both in the word of God religious reason And the praeface to the English Directorie telling you That their care hath been to hold forth such things as are of divine institution in every ordinance Were it not to tire out my Reader I could shew this to be your language ever since your Discipline was framed thought so necessarie a truth that your denial must make Christ not so wise as Solon or Lycurgus if he left it as a thing mutable by men or now after so many ages of his Church to be put to the vote in their Parliaments and Synods So sayth a friend of yours in these words Equidâ—…m non novi neque credam Christum qui Dei sapientia fuit remp suam que omnium ' est perfectissima arbitrio stultorum hominum religuisse agitandam .... quod ne Solon quidem aut Lycurgus aljusve quis pium Legislator pateretur For that and the rest of your religion your Confession of faith sayth That you are throughlie resolved by the â—…ord spirit of God that onelie is the true Christian sayth Religion pleasing God c. ... Gods aeternal truth ground of your salvation .... Gods undoubted truth and veritie grounded onelie upon his written word Nay afterwards you protest and promise with your hearts under the same oath c that you will defend the Kings person and authoritie in the defense of Christs Euangel and liberties of your Countrey which is or if it be not speake the same with Religion and liberties in your league Besides all which otherwhere you blasphemouslie compare both your confessions with the old Testament and the New That which followes wherein you moderate the first article of your Covenant imposing an endeavour to reforme onelie according to the word of God with out introducing Scotes Presbyterie or any other of the best reformed unlesse it be found according to that paterne though it served to palliate all blemishes and deformities that were in it To invite possiblie some well meaning people into your fraternitie who like harmelesse bees relishing that sweetnesse litle thought what poyson they left behinde for other venemous insectiles to sucke out To furnish others withan excuse a petiful one for using so bad meanes to so good an end and when it undeniablie proves the contrarie the same it may be they intended crie they were mistaken though now they can not helpe it Yet it may be shewed to be a dubious frivolous limitation the same commendation your friends gave it when translated into an oath tenderd in behalfe of Episcopacie by the King First infirming that member and so fâ—…r disinabling it from beaâ—…ing part in the mater of an oath as subjection is required unto the reforming power in a Church Secondlie Quitting all that swore it of their engagement every moment if they see cleaâ—…lie or judge erroneouslie your reforming Principals to digresse from that path Thirdlie either supposing your reformed religion in Scotland to be allreadie conform'd to that paterne or else enjoining to sweare contradictions Lastlie If leaving every man to judge what is according to the word and to endeavour according to that judgement imposing an oath productive of confusion there being as many mindes as men scarce two united in one touching Doctrine Worship Discipline and government The first might be illustrated argued from the fallibilitie and uncertaintie in the Reforming power a maim'd Parliament an illegitimate Assemblie then siting whom I could not be assured to have the spirit of God so illuminating their mindes as whereby jointlie to judge the same reformation according to Gods word Secondlie as uncertaine should I bee setâ—…ng aside all partialitie and passion that they would declare what they so judg'd against many of whom if not the most having a well grounded praejudice whether just or no maters not if not know'n to me I could not sweare de futuro a conformitie to their acts In which cases wisemen advise us to abstaine .... Ten apochen tou omnynai prostattei peri toon endâ—…chomenoon kai â—…oriston tes â—…baseoos â—…chontoon to peras Hierocl in Carm. Pythag. and â—…urans praesumitur certioratus deliberatus accedere ad â—…ctum super quo â—…urat sayth the Lawyer The second is strengthned sâ—…fficientlie by your words which oblige the Covenanter no farther then he findes your great worke proceeding according to Gods word The successe whereof if no beter then in your Discipline and the Directorie will keep no man in his Covenant Gods word praescribing many parts of neither The Third is evident from the very clauses in the article where first an oath must be taken to praeserve the reformed religion in Scotland which if not according to Gods word is contradicted in the next that enjoines reformation onelie according to the word And if it be then that is â—…t wherewith a uniformitie must be made and yet you tell us there is no such word nor any such mater in the Covenant About the last let every man speake his minde as freelie as I shall mine That I hold no Presbyterian government Scotish or other according to Gods word That I have read of much dissension among your selves in former times and heard of some in later That all Papists all orthodoxe persons in the Church of England are jointlie for Episcopacie in the order as according to Gods word and separatelie for it in the jurisdiction and discipline neither holding all parts of it exemplified in the word so not applicable unto it both not the same extensive particulars in the ordinance and exercise of the Church Besides such as you call Socinians Sectaries separatists whether individual or congregational All which having distinct opinions of Doctrine Worship Discipline and Government according to the word if not concentred in the sense of the House or Assemblie but left to their several endeavours are sworne among them to delineate a pretie implicated diagramme of a Church But for a farther answer to this article of your covenant I remit you to the solide judgement of the Vniversitie of Oxford As likewise to that of several learned men in the Vniversitie of Cambridge who joined in one minde published their refutation of the whole treacherous league A. 1644. Onelie I must adde what persons of knowledge integritie say they will make good That your Covenant came into England with some such clause as this We shall reforme our Church in doctrine and Discipline conforme to the Church of Scotland Whereof Master Nye his Independent friends fairlie cheated you making that be rased out and this inserted which we treat of By which tricke they have pack'd Presbyterie away and yet pleade with you in publike That they still keepe the Covenant and goe on to reforme according to Gods word The second ground of the Bishops demonstration is no evident errour it being an evident truth That the principal Covenanters Noblemen Gentlemen and Ministers in Scotland
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 covenantor â—…ath 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 and all proceedings in that kinde 2. An ordinance of the Lords and Commons without and against the King iâ—… no good warrant to change such lawes during the sitting of 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 Majestics concessions to have praevented all can be sayd in the praesent case Behold you that kindled the fire 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 thiâ—… 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 have him some such fatal haereditarie confinement being the fairest apologie if any when he should subscribe so many of your unconscionable 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 iâ—… 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 Peeres 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 made 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 for spiritual jurisaiction as being a fit meanes to avoyd .... partialities incident to one man And tyrannie which becomes no Christians least of all Churchmen And thirdlie to take away from them the burden and Odium of affaires which was a courteous diminution in such times How sacrilegiouslie you rob 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 abolishing 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 professe 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 absolute alienation of their lands as is desired because he is yet perswaded in his judgement that the former is of Apostolical institution and that to take away the later is sacriledge ..... And if his two Houses shall not thinke fit to recede from the strictnesse of their demands in these particulars His Majestie can with more comfort cast himselfe upon his Saviours goodnesse to support him and defend him from all afflictions how great soever that may befall him then for any politike consideration which may seemâ—… 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 inconvenienceâ—… 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 â—…is Majestie expressed should rise againe then they declared whollie in his choyce unavoydable 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 likewise abjure which is abolition or coutinue perpetuallie his suspension which is Tantamont unto it This is very well orderd 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 let me aske you What assurance
be some practicall declinations in Episcopacie which may be Antiapostolical Antichristian beside against the line of the Word the institution of Christ his Apostles but I know none such in the Churches of England Scotland or Ireland if there have been any they are not our rule by his owne then must not be stated to be the controversie between us The Presbyterian aberrations which the Bishop hath observed are for the most part taken from the crookenesse of the Discipline it selfe which in the very Acts of their Assemblies he findes not so straight as to run parallel with the word of God or practice of the true Catholike Church whether what His Lordship cites to that purpose be calumnious imputations or no will best appeare in the procedure of our discourse But the Reviewer takes it ill that Didoclave Gerson Bucer Salmasius Blondel were not rather replied to then the mysteries of the Kirke Discipline revealed This poor tricke of diversion will not take If what hath been writ in the behalfe of Episcopacie stand firme notwithstanding these or any other stormes that passe over it requires no such frequent reparations The holie cause indeed will shortlie need such auxiliaries as these He doth well therefore to call for them in time And yet it may be the imcomparable knight will not be charm'd by a litle mercenarie breath into the reare of a distressed beggarlie engagement He hath been since better informed of many fraudulent practices in the Kirke so well satisfied about the state of our affaires that Mr. Baylie is litle pleased for all his sugar candi'd commendations with the earnest he hath allreadie given to imploy his pen paines about a better subject for the future And 't is a mere fiction what he so confidentlie averres of Sr. Claud Somayi's offering to dispute with the Divines by a Person of honour about the King a person of reverence then not farre from him having told me that His Majestie knowes not any thing of the buisinesse nor did the Divines about him heare of any thing to that purpose Therfore let his person of honour come out from behind the curtaine vouch his credit to be such as quolibet contradicente we must believe him when he appeares in his colours makes good any such offer as is mention'd I presume I may say that no apprehensions of trouble hazard will deâ—…erre such judicious and learned Champions from entring upon any just reasonable vindication of truth In the meane time they doe but the dutie of their places in their Royal attendance which the Reviewer calls the Court artifice their trade if they watch the seasons distribute the houres of the Kings opportunities wherein privaâ—…elie to avoyd the importune intervention of other civilâ—… businesse not to decline I know not what contradiction which they are not in that case reasonablie to expect from their modest fellow servants of the laitie I hope there are no Clerical Disciplinarians there about to instill into His Majesties tender mind how unsafe it is for his soul how litle for his honour to desert the Holie Church that is the Episcopal doctrine government which came into the world with Christianitie it selfe hath for 1500 yeares enjoy'd a joint haereditarie succession aequi-universall diffusion with the same to joyne with a crew in a Northerne corner of rebellious Covenanters if yow will have it so for ought hitherto can be judg'd enemies to God to his Father to Monarchie it selfe if he will take it upon his Father or Grandfathers word To put him farther in mind that his Martyr'd Father sayd There are wayes enough to repair the breaches of the state without the ruine of the Church it is the Episcopal Church that he meanes To instruct him that he may as conscientiouslie pardon the Irish as the Scots reward with a limited libertie of their Religion what other gracious encouragements he pleaseth the first fruits of their voluntarie submission to his government without imposing the slaverie of any covenant or conditioning for a toleration in his other Kingdomes And this to be as it is in reference to a Parliament to be conven'd so soon as the state of that Kingdome will admit To assure him that this is very consistent with conscience honour all Good reason for ought they know repugnant to no law yea to linke the soul of the most sweet ingenuous of Princes too sweet too ingenuous indeed to have to deale with the rough-hev'd Covenanters of the mission with those Golden chaines let downe from heaven reached out by the hand of a tender hearted father to his sonne in those peerlesse Counsels which the most prudent advice in the last Testaments of all his praedecessours can not parallel To tell him then That his necke is like the â—…ower of David builded for an armourie whercon there hang a thousand bucklers all shields of mightie men The Bishops unluckie foot as he calls it is visible onely in Mr. Bâ—…lie's margin As close as he others follow upon the sent not the least tracke in e'ikôn Basilikè will in the end be found by them nor by the whole packe of bloud-hounds other where But to be sure here as well as in 100 Pamphlets beside is the foule Scotish Presbyterian paw which besmear'd His Royal Majestie while he liv'd would now spoyle that pretious oyntment cast as ill a savour as it can upon his sacred memorie being dead Not the Bishops but God it may be sometime by their subordinate Ministrie strengthened our Royal Soveraigne to his last in that which the lampe of natural reason the leading starre of Catholike Antiquitie the bright sun in the firmament of the Word above all that inexpressible light streaming from the spirit of God revealed to him to be the safe sanctuarie of truth Not the Bishops but the Presbyterian Scots hardened their hearts to thrust their native King out of their protection with out any compassion did drive him from Newcastle to Holmebie which appeares to be the fatal praecipice where he fell And these same men continue after his death to crie loud in the cares of his sonne to take that direct path to his ruine ratner then root or brancâ—… or slip shall be left of the Praelatical Clergie whom they would faine have lie like dung upon the face of the earth make a fat soile to pamper the Presbyterian in his lusts Their gathering together His Majesties papers if they must needs have the honour of causing them to be presented in a booke with out a page or syllable of their owne was but binding up that bundle of myrrhe which should lie all night in the Virgin breast of his Royal sonne who maugre all the malice of his enemies hath that beloved for his comfort That fall
divine right to the general rules to which you reduce them need not here to be numberd being scatered every where in this discourse and very obvious to the Reades in your storie But in answer to what the Bishop objects of geting both swords spiritual and temporal into your hands the one ordinarilie by common right the other extraordinarilie the one belonging directlie to the Church the other indirectlie the one of the Kingdome of Christ the other for his Kingdome in order to the propagation of religion and to let the Papist a lone whom out of what mysterie I know not you very often me thinkes call to your assistance I pray name one of his Lp's learned brethren that ever writ for 't what concessions have pass'd from the elder Edward and Elizabeth Praelates of England or what from the later Erastianâ—… as you style them in diminution of the jus divinum of Episcopacie desends not to the jus humanum in your sense there being a midle Apostolical right participant of both enough to constitute an immutabilitie in their order whatsoever change their jurisdiction may admit of at least such as they finde aequivalent to the communicating of women baptizing of infants observation of Sunday which when you bring arguments to unfixe you may with greater confidence treate against Bishops wherein those friends His Lo. hath about the King are so perfectlie instructed that they laugh at your sillie stratagems to pervert them being such as if at any time they repraesent to His Majestie as you earnestlie desire will thereby no quaestion confirme his pious resolution in the continuance of that holie order especiallie since the maxime you build upon That conscience is bottom'd onelie upon a divine right they finde ruind by Saint Paul in his doctrine and practice who convinceth the heathen upon the right or principles of nature and argues from the testimonie of conscience they had sufficientlie bottom'd upon the worke of the law written in their hearts Nor had he ever converted any of the nations without divine revelation antecedent I meane in them aswell as in himselfe which had made lesse effectual and pertinent the ministrie of the Gospell if no moral arguments had obliged their consent How farre this is applicable to Episcopacie though were it not it is to your argument against it I am not here to discusse onelie intimate I may that in proportion it is possible as much to a sacred as civile Monarchie I meane not coordinate the later had it not the law of God hath the language of nature importunate to commend it I will trifle with you no farther in this matter but lay downe this conclusion which you may take up to what advantage you can That in a thing ambiguous such as you here seem to give if not grant Episcopacie to be since no command of God nor warrant from scripture enjoynes or tolerates the change since no Apostolical nor Christian Church for so many hundred yeares before that single citie of Geneva began it since neither that nor any other besides ever acted or at least publikelie avowed what change you demand in the many particulars that have been and shall be inserted in this dispute to the inevitable subversion of Regal government to the confusion of Christian subjection in the enjoyment of just libertie to the plaine praejudice of Parliament priviledge in three dominions to the seting up of much spiritual and carnal wickednesse some grave reverend Divine might modestlie speake a word in season and say His Majesties conscience can not at the best but doubt and doubting ought not by the law of God and rule of reason to resolve on it Which indeed is the substance of his Royal Fathers printed profession That he found it impossible for a Prince to praeserve the state inquies unlesse he had such influence upon Church men and they such a dependance on him as might best restraine the seditious exorbitances of Ministers tongues c. And this is onelie to be had in that government which was one bottome for his conscience ..... That since the first age for 1500. yeares not one example can be produc'd of any setled Church wherein were many Ministers Congregations which had not some Bishop above them under whose jurisdiction and government they were This was another bottome for his conscience To which such a divine as I spake of might adde with a due reserve of all humblie revence to and most unshaken confidence in that Holiâ—… Martyr and his most pious hopefull successour our gracious soveraigne now living That he who for any politike end suggested or necessitie most fond'le praetended of the subtilest presbyterian of you all shall adventure to take himselfe off from this bottome when Iudaisme or Turcisme some part of your mixture shall be alike plausible praetended as more advantageous to his purpose may be fear'd to be found not well setled upon Christianitie it selfe but fall from it throw away one or both Testaments of Scripture which upon the universal tradition of the Church as the other upon the Catholike practice of the same he first rationallie received as the word of God though afterward he found other motives prompting a beliefe of it to be such which at last be had superinduc'd by what too many vainlie praetend to the instinct or plerophorie of the spirit His Majestie likewise found most agreeable both to reason and religion that frame of government because paternal not magisterial c. Which was a third bottome for his conscience Nor did he thinke it any point of wisdome or charitie where Christians differ ..... there to widen the differences and at once to give all the Christian world except a handfull of some Protestants so great a scandal in point of Church government c. of which wisdome and charitie the gifts of the spirit of God he made another very good botome for his conscience Let Mr. Baylie reade the rest of that most excellent divine chapter and answer it if he can The maine ground of the Bishops discourse being wilfullie mistaken by the Reviewer his structure is weake about the Warners conscience And the Kings advantage His cordial beliefe of the divine right of Synodâ—… and Presbyteries together with that of the Reformed Churches which the Bishop shewes to be different may come from a private spirit that misinformes them then is no good interpreter of Scripture nor any sure praecedent for Christianitie throughout Their strict and inseparable adhaerence to his errour beside that it antidates all treaties null without an effectual complinance against conscience and honour excommunicates all the world but themselves excludes them from all hope of fellow ship with this new select societie of Saints who could they multiplie into a number large enough to fill the circle of their ambition and had they every one a drop of Scotish rebellious bloud in their veines would no longer labour the
it l. 41. for mission r. omission p. 159. l. 40. for doubte r. double p. 16â—… l. 14 for forming r. foming p. 163. l. 1. for too r. so p. 165. l. 13. susplicates r. supplicates pag. 169. l. 6. r. to the Bishop pag. 175. l. 83. for to r. so large Ibid. marg for a estes quos sidem ea vocant r. testes quos sidemen vocant for minus r. munus p. 177. marg for spirationes r. conspirationes p. 175. for many leaves r. may leave p. 180. l. 5. for quae r quia p. 181. l. 26. for quis pium r. quispiam p. 182. marg for homonymus subscribentiam r. homonymoos suscribentium p. 185. for momseia 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 guistnesse r. guiltlesse 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. farre 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 confes p. 200. l. 40. for Anabaptists r. Abaptists p. 201. l. 16. for were r. merâ—… An Alphabetical Principal Table of the Contens A. THe Disciplinarians 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 justifiabîe praetenses for taking armes 201 The Pr Scots that did no more excusable then the Anabaptist in Germanie 200 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 câ—…ried 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 Their praecedence and place neare the throne Ibid. Officies of State 141 The Antiquitie c. Of Bishops justified very judiciouslie by Dr Ier. Tayler Whose booke is an antidote against the poyson of all the Reviewers objections 102 Bishops Apostles 106 Evangelists Prophets Pastours 107 Doctours 108 Bishops Ceremonies no burthen 187 The Bishop of Derrie's prudence no boldnesse in the publication of his booke Ansâ—…to Ep. Ded. 2 Very seasonable 1 In it His Lordship is no slanderer of the King 4 Blackes rebellious case 53 Balcanqual Bruce other Ministers guiltie of raising the tumult 56 Blaire and his complices justlie banished out of Ireland 51 Bâ—…thwells notorious crimes 61 Bruce's bold speach to the King about E. Huntley 63 The Bishops appeale in the Assemblie at Glasgow not derogatorie to the Kings personal praerogative 45 C. CAlderwood's ridiculous reverence of Bruce's ghost 139 E. Casâ—…ls demeanour Ans. to Ep. Ded. 1 Canons infirming the Reviewer to be an accuser of the Bishop 48 Publike catechizing of Masters and Mistresses indecent 171 Not very necessarie before their receiving the Sacrament Ibid. The Kings Chaplanes use no Court artifice but what becomes such reverend worthie persons in their places Ans. to Ep. Ded. 4 A proposition of trial to be made whether Christ's scepter must be swayed by Bishops or Presbyters 100 The difference between us the Church of Rome about ceremonies 98 Iurisdiction of Commissaries 52 The Kings Commissioner how offronted in Pr Sâ—… Synods 134 Riâ—…t in Scotland to get downe the High Commission Court Which was not so tyrannical as the Pr. Consistone 173 Wherein is more rigour then other where among the Reformed Churches 174 The adventurous concessions of K. Ch. â—… extorded by the necessitie or difficultie he was brought to 104 K. Iames's dislike of the Scotish short confession Many unjustificable practices about it 14 Conscience not bottom'd onelie up on divine right 95 Contrarietic of commands at the same time ordinarie under Scotish Presbyterie 114 The Reviewers fallacie to salve it in the case of the French Ambassadours 115 His ignorance of the true stated controversie between vs and the Church of Rome 8 His cunning in altering the true state of that between the Bishop and himselfe as in many places so 30 K. Ch. I. invaded not the Scotish Consistorie his condescensions leaving them contended 90 The Reviewers uncharitable interpreting Mr. Corbets's end a punishment from God 3 Particulars about framing the English-Scotish Covenant The persons by whom c. 177 How dishonourable it is to the English that approved it 179 The Reviewer's abominable affected falshood in defense of it 180 His impudence in preaching at the Hage that nothing at all had been objected against it Ans. to Ep. Ded. 7 How destructive it is to the Royal line Ibid. 12 How the same with that of K. Iames 1580. 183 How it divers from it 184 Foraigne Presbyterians asham'd to countenance it 196 The ambiguitie of the words in it leaves religion to the libertie of their conceits that take it 198 Covenants unlawfullie taken are more unlawfullie kept 177 The Praelates decline not the judgement of Councels 202 No inhaerent right in Courts to nominate Commissioners for intervalls 123 Spirituall crueltie in the prayers of Scotish Presbyters 125 Their temporal crueltie as much as they praesume may by Gods providence be restrained 203 The Court conscience will if the experiment be tried soon finde the difference between the Episcopal and Presbyterian Clergie 197 D. NO defensive armes for subjects 40 Court of Delegates neither unbeseeming nor unreasonable 43 K. Iames's Declaration 1584. How by His Majestie subscribed 51 The Pr. Scots imprudence as well as injustice c. in delivering up K. Ch. I. to his murderers Ans. to Ep. Ded. 14 The old grudge that mov'd them to it Ibid. 15 The same newlie conceived against K. Ch. II. Ibid. 15 The difference between Vs and Scotish
succession Episcopal ordination which Presbyterians want 〈◊〉 The Sc. Presbyterians trial before ordination more formal then truelie experimental of abilitie in the persons 1â—…0 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 partimonie 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 they were about the rights and priviledges of Bishops 103 Reason of bidding prayer before sermon 159 In the Caâ—…on forme is no prayer for the dead 160 Sâ—…t 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 10â—… Litle knowledge labour or conscience shewed in Presbyterian preaching â—…54 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 wheâ—… exercise the office of a Priest 195 Sc. Presbyteries processe for Church rents 3â—… 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 Peiâ—…h 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 â—…6 The Parliament can not reforme without the King 18â—… 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 baâ—…e words for revelations 201 S. FOraigne Presbyterians tolerate more libertie on their Sabbath then â—…e 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 preâ—…ense 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 meeâ—…lie Textuarie 159 Sâ—… 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 avoucâ—…ed 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 impaited 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 Episcopacic for Presbyterie answered 105. c. The Presbyterians treason at Ruthuen 88 At Striveling â—…9 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 heretofore in the oath for Episcopacie 181 FINIS 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 familie 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 divinitie 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 eminent persons in those Churches have approv'd of it Vindic of K. Ch. p. 125. Apost Instit of Episcopacie Episcopal declinations different from Episcopacie Presbyteriâ aberrations the same with Presbyterie The praesent concernment greater to reveale the Scotish Discipline theÌ„ 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 Primiâ—…ive Doctrine Discipline Eikôn Basilikè cap. 14. Praeservation of the Church a Pardoning the Irish toierating 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 â—… Ch. â—… 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
perpetuitie becoming very efficacious in imposing fallacies upon the understanding so that he which doth ill may hereby be aswell perswaded that what he doth is good as he that often tells a lie hath at length himselfe believ'dit to be a truth His rigid adhaerence to the praetended rights priviledges of his Countrey being professed haereditarie takes off some what from the personal imputation yet with all demonstrates that it is not all bloud Royal which runnes in His Lordships veines nor it may be all bloud Noble having so ample testimonie from him who had allwayes some dregs of the Common shoare in his inke whose power is cankerd with envious invectives against them that have not layd their honour in the vulgar dust levell'd Majestie as well as Nobilitie with the people Whose Ghost will not thanke the Reviewer for calling him Prince of Historians being so litle enamourd with titles of that nature that he accounted them where they were more properlie due the filth of flaterie the plague of all legitimate praerogative His exemplarie practice in publike-private duties is indeed some what singular my selfe having seen him very zealouslie penning downe such slender to omit what I might call in the Reviewers language praeter anti-scripturall divinitie as was not fitting for any Novice or Catechumen in Religion to owne much lesse for so grave a Theologue to preach so well exerciz'd an adultist to register for his use I commend beter the exemplarie practice of the Reviewers brother Presbyter who seem'd to take a sound nap in the meane time hoping it may be to be better inspired in his dreame This potent Lord thus qualified brought up to his hand I can not blame Mr. Baylie for chusing him to be his patron who discernes with his eyes decernes by his dictates who being judge partie both will quaestionlesse doe right like a Lord Justice in the businesse The praejudice the Reviewer would here at first cast upon the person of the Bishop will advance his owne reputation but a litle in high way Rhetorike not advantage him one whit with any of those judicious aequitable comparers he expects who being able to instruct themselves upon these many late yeares experience that what Mr. Baylie calls that Church Kingdome is onely a praevalent partie of Schismatikes Rebells what adhaerence to the sacred truth of God an obstinate perseverance in an execrable covenant which hath tied up the hands of many a poor subject from the enjoyment of all the just liberties the established Iawes of Scotland hold out to him will looke upon the Bishop as a couragious assertour of Gods truth the Churches puritie the Kings supremacie the subjects libertie if for that condemned by an unanimous faction in both Kingdomes will commend his zeale reverence his name and ranke him with the prime Fathers of the Church who so soon endeavoured to stop that deluge of miserie wherewith Britanie Ireland have been most unhapilie overwhelmed For the dirtie language he useth here otherwhere extreme sawcie spirit stigmatiz'd incendiarie c. I desire the Reader to take notice I shall sweep it out of his my way yet if he thinkes it may serve his turne as well as the garlike heads did Cario his master in the Comoedie the Printers boy shall throw it by itselfe at the backe side of my replie in a piece of white paper that he may not fowle his fingers What the Reviewer calls Boldnesse was prudence seasonable caution in the Bishop to praesent his booke to the eminent personages in this place observing the indefatigable industrie of Mr. Baylie his brethren of the mission very frequentlie in their persons perpetuallie by many subtile active instruments they imploy'd before after their coming hither insinuating into the hearts affections of all people here of what sexe or condition soever in Courts Townes Vniversities Countrey praepossessing them with the Justice of their cause the innocencie of their proceedings the moderation of their demands the conformitie of their practice designe to the praesent discipline Government of the Church presbyterie in these Provinces And great pitie it is that all people nations languages have it not translated into their owne dialect that a discoverie of this grand imposture may be made to them who are so insolentlie summon'd to fall downe worship this wooden idol of the discipline threatned the aeternal fierie furnace if they refuse it In the next Paragraph the Reviewer drawes Cerberus like his threeheaded monster out of hell Discipline Covenant unkindne's to our late soveraigne Novos Resumit animos victus vastas furens Quassat catenas HIs Apologie for the first being the conformitie I mentioned principally with the Brethren of Holland France whom he would very faine flater into his partie make the Bishop whether he will or no fall foule upon them whom His Lordship hath scarce mentioned in all his tract And I having no reason nor desire to enlarge the breach shall say no more then this because some what he will have sayd That if their discipline harmoniouslie be the same particularlie in those extravagancies His Lordship mentions which to my knowledge they denie for alleging which they are litle beholding to Mr. Baylie they are all alike concerned yet having as learned Apologists of their owne when they finde themselves agriev'd will in their owne case very likely speake their pleasure In the interim I must require his instance where any Reformed Church hath declared regular Episcopacie which we call Apostolical Antichristian What particular persons of Mr. Baylies temper may have publish'd must not passe for an Ecclesiastical decree And if all even in those Churches he mentions might freelie speake their minde I believe that order would have their Christian approbation as it is in any reformed Countreys established some such relation was made not long since about certain Divines of the Religion in France some that came from other parts to the Synod of Dort And I can acquaint the Reviewer with the like piece of charitie bestowed by P. Mâ—…lin in the letters that passed from him to Bishop Andrewes beside what Mr. Chillingworth as I take it hath collected out of him Beza in favour both of name thing though not to the same latitude we extend them And which will not be alltogether impertinent to adde I doe not remember I have heard that Causabon Vossius no obscure men in the French Dutch Churches were at any time by their presbyterie excommunicate for becoming limbes of the English Antichrist Praebendaries of the Archiepiscopall Church of Canterburie with us But if the Reviewer here begin to cant distinguish between Episcopacie Episcopal declinations for that indeed is the expression that he useth I must ingenuouslie acknowledge that there may
their way as to set the marke of that beast in their forhead which destroyes root branch of Religion Lawes of Regall Apostolical government yea of the libertie of the people that all well affected to any of these or themselves might have seasonable warning to get out of their way or gather strength to hunt this wild monster out of the world Which accurate Remonstrance of the Bishops carying with it the highest authoritie of their Assemblie acts provincial general of the concurrent sense in the writings of many their deified Divines prevail'd with all impartial advertend persons to bring this glittering Godesse of the Scotsh discipline to the touch to discover all the dirt drosse whereof every limbe of her is made reduc'd many her before incautious worshipers to a better practice of their dutie opinion of the Catholike truth So that the shrine trade being very likelie to goe downe the craftsmen's gaine to faile this Demetrius as it hapens at a distance from the great companie of his brethren adviseth onelie with one of his tribe 3. or 4. the idolaâ—…rous worshipers of his imaginations cries aloud in print Magna est Diana Great is Diana of the Scots yea so great he makes her in the very first page of his booke as if she were Queen of heaven earth no other divine providence but hers able to recover as he speakes the wofullie confounded affaires of the King 〈◊〉 other nations hands upon the earth but the Antiprelatical be the instruments to effect it Whereas they are at this time the most inconsiderable faction in His Majesties Dominions being kept at a bay by the present tyrannie in England having such distractions divisions among themselves so intermingled with a Royal Independent partie that let them talke or write what they will they can make no muster roll of their owne strength durst they speake out their desires or could their guilt permit them an assurance of securitie protection they would with all their hearts take sanctuarie in the person aswell as hitherto they have done an abused authoritie from the name of their King cast themselves with their covenant their claimes to all former concessions even touching their discipline at his foot But desperatione ultimâ—… in furorem animus convertitur instead of that they turne despaire into madnesse hoping onelie for some miracle to be wrought by the hand of God that they may have companie in their ruyne Naturali quodam deploratae mentis affectu morientibus gratissimum est commori But we are told the hopes of such hypocrites shall perish That they shall be cut of their trust be but a spiders web Having done his crie he begins to chop logike with the Bishop complaines of his method though most apposite to the purpose calls for Scripture Fathers Reason as if disciplinarian practical instances required the strength of any of the three unlesse the vertuous precedents of Father Iohn of Leyden or Kniperdolin should come in as they may in judgement against the Scots He admits of the Bishops proofes I am very glad he doth butias by 〈◊〉 belonging litle or nothing to the main question Whereas if The overthrowing the rights of Magistrates to convocate Synods c. Chapt. 2. Subjecting the supreme to their censures chap. 5. Cheating him of his civile power in order to religion ch 7. be but by tenets Their challenging this exorbitant power by divine right ch 8. That the exercise of it is hurtfull to all orders of men chap. 12. Belong litle or nothing to the maine questions about the discipline it should seem we must climbe heaven for the height of the controversie see whether it will suffer God any more then the King to sit sure in his throne have the supreme government of the world The heape of calumniâ—…s he mentions is a faythfull collection of historicall narrations which requires not the credulitie of the simple but the search of sedulous people if distrusted who may take the other bookes in their way satisfie themselves about what passages he pretends to be detorted If any of the Bishops allegations are coincident with them in Lysimachus Nicanor Isachars burden they have two witnesses at least to quit them at the barre need not stand to the mercie of Iudge Baylie for their pardon Whatsoever were the sufferings of the authours Mr. Corbet Mr. Maxwell the Reverend Arch-Bishop of Towmond truth integritie ought not to be danted The hand of heaven is not allwayes guided by the mouth nor Gods judgements discernd by the eye of the Disciplinarian brethren though most commonlie we heare of no lesse then the murder of the best men when they make themselves dispensers of his punishments I am crediblie informed that Mr. Corbet was murderd by the Irish the Arch-Bishop stript naked left desperatelie wounded but by Gods mercie recover'd since died a natural death What spirit it is that hath coâ—…ind Mr. Baylie into this uncharitable beliefe of Gods strange punishments in their ends or rather fram'd contrarie to his conscience this rash judgement in his mouth I leave to the Christian reader to conjecture Had the like befallen any couple of his brethren he would have writ with their bloud some red letters in the Calendar made them currentlie passe for two Martyrs of the discipline If what the Bishop they have jointlie published be fullie aswered by Mr. Baylie in his booke printed at London Edenburgh Amsterdam because the weight of the presse addes every time more strength to his arguments for I know not else to what purpose he mentions the severall impressions he might have sav'd this labour of Reviewing publish'd a fourth editon of it at Delfe After so much praejudice the Bishop is beholding to you for his hearing since you have tasted the sweetnesse of his spirit soberneâ—… of his language in his first page you doe well to spit out the bitternesse of your owne in a mad epistle before your booke If any regard had been wanting in his Lordship to the passages of Scripture whereupon you build your Antiepiscopal tenets the quotations would have been some what more numerous in your Review That no reverence should be required to the harmonie of the Reformed he takes care in the third paragraph of his booke where he sayth he hopes there is nothing whereof he convicteth you but will be disavowed ...... by all the Protestant Churches in the world which it should seem they may doe yet agree with you in the maine of your discipline for you calld all those but by-tenets ev'n now That they doe so beyond a non admission to a rejection of our Episcopacie as Antichristian between which as I take it there is some difference I desire you to tell us where What respect the Bishop beares to the Civile Magistrate
the Church concernd you aswell to prove as to mention then to have draw'n a parallel of the like flaterie in the Bishop Your doubting argues you ignorant or negligent confirmes my beleefe that you have travail'd as litle in Erastus's doctrines as his wayes gone no farther then the title of his booke What His Lordship asserts about the supremacie of the Civile Magistrate Ecclesiastike jurisdiction derived from thence is but what he all his brethren have sworne to not one of the late Bishops retracted who claim'd Episcopacie by divine righs nor were they at daggers drawing with that horrible word Erastian Caesaro-papisme having a farre more monstrous creature call'd Scoto-Presbytero-Papisme to encounter Our lawes are the same aswell to the latter as the elder Bishops if their subjection to them must be accounted such an errour the next pedlars pack that you open we may looke to finde Christianitie bundell'd up into a sect The Bishop hath more charitie in him then to become an accuser of his friends so much ingenuitie as to heare your sense not onelie speake his owne about their writings which when you bring in any particular instance shewing them to joyne with the most rigid Presbyterians in opposing Erastus about the Magistrates power you may looke for your answer Here the Reviewer I can not say for want of a pare of spectacles for who is more blinde then he that will not see is pleas'd to over looke the whole bodie of the Bishops charge against them instead of quiting himselfe to any purpose recriminates onelie upon other mens scores having as it seemes been very slenderlie acquainted with the late controversies between the Papists us not sounded the depth of the question as it was stated by our later most learned writers particularlie that most glorious martyr the Right Reverend Arch-Bishop of Canterburie with the rational subtile Mr. Chillingworth who between them having clear'd the well of that dirt which defil'd commonlie the fingars of them that went to draw water at it before made the face of truth appeare at the botome to any that came impartiallie to behold it But the Bishop mentioning nothing hearebout I have no authoritie farther to enlarge being oblig'd onelie to put Mr. Baylie in mind that in his next Review he give account to the world Why the Scotish Presbyterie comes not into the harmonie of all Protestants both Lutharans Calvinists who give unto the English Episcopal Church the right hand of fellowship why he his later Brethren out doe their forefathers who durst not condemne her either as defective in any necessarie point of Christian pietie or redundant in any thing that might virtuallie or by consequence overthrow the foundation The Canterburian designe was forged at Edenburgh into a passe for the Scots to come over the borders The Prelatical partie might charitablie wish but never rationallie hope to see all Christian Churches united in truth love so long as the perverse Presbyterie confines all Religion to it selfe For whatsoever the blew caps came in we know when they went out they caried many vvainloades of somevvhat else beside the spoile of the blacke-caps reconciliation vvith Rome so long as such bootie is to be had they want more power then will to set up a new controversie in England But while they are thinking of that I must put them in mind of what we have in hand notwithstanding Mr. Baylies pretense assure him King James who had trouble enough with them makes good upon his owne experience that every nicitie u a fundamental among them every toy takes up as great a dispute as if the Holie Trinitie were question'd ...... De minimis Politiae Ecclesiasticae quaestiunculis tantum excitant turbarum ac si de sacrosancta Trinitate ageretur As touching your answer to the last charge you cunninglie omit what is found in the letter a word at least of approbation to the office of Episcopacie in that Bishops are call'd guides or leaders of Christs flockâ—… wherein a superintendence Prelacie or precedence is own they being Pastorum Pastores for by the flocke there is mean'd the inferiour Ministerie not Laitie otherwise that text of St. Peter is unfitlie applied Feed the flocke of Christ which is committed to your charge caring for it not by constraint e'piscopôuntes mi a'nagkastôs e'piscopôuntes is being Bishops over it where a'nagkastôs must relate to the Ministers who were constrained to weare the cap surplice tippet or else be deprived of all Ecclesiastical function as your Assemblie complaines at the very begining of the letter Yet had they writ no more then you produce had been of the same minde with you now it would follow necessarilie that you acknowledge several members of Antichrist Ministers of the word reverend Pastours brethren of the Kircke Which give me but under your hand in your next My Lord of Derrie I presume will use you as his profess'd brother very kindlie trouble you no more about that businesse I must adde this Mr. Knox as furious otherwise as he was before Queen Elizabeths time when as your Historian relates in his life K. Edward VI. offered him a Bishoprike he refus'd it with a grave severe yet not so severe speach saying the title of Lordship great state had quid commune cum Antichristo somewhat common with Antichrist he sayd not the office of an English Bishop was Antichristian nor his person a limbe of Antichrist himselfe What the same Assemblie sayd or did about the Arch-Bishop of St. Andrewes was in the midst of their freanzie when as by their actions may be judged they had alreadie made good what they threatned were become subjects or slaves to the tyrannie of the Devil Whose title their successours have these last ten yeares renewd payd a greater homage then ever to that Lord. What you suppone is a grant of the question That some 80. yeares agoe the Scots might admit the Proiestant Bishops tolerable in England the law being still the same upon which they are founded if their practice be not which is more then you prove whatsoever it may detract from their persons it derogates no thing from the continuance of their office Neither hath your inspection been so accurate of its nature but that like unskillfull physicians ye have cast away that balme of Gilead whereby the health of the daughter of Gods people must be recovered like ignorant simplers have throw'n over the hedge for a noxious weed that Soveraigne plant which God ordain'd for the perpetual service sanitie of his Church As for those crimes which you mention though you will never be able to make them good against the Reverend Prelates of any the three Kingdomes yet for shame say not for those you got the consent of the King to condemne kill burie in your countrey the sacred order of Episcopacie in
that Church His Majestie having not expressed the least word or syllabe to that purpose The most that ever he yeilded was this For it should be considered that Episcopacie was not so rooted setled there in Scotland as t is here in England nor I in that respect so strictlie bound to continue it in that Kingdome as this for what I thinke in my judgement best I may not thinke so absolutelie necessarie for all places at all times Not so rooted setled not so absolutelie necessarie implies no act of everting the foundations both of Religion Government c. nor can such an act be so pleasing to Kings nor that order which is wholelie imployed therein win so much upon their affections judgements as to make them professe to the world they thinke it best as you see our King of blessed memorie hath done When England thereafter as you terme it did root out that unhappie plant they danc'd after the Scotish pipe though England was neither in that thing calld an assemblie nor in any full free Parliament that did it They were but a few rotten members that had strength enough then to articulate their malice in a vote but have since given up the ghost being cut downe by the independencie of the sword their presbyterie with them for a Stinking weed throw'n over the hedge or Severu's wall into Scotland where they their blew-bottle brethren are left to lie unpittied on the dunghill together The rest of the Reformed Churches otherwhere did never cast out what they never had such an happie plant as regular Episcopacie in their grounds those that have as some such I have told you there are carefullie keep it The one part hath been more wise in their actions the other more charitable to us in their words Let the Scots applaud or clap their hands when they please there is an act behind the plays ' not yet done CHAPTER II. The Scottish Discipline overthrowes the right of Magistrates to convocate Synods otherwise to order Ecclesiastical affaires THe Bishop doth not forget his challenge about the Magistrates right in convocating Synods But if Mr. Baylie's eyes be too old to see a good argument in an enthymem let him take it out of an explicite syllogisme which may fairlie be draw'n out of His Lordships first second paragraph in this Chapter MAJ. That Discipline which doth countenance the Church to convene within the Magistrates territories whensoever wheresoever they list To call before them whomsoever they please c doth overthrow the Magistrates right to convocate Synods to confirme their Acts c. MIN. But this new Discipline doth countenance the Church to convene within the Magistrates territories whensoever wheresoever they list c. Ergo CONCL. This new Discipline doth overthrow the Magistrates right to convocate Synods c. The Major his Lordship proves from that know'n Soveraignite of power wherewith all Princes States are indued From the warinesse of the Synod of Dort Can. 50. From that decree out of Ench. Cand smin Synods ought to be called by the supreme Magistrate if he be a Christian c. From the power the Emperours of old did challenge over General Councels Christian Monarches in the time of Poperie over National Synods The Kings of England over their Convocations The Estates of the Vnited Provinces From the professions of all Catholikes Protestants in France very particularlie liberallie the State of Geneva where the ordering of all Ecclesiastike affaires is assumed by the Seigniorie The Minor he takes for granted is know'n out of all the proceedings in the Presbyterie which from time to time have thus conven'd convocated themselves therefore His Lordship onelie intimates it in his first paragraph yet afterward proves it in part by an Assemblie meeting when it had been prohibited sitting after it was discharged by the King which the 20. Presbyters did at Aberdene Anno 1600. And all this with the Reviewer is to forget the challenge because he hath forgot his logike the new light hath dazeld the eye of his old intellectual facultie to discerne The truth of it is this was a litle too hot for Mr. Baylies fingars because it makes such cleare instances about the Synod of Dort Geneva wherein they differ from the Scotish Presbyterie which he will not owne because he every where denies therefore takes no notice of it as he goes Nor can any ignorance of the way of the Scotish Discipline be imputed to the Bishop who produceth so numerouslie the practical enormities thereof strikes at the very foundation as infirme because contrarie to the know'n lawes lawfull customeâ—… the supreme Magistrate dissenting disclaiming For what he pretends to have been unquestionablie authentike by vertue of Parliament Acts the Kings consent since the first reformation I have otherwhere successivelie evidenc'd up as farre as the unhappie beheading of Marie Queen of Scots in England to which the rest may be hereafter annexed to have no other strength then what rage violence could afford it The power which he sayth every man in Scotland gives the King without controversie to call extraordinarie Assemblies when he pleaseth takes not away in its hast the maine part of the Bishops objection implying no negative to this That the Presbyterie hath often extraordinarilie assembled without the Kings leave nay against his command nor will they be checkt in that rebellious license by his power What the Bishop meanes to speake of the Kings power in chusing Elders c. Mr. Baylie might know but that still he hath no mind to take notice That in the former paragraph His Lordship spake of a seigniorie a Civile Magistrate at Geneva to which at the end of the yeare are presented the Elders by that continued or discharged The Civile Magistrate in Scotland hath no more power in placing or displacing which before was calld continuing or discharging the Elders then in the election of the Emperour whose inhaerent right he conceives to be as good there as at Geneva therefore if the lawes do not expresselie provide it they are such he thinkes as tend to the overthrowing of that right This His Lordship meanes as part of that he was to prove being a clause in the title of his Chapter Your closing with the Parliament which the Bishop hath not mention'd is but to beget a wonder by making an hermaphrodite of the question which before was but single in your sexe You are not so united but that I can untwist you though against your will consider in this case the Presbyterie by it selfe The making of Ecclesiastike lawes in Scotland as for England it shall not be here disputed as desirous as you are to be wandring from home was never in justice nor with any Kings content referred so absolutelie to Ecclesiastike Assemblies as not to aske a ratification from the crowne What the Bishops minde
not an obstinate perversenesse in your will Et quis vos judices constituit who made you that are parties Arbitratours If at any time the ancient Christians assembled it was where no Imperial edict restrain'd them And then the learned Grotius tells you Non opus fuisse venia ubi nulla obsturent Imperatorum edicta What private conferences they had in the times of heathenish persecution you know by their apologies were voy'd of suspicion which yours never were but 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 incapacitie 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 tyranous 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 aboâ—…t 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 fleeted 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 she 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 〈◊〉 decline the judgement of His Majestie His Councel shall incurre the painâ—… 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 〈◊〉 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 determine 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 praejudicial 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 déprivations 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 your limits 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 Penssionars in Caitnes for reduction of their
Assemblie spirits that seduc'd them The three reasons the Bishop toucheth upon as the principal may be the test for the many more that went with them So that we shall not need to rake in your dunghills for the jewel that you promise which when we have found will not yeild one graine of faythfullnesse in your Church They that foretold the destruction that followed were not unlikelie the instruments to effect it If the Kings friends should not march till the Assemblie Zedekiahs put on their homes though his person be more righteous we looke his successe should be litle better then 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 griefe 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 seeke 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 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 â—…aitourouslie 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 if not the onelieiremedie 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
praevaile I pray let the Bishops be troubled no more with what all your flintie fac'd malice can not appropriate to the times or places of their government What hath been granted since you cast them out of the Parliament was by them that had no more power in one sense to giue then in another to denie Yet had all your demands meant no worse then you spake in that about the due sanctification of the day you might have let them sit still have had the Souters your friends reconcil'd and made a better mercate of those Royal concessions which met too farre unlesse your gratitude had been greater your unlimited reguests For the chalenge that followes The Bishop knowes so well the historiâ—… 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 nâ—…fandi conscium monstri locum a place that had bred such an hideous monster as neither Hircania Seythia noâ—… 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 you 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 Popeâ—…ie 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 wiekednesse 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 wereas publike Rebells 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 â—…ase 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 deâ—…end or endeavour to â—…atifie 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 â—…rminis 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 consistenâ—… 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 frivoulous 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 Râ—…ges Regionâ—…s Domme Good Lord deliver Kings countreyes from them all Fortis est ut morâ—… dilectio jura sicut infernus â—…ulatio 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 can quench 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 â—…potlesse Majâ—…stie 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 nor man into a Covenanting Rebellion And
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 15â—…8 and turned into a Rebellious Conspiracie allthough painted with the name of a Parliament that now at last because it could not at first hath taken it away The Nobilitres losse of their Impropriaetions and Abbey lands is very confiderable 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 fig of his right for the Presbyters answer nor I a leter take which he will in exchange for his name Aedepol nâ—…gatorem lepidum lepidé hunc pactu'st .... Calophantam an sycophantam hunc magis esse dicam 〈◊〉 That the whole generation of the praelatike faction as your style it did hyperbolize in zealc against that which they call sacriledge is an argument they were all true bred no bastard children of the Church not so meane condition'd as to sell their spiritual birthright for potage Were your title as good which can appeare to be nothing but your rough hands and red soules with the bloud of the Martyrs of your owne making we should commend so farre as we act our selves your strugling aswell for the inheritance as primogeniture But when we compare our professions or evidences finde our brethren to say that the benefactours and founders of these Ecclesiastike possessions were true Christians though mistaken we thinke in many maters of doctrine and worship yours that that they were Members of Anti-Christ undoubted Idolaters and haeretikes Ours that the Churches which they endowed were Episcopal such as we continue them or to our utmost endeavour it From which you degenerate schismaticallie separating and arming your selves with all resolution rage to demolish beside what other advantage we may use of a nearer union uniformitie in religion more consonant to the minde of the doners at least if such as your malice doth render it litle thinking it may be to have it so unhapilie retorted in that which is the chiefe drift of all your rebelling and covenanting when we thinke of no other restitution but by the possessours consent when it may be transferred to us by the same supreme hand that confetr'd it on them out of which you no sooner get opportunitie and power but you violentlie ravisâ—… it calling Princes nobles sacrilegious robbers while they over-power you and deteine it I beleeve all our Religious and prudent Nobilitie will unanimouslie grant our plea more just our proceedings more moderate when God shall if ever touch their consciences not we the skirt of their estates and livelihoods with an humble feare that such an inheritance with-held from such a Church may be sacrilegious indeed with assurance that if it be so 't is finfull they will not value their lands at so deare a rate as to pay their soules for the purchase but with courage confidence in a blessing from God to be multiplied on their undevoted temporal possessions returne them to him the King I meane from whom they receiv'd them and be beter content that Episcopal Christians then Presbyterian counterfeits should repossesse them But if such of them as are not perswaded in conscience they are oblig'd to restore them upon the arguments we bring which would ne'r be convictive if our plea were no beter then yours shall adventure to leave the suit depending till the Court of heaven give final sentence upon it at their peril be it the Praelates their followers use no violence nor course of law here below to put them out of these their possessions no threats but those against sacriledge in Scripture searing this may be such no activitic but that of a swift charitie to catch hold of their soules and snatch them out of the snare when they finde them devouring the bate and to put them â—…nte vota before vowes upon making enquirie or if post vota to retract them Therefore such of the Nobilitie and Gentrie as were nakened hereby to take heed of their rights were best have a care they slumber not in the wrong and take Solomons counsel intended Prov. 16. 8. Beter is a litle with righteousnesse then great revenues without right But which requires the Readers advertence for you here to call those the rights of the Nobilitce and Gentrie which so many Assemblies have declar'd to belong jure divino to the Church which in your first booke of Discipline you tell them they had from theeves and murderers and hold aâ—… unjust possessions or indeed no possession before God which in your second you hold a detestable sacriledge before God For you to twit the Praelates with violence threats who are bound in Iohn Knox's bond not onelie to withstand the mercilcsse devoâ—…rers of the Church patrimonie ... but to seeke redresse at the hands of God man That declare the same obligation upon you to root out of the Kingdome aswell the monster of sacriledge as that of Episcopacie and so aswell the persons of most your Nobles as the Bishops For you to object a â—…ourse of law and activitie who by incessant demands and praeter legal devices never gave over till the lawes that annexed lands to the crowne were repealed For you to bragge of your last Parliament's confirmation of titles because your last Assemblie power could not reach beyond the destruction of patronages What is this but apertlie Sucophantein calophantein to fawne accuse dissemble destroy flater your with mouth while you spread a net for their fees and worke the ruine of their persons and estates If Noblemen once abase themselves to be Elders of every ordinarie Presbyteriâ—… it 's not to be doubted but evey ordinarie Presbyter takes himselfe for their fellow if not their superiour which they finde to their griefe Therefore all or most respect that they give to their gratious Ministers is alaâ—… a litle Court holy water cast on the flame of their zeale a sacrifice made for their owne securitie from your tongues and pennes and from the armes of the people that serve your warrants oft times in tumults upon their persons For the honour you pay them they are faine like wretches to morgage their conscience those that doe not gaine the honourable titles of Traytours of God are cashier'd your companie and then passe for no beter then honourable heathen publicans and sinners If they become not Truchmen between a single Presbyter and a Prince when he comes with his I require you in my name c. Before every charge no very humble forme as I take it they shall be called abusers of the world neutral livers at their pleasure if not shedders of Scotoh bloud And some that draw on
third clause I hope you will shake hands with the Iesuits and them Where is no true ordination there is no true ordinarie Ministrie or lawfull Priesthood as His late Majestie call'd it As for the fourth the Bishops friends whatsoever they may doe allay it thus Where are no Bishops can be no comfortable assurance of a true ordination And so in whatsoever reformed Countrey are no Bishops being no true Apostolike ordination no comfortable assurance is had of a true visible Church in the publike administration of the Sacraments though they hope well the invisible Members have an invisible true Priesthood among them or such an high Priest as being himselfe holie harmelesse c is able to supplie what their Presbyters want able to save them â—…is to panteles very completelie and make intercession for them who sin in submission out of more good meaning then fayth to their discipline who can give no comfortable assurance that Saint Pauls rod or St. Peters keyes everwere committed to their charge Those of the Reformed which I hope are not all if any that concurre if you meane covenant like your selves under praetense of selfe praeservation being endangerd by nothing beyond the frequent ineffectual power of good advice and plea of Apostolike example with seigned words to make merchandize aswell of Bishops as Kings and like the insolent Abaddons at Edenburgh and London to assault their persons and then abolish their order declare themselves such as Saint Peters false teachers or worse because more publike in bringing in damâ—…ble hâ—…resies denying the Lord at least in his Ministrie which they 〈◊〉 Anti-Christian and what they have allreadie in part bringing 〈…〉 on thâ—…selves Your officious informer that drew the curtaine made the discoverie of what the Bishop deleted had litle good maners though it may be not so much malice as you in your uncharitable not so forâ—…mate conjecture A dâ—…ngerous question being mistaken when called a truâ—… judgement and doubting whâ—…ther it be within the pale not actuallie excluding all 〈◊〉 Ministres c. out of the line of the Church Remorse of conscience hath commonlie antecedent evidence of science puting all out of question doubt without which the vanitiâ—… or pusillanimitie of repenting had been litle commandable how condemnable soever had been the iniquitie of erring What His Lordship lest behind unscraped out doth not shew his mind onelie but the minde of all good Catholike orthodox Christians And why his feare to provoke should incline him more to delete the following expressions then his care for their comfortable satisfaction had mov'd him to pen them I know not Nor need I be curionâ—… to enquire the reason of a line blotted in his booke more then if I had seen it expunged in his papers being not concerned to give account for more then was his pleasure to have publish'd Though were all the Protestant Churches what they are not as unconscionablie cruel to us as the Presbyterian Conventicle of the Scots I see not why in reference to the Religion we professe it should be more unsafe why more unseasonable since they give I hope the same libertie they take out of a pious sollicitudâ—… to have a union of both some what ambiguouslie to â—…christen them then they out of malice to make an aeternal separation very affirmativelie antichristâ—… us in all the peevish pamphlets they put out So that whether stands upon the more extreme pinâ—…ole of impudence arrogance the Praelate that doubts your being in a Church visible true for succession Apostolike ordination or the Presbyter that denies our being in any but what is visible false by a Satanical Priesthood Antiapostolical investiture let your aequitable comparers impartiallie decide The Praelatical tenet is not to â—…verre the Church of Rome as the stands this day c to be a Church most true who praeferre that of their owne for a truer and condemne many Canons in the Counsel of Trent That they hâ—…ld she is true in respect of undoubted succession and Apostolike ordination our businesse now in dispute so much concernes them as the truth of their owne derived from that Nor can you denie what you so shamefullie dissemble that in the retrograde line your last Priest for a last there must be unlesse you have been Autóchthones or Autorâ—…ni â—…i rather coaeternal with the Priest that 's in heaven had his ordination and you thereby succession from them and so both prove as Anti-Christian as ours An easie way of salvation in the Romish Church is no second tenet of the Praelates who meet with her stumbling upon many errours in doctrine and worship going somewhat about by Lymbus Patrum Purgatorie whereas we thinke if she walked with us she might have a more easie shorter journey to heaven Yet withall knowing that the wayes of God are anexichniastoi not to be tracked and his judgements anexâ—…reuneta not to be searched we dare not damne at adventure all that goe with her no more then you can assure a ship to be sunke so soon as ever you lose sight of her saile but leave the issue to him who is great in Counsel and mightie in worke whose eyes are open upon all the wayes of the sonnes of men to give every one according to his wayes and according to the fruit of his doings The seperation from her Which they hold to be needlesse is such as that which you fondlie make about copes and surplices Church Musike and festivals that came not in with the Counsel of Trent That which is made upon higher points though not yet God be prays'd in the highest of having one Lord saying one Creed using one baptisme in substance however different in ceremonie they impute to them who kept not their station in conformite to the Primitive Christians of the 5. or 6. first Centuries with whom a reunion not onelie may but ought to be much desired on just conditions and that which is continued rather then the division made greater by our fruitlesse compliance with morose and humourous Reformers whose preaching being not with entising words of mans wisdome they tell us of aspirit which can not be the same with Saint Pauls because thereof they never gave us any demonstration nor of any power but the sword Could your bold praecedent priviledge or excuse me in comparing judging censuring or approving the publike transactions of our Royal Soveraigne I should with much modest innocent freedome professe more justifiable according to Christian Religion prudence His Majestieâ—… late graces and securities granted unto the returning confederated Irish then any like future concession unto the persisting covenanting Scots They gratefullie accepting a limited toleration of their publike worshp to those of their owne division in that Countrey you endeavouring to extort an absolute injunction of yours in all His Majesties dominions denying libertie of conscience so litle as to his familie or person They onelie
most approved example of the primitive Fathers as may be seen by their sermons and homilies that are exâ—…tant And it should seem Presbyterie aswell as Episcopacie hath found some inconvenience in Sermons that were longer which produced the 34. Canon in the 〈◊〉 Synod at 〈◊〉 1574. 〈…〉 since extraordinarie superinfusions were rare have been 〈◊〉 attributed to such discourses principallie wherein the Canon of Scripture hath been interpreted by no private enthusiasme â—…o partial addiction to one mans opinion how eminent soever for his gifts or good life but by the Catholike tradition of the Church that it the consent of most holie men in it throughout all ages and places as much danger having been from the Iewes may be now from Iudaizing Scots by bad glosses as from haeretical Christians by Rhetorical discourses on Scripture ... Hâ—…ide â—… 〈…〉 graphâ—…on â—…apei 〈…〉 .... 〈◊〉 de pâ—…ides diâ—… tes 〈◊〉 cai 〈◊〉 But what spirit oâ—… life hath been found in â—…at lectures consisting of noncohaerencies haesitancieâ—… â—…autologies c notwithstanding all the gapings and groanes or other arâ—…tifices used to put them off for divine 〈◊〉 and raptures let them speake that were aedified which I was not I assure you by What I heard from you and the brethren that brought the Scotish Euangel to us in this Countrey 7. Though the Canon beâ—…trict the practice was not so much as at Court for bidding prayer before for after Sermon that for Christs holie Catholike Church and the Collects appointed are not such if you remember some it may be knowing his Majesties minde which now is published That he 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 against a 〈◊〉 â—…odest 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 use of Ministers gifts even in publike .... the betâ—…r to fit and 〈◊〉 their 〈◊〉 and the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the prâ—…sent 〈◊〉 Those 〈◊〉 tâ—…ke themselves obliged to keep to the leter of the rule were satisfied as well in the reason as law fullnesse of the command Being therefore well assured that the Lords prayer iâ—… as the Fathers call it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a complete prayer comprehending the summe of what petitions soever were 〈◊〉 to be praesented to the Father which none knew beter then the Sonne That the people might be inform'd what at such a time they are to aâ—…ke and what asking in fayth they might hope to receive the Minister commands them in the name of that particular Church â—…o which they are to submit in all publike duties or so renounce her 〈◊〉 to pray for her after 〈◊〉 Catholike Church for the King and his Royal families His Councel all inferiour Magistrates c. And because after the Litanie and so many several prayers relating differentlie to those particulars he mentions it is neither necessarie nor convenient at all to doubte the time in repeting or 〈◊〉 the â—…ormes â—… he calls upon them to joine with him in that 〈◊〉 prayer which very 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all can be asked saying 〈◊〉 Father c. But as touching the Church limitation of us to the Pater noster before her approving the Gloria patri c after the sermon I see no more in it then in the 33. Canon of that Councel of Dort which I even now mentioned Praying for the welfare of souleâ—… departed a controversie yet depending between Protestants and Papists hath ever impudentlie and falselie been attributed to that Canon on purpose to delude poor people so rashlie opinionated of their Presbyters that told them so as they thought it derogatorie to their credit to search the truth Or so grosselie ignorant as unable to distinguish between praying God for the welfare of and praâ—…sing him for the exemplarie lives of and the heavenlie reward conferr'd on the soules of the Saints departed Wherein nothing need be argued when those of a seeptical conscience will not be convinc'd and those that are praejudic'd will not be reform'd to such no more is to be sayd but si decipi volunt decipiantur For private prayer if personal the Praelates never hitherto praescribed any forme leaving people to themselves who are private to their owne wants and to the direction not injunction of their Priest But if congregational though but in Parlour or Closet no colour can be brought why an house should confute a Cathedral or extemporarie non sense take place of the ancient and well advised prayers of Holie Church You can not be more loth to confesse then I am hard to beleeve that you ever were guiltie of more conformitie to ancient Christians in your publike worship then opinions Yet when I consider what establishment our Religion received in Queen Elizabeths reigne what advancement your schisme unhapilie had by her misse placed assistance I can not satisfie my selfe how in policie or conscience a Princesse so fam'd for devotion and wisdome could professe and prosecute such seeming contradictions and without some humane assurance of your conjunction with her so liberallie contribute toward your praetended reformation to the utter demolition of her owne Therefore upon good enquirie I am faine to lay my diffidence aside and have where withall to confirme the Warner in his beleefe discovering first your negative Remonstrances and renâ—…nciations of Rome coincident with though more violent and particular then ours Your superintendents aequivalent to our Bishops And which as all in all upon Buchanans record your subscription to a communitie with us aswell in Ecclesiastike as Civile affaires This your Maintainer of the Sanctuarie tells us was done in the yeare 1560. in the infancie or before it rather in the first conception of your Discipline Yea two yeares before that not long after your Lords and Barons professing Christ Iesus had subscribed your first Covenant in Scotland they convene in Counsel conclude on several heads whereof this is the first It is thought expedient advised and ordained That in all parishes of this Realme the Common prayer be read wecklie on Sunday and other Festival dayes publikelie in the parish Churches c. In the first oration petition of the Protestants of Scotland to their Queen Regent this was the first demand .... That they might meet publikelie or privatelie to their Common prayers in their vulgar tongue And that this may not be set to the account of your Temporal Lords or some imperfect Members of your Clergie because I. Knox your Holie head was at this time disjointed from that sanctified bodie the same care is afterward taken for Kirkes in your booke of Discipline it selfe without any intimation of your purpose to tolerate it onelie for helpe and direction being a forme praescribed as liable to the peoples superstition as ours otherwise then as you approved the omission of it on publike sermon dayes And your Maintainer sayth without doubt it was the very booke of England Your Church having none of her owne a long time I would not have you mistaken no more then you would have the Bishop whom you so carefullie informe I feare against your
hearts of the most understanding shall if they will be satisfied withall moral and fiducial assurance to have that Religion praeserved which shall by reason and authoritie aswell divine as humane in every particular justifie it selfe against all right or left handed sects and factions guiltie of superstition or profanesse those lawes observed which appeare now to have constituted the most indifferent innocuous 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 in doses of Covenants and propositions not to be disputed and like a bedlam have lawes given it with a whip The Bishop drawing toward the end of his discourse puts all the controversie upon trial by that quaestion which if once categoricallie answered would spare much oyle and inke for the future giving the Magistrate to know that it is not the pen but his sword whereby this difference must be decided But these spiders of Presbyterie will aswell be spinning webs as spitting poyson though so thin as can't conceale the uglie shape of their soules nor that bay which contines the intrinsecal venome of their cause Though had they the reputation of no better Artists then Master Baylie the Pallas of Praelacie need not enter on the encounter but that of Magistracie might in scorne more then envie teare such wicked worke in peices before their face and in justice mixed with some litle mercie to beget repentance execute Arachne's condemnation in the fable upon the authours Of the multitude of untruths which the Reviewer here recriminates upon the Bishop that we may be one take a judgement of the rest the want of charitie is very unjustlie made the first which he should have done well to have supplied in himselfe and not so senselesselie to intimate a non realitic of religion in those reverend Fathers who beside the visibilitie in their practice heretofore and of their Christian patience in being Martyrs and Confessours for it of late ever made a profession of that fayth which was consonant to Scripture as interpreted in the primitive purest times of Holie Church Whereas the censure his Lordship makes of the Presbyterian phantasme is principallie because in their very covenant appeares no reformation intended but according to the word of God without mentioning any rule or authoritie for the interpretation of that word beside their owne humours conceits And the example of the best Reformed Churches which best must be that which seemes so unto them whether the rest yeild to it as such or no if indeed they meane any as it may be wel thought they doe not but themselves who are so superciliouslie singular from them all as they disdaine to heare of a inclioration to be had from their example and such Tyrants over us as they give us no other law nor reason but their pleasure for the reformation they impose speaking to us in the language of the Pelagians to the Catholikes Nobis authoribus nobis principibus nobis expositoribus damnate quae tenebatis tenete quae damnabatis reijcitâ—… antiquam fidem paterna instituta Majorum deposita recipite quaenam illâ—… tandem Horreo decere sunt enim â—…m superba ut mihi non modo adfirmari sed ne refell quidem sine aliquo piaculo posse videantur The second untruth he sayth is That Covenanters beare no allegeance to the King but onelie in order to Religion which notwithstanding is the particular limitation in the Covenant and when all was granted them but a particle of that by Charles I. they denied to returne to their allegeance without it And the Crowne of his successour our gracious Soveraigne still hangs out of his reach by that thred which their proclamation tells him in effect shall for ever keep it off till he consent To the third I replie That the Rebell Parliaments verbal denial makes the Bishop speake uo untruth who will tell them as the King himselfe did That his person was in vaine excepted by a parenthesiâ—… of words when so many hands were armed against him with swords the Canon knew no respect of persons The praetenses of a Popish Praelatical and malignant faction are wip'd away by His Majestie in that chapter to which I require a Scotich replie The fourth is grounded upon a very false supposition which sometimes they will not grant us nor sâ—…ould we though too many have out of mistake too often grant it them viz. That saving Bishops and ceremonies the religion of Scotizing Presbyterians and Catholike English Christians is the same whereas there is neare if not fullie fundamental difference in the acception of several articles in our Creed so that though we say the same words we can not trulie be sayd to be of the same beleife in these at least Christs descent into hell The Holie Catholike Church The communion of Saints The forgivenesse of sâ—…nnes Besides several other accessorie tenets wherein we thinke they detract from the mercie if not the justice of God reveled in Christ and the ordinarie use of his graces restored by our redemption without respect of persons unto men But if here for their pleasure they will have the true Church counterfeit Kirke be the same otherwise then as they are differenced by the corruptions of Bishops and ceremonies why tried they not the experiment of puâ—…ging these with the alteration of the rubrike and their persons without change of the Liturgie for a Directorie and the abolition of their office As their great Pope Henderson once confessed in the Earle of Arundel's tent when General in the North. That Bishops might have been tolerated in Scotland if their persons had been such as they ought And the Reviewer himselfe when he wondred why the Doctours of Aberdene would not subscribe the covenant being asked by a friend of his if he thought Episcopacie and the articles of Perth unlawfull made this answer He never thought nor ever would thinke them so Whence may be conjectur'd their modest meaning to be this That had the Episcopate in Scotland been seasonablie entailed to their tribe so farre as they could have hindred what they pretie well promoted their covenanting tables at Edenburgh had been taken downe and no armie raised to purgâ—… Mâ—…lignants out of the Kirke 5. The Reviewer sayth their â—…rmes were tâ—…ken for defense of just liberties whereof religion was but one But then it waâ—… one and thâ—…t the 〈◊〉 or eâ—…e when â—…hey had the Militia 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to defend 〈◊〉 why stood â—…hey upon that which is an argument that merelie for that wâ—…re there nothing else in controversie they might aswell take as keâ—…pe up armes But what shuffling was in this businesse hath been discovered by another That about liberties Mâ—…ster Digges 〈◊〉 learnedâ—…ie confuteâ—… Nâ—…r will the Reviewâ—… and all