Selected quad for the lemma: religion_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
religion_n	act_n	king_n	parliament_n	3,024	5	6.5132	4	false

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A77444	An historicall vindication of the government of the Church of Scotland from the manifold base calumnies which the most malignant of the prelats did invent of old, and now lately have been published with great industry in two pamphlets at London. The one intituled Issachars burden, &c. written and published at Oxford by John Maxwell, a Scottish prelate, excommunicate by the Church of Scotland, and declared an unpardonable incendiary by the parliaments of both kingdoms. The other falsly intituled A declaration made by King James in Scotland, concerning church-government and presbyteries; but indeed written by Patrick Adamson, pretended Archbishop of St. Andrews, contrary to his own conscience, as himselfe on his death-bed did confesse and subscribe before many witneses in a write hereunto annexed. By Robert Baylie minister at Glasgow. Published according to order.	Baillie, Robert, 1599-1662.; Adamson, Patrick, 1537-1592. Recantation of Maister Patrik Adamsone, sometime archbishop of Saint-Androwes in Scotlande.; Welch, John, 1568?-1622.	1646 (1646)	Wing B460; Thomason E346_11; ESTC R201008	133,114	153

ratifies and approves the Presbyteries and particular Sessions appointed by the said Kirke with the whole Jurisdiction and discipline of the same Kirke agreed upon by his Majesty in conference had by his Highnesse with certaine of the Ministers conveened to that effect also determines and declares the said Assemblies Presbiteries and Sessions their jurisdiction and discipline to be in all times comming most just and good notwithstanding of whatsomever Statutes Acts Canons civill or municipall Lawes made in the contrary Item the Kings Majestie and Estates declares that the 129. Act of the Parliament holden at Edinbrough the 22. of May 1584. shall no wayes be prejudiciall nor derogate any thing to the priviledge that God has given to the Spirituall Officers in the Kirke concerning heads of Religion matters of Heresie Ezcommunication collation deprivation of Ministers or any such like essentiall Censures specially grounded and having warrant of the Word of God Also abrogates Cassis and Annuls the Act of the same Parliament 1584. yeere granting Commission to Bishops and other Judges constitute in Ecclesiasticall causes to receive his Highnesse Presentations to Benefices to give collation hereupon and to put order in all Ecclesiasticall causes his Majestie and Estates declares this Act to be expired and in time comming to be null and therefore ordains all Presentations to be directed to the particular Presbiteries More needs not be said for the confounding and filling with shame the faces of them No more is needfull for a satisfactory Answer who in the reprinting of this Pamphlet could have no other intention but to grieve and disgrace them whom by word they call Brethren but in heart and workes they evidently maligne as enemies without any cause Adamson the true Father confesseth it to be a Bastard and supposititious birth wholly composed of lyes and slanders King James disclaimes it and puts a new Declaration in its place the States of Parliament in King James his presence and with his open allowance abolished the Acts whereupon it was founded rooting out Episcopacy which it dothplant and building up Presbyteries and Synods which it professeth to demolish Yet for more abundant satisfaction The points of the wryt let us consider its particular parts It containes first a Preface Secondly an explanation of foure Acts of the Parliament at Edinbrough Pag. 1. It is hazardous for a 〈◊〉 Prince to take ●pon himself ●the faults of ●his Officers 1584. Thirdly an enumeration of some foureteene intentions ascribed to the King In the Preface there is a narrative of the causes of the subsequent Declaration all resolves upon the alledged Lyes of some evill affected persons labouring to impaire his Majesties honour and fame Upon this we remark that the late unhappy tricke of Courtiers and Prel●tes is no lesse ancient then this Declaration it was the ordinary custome of these ungrate and imprudent men to charge the backe of the King with their owne faults the bones of Kings are supposed by Sycophants to be so strong that no burden is able to bow much lesse to breake them As King Charles has ever been ●●o ready and willing to take upon himselfe the guilt of his servants upon what ever hazard the same was his Fathers condition yet with this difference King James was willing to beare his Servants burdens till he found they pinched but so soone as they began to presse him any thing sore he was so wise and just to himselfe and others that he laid them alwayes over upon the neck of those whom in reason it concerned to beare them The people had an high esteeme of Ki. Iames his vertues About that time the fame of Kings James his Learning Piety and personall vertues did florish at home and abroad the wel-affected who chiefly are aymed at were so far from impairing his personall reputation that in their very censure of this Declaration they give unto him an excellent testimony g Vide An Answer to the Declaration Their indignation was onely against the Court and upon just grounds But at that same time his Court was so exceedingly corrupted that the good men in the whole Isle both English and Scots did lament it Captain James Stuart by his cunning crept up to be Chancellour became so insolent a Tyrant that neither the greatest nor the most innocent had security either of their life or Estate h Spotswoods History lib. 6 p. 179. ●eere 1584. this severity was universally disliked but that which shortly ensued was much more hatefull Ibid. Maines and Drumwhassill were hanged the same day in the publick street of Edenborough the Gentlemens case was much pittied Maines his case especially all that were present in their hearts did pronounce him innocent these cruell and rigorous proceedings caused such a feare as all fami●iar society was in a manner left no man knowing to whom be might safely speake Arran in the meane time went on drawing into his owne hand the managing of affairs for he would be sole and supream over all Ibid. p. 177. Master Andrew Pullert Master Patrick Galloway Master James Carmichal Ministers were denounced Rebels and fled into England Master Andrew Hay compeered and nothing being qualified against him was upon suspition confined to the North the Ministers sent Master David Lindsay to the King with their supplication but Arran sent him prisoner to Blacknesse where he was detained forty seven weeks The Ministers of Edenborough hearing of this for sook their charge and fled into England so as Edenbrugh was left without any Preachers Master Robert Pont likewise flying was denounced Rebell The best Ministers were forced to leave the Kingdome The Duke of Lennox whose power with the King was greatest had lately come over from the Guisians in France though the man himself was of a very good and meeke nature yet he had his instructions and dependance from the Authors and instruments of the French Massacres he made it his worke to further the interest of France to the prejudice of England he corresponded with the French and Scots Traffiquers for Queene Maries deliverance out of prison yea for her returne to the throne of Scotland in an association with her Son k The Collection Sir Esme Stuart was sent by Queen Mother of France and the Guisians to seduce the young King to subvert Religion violate the amity between England and Scotland to procure an invasion for the delivery of the Queen of Scots then in captivity to make the King content to be associate with her in the government to alienate his heart from the Ministry he had his continuall intelligence and instructions from France These things which all the Writers of that time do record did so fill the hearts of all good people with feares for changes both of Religion and Lawes that neither English nor Scots did spare to expresse them in their ordinary discourses l Vide supra h. Unto this frightment of the people the Acts of Parliament procured by the

in pieces and the whole royall Prerogative devolved upon the head of the Parliament yet the aforementioned supremacy is so high an injustice that no gracious member of either House would ever be perswaded to touch it though it were put in their fingers for beside the everting of all the Lawes whereupon Monarchy since the first foundation has stood it would so shake the groundstones of all the Lawes of the Kingdome as would hazard the overthrow no lesse of the Parliament then of the King and with them all the Judicatories and rights of the Land our unhappy Brovilons fit for nothing so much as to confound all things would be in a faire way to bring the whole Church and State to such a Chaos and hodge podge as no creature without Gods extraordinary assistance should ever againe be able to bring their confusions to any tolerable order Secondly The Supremacy here mentioned favours Episcopacy but not Erastianisme they should doe well to consider that whatever supremacy is aimed at in the Writ yet the Erastian designe will not be much helped thereby for it is expresly provided therein that the ordinary Ecclesiastick Judicatories shall cognosce all Ecclesiasticke causes g Printed Declaration p. 3. Neiis it his Majesties intention to take away the lawfull and ordinary judgment of the Church but rather to preserve encrease and maintaine the same and as there is in the Realme Justices Constables Sheriffes Provosts Bailiffes and other Judges in temporall matters so his Majesty alloweth that all things may be done in order and a godly order may be preserved in the whole Estate the Synodall Assemblies by the Bishops or Commissioners for the places vacand to be convened twice in the yeere to have the Ordering of matters belonging to the Ministry and their estate no word at all to import that any civil Commissioners may determine upon any affaires meerly Ecclesiasticall it is true that the ordinary Judicatories here named are put under the foule feet of the Prelats and this seems to have been the maine aime both of the Act and of its interpretation yet hereby the Erastian principles are nothing furthered for as by the Covenant and Laws of both Kingdomes the roots of Episcopacy are now pluked up so it s well knowne that neither Presbiterians nor Independents were ever more zealous for the establishing of Ecclesiastick jurisdiction by a divine right in the hand of Church Officers then the Episcopall party at least those of them who understood and minded their owne principles Thirdly King James against the Erastians if all this will not satisfie we desire those who hold out this passage as advantageous for the Ecclesiastick power of the Magistrate in prejudice of the Presbytery to know that when the Ministers did complaine to King James of this seeming prejudice he gave them his owne Declaration which he promised should be as authentick as that Act of Parliament hh Kings Declaration Now I say and declare which Declaration shall be as authentick as the Act it selfe that I for my part shall never neither my Posterity ought ever cite summon or apprehend any Pastor or Preacher for matters of Doctrine in Religion salvation beresies or true interpretation of the Scriptures but according to my first Act which confirmeth the liberty of Preaching the Word Ministration of the Sacraments I avow the same to be a matter meere Ecclesiasticall and altogether impertinent to my calling therefore never shall I nor never ought they I meane my Posterity to acclaime any power of jurisdiction of the foresaid which caused their griefe and much more authentick then Adamsons Interpretation of that Act assuring them that neither himselfe nor any of his successors should ever claime the Cognizance nor the power to determine in any cause meerly Ecclesiasticall ii Vide sapra hh avowing that Ecclesiastick Jurisdiction did belong onely to the Church officers which neither himselfe nor any of his heires should ever crave nor ever ought to crave as belonging to them King James revoked what here is published Finally we desire them to know if Princes promises and Declarations under their hands seeme not to them sufficient security that whatever in the present passage does appeare to spoile the Church Assemblies of a full and plenary Jurisdiction was all recalled and past from by King James the very next yeer for he did consent unto that transaction of Archbishop Adamsons whereby the Arch-prelate devests himselfe of all jurisdiction and submits himselfe to the authority of the Assembly renouncing all liberty of appeale to any other person or Judicatory in the earth kk Spotswoods History lib. 6. p. 184. yeer 1586. A transaction was made in this sort That the Bishop by his hand writing should labour to carry himselfe as a moderate Pastor ought labouring to be the Bishop described by Saint Paul submitting his life and Doctrine to the Judgement and censure of the generall Assembly without any reclamation provocation or appellation from the same in any time comming what should have moved the King to hearken to a mediation so prejudiciall both to his owne authority and the Episcopall jurisdiction cannot well be conjectured whatsoever the reason was the Bishop did set his hand to the things proposed by the Assembly But to stop all mouths which from Scotland would bring any colour of warrant King Charles also for an Erastian Supremacy in the last Parliament of Scotland which was ratified by King Charles with the hearty consent of his good Subjects of England the finall determination of all Ecclesiasticke Causes whatsoever is referred to the Nationall Assembly as to the onely proper and competent Judge ll Second Parliament of K. Charles Act 4. p. 6. 8. The Kings Majesty having graciously declared that it is his royall will and pleasure that all questions about Religion and matters Ecclesiasticall be determined by the Assemblies of the Church and that for preservation of Religion generall Assemblies rightly constitute as the proper and competent judge of all matters Ecclesiasticall hereafter be kept yeerly and oftner pro renata as also that Kirk Sessions Presbyteries and Synodall Assemblies be constitute and observed according to the order of this Kirk which Act the estates now convened by his Majesties indiction ra●ifies approves and confirmes in all points and gives thereunto the strength of a Law and Act of Parliament whoever will call this Act of Parliament into question must be content to have the King and his Parliaments of both Kingdoms for their first and chiefe opposites The explanation of the next Act is also large and confused The sum of the next Paragraph it contains a discharge of all Church Assemblies and meetings not authorized by Law particularly it discharges the Nationall Assemblie and Classicall Presbytery upon the allegeance of some enormous practises of these two meetings Consider first the discharge and then its reasons Church-assemblies established in Scotland on a

of Morton sundry Gentlemen of good quality most innocent were hanged many of the prime Noblemen Gentlemen and Ministers were forced to flee for their lives out of the Kingdome till all of them joyning together did ride in Armes to Stirling and by violence though without hurt to any mans person did the second time remove those Courtiers and for ever after kept them from the King to the full quieting both of Church and State This Rode of Stirling was much more cried out upon by the wicked Prelates and Courtiers then the former of Ruthven yet was it approved for good service to the King and State not only as the former by the privie Counse●l and convention of States but also by the ensuing Parliament and so it remaines unquarrelled unto this day Your third complaint is P. 45. The Assembly repeales no lawes but supplicates the Parliament to recall their ratifications of Ecclesiasticall corruptions that the generall Assemblies doe alter what the Law has established all your examples hereof are The Votes of the late generall Assembly at Glasgow condemning the civill places of Church-men pronouncing the very office it selfe of Bishops to be unlawfull in the Church and crying downe the high Commission Court Here you fall upon the Parliament of England as fooles and Traitours for letting themselves bee perswaded by the Scots to swallow downe their wicked Covenant To all this our Apologie is briefe what ever power our generall Assembly possesses is all well allowed by the King and Parliament The acts of that Assembly you complaine of are all ratified by the State the order of our proceeding is appointed by Law all matters Spirituall and Ecclesiastick are first determined by the generall Assembly if the nature of the things require a civill Sanction the Votes of the Assembly are transmitted to the Parliament if a Generall Assembly have voted an Errour or any thing that 's wrong and that corruption hath been ratified by an Act of Parliament a Posterior generall Assembly recognosces the matter and finding an errour in Religion notwithstanding of the prior votes both of the Assembly and Parliament does condemne it and appoints Commissioners to represent the reasons of their vote to the next Parliament with an humble supplication to annull these Acts and Laws which did confirme the condemned corruption This has been the method of proceeding in Scotland since the first erection of a generall Assembly in this way were all the Errours of Popery first condemned in the Assembly before the Parliament did recall their old Lawes whi●●●●nfirmed them The forme of this proceeding established by the Parliament it selfe does not import any subordination either of the lawes or the Parliament to the Assembly P. 46. It meddles with no civill Courts At this place p. 46. you bring us another story whereupon you make tragick out-cryes of the Assemblies insolent usurpations it seems you thought that this your book should never have come from Oxford into the hands of any Scottish man who knew the Custome of the Judicatories of Scotland I doe marvell much at your impudence that you should speake of the Assemblies incroaching upon the Lords of Session or medling with any Civill cause which the Law commits to any temporall Judicatory there is no better harmony in the world then alwayes has been in Scotland between the civill and Ecclesiasticall Judicatories no interfeiring was ever among them but what the Bishops made You indeed in your high Commission did take causes both civill and Ecclesiasticall to your Cognisance from all the Courts of the Kingdome and did at your pleasure without and contrary to all known Lawes finally determine them without any appeale but to the King by whom you were sure ever to be best be●eeved For the story in hand The case of Mr. John Graham I am content Spotswood be Judge as he relates it the matter was thus Mr. Iohn Graham one of the Lords of Session or Judges of the Common Pleas a very false and dishonest man intended an action against some poore men to put them from their Lands for to effectuate his purpose he seduced a publique Notary dwelling at Stirling and perswaded him to subscribe a false Writte upon the which the poore men by a decree of the Lords of Session were removed from their possessions The oppressed soules cryd out of their injurie and intended action against the Notary for his false Writ they got him arrested and imprisoned The Minister of the bounds Mr. Patrick Simpson whom King James and all Scotland knew to be a most learned zealous and pious Pastor as was in the whole Isle dealt with the Prisoner to confesse the truth after some conference he confessed all and declared how Mr. John Graham had sent his Brother to him with a false Writte which hee did subscribe an assize was called the poore Notary upon his own cousession was condemned and hanged Mr. John Graham as covetous and false so a most proud man would not rest satisfied but presently summoned Master Patrick Simpson to appeare before the Lords of Session as a seducer of the honest Notary to lye against his owne life Mr. Patrick was ready to cleare his own innocencie whereof all were well perswaded but shamefully wronged by an impudent man in his good name he caused cite him before the Assembly as a slanderer of a Minister in the work of his calling the Lords of Session not content that any of their number should be called before the Assembly for any action depending in their Court did send som of their number to the Assembly for to debate the whole matter The Assembly told them that they would not meddle with any thing that was civill nor which belonged to their Court that they intended to take no notice of their decrees at Mr. John Grahams instance to cast the poore 〈◊〉 out of their Land whether it was right or wrong nor the notaries Instrument wherefore he was hanged whether it was true or false They told them also that whatsoever they had to say to Mr. Patrick Simpson hee was to answer them as they should thinke fit in due time and place the Assemblies question was alone about the slander of one of their Members whom Mr. Iohn Graham did openly challenge as a Seducer of a Notary to beare false witnesse They had cited Mr. John Graham before them to make this good that so they might censure Mr. Patrick Simpson as a man unworthy of the Ministry or if Mr. John Graham's challenge was found a meere calumny that he might bee brought to repentance for it in acknowledging of his wrong Let any equitable man judge how insolent the Assemblies proceeding in this action was for a time there was some controversie about this matter betwixt the Assembly and the Session but at last all was amicably composed and God decided the question with the violent death and publick disgrace of Mr. Iohn Graham What ye subjoyne of King Iames trouble to the

make poor people die Traytors to both ibid. p. 68. fancying to themselves that they fight the Lords battels for Religion Liberties they dream they die Martyrs when they die Traytors to God and his Anoynted ibid. p. 132. They set the simple people upon Rebellion against God and his Anoynted to the destruction of State soul and body temporally and eternally That the defensive war of the Parliaments of both Kingdomes is a most reall Rebellion and Treason that all who have dyed in that quared are certainly damned that the Covenant is a damnable Conspiracy that all Covenanters are Traytors and Rebels both to God and the King that their Covenant puts them upon the principles of Ravtitack and Faux to kill Kings and blow up Parliaments (b) Vide supra a. also ibid. 63. This Covenant maketh every man to be armed with power and the way left to himselfe for ought wee know it may be Raviliacks way or Guido Faux his way ibid p. 7. For as bad as the Iesuite is in my conceiving the Puritan is worse That the Armes of the Irish Rebels were no more unjust then these of the British who opposed them that the Irish Cessation was lawfull and commendable (c) Ibid. Preface to Ormond you were assaulted with two of the worst extreames of opinions enraged both of them with the same degrees of madnesse That the Marquesse of Ormond for piety and prudence has not his match upon earth (d) Ibid. You whose piety is admirable whose wisdom and prudence is above the ordinary and all your equals so experienced in matters of State that it is a wonder to them who know you and incredible to them who have not been eye witnesses That for military vertue he is equall to Scipio Hannibal and Caesar (e) Ibid. Your heroicall Acts are worthy of the greatest Caesar you gained so much as their valiant Hannib●s and Scipios That the Legislative power is in the King alone That his Monarchy makes him above all Lawes and lets him be tyed to none but gives him power to alter and abolish them at his pleasure (f) Sacro Sanct. p. 180. One of the Sectaries principles wherby they intoxicate the Vulgar is that in a Monarchy the Legislative power is communicable to the subject ibid. p. 94. At the admittance of Saul God giveth to the subject Legem parendi Soveraignity is an undivided entity how can you share it among more To diminish any thing of this Pretogative is to destroy Monarchy to dethrone the King and to take his Crowne from him (g) Ibid p. 141. You totally destroy Monarchy and must say down right our gracious Soveragne is no Monarch p. 142. An impotent King is the same with no King For Parliam●n●s to meddle with any part of this power is a sacriledge which God will revenge (h) Ibid. p. 144. The worst bargaine ever subject made was at any rate to purchase a possession of the sacred Rights of Kings till these Kingdomes be purged of sacriledge so highly committed against God by wronging his Anointed and he be restored to his sacred Rights we need look for no effectuall blessings of God When through weaknesse or imprudence a Prince is cheated or enforced to give away to his Parliament any part of his power himselfe or any of his posterity when ever occasion offereth may lawfully take it back notwithstanding of any promise oath or law made to the contrary (i) Ibid p. 142. I doubt not to affirme but if any good Prince or his Royall Ancestors have been or are cheated out of their sacred Right by fraud or force he may at the first opportunity when God in his wise providence offereth occasion resume it You see with what a Statesman we have to doe A favorer of ●rosse Popery ●nd Arminia●isme for his Religion heare a part of it Episcopacy is a necessary and fundamentall truth of Divine Institution and Commandement (k) Issachar p. 1. In the Edition of Oxford Episcopacy is the true necessary and perpetuall Government of the Church institute by Christ wee deceive our selves to expect deliverance from our troubles if wee subordinate fundamentals in Religion necessary truths to our civill good All Ecclesiasticall Iurisdiction belongs to the Bishops alone by Divine Right no Presbyter ought to bee a member so much as of a Provinciall Assembly (l) Ibid p. 31. Now is forgotten that of the councel of Chalcedon concilium est Episcoporum and that old barbarous but Christian enough verse Ite foras laici non est vobis locus ici That the Kings consent to the abolition of Episcopacy in Scotland is the true and great cause of all the troubles which since that time hath befallen him and his subjects (m) Ibid p. 2. What peace hath King or Kingdome enjoyed here or in Ireland since Episcopacy by Law in Scotland was damned That Abots Priors and their Religious Houses of Monks and Fryers are lawfull in the Church (n) Ibid. p. 49. Abbots and Priors to Melvils time were nominate and admitted to Abbeys and Priories as Church men but this great Doctor found out another Divinity that for Abbots and Priors there was none such in the Word of God That Patriarcks and Cardina's are Church Dignities highly to be reverenced (o) Ibid p. 43. Cardinall Beton a Priest and Archbishop of so high Dignity That the Pope by Divine Right is as true a Bishop as any other Bishop in the world but by humane Ecclesiastick Right he is greater then any other (p) Sacro Sanct. p. 58. The Pope the Bishop of Rome hath no more by Divine Right except it bee in extent then the meanest Bishop in his Diocesse what hee may have by positive Ecclesiasticall right it s not pertinent for us now to examine Hierome compareth three of the meanest Bishops with three of the greatest Patriarcks Priviledged at that time by Ecclesiasticall Canons That Presbytery is worie then Popery and Iesuitisme that it were much better for any King to put his Dominions under the yoak of the Pope and Iesuites then of Presbyteries and Synods (q) Issachar Edition Oxford p. 30. The ●ing is in a worse condition under this soveraignty then under the Pope ibid p. 45. The Presbytery it or may be in time a mother of as much rebellion and treason as any Iesuitisme of the highest die if not more certainly Rome although a whore is not so bad nor so abominable That the first Reformation in Scotland France Holland Germany and where ever the supream Magistrate was not the Author and Actor of the worke was unorderly and sin ull an action seditious and treasonable a great cause of all the mischiefes that from that time to this have come upon the Churches (r) Ibid. p. 36. This gave life to that tumultuary Reformation we will never wrong Reformed Religion so much as to count of that as an orderly Reformation We

before any Assemblies were in Scotland should be laid to their charge But what may those absurd asserions of Iohn Knox be he sayes as you alledge that the Nobility of Scotland who are borne Counsellours of the Kingdom and by the Laws have great priviledges may represse the fury and madnesse of a misled Prince I grant this to you must be a great Heresie who makes it one of the Articles of your faith that though Princes were as mad as ever Nero and should openly avow their desires to overturn all the sworn Lawes of their State and to kill without any cause all their Subjects yet for the Nobility or whole States of Parliament to make the smallest opposition or to goe one haires breadth beyond a naked supplication were no lesse then a damnable Rebellion and Treason but beleeve it the subjects of Scotland will not take off your hand such maximes without some Argument for their truth Iohn Knox is alledged to say that the Commonalty may bridle the cruell beasts and resorme Religion but what does it concerne the generall Assembly whatever power the Lords or Commons have by the Law or usurpe against the Law The matter whereof Iohn Knox is speaking is this The body of Scotland in the yeare 1557. were true and zealous Protestants the Masse and Images were to them Idols long before the governour and protector of the Kingdom Duke Hamilton was for the Religion At his first Parliament he did authorize some good beginnings of Reformation the Cardinall and Clergy at this grew mad and found means to translate the government from the Duke to the Queens Mother sister to the Duke of Guize and Cardinall of Lorain in the time both of the Duke and Queen Mothers Regency the cruelty of the Bishops was unsufferable They took divers of the most zealous Preachers and Professors men and women and publikely without any Commission from the Magistrate onely for their zeale to the truth of God did burne them quick as Hereticks After many yeers patience the people at last seeing no end of the Prelates fury did cause write Letters to some of their most wicked persecutors telling them that if they gave not over to murther their Brethren themselves should taste of that Cup of which they forced others to drink All the Reformation which the people at that time practised was to keep themselves pure from most vile Idolatry and in private to heare the Word of God purely preached They made no publike Reformation till first they had openly supplicated the Queen and gotten her allowance and a promise of an Act of Parliament in the yeare 1558. which promise when the Protestant Nobility Gentry and Commons did presse in face of Parliament it was not denyed by the Queen but cunningly put off upon assurance that all their desires at the first conveniency should be granted in the meane time she received their Protestation for a Liberty to live in their reformed Churches separate from Popish Idolaters and promised in due time to give to the Protesters full satisfaction Though you have brought together all the malicious a persions which your predecestors the Popish Prelates and Priests were wont at these very times to heap upon the heads of our blessed Reformers yet shall you never be able to leave any stain upon that happy work though here and elsewhere you spue out your dispight against it The Reformation of Scotland was begun by publique Authority in the first Parliament of Queen Mary the yeare 1542. holden by the Governour the Earle of Arran a Protestant for the time the setting up of it in publique was avowed and protested for in face of Parliament 1558. with the Queen Regents evident allowance and without the opposition of any but in the next Pa●liament 1560. the whole Estates without the contradiction of any but three Popish Lords did set up by Law the whole body of that Religion which since by Gods mercy we have ever peaceably possessed except so farre as wicked Prelates have troubled us It is true The suspension of the Queene Regen●s authority was an act of the State which did nothing I rejudice the Soveraignty that Queen Regent notwithstanding of her good countenance and faire promises was forced by the privy Instructions of her wicked Brethren Guize and the Cardinall of Loraine to oppose Reformation wherein fore against her own minde as at her death shee professed shee went so farre as to bring in many thousands of the French to conquer and subdue the Land They began to the terror of the whole Isle to fortifie Leith and other Maritime places they exercised an evident tyranny both in Church and State and overthrew the Laws and liberties of the Nation which forced the cheise of the Nobility for the casting off of this yoak of stavery from the Church and State and preventing the danger which threatned the whole Isle to enter in a covenant of defence both among themselvs and with the Queen of England but without the least prejudice to the just authority of their Soveraign then Queen of France as it after appeared for when by the blessing of God and the helpe of the English they had ejected the French usurpers they did heartily receive and obey the Queen so soon as she came from France For the justification of all this I could bring formall testimonies out of Spotswood himselfe What you say of the deposition of Queen Regent from her Authority it is false that any Church Assembly did ever meddle with it lesse or more it was the Act of the three Estates how just let any judge She was the first woman as I remember that ever in Britain had the government of the State it belonged not to her by any right the Lawes provided that charge for Duke Hamilton but she and the Prelates couzend him out of his right and long possession she became not only a violent persecuter of all the faithful against the Law and her own promises but also went about evidently by violence and force of Arms to subdue the land to the tyranny of strangers much of this shee did albeit at the direction of her Brethren of Loraine yet without all commission from our Soveraigne her daughter When no supplication nor remonstrance could stop her the Estates of the Land being all denounced Rebels and Traitors by her did passe an Act not for depriving her of her Regency but for the suspending of her Authority till the next Parliament or till shee altered the course of her tyrannous government with an expresse protestation that the authority and power of the King and Queen of France their Soveraignes should remain to them sacred and inviolable This act of the Statewhether right or wrong what does it concerne the generall Assembly of the Church be it so that a Minister or two being called for advice did give their assent to this action which is the furthest our Enemies alledge yet what hath this to doe with our Church government

their abolishing of Episcopacy their indicting of solemne Fasts the desert of these crimes we will see when the particulars are opened The Road of Ruthven was a Remonstrance made to his Majesty by a number of the prime and best affected of the Nobility The generall Assemblies approbation of the Road of Ruthven very innocent against the insupportable tyrannies of some few Courtiers to the extream hazard of the Kings person the Church and whole Kingdome His Majesty yet minor was content to follow the Remonstrants advice the men complained of were removed from Court the action of the Noble-men was declared by the King and his Counsell to have been good and acceptable service bbb Collection His Majesty seemed to be well pleased and gave sundry significations of his good liking of that action as of good service done to him by attestations in his Princely word they should never be challenged by Act of Privy Counsell by Act of solemn convention of Estates by publike Proclamations at Market Crosses needfull by desiring the English Ambassadours to testifie to the Queene his owne and his Estates good liking by two legations sent to her Majesty signed by his owne hand and the Counsels by his command to the Ministers in chiefe places to signifie his consent and apprsbation to the people the convention of estates made that same Declaration ccc Vide supra bbb the Kings the Counsels the States approbation of this fact was solemnly proclaimed in the next Market places of the chiefe Burroughs ddd Vide supra bbb at his Majesties desire the Ambassadours of England and France did write so much to their Masters eee Vide supra bbb and it was also promised that the next generall Assembly and Parliament for the Noblemens greater security should give their ample approbations When the generall Assembly came the Noblemen petitioned them for their approbation at the first the Assembly declined to meddle with that matter fff Collection When the Authors of the enterprize sought the approbation of the generall Assembly it was answered that the matter was civill nothing pertaining to them It was replyed that the King and Counsell Estates had approved it and that the King had agreed an Act of approbation should be made in the Assembly whereupon Master James Lauson and Master David Lindsay were directed to his Majesty who after conference with his Majesty and Counsell reported their approbation and the Kings contentment that an Act should passe as was desired but when the Petitioners insisted alleaging it was the Kings pleasure they should take that matter into consideration they sent two of their number to the King to understand his mind his Majesty did not onely fignifie to those Messengers his defire that the Assembly should declare their approbation of that Action at Ruthven ggg Vide fff but also he did send two Commissioners of his owne to require the Assembly in his name to declare so much hhh The Collection The Tutor of Pitcur and Colonell Stuart Commissioners from the King reported that they had speciall command to assent in his name and so the Assembly approved but not till approved before and desired to approve Could the Assemblies obedience to the Kings expresse command be a treason of so high a nature as did merit not onely the persecution of their persons but the abolition of the Court it selfe for ever yet the Prelats and Courtiers rage did intend no lesse for when Captaine James had got againe into the Court whence he had been banished he wrought so upon the minor King that the Noblemen and Gentlemen who had procured his removall at Ruthven were some of them executed as Traitors others forfeit and banished many of the best Ministers were forced to flee for their life not one Pastor durst stay in Edenborough but all fled out of the Kingdome iii Vide supra Such stormes has Satan oft stirred up in Scotland by his instruments yet gracious men there by faith and patience by wisdome and active courage did wrestle through and alwayes in the end prevailed they got the Church the Kingdome the person of the Prince ever at last rescued from the bonds and snares of oppressing Sycophants The memory of our Predecessors sufferings and successes does much encourage us in these evill dayes and permits us not in the greatest tempests to faint but makes us to walk with hope in the midst of despaire for the like glorious issue however this was the sad condition of Scotland for some time till the oppressed Nobility did come to Stirling in a greater number and with a sharper Remonstrance then they had used at Ruthven At their first appearing before the Towne The Road of Stirling the instruments of mischiefe did flee the King and his good people Noblemen Gentlemen Ministers and others were presently reconciled though the authors of these frequent misunderstandings did escape by flight the sword of publick Justice yet did the private judgements of God quickly find them out and sweep them off the face of the earth with their ruine peace and prosperity did flow in both upon Church and Kingdome The other great crime imputed to the generall Assembly It could be necrime in the generall Assembly to vote down Episcopacy is That they had voted downe Episcopacy and had professed the unlawfulnesse of prelaticall Jurisdiction both in the Church and State which prior Assemblies had approved of To this I answer that the crime cannot be very great for any Church meeting especially a generall Assembly to declare their judgement in a point of Religion of great and generall concernment and whether this their judgement was erroneous when they condemned the office of Episcopacy affirming it to be unlawfull for a Minister of the Gospell to be a Lord of Parliament and Counsell to be a Chancellour Secretary Treasurer of a Kingdome or any Officer of State or to take upon him alone the power of Ordination and spirituall Jurisdiction which the Word of God never gives to one ordinary Officer but alwayes to a number joined in a Presbytery the whole Isle thanks be to God now does cleerly see That ever the Church of Scotland or any lawfull Assembly thereof did approve of Episcopall jurisdiction What favour the Earle of Morton procured to Episcopacy at the conference at L●eth 1572. was by the generall Assemblies disclaimed it is alleaged without any ground We grant the Earl of Morton in that necessary correspondence which he did always keep with Queen Elizabeth was entangled in a greater familiarity and affection to the English Prelats then was convenient and at their desire did assay in a conference of some Statesmen and Ministers of his speciall acquaintance in the yeer 1572 at Leeth to have set up in Scotland a kind of Episcopacy but that plant was so strange to our climate that it could take no root in our ground for so much offence was taken in the very next