of excesse and superfluitie And he hath but one body so he undertaketh but one Cure where he must be resident and one Kirk living which for feare of the censures of the Kirk albeit he would he dares not delapidate but must leaue the Kirk patrimonie in as good or better case then he found it at his entry The PRELATE hath a Lords rent out of the revenewes of the Kirk which at the first was destinate and should be employed for better uses and this he hath not for the service of the Kirk but partly for his unlawfull attending civill affaires and partly for bearing out a Lordly porte in himselfe his Ladie their children and followers He uniteth Kirks farre distant to maki the morsell the greater for his wide gorge he alloweth and defendeth pluralities and Nonresidencies by setting long taks without knowledge or consent of the Kirk and by setting of fewe formes and taxwardes he raketh up all and stinteth the Minister to a poore stipendiarie portion of fiue hundreth marks So that the most Sacrilegious persons in the Land are the Bishops themselues eating the meate out of the mouthes of many worthy pastors that labour painfully in the Lords worke The Prelates objection THE PRELATE will object that there shall never be any forme of Kirk government or discipline which bringeth not with it some dangers and discommodities and that must be the best which hath the fewest It cannot be denyed but the Episcopall gouvernment hath also the owne inconvenients whether we consider the Salvation of Soules or the outward constitution of the Kirk and worship of God or the patrimonie of the Kirk But the Anarchie and confusion which ever attendeth the paritie maynteyned by the Pastor is an inconvenience greater then all sheweth plainly that the paritie of Pastors is neyther of God nor can serve for the good of the Kirk for God is not the God of confusion but of peace and most of all in the Kirks of the Saincts The Pastors answer THE gouvernment and order appoynted by Christ can haue no danger discommoditie nor inconvenience but such as men bring upon it and which through the neglect or contempte thereof they bring upon themselues That therefore must be the best which is best warranted by Christ and approacheth nearest to the simplicitie of the Apostles and the discipline of their times Malignant wits haue ever beene readie to lay imputations upon Gods ordinances as that his inward worship according to the Gospell of Christ hath no wisedome that the outward hath no majestie that his order of the Kirk is but Anarchie because it is not a monarchie but as the naturall philosopher sayth the order of nature to be full of beautie and the wise Statesman seeth the beautie of the order of a wise policie so the Christian when he seeth the order of the house of God shall with the Apostle Col. 2. rejoyce to see it and will preferre the beautie thereof to the wise government of the house Court of Salomon as being appointed by a wiser then hee euen Balaam albeit disposed to curse when his eyes are opened to behold this wise order and marvelous beautie shall be forced to open his lips and to say How goodly are thy tents o Iacob and thy tabernacles to Israell for a house full of silver and gold I would not curse for how shall I curse whom the Lord hath not cursed or how shall I defye whom the Lord hath not defyed Numb 23. and 24. And that there is no confusion in the paritie mainteyned by the Pastor it is manifest to him that desireth to see for 1. Confusion hath no subordination for disposing of things and setting every thing in it owne place The paritie mainteyned by the Pastor hath a lawfull subordination of Elders to Pastors of Deacons to Elders of a Kirk Session to a presbyterie of a presbyterie to a Synode and of a Synode to a Nationall Assembly 2. Confusion hath no prioritie of respect of precedencie nor of order Paritie of pastors so shunneth ambitiō that it mainteyneth a prioritie of precedencie and respect for age for zeale for gifts c. and a prioritie of order whereby one is moderator of others in all their Synods and meetings such as was amongst the Apostles themselues but without prioritie of power or jurisdiction aboue the rest 3. Confusion admitteth no commandement nor subjection Paritie of Pastor admitteth both for every Pastor conducteth his owne flock every pastor is subject to a joynt fellowship of pastors in Presbyteries and Synods 4. Confusion is abhorred both by nature and all Societies as their greatest enemie which overturneth all where it hath place Paritie of Pastors hath the like paritie both in nature and all sorts of societie for in nature one eye hath not power over another nor one hand over another nor one foote over another onely the head hath power over all In the common-wealth and kingdome there is a paritie without a prioritie of power of jurisdiction betwixt one Baron and another betwixt one Nobleman and another and in all the Collegiall jurisdictions in the Land under the King himselfe In the worlde paritie betwixt one King and another In the Roman Kirk equalitie betwixt one Lord Bishop and another and betwixt two Archbishops Patriarks c. and in the Kirk of Christ betwixt Apostle and Apostle c. why then shall the divine paritie of Pastors be accounted a confusion THE SIXTH PART The Pastor Prelate compared by the good of the Common wealth and of our outward estate ALbeit that sometimes the povver Ecclesiasticall be without the secular and the members of the Kirk make not any civill corporation as in the Apostles times long after And some times the secular power be vvithout the ecclesiasticall and the members of kingdomes and corporations make not a Kirk as amongst the Heathen of old and many nations and societies this day yet is it farre best both for Religion and Justice both for trueth and peace both for Kirk and Commonvvealth when both are joyned in one vvhen the Magistrate hath both svvords the use of the temporall svvord and the benefite of the spirituall svvord and vvhen the Kirk hath both svvords the use of the spirituall sword and the benefite of the temporall When the two administrations civill and ecclesiasticall like Moses and Aaron help one another mutually neyther Aaron and Miriam murmur against Moses nor Jeroboam stretcheth out his hand against the man of God Upon the one part civill authoritie mainteyneth and defendeth religion vvhere it is reformed and reformeth religion vvhere it is corrupted Kings shall be thy foster-fathers and Queenes thy nurse mothers Kings serue the Lord in fear And then serue they the Lord sayth Augustine vvhen they serue him not onely faythfully as men but as Kings and doe such things in serving him as none can doe but kings that is vvhile they rest not till
one time and the spirituall joy strength and resolution after the action into terrors of conscience in some the opinion of indifferencie in all matters of religion in others and of loosenesse of life in many to the mocking of God the reentrie of Antichrist renting of the Kirk obduring of the Papist stumbling of the weake and grief of the godly 15. The PASTOR thinketh it no Judaisme nor superstition but a morall duetie to obserue the Sabbath because first the observation of one day of seauen albeit it be positiue divine yet it is not ceremoniall nor for a time but unchangable and obligeth perpetually as is manifest by the time when it was appointed before the fall when there was no type of redemption by Christ and by numbring it amongst the tenne precepts of the morall law written by the finger and proclaymed by the voyce of God which cannot be said of any changable law Neyther can it be called perpetuall and morall in this sence that a certaine time is to be allotted to divine worship for then the building of the Tabernacle and temple the new moones and other legall festivities conteyning in them a generall equitie might aswell be accounted morall Secondly the change of the Sabbath from the last to the first day of the weeke is by divine authoritie from Christ himselfe from whom it is called the Lords day who is Lord of the Sabbath who did institute the worship of the day and rested from his labours that day whereon all things were made new by his resurrection and sanctified it euen as in the beginning God rested from all his works on the seauenth day blessed it He thinketh it no more contrarie to Christian libertie then it was to Adam in his innocencie to keepe one of the seauen and therefore he laboureth to make the Sabbath his delight observeth it himselfe and by his doctrine example and discipline teacheth others to doe the like and to cease uot onely from all servill workes which require greate labour of the bodie but from all our owne works whatsoever drawing our minds from the exercises of religion and serving for our owne gaine and commoditie except in the case of necessitie caused by divine providence He would haue it well considered wherein the Jewes were more strictly obliged then Christians and what libertie we haue that they had not Beside the Sabbath he can admitte no ordinary holy dayes appointed by man whether in respect of any mysterie or of difference of one day from another as being warranted by meere tradition against the doctrine of Christ and his Apostles but accounteth the solemne fasts and humiliations unto which the Lord calleth to be extraordinarie Sabbaths warranted by God himselfe The PRELATE by his doctrine practise example and neglect of discipline declareth that he hath no such reverend estimation of the Sabbath He doteth so upon the observation of Pasche Zuile and festivall dayes appoynted by men that he preferreth them to the Sabbath and hath turned to nothiug our solemne Fasts and blessed humiliations 16. The PASTOR findeth that everie parte of his office and everie name whereby he is called in Scripture doeth call upon him to be personally resident and where he resideth to be a terror to the wicked and a comfort to the godly The PRELATE eyther waiteth upon Counsell Session or Court or dwelleth so farre from his charge that 〈◊〉 â—each of Caranza proving the necessitie of the personall residence of â—â—â—ops may be applyed to him He is a Bishop but without overseerâ— an Embassador but runneth where his errand lyeth not a â—â—ptaine Soldier but farre from his station a Father and steward but suffereth the children to perish for want of foode Or if he happen to be resident his Lordship is a protection to the Papist to the carnall professor and to the Idoll-Minister and Idle-belly and such a vexation to the vigilant Pastor that he had much rather he were a Non-resident 17. The PASTOR must be so unblameable that he haue a good testimonie of them that are without he must rule well his owne house having his children in subjection with all gravitie not accused of ryot or unruly He must be sober not giuen to wine he must not be greedy of filthy lucre nor covetous he must not be a brauler a stryker nor fighter The PRELATE mocketh at conscience gravitie sobrietie modestie patience painfulnes c. and calleth them Puritanizing 18. The PASTOR laboureth to keepe faith in a good conscience and by the blessing of God upon his labours findeth the encrease of the gifts of God in his old age and the grace of God growing in the hearts of the people The PRELATE by loosing a good conscience maketh shipwrack of fayth and by the curse of God upon his slouth and defection may finde himselfe like Balaam who seeking hornes did loose his eares that is seeking preferment he lost the gift of prophesie may see grace decayed worne out of the hearts of the people The Prelates objection THe Prelate will object notwithstanding all the evill that hath been sayd or that ye can say against him That the name the calling the power and the life of the Bishop is set downe in the Word The Pastors answer THE question is not of the Bishop but of the prelate or Diocesane Bishop whether he be the divine Bishop Haman could thinke upon no man but himselfe when the man was named whom the King would honour euen so the Prelate imagineth no other Bishop to be spoken of in Scripture but himselfe And as Alexander the great tooke Jupiters ominous salutation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 O Child or Babe for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 O son of Iupiter euen so in the Prelates ambitious eare everie word of a Bishop sounds honour unto him But the trueth is that the pastor not the Diocesane Bishop is the Bishop divine 1. The Diocesane Bishop is but one in a Diocie over many kirks The divine Bishops may be many in one citye and over one Kirk 2. The Diocesane bishop hath a forme of ordination of his owne different from the ordination of the pastor The divine Bishop hath no other but the ordination of the pastor 3. The Diocesane Bishop preacheth at his pleasure and is not obliged to preach by the nature and necessitie of his calling The divine bishop is bound by his calling to preach with all diligence 4. The Diocesane Bishop hath no particular congregation for his flock to feede with the Word and Sacraments The divine bishop is tyed to a particular flock 5. The diocesane Bishop is for the greater part a secular person The divine Bishop is a person meerly ecclesiasticall Therefore the diocesane bishop is not the divine bishop neyther doeth the Word of God acknowledge any diocesane Kirk or any prelate or diocesane bishop charged with the care of many particular congregations and having majoritie of power to
be universall for all times and Kirks and therefore can not be concluded upon any morall or unalterable ground which made the ancients to obserue that albeit Christs coate had no seame yet the Kirks vesture was of divers colours and that unitie is one thing and uniformitie another The PRELATE as a new Lawgiver will appoint new rites and mysticall signes in the Kirk that depend upon meere institution and are not concluded upon any reason of Christian prudence for such a time and place but upon grounds unchangable and therefore obliging at all times and places as is evident by the reason that he bringeth for festivall dayes kneeling in the sacrament c. 6. The PASTOR distinguisheth betwixt the nature and use of things indifferent and confesseth with all the learned that albeit many actions be in their nature indifferent yet that all our actions in particular at least such as proceede of deliberation which is the exception of some of the Schoolmen are eyther good or evill and not one of them all indifferent in matters most indifferent which obligeth him to seeke a warrant from God for that which he doeth that he may doe it in fayth to walke circumspectly to take heede to his words gestures c. and to do all that he doeth to the glorie of God The PREL. abhorreth this doctrine as the foundation of Puritanisme the restraint of his licentiousnes and the ruine of his monarchie therefore to the contrarie sinneth with a bold conscience and maketh the people to sinne some with erring some with doubting and some with a contradicting conscience 7. The PASTOR giveth eare to the H. Ghost charging that we put no occasion to fall nor stumbling block before our brethren for that is to destroy him for whom Christ dyed cōmanding the strong to beare with the infirmities of the weake and not to please themselues with the neglect of their brethren and threatning woe to them by whom offences come against which no authoritie of man can stand because it can neyther make scandall not to be nor not to be sinne nor not to be his sinne that giveth the scandall The PRELATE stopping his eare against the commandement charge and threatning of the H. Ghost whether he intend to giue scandall or not by his manifold abuse of things indifferent and especially by recoiving into the Kirk againe things called indifferent which for their great abuse were abolished giveth offence to all sorts as the boldnes and increase of papists the contempt and mocking of the profane the superstition and perplexitie of the simple and the grief and crosses of the godly doe declare against which he never had any excuse but the pretext of authoritie The Prelates objection THE PRELATE will still object that ye were more wise to quit the name of conscience in matters so indifferent as the controverted articles and others of that sorte be then still to talke of conscience conscience and that ye are but a part of puritanes that are so precise and singular beyond your neighhours in matters indifferent The Pastors answer THE prelate perswading to put away conscience is not unlike the foxe who through his evill guyding having loosed his tail would haue perswaded all his neighbours to parte with theirs as an uncomely and unprofitable burthen that all being like himself his deformitie might no more appeare A good conscience would please God in all things in substance and ceremonie but with due proportion It first and most standeth at Camels and yet next it straineth gnats when the light of Gods trueth makes them discernable When he calleth us precisians he is quite mistaken for he that is so selfe precise that he will rather part with the puritie of Gods worship and a good peece of the trueth too then want a complement of his Lordly dignitie or peece of his worldly commoditie or disch of his delicacie and not he that is so precise in the matters of Gods worship wherein he hath no power to be liberall that he will forsake all to follow Christ he and no other is the right precisian He calleth our pastors and our professors Puritanes and consequently Hereticks but blessed be God can not name their heresie They are still in profession that which he was not long since when he was farther from Heresie then he is now This calumnie constreyneth us to distinguish betwixt two sorts of Puritanes the one is the old hereticall Puritane who from the author of his sect was called Novatian and from his heresie Catharist or Puritane such a one our pastor is not for 1. The Puritane denyed the baptisme of infants The Pastor waiteth on baptisme as a speciall parte of his calling which the Prelate doeth not 2. The Puritanes had their owne Prelates and liked of prelacie The Pastor in this is no Puritane but the prelate the Puritane 3. The Puritane condemned second mariage as unlawfull The Pastor mainteyneth the honour of mariage against the Putitane the Papist and the Prelats manifold matrimoniall transgressions 4. The Puritane denyed reconciliation in some cases to penitents The Pastor would be glad to see the Prelates repentance notwithstanding his greate defections and that in the time of peace without the least essaye of persecution and therefore our Pastor is not a Puritane The other sorte is the new nicknamed Puritane in our times wherein the Papist calleth it Puritanisme to oppose the Roman Hierarchie The Arminian accounteth it Puritanisme to defende Gods free grace against mans free-will The Formalist thinketh it Puritanisme to stand out against conformitie The Civilian not to serue the time and the Prophane thinketh it essentiall to the Puritane to walke preciesly and not to be profane and so essentiall is it indeede that if all were profane there would be no puritane for the profane and the puritane are opposed He then is the new Puritane that standeth for Christ against Antichrist that defendeth Gods free grace against mans free will that would haue everie thing done in the house of God according to the will of God which is his greatest heresie that seeketh after the power of religion in his heart and this is his intollerable singularitie and that stands at the staffes ende against the sinnes of the time and this is his pride and melancholie after this way that the world calleth heresie serveth he the God of his Fathers who haue all beene Puritanes of this stampe since the beginning Abel who was hated for his holynes Enoch that walked with God Noah that was a perfect man in his generations Heber that made Peleg his name a testimonie that he was free of the building of Babel Moses that stoode upon an hooue Mordecay that would not bowe his knee Daniel that would not hold his window shutte Eleazar that would not eate one morsell Paul that would not dispence with one houre nor with an appearance of an evill Marcus Arethusas that would not redeeme his life with the
Religion be established and God served in their dominions according to his ovvne Word It hath ever been the greatest commendation of Princes that they haue begunne their government vvith the Reformation of Religion as many vvorthy Princes haue done both before and after the comming of Christ for God preferreth Kings unto all others and therefore Kings should haste to honour GOD aboue all others Or that they haue exceeded all vvho vvent before them in this religious and Royall Chaire AZA tooke avvay Idolatrie but JEHOSHAPHAT removed the high-places also EZEKIAH vvent further and brake the Brazen Serpent albeit a monument of Gods mercie But this vvas the sinne of his Reformation that he razed not the Idoll Temples vvhich vvas kept to good JOSIAH vvho therefore hath this testimonie to the ende of the World that like unto him there vvas no King before him that turned to the LORD vvith all his heart vvith all his soule and vvith all his might Upon the other part true Religion although it propone for the principall ends the Glorie of GOD and the Safetie of the KIRK yet it serveth many vvayes for the Civill good and vvorldly benefite of Kings and Kingdomes Because the true Religion and no other maketh Kings and Kingdomes to serue that GOD that giueth both Heauenly and Earthly Kingdomes Who looseth the Bands of Kings and girdeth their loynes vvith a girdle Who is the onely Judge that putteth dovvne one and setteth up an other And therefore godlynesse hath the promise and true Religion hath many blessinges attending It is a blessed thing vvhen a King or a Kingdome serveth that GOD by vvhom kings reigne and vvho giveth and taketh avvay kingdomes at his pleaure Next because it qualifieth and disposeth every man for his ovvne place It maketh rulers to know that every Kingdome is under a greater Kingdome and as they are advanced aboue all others that they haue so much the greater account to make It maketh the subjects to obey for conscience sake and subdueth the people under theyr Prince which made Theodosius to acknowledge that his empire consisted more by Christian religion then by all other meanes It keepeth true peace both publick and private and when peace can be no longer kept it followeth after it to find it againe Jt maketh men just and temperate in time of peace not by restraint vvhich positiue lavves doe but by mortification With Christians to think that vvickednes is sinne Whether of the tvvo commandeth more fully sayth Tertullian he vvho sayth Thou shalt not kill or he who sayth thou shalt not be angry vvhich of the tvvo is more perfect to forbid adulterie or to restraine the eyes from concupiscencs c. It maketh every man to practise Christianitie in the particular duties of his calling In the time of war it maketh men couragious to feare none but him that can kill the soule In persecution it maketh invincible patience Without confusion it giveth at all times unto God that vvhich is Gods and unto Caesar that vvhich is Caesars and vvithout usurpation or injurie to any it giveth unto Noblemen Statesmen Barons Burgesses and all from the highest to the lovvest in the Kingdome their ovvn places preferments and priviledges according to the soveraigne lavv of justice All estates haue neede of this divine influence and of all these comfortable effects and every religion promiseth them all but onely Christian Religion is able to performe them and the more Christian it is that is the more neare that it cometh to the puritie simplicitie of Christ and his Apostles both in doctrine and discipline and the more christianly that is the more povverfully it be urged upon the consciences of men the more effectually it proveth for these happy ones Let us then upon this ground proceede to our tryall vvhether the Pastor or Prelate be more profitable for the Countrey and Common vvealth THE PASTOR preserveth the prosperous estate of the Kingdome and commonwealth by labouring to preserue pietie righteousnesse and temperance in the Land and by oppusing with al his might against Idolatrie and all sorts of impietie against unrighteousnesse and all sorts of injurie whether by craft or violence and against intemperancie incontinencie unlawfull mariages divorces and whatsoever kinde of impurities for these three where they reigne he knoweth to be more neare and certaine causes first of the many calamities and judgements of God and then of the alterations and periodes of states and Kingdomes then eyther the intricate numbers of Plato or the unchanged course of the heauens or what other cause is pretended by philosophers or politicks because these where they raigne they threatten a ruine from the true fatalitie of Gods providence justice doe shake the pillars of all humane societie as Idolatrie the pillars of the Kirk unrighteousnes of the Cōmon-wealth and intemperance of the family one of the three falling the other two cannot long endure The PRELATE upon the contrarie by taking in his owne hands the power of the generall assembly which was a great terror to sinne by depriving some worthy pastors of their places and others of their authoritie in censuring of sinne by destroying the discipline of the Kirk and by his owne many unlawfull practises and permissions hath giuen way to Idolatrie blaspbemie and the prophanation of the Sabbath to all sorts of Scandalous and notorious Sinnes of unrighteousnesse uncleannes and of the abuse of Gods creatures for which the wrath of God commeth upon the world But most of all by bringing a great part of the kingdome under the guiltines of the violation of the covenant of God and of doing against their oath and Subscription hath drawne on many visitations from the hand of God doeth dayly provoke the Lord to further wrath stryketh at the pillars of all Societies and posteth on the periods of State and Kingdome 2. The PASTOR accounteth vertue trueth righteousnesse Christian simplicitie and prudence to be the best policie not onely for his owne practise but for all that are in authoritie and for all societies and therefore pronounceth anathema upon the chiefest axiomes of Machiavels arte whom he judgeth to be as pernicious a master of policie as Antichrist is for matters of Religion and these two to be the principall supposts of Sathan the direct enemy of Christian fayth and obedience and the craftie subverters of Kirks and Commonwealths unfitte for all but most unfitte for us whom grace hath favoured with the light of the trueth and nature hath fashioned to be open and plaine The PRELATES practises doe proclaime what policie pleaseth him best Simulation dissimulation falsehoode and Flattery are knowen to be the wayes of his promotion He standeth in his grandeur and possesseth his peace by promising good service in parliament to the King against the Nobilitie and blowing the bellowes of dissention betwixt them he warmeth himselfe at the fire he hath raysed betwixt the King and Kirk
He beareth with men of every religion providing they be not Antiepiscopall He urgeth Ceremonies which he himselfe otherwise careth nothing for that they may be a band of obedience to the slavish and a buckler of Episcopacie against the opposites he suffereth papistrie to prevaile and new heresies to arise and giveth connivence to the Teachers of them that there may be some other matter of disputation amongst learned men then about his myter If all would follow his arte and example Antichrist Machiavel would be our chiefest Maisters and every Scottish man of spirit would proue another Caesar Borgia or Ludovieus Sfortia 3. The PASTOR according to the nature of things distinguisheth betwixt the things of God and the things of Caesar betwixt the soveraigntie of Christ and the souveraigntie of man betwixt the dignitie of the Statesman and honour of the Elder that labours in the word and doctrine betwixt the palace of the Prince and the Ministers manse the revenues of the Noble-man and the Ministers stipend and according to the grounds of policie holdeth that many offices should be conferred upon one man except rarely by the speciall favour of Princes upon some that are eminent as miracles for engine for wisedome and dexteritie by reason of mans infirmitie the weight of authoritie the order of the policie and the peace of the people that as everie thing in nature doeth the owne part the â—â—nne shyneth and the wind bloweth the water moysteneth so every man should be set to his owne taske that one man cannot both be Aeneas and Hector Cato and Scipio farre lesse can one and the same person be sufficient for the greatest affaires both of Kirk and policie And therefore the Pastor keepeth himselfe within the bounds of his owne place and calling and neyther medleth with civill causes nor taketh upon him civill offices nor seeketh after civill honour The PRELATE maketh no distinction but confoundeth all as compatible ynough if he be the agent And albeit for any good parts to be no miracle but neighbourlike yet he findeth himself sufficient for everything in Kirk and Common-wealth and telleth all for fish that commeth in his nette whether Civill offices Civill Honours civill causes or civill punishments Like a Prince he hath his castle his Lordship his Regalitie Vassalry c. He hath power to confyne imprison c. and taketh it hardly when he is not preferred to Offices of estate as to be Chancellor President c. which his predecessors had of old And thus against all ground of good policie he stands in pompe as a mightie Gyant with one Foote in the Kirk upon the necks of the Ministers and with another in the state upon the heads of the Nobilitie and Gentrie 4. The PASTOR assisteth the Civill Magistrate in planting of virtue and rooting out of vice partly by powerfull preaching home to the Consciences of sinners partly by censuring lesser offences which the Magistrate punisheth not as lying uncomelie jesting rash and common swearing rotten talking brauling drunckennesse c. Wherethrough the passages to murther adulterie and other great offences are stopped the people prevented in many mischiefs and great enormities and the Magistrate many waies eased and partly in censuring of greater sinnes and purging the Kingdome of foule offences for he joyneth the Censures and the spirituall sword of the Kirk with the sword of the Magistrate so unpartially that none are spared with such expedition and diligence that sinne is censured and not forgotten with such authoritie that the most obâ—tinâ—â—e haue confessed that the Kirk had power to binde and loose with such sharpnesse and severitie that Malefactors haue beene affraide and so universally that as there is no crime censurable by the Kirk but the same is punishable by temporall Iurisdiction so he holdeth no sinne punishable by Civill Authoritie but the same is allo censurable by Spirituall power the one punishing the offender in his bodye or goods the other drawing him unto repentance and to remoue the scandall The PRELATE is unprofitable to the Civill Magistrate in planting of virtue and rooting out of vice for where his government hath place preaching hath more demonstration of Arte for the praise of the speaker then of the Spirit for the censuring of sinne and conversion of the sinner He passeth small offences without any censure thereby openeth the way to the greatest sins of murther adulterie c. and giveth the Magistrate his hands full He vendicates to his court and jurisdiction some crimes as proper for his censure which yet he passeth lightly The censures of the Kirk and sword of excommunication in his hand serue for small use against greater sins For eyther they are not used at all or so partially that the greatest sinners escape uncensured or so superficially that they are rather a matter of mocking and boldnesse in sinne then of repentance to the sinner or of removing the offence 5. The PASTOR is chargeable to no man beside his sober and necessarie maintenance allotted unto him for his necessarie service which the people can no more want then they may want religion it selfe or their owne temporall and eternall happines The PRELATE contrarie to the rules of policie against the multiplying and mainteyning of idle officebearers hath for one office serving for no good use neither to King nor Kirk nor Countrey allowance of a large rent is a great burthen and is many waies chargeable to the Commonwealth and to particular persons by his great lands and Lordship by actions of improbation reductions of feiffes declarator of esheits entresses nonentresses c. by selling of commissariats c. by raysing and rigorously exacting the Quots of Testaments by sommes of money giuen unto them their sonnes or theyr servants for presentations collations testimonials of ordination or admission sometimes by people who would be at a good Minister and ordinarily by the cannie friends of the intrant who can finde no entrie but by a golden port 6. The PASTOR would haue learning to growe considering that Schooles and Colledges are both the seminarie of the Commonwealth the Lebanon of God for building the Temple desyreth earnestly that there might be a Schoole in every congregation that the people might be more civill and might more easily learne the groundes of Religion he would haue the best ingynes chosen provided to the students places in universities the worthyest best men to the places of Teachers who might faythfully keepe the Arts and Sciences from corruption and especially the trueth of Religion as the holy fire that came down from heauen was kept by the Levites He desireth the rewards of learning to be giuen to the worthyest and after they haue received them that they be faythfull in their places least by loytering and lazinesse they become both unprofitable and unlearned The PRELATE is not so desirous of learning in himselfe as of ignorance in others