the_o inferior_a member_n to_o correct_v the_o head_n it_o be_v true_a indeed_o that_o bishop_n ought_v to_o be_v subject_a to_o the_o censure_n of_o general_n or_o national_a counsel_n and_o none_o of_o they_o will_v think_v themselves_o exeme_v from_o such_o a_o one_o as_o be_v lawful_o constitute_v albeit_o the_o bishop_n do_v decline_v upon_o many_o just_a reason_n this_o assembly_n of_o covenanter_n which_o be_v at_o length_n express_v in_o their_o declinature_n yet_o if_o that_o the_o assembly_n have_v be_v constitute_v according_a to_o the_o present_a establish_a order_n of_o the_o church_n they_o will_v never_o have_v decline_v from_o the_o same_o the_o last_o corruption_n they_o remark_n in_o the_o bishop_n as_o they_o be_v then_o in_o scotland_n be_v that_o they_o do_v not_o instruct_v their_o people_n in_o god_n word_n which_o be_v a_o corruption_n indeed_o but_o not_o essential_a to_o the_o office_n of_o a_o bishop_n or_o allow_v by_o a_o law_n if_o any_o omit_v that_o 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the_o regent_n be_v that_o none_o shall_v be_v admit_v to_o vote_n in_o parliament_n in_o name_n of_o the_o church_n excepâ—_z such_o as_o have_v commission_n from_o the_o church_n 4._o in_o the_o second_o book_n of_o discipline_n cap._n 11._o it_o be_v say_v that_o no_o person_n under_o whatsoever_o title_n ought_v to_o attempt_v any_o act_n in_o name_n of_o the_o church_n either_o in_o council_n or_o parliament_n have_v no_o commission_n from_o the_o church_n so_o that_o if_o that_o have_v be_v do_v we_o see_v that_o they_o acknowledge_v both_o their_o power_n and_o pre-eminence_n over_o other_o pastor_n their_o charge_n over_o more_o particular_a flock_n their_o sit_n in_o council_n and_o vote_v in_o parliament_n to_o have_v be_v lawful_a which_o be_v the_o principal_a point_n both_o of_o the_o spiritual_a and_o temporal_a function_n of_o bishop_n which_o they_o challenge_v in_o this_o assembly_n to_o be_v unlawful_a if_o then_o we_o can_v show_v that_o the_o bishop_n have_v 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who_o succeed_v the_o apostle_n and_o live_v in_o the_o same_o age_n with_o they_o do_v with_o unanimous_a consent_n testify_v the_o same_o the_o which_o commission_n be_v derive_v from_o the_o primitive_a church_n who_o receive_v it_o from_o the_o apostle_n to_o those_o of_o succeed_a age_n confirm_v by_o continual_a practice_n uncontrolled_a for_o the_o space_n of_o fifteen_o hundred_o year_n by_o any_o orthodox_a writer_n until_o this_o last_o age_n that_o some_o of_o the_o church_n of_o geneva_n begin_v to_o call_v it_o in_o question_n 3._o the_o commission_n to_o vote_n in_o parliament_n they_o can_v not_o have_v at_o the_o beginning_n when_o there_o be_v no_o christian_a magistrate_n or_o commonwealth_n yet_o so_o soon_o as_o kingdom_n and_o commonwealth_n receive_v the_o public_a exercise_n of_o christian_a religion_n authorize_v by_o law_n than_o the_o church_n consider_v that_o many_o of_o the_o civil_a law_n do_v either_o direct_o or_o indirect_o reflect_v upon_o 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scotland_n the_o prelate_n make_v up_o the_o three_o
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the_o primitive_a church_n which_o have_v be_v sufficient_o perform_v by_o divers_a learned_a divine_n to_o the_o which_o the_o best_a of_o that_o sect_n can_v never_o sufficient_o answer_v take_v then_o the_o question_n as_o it_o be_v set_v down_o by_o they_o there_o be_v two_o point_n which_o they_o only_o here_o condemn_v in_o that_o office_n first_o that_o they_o have_v charge_n over_o more_o parish_n than_o one_o second_o that_o they_o have_v power_n and_o preeminency_n over_o their_o brethren_n we_o shall_v make_v it_o therefore_o evident_a 1._o that_o by_o the_o confession_n of_o faith_n book_n of_o discipline_n act_n of_o general_n assembly_n and_o long_o continue_a practice_n of_o the_o church_n of_o scotland_n at_o the_o reformation_n and_o many_o year_n after_o this_o pre-eminence_n and_o power_n of_o one_o pastor_n over_o other_o and_o charge_n over_o more_o parish_n than_o one_o have_v be_v acknowledge_v to_o be_v lawful_a second_o we_o shall_v show_v that_o none_o of_o those_o passage_n bring_v by_o they_o at_o length_n in_o the_o act_n itself_o which_o doubtless_o be_v the_o strong_a they_o can_v find_v forth_o of_o the_o abjuration_n in_o the_o covenant_n book_n of_o discipline_n and_o act_n of_o former_a general_a assembly_n do_v prove_v their_o conclusion_n but_o that_o all_o of_o they_o be_v either_o false_o or_o impertinent_o cite_v far_o by_o or_o contrary_a to_o the_o meaning_n of_o the_o author_n and_o therefore_o that_o all_o of_o they_o be_v sophystical_o allege_v chap._n v._o that_o this_o pre-eminence_n and_o power_n of_o bishop_n here_o question_v be_v conform_v to_o the_o true_a confession_n of_o faith_n of_o the_o church_n of_o scotland_n to_o the_o first_o book_n of_o discipline_n and_o the_o long_a continue_a practice_n of_o the_o church_n first_o we_o must_v observe_v that_o there_o be_v two_o confession_n of_o faith_n so_o call_v in_o the_o church_n of_o scotland_n as_o we_o have_v remark_v before_o to_o wit_n that_o large_a 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household_n then_o by_o a_o act_n of_o council_n date_v the_o 5._o of_o march_n 1580._o it_o be_v ordain_v that_o all_o person_n within_o the_o kingdom_n shall_v swear_v the_o same_o and_o for_o more_o commodious_a do_v thereof_o it_o be_v present_v by_o his_o majesty_n commissioner_n to_o the_o assembly_n hold_v at_o glasgow_n 1581._o that_o they_o may_v approve_v it_o and_o enjoin_v every_o minister_n to_o see_v the_o oath_n take_v by_o all_o their_o parishioner_n and_o it_o do_v contain_v a_o abjuration_n of_o most_o special_a gross_a error_n of_o popery_n the_o same_o abjuâ—ation_n be_v again_o command_v by_o the_o king_n to_o be_v renew_v in_o the_o year_n 1590._o when_o as_o that_o conspiracy_n of_o some_o papist_n traffic_v with_o the_o king_n of_o spain_n be_v discover_v have_v annex_v thereto_o a_o general_a band_n or_o covenant_n whereby_o all_o the_o subject_n bind_v themselves_o with_o the_o king_n majesty_n for_o maintenance_n of_o true_a religion_n according_a to_o the_o confession_n of_o faith_n set_v down_o at_o the_o first_o reformation_n and_o for_o the_o defence_n of_o the_o king_n majesty_n person_n authority_n and_o estate_n against_o all_o enemy_n within_o and_o without_o the_o kingdom_n to_o the_o end_n that_o true_a professor_n and_o his_o majesty_n loyal_a subject_n may_v more_o easy_o be_v discern_v from_o hypocritical_a papist_n and_o seditious_a rebel_n now_o as_o for_o that_o only_o perfect_a confession_n there_o be_v no_o clause_n nor_o article_n therein_o which_o either_o express_o or_o by_o any_o probable_a consequence_n condemn_v this_o power_n and_o preeminency_n here_o controvert_v neither_o have_v they_o be_v so_o bold_a as_o to_o allege_v any_o passage_n out_o of_o the_o same_o nor_o be_v it_o the_o meaning_n of_o those_o godly_a and_o learned_a person_n who_o set_v it_o down_o and_o propose_v it_o to_o be_v receive_v by_o the_o church_n and_o kingdom_n of_o scotland_n nor_o
that_o act_n at_o dundee_n 1580._o have_v disouss_v those_o passage_n allege_v out_o of_o the_o abjuration_n of_o the_o covenant_n it_o rest_v that_o we_o answer_v in_o like_o manner_n to_o the_o act_n of_o divers_a general_a assembly_n produce_v to_o prove_v that_o the_o church_n have_v condemn_v this_o power_n and_o pre-eminence_n of_o one_o pastor_n over_o another_o and_o over_o more_o particular_a flock_n albeit_o a_o sufficient_a answer_n may_v easy_o be_v gather_v by_o the_o judicious_a reader_n out_o of_o that_o which_o we_o have_v say_v already_o yet_o because_o many_o be_v move_v by_o the_o authority_n of_o those_o assembly_n who_o do_v not_o understand_v the_o manner_n of_o their_o proceed_n we_o must_v consider_v they_o more_o particular_o to_o the_o end_n than_o we_o may_v show_v what_o weight_n and_o force_n they_o ought_v to_o have_v in_o the_o church_n those_o act_n here_o cite_v by_o they_o for_o the_o more_o commodious_a answer_n without_o tautology_n may_v be_v dispose_v in_o three_o rank_n first_o some_o of_o they_o contain_v only_a preparation_n to_o the_o condemn_n of_o episcopacy_n as_o those_o from_o the_o year_n 1575._o to_o the_o 1580._o next_o there_o be_v some_o that_o tend_v direct_o to_o the_o establish_n of_o the_o second_o book_n of_o discipline_n transfer_v the_o power_n of_o bishop_n to_o presbytery_n three_o other_o be_v such_o as_o condemn_v episcopacy_n which_o all_o we_o shall_v examine_v particular_o in_o their_o own_o order_n and_o first_o we_o must_v observe_v that_o they_o never_o allege_v one_o word_n of_o any_o assembly_n since_o the_o reformation_n until_o that_o at_o edinburgh_n 1575._o albeit_o there_o be_v thirty_o general_a assembly_n in_o scotland_n before_o that_o time_n more_o uncorrupt_a holy_a and_o venerable_a than_o any_o of_o those_o which_o be_v allege_v of_o they_o for_o why_o they_o be_v not_o able_a to_o show_v by_o any_o probability_n that_o before_o that_o time_n the_o church_n of_o scotland_n do_v think_v any_o evil_a of_o this_o power_n and_o preeminency_n but_o do_v continual_o and_o constant_o approve_v the_o same_o both_o by_o her_o constitution_n and_o practice_n next_o we_o must_v consider_v the_o cause_n and_o occasion_n move_v the_o minister_n at_o that_o time_n to_o alter_v their_o judgement_n in_o this_o point_n and_o if_o we_o remark_n the_o estate_n of_o the_o church_n and_o kingdom_n of_o scotland_n at_o that_o time_n as_o it_o be_v know_v to_o all_o these_o who_o have_v take_v pain_n to_o understand_v the_o true_a history_n of_o the_o church_n and_o kingdom_n of_o scotland_n in_o those_o day_n we_o shall_v find_v evident_o the_o occasion_n of_o this_o alteration_n of_o judgement_n first_o there_o be_v at_o that_o time_n some_o man_n of_o learning_n but_o of_o fiery_a and_o violent_a humour_n come_v into_o scotland_n from_o geneva_n who_o because_o of_o their_o travel_n abroad_o and_o learning_n be_v have_v in_o great_a esteem_n and_o they_o be_v themselves_o 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so_o bold_a a_o traitor_n but_o he_o find_v minister_n of_o that_o sect_n to_o countenance_v he_o and_o approve_v his_o do_n both_o private_o and_o public_o as_o witness_v their_o applaud_v the_o earl_n of_o bothwell_n in_o his_o treasonable_a attempt_n for_o it_o be_v certain_o know_v that_o of_o those_o money_n which_o be_v collect_v by_o the_o minister_n for_o the_o relief_n of_o geneva_n a_o part_n be_v employ_v to_o wage_v soldier_n for_o he_o i_o know_v and_o can_v name_v if_o i_o please_v both_o the_o deliverer_n and_o receiver_n thereof_o it_o be_v know_v also_o that_o minister_n of_o that_o sect_n have_v a_o chief_a hand_n in_o all_o those_o attempt_n which_o common_o be_v call_v road_n as_o at_o the_o road_n of_o stritil_v the_o road_n of_o leith_n and_o the_o abbey_n road_n and_o at_o the_o 17._o day_n of_o december_n the_o earl_n of_o gowry_n find_v one_o of_o the_o prime_a minister_n of_o that_o sect_n to_o justify_v his_o cause_n and_o refuse_v to_o give_v thanks_o to_o 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