves not onelie absolute to act but supreme to praescribe is contradictorie to all law and aequitie nor can any necessitie countenance it What you finde wrong in the Church according to your method must be no other then that which had been formerlie decreed in some of your Assemblies which must implie a fallibilitie in their application of the rule This errour when you goe about to rectifie from the word of God you may chance to have no clearer evidence then your praedecessours nor the people assurance that your eyesight is better So that for ought they know one blinde Assemblle may leade another by the hand and both with their followers fall into the ditch Beside It may so hapen that religious Acts answerable to the word may be offensive to some wicked Assemblie that have not the feare of God before their eyes These if they have the power to be sure they want not perversenesse to abolish for which I finde no cautionarie restraint in your discipline For after you have praetended to rectifie if upon your dissembling petition a following Parliament refuseth to ratifie that you have power to abolish and establish what you please I finde every where confessd by your faction And this indeed as you say is your ordinarie method of proceeding in Scotland but in no other Reformed Countrey who every where attribute to the Magistrate an Architectonike power in the Church and but a ministerical or instrumental to any Synod or Assemblie Videlius and other your brethren of note on this subject making you Bellarmines papists though when your Kings stand publikelie in opposition against you for the maintenance of their right 't is quaestionable whether his most plausible reasons will as well priviledge you in his doctrine The legal method of England you know well enough is otherwise and therfore can not ad mit of your Discipline without altering the fundamental lawes the most essential part of gouverment in our kingdome The three foolish unlearned quaestions that follow tell us you are in the mind to gender strises rather then according to Saint Pauls counsel follow righteousnesse fayth charitie or peace To the first I answer Christians of old before the Emperial lawes for paganisme were revoked were more or lesse hindred from embracing the Gospell according to the zeale rigour remissenesse or clemencie of the Emperours that reigned Those that obeyd not their commands suffer'd their punishments resisted no powers reversed no lawes Nay it s as high a trial as can well be instanc'd when Maximilian Diocletian publishd an edict to demolish their Churches and burne their Bibles because one was found that in great in dignation tore the paper in peices being condemned to die all Christians that heard it approved the sentence and commended the justice of the pagan Magistrate in his execution To the second thus The oecumenical and National Sâ—…nods of the ancients had ever the praesence or authoritie of the Emperour without which they reformed no haeresies nor corruptions in religion Who by ratifying their canons did cancel all the lawes of state which did protect those errours When this could not behad but with praejudice to religion the Emperours them selves being draw'n in by the haeretikes to their partie they onelie declared their different opinion submitted to censure were disspersed in exile nor did they countermand by the terrour of excommunication and cursing but when summond by the Emperour to rectifie any abuses in the Church This may be seen in the time of Constantius addicted to the Arians To your third I answer thus The civile lawes in Britanie I meane for our part in it whereby Poperie was established were annull'd by the King whom we make absolute in that power If the reformation begun by Hen 8. be thought clogg'd with any seeming violence sacriledge or schisme which some ties on his conscience that requir'd a more deliberate solution and some indirect passionate procedings give the Papists a kinde of coloural argument to object I see not how you are justified that imitate it nor we bound to susteine the inconveniences that attend it who may fairlie make the reigne of K. Edward our epoch and from him in his first Parliament fetch our authoritie for the change On your side of Britain I finde naught but a continued rebellion in the reforming partie as you meane it till K. Iames grew up to a judgement of discerning and some resolution of restraining Nor till that time though I hope well of many thousand persons under a Presbyterian persecution can I in reason quit the praevalent part of your Church from a succession in schisme For Germanie and France I have no more to do at this time to be their judge then their advocate seeing no where His Lp. joyning with his brother Issachar in impleading then for rebellion All you can logicallie collect is such a major as this They who reforme according to the Presbyterian Scotish metâ—…od by abolishing Acts of Parliament in a surreptious or violent Synod by framing Assemblie Acts for religion and giving them the authoritie of Ecclesiastical lawes without or against the consent of the Magistrate cheate the Magistrate of his civile power in order to religion If you will needs be assuming in behalfe of your brethren in Germanie and France they must put you to prove it or quit them selves of your conclusion as they can In the meane time I see your pasture is bad that you turne your catell so often grazing abroad For the foole in the next line you send to the Bishop I guesse it may be his minde to have him return'd by the creature that caries his brother Issachaâ—… burden expecting a wiser answer by the next paper Mercurie you imploy which can not be without bringing to light that law that praeauthoriz'd the Ministers protestation against the Acts of Parliament 1584. And that Act of Parliament since the null Assemblie of Glasgow yet standing in force that made Bishops and ceremonies vnlaw full The former beside the contradiction it caries with it devolving the legislative power upon the Kirke which according to you can keep the Parliament in awe not by petitioning but protesting and so ratifie or null all lawes declared at her pleasure The latter beside the long perseverance in sinne it imputes to the Latin and Greek Churches as well before as after the corruption in either the late warmnesse to all Reformed Churches abroad which never hitherto in any National Assemblie declared regular Episcopacie and ceremonies unlawfull outdoing the very Act of abolishing which his Majestie in Parliament ratified
with reference to no unlawfullnesse but inconvenience retracted that too in his too late yet seasonable repentance afterward Though for what His Lp. objects were there too after Acts of Parliament to ratifie the substance of what the Kirke repraesents no one of them thereby justifies the circumstance of Ministers mutinous protesting against lawes made in houres of darkenesse upon what misinformation soever which is treason against man and excusable by no formal obedience toward God This for the Bishop to publish being one of the Governers of that Church which strangers plot what they can to seduce into the same rebellion with their owne is no contemning of law but discharging his conscience and dutie in his place By the next storie the Bishop will gaine a more perfect discoverie of your resembling those grievous revoiters in Jeremie who walke with slanders being brasse iron Who bend your tongue like a bowe for lies and yet when the true case is know'n be accounted by Solomon but a fool for your labour In King James's minoritie who stole his name though they ner had his heart to act by it the most unnatural oppresion of that most gallant Queen his vertuous and gracious mother to murder and banish many noble assertours of the reformed orthodoxe religion lawes appeares upon publike record in your storie This one Capt. Iames Stuart very noblie with standing your divellish temptations to have him maintaine a distructive dissention at Court with Esme Stuart E Lenox a faythfull subject most deserving favourite of the Kings improving that litle interest you helpt him to to a more Christian conjunction in love and loyaltie and a double vigilancie over the Kings person exposed too often to your treacherous designes is unlikelie to have any better character at your hands then what you commonlie give to persons of such sidelitie and honour His advancement to the titles estate of E. Arran Chancellar of Scotland was partlie in reward of his guardian care over him whom somwhat else beside sicknesse had made unfit for the management of either Yet were not these taken by force But on free session then desperate to whom if the King were nearest in bloud not to mention a third which your zealous professours commonlie finde him his Majestie had a double title to his lands a power undisputable to dispose of the Chancellars office at his pleasure What beside Capt. Iames's unheard of oppressto is which dirt his zeale for religion contracts when it passeth through the uncleane chanell of any Presbyters mouth troubled the Nobilities Patience the reader may finde somewhat more trulie and impartiallie related not onelie in the Apocriphal histories of the two Rt. Reverend Arch-Bishops of Canterburie and Saint Andrewes but even in the Canonical tradition of Philadelphs Vindicatour who praemiseth some repulse your Church Delegates had about their querulous petitions A difference that fell out between E. Lenox Gowrie about some point of honour to revenge which he calls Murre Glame and diverse other disquiet discontented spirits into a confaederacie whom you call a number of the prime best affected nobiiitie which improper title he more ingenouslie declines in a peice of Rethorical ignorance putting his hand more modestlie before his eyes as loth to looke on their sinfull rebellious demeanour Qualcscunque fuerint plerique eorum non multum laberabo … qualis quisque corum suerit nescio applies the blinde mans speach ' in the 9. of Saint Iohn to the authours of the miracle in this change And beside the mere boast no violence you rejoyce in confesseth diverse of the Kings servants were wounded among the rest William Stuart the newes whereof brought Capt. Iames thither Who was not chaced away by their strong breath but clapt up into a castle by their power the Kings guard being before remov'd from him and His Majestie taken by Gowrie and his conspiratours into custodie The E. Lenox banished into France where with in a short time he died whether by griefe principallie or his sicknesse he defines not He addes That the Heads of this faction sent the Abbot of Paslet to your Assemblie at Edaenburgh for their approbation who what soever they did afterward at that time onelie thanked God for deliverance viz from the imminent instice of the law to which most of their Members were lyable durst not approve the businesse or appeare to doe it at least put up a non'sense petition to God praying him it were well done after it was done and whether well or ill then unalterable by their prayers or indeed by devine power whose omnipotencie is not limited when denied to make good moral contradictions to pleasure an hypoeritical Assemblie He speakes nothing of the Kings sending to his Councel or judicatories to declare the act of the Lords convenient and lawdable for which he expected no reasonable mans credulitie nor patience unlesse so farre as to spit it backe into his face Nor yet of His Majestics entreating the Assemblie but of their sending Delegates to him The answer he gave them if any or such as the Vindicator hath helpt us to is much different from yours and though not extorted by the terrour of death which may well be suspected by the successive treasonable attempts of the same Gowrie and his sonne afterward gives litle approbation of the fact being onelie his acknowledgement of a blessing from God for delivering his person and the Commonwealth from mischiefe by which doubtlesse he meant the happie praeservation of his life So that I againe appeale to your aquitable comparers what historical truth we are likelie to have of your penning when seting one Disciplinarian brother against another without consulting unprinted records we can confute you line by line among your selves The letter His Majestie sent to Q. Elizabeth was forced Regem invitum compulerunt sayth Camden where by he allowed no more that act for good service then he would have done a thiefe for taking but his purse when he might likewise have had his life But to proceed Capt I'ames shortlie after crept not in but was calld Revocatur Aranius sayth your brother Therevenge whether obtaind by him or no was but the justice of the law executed with litle severitie upon any but moderated by the mercie of a gracious King and tenderd to all upon submission But traitourous Assemblies giving universal allowance for possible misfortunes had ever an aftergaime of treacherie in reserve Therefore the Ministers running at this time into a voluntarie exile was upon the apprehension of their guilt diffidence even in the word of a King for their impunitie if not rather a designe to make His Majestie secure and so to praepare for the treason at Striveling that followed few moneths after where not onelie Capt I ames was chac'd away but the Kings life endangerd for which Gowrie very justlie payd his owne These their actions were ratified by no Parliament but a partie nor
si correxeris fratrem solvisti eum in terra Sainr Austin which seemes to be the proper meaning of the place After all which I expect you should make some apologie for your brethren abroad that in the yeare 1563. Sept. 6. excommunicated Iohn Morell the Frenchman for writing this doctrine burn'd his booke and interdicted under a great poenaltie the reading any copie of it that might escape them The third 1. Cor 5. appeares not evidentlie to put the power of jurisdiction in a companie of men met together Theophylact taking it for a modest condescension in Saint Paul to joine the Corinthians with himselfe whose solitarie power was absolute Hiname doxe autades Kai autous proslambanei Koinoonous And the context importing the sentence such as it was to be but declarative in them them by the vertual praesence of the Apostles spirit and judicial in Saint Paul who had passed it before ede Kekrika sayth he vers 3. Though it will trouble you to prove that here was any jurisdiction exerciz'd delivering to Satan being probablie but a desertion of the partie peccant using no intercession in his behalfe but leaving him naked for Satan to assault him with corporal torments which prodigious punishment was usual in those times Excommunication it can not be because it limits his censure to the destruction of the flesh deprives him not of the Sacraments the want whereof is destructive to the spirit The twelfth verse addes no strength to your argument the sense seeming to be onelie this I have nothing to doc to judge them that are without but leave them to God I have to doc to judge them that are within worthie of deliverance up to Satan And ye judge them that is deliver them up when ye are gathered together my spirit As he had sayd vers 4. So it is Saint Pauls spirit that is principal in this jurisdiction and the companie of men met together but his delegates or assistants convocated at his pleasure To Your assumption I likewise answer That the Bishop is as much the Church as Saint Paul in this case and hath as much of the ordinarie power transmitted to him So that you see it requires not the Doctours learning but the search of his Acolythus and servant to satisfie you if you will be with antiquitie reason Which being done you may send more scirptural arguments against Episcopacie by your brethren of the next Commission Touching those you have brought allreadie you need not be so confident in calling for their answer unlesse they were somewhat better The visible leisure is in none but such as you your courteous Disciples in England have procured to be imprison'd in severall goales of both Kingdomes others having businesse enough by shifting from one place to another to secure their persons and save their lives from your crueltie The poor prisoners have few visible helpes to that purpose If you will finde courage or conscience enough to undertake their free accesse to the Fathers and other authours that are visiblie necessarie to that purpose I have enough left still to assure you in the name of them that have more learning then they boast of that whatsoever becomes of your punie Clerkes Master Parker and Didoclave who may be easilie turn'd of with some carefull quotations and references to a multitude of bookes allreadie printed Master Blondels magazine of antiquitie shall be seiz'd on and what in it is upsie Scotch which is not all for the presbyterie you bragge of shall in spight of your power be rescued for the true owners that is the Bishops For your meracle of learning the most noble Somais we wish he may worke more such wonders as he hath of late and send his petie advocate a new blew bonnet at parting trimmed with a distick begining if he pleaseth Ille ego qui quondam for his fee. Were publike masters of fact as mysterious as the intrigues in your spiritual Iunto and Consistorian Caballs some Endor oracle must perchance have been consulted and one of your blacke guardant Angels been superstitiouslie worship'd or ceremoniouslie waited upon for revelation But when the bookes of the dead are before their day opened by your hands and their workes of darknesse registred by your pennes the warner may every where without an ironie proclaime his knowledge in your storie as great as his strictest search and as certaine as your rash consession could create King Iames's 55. quaestions so troubled the Scotish divines that they finding their plea of divine right and immutabilitie of their discipline to be disputed the Perth Assemblie indicted principallie for that purpose to divert the King if not otherwise to praevent his multiplying such problemes to which David Blackes processe the businesse about the banish'd Lords may be annexed they rais'd a desperate sedition on the 17. of December which allreadie is discours'd on Their if you meane the Synods answer was not so round but that they first protested parlied about their priviledge at the conference with His Majestie and the Estates required time to returne reason vote resolve in all points If thereafter the propounders were speachlesse in the businesse it might be because the Synod caried it for the King and determined the problemes in his sense which for ought I know is that the Bishop meanes by yeilding the bucklers without any opposition The maner and time might very well perplexe them being in a free Synod and meeting with their bold contestation for David Blacke Nor were they troubled onelie at the Erastian Praelatical Counsellers about the King but at Patrike Galloway and Iames Nicolson of late Saints but now it should seem become Apostate presbyters in the Synod The quaestions put by the King were not captious and carping at the parts of Church discipline but a just controversie raised about the whole fairlie propounded freelie discussed deliberatelie resolved to the satisfying his conscience and silencing schismatical scruples for the future I have often told you no statutes of Parliament nor Acts of any but factious Assemblies authorisd your Discipline though were it ratified as you would have had it by any other set your jusdininum aside and fetch not your praecedent from the Medes and Perâ—…ans a power aequivalent to that which did it might reverse it The visible Church in your countrey at that time was not so farre from yeildino to Episcopacie but that your brother confesseth the cranie was then made by which it afterward crept in though I am at a losse for so much day light in your storie as to see the yeare when legallie it was thrust out Perhanerimam sayth he ad essentialia ipsa externi regiminis impetendum extruendum Episcopatum aditum sibi patefecerunt You can not denie but that it brought them thus farre on their way to the title of Praelates and voting in Parliaments Wicked states men at that time beares the same signifiancie with
no calumnie to conjecture what spirit gave them wings and directed their flight to the rebellious meeting at Mauchlin moor Their growing number and abiding there in a bodie for the securitie of their persons made no partie for nothing toward the deliverance of the Kings and their danger being onelie to be forced by the Parliament to goe souldiers into England for that purpose the quaestion is what violence was therein offered to their conscience and if any by what law or praecept divine or humane the Assembliecan countenance them in armes though but in a defensive posture to withstand it In which had that part of the Armie that sodainly came upon them cut them off it might have stood for an act of civile justice more then militarie furie kept the rest in peace and much conduc'd toward an after securitie to themselves The communion at Mauchlin layd to the publike Fast appointed in termiuis for the apostacie of the Parliament might occasion some of your Ministers coming thither to as good a purpose as his to the Kirke of St. Andro who pray'd to Allmightie God that he would carie through the good cause against all his enemies especiallie against Kings Devills and Parliaments Coloured clothes and pistols were no proper accoutrement for your Kirke-men wherein to celebrate the Sacrament of Christian charitie and peace Nor were they the good instruments with the people to goe away to run away they might be afterward that had lead them in bands and troupes into the battail For Presbyterian Scotish Ministers to protest against any rebellion wherein they act needes no eagle ey'd Parliament man to discover it at the bottome as a peice of effronterie very common among them and proper to their profession which is very ridiculouslie diss mbled in this case when diverse of them were taken prisoners fighting desperatelie for the cause complain'd of to the Commissioners of the Kirke who were so farre from inflicting any censure or giving them admonition that they approved what they had done and justified them in the fact Which I see here you dare not ex professo but fawlter in your iudgement about the meeting pleading the securitie of their persons as a faire apologie for the yeomens a biding in a bodie and yet mentioning the Ministers protestation which is litle beter then a condemnation of their convening fighting in the field The Bishops parallel betwixt the Generall Assemblie and Parliament casts the cloake of maliciousnesse upon your owne shoulders in the abuse of your libertie whereby you refuse to submit your selfe to the ordinance of manâ—… sor the Lordssake otherwise then as it is ratified in your Synods for when the Presbyterians lay the authoritie of both Courts upon a divine foundation they make themselves the chiefe corner stone usurping the proper place of Jesus Christ in the one and of his anoynted in the other telling him and all Magistrates among whom Parliaments are to be numbred he ought to be subject to the Kirke spirituallie and in Ecclesiasticall government… that be ought to submit himselfe to the discipline of the Kirke if he transgresse in maters of conscience and Religion So that when they talke of obedience sor conscience sake to their lawfull commands they take cognizance what is conscience and law and at their owne arbitrement many times oblige subjects on the same principles to rebell calling this the justifiable revenge of the Magistrates contempt against the authorite of God resident in them The Bishop mockes not at Ministers that carie themselves at the Ambassadours of Christ that deliver not more then is in the Commission or instructions they receiv'd but thinkes they have no priviledge above the Angels who are not dominantes but ministrantes spiritus That they are a flame rather to warme indiscreet zeale and devotion then consume in the fervour of violence and passion That God rarelie tempers brimstone with the breath of his messengers That he sets the time names the extraordinarie case when his words shall be fire in the mouthes of his prophets his people wo d that it should devoure them He likes you should judge according to the rule of Scripture so you follow that rule and keepe in subjection to good lawes He commends your caring for life aeternal not your leaguing and covenanting in order to that for the death temporal of your brethren He judgeth you according to the rule of Scripture to be shamelcsselie impious that counterfeit a care of life aeternal whither bloodthirstie Presbyters are never likelie to enter but have a portion with their fellow hypocrites otherwhere That make holie Sripture not onelie of private but perverse interpretation and God the authour of all the wickednesse you act by the authoritie of his word who boast of an Ambassie from Christ when who so blinde as these servants who so dease as these messengers you say he sent who are lead by a Spirit that doth the workes of the flesh from top to botome mention'd by St. Paul Galat. 4. Who would gull the world out of all but a forme or propertie of religion who make your selves not Ministers but Masters of Christ commanding imperiouslie the spirit he sends downe who make a trade of Scripture and for wordlie gaine parsel out eternal life to whom you please The second part of the Bishops parallel I see puts you to a stand and the quaestion What shall be made … argues you some what suspended in your thoughts whether as much should be made of it as you meane and the people commended for obeying their Ministers how seditious soever more then their Magistrates that command them If all the power such Ministers have with the people be built on their love to God what pitie is it that rebellious structure should have such a religious foundation When it riseth high he is no good states man that doth not demolish it knowing that what God and conscience constraine not but perswade to imploy to his good the Divel without any or with one that 's erroneous may tempt them to aedifie to his ruine It is not amisse sayd applied by him that writ of the spanish Monarchie Priâ—…um instrumentum bone imperandi lingua est secundum vero gladius The sword is but the left hand instrument in the governing Kingdomes The tongue of the preacher is dextra terribilis that of the right hand that teacheth terrible things that by the menace of death which the sword can not reach to keepes subjects in obedience to their Soveraignes Therefore when once it hath a power with the people such as that of St. Bernard it had need be endued with the spirit of Saint Bernard sor there is a tongue Quae conterit spiritum the perversenesse wherein is a breach in the spirit Prov. 1. 5. 4. And the proud men in the Psalmist promise themselves a victorie over Princes by the tongue We will praevaile Who
because they are the men that ought to speake just like you denie all supremacie Their first language is this Quis dominus Who is Lord over use The Politician I spake of hath a discourse worth your reading wherein he shewes you how Maliomet stirred up the people against Heraclius the Emperour He sayth as much for Calvin your protoplast which whatsoever may be apologiz'd for him I am sure is inexcusable in Knox and you that are the workemanship of his hands This made Charles the good so prudent and resolute who being become too unhapie in nothing more then in suffering your Babel building to be finished in Scotland when he beheld the like worke of your fellow Rebell Architects in England would not exclude himselfe out of doores nor part with that power whereby he might best restraine the seditious exorbitances of Ministers tongues who with the keyes of heaven have so farre the keyes of the peoples hearts as they praevaile much by their oratorie to shut in and let out both peace and loyaltie While the Warner scosfes at your threats his meaning is to have deluded people to scorne them and know in your words that the thundrings of the Scotish aswell as that Roman Anti-Christ are but vanitie and â—…inde To tell them in a figure that hell and death are no more in your keeping then the gaole in the prisoners that walkes abroad in the streetes with his shakels about him but must render himselfe at the end of his covenant The Praelates proclamation of such Atheisme as this is a printed copie out of the original writ by the fingar of God in the 10. S. Matth. Whereby is to be banished out of the hearts of the people all feare of them which kill the bodie but are not able to kill the soul for all their kirke-bulls and censures that threaten it To the quaestion you close with I answer That Satan hath driven allreadie the first instruments of his Republike in Britaine into a very narow roome in the North where Cromwell and other his more usefull instruments at praesent are likelie to keep them till if God neither convert nor by a miracle otherwise confound them his worke being done he may lash them with whips of their owne making topt ' with Serpents heads and Scorpions tailes and at last deliver them to the worme that shall not die cast them into the fire that shall not be quenched and make their stinking memorie an abhorring unto all slesh The third part of the parallel hath been in every particular justified and were more instances requisite to evidence the truth they might be a numberlesse number of such imputations as you are never able to refute The charge which the Bishop subjoines is not so poore but that it enricheth his proofe with the best argument of your spiritual supremacie The daylie practice of the Parliaments of Scotland such as have been of late and heretofore when your Reformation tooke place constitutes no right confirmes no power os nominating commitees for intervalls Nor is there any inhaerent right in Courts to nominate interreigning Commissioners but by Royal favour in such as except their intertearming vacations are perpetual and standing not call'd by fits ad placitum Domini Regis no not in the Parliament it selfe Which to omit other proofes was the ground of this clause in their Act of oblivion 1641. That the peace to be now established may be inviolablie observed in all time to come It is agreed that some shall be appointed by His Majestie and the Parliaments of both Kingdomes who in the interim betwixt the sitting of the Parâ—…ments may be carefull that the peace now hapilie concluded may be tontinued c. … And it is declared that the power of the Commission shall be restrained to the articles of peace in this treatie As likewise of that fatal Act for perpetuating the last blacke Parliament in England which had probablie neâ—…r been required if it might have nominated a Committe of state that idol to which it now sacrificeth in bloud to sit till the next summons upon any inhaerent right in that Court. For the Iudicatories of your Church I am tired with telling you that no law of the Kingdome doth privativé authorize them to meet their Assemblie being illegal without the King or his Commissioner neither of which are to come upon course or at call And their power of appointing Committees hath as often been quaestion'd and how often is that as it ever was executed without or against the positive consent or command of the King or Queen for the time And trulie the committees in the times os your late troubles were the Ambuscado wherein you lay closelie in wait to disturbe both Church and state while your armed bodie in Parliament retired Whose frequent meetings were forced no otherwse then by the incessant zeale in their Members to persecute Religion and loyaltie Whose diversion from their particular charges for attendance on the publike rebellion was join'd with so great fascherie and expense to fullfill their lusts at other mens cost Which with all their heart they will in Sempiternum continue if feare of their neckes make them not at length slip out of the collar or their grey haires and withered carkasses after many a surfeit call them not to some other account or their Chiefe in whose service they made these necessarie meetings pay them not their necessarie wages in pertusum sactulum into a bag full of holes which shall never be filled no more then was the measure of the iniquitie they acted CHAPTER XI The Presbyterie cruel to particular persons IF King and Parliament be as they may very well incenced against the Presbyterie at sight of the Bishops reason more then out of sympathie with him in his anger his warning hath taken in part the effect that he wished and aim'd at Yet in vaine shall they vindicate all just authoritie to themselves if the people be kept in a servile observance of a tyrannous discipline pay their blinde obedience to the Kirke Therefore the Warner excedes no bounds in his rage but en largeth his bowels of pitie to them who for the most part having disarmed their soules of that judgement which should dictate their freedome from Church censures upon acts indifferent or sinfull in an inferiour degree their due submission to an arraignment of thoughts onelie in the Court of a poenitent conscience or hereafter before the tribunal of heaven where sits the onelie Iudge of hearts the discerner of perverse inclinations expose themselves naked to the boundlesse furie of mercilesse Reviewers to the sharpe scrutinie of malicious Inquisitours to the arbitrarie sentence of most sinful Iudges and therefore most suspicious surmisers The Bishop mentions no faults but such as toward which your Discipline mentions no favour limited to the privacie of the care Nor yet doe all those give occasion for that which you take to shew
praecedent or reason The Kings Majesties person or in his absence his high Commissioner is there onelie you tell him to countenance not vote in your meetings and proesides in them for exernal order not for any intrinsecal power So that when you goe on calmelie in your businesse he findes litle to doe without Domitians flie-flap of more use by farre in a summer Synod then a Scepter among you which you often times wrest out of his hand and continue your meetings after he hath dissolv'd them You can denie him or his commissioner the sight of publike papers brought into the Court which libertie the meanest subject may challenge And twhen he hath any thing to object against suppositions or at best suspicious Registers the E. Rothes can tell him boldlie in your names he must speake it praesentlie if at al and because he doth not you wait no longer but proimperio vote them to be authentike Beside to deminish as well the Kings state as authoritie you send Assessours or Assistants to your Elders and invest them with power aequivalent to his Councel This meeting thus disordered sits too long by a monâ—…th when no more and Assembles too often when but once in a yeare The number of such Members no more hindereth an appeale then a multitude of Malefactours can sentence a necessitie of becoming their followers in doing evil Their wisdome is such as his to whom a wiser man tells us it is a sport to doe mischief Their eminencie like Sauls head and shoulders higher then the common people in Rebellion And their honour somewhat like Absoloms mule beares them up to the priviledge of the great oake in the wood for their hanging in beter aequipage then their fellowes So that beside the justice there 's an absolute necessitie of appeal to the Parliament or in that to the King from himselfe to himselfe who sits there as supreme here in no other capacitie but of your servant Which is farre more justifiable and necessarie then vour appeale from both Parliament and Assemblie to the bodie of the people which I tell you againe is the final appeale you make when Assemblies are not modell'd to vour minde The number and qualification of Knights and Burgesses is therefore large and as great in your Assemblie as Parliament that your power may be as large and great in the State as the Church and the Nobilitie sit in one by election because they sit in the other by birth and so in a condition to unite the counsels of both according to the instructions of some few Presbyters that by Sycophantike infinuations have got possession of their soules and by their Spiritual Scepter dominion of their suffrages Headie zeale craft and hypocrisie got in commission or Covenant together we finde by experience can fit them to judge in Ecclesiastike affaires when age wisdome and pietie are sentenc'd If â—…he hundred choyce unparliamentarie pastours make up the oddes of some absent Noblemen it should seem you and the Nobilitie are even pares cum paribus Peeres alike in your honourable Assemblie Which they must not disdaine since Christ himselfe I meane not his Anoynted that you take to be out of quaestion goes but for a single Elder or Moderatour at most So Cartwright and his Demonstratour cajoles them together when he sayth If they the Princes and Nobles should disdaine to joine in consultation with poore men they should disdaine not men but Christ himselfe So that Christ being in his name made your Assembly Praesident or Prolocutour the King in his Commissioner your protectour the Nobilitie your aw full subvoters or suffraganes I see nothing wanting can conciliate a tyrannie to your Presbyterie nor keep your foot of pride from trampling as basely as may be upon the people But not to forget at last what you set in the front as first to be answered The Presbyterian course as you or I more trulie have describ'd it is not much more readie then the Praelatical because the benefit of appeale is to be had ordinarilie but once or twice in a yeare not much more solide because most of your Iudges can reasonablie be thought neither good Civilians nor Casuists not much more aequitable because as you order them many more of the laitie then Clergie In the second hurt your Nobilitie sustaine the Bishop lookes not upon the judgement of foreigne Reformed Devines you doe not say of Churches nor yet on their practice which I have know'n some time a great deale too sawcie with Princelie Patrons but upon the aequity of the thing upon the priviledge our Nobles in England enjoy the right yours have to the same by many yeares praescription and the lawes of your land The first will be found if the original be searched The right of patronage being by the due gratitude or favor of Kings Bishops reserved to such as either built Churches or endowed them with some considerable revenue as likewise for the encouragement of others to propagate meanes and multiplie decent distinct places for Christian conventions Hoc singulari favore sustinetur ut allectentur Laâ—…ci invitentur indâ—…antur ad constructionem Ecclesiarum The exercise hereof in Iustinian is expressed by the termes Epilegein or onomazein which signifies an addiction or simple nomination to stand good or be null'd at the just pleasure of the Bishop and therefore accounted no spiritual act in the Patron but a temporal annexed to that which is spiritual in the Bishop and therefore not simonaical as your brother Didoclave would have it Nor is there that absurdâ—…ie he mentions of arrogating to one what belong to all the Members of the Church as is praetended but can never be proved Nor that danger in transmitting this right from one to another if the care of the first patron desâ—…end not with it which defect the care of the praesent Bishop must supplie Nor is it requisite he should be a Member of the same parish to which he praesents since the Bishop is head of the same diocese to whom That this is contrarie to the libertie of the Primitive and Apostolike Kirke to the order which Gods word craves and good order is onelie sayd but not argued in your Discipline no more then by you when and to whom it became a grievance Your patience in enduring it goes for no heroical vertue being peevish enough soon after the Act of annexation had passed as appeares by your cariage in the Assemblie at Edenburgh 1588. and turned into a Rebellious Conspiracie allthough painted with the name of a Parliamâ—…nt that now at last because it could not at first hath taken it away The Nobilities losse of their Impropriations and Abbey lands is very considerable when they bethinke themselves upon what false pleas and to what unconcern'd persons they must part with them Touching which as Sycophantike as is the Bishops accusation he 'll not abate a sig of his right for
of the Kingdomes They subjoining in that oath their best endeavour to disclose to His Majestie c all treasons and traitourous conspiracies c. You having not a syllable to that effect in your covenant lest you should be obliged to betray your selves who are resolved to continue principals in such practices against him and his Royal familie to the last They charitablie forgeting all revenge against any of His Majesties partie that had fought against their confoederacie you cruellie combining expresselie to bring to publike triall all such as had been any way instrumental opposers of your Covenant They embracing in the armes of Christian communion their quondam enemies now fellow subjects of a different religion you baselie butchering them with unexemplified crueltie 1. with your material sword axe or halter in their bodies your civile in their estates your spirituall what may be by your excommunication in their soules The aggravations you bring against His Majesties agreementare First That it was with persons so bloudie which as it can not be wholelie excused in them so ought it of all men least to be objected by you whose religion hath passed from the Castle of Saint Andrewes to the House at Westminster in a red sea path made for you neither by Moses's rod nor Eliah's mantle under the conduct of no civile no prophetical power fenced on both sides with bloud of different complexions the bloud of Popish and orthodoxe Praelates the bloud of Princes addicted to several Religions So that God doubtlesse will have a controversic with you who as the Prophet Hose speakes by swearing and lying have broke out into rebellim and bloud toucheth bloud The bloud of the Cardinal hath touched the bloud of the Arch-Bishop The bloud of Queen Mary the bloud of King Charles and more then that which you may heare of otherwhere Touching the crueltie of the Irish I remit you to what our Royal Martyr hath writ with much Christian indifference Ch. 12. of Eâ—… Buoâ—… where you may take notice principallie of these clauses I would to God the Iâ—…ish had nothing to alledge for their imitation against those whose blame must needeâ—… be the greater by how much protestant principles are more against all rebellimagainst Princes then those of Papists … I beleeve it will at last appeare that they who first began to embroyle my other Kingdomes and who 〈◊〉 pray you were they are in great part guiltie if not of the first leting out Yet of the not timelie stopping those horr'd essusions of bloud in Irland To omit what â—…is Majestie intimated before That their oppressive feares rather then their malice engaged them and you know how profuse you are of bloud when you treate of the doctrine of selfe praeservation Secondlie you are troubled at the full libertie of Religion he granted them which if you er saw the articles extended no farther them the remission of poenal statutes not to the restitution of Churches Church Livings but what they had then in possession not to any jurisdiction but what they exerciz'd at that time for which an expresse caution was taken in the very first article of the treatie And in the last but one their Regular Clergie were restrain'd to their pensions and confind to the praecincts of their Abbâ—…ys and Monasteries which are explain'd to be within the Walls Mures and ancient fences of the same No charitable benefactour having libertie to exercize one maine point of their Religion by laying a foot of land unto their Convents But had it been as full as you fâ—…ncie iâ—… because you make your owne case many times the same with that of your brethren abroad I pray directlie answer me Why a Papist may not have as free libertie as a Iew And Whether according to your conscience be more Antiâ—…Christian a Cloyster or a Synagogue Thirdlie You object the Armes Castles and prime places of trust in the state he put in their hands Whereas if the case were politicallie disputed Whether the Militia were safer in the hands of Papists or Presbyterians I beleeve the former would carie it upon the greater securitie though not generallie the greatest they give in their principles and the greater experimentall assurance in many places of trust they have often rendred Princes in their discharge And had the prime Castle and place of Trust in that Kingdome been theirs and no armes nor command in the Armie been the others a tolerablee freedome of religion being granted them it is not improbable that Noble Marquesse last yeare had either not been forc'd to hazard a siege for his reentrance or at least not betrayd into an inevitable unhapie necessitie of retreat What they demanded or had the 9. Article of agreement will informe you That upon the distribution conferring and disposing of the places of command honour profit and trust … no difference should be made between them and other his Majestie subjects Here 's no exception against Malignants nor persons disafected to the cause but that such distribution should be made with aequal indifferencie according to their respective merits and abiliues By which qualification all disloyal demeriting persons are made obnoxious to a just exception at any time Those that continued in possession of His Majesties Cities Garrisons within their quarters are to be commanded ruled and governed in chiefe upon occasion of necessitie as to the Martial and militaire affaires by such as His Majestie or his chiefe Governer or Governers of that Kingdome for the time being should appoint And where any garrison c. might be endangerd by restoring to their possessions estates the Litizens freemen Burgesses former inhabitans they were not to be admitted but allowed a valuable annual rent for the same as in the 7. Article was provided touching those of Corke Youghall and Dungarvan Finallie in all that agâ—…eement no condition is found That His Majestie or His Lieutenant should be governed by a Popish Parliament at Dublin when it might be in Civile nor by a Clerical councel or Assemblie at Kilkennie in Ecclesiastical affaires Fourthlie That the King gave assurance of his endeavour to get the articles ratisied in the next Parliament of England was to ratifie at praesent their confidence in him for which he can not be blamed unlesse you would have Kings sport like boyes with changeable knots in their treaties or what you scornefullie charge them all with when you thinke on 't like children play at checkstone with their promises and oathes That His Majestie did this of himselfe is false if mean'd exclusive of his Councel That he did it without a Parliament which he could not have and before it which his urgent necessities could not stay for is justifiable by that law which will never pleade for your pardon Salus populi suprema lex Nor is that currant law contraire to any standing law in such an exigence as his unlesse there be one as there is none that injoines him
forCommon prayer to your Queen you came about at length to condemning it among your selves This for the Historie of your hypocritical conformitie with us to worke your owne designe and inexcusable defection from us when that was done Touching your feigned approbation of set formes for rules and for use in beginners I am to aske you 1. What institutions their can befor improvement of supernatural gifts What formes for progresse in extraordinarie graces 2. If there be such why they serve not aswell for the benefit of tongues as utterance and whether the Apostles before the day of Pentecost had any praeparative to that descent of the spirit upon them if they had not the difference of persons not diversifying the donation where or to whomsoeverGod intends it why we are to looke about for helpes unto this purpose 3. Whether this sword of the spirit can not aswell cut the tongue as pierce the heart Whether God can not without helpes aswell indite words as mater and make the tongue become the pen oâ—… a readiâ—… writer That your set formes were published onelie for Ministers that are beginners thereby endeavouring to attaine a readinesse to pray in their familie not in the Church I take for an evasion scarce thought upon before now The gift of prayer which you take gratis without a proofe I can afford you to be â—…rdinarilie no other then the forme which Christ bestowed upon his disciples The use of that hath ever hitherto been continued by their successours in the frequent repetition of the words and analogie of all their enlargements unto the sense The greatest comfort that can be had by this is in a cheerfull submission to the judgement of that Church in whose communion I adventure my salvation the greatest libertie in the exercise of her words which in Christian humilitie and common reason I am to conceive more apposite then mine owne Herein I rest the beter satisfied when I see my common adversaries in this dutie so to fluctuate in their senses and like raging waves in a conspiracie to shipwrake others breaking mutuallie themselves by the uncertaine violence of their motion and so in the end forming out nothing but their shame Master Baylie renouncing aswell formes composed by themselves as praescribed by others Master Knox praescribing such a seâ—… prayer unto himselfe and so praemeditating the words he was to speake that when quaestioned he could repeat what er he say'd Their brethren abroad sometime strictlie enjoining a forme compiled by others Omnes Ministri unans formam publicam in Ecclesia precandi tenebunt…ideoquâ—… alia forma breviâ—…r post concionem recitanda composita est At other times leaving their Ministers to a libertie of a set prayer composed by themselves or one depending on the dictate of the spirit Minister prâ—…ces vel dictante spiritu vel certa sibi proposita formula concipiet The 4. wrongs that are praetended from our Liturgie to redound upon A Giver A Receiver A Gift and A Church being Relatives in this businesse are inseparable by nature and must fall to ground with the falsitic of the supposition upon which they hang But what injuries are multiplied upon all by the extemporarie license of Presbyters in their prayers Our Blessed Soveraigne K. Ch. 1. hath enumerated the affectation â—…mptinesse impertinence rudenesse conâ—…usions flatnesse levitie obscuritie vaine and ridiculous repetitions the senclesse and oft times blasphemous expressions all these burthened with a most taedious and intolerable length…Wherein men must be strangelie impudem and flaterers of themselves not to have an iusinite shame of what they so doe and say in things of so sacred a nature before God and the Church after so ridiculous indeed profane a maner Nec potest tibi 't is Master Baylie I meane who hath been guiltie of most in my hearing istares contingere aliter quam si tepudere desieris perfrices fronâ—…em oportet ipsete non audias But I referre him to the rest of what K. Ch. 1. Briestie but solidelie hath writ and what more at large Master Hooker to whom I may challenge all the Scotish Presbyterie for an answer So great a cloud of witnesses encompassing the Scotish Presbyterie and giving in evidence against her as the mother of mischief too many yeares in three Kingdomes your arme is too weake to lay aside the weight of those wicked actions that must be charged on her backe and the sinne of sacriledge Royal that so easilie bâ—…sets her The Parliament of Scotland sure â—…quivocates in denying that they have stripped the King of his justrights I speake to His Majestie now reigning His â—…ather having unanswerablie argued for himselfe because they never hitherto acknowledged him invested with any but the name to which bare inheritance they knew him borne without the charitie of their breath which he must have had without their sounding trumpet proclaiming this for their almes as hypocrites in their markets But to come close to you This Parliament of Scotland had it been such as it was not upon the murder of the â—…ather ought to have been stripped of all it selfe then no just rights no more but such as a deadman hath to his robes and being a breathlesse carkasse could require nothing at the hands of the Sonne The courses to which he was stirred up and keeped on out of natural dutie by no factious advice were howsoever they succeded praeservative of his Fathers and himselfe and destructive to no people but the workers of iniquitie that with their owne hands plucked downe miserie upon their heads The bloudshed brings bloudguiltinesse upon them that first opened the veine from which he had no need to be purged with hysope that was cleane nor washed whose conscience in that particular was whiter then the snow Yet being by your scarlet Parliament imputed to him whose impure eyes can bâ—…hold nothing but iniquitie in others and whose wicked mouthes are wide open to devoure the man that is more righteous then themselves the satisfaction they required could be in order to no exercise of his Royal government nor dare they take any by the rules of your Discipline which must have bloud for bloud but a slavish subjection of his life and erowne to sentence without mercie which had been though fewer in number yet as full in your meaning and as effectual aequitable demands Allthough this be a replie unanswerable to your praetense Yet I must not leave you without discovering your diminutive forgerie in Parliament Proclamations putting parts of his Royal Government where they the whole without exception His name portract seale being not his when new stampt and set to publike writings by your hands then in actual rebellion against his person The securitie to your Religion and Liberties required were first enacted for an aequitable demand onclie by a Convention of Rebells at Edenburgh 1567. who had been partlie solicited partlie scared into a
draw up a solemne league and covenant the danger was great and they were not able with all their forces to stand two moneths before the Kings armie bot we shall draw it up here and send up with you some noblemen gentlemen Ministers that shall see it subscribed which was done To proceed your Rebell Parliaments desires beside what may be gatherd from your papers were not as I have heard very humblie praesented by the persons many times that brought them And when your smoothest language is glossed upon as best it may be by your rude militarie Interpreters at more distance your negative will not hinder them of being impositions rather then supplications Religion and liberties in all the three Kingdomes were very sufficientlie secur'd by the lawes Scotish Presbyterie is no religion but rebellion in the principles and the libertic taken by it is license befitting no subjects and therefore not to be desired of a King For which if such a covenant or oath is but one malne peice of securitie as you confesse I leave to be judged if any judgement can comprehend the other maine peices of vassalage for your safetie you yet farther expected from the crowne An authoritie to crave many leaves a libertie to refuse and be of no sufficience to impose upon the subject so long as during the contenuance of the Parliament Nor can you shew that uncontroverted law which gives validitie to an ordinance controverted by the King who assumes no power of politike imposible concessions such as treason felonie breach of peace are by name with us covenanting is such when against the Kings consent The last part of the demonstration is too true and so farre dishonourable as it blazons the cowardize of men well principled in their religion to God and loyaltie to their King who for the benefit of a litle fresh aire out of prison and a titular interest in an estate the revenues whereof must be excis'd contributed fift parted twentieth parted and particulated into nothing at the pleasure of the blew-apron'd men in the Citie and Committee plowmen in the Countrey would desperatelie cast their soules into the guilt and curse of a covenant which they utterlie detested and their persons into the slaverie of proud sinfull unreasonable men whom before it may be they fed with their charitie and commanded The nullitie of this oath upon the difference of heart and mouth is demonstrable The very taking it being so farre from obliging to be kept as it subjects them to the judgement of God because not done in truth nor in righteousnesse Isai 48. Nec vero ultra quam conseâ—…sum est juramentum operatur secundum ipsum quae tunc actul deficit in substantia desiciente consensu quem defectum juramentum minime supplet Say the lawyers And he that sweares to commit sacriledge and murder is as much bound by his oath which I would faine heare Master Baylie dictate from his chaire against them when they tell him Iuramentum non est vinculum iniquitatis The especial aggravation which he drawes from the Bishops ground is as especial a lie and as evident a falshood as ever came out of the mouth of man an irrecoverable shame to the whole Presbyterie That a Minister Professour their great champion commissioner should utter it when not onelie the penaltie of two pence hath been threatned but of sequestration and imprisonment hath been executed upon thousands and beside these because some particular must be instanc'd upon neare 100. fellowes of Colledges in one weeke banishment out of the Vniversitie of Cambridge this I can best justifie being one of the number Which was a leading case to Oxford when in their power and the feare of unjust suffering they threatned her first argument against their covenant Therefore let us leave the dishonour we were speaking of where we found it upon the head of our Nation in part who degenerated so farre as to take a covenant from the hand of strange rebells no otherwise their brethren then in the in quitie of maintaining hypocrisie and license both which they see with their selves selves now in thraldome to Atheisme and a mercenarie sword And beare about them the marke of Gods vengeance in the sight of us who survive to magnifie him in his iustice saying Iustus Dominus in omnibus vijs suis sanctus in omnibus operibus suis. The Bishops second demonstration need be no beter then the first whereby you are convicted as bad as it is you dare not venture upon halfe of it but like a cunning old rat that hath before been catch'd by the taâ—…le in a trap will be nibling at the baite but not enter too farre with his teeth for feare his head goe for 't next This makes you so tender of dealing with the majour which if not well caution'd why doc not you denie it or attacke it on that side which you guesse weaklie guarded You pervert the minour though litle to your advantage The Bishop sayth not that in the Covenant you sweare the latelie devised discipline to be Christs institution but that you gull men with it as if it were so imposing upon them the strictest oath to engage their estates and lives in the praeseruation and propagation of it which is as much as can be required for Christs institution or Euangel a title as strange as you make it often given your Discipline which allreadie I have touchd at Yet because here you so confidentlie put us upon the words of the Covenant somewhat not much unlike what the Bishop imputes I finde in the praeface… having before our eyes the glorie of God and the advancement of the Kingdome of our Lord and Saviour Iesus Christ… whereby I charge your meaning to be the Presbyteriall Government of your Kirke if not I require you plainlie to denie it and to send me this proposition subscribed by your hand The plat forme of Discipline to which we sweare in the Covenant is not Christs institution Especiallie since your General Assemblie 1642. hath sayd That the Reformed Kirkes doâ—… hold without doubting their Kirke officiers and Kirke Government by Assembles higher and lower c to be jure divino and perpetual Your brother-Presbyters in England That Presbyterian Government hath just and evident foundation 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
they abus'd many with an appearance of identitie in the mater and similitude in the end And themselves frequentlie confessed that this Covenant was nothing but that general one applied to the particular occasions at that time It is as certaine that the Covenant of the Rebells in all the three Kingdomes 1643. was held out at least to them in Scotland that toke it to be the same with that they toke before otherwise then as it must be againe applied to a conjunction with their brethren of the other two Kingdomes Nor was there any other new emergent cause nor was that one for any new Covenant and you are not to multiplie solemne oathes and Covenants you sayd without necessitic Nor is there in this the sense of any one clause that is not in the other as it concern'd your owne Nation And the enemies with their practices against whom and which you fram'd it you professe to be the same though now increased in your praeface All which have elements enough beside an airie sancie to make up your grosse errour or affected falshood in denying so demonstrable a truth Yet that notwithstanding this imposture there is a real difference in the triplie respect which the Bishop speakes of was never hitherto denied as I know by any Episcopal writer which are many that occasionallie have mention'd it So that his Lordship cuts not his owne vine but your fingars that will be medling with his worke for which he may expect and will have due thankes from his friends that rightlie understand him For how soever indeed that short confession was at first not onelie draw'n up by the Kings command nor freelie subscribed with his hand but obtruded violentlie upon him being devised by a partie of seditious male-contented Noblemen and Courtiers made such by the Clergie that were worse against Esme Earle of Lenox who they hoped by this test would be discovered to be a Papist Yet the King made a very good vertue of necessitie and since he must impose it fiâ—…st upon his familieand afterward upon his subjects being supreme could and did it in his owne sense though it may be oppositie to theirs that made it the ambiguitie of the words tolerating both To which in that sense he praefixed his Royal authoritie whereas your later Covenant in yours was absolutelie against his sonnes That in his sense was for the lawes of the Realme the praeservation of Episcopacie This against them for its utter extirpation That to maintaine the religion established which he did to the uttermost of his power This to its destruction which it is in effecting though it spoiles in the casting that golden calfe you intended to set up So that the words themselves which doe not more flatlie contradict the Bishop then they are contradict by your workes are not so expresse for the Kings authoritie the law of the realme and religion established and wherein they are such an abstruse meaning have they as he that takes your league is ouos agoon mysteria the dull creature that ignorantlie caries all the mysteries of your iniquitie on his backe In the next paragraph is nothing but a branch or two of your former wild discourse therein a nest of small birds chattering what we often heare to no purpose or never to lesse then here having no significancie at all in answer to the Bishops Memento which recognizeth Q. Elizabeths indulgence to whom your praedecessours scraped and whined for militarie assistance to say no worse undeservedlie had it without imposing the Discipline os England Whereas you to use the words of K. Ch. 1. are not to be hired at the ordinarie rate of auxiliariâ—…s much lesfe borrowed or bestowed nothing will induce you to ingage till â—…hose that call you in have pawned their soules to you The Discipline Liturgic which you quarell with some times because different from the English was obtruded upon you by no other crast and force then a plaine legal injunction Deliberated on from the time of K. Iames's investiture in the crowne of England approved in a general Assemblie at Aberdene 1616. the Liturgie I meane the Discipline having been received long before read publikelie in the Kings chapell at Haly-rud-house ever since the yeare 1617. not onelie without dislike but with frequent assemblies of the Councel Nobilitie Bishops and other Clergie Iudges Gentrie Burgesses women of all rankes In several other places in the time of K Ch. 1. The alterations which were not of such moment as to be met with opposition were partlie made generallie approved by the Bishops and principal Clergie in Scotland who in the exercise of it were injoined to proceed with all moderation and dispense with such for the practice of some things conteined in the booke as they should finde either not well perswaded of them or willing to be informed concerning them or did hope that time and reason might gaine a beter beleefe of them How otherwise your Discipline was obtruded upon the English what free long and deliberate choyce they used beside the sighes and groanes of many pious soules hurried into prisons or disspersed in a miserable exile your owne Scots Cushi shall beare witnesse Who out of no ill meaning to your cause reveales the truth of your tyrannie from the beginning… That upon your second coming in it was when some of our Nobles tooke occasion to supplicate for a Parliament which the King scarce durst denie for the Scotch armie nor the perpetuitie of it afterward for no other reason… That when it came to armes the Scotes could not sit still in conscience honestie whereupon they sent a Commissioner from their Synod to the English Parliament 1642. to move them to cast out Bishops Then others to the King at Oxford to signe all propositions which because he would not doe they resolve to assist their brethren against him whom they call the common enemie The formalitie of an invitation was used to this purpose but their inclination and resolution had pass'd before And indeed your Assemblie 1642. confess'd an obligation lay upon them to encourage and assist so pious a worke but not as you doe here onelie out of brotherlie concernment but for securitie of yourselves because without it you could not hope for any long time to enjoy your owne puritie peace which had cost you so deare The Bishops following grounds which he makes good to be de monstrative doe not therefore betray the weaknesse of because they adde strength to the praeceding What wind is in them you follow too fast after and feed as greedilie upon as Ephraim on the East which turnes to the same bad nourishment in you both increasing lies and somewhat else which you may reade Hose 12. 1. And were the softest hand insensible of their substance they would praeponderate your answers which are as deceitfull upon the weights as he that made them and allsogether lighter then vanitie it selfe For
not a proposition is there in prosyllogisme or syllogisme that is seemes you can denie though you scarce any where shew ingenuitie to grant For the second which you thinke so hard to prove let it be adventur'd thus He that by covenant disposeth of himselfe and armes contrarie to the established lawes which by the Kings right in him he is obliged to maintaine disposeth of them against that rights But every Covenanter disposeth c. For the established lawes enjoine him to defend the Kings person without limitation or reference to religion at least not to fight against it which the Covenant by your practike interpretation doth oblige to Where the power of the Militia resides His Maâ—…esties unanswerable Declaration for the Commission of array will best satisfie you And himselfe tells you trulie it is no lesse his undoubted right then is the crowne In the exercise of it though the Parliament be not excluded yet their power is never legallie considerable but when they are as the bodie with the soul in stain conjunctâ—… with the King Defense of liberties hath no law to arme them against praerogative nor is there a cause imaginable impowering them to take up armes against a partic countenanced by the Kings praesence which can be according to no law but what is call'd such by rebellious people that offer violence to Royal right If any such there be let us have but one impraegnable instance and we 'll shake hands I beleeve you are not much in love with that old custome of the Frisians long before they became Presbyters who chose their Earle carying him upon their bucklers and crying alowd Haecest potestas Frisiae You can now adayes beter indoctrinate them according to the custome of yourfaction when praevalent which is to admit no new King but at the swords point and there to keepe him crying after this maner or somewhat like it in your proclamational libells Haec est libertas Presbyteriales Scotiae Yet your Commissioners when in the mood can praesent the hilt to his hand and argue with both houses as they did upon the new propositions why the power of the militia should be in the crowne asking How Kingâ—… otherwise can be able to resist their enemies and the enemies of the Kingdome protect their subjects keep friendship or correspondence with their allies … asserting that the depriving them of this power rootes up the strongest foundations of honour and sasctie which the crowne affords will be interpreted in the eyes of the world to be a wresting of the scepter and sword out of their hands So that the Bishops friends may take from yours aswell as from him the same demonstrable conclusion he layd downe And this for all the Kings acknowledgement which was never any of the Parliaments joint interest in his authoritie against his person which is the true case though you shamefullie conceale it Nor did His Majestie so put the whole Militia in their hands as to part with his right when he bound his owne from the exercise Nor was he sure he was not or might not seeme to be perjur'd for his courtesie which all Kings will not hazard though he layd the guilt or dishonour at their doores whither God hath brought allreadie a portion of their just punishment that constraind him saying I conceive those men are guiltic of the enforced persurie if so it may seem who compell me to take this new and strange way of discharging my trust by seeming to desert it of protecting my subjects by exposing my selfe to danger or dishonour for their safetie and quiet Therefore what thoughts he had of your parties medling with the Militia may be best judg'd by his words How great invasion in that kinde will state rebellion in a Parliament when there 's any as there was none at that time nor since shall be told you when the Bishop gives you occasion to demand it Or if you can not stay so long I must send you againe to the judicious Digges to satiate your too curious and greedie appetite of such fare as will not well be digested in many stomackes To the nulling yourCovenant by His Majesties proclamation you say nothing because it separates him from the partie to which you attribute all malignance and you know you can not securelie medle with him but in a croud In the Bishops second demonstration we must be beholding to you for giving what you can not keep with any credit which more awes you then conscience That where the mater is evidentlic unlawfull the oath is not binding The application of which up to your covenant will be justified when brought to the touch by Gods lawe or the Kingdome 's But you first summon it before reason which helpes you with no rule To lay aside what might be otherwise rectified were there cause for 't Nor any evidence that the burden of Bishops and ceremonies was so heavie as to presse you into the necessitie of a Covenant This his Lordship need not offer to dispute since the King ever offerd a regulation of that order and those rites by the primitive paterne wherein it otherwise differed then in a necessarie innocent compliance with the politike constitution of his Kingdome And the Church had render'd all rational satisfaction aswell for the ceremonies reteined as those abolish'd And both by particular men most eminent in learning and judgement had been unanswerablie maintained in every graine or scruple that could be quaestion'd or complaind of Yet the praesent government how light soever is burdensome especiallie to men that looke for advantages by the change And the worst of men can seeme as serious in complaint as if their vertues had been the onelie martyrs to crueltie and the very common hackneyes for oppression Quid reliqui habemus praeter miseram animam came out which a sad sigh from Catiline before his bankrupt Comrades who had left no such subject for rebellion to thetoricate on if their lives had been as good pawnes in the midst of their prodigalitie as their lands This your method of reformation whereof the Bishop complaines for which you plead custome failes not onelie in the maner but of the power the most material requisite to effect it And the high path way is not so ordinarie as you can name the Parliament that ever trod in it before We in England having no such custome nor indeed any where the true Churches of God as to alter religion and government without the King To your quaestion which ever shelters fraud in universals I particularlie answer and to our purpose 1. That the Houses of Parliament are not to begin with an ordinance for a covenant or oath to change the lawes of the Realme to abolish the Discipline of the Church and the Liturgie lawfullie established by the sword which are the Bishops words before the Kings consent be sought to that beginning much lesse when his dissent is foreknow'n of that
aâ—… much abjured Presbyterie that praetends for Royaltie by the engagement that hath renounc'd it as you Episcopacie by the Covenant may they condition for their owne confused Jndependencie three yeares and as much longer as till you and they agree may they tell you that can never be because they are engag'd and in no hazard to reerect the roten stooles of English Scotizing repentance the corrupt classes of your Presbyters which the same sword hath ten times more justlie cut downe then it set them up But I see your full and formal consent findes no such good footing in your fallacie and therefore falls at length to a possibilitie of defect which you praesume with much facilitie to have supplied His Majestie that now is hath much to thanke you for that at the first you will make him as glorious a King as you made not his Royal father but after so many yeares experience of his reigne That being at libertie not onelie in his person from your prisons but in his reputation from the clogges of those calumnies you cast upon the guiltnesse innocencie of his Praedecessour you will advance him beyond all those sufferances that were Solemne praeparations to his murder and in primo imperij momento as in ultimo you did before hold him by the haire onelie not as yet permit the Independent hand to cut his throat untill forsooth he hath taken breath to supplie that wherein his too scrupulous too pusillanimous father fainted And then crowne him with ribbons and flowers for the fater sacrifice of the two by the giving up his honour and salvation beyond a life the onelie leane oblation of Charles the first But may His Majestie say you easilie supplie what his father travaild for without satisfaction to the uttermost limits of reason and conscience beyond the farthest excusable adventures of any Praedecessours in his three Kingdomes or out of them hazarding allmost to despaire his memorie with pious posteritie especiallie at that distance as shall not repraesent distinctlie every angle of the necessitie he was driven to and his soul to no other assurance of pardon then what the integritie of his repentance not so infalliblie haereditarie as his miseries and his glorious martyrdom afterwards helpt him to Would he thinke you so readilie but for a whisper of pernicious counsel in his eares passe by unregarded his fathers charge to persevere in the orthodoxe religion of England and hearken to the Devill of Rebellion whom he knowes well enough though turnd into a Angel of Reformation Can he so easilie after three or fower weekes conference at the Haghe with two ignorant Presbyters and but twice as many leaden headed Laikes have his reason convinc'd his consience satisfied which is Royal Father could not in so many yeares conversation with the ablest Divinâ—…s devout consultations had with the Living God himselfe by his prayers and his dead Yet livelie oracles of the Holie Word in his watches Or would he so readilie without it give up his Fathers invincible reserve to the irrcparable injurie of the Church his people his heire or successour in his Kingdomes Was he requir'd and intreated by Charles the first as his Father and his King in case he should never see his face againe not to suffer his heart to receive the least checke against or disaffection from the true Religion established in the Church of England And can he so easilie even while that pretious bloud hath dyed his garments in purple and being the Defender's of the fayth speakes the same language and calls every morning he puts them on for the same vengeance as once did the firstborne of the faythfull cast such requests and requisites behind him quit the true Christian guard he is charg'd with and desert all his constant subjects that must persevere in their religious profession according to the puritie of our canon Will he rather then want weare a crowne which is not wortb taking up or enjoining upon such dishonourable unconscionable termes And will he so readilie beare the infamous brand to all posteritie of being the first Christian King in his Kingdome who consented to the oppression of Gods Church and the Fathers of it exposing their persons to penvrie and their sacred functions to vulgar contempt Will he so easilie because his treasure exhausted his revenâ—…e deteind be tempted to use such prosane reparations if not acting consenting to perjurious and sacriligious rapines Or will he so readilie instead of huckes give holy things unto sivine and the Church's bread not onelie the crumbes of it unto dogs This his Royal Father durst not for feare a coale from Gods alter should set such a sire on his throne and his consience as could hardlie be quenched Nor in all likelihood will this ever obsequious sonne whom you call I hope in expectation of no such concessions the most sweet and ingenious of Princes unlesse such furies as you fright his conscience away while his tongue doubleth in an uncertaine consent having from your pens practices nothing but insuperable horrour and inevitable destruction in his sight Where in if ever you unhapilie praevaile may the same Royal tongue be seasonablie touch'd with a coale of a beter temper before the unquenchable fire of despaire catch hold of his soul or that of vengeance of his throne May it call for the fountaine of living waters to wash away the bloud of his slame subjects whose soules lie under the altar crying aloud for judgement and quaestioning its delay May that ountaine deriue it selve into the head and heart of this otherwise innocent King and day and night flow out at his eyes in torrents of teares for himselfe in no soloecisine the Virgin Father of his people And may at last his robes be wash'd white in the bloud of the Lambe and God wipe away all teares from his eyes Having payd in dutie this conditional devotion which I wish as frivolous and needlesse as your praesumption is malicious unlikelie I proceed to vindicate the Bishops discourse which J can not see how in sense may be sayd to fright the Kings conscience by asserting his right and undeniable praerogative the sinewes whereof you would shrinke up into nothing The Legislative power is not here stated or determined by his Lordship onelie the King call'd supreme Legislatour which he is What comment tries have been made of it to the praejudice of the right and custome of Parliaments shall be spoken to when you tell us which of his brethren and what in their writings it is you meane No right nor custome can be adjusted to them in your case which is vowing to God and sweating one unto another to change the lawes of the Realme c. by the sword without and against the King different from the sense of your Commissioners who would have the Legislative power aswell as the Militia to be the Kings For that power
onelie of the other title supreme head and accept his explication of it which yeilding you in your contracted sense that might securetie afford him more capital priviledges without encroachment upon Christ or his Holie Curch supreme Governer takes in what your Presbyterie will never grant him all power imperative Legislative judicial coactive all but functional imediate and proper to the ordination or office of the Minister which for ought J know if he finde an internal call 〈◊〉 a supposition drawing neare a possibilitie then likelihood and assurance to have a double portion of Gods gracious power and assistance in both administrations he not onelie may but must exercise as did Moses and Melchisedech saving that without a divine institution in this spiritual function his supremacie exempts him not from submitting his head under the hands of holie Church and taking our Saviours commission with the benediction from her month That Scotish Presbyterie is a Papacie the Bishop requires not to be granted upon his word but to be taken before Publike notaries upon your owne the political part whereof consists in the civile primacie which at least by reduction you very considentlie assume The Bishops contradiction which is searce so much as verbal will be easilie reconciled by the words of the oath which he reflects on and his argument good against you untill without reserves limitations or distinctions you simplie acknowledge the King supreme over all persons in all causes which would be a contradiction to this clause in your booke of Discipline The poâ—…er Ecclesiastical stoweth immediatelie from God and the Mediatour Iesus Christ and is spiritual not having a temporal head in the earth but onelie Christ the onelie spiritual King and Governer of his Kirke Lasthe No Presbâ—…terian is there in Scotland but counts it sacriledge to give the King what belongeth unto the Church And whatsoeu'rit is they quit in Ecclesiastike causes is not unto the King but to King and Parliament and the power in both when it informes an Act or statute call'd but accessorie by the Aderdene Assemblers and that we may no longer doubt whom they account supreme dutie and subjection from the Prime which though spoken by them but of their meeting must be meant of all causes consultable in their Synods and is as sensibie a truth as words without ambiguitie can render it Our of all which hath been sayd it must necessarilie follow that your Covenant hath all the good qualities computed which needs no arithmetical proofe by weight or measure the praemises over being coextended with and counterpoiz'd by the conclusion What you rathlie if not praesumtuouslie pronounce of the Bishops judgement doth but vilisie your owne Qui citò deliberant sacile pronunâ—…iant Had you brought a judgement to the contrarie of any learned Casuist to whom his Lordship appeales or any Divine of note in Europe which he calls for your answer had been somewhat more serious and solide But here your oracles of learning are all silent We sinde it not avowed by your especial brethren of Holland and France by no approbatorie suftrages of Leyden and â—…trecht…Omnium flagitiosorum aâ—…que facinorosorum circum se tanquant stipatorum catevâ—… habet A guard is hath but a blake one such as Catilines league and how can it have beter wherein is sworne a conspiracie as bad The Bishops following vapours meeting with no suneshine of law or reason to dissipate them will not so vanish upon a litle blast of your breath but that they 'll returne in showers of confusion upon your head Your secret will to asteribe good intentions to the King hath by some of your packe been very straâ—…gelie revealed in their expressions touching Kings whoss very nature they have declared originallie antipathetical to Christ. This Didoclave avowes as planilie as he can And when objected by His Grace of Saint Andrewes with your proverbial yet mystical appendix of their obligation to the Creatuor not to Christ the Redecmer for their crownes is so slovenlie answered by Philadelphs Vindicatour as any man may reade your good wil in his words measure the sense of your Synods by his lines your good opiniâ—…n of the intentions of K. Charles 1. Beside what you imputed to his Praelates may be guested by what sometimes in print you have assiribâ—… unto his person An unworthie fellow your Countrey man that comes runing in hast with the message of your good meaning in his mouth sayth His infamous Barbarous intentions were executed by â—…eathing his sword in the bowels of his people And this not onctic himselve not impeding conniving at and giving full Commission for in Scotland and Ireland but in England looking upon with much delight while it was done And that so faire were negotiations and treaties from retracting him that it was in publike declared he sayth not byany Praelatical partie that he would never defist from this enterprise of persecuting Church and Commonwealthso long as he had power to pursue it Concerning the good intentions of Charles the second beside what jealousies you expresse by the scrupulous conditions in your proclaemation your Haghe papers are instancies of your willing asseriptions which call his answer strange whereby the distance is made greater then before and farre lesse offered for religion the Covenant and the lawes and liberties of your Kingdome then was by his Royal Father even at that time when the difference between him and you was greatest…So that it will constraine you in such an extremitie to doe what is incumbent to you I have allreadie told you the usual consequences of that cursed word and what good intentions you are in hand with when you utter it Tyrannie and poperie are twinnes engendred between your jealousie malice to which Independencâ—…e is more likelie to be the midwife then Praelacie and if by that hand they get deliverie at last will besure to pay Presbytesie their dutie when they can speake The painted declarations caries beter sense to them that rightlie understand them which I am sure is not prajudicâ—…d by any paraphrase of the Bishops Though agere pocniuntiam Be good councel where well placed ' yet egisse non paniundum requires it not If the conâ—…ience of the Court continue to be managed by the principles of the Prâ—…lates the hearts of the mist understanding shall if they will be satisfied withall moral and siducial assurance to have that Religion praeserved which shall by reason and authoritie aswell divine as humane in every particular justifie it selse against all right or left handed sects and factions guiltie of superstition or prosanâ—…sse those lawes observed which appeare now to have constituted the most indifferent mnoâ—…uous government in the world Whereas if the conscience of the Court be deluded once into Presbyters hands it will need none of our angrie wishes to be made sensible of the change when to be sure it must take religion like a desperate patient from a sullen physician
for homonymus subscribentiam r. homonymoos suscribentium p. 185. for momfeia r. monscia Aristoph p. 187. l. 38. for up to r. unto p. 188. l. 14. for which r. with p. 191. l. 14. for guittnesse r. guildesse p. 155. l. 15. for fermed r. feigned l. 34. for neare r. nearer a possibilitie then likelihood p. 157. l. 13. for faire r. farie marg for Cosque r. Eosque p. 198. l. 11. for bay r. bag l. 35. for inclioration r. melioration marg for vide r. vive for se short causes r. see short conses p. 200. l. 40. for Anabaptists r. Abaptists p. 201. l. 16. for were r. mere TO THE READER I Am necessarisie to advertise you That if you be notvery conversant in the R d Bishops Warning and his adversaries Review before you enter upon my replie you will in the end be as unsatisfied about the true state of the controversie as all the way offended at the incohaerence of the paragraphs or periods in the booke there being to ease the Printer not much to advantage me very litle inserted that mine relates to which notwithstanding is penned as if you had the other perpetuallie in your sight The credit I claime to have given to several historical circumstances of a Countrey which I yet never saw wherewith I could not be furnished from printed bookes is upon the sufficient assurance I have of the fidelitie and abilitie in such persons as are natives whom I consulted as oracles in many cases and received their answer in no darke ambiguitie of words But layd downe positivelie in their papers which if their indifference had been the same with mine I should have published with their names whereby to put out the envious mans eye and keep curiositie from a troublesome impertinencie in enquirie I shall make no apologie at all to you for my engagement in the dispute having allreadie done it where more due I shall brieflie this for some tantologie much indecencie and levitic in my language Desiring the first may be imputed to some necessitie I was cast upon by the Reviewers frequent repetitions and some difficultie to recollect what expressions had passed from me with the sheetes most of which I was to part with successivelie as I pennd them at several distances of time and place reteining no perfect copie in my hands The second is that dirt which did sticke like pitch unto my fingars while I was handling the fowle Review and so hath defild my booke The third came from no affectation to be facetious for which I am litle fitted yet thought I might as well sport it as a Divinitie Professour in his chaire who having it seemes made hast to the second infancie of his age or reassumd his first would never it may be have been at quiet unlesse I had rocked him in his cradle or play'd a litle with his rattle The strange misse-takes many times introduced by his ignorance of our tongue that in my absence praepared all for the presse are rectified with references to the pages where Which amendments in favour of your selfe aswell as justice unto me should be at first transplanted to their several colonies by your pen. The Greeke leters that have lost their grace by the Latin habits wherein they are constrained to appeare being crowded here and there out of all significancie and order so left at large have their authoritie made good to the full sense of the commission they brought with them every where by the English Interpreter or Paraphrast when you meet them Which intimated I have no greater courtesie to crave from you if one the Revievers impartial and aequitable comparers then to hearken to truth and reason and to signifie what you finde here dissonant from either which I promise you shall be acknowledged or amended Adieu Your R. W. A Table of the Chapters CHAPT I. THe Scots bold addresse with the Covenant to K. Ch. 2. Their partie inconsiderable The Bishop's method language and matter asserted The quaestion in controversie unawares granted by the Reviewer Page 1. II. The Scotish Discipline overthrowes the right of Magistrates to convocate Synods and otherwise to order Ecclesiastical affaires 10. III. The last appeale to the Supreme Magistrate justisiable in Scotland 41. IV. Seditious Rebellious Ministers in Scotland seldome or never censured by the Assemblie 47. V. The Discipline exempts not the supreme Magistrate from being excommunicate 57. VI. Kings may sometime pardon capital offenders which the Disciplinarians donie As they do their Royal right to any part of the Ecclesiastike revenue 59. VII The Presbyterie cheates the Magistrate of his civile power in ordine ad spiritualia 65. VIII The divine right of Episcopacie beter grounded theâ—… that pratended in behalfe of Presbyterie 93. IX The Commonwealth is a monster when Gods Soveraignite in the Presbyterie contradicts the Kings 113. X. No concord between Parliament and Presbyterie 116. XI The Presbyterie cruel to particular persons 124. XII The Presbyterie a burthen to the Nobilitie Ministrie and all Orders whatsoever 130. XIII The Bishops exceptions against the Covenant made good this proved That no man is obliged to keep it who hath taken it 176. An Alphabetical Principal Table of the Contens A. THe Disclplinarians rebellious proceedings in their persecution of Arch. Bp. Adamson Pag. 43 Poenitent adulterers not necessarilie to be put to death 169 Litle aequitie in the Reviewers debates treaties 190 Alteration in Religion or Church Government unsave sinfull while conscience is doubtfull 95 They may be feared to be unchristian that call us Antichristian 145 Trivial debates among Scotish Presbyters about apparell 125 The Reviewer dares not speake out to the Bishops quaestion about taking armes for religion 198 That Libertie no justifiabie praetenses for taking armes 201 The Pr Scots that did no more excusable then the Anabaptist in Germanie â—…00 They are planters of their misse-named Religion by armes 202 K. Ch. 1. had just cause to march with an armie toward Scotland Ans. to Ep. Ded. 9 The Pr. Scots had none for their invading England Ibid. 11 Their General Assemblies Disobedience to the Kings command 1â—…79 12 The incohaerent excuses therof 13 The rebellious Assemblers at Aberdene 1605. 16 Appeales in Scotland to the King 32 And so the ultimate of them every where elce 41 The proceedings against them no other then legal 17 Wherein the E. Dunbar caried himselfe impartiallie and noblie 23 Assemblies summoning the people in armes upon the trial of Popish Lords 92 Collusion and violence in the election of Members for Assemblies 133 Why so many Burgesses and Gentlemen in them 134. 135 B. TReason by statute to impugne the authoritie of Bishops being one of the three Estates 19 Bishops perpetuall in Scotland 21 The calumnie against the three Bishops consectated by the Arch-Bishop of Canterburie refuted 22 How the Difference hapened between the E. Argile the Bishop of Galloway 141 Our Bishops contest not with King and Nobles 140
E Huntley's case truelie related 61 I. K. Iames a greater Anti-Presbyterian then Anti-Erastian 64 The Praelates title to Impropriations and Abbey lands beter then that of Presbyters 137 Presbyterian indulgence in cases of sedition and rebellion 47 Their monstrous ingratitude for the too liberal graces of K. Ch. I. 104 The Kings concessions to the Irish more justifiable then the other could be to the Scotish Presbyterian demands 146 The Pr. Scots endeavours to impose their Discipline upon England 5 The Assemblie at Westminster having no power to authorize it 6 Many of the Presbyteries in Scotland have very unfit unable Iudges 174 Iurisdiction Ecclesiastical sloweth from the Magistrate 34 Sc. Presbyters usurpe Civile jurisdiction 69 No power of jurisdiction in what the Reviwer misse interprets the Church 108 Nor in a companic mot together 109 K. THe election of a King not originallie justifiable in any people 164 K. Ch. I. not inclinable though by counterseit promises praevail'd with to cast himselfe upon the Presbyterian Scots Ans. to Ep. Ded. 12 His writings not interlined by the Bishops The Reviewers commendation of them unawares Ibid. 〈◊〉 K. Ch. II. hath expressed no inelination to the Covenant If any praeventive disswasion of His Majesties from it hath been used by the Praelatical pattie it was a dutifull act of conscience and prudence 149 His Majestie can not so easilie will not so readilie grant what his Royall Father denied 191 Scots Presbyterians never seriouslie asscribed any good intentions to K. Ch I. nor 2. 197 L. MOre learning under Episcopacie then Presbyterie 150 The King supreme Legislatour 193 The Bishops share in making lawes as great as any one of the three Estates Ibid. Our Liturgie why read A parallel of it with primitive formes fiter then with the Breviarie 156 The Church of Scotland hath had a liturgie not onelie for helpe but practice 160 The Presbyterians hypocritical use of it 161 M. THe Magistrates definitive judgement in Synods owned by the Reformed Divines both Praelatical and Presbyterian 28 Sc. Presbytetie will have Magistrates subject to the Kirke 120 Presbyters why against clandestine marriages 166 Consent of Parents how to be required Ibid. No obedience due to them commanding an unjust marriage 169 The Bishops cautelous in giving license for clandestine marriages 170 Gods mercie in praeserving Arch-Bishop Maxwel falsified by the Reviewer 3 The businesse about the Spanish Merchants sophisticated 80 Sc. Presbyters controllers in the Militia 79 The power of it in the King 186 Pr. Ministers rebellious meeting at Mauchlin moore 119 They exceed their commission 121 Their power with the people dangerous to the government 122 Their rebellious proceeding in the persecution of Arch-Bishop Montgomerie and Arch-Bishop Adamson 43 The murders other prodigious impieties acted by the Sc. Presbyterians in prosecution of their ends 82 The scale of degrees whereby they asscended to the murder of K. Ch. I. 38 Which might have been foreseen by their propositions never repealed 76 Murder may be pardoned by the King who hath been petitioned in that case by the Disciplinarians themselves 60 N. THe King 's negative voyce justified as well in Scotland as England 77 What is the power of his affirmative 78 The Sc. Presbyters gave the occasion and opportunitie for the Nobles to get the Ecclesiastike revenue The Episcopacie more then titular they kept up 15 Presbyterie more oppressive to the Nobilitie Gentrie then Praelacie 130 Noblemen why chosen Elders 〈◊〉 131 Where such how slighted by the Presbyters 139 O. SC. Presbyters assume the arbitration of oeconomical differences 68 The Officers appointed by Christ in his Church need not be restrained to the number of five Nor those taken to be the same the Presbyterians would have them 106 The Officials Court a more competent Iudicatoric then the Classical Presbyterie 132 No power of ordination in the Presbybyterie 108. 142 No comfortable assurance but from Apostolical succession Episcopal ordination which Presbyterians want Ibi. The Sc. Presbyterians trial before ordination more formal then truelie experimental of abilitie in the persons 150 The qualification different from that required by the Bishops 152 The original of the pretended oath taken by the King for securitie of the Sc. Discipline 163 P. THe Sc. Assemblies decrees to be ratified by Parliament 24 As those of our Convocations 32 Presbyterie makes Parliaments subject to Assemblies 120 The Parliament of Scotland in no capacitie to make demands after the murder of the King 163 Presbyterie hath no claime to the Church patrimonie given by Episcopal founders and benefactours 25 Their disputes with Princes about Church revenue 63 The original right of patronage in Lay persons 136 Peirth Assemblie 1596. 111 Provision under Episcopacie against the povertie of such as are ordained 153 The Praelats still of the same minde rhey were about the rights and priviledges of Bishops 103 Reason of bidding prayer before sermon 159 In the Canon forme is no prayer for the dead 160 Set formes of no use to beginers that pray by the spirit 161 The gift of prayer in the Pater Noster Ibid. Presbyterians divided about prayer 162 The injuries by extemporarie prayer Ibi. Presbyteries when and how erected in Scotland Bishops to praeside in them 20 Christianitie at its first entrance into Scotland brought not Presbyterie with it 22 Fallacie in the immediate division of religion into Presbyterian Popish 53 No authoritie of Scripture for the many practices of Scotish Presbyterie 101 Litle knowledge labour or conscience shewed in Presbyterian preaching 154 Scotish Presbyterians beter conceited of themselves then of any other Reformed Church to which yet they praetend a conformitie in their new model 198 K. Iames's speach concerning Scotish Presbyterie 30 How a King may and when exercise the office of a Priest 195 Sc. Presbyteries processe for Church rents 33 The same fault under a different formalitie not to be twice punished 126 Q. K. Iames's 55. Quaestions 111 R. REading Ministers usefull and justifiable in our Church 154 The Praelats doe not annull the being of all Reformed Churches 143 Though they have no full assurance 144 The Reviewers speach of Bishops and Peirth articles 199 The Church of Rome true though not most true 145 A rigid separation from her in many things needlesse 146 Assemblies can reforme onelie according to canon not the canon 84 The Primitive Christians reformation different from that of Sc. Presbyterians 85 That of the Church of England began rather at K. Edw. VI. then Henr. VIII 86 The Parliament can noâ—… reforme without the King 188 Resistance against the person of the Magistrate can not be made inobedience to his office 35 Reviewer willfullie missetakes the scope of the Bishops booke 45 His barbarous implacable malice against the dead 49 A riot under praetense of taking a Priest at Masse 91 Abetted by Knoxe with his confessed interest in many more 92 The Pr. Scots must bring beter markes then their bare words for revelations 201 S. FOraigne
Presbyterians tolerate more libertie on their Sabbath then the Bishops on our Sunday 50. 125 The hypocritical superstition of the Sc. Presbyters in the sanctification of their Sabbath 81 Offenders quitted to be admitted to the H. Sacrament without publike satisfaction in the Church 126 False measures c under colour of scandal not to be brought into the cognizance of the Church 66 All civile causes are brought before the Presbyterie under the pretense of scandal 170 The Pr. Scotish partie inconsiderable 2 They gave beter language to our Bishops heretofore then of late 8 Carefull Christians will finde litle leisure on weeke dayes to heare many sermons 157 Sermons not to exceed an houre 158 Those that are Rhetorical may be as usefull as many meerlie Textuarie 159 St. Claud Somais no Countenancer of the late Kirke proceedings Ans. to Ep. Ded. 4. 111 The Sc. Presbyterians coordinate two Soveraignities in one State 113 Two Scotish Kings at one time avouched by A Melvin 114 Capt. Iames Stuart vindicated at large 87 Superintendents aequivalent to Bishops 23 Imperious supplicates from the Presbyterie 26 Rebellion the subject of most 165. 179 The Kings supremacie impaired by Presbyterie 27. 195 Placed upon the People 29 Scotish Presbyterie overthrowes the right of the Magistrates convocating Synods 10. 30 Synods where the Magistrate prohibited them 31. 36 Receiving appeales not the principal end of calling Synods 132 Noblemen to have no suffrages in them but when sent thither by the King 134 T. THe by-tenets of the Discipline 3 The Texts of Scripture urged against Episcopacie for Presbyterie answered 105 c The Presbyterians treason at Ruthuen 88 At Striveling 89 V. FAmilie visitations commendable aswell in orthodoxe Priest as Presbyters 173 The Reviewer much in love with the uncleanlie metaphore of a vomit 176 W. ACcording to the Word of God a more dubious and frivolous limitation in the Covenant them heretosore in the oath for Episcopacie 181 FINIS 1 Sâ—…n Gâ—…r 16. 7. Dâ—…ar Parl. 1648. c. Assemb Gâ—… Aâ—…no 1556. Can. 50. Ench. cand S. min. ex decrâ—…o sal The Edit Gron. 1645. pag. 161. Los ordiuâ—… Eccles. printed at Geneva 1562. pag. 66. pag. 20. Pagin 20. Pag 9. Pag 11. Octob. 20. 1597. Assâ—… Abberd 1600 1 Book dise 1. held Ass Dun. 1580. Patl. 1584 1 Book discip 4. and 6. head Anno 203. 1606. Ass. Glasg 1610. Parl. Edenb 1612. Ass. Edenb 1590. 2 Book disc Chap. 9. 1 Book disc 6. head Ibidem Ibidem Ibidem Ass. Edenb 1 6 4 7. Ass. Glasg 1 5 8 1 Ass. Edenb 1 5 9 0 Ass. Edenb 1 5 9 1. 1 〈◊〉 Book disc Chap. 7. 2 Chap. 12. 3 Ass. Edenb 1 7 0. a Book disc Chap. 7. Chap. 12. 2 Book disc Chap. 1. Theoremaâ—… III. imp Edenb 1 6 4 7. decreto Synodi Theor. 4 Theor. 8. Theâ—…r â—…2 Information from Sâ—…t â—…nd p. 19 Theor 98. Theor. 82. Theor. 96. Tâ—…r 50. 5â—… Ibid. 2 Book of disc châ—… 10. Theor. 84. and 85. Ibidâ—… Theor. 43. Theor. 97. Theor. 88. Theor. 82. 2. Theor. 82. 3. Theor. 91. 92. 2. 1582. Ass. Saint Andrâ—…ws 1582. Ass. Saint-Andrâ—…ws 1582. 〈◊〉 Eccl. Ord. pag. 14. Dâ—…c 15â—… a Book diâ—…c châ—…p 11. At Edâ—… 1587. Minster â—…vid Bâ—… 1596. 4 1 Book dâ—… 7 heâ—…d 2 Book dâ—…c Chap. 〈◊〉 Thâ—… 〈◊〉 9 1 Book disc â—…d 9. Ibid. Ass Edenb 1594. Parl. Ed. 1594. Gen. 79. 7. Vindication of Commissioners Jun. 6 1648. 6 1 Book dise 7. head 2 Book dise Chap. 7. 1 Book disc 〈◊〉 head and Thâ—…r â—…3 Theor. 47. 4â—… Vindicat. com p. 6. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 knowledge 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1648. Theor. 63. vindication p. 5. Humble advise Edchb. Iune 10. 2â—…48 vindication p. 8. Ass. Dund 1593. Ass. Fdâ—…b 1567. 〈◊〉 Book dise â—…h 7. Vindication pâ—…g 11. 〈◊〉 10. 1582. 1583. Ass. Edenb 1582. Sept. 27. 1648. Ar. 3 Theor. 84. Ann. 1562. Ass. Edenburg 1593. An. 1596. 1 Cor. 1â—… 1. 1 Kin. 3. 25. 1582. Febr. 16. At Saint Giles Church March 22. Declar. Scot. Leit p. 57. 58. 1 Book dis 7. head Theor. 63. 1 Book 9. head p. 44. Scot lit 48 47. 1 Book dis 7. h aâ—… 55. Articl 1596. Scot. Liâ—… 49 Motus Brtanici 171 1 Book dis 9. head 1 Book dis 9 head The Authorâ—… reasons of his wryting The Praelats are unable by reason to defend Episco pacy Cheir strongeâ—… 〈◊〉 are 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 The 〈…〉 in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The only crane of the Covenant is that it extirpate praelacy The Bishops are most justly cast out of England The Scots were never injurious to their King The Scotes selling of the King is a most false calumnie The reason of the dediâ—…ation The unseasonablenes of Doctor Brambles warning The irrational way of the warners writing The most of his stuffe is borrowed and long agoe confuted The conâ—… bitternes of the warners spirit The warner stricks at the Scotes discipline through the Kings sides In the threshold hee stumbles on the Kings conscience The Scots never offered to impose any thing uâ—… on England The elder praelats of England were Erastians and more but the younger are as much an i-Erastian as the most riged of the Presbytery The Scotes first and greatest crime is irreconciliablenes with Rome The Scotes were ever anti episcopall The Praelates lately were found in the act of introducing Popery into the Church and Tiranny into the Kingdom No controversie in Scotland betwixt the King and the Church about the convocating of Synods The warners Erastian and Tirannick principles hated by the King The Warners ignorant and false report of the Scotes proceedings Bishops were abolished and Presbyteries set up in Scotland with King Iames consent The innocency of the much maligned assembly of Aberdeen Christmas and other superstitious festivals abolished in Scotland both by Church and State The friends of Episcopacy thryves not in Scotland The second book of disciplin why not al ratified in Parliament The Warners hipocrisy calling that a crime which himselfe counts a virtue The Warner a grosse Erastian Praelatical principles impossibilitate alsolid peace betwixt the King and his Kingdoms Erastian praelats evert the legall foundations of all government The finall determination of all Ecclesiastick causes by the Lawes of Scotland is in the generall assembly The divine right of discipline is the tenet of the most of praelats All the power of the Church in Scotland is legall and with the Magistrats consente The prelats rather then to lay aside their owne interest will keepe the King and his people in misery for ever Appeals in Scotland from a generall assembly were no lesse irrationall then illegall The Churches just severity against Montgomery and Adamson was approven by the King and the parties themselfe The pride of prelats lately but never the Presbitery did exempt their fellows from punishment for their civil faults The Warner is injurious to the Ministers of Holland The pretended declaration of King Iames was
Bishop Adamsons lying libel Though alwayes in England yet never in Scotland had Commissarie any jurisdiction over Ministers Iames Gibson was never absolved by the Church from his Proces Master Blacks appeale from the counsel cleered The tumult of the seventeenth day of December was harmelesse and no Minister guilty of it The praelats ordinarly but the Presbytery never were for rash excommunications The Praelats flatter Princes to their ruine The Scots Ministers preaching for justice was just and necessary Huntlyes notorious crymes Never any question in Scotland betwixt the King and the Church for Tythes and patronages King James avowes himselfe a â—…ater of Erastianisme The Presbytery cognosceth only upon scandals and that in fewer civil things then the Bishopscourts were wont to meddle with The Churches proceedings in the late engagement cleered from mistakes The Church medled not with the manday mercat but by way of supplication to Parliament The Church once for safty of the infant Kings life with the concurrence of the secrete counsel did cal an extraordinary meeting By the lawes and customes of Scotland the Assembly praecieds the Parliament in the reformation of Ecclesias-tical abuses The Church parte in the road of Ruthven clecred The interest of the generall assembly of Scotland in the reformation of England The violent apprehension of Masse-Priests in their act of idolatry reproved by the Warner The Warner and his Praelatical Erastian brethren are obliged by their owne principles to advise the King to lay aside Episcopacy and set up the Praesbytery in all his dominions The praelaticall party were lately bent for Popery The Praelats professe now a willingnes to abolish at least three parts of the former Episcopacy The portion of Episcopacy which yet is stuck to cannot be kept up upon any principle either of honour or conscience The smallest portion of the most moderat Episcopacy is contrary to scripture The Praelats unable to answer their opposits Prelacy was ever grievous to Scotland There is no Lordship but a meer service and ministry in the Pastors of the Church The Warner is ful of calumnious untruths The eight desires of the Church about the ingagement were just and necessary It is one of the liberties of the Church of Scotland to publish declarations The leavy was never offered to be stopped by the Church The Church was not the cause of the gathering at Mauchlin Moore The assembly is helpfull and not hurtfull to the Parliament The apointment of comittees is a right of every court as well Ecclesiastick as civil There is no rigour at all in the Presbytery Crimes till repented of ought to keep from the holy table Excommunication in Scotland is not injurious to any The Warners outrage against the Presbytery The Praelats were constant oppressors of the Nobility and gentry The way of the Scotes Presbytery is incomparably better then that of the English Episcopacy All questions about patronages in Scotland are now ended The possessors of Church lands were ever feared for Bishops but never for the Presbytery The praelats continue to annull the being of al the reformed Churches for their want of Episcopacy The Praelats are so baselie injurious to all the reformed Churches that their selses are ashamed of it The generality of the Episcopal clergy have ever been covered with ignorance beggery and contempt The Praelats continue to hate preaching and prayer but to idolize a popish service Vide ladâ—…nsium cap. 7. Episcopall warrants for clandestin marriages rob Parents of their children Serious catechising is no Episcopal crime Church sessions are not high commissiones The Covenant was not dishonourable to union Covenanters were not deceived but understood what they sweare The Warner unwittingly comends the Covenant The King did not clame the sole and absolute possession of the militia The change of lawes in England ordinarly beginne by the two houses without the King The King did really consent to the abolition of Bishops The Praelats would flatter the King into a Tyranny The praelats takes to themselves a negative voice in Parliament The Praelats grieve that Monks and Friers the Pope and Cardinals were casten out of England by Henry the eight The just supremacy of Kings is not prejudged by the Covenant The Warners insolent vanity The covenant is not for propagating os Religion by armes The Warners black Atheisme a The Praelats condemne the defensive armes of the Dutch Frensh Protestants b The Praelats decline the judgement of counsels c The Praelats overthrow the foundatioÌ„s of Protestant Religion d The Praelats are stil peremptorie to destroy the King and all his Kingdoms if they may not be restored My reason for refuting his Epistle The Rewiewers vanitie in giving titles inconsistent with the praesent condition practice of his Lord. The Earle of Cassils no late Illuminate No credit for his samilie to be commended by Buchanan Very Improper to style Buchanan Prince a Legitimi regni gravissima pestis Praet ad Dial. de jur Reg. b The Reviewers sermon divinttie c He may well count it an advantage to have the E. Cassils his judge d An honour for the Bp. to be calld by the Rev unpardonable incendiaire The Rev's uncleanlie language Aristoph Plut. The active boldnesse of the Scotish Presbyterians in Holland c a The three headed monster in controversie b Sen. Her Fur. c The Scotish Discipline vrey different from that in Holland France d No Reformed Church calls regular Episcopacie Antichristian e Many emincnt persons in those Churches have approv'd of it Vindic of K. Ch. p. 125. Apost Instit of Episcopacie Episcopal declinations different from Episcopacie Presbyteria aberrations the same with Presbyterie The praesent concernment greater to reveale the Scotish Discipline the refute old adversaries of Episcopacie a Sr. Claud Somays likelie to be no great friend to the Discipline b He offe red no dispute with the Kings Chaplaines about Episcopacie They transgresse not the dutie of their place by informing the Kings conscience about The Primitive Doctrine Discipline Eikôn Basiliké cap. 14. Praeservation of the Church a Pardoning the Irish tolerating their Religion b Eikôn Basilikè conscience honour reason law c Inclining his mind to the Counsels of his Father d Cant. 4 4. e Eikôn Basilikè penned wholely by K. Ch. 1. not a syllable of it by the Bishops f God not they the supporter of the Matyr'd King a The hard-hearted Scotish Presbyterians b Holmebie the fatal praecipice to K. Ch. 1. c Endeavours to make it such to K Ch. 2. d His best way to praevent it is consorting with his Fathers booke e Wherein is divine wisdome Counsel f Ps. 72. g Gods providence in ordering his commendations of this booke to proceed out of the mouth of the Revicwer h The Reviewers scaesonable advertishment to the King a K. Ch. 1. no Presbyterian in heart nor tongue at Newcastle the Isle of Wight b His papers to Mr. Henderson against it c
jurisdiction Their eoconomical superintendencie Preaching personallie against Princes Knox Hist. Lib. 2. Their proceedings in the late engagement St. Matth. 12. 43. Declar. Iul. 21. 1649. Isai. 63. 15. Prov. 12. 5. Ps. 50. 16. Isai. 61. 2. 11. Isai. 8. 20. Prov. 13. Ianuar. 6. 29. 1649. 1. Tim. 4. 2. 1. Kings 22. Heb. 12. 16. Scot. Mist. dispell'd I crem 9â—…1 Isai. 58. Edenb 12. May. 1649 postser Scottiâ—…h mist Dispell'd Hendersons Prophesie Pap. to K. Ch. 1. Iun. 3. 1646. Esih. 4. 12. Preâ—…yters Deâ—…aring against Parliament debates The Kings negative voice proper to be debated in a Scottish Parliament Ans to both Houses upon the new propositions and the 4. bills 1647. Why opposed by the Presbyters Eic Bas. Ch. 11. The Kings affirmative voice Hug. Grot. De Imper. Pot. cap. 8. No such vicitie need be us'd about mominating ofsicers Ch. 4. The Presbyters destructive demurres Scot. Mist. disp The Reviewers impertinencie in the successe of the Spanish Merchants As. Dund 1493. The Presbyterian zeale for the 4. Commandment bypocritical cover for their breach of the rest Prov. 11. 9. Recreations resections to fit us for spiritual duties Rob. Bruc'es motion to alter the Sabbath The Bruc'es Sunday toleration not so large as the Reformed Church's abroad The monsirous impietie of the Presbyterians in prosecusion of their ends Lib. 5. 1560. Lib. 3. Assemblies have no power to summâ—…n contrarie to the Kings proclamation Cantic 8. 6. 7. Contradiâ—…iion The Assemblies can reforme onelie according to canon not the canon 2. Tim. 2. 23. 24. Ancient Assemblies reversed no Civile lawes Euseb. Reformed no haresies â—…ith out the Emperour Henrie the eight's reformation the occasion not the original of ours Scotish Presbyterians from the begining sâ—…hisme None but they have declared Bishops ceremonies unlawfull Ch. 6. 28. Ch. 9. 3. Capt I. Siuart vindicated The treason at Ruthuer Saint Iam 4. 16. S. Macth 11. 12. The King can not be sayd to invade the Presbyter Consistorie Rev 1. 18. Prov 24. 2. c. 27. 20 Tert De Praeser advraeser haeret c 42. Arch-Bp Lauds Armenianisme Pâ—…perie the doctrin of scripture and the Fathers Prov. 25. 23. Advers hares cap 16. Ariote under praetense of taking Priest at Masse Abetted by Knoâ—… improid to a rebellion Vit Eliz. 〈◊〉 â—…563 Assemblie's summoning the people in Armes upon the trial of Popish Lords Isai. 57. 20 Power of order and jurisdiction The midd le Apostolical right of Episcopacie Conscience not bottom'd onelie upon a divine Right Rom. 1. v. 2. ch Alterations unsate and sinfull while conscience is doubtfull The reasons of K. Ch 1. against a change Peace Antiquitiâ—… Vniversalitie The considerable approch of Church discipline to doctrine Paternal government Communion with Christians 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ch 17. Ius divinum of Presbyterie srustrates all treaties excommunicates all Christians threatens all Princes Isai. 40. 23. 24. The Reviewers perverting the Bisâ—…ops doctrine Erastus's Royal right abused in a Sophisme Sen De Clem l. 1. c. 20. The consequences from Episcopal principles not such as praetended S. Matth. 4. 9 Difference between us and Rome bout ceremonies Prov. 10 31. Real Praesence corporal disserent Hist. Mot. Iustification S. Matth. 13â—…45 Free will Deut. 30 19. Final Apostasice 1. Cor. 10. 12. Phil. 2. 12. A quaestion about Davids case Rubrike in the consirmation Christ as King of his Church appoints lawes c. H. Grot. Hane none magis licet Ecclae mutare quà m mutare licet ipsam scripturam V indic Eplae Philad By whom his Seepters is to be swayed Vincent Lyrin advers haeres cap. 14. English Episcopacie out done by the more for ward Presbyterie B. Discips 4. head The treasure thereof to be found as well before as after the years 800. Dr. Ierm Taylor Can. 2. The Praelates still of the same minde they were Declar. B. 2. Dang Posit Not the Court but Citie Divines devest Bishops Sen De Benef. lib. 2 cap. 7. S. Matth. 7. 9. 46. 17. The Reviewers detestable ingratitude De Ben. lib 3. cap. 16. The texts of scripture against Episcopacie discussed Prov. 26. 4. 5. Act. 20. Beshosp are Apostles Lib. advers haeres cap. 32. May be call'd Euangelists H. Grot. Proleg ad Matth. Should be prophets In 1. Cor. 12. H. Grot. Why Pastours Apostles superiour to Apostles Euangelists Coadjutours Doctours Bishops haeres 75. Dr. Tayler Episcop assert No power of Ordination in the Presbyterie 2 Tim. 1. 6. No power of Iurisdiction in the Church Confirma Thes. lib. 4. c. 5. De Verb. Dom. hom 15. Iohn Morell excommunicated for this doctrine No power of jurisdiction in a Companie met together Delivering to Satan what Why Blondel c. are not answered Somais fare well to the Presbyterie The Scottish presb may be contracted out of their owne storie Revel 20. 12. K. I.'s 55. quaestions non plus'd them Episcopacie recovered ground in Scotland Vindic. Epist Philadelph Whence they had not been legallie ejected Psalm 137. Psalm 1. Revel 2. 7. The Reviewers slender shiss Icr. 8. 17. The Preshyterians not Praelates coordinate two Soveraignaties in one state Two Kings in Scotland Not God onelie but his Anoynted likewise to be obeyed St. Matth. 26. 25. St. Luke 9. 23. Contrarietie of Commands very frequent in Scotland The Revicwers fallacie Humble petitions c full of threats The Church-chasing and exeommuniting for the late engagement The untruths are the Reviewers Prov. 6. 28. The Rev. eares not for hearing of the late engagement Ps. 69 23. The 8. desires of the Church neither just nor necessarie The Ch. of Scotland hath no libertie to declare against King and Parliament Job 5. 13. Prov. 17. 24. Heb. 11. 39. Ephes. 2. 2. Gal. 1. 8. 9. Lament 4. 20. Contradiction between the Revic margin and text The levie was offered to be stopped May 11. 1649. Lib. De Ir. cap. ulr Ministers â—…in armes Not cens by the Commissioners of the Kirke S. Pet. 2. 16. v. 13. Presbyterie makes Parliaments subject to the Assemblies 2. Book discipl 1. ch Heb. 1. 14. Ps. 104. 4. Ier. 14. Isai. 42. 19. Ministers power with the people dangerous if seditiouslie bent Th. Capâ—…nel eap 18. Ps. 45. 5. â—…psis Cardinalibus and P. P. maxformidabilis fuit diremita aut unyt principes subditos suos arbytratu Ps. 12. 4. Eik Bas cap. 17. St. Liturg. p. 87. V. 18. Isai. 66. 24 No in haerent right in Courts to nominate Commissioners for intervalls Haggai 1. 6. The Presbyterie a tyrannie over the consciencies of thepeople Censures upon slight grounds Scot. Lit. Rom. 8. 15. Prov 1. 26. Spiritual crueltie in the prayers of Presbyters Sc. Lit. p. 196. 1. Pet. 5. 8 Our Sabbath recreations shorst of those in other Reformed Curches Trivial debates and articling against habiss Knox Hist. The same fault under a different formalitie not to betwice punished Lib. De Fid. Op. cap. 2. Offenders quitted to be admitted to the H. Sacrament without publike satisfaction in
the Church 1. Cor. 11. The Scotish practice touching Excommunication litle lese rigid then their Canon Ps. 74. 21. Sc. Lit. p. â—…00 Master Iohn Guthrie Bishopp of Murâ—…ay The following in convenients to be charged rather upon the Church then state * Quia a â—…empore quo us lagatus est capnt gerit lupinum ita quod abomnibus inter fici possit impuné Bracton Crueltie toward fugitives The Presbyterians as outragious as the Arians Brychatai epipriusa ten odonta Rescript ad Arium Arian Presbyserie more oppressive to the Nobilitie and Gentrie the Praelaccc The Reviewers counterseit of Presbyterie inverted Wisdome pietie and learning not so common in Elderships The Nobilitie Gentrie abused when chosen Elders Schulting Steinwich Hierarch Anacris Lib. 2. Dâ—…ut 22. 10. Doctours at law more sit judges then unstudied Nobles or Gentlemen Synods not to besummoned to receive lay appeales Collusion violence in the choyce of Members for the Assemblie Master David Michel Laird of Dun. L. Carnaegie Why so many Burgesses Gentlemen The laitie to have no decisive voyce Perth Proceed Master Andrew Ramsey E. Argile The King or his Commissioner hath litle power in Assemblies Protest of Gen. Ass. Nov. 28. 29. 1638. Nov. 28. sess 7. E Rothes Necessitie of appeale Exod. 23. 2. Prov. 10. 2. Sam. 18. 9. Pap. of 10. prop. before M. Hamilt arriâ—… 1638. Why Knigts and Burgesses so numerous Lib. 3. demonst c. 14. The original of patronage Coras Glas. Temporale spiritualli annexum Altar Daâ—…asc 2. B. Disc. ch 12. * Pl. in Carcuâ—… A. 5. sc. * Calophanta est qui honeste quidem loquitur sed â—…ujus facto ab oratione discrepant * Gen. 25. 25. Par. Alciat c. The Praelates title to Impropriations and Abbey lands beter then the Preâ—…byters Pro. 20. 25. The Reviewers praevarication 6 head Ch. 9. April 24. 1576. Sâ—… Decl. 1642. Append Prov. 26. 28. 129. 5 Noble Eldeâ—…s â—…lighted by the Clergic See 〈◊〉 of the Congreg to the Nobil of Sc. 1559. L. Sempil Lib 2. Calderwoods rediculous reverence of Bruce's gost Cujâ—…s anima si ullius mortalium sedet in coelestibus Ep. Ded. ad Aitar Dam. Manias Calamo Constant in Rescript Our Bishops contest not with King Nobles Their praeâ—…dence place neare the Throne 1. Tim. 3. 4. 5. Offices of state How the difference hapened between the E. Argile and Bishop Galloway Presbyterians heterodoxe Tert. De Praeser cap. 32. 1. No Ordination but by Bishops 2. 3. 4. Aitar Dam. cap. 4 5. No comfortable assurance but from Apostolical succession and Episâ—…opal ordination De Praeser cap. 32. Reliquos verò qui absistunt a principali successione quocunque loco colligunter sâ—…cspectos haâ—…ere c. Walo Messal 6. Kakos hermeneus antochrema eikon te kai andrias esti tou diabolou Reser ad Ar. The Praelates doe noâ—… annull the being of all Reformed Churches Ps. 82. 1. They use not the Sophisme of the Iesuits * This word dulie was left out by Henderson in his recitâ—…l of K. Ch. 1. words to this purpose Answ to 1. pap Ep. 7. Ad. Symrn. 1. Pap. â—…o Henders Heb. 7. 25. 26. Rom. 14. 23. The Reviewers malicâ—… in publithing what the Bishop had deleted perverting it They may be doubted to be un-Christian that call us Anti-christian The Church of Rome not most true Nor hath she the most easie way of salvation Rom. 11. 33. Ier. 32. 19. Separation from her in many things needlesse En apodeixei pneumatos â—…ai dynamâ—…os 1. Cor. 2. 4. Aâ—…tic 1. Febr. 〈◊〉 16. 9. Artic. 3. The Presbyterian Scots more bloudie then the Irish Chapt. 4. Whose Libertie of religion was limited Places of trust saffer in the hands of Papists then Presbyterians Artiâ—… 29. Kings cannot ratisie too well what they promise if just… Sed qui juramentis sudunt sicut pueri astragatus Pet. ad Alter Dam. Parliaments not be stay'd for in extremities if they can not be call'd at present The King never express'd his inclination to Covenans ers His Kingdomes ruine rather to be embraced then his souls Vers. 26. Prov. 26. 13. More learning under Episeopacie then Presbyterie Hâ—…mano capiti cervicem pictor quinum The Bishops trial before he ordaineth more serious then the Presbyters 4-head pag 14. they propose him a theme or text to be treated privatelie whereby his abilitie may the more manifestlie appeare unto them 4. Head Neither judge we that the Sacraments can be rightlie Mistred by him in whose mouth God hath put no Scrmon of exhortation 1. B. Disc. 4. head The Papisâ—…ical Priests have neither power nor authoritiâ—… to Minister the Sacraments of christ Iâ—…sus because that in their mouth is not the sermâ—…n of exhortation Ib. 9. head Alter Damasc. Schotâ—… hetcrâ—…doxe divines not comparable to the Orthodoxe English Admittunt ad Ministrium indignisâ—…emos sartores subulcos infimadâ—… faece homines modo sint togodaedali c. C. Schulting Hier. Anaâ—…ris Lib. 1. Tert. De Praescr câ—…p 1. Quod non ideo scandalizarioportâ—…at quod qui prudentissimi odificenâ—… in 〈◊〉 â—…shops â—…ded by the Reviewer to be suspected 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 how the cause of ignorance contempt and beggeâ—…y Provision under Epiâ—… in England against the beggerie c of the Priests Puritanical Bisâ—…ops make an ignorant â—…lergie Cho. 7. v. 10. 11. 12. Our Bishop no Purâ—…haser by his parsimonie 〈◊〉 nowledgelabour or conscienâ—… sâ—…wed in Presbyterian preaching â—…les 5. 1. 1. Sam. 15. 22. Reading Ministers usefull and justifiable in our Church Eph. 4 14 4. Head for Readers Preaching without booke approved by our Praelates That within booke â—…ot to be disparaged Epâ—…st 4. Lib. 1. The Liturgie why read 2. Tim. 2. 15. 16. A parallel of it with primitiâ—…e 〈◊〉 beter then with the 〈◊〉 Praelatiâ—…al Dociours not yet so much for prâ—…aching aâ—… Presbyterians 9. head Verbi praedicatio de bet esse quasi anima liâ—…urgiae Alter 〈◊〉 Dam. 〈◊〉 10. Ibid. 1 sa 56. 7. Pucrile est ut miâ—…i vidâ—…ur aliter faâ—…ere Ibid. Gal. 5. 10. Divine Service Carefull Chrisâ—…ians will finde litle lâ—…isur e on weeke dayes to heare sermons Quantum ad crimina quae suâ—… declarata Ministris abillis ' qui petunt conâ—… aut consolationem relinquimus conscientâ—…s Ministrâ—…rum c. Disc. Eccl. Reformat Regni Franc. Can. 25. Catechizing beter then preaching in the afternoon found 9. Head Forenoon sermon con venient but not absolutelie necessarie See Hook Eccles Pol. 5. Book Sermons not to exceed an houre As litle liâ—…e and adifaction in Scripture ill interpreted aâ—… in Rhetorike without it Vinâ—… Lit adv hareâ—… cap 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 5. Ciril Hicrosol catech 2. Reason of bidding prayer before Sermon 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cap. 16. Vâ—…t non inveniamur discordes in ingressu ad preces ante concionem faciendas visum â—…uit utile uniâ—…ormibus verbis uti…Concio etiam â—…etur uniformiter verbis Marc. c. 6. No prayer for the dead in our Canâ—…n The Church of
Scotland hath had a liturgie not onelie for helpe but practice Knox Hist. 1. B. Ib. B. 2. 1. B. 9. head Decl. Ch. Sc Praeâ—… The hypocritical use of the Common prayer booke in Scotland Set formes of no use to beginners that pray by the spirit The gift of prayer in the Pater Noâ—…ter 5. Iud. v. 13. Presbyterians divided about praâ—…er Hist. 4. B. Synod Holland Zoland 1574 Artic. 38. Herm. Synod Belgic cap. 11. The injuries by extemporie prayer Fâ—…x Bâ—… cap. 16. Sâ—…n Ep. 40 〈◊〉 1. 5. â—… of Ecâ—…l Pol. Heb. 12. 1. The Parliament of Scotl. in no câ—…pacitie to demand after then urder of K. Ch. 〈◊〉 Ps. 51. Haâ—…ak 1. 13. Review changeth the words of the Procl The original of the oath for securitie of disscipline Kâ—… Doâ—… Row Craig 〈◊〉 Hist. B. 5. Dial. D e Iur Regâ—… ap Scot. The choyce of a King originallic not justifiable in any perpl Cum sit ordini naturae conscntaâ—…eum â—…bus propé omnium gentium Historijs tesâ—…sicatum De Iur Reg. M. Mâ—…ntr Deâ—… 1650 Abolition of Episcopacie will not give the scott satisfaction Sen. Heâ—… fur P. Iun. 1. may 22 Henders 1. Pap. to K. Ch 〈◊〉 1. B. Disc. 9. head Nature robbed of her Praerogative by Prosbyterie Inclina tions to marrie not all wayes devine motions Consent of parents †〈◊〉 in Scripturis determinatum sit jure Civili de consensu parentum In Ecclesiasticâ—… tamen curijs obtinet jus Papale Canonicum quâ—… definitur consensus parentum dehouestate non de necessitate Et quod Matrimonia debent esse libera non pâ—…ndere exaliâ—… no arbitrio Assert Pol. Christ. * Lib. 2. De Regn Christ. Dordorac 1574. artic 81. 1578. The injurie done to Parents by Presbyterie not justisiable in reason Bucâ—…an Ta catheconta hoos epipantais schesesi parametreitai Enchir. c. 37 Terent Andr. act 1. Sc. 5. Act. 5. Sc. 3. 1. B. 9. head No obedience due to parents requiring a injust marâ—… Ep. S. Iâ—…d v. 9. Prov. 14. 5. 2. Cor. 12. 14. 1. Tim. 4. 8. Poenitent Adulterers not to be put to death S. Iohn 8. 2. Cor. 12 7. 1. Book Disopl 9. I Head The Bishops cautelous in their warrants for clandestine marriages In nuperis constitndinibus anni 1603. videntur praesules Anglicane abunde cavise Alter Dam. c. 70 Ao 1588 Schulting Reprehens Synod Middelb The Revieners sâ—…amelesse denial of aknow'n truth about impeding civile proceedings Contr. E. pilam Philadelph Publike ca techizing of Masters Mistresses indecent 1. Cor 11. 28. Lit. Ch. c. p. 215. 13. 5. De Praeser c. 10. If they know not how to pray neithern berein their rightcousnesse sands or consists they ought not to be admitted to the Lords table 1. Book Disc. 9 head Ibid. Excommunication of the ignorant without warrant Ibid. Exetauesâ—…ho de me micropsycâ—…a e philoneikia e fini toiause aedia tou episcopou aposynagogo egegenentas Can. I. Chr. Iustel Familievisitations commendable aswell in orthodoxe Priests as Presbyters Ib. Disc 9. Head Riot in Scotland to get downe the High Commission Iarg Decl. The Kings palace and Parliament fallen with that in England More comfort because lesse rigiour in the reformed Elderships abroad Answer by Letter Many of those in Scotland have very unfit unable Iudges Episcopacio want no aequivalent in Discipline Oeconomis testibus Synodalibus Collectoribus in Ecclesiastcke paroeciana rudera quaedam functionum diaconorum seniorum relicta vel potius imposita sunt Alter Dam c. 12. Synodales aestes quos sidem eavocant qui in inquestionibus morum visitationibus adjungumur Oeconomis Oeconomi five Gardiani Ecclesiastikae quorum minus est pro eo anno … inordinateviventes inquirere monere scandalosos ordinario praesentare c. Ibid. Ex. Aagl Pol. Isai 53 7. Reasons why the Reviewer is so much indined to the metaphor op a vomit Tous ischnous kai evemeas ano pharmacevein… tous de dysemeas kai mcsoos eusarcous ca 10. 4. Aph. 6. 7. G. moching Compend Instiâ—… Med disc 5. Vn lawfull Covenants not to be keept-Ouc epiorkein phoboâ—… menous tente para â—…on theoontimovian kai ten paratois anthropots aischynta Egar one omeitai e hotan omnysin euorkesei Per hoc juramentum spirationes conjurationes pleraque in iqua aequa consirmari solent Cardan Terein autou ten chreian on tois anagcaiois hama kai timioir Hiorocl in Carm. Pythag Prov. 30. 19. Covenants ordinarilie nâ—…inted in Scotland not in England Nor can such aftercoâ—…tracts devised imposed by a fewmeniâ—… a declared partie without my consent and without any like power or praecedent from Gods or mans lawes c. Eix Baâ—… Ch. 14. proque bus arduis urgenâ—… negoâ—… slatum defensionem Regni â—…stri Angl. Eccles. Anglie concernentibus … Cum Praelatis Maguatib c. colloquium habere tractatum The extract of a letter-shewing by whom the Covenant was devised The Rebells desires were impositions Nullum privilegium Parlamenti concedi potest proprâ—…ditione felonia aut ruptura pacis 17. Ed. 4. Rot. Parâ—…um 39. The Covenant dishonourable to the English The nullitie of it Ioan. Gutierrez De Iuram â—…onfirm part 2. cap. 2. ex Alciat The Reviewers Abominable falshood Iudic. Oxon De sol lig seci 2. Ps. 145. 1. 7. Covenanters take the Discipline for Christs institution Ans. to the Declar. by the Parl. angl Aug. 25. Let. to the Gen. Assemb S. Iul. 22. it 4. Vindic. Ep. Philadelph Protest of the Noblemen Barons c. 1638. According to the word of God a more dubious frivolous limitationing the Covenant then heretofore in the oath for Episcâ—…pacie 1548. Ministri Regia authoritate compulsi aut subscribere Epali tyrannidi aut in carceres aut exâ—…lia abire Multarum ministrorum tuncse prodidit imbecillitas instauratae Ecclae tyrannidi homonymus subscribentiam adjecta limitatione anbigua vel potius futiâ—…i nempe secundum verbum Dei c. Ep. Phil. Vind. â—…o Gutiervez De Iuâ—…am Conâ—…mpar 1. â—…p 71. Suâ—… 5. See Surv. of the praet holie Disc. Vid. Discus Eccles. Disc. Rupel edit 1584. The Covenant how the same with that of K. 1. 1580. K. Ch 〈◊〉 Larg declâ—… 1639 pag 177 Protest ag Kings Proclam 1638 How it differs from it Epiphyllides taut csti kai stomylmata chelidonoon momseia Eâ—…x Buâ—… Ch. 14. K. Ch. 1. Larg decâ—… p. 15. c. The English Discipline long since setled by law in Scotland and the Liturgie there used The Pr. Scotish never so in England but obtruded Mot. Brit. Vix audebat rex eis de postulaâ—…o abnucre propâ—…r Scotos c. p. 28. Vocatioâ—…em lubenti animo amplectuntur ut pote adidem prius proclives pag. 4. Answ. to the let sent by the Ministers of Engl Aug. 5. Ps. 62. 9. The power of the Militia is the Kings 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ch. 10. H. Grot. lib. DeAnciq Reip. â—…atav Answ to both Houses 1647. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ch. 10. Bishops and ceremonies no burden See Treat of Cerem besore Com. prayer booke Hookers Eâ—…l Polit. Dr. Tayl of Episc. Bishop Andr. let to Mâ—…lin c. To paronaâ—…i bari tois hâ—…pecoois Thâ—…c Salusi Bell Catil Parliament can not reforme without the King Isai. 50 11 The concessâ—…ons of Ch. 〈◊〉 not so â—…arge 〈◊〉 praetended K. Ch. 2. not obliged to confirmâ—… them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ch. 17. Ibid. Nov. 18. 1648. at Newport K. Ch. 1. Immovâ—…able from Primitive Episcopaâ—… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ch. 17. Answ. Nov. 18. 1648 Newport Nov. 20. Vna opera ebur atramento candefacere postules Pl. Mostel The Reviewers sophistrie K. Ch. 2 much beholding to the Reviewer He can noâ—… so easilie will not so readilie grant what his Father denied 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ch. 27. Ibid. Ib ib. Ibid. Ibid. Ch. 17. Ch. 14. Ibid. â—…r 19. 1. Rev. 〈◊〉 14. 17. The King supreme Legislatour Answ. to both Houses 1647. The Bishops proâ—… not injurious to Kings Lords nor Commons 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ch. 9. H. Grot. Ano. 681. Lnd. Aur. Peras See True Repraesent of the Proceed of the Kingd of Scoth since the late Paâ—…is c. pag. 31. 2. Book Disâ—…ipl 7. Ch. The Reviewers beiâ—…fe is no confesâ—…n of the Biâ—…hops Aristoph Ran. Scotish Presbytâ—…rie is that meant in the Covenant though dissembled Which detracts from the Kings supremaâ—…ie 2. B Dise 1. Ch. Statutum Parliamenâ—…â—…sse solum quidaâ—… cvilem apprâ—…â—…sse tantum Christiani Prinâ—…pis ofsicium subjectionem suam Christâ—… Ecclesiae debitam tesianus Phil. Eplae â—…ind Foraigae Presbyterianâ—…ashemed to justifie the Scotish Covenant The Scotish Pr. never seriouslie assâ—…rib'd any good intentione to the King Naturâ—… insitum est omnibus Regibus in Christum odium Altar Dam. praet…Cosque Deo Creatori non Redemptori imperium accepnm debere non obseure praedicârunt Refut Epil 〈◊〉 Siquis non obscure praedicavit…Non longe aberavit Vindic cjustd…Non solume longinquo non impediens connivens vel plenariam potestatem…concedens…sed â—…oram intuens talis facinoris asspectu delectatus The Reviewer dares not speake out to the Bishops quaestion about taking armes for religion Vide quidem pende tamen improba dixit Mot. 6. fab 3. The ambiguitie in the Covenanters words leaves religion to the libertie of their conceits Se short Causes begin Nulla unquam gens in quovis seculo… Opus Resormationis feliciore prudentia animo suecessu administravit quam Scoti in sua patria Mot. Brit. Ver. Custin Vincent advers haeres c. 14. Their allegeance conditional They fight against 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ch. 9. Their Creed in words the same with ours but not in sense Henderson and the Reviewers speaches about Bishops Religion libertie no good pretenses for taking armes Simons's Vindicat p. 30. In Brut. The Scotish Presbyterians as enthusiastike as the Anabaptists no more excusable by their religion for taking arâ—…es Fayth noâ—… so comon if such as commonlie defined Sulpit. Sever in vita S. Matâ—…h 10. 16. The Pr. Scots must bring beter markes then â—…eir baâ—…t words for revelations Advers haeres cap. 14. They are cut throtes of Magistrates planters of Religion by armes Hist. Lib. 4. We say nothing to foraigne protestants taking armes till they justific yours theirs by yours The Praelates decline not the judgement of Councels Presbyterian crueltie may by Gods providence be restrained Admon ad Gent.