out of his way to let you know That Bishops have been perpetual in your Church Nor doe you out of yours but keep the same path of truth you began in in acquainting us with the antiquitie of Presbyters who it should seem are terrae filii that sprung up in Scotland like so many mushromes the next night after Christianitie came in Though he that is read in your opinions actions will take it for granted that you must pay the acknowledgement of your Presbyterie to the Sanhedrin your sects conversion to the Iewes If you will impudentlie crowd it into the companie of the first Christians that came into Scotland you can not denie but that for some part of the Centuries you speake of it was confin'd to the monkes colls never came to clamour at the Court the poore Culdiis with a great deale more humilitie pietie then the Covenanters caried it in their cowles Rev. .......... after the reformation there was no Bishop in that land Ans. The reformation you meane began the day before or after the Greeke Calends if you will helpe me to an account of the one I shall know how to order the aera of the other Many yeares confusion there was of Poperie Presbyterie Superintendencie The reform'd Episcopacie could never get ground till King James set it forward then it went not far before it met with your violent encounter by Sword Covenant which never suffered the crowne nor Miter to stand long unshaken till both were held up by the Armes of England the Kings person secure at a distance to command you That ever such a thing as reformed Presbyterie according to the Canon in your Discipline had the free positive consent of King Parliament without which it can not legallie passe for the Religion of your Kingdome I denie to be visible any where in your storie Rev. ...... till the yeare 1610. Ans. That yeare did indeed complete the Episcopal power which King James had by degrees piouslie industriouslie promoted many yeares before Rev. ........ When Bancroft did consecrate three Scots Ministers c. Ans. A brother of yours tells us they were consecrated by Bishop Abbot As evil as their report was the men were not so bad as their names need be in charitie conceled They were Iohn Spotswood Andrew Lamb Gawin Hamilton Bishops of Glasgow Brechen Galloway Who enjoy now their reward in heaven for the reviling they had on earth it being for Gods sake his Church according to our Saviours promise St. Matth. 5. 11. The first was a man for zeale to the Church fidelitie to the King prudence in Government constancie under affliction singular inimitable indeed for his excellent gifts onelie hatefull to the Disciplinarians though especiallie because he through long experience was of all Scotish men best acquainted with ablest to detect their crosse wayes to the King all Soveraigne Magistracie He died piouslie peaceablie at Westminster in the second yeare of this rebellion was buried in the Abbey Church The second was a great affiduous preacher even when he was blinde through extreme age He also died in peace with the good report of all except these calumniatores who hold that no Bishop can be an honest man whose invention is so rich of nothing as reproaches against better men then themselves The third was a reverend Praelate of great parts singular learning a most constant preacher who lived in peace died in his bed Rev. ...... that violent Commissioner the Earle of Dunbar Ans. His violence did not carie him beyond his Commission because he executed that upon the rebellious Aberdene Assemblers would not take off some of his kindred or acquaintance who were in the jurie that deliberatelie cast them in their verdict nor intercede for their stay in Scotland being desir'd you here meet with him at the Synod of Glasgow Which being at large prov'd legitimate in every circumstance required by law is in vaine condem'd as null by your faction Nor was it corrupt in any more then three members of about 140. who being rotten drop of from the close union harmonious suffrage of the rest Rev ........... got authorized in some part of the Bishops office Ans. I hope you will not denie that Bishops were authorized to ordaine in this Synod And into how many particulars their power of jurisdiction was branched your brother very pittifullie complaines ......... jurisdictio in omnibus offendiculis sive in doctrina sive in moribus .......... Armantur ..... potestate exauctorandi ministros suspensionis censuram irâ—…ogandi excommunicationem decerâ—…endi c. you may reade the rest then tell us what part of their office was left out Rev. Superintendents are no where the same with Bishops much lesse in Scotland Ans. That they are aequivalent to Bishops is evident by the conformitie in their offices power The particulars whereof His Lordship recites out of the fourth sixt heads of your 1. Book Discipl To which upon my Review I could adde some more if those were not enough Their ambulatorie commission was no other then our Bishops ambulatorie visitation If your onelie in the time before have any influence here exempt them from all duties in their visitation buâ—… preaching the word c. you cut of three parts of their injunction in the Discipline If they were onelie as you say for a time it concernes you to tell us where they ceas'd denie there were any since or ever shall be more but upon some future new plantation in your Churches Being pressed about obtruding your Discipline you tell us For the Eâ—…clesiastike enjoyning of a general Assemblies decrees a particular ratification of Parliament is unnecessarie Which holds not where the particular decrees of your Assemblie transgresse the general intent of that Act whereby you are authoriz'd to meet That relates to the times and matters to be treated of In the former you are limited to custome or praescription In the later to the doctrine discipline receiv'd Which are therefore ratified in such Acts together with your Assemblies Presbyterie Sessions that obedience might be render'd upon the visible conformitie of your decrees injunctions to that rule But to make any Act of Parliament so general as to ratifie at adventure all possible arbitrarie commands of your Assemblie to the altering of the doctrine or discipline established were to praecontract affinitie with all sects haeresies to enter into an implicite league or Covenant with the Devil about his worship so it may be de futuro ad placitum Synodi generalis Let me put this case suppose a general Assemblie should by an Ecclesiastical decree enjoyne the canons of that Antichristian government against which you praetend your discipline is framed Whether or nâ—… is that injunction authentike upon the general A of Parliament for their Assembling
from Christ or deputation at least to overrule both his Kingdomes upon the earth Your Ifs And 's about the necessitie of a warre in that moment of time when the British Monarchie Lay gasping for life demonstrates what good meaning you had to praeserve the Person or Government of Kings The constant proofe of that integritie you required in the officers must have been the covenant-proofe of their rebellion and wickednesse which if blemished from the beginning of the warres with no religious nor loyal impression no sincere pietie toward God nor real dutie to the King had marck'd them out for your Mammon Champions and Goliahs men most likelie to make good the interest you aim'd at This you were before practising in England where your Sectarian Masters that had set you on horsebacke mean'd not to take your bridle in their mouthes and be rid by your ambition to their ruine Though you advis'd them faire for 't in your Papers March 3. 1644. requiring to have the officers in their armie qualified to your purpose ... men know'n to be zealous of the reformation of religion and of that uniformitie Which both Kingdomes are obliged to promote and maintaine c. As in September the yeare before you told them you could not confide in such persons to have or execute place and authoritie in the armie raised by them who did not approve and consent to the Covenant Which I finde by one well acquanted with your meaning interpreted thus You desired to have zealous hardiâ—… men out of the North whose judgement about the Covenant and treatie had concurred so as to introduce your Nation to be one of the Estates of England to have a negative voice in all things who would have pleaded your cointerest with the Parliament of England in the Militia of the Kingdome disposal of places and officies of trust c. Having faild there of your cointerest with the Parliament you straine here for your cointerest with the King and would have the commanding power of his militant Kingdome in their hands that should have held His Majestie like a bird in a string which if he once stretch'd for recovering his own just liberties or his peoples they could have pluck'd him in to clip his troublesome wings or cage him at their pleasure The firmnesse of your Covenanting Commanders to the interest of God the Dispeller reveales in his experience of their striking hands with hell in cursing and swearing plundering and stealing which might have fill'd the hearts of the people had your poison not been administred under the guilt of wholesome advice with more rational jâ—…lausies and feares then any by past miscariages of them whose designe at that time was very hopefull and honourable otherwise then as it caried the fatal praetext of your Covenant before it To let the world know how long your mysterie of iniquitie hath been working in the bowells of the State the Bishop alledgeth ancient praecedents of 80. yeares standing from more impartial more credible relations then those in your Romance falselie intitled An Historical Vindication What you shovell in here about treacherous correspondence with Spaine is but an handfull of sand without lime adhaeres not at all to the Inquisitours troubling the Merchants in their religion nor that to your admonishing the people to be warie in their trade nor all at all to the truth which the Bishop tells you was a Synodical Act prohibiting their traffique under the rigid poenaltie of excommunication which all the art you have can not melt into a friendlie advertisement Those of the Merchants whom you say the Inquisitours seduced required no relaxation Nor were the rest so persecuted as to be discourag'd in their trade when they petition'd the King to maintaine that libertie where of your spiritual chaines had depriv'd them Therfore all your courteous mediation was but a disguis'd Imperious prohibition whereby you checkt the King and in ordine ad spiritualia tooke it for granted you mated him by the Merchants weake submission to your Censure Could we but once take it your Church in agrieving fit for her owne so publike profanesse in the daylie breach of the 5 6 other commandaments that follow we would tolerate her zeale though not commend her discretion in her will worship superstitious nicitie touching the violation of the fourth But when we finde her enlarging her conscience to laugh at rebellion murder c. We guesse her crocodiles teares to be more out of designe then compassion her mouth open for the destruction of them that are not through knowledge of her hypocritie delivered The profanation of the Sabbath is not so in conjunction with à Monday mercate but that à Saterdays journey with some sixpeenie losse or à Sunday nights watch and labour might separate them Your holie supplications were leven'd with Iudaisme which had not the Bishops in Christian libertie eluded as your advantage might lie the Parliament might have next been importund to Dositheus's follie to erect à rediculous statuarie Sabbath in your Countrey Though I heare all were not so hard hearted as you make them but that Patrike Forbes Bishop of Aberdene did translate the mercates which are none of the least in his diocese to wednesday as the provincial records of that place will testifie From the obstruction made by the rest to your petitions you can not inferre what you have formd in a calumnie about their doctrine example on that day What sorts of playes which were not all if you reckon right the most emminent Bishops either us'd or tolerated were such as consisted with and spirited the Dominical dutie of publike and private devotion wherein they had the authoritie and praecedent of otherguesse Christians then any scotish Assemblie praecisians and seconded with reason such as hitherto you never seriouslie and solidelie answered If they endeavoured to make the Sunday no Sabbath they did it in a farre better sense and on better grounds then Rob. Bruce could have changd it as you know he endeavoured to Wednesday or Friday and Lent from spring to Autumne on purpose to priviledge the pure brethren ' in the singularitie of their worship and free them from a profane communion though not in the time with Papists and Praelates If the Bishops had a designe to advance their Kingdome by such old licentiousnesse and ignorance as this innocent libertie might be feard to reduce We know to whom the Presbyters somewhere are beholding at least for their Sabbath policie though they thinke good to enlarge it beyond Episcopal sports and playes to publike mercates to brewing fulling grinding carying beer corne dung and indeed what not except opening whole shops and wearing old clothes For redressing which I doe not finde your compassionate prayers to god or advice to them which I remember you us'd so effectual as to make any amendment or gaine any proselytes to your circumcised severitie Therefore till you
rout at London by that time being well inform'd what effectual weapons stones stooles such like as furie on a sodaine could furnish had been against blacke gownes white sleeves at Edenburgh before That any armie could at that time be raised when the Kings Forts Magazines Militia Navie were seizd into the hands of your Rebell brethren was a special marke of divine providence cleare in so happie successe as he that ran might then have read their ruine writ by the fingar of God had nor the blacke cloud of our sinnes eclips'd that light blotted out that handwriting shour'd downe vengeance upon our heads That such earnest pitifull entreaties should be made to strengthen the arme of flesh by Gods people in Gods cause after such divine revelation that this was the appointed time wherein Christs Kingdome was to be exalted on earth that the Saints should flourish laugh sing at the downefull of that man of sinne c. Is a note me thinkes that spoyles all the harmonie of the rest That upon such earnest entreaties the Scots were oblig'd to come in is not to be found among all those easie conditions made their double former returning in peace Their feare of a third warre to passe over their brethrens carkasses to themselves is a strong argument of their guilt that their advise some other assistance had passed over the late agreement made between His Majestie them to promote that horrid rebellion against him That so many intercessions with the King for a moderate reasonable accommodation had been used by them was a relique of Poperie they kept notwithstanding the reformation they had made they did truely supererogate in that worke no law of the three Kingdomes I take it making them umpires between the King his subjects nor is it yet revel'd to the world what divine authoritie they had as was pretended in their Remonstrance to come in the name of our Lord Master Iesus Christ to waâ—…ne the King that the guilt which cleav'd so fast to his throne soul was such as if not timeâ—…ie repented would involve him his postcritiâ—… under the wrath of the everliving God For how moderate how reasonable accommodation they mediated appeares in the 19 propositions to the substance of every one of which their unreasonable brethren adhaered to the end That they were at any time slighted rejected is a mere calumnie of the Reviewer ' he would have told us when where if he could That al they ask'd was not granted was upon unanswerable reasons which His Majestie render'd in his publike Declarations about the Treaties c. That they their fainting brethren were so easilie perswaded to enter into a Covenant together is no great mervaile His Majestie tells them Solemne leagues Covenants ...... are the common road used in all factions powerfull perturbations of state or Church ..... by such as ayâ—…e to subdue all to their owne will power under the disguizes of holie combinations The expresse articlâ—…s in the Covenant for the prâ—…servation of Royaltie c. are spun so fine woven so thin as that white vailâ—… can not hide the face of that blacke rebellious divel that is under it Whereof they being conscious that had been very well acquainted with the mysterie no lesse then an whole armie together conduct us to the perfect beholding the sweet countenance of this late Baal Berith as he lies We crave say they leave to beleeve that an accommodation with the King in the way termâ—…s you are upon or any at all as the case now stands that shall implie his restitution or shall not provide for his subjection to trial judgement would first not be just before God or man but many wayes evill Secondlie would not be safe 1. The Covenant engaging to the maters of religion publike interests primarilie absolutelie marke that with out any limitation after that to the preservation of the Kings person authoritie but with this restriction marke this too viz. In the preservation of the true religion liberties of the Kingdomes In this case though a Cavallier might make iâ—… a question yet who will not rationallie resolve it That the preceding maters of religion the publike interest are to be understood as the principal supreme maters engaged for that of the Kings person authoritie as inferiour subordinate to the other 2. That where persons joyning to make a mutuall covenant if the absent parties shall oppose it the maters contein'd in it surelie that person excludes himselfe from any claime to any benefit therefrom while he continues so refusing opposing So that you see notwithstanding the expresse articles for the preservation of Royaltie His Majestie may be brought to his trial all his posteritie too when the holie brethren can catch them be murder'd at their owne gates according to the expresse sense of severall articles in the Covenant for maintenance of religion libertie And what unkindnesse was here in the Scots to their King Besides whosoever will take the paines to compare the particulars in the Scotish Remonstrance which they brought in their hands when they came in upon the Covenant with those in the accursed Court proceeding against His late Royal Majestie may be able to doe Dorislaw Steel Cooke c. some litle courtesie in their credit pleade for them that they drew not up but onelie transscribed a charge brought long since from Edenburgh to London And yet what unkindnesse was here in the Scots to their King There is yet one thing more whereof upon this mention of Remonstrance Covenant I can not but advertize my reader having but lightlie touch'd upon it before That whereas the Scots in their Covenant confesse before God the world many sinnes whereof they were guiltie for which they desire to be humbled Viz. That they had not as they ought valued the inaestimable benefit of the Gospell That they had not laboured for the puritie power thereof That they had not endeavoured to receive Christ in their hearts marke that nor to walke worthie of him in their lives These men tell the King in their remonstrance That they come in the name of their Lord Master Iesus Christ to warne him about the guilt of I know not what sinnes they there heape together upon his soul. A very likelie storie to beleeve That Christ had sent them into England with this covenanting paper in their hands who had shut him out of doores very latelie would not receive him into their hearts Notwithstanding all the pretended glorious successe obteined more by the name then exploits of the Scotish armie the opposite partie was not so fullie subdued but that the multitude of garrisons beside Newarke which might have cost them deare surrender'd after His Majesties leaving Oxford make a
Church were demanded as insolentlie as could be which meetes me every where in their storie as frequentlie as Mr. Baylies dissembling falsifying in his Review In the last instance the Bishop denies not but there was a time when a kinde of Presbyteries was legallie approv'd receiv'd And this I presume he will admit to be after the Assemblie 1580. About which allreadie you have indeed alledged more untruth then you had authoritie to shew for it I have given you as much as that you brought will beare What His Lordship brings here is another discoverie That you did erect them in your Assemblie Acts put them in execution as farre as you durst before any Parliament had pass'd them And Synodicallie established such as no Parliament had passed For this he cites your Acts of several Assemblies which you must either disavow or unriddle what the mistake is you impute Vnlesse you thinke good to save that labour confesse aswel as other your Brethren what is so manifest in your storie The particulars of your proceedings herein Arch-Bishop Bancroft long since collected in his booke of Dangerous Positions Where he shewes how you not onelie acted your selves at home but sent your emissaries into England to see the like practice there in the very face of Episcopal Government What other reasons beside the recalling the Church patrimonie caus'd the refusall of your second booke of Discipline I told you before Which with the rest may suffice to the vindication of what the Bishop premiseth in proofe of the conclusion he makes That the Dissiplinarians by their practies have trampled upon the lawes justled the Civile Magistrate out of his Supremacie in Ecclesiastical affaires His Lordship proceedes to his scrutinie of your doctrine wherein if he yet be more happie as you courteouslie tell us possiblie he will I shall take you to have the spirit of Tiresâ—…as having justlie lost your eye-sight for rash judging to be now better at prophesying then reviewing Which immediatelie appeares by your wandring at noonday being at a losse for that which every man may finde in the very place cited by the Bishop None are subject to repaire to this the National Assemblie to vote but Ecclesiastical persons c. This His Lordship conceives to crosse the Kings supremacie which being aswell Ecclesiasticall as civile gives him a power of voting presiding in Assemblies Nor was there ever act of free Parliament in Scotland old or late nor any regular justifiable practice of that Church but reserv'd this power to the King his deputed Commissioner without being chosen member of any Presbyterie or made a ruling elder in a National Assemblie which your booke of Discipline calls the generall Eldership of the Kirke Your hypercriticizing upon his thoughts while the spirit of divination comes upon you makes his Lordship no Super-Erastian in his doctrines Though what transscendent haeresie there is in a moderate answer to the malice in your question any of your aequitable comparers may reade in what Vedelius and Paraeus no heretikes I hope have published to that purpose as the doctrine of all reformed Churches the one quoting Bellarmine the other Stapleton as proper patrons of the Sub-Erastian principles in the Discipline Vedelius in his preface giving the world a caveat of the danger by the mischiefe it had brought upon England Scotland in the yeare 1638. How opposite they were to the Disciplinarian language sense in that particular which the Bishop remonstrates these single propositions can evidence Multâ—… magu est Christiani Magistratus non solùm apprehensivè discretivè sed definitivè de religione judicare Here a definitive vote is asserted to the Magistrate ...... ad Magistratum pertinet judicium de religione seu rebus fidei causis Ecclesiasticis ......... tum formaliter tum objectivè Hereby a formal judgement in religion is attributed And this Doctor Rivet who I am told is call'd reverenc'd in the French Dutch Churches as the Calvin of these times hath vouched under his hand to be the Catholike doctrine of the Reformed If he had not we are sure it was the primitive practice of the good Christian Emperours to assume it to whom our conformitie is requisite Of Constantine the great who was personallie present in the Councel of Nice is sometimes called koinonoâ—… épiscopoumenon for his communite of suffrage with the Bishops Of the Emperour Theodosius who in the Councel of Constantinople sifted the several Confessions of the Arians Macedonians Eunomians as Brentius relates it cast himselfe upon his knees craving the assistance of Gods spirit to direct him in the choyce of what was most consonant to the doctrine of the Apostles Which epicrisis or completive judgement submitted unto by the Ancient Synods had these authoritative termes to expresse it â—…ebaioun â—…pipscphizesthai â—…pisphragizesthai cratinein cratioun epikyroun tà pepragmenâ—… To the exercise hereof the Discipline of your Reformed Brethren in these Countreyes not onelie admits but craves the presence suffrage of Delegates from the supreme Magistrate without which their Synodical Acts are not establish'd Quin etiam summi Magistratus delegati sunt postulandi ut in ipsorum praesentia eorumque suffragio Synodi Acta concludantur Nor did K. James any more in the Conference at Hampton Court then when in freedome He would have done in any Scotish Presbyterian Assemblie though he hated the name thought of the thing when somewhat was propounded that did not like him put it of with Le Roy s'avisera Rev. Yet the most of the prelatical partie will not maintaine hiÌ„m heerin Ans. Bishop Andrewes will in his Tortura Torti Bishop Field whom your friend Didoclave calls Hierambicorum eruditissimum in his volume of the Church beside many others And possiblie those that seem to be opposite may be reconcil'd if you have the maners to let them state the question among themselves The chiefe case wherein they not you instance of Lâ—…ontius Bishop of Tripolis in his answer to Constantius the Emperour may be attended with circumstances which may terminate the dispute if not we must not take it on their word that for that as well as his other more regular demeanour he is own'd by Antiquitie to be kánonecclesias as Suidas records The rule of the Church However it behoves you to cite your lawes to which the Bishops assertion is contrarie And I shall cut you short of that pompous traine which your vanitie holds up in the universal of all the Princes that have lived in Scotland confine you to two the rest being by their Religion unconcern'd in voting though not in permitting any Disciplinarian decrees King Iames the holie martyr King Charles the first who I hope you have not the impudence to say ever made profession so derogatorie to their right In what followes you practise over the fisher-man in the
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
of their friends to make a new addresse to the Assembly their friends in the Assembly after a second desire of a more gracious answere propounded this Will yee joine in covenant with us to reforme doctrine and discipline conforme to this of Scotland and yee shall have a better answere Sir W. Ermin the rest answered that they had not that in their instructions bot thanked the Assembly sayd they would represent it to the Parliament of England the friends in the Assembly told them there would be much time loosed ere they could go to the Parliament for their resolutione and thereafter to returne to Scotland and draw up a solemne league and covenant the danger was great and they were not able with all their forces to stand two moneths before the Kings armie bot we shall draw it up here and send up with you some noblemen gentlemen Ministers that shall see it subscribed which was done To proceed your Rebell Parliaments desires beside what may be gatherd from your papers were not as I have heard very humblie praesented by the persons many times that brought them And when your smoothest language is glossed upon as best it may be by your rude militarie Interpreters at more distance your negative will not hinder them of being impositions rather then supplications Religion and liberties in all the three Kingdomes were very sufficientlie secur'd by the lawes Scotish Presbyterie is no religion but rebellion in the principles and the libertie taken by it is license befitting no subjects and therefore not to be desired of a King For which if such a covenant or oath is but one maine peice of securitie as you confesse I leave to be judged if any judgement can comprehend the other maine pâ—…ices of vassalage for your safetie you yet farther expected from the crowne An authoritie to crave many leaves a libertie to resuse and be of no sufficience to impose upon the subject so long as during the contenuance of the Parliament Nor can you shew that uncontroverted law which gives validitie to an ordinance controverted by the King who assumes no power of politike impossible concessions such as treason felonie breach of peace are by name with us covenanting is such when against the Kings consent The last part of the demonstration is too true and so farre dishonourable as it blazons the cowardize of men well principled in their religion to God and loyaltie to their King who for the benefit of a litle fresh aire out of prison and a titular interest in an estate the revenues whereof must be excis'd contributed fift parted twentieth parted and particulated into nothing at the pleasure of the blew-apron'd men in the Citie and Committee plowmen in the Countrey would desperatelie cast their soules into the guilt and curse of a covenant which they utterlie detested and their persons into the slaverie of proud sinfull unreasonable men whom before it may be they fed with their charitie and commanded The nullitie of this oath upon the difference of heart and mouth is demonstrable The very taking it being so farre from obliging to be kept as it subjects them to the judgement of God because not done in truth nor in righteousnesse Isai 48. Nec vero ultrâ—… quam consensum est juramentum operatur secundum ipsum quae tunc actus deficit in substantia deficiente consensu quem defectum juramentum minimè supplet Say the lawyers And he that sweares to commit sacriledge and murder is as much bound by his oath which I would faine heare Master Baylie dictate from his chaire against them when they tell him Iuramentum non est vinculum iniquitatis The especial aggravation which he drawes from the Bishops ground is as especial a lie and as evident a falshood as ever came out of the mouth of man an irrecoverable shame to the whole Presbyterie That a Minister Professour their great champion commissioner should utter it when not onelie the penaltie of two pence hath been threatned but of sequestration and imprisonment hath been executed upon thousands and beside these because some particular must be instanc'd upon neare 100. fellowes of Colledges in one weeke banishment out of the Vniversitie of Cambridge this I can best justifie being one of the number Which was a leading case to Oxford when in their power and the feare of unjust suffering they threatned her first argument against their covenant Therefore let us leave the dishonour we were speaking of where we found it upon the head of our Nation in part who degenerated so farre as to take a covenant from the hand of strange rebells no otherwise their brethren then in the in quitie of maintaining hypocrisie and license both which they see with their selves now in thraldome to Atheisme and a mercenarie sword And beare about them the marke of Gods vengeance in the sight of us who survive to magnifie him in his justice saying Iustus Dominus in omnibus vijs suis sanctus in omnibus operibus suis. The Bishops second demonstration need be no beter then the first whereby you are convicted as bad as it is you dare not venture upon halfe of it but like a cunning old rat that hath before been catch'd by the taile in a trap will be nibling at the baite but not enter too farre with his teeth for feare his head goe for 't next This makes you so tender of dealing with the majour which if not well caution'd why doe not you denie it or attacke it on that side which you guesse weaklie guarded You pervert the minour though litle to your advantage The Bishop sayth not that in the Covenant you sweare the latelie devised discipline to be Christs institution but that you gull men with â—…it as if it were so imposing upon them the strictest oath to engage their estates and lives in the praeseruation and propagation of it which is as much as can be required for Christs institution or Euangel a title as strange as you make it often given your Discipline which allreadie I have touchd at Yet because here you so confidentlie put us upon the words of the Covenant somewhat not much unlike what the Bishop imputes I finde in the praeface ... having before our eyes the glorie of God and the advancement of the Kingdome of our Lord and Saviour Iesus Christ .... whereby I charge your meaning to be the Presbyteriall Government of your Kirke if not I require you plainlie to denie it and to send me this proposition subscribed by your hand The plat forme of Discipline to which we sweare in the Covenant is not Christs institution Especiallie since your General Assemblie 1642. hath sayd That the Reformed Kirkes doâ—… hold without doubting their Kirke officers and Kirke Government by Assembles higher and lower c to be jure divino and perpetual Your brother-Presbyters in England That Presbyterian Government hath just and evident foundation
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
great flame in the Burningbush which your zealous friend Iohn Vicars hath kindled You will hardlie perswade any your judicious comparers of this your preface with the many treacherous practices you had used that His Majestie in the greatest necessitie would not have chosen rather to have cast himselfe into the mercilesse yet more mercifull armes of the sea then without the strongest deliberate engagement into the perfidious more fluctuating armie of the Scots Nor yet had all your underhand oathes promises prevaild for the unhappie credulitie of a most pious prudent King if some Better credit in all likelihood had not interposed it selfe which it may be was more deceiv'd then it deceived Therefore your storie about London Lin Holland France is a greater circuit then his Majestie toke in his designed journey to Newarke The promise of satiâ—…faction that caried him thence to New Castle might have long before been his conduct to London if Religion Reason might have been permitted to goe along which him That he gave not what you expected that is to say his Royal soul to the Divel his old oathes might very well hinder him for I pray tell me why a King as well as a Rebell may not feare the oath of God It is not unlikelie that the prime leaders of the English armie were at that time wearie of your companie who fill'd the best of their quarters did least of your service Nor that you were out of heart as wel as reputation by the signal victories to a miracle all most obteined against you by not your companion good Sir James Grahame but the Thrice renowned Marquesse Montrosse whose proceeding had been most successefull happie may they still be for His Majesties affaires If there were such divisions in Scotland what could better compose thém then the personal presence of the King but this was not according to the Kingdomes libertie meant in the third article of the covenant In the preservation of which that is so farre as you thought fit â—…o make consistent with which in the defense of what they call the trâ—…c Religion which you tooke for granted he never intended to complie with you had sworne to defend the Kings Majesties person that is one of the forenam'd expresse arâ—…icles to that purpose The hazard of a warre weighed heavier in the balance of your counsels then the hazard of his Royal person in the hands of his irreconcileable enemies forgeting that the worke of righteousnesse in performance of your promises would have been a more lasting peace the effect of that righteousnesse quietnesse assurance for ever The sectarian Armie which you scarce durst have call'd so at that time had otherworke then to goe into Scotland but that your hollow-hearted professions to the King who was in no very indifferent case to make sure conditions of advantage to himselfe made him order the surrender of his garrisons into their hands So you sav'd His Majestie from the racke to bring him to the scaffold And you with your Brother-Presbyters escap'd the like torture then but if you goe on to stretch your conscience till it cracke we shall see as well the punishment as the guilt of that murder glowing at your heart After two such accidental confessions wherein your Armie demonstrativelie shew'd themselves either false foolishlie credulous or cowards at best you reckon up several conveniences of His Majesties being in one of his houses neare London when it had been ever before pretended to the poor deluded people that he was to be brought to his Parliament in London And this you did upon the fayth of that Parliament which you say kept up a sectarian Armie against you A very good argument to prevaile with you for their credit Vpon such termes as should be satisfactorie to the King particularlie mentioned in the paper deliverd to the King by the Committe of Estates upon the 15 of May 1646. noted in that of Iune 8. to the speaker of the House of Peers subscribed By his affectionate friends humble servants Lauderdail Iohnston Henrie Kennedie your owne potent good Lord c. That if His Majestie should delay to goe about the readiest wayes meanes to satisfie both his Kingdomes they would be necessitated for their owne exoneration to acquaint the Committee of both Kingdomes at London that a course might be taken by joint advicâ—… of both Kingdomes for attempting the just ends expressed in the solemne league Covenant By which His Majestie was to bring satisfaction to them you not as you say to receive termes satisfactorie to himselfe Wherein because he made not what hast was required you exonerated your selfe of all the malice you had unto his person made an end of his dayes which was just the end you aim'd at in the Covenant This being the true case you aske Whether it were any injustice Yes to imprison his person by confining him to an house to weaken his power by robbing him of his garrisons Whether any unkindnesse Yes to give up your native King who you confesse cast himselfe on your protection to them who were so far from affording him any of his palaces neare London that it was death for any man to harbour him in his house What imprudence it was let the best politician of you all speake because ablest to judge Or the worst who by this time can evidence how besotted you were to your utter disrepute destruction What advantage at that time you had to lay the fairest colour upon the foulest fact that ever you committed win the world by an after-game into an high opinion of your trust What to gaine the length of your line in the libertie of Religion or lawes And as for wealth honour you might upon such a merit in all likelihood have had what the vastest ambitious Helluo could aske or three luxuriant Kingdomes could yeild you Whereas now you have ript up your false hearts throw'n your guilt in the face of the sun so that the sound of your rebellion is gone into all lands your treacherie travailes in a poverbâ—… even to the ends of the earth Your Religion hath many times since struggled for life which the mercie or temporizing subtilitie of your sectarian enemie hath preserv'd your lawes have taken their libertie from his sword He deteines at this time the wages of your wickednesse in his house your honour not long since kissed his foot by fower Commissioners humblie waited on him to his doores But you come to a closer question Whether the deliverie of the Kings person were a selling of him to his enemies Ans It may be such for all that you say against it Your Masters are not allwayes wont to pay your arreares upon single service I hinted even now that your miscariages of late have cut you off a good sume that is behind which by Ordinance of
lawes appeares best by his vindication of just authoritie to them both against your disciplinarian incroachments His Lordship doth not forget by what authoritie your discipline is established though the extravagance of your practices stands not justified by that which you pretend to If your rule doth it doth not quit it selfe of censure in reference to its reception otherwhere because vested with the power of a civile law in Scotland nor is that law unalterable when a future Parliament may take into consideration the inconveniencies that accompanie it The Bishop need not be grieved being as ignorant as your selfe you are enough as King knowing as you would seem that His Majestie doth not at all question the justice because he doth not the legalitie of these sanctions Therefore his Lordship may thinke on speake on when he pleaseth more about this bussinesse yet vouch with out a marke loyaltie in his face nor for ought you draw from him need his veines be so emptie nor his stomake so sharpe set as to eate his former words much lesse be so desperate as to burne his whole booke the consistence of it with his toughts professions laying no slander upon the King his Royal Father of ignorance injustice the one having established the other offering to establish by your civile lawes such a Church discipline as is mentiond both having done it upon most unreasonable importunitie without any know'n inclination to or approbation of the same Farther what a slander this would prove upon your grounds beyond the irreverence toward any actions of a King which is haled hither in a forced consequence by the cords of your malice may be guessed by the Royal Father's confession in his solitude If any shall impute my yeilding to them the Scots as my failing sinne I can easilie acknowledge it but that is no argument to doe so agaiâ—… or much more For the Royal sonne His Majestie now being you say he hath not yet gone beyond an offer therefore His Martyr'd Fathers poenitential acknowledgement of his failing sinne join'd to your seasonable admonition That there can be no such actual concession but upon the peril of ignorance or huge injustieé except he ownes it aswell to be the religious dictate of his conscience as a poltike indulgence upon necessitie of state may probablie move him at leisure to deliberate whatsoever he shall determine to doe in this wherein God direct him for the best aswell for his owne sake as the saftie of his Kingdomes make him cautious hereafter how the importunitie of the mission gets ground upon his goodnesse when all his grants shall be so publikelie registred as conscientious acts by such barbarious pens deliver'd to posteritie as sealed with his soule The Bishops presumption in that which followes is none but what from the grounds of modest Christian charitie may be raised viz. That a knowing a just King such as your owne character renders him will acknowledge that contrarie to the dictates of his conscience which is proved contrarie to the lawes of God man And this may be proclaimed if not prohibited without being his Confessour or taking it from the Clerke of the closet in any whisper Nor doth your mistrust of reports beare authoritie enough to make His Majesties conscience passe for Presbyterian no more then that for a command or imposition by law which was by your petitionarie violence ravish'd from his passive innocencie into a grant So that you see in the very beginning you stumble at a strawe being to finde somewhat worse in your way you were best life your legs higher in your progresse How much the Disciplinarian Scots have contributed from the beginning toward the alteration of Religion in England is too large a storie to be inserted in this dispute Their old account the Rt Reverend Arch-Bishop Bancroft cast up in his Dangerous positions English Scotizing Discipline their later arreares ruu very high in the historie of our times beginning with his religious learned successour The losse of whose head is not more to be imputed to the peoples clamours then the Scotish papers Whatsoever they did before I hope they can not denie themselves to be one of the horned beasts which together with their English brethren make the supporters of the Presbyterian Rebells scutcheon in the Coveriant This in their remonstrance upon their last inroad into England when their fainting brethren with the cause were giving up the ghost they tell the King plainlie they shall zealouslie constantlie in their severall vocations endeavour with their estates lives to persue advance This pursuance was against the King Bishops which with the Convocation of divines are the true full representatives of the Church of England The assemblie of Divines were but locusts caterpillars brought together at Westminster by a Northerne wind The lawes of England convocate no such creatures nor in such a maner King Parliament were mere names had then there no real being so no breath to such a purpose nor those in the two Houses afterward more then the heads on the top of them in any politike capacitie to ordaine the abolition of Episcopacie Beside what the Assemblie did deliberate debate poor mechanike people 't is very well known'n they did as daylie labourers sacrilegious hirelings spend the thred of their time in your service payd the price of their souls for a sequestration or two the Covenanting brethren's pillage of the Church So that if they began the song you know by whom they were payd for their paines if they danc'd not after your pipe poor scraping wretches they came at your call howsoever you were in a medley together to be sure your Covenanting Divel had got you all into a circle will better distinguish you when he calls to you for his reckoning But by your favour good Sir His Majestie kept out for the very three yeares you mention told you plainlie he would make one in the practike harmonie of the Catholike Church That permission for it was no more necessitie extorted though he could not at that time get you all into Bedlam he thought in three yeares you would pipe dance your selves wearie then be content to give way to a better solemnitie of the Cathedral musike to come in In the meane time estates lives engag'd in the advancement of the Covenant by the sword the end thereof being to setle discipline was meâ—…ing with imposing upon our Church Quod erat demonstrandum The Bishop you see gives a shrewd guesse who they are you endeavour to brand with the name of Erastians how all Protestant Churches even such as are not Episcopal must be beholding to you for that title because they come not up to the rigour of your Discipline Wherein Erasttus flaterd the Magistrate to the prejudice of the just rights of
their care gone about them as the uncontrâ—…verted parts of their Ministerial function The Bishops negligence herein was the silent reverence he payd which you owe to Majestie at a distance And His Lordships modest declining domestike curiosities a civile diversion from that wherein the word is so cleare as to need no interpreter the Husband or Masters authoritie so absolute aâ—… admits no superintendencie to praedominate Your license to preach personallie against Princes I finde given to your Fore-fathers in an answer to the Queenes proclamation 1559 Your tradition still continues the same touching which for brevities sake I must againe send you as I can not too often to the famous Grotius De Imper. Sum. Pot cap. 9. What the Parliament propon'd to you about the late engagement included no such great scruple of conscience as to long for the comfort of your resolution nor was that when they had it the starre by which they steer'd their course in the businesse They knew your violence call'd zeale to be such as would force an entrance into the hearts of many poore people which when it findes emptie swepâ—… garnished for better ghests would call in 7 wicked rebellious spirits to possesse them This epidemical mischiefe they endeavour'd to praevent by acquainting you with the plausibilitie of their enterprize if they could have praevailed for either your consent or silence they should have the lesse need they thought to looke backe in the prosecution of their designe What conjunction soever you found to be at that time driven on I can assure you there was a clearlie malignant partie on this side that found themselves separated who trembled at the hazard of their religion the persons of them that were to be most eminent instruments of its praeservation when they saw such a solemne outward compliance with oathes Covenants with a Committee of Estates that declar'd so at large for the former joint-interest with England against the Liturgie established religion in our Church Yet their warning against it made no other noyse then sounding of their bowels in compassion to the King whom they desired to have by any meanes delivered out of the hands of the mercilesse Independent and a tendernesse toward their sweeâ—… ingenuous Prince who with his loyal generous Nobilitie they feard might be deluded fall into the hands of the darke mercenarie Presbyter the orthodoxe untainted partie being not intermix'd in such a visible number as seem'd likelie to secure them from that danger The Congregational supplications were naught but your Consistorian jugglings Your selves sow'd the winde in some whispering Assemblie instructions then reap'd the whirlewind in tumultuous petitions from the people So that your own spirit first rais'd the storme then wrapt it selfe in a mistie multitude for concealment That the States of the Kingdome sent several expresse messages for that end viz. to receive an Assemblies replie in a Magisterial Declaration against their proceedings in pulpit banning cursing in Clamourous seditions as you could make militairie opposition I can not get within the compasse of my faith take it to be such a salving of conscience as none but a Scottish Classical Casuist will professe beyond what any Jesuite in ordine ad spiritualia will challenge with all the rebellious circumstances that accompanie it For that filthie conclusion you cast upon the Bishop we know aswell as if we had seen it drop that it came from the corrupt praemises in your head In the case you produce His Lordship ties not up the tongues of Gods servants but concludes the counsel of the wicked to be deceit Gods law not to be taken from your preaching nor his Covenant any more from then in your mouth To applie your general to the particular in hand The warre you thought unlawfull because it proclaim'd libertie to the captive the opening of the prison to His Majestie that was bound And the law in St Iames you had no reason to submit to who may not uncharitablie be thought to have resolved upon a connivance at or collusive neutralitie in the murder that was otherwise visiblie to follow The greatest impietie injustice I know was in it as exquisite as you are in casting the fashion of uncertain evils was the advancement of your Covenant in the Van. And if for that the Engagers were to expect nothing but the curse of God I am sure they deserv'd no anathema from your Kirke If your doubting Nation be put in the scales with your resolving Nation that engaged I beleeve we must give you at least a graine or two to make it aequiponderate They that stated their soules by the councel of your Assemblie stay'd behinde to praevent all recruit oppose the retreat of their more loyal Countrey men upon a possible misfortune For the lawfulnesse whereof they had somewhat worse then silence from the miscalled servants of God though I am sure no authoritie from his word When Religion Royaltie lay panting under the talents of most cruel Rebells the Civile businesse of warre was by the other birds of prey unseasonablie disputed What concern'd the soul in it had the cleare sunshine from the law the testimonie to warme quicken it That the Assemblie spake not according to this word was because there was then no light in them the lampe of the wicked was put out What the Church declared in their publike papers to the Parliament had very litlie of modestie or truth It bound up your engagement in so many knottie conditions as had made it sure enough for vindicating the wrongs the sectarians had done when the onelie injur'd persons were excluded out of their share in the promised successe To expect reason by Christian friendlie treaties from them that you acknowledge had bid adieâ—… to Religion Covenant when your zealous selves praetenders to both never offered any heretofore was like the fine-spun thread or Covent garden paper you put in afterward between the axe the Royal head it cut off If the good people in Scotland were so willing to hazard their lives estates what good Pastours were you that held their hands forc'd then to sit still By whose cunning misperswasion the engagement was spoyled or impeded in the stating we require no farther evidence then from your pamphlets By whose rash praecipitancie or somewhat else in the managing if it may not be ascribed to the fortune of the warre is a mysterie yet not perfectlie revealed The number was large enough though the most religious as you call them were absent the armies courage I thinke had not been much greater by their companie The lies spoken in hypocrisie did but cauterize the conscience of the wretched people that stayd at home The lethargie call'd peace which they slumber in for the time may hereafter breake out into an active warre to the ruine of the
craving in much humilitie a freedome from being bound or obliged by oath to acknowledge the Ecclesiastike supremacie in the King you arrogantlie binding by solemne league and covenant wherein so much is implied Him and us to attribute it to the Kirke They renewing in the oath of allegeance their recognition of Royal right and swearing without restriction their defence of his person c to the uttermost of their power you by proclamation admitting him to the exercise of his power but in order to the Covenant And covenanting his defense no otherwise then in the defense of what you call the true religion liberties of the Kingdomes They subjoining in that oath their best endeavour to disclose to His Majestie c all treasons and traitourous conspiracies c. You having not a syllable to that effect in your covenant lest you should be obliged to betray your selves who are resolved to continue principals in such practices against him and his Royal familie to the last They charitablie forgeting all revenge against any of His Majesties partie that had fought against their confoederacie you cruellie combining expresselie to bring to publike triall all such as had been any way instrumental opposers of your Covenant They embracing in the armes of Christian communion their quondam enemies now fellow subjects of a different religion you baselie butchering them with unexemplified crueltie 1. with your material sword axe or halter in their bodies your civile in their estates your spirituall what may be by your excommunication in their soules The aggravations you bring against His Majesties agreement are First That it was with persons so bloudie which as it can not be wholelie excused in them so ought it of all men least to be objected by you whose religion hath passed from the Castle of Saint Andrewes to the House at Westminster in a red sea path made for you neither by Moses's rod nor Eliah's mantle under the conduct of no civile no prophetical power fenced on both sides with bloud of different complexions the bloud of Popish and orthodoxe Praelates the bloud of Princes addicted to several Religions So that God doubtlesse will have a controversie with you who as the Prophet Hose speakes by swearing and lying have broke out into rebellion and bloud toucheth bloud The bloud of the Cardinal hath touched the bloud of the Arch-Bishop The bloud of Queen Mary the bloud of King Charles and more then that which you may heare of otherwhere Touching the crueltie of the Irish I remit you to what our Royal Martyr hath writ with much Christian indifference Ch. 12. of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 where you may take notice principallie of these clauses I would to God the Irish had nothing to alledge for their imitation against those whose blame must needes be the greater by how much protestant principles are more against all rebellion against Princes then those of Papists ..... I beleeve it will at last appeare that they who first began to embroyle my other Kingdomes and who J pray you were they are in great part guiltie if not of the first leting out Yet of the not timelie stopping those horr'd effusions of bloud in Irland To omit what His Majestie intimated before That their oppressive feares rather then their malice engaged them and you know how profuse you are of bloud when you treate of the doctrine of selfe praeservation Secondlie you are troubled at the full libertie of Religion he granted them which if you eâ—… saw the articles extended no further them the remission of poenal statutes not to the restitution of Churches Church Livings but what they had then in possession not to any jurisdiction but what they exerciz'd at that time for which an expresse caution was taken in the very first article of the treatie And in the last but one their Regular Clergie were restrain'd to their pensions and confind to the praecincts of their Abbeys and Monasteries which are explain'd to be within the Walls Mures and ancient fences of the same No charitable benefactour having libertie to exercise one maine point of their Religion by laying a foot of land unto their Convents But had it been as full as you fancie it because you make your owne case many times the same with that of your brethren abroad I pray directlie answer me Why a Papist may not have as free libertie as a Iew And Whether according to your conscience be more Anti-Christian a Cloyster or a Synagogue Thirdlie You object the Armes Castles and prime places of trust in the state he put in their hands Whereas if the case were politicallie disputed Whether the Militia were safer in the hands of Papists or Presbyterians I beleeve the former would carie it upon the greater securitie though not generallie the greatest they give in their principles and the greater experimentall assurance in many places of trust they have often rendred Princes in their discharge And had the prime Castle and place of Trust in that Kingdome been theirs and no armes nor command in the Armie been the others a tolerablee freedome of religion being granted them it is not improbable that Noble Marquesse last yeare had either not been forc'd to hazard a siege for his reentrance or at least not betrayd into an inevitable unhapie necessitie of retreat What they demanded or had the 9. Article of agreement will informe you That upon the distribution conferring and disposing of the places of command honour profits and trust no difference should be made between them and other his Majestie subjects Here 's no exception against Malignants nor persons disafected to the cause but that such distribution should be made with equal indifferencie according to their respective merits and abilities By which qualification all disloyal demeriting persons are made obnoxious to a just exception at any time Those that continued in possession of His Majesties Cities Garrisons within their quarters are to be commanded ruled and governed in chiefe upon occasion of necessitie as to the Martial and militaire affaires by such as His Majestie or his chiefe Governer or Governers of that Kingdome for the time being should appoint And where any garrison c. might be endangerd by restoring to their possessions estates the Litizens freemen Burgesses former inhabitans they were not to be admitted but allowed a valuable annual rent for the same as in the â—…7 Article was provided touching those of Corke Youghall and Dungarvan Finallie in all that agreement no condition is found That His Majestie or His Lieutenant should be governed by a Popish Parliament at Dublin when it might be in Civile nor by a Clerical councel or Assemblie at Kilkennie in Ecclesiastical affaires Fourthlie That the King gave assurance of his endeavour to get the articles ratified in the next Parliament of England was to ratifie at praesent their confidence in him for which he can not be blamed unlesse you would have Kings sport
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
in the firmament of the Church But I have allreadie shewed how in vaine you aequivocate about that clause which hath cost your friend Rutherford and others so much paines What the oath of supremacie imports is evident by the words in it The varietie of sences to catch advantages like side windes in paper sailes which are subject to rend in pieces being the poor policie of Presbyters that dare not stand to the adventure of plaine dealing supreme Governer of this Realme c. Aswell in all spiritual or Ecclesiastical things or causes as temporal Which the Bishops you see conceald not though you gratifie your selfe with the observation onelie of the other title supreme head and accept his explication of it which yeilding you in your contracted sense that might securetie afford him more capital priviledges without encroachment upon Christ or his Holie Curch supreme Governer takes in what your Presbyterie will never grant him all power imperative Legislative judicial coactive all but functional Imediate and proper to the ordination or office of the Minister which for ought â—… know if he finde an internal call â—… a supposition drawing neare a possibilitie then likelihood and assurance to have a double portion of Gods gracious power and assistance in both administrations he not onelie may but must exercise as did Moses and Melchisedech saving that without a divine institution in this spiritual function his supremacie exempts him not from submitting his head under the hands of holie Church and taking our Saviours commission with the benediction from her mouth That Scotish Presbyterie is a Papacie the Bishop requires not to be granted upon his word but to be taken before Publike notaries upon your owne the political part whereof consists in the civile primacie which at least by reduction you very confidentlie assume The Bishops contradiction which is scarce so much as verbal will be easilie reconciled by the words of the oath which he reflects on and his argument good against you untill without reserves limitations or distinctions you simplie acknowledge the King supreme over all persons in all causes which would be a contradiction to this clause in your booke of Discipline The power Ecclesiastical floweth immediatelie from God and the Mediatour Iesus Christ and is spiritual not having a temporal head in the earth but onelie Christ the onelie spiritual King and Governer of his Kirke Lastlie No Presbyterian is there in Scotland but counts it sacriledge to give the King what belongeth unto the Church And whatsoeu'rit is they quit in Ecclesiastike causes is not unto the King but to King and Parliament and the power in both when it informes an Act or statute call'd but accessorie by the Aderdene Assemblers and that we may no longer doubt whom they account supreme dutie and subjection from the Prince which though spoken by them but of their meeting must be meant of all causes consultable in their Synods and is as sensible a truth as words without ambiguitie can render it Out of all which hath been sayd it must necessarilie follow that your Covenant hath all the good qualities computed which needs no arithmetical proofe by weight or measure the praemises ever being coextended with and counterpoiz'd by the conclusion What you rashlie if not praesumtuouslie pronounce of the Bishops judgement doth but vilifie your owne Qui citò deliberant facile pronunciant Had you brought a judgement to the contrarie of any learned Casuist to whom his Lordship appeales or any Divine of note in Europe which he calls for your answer had been somewhat more serious and solide But here your oracles of learning are all silent We finde it not avowed by your especial brethren of Holland and France by no approbatorie suffrages of Leyden and Vâ—…recht .... Omnium flagitiosorum atque facinorosorum circum se tanquam stipatorum catervus habet A guard is hath but a blake one such as Catilines league and how can it have beter wherein is sworne a conspiracie as bad The Bishops following vapours meeting with no suneshine of law oâ—… reason to dissipate them will not so vanish upon a litle blast of your breath but that they 'll returne in showers of confusion upon your head Your secret will to asscribe good intentions to the King hath by some of your packe been very strangelie revealed in their expressions touching Kings whoss very nature they have declared originallie antipathetical to Christ. This Didoclave avowes as planilie as he can And when objected by His Grace of Saint Andrewes with your proverbial yet mystical appendix of their obligation to the Creatuor not to Christ the Redeemer for their crownes is so slovenlie answered by Philadelphs Vindicatour as any man may reade your good wil in his words measure the sense of your Synods by his lines your good opinion of the intentions of K. Charles 1. Beside what you imputed to his Praelates may be guessed by what sometimes in print you have asscribâ—…d unto his person An unworthie fellow your Countrey man that comes runing in hast with the message of your good meaning in his mouth sayth His infamous Barbarous intentions were executed by sheathing his sword in the bowels of his people And this not onelie himselve not impeding conniving at and giving full Commission for in Scotland and Ireland but in England looking upon with much delight while it was done And that so faire were negotiations and treaties from retracting him that it was in publike declared he sayth not by any Praelatical partie that he would never desist from thîs enterprise of persecuting Church and Commonwealth so long as he had power to pursue it Concerning the good intentions of Charles the second beside what jealousies you expresse by the scrupulous conditions in your proclaemation your Haghe papers are instancis of your willing asscriptions which call his answer strange whereby the distance is made greater then before and farre lesse offered for religion the Covenant and the lawes and liberties of your Kingdome then was by his Royal Father even at that time when the difference between him and you was greatest ..... So that it will constraine you in such an extremitie to doe what is incumbent to you I have allreadie told you the usual consequences of that cursed word and what good intentions you are in hand with when you utter it Tyrannie and poperie are twinnes engendred between your jealousie malice to which Independencie is more likelie to be the midwife then praelacie and if by that hand they get deliverie at last will besure to pay Presbyterie their dutie when they can speake The painted declarations caries beter sense to them that rightlie understand them which I am sure is not praejudic'd by any paraphrase of the Bishops Though agere poenitentiam Be good councel where well placed ' yet egisse non poenitendum requires it not If the conscience of the Court continue to be managed by the principles of the Praetates the
a free kingdome under a legal Monarchie into an illegal oppressive tyrannie That in this case there ough to be a general meeting of Church and state to vindicate Majestie lawes libertie and provide remedies against such extraordinarie mischiefes That the Presbyterian Scots never were nor will be of this opinion I take your word and beleeve it Take this supplement with you That E. Bothewell should kill the King to make way for Poperie and Murray before endeavour to hinder his mariage with the Queen under a praetense of a designe by that then to bring it in which historie relates will cost some paines to reconcile Errours and abuses in Religion the ordinarie reformation whereof is referred to your Ecclesiastical Assemblies are such onelie as appeare to be peccant against the ordinarie rule or canon by just authoritie established But that the Canon it selfe should be alterable at the pleasure of subjects in a combined Assemblies declining their subordination to a superiour power in King and Parliaments and making them selves not onelie absolute to act but supreme to praescribe is contradictorie to all law and aequitie nor can any necessitie countenance it What you finde wrong in the Church according to your method must be no other then that which had been formerlie decreed in some of your Assemblies which must implie a fallibilitie in their application of the rule This errour when you goe about to rectifie from the word of God you may chance to have no clearer evidence then your praedecessours nor the people assurance that your eyesight is better So that for ought they know one blinde Assemblie may leade another by the hand and both with their followers fall into the ditch Beside It may so hapen that religious Acts answerable to the word may be offensive to some wicked Assemblie that have not the feare of God before their eyes These if they have the power to be sure they want not perversenesse to abolish for which I finde no cautionarie restraint in your discipline For after you have praetended to rectifie if upon your dissembling petition a following Parliament refuseth to ratifie that you have power to abolish and establish what you please I finde every where confessd by your faction And this indeed as you say is your ordinarie method of proceeding in Scotland but in no other Reformed Countrey who every where attribute to the Magistrate and Archirectonike power in the Church and but a ministerical or instrumental to any Synod or Assemblie Videlius and other your brethren of note on this subject making you Bellarmines papists though when your Kings stand publikelie in opposition against you for the maintenance of their right 't is quaestionable whether his most plausible reasons wâ—…l as well priviledge you in his doctrine The legal method of England you know well enough is otherwise and therfore can not ad mit of your Discipline without altering the fundamental lawes the most essential part of gouverment in our kingdome The three foolish unlearned quaestions that follow tell us you are in the mind to gender strifes rather then according to Saint Pauls counsel follow righteousnesse fayth charitie or peace To the first I answer Christians of old before the Emperial lawes for paganisme were revoked were more or lesse hindred from embracing the Gospell according to the zeale rigour remissenesse or clemencie of the Emperours that reigned Those that obeyd not their commands suffer'd their punishments resisted no powers reversed no lawes Nay it s as high a trial as can well be instanc'd when Maximilian Diocletian publishd an edict to demolish their Churches and burne their Bibles because one was found that in great indignation tore the paper in peices being condemned to die all Christians that heard it approved the sentence and commended the justice of the pagan Magistrate in his execution To the second thus The oecumenical and National Synods of the ancients had ever the praesence or authoritie of the Emperour without which they reformed no haerefies nor corruptions in religion Who by ratifying their canonâ—… did cancel all the lawes of state which did protect those errours When this could not behad but with praejudice to religion the Emperours them selves being draw'n in by the haeretikes to their partie they onelie declared their different opinion submitted to censure were disspersed in exile nor did they countermand by the terrour of excommunication and cursing but when summond by the Emperour to rectifie any abuses in the Church This may be seen in the time of Constantius addicted to the Arians To your third I answer thus The civile lawes in Britanie I meane for our part in it whereby Poperie was established were annull'd by the King whom we make absolute in that power If the reformation begun by Hen 8. be thought clogg'd with any seeming violence sacriledge or schisme which some ties on his conscience that requir'd a more deliberate solution and some indirect passionate procedings give the Papists a kinde of coloural argument to object I see not how you are justified that imitate it nor we bound to susteine the inconveniences that attend it who may fairlie make the reigne of K. Edward our epoch and from him in his first Parliament fetch our authoritie for the change On your side of Britain I finde naught but a continued rebellion in the reforming partie as you meane it till K. Iames grew up to a judgement of discerning and some resolution of restraining Nor till that time though I hope well of many thousand persons under a Presbyterian persecution can I in reason quit the praevalent part of your Church from a succession in schisme For Germanie and France I have no more to do at this time to be their judge then their advocate seeing no where His Lp. joyning with his brother Issachar in impleading then for rebellion All you can logicallie collect is such a major as thiâ—… They who reforme according to the Presbyterian Scotish metâ—…od by abolishing Acts of Parliament in a surreptious or violent Synod by framing Assemblie Acts for religion and giving them the authoritie of Ecclesiastical lawes without or against the consent of the Magistrate cheate the Magistrate of his civile power in order to religion If you will needs be assuming in behalfe of your brethren in Germanie and France they must put you to prove it or quit them selves of your conclusion as they can In the meane time I see your pasture is bad that you turne your catell so often grazing abroad For the foole in the next line you send to the Bishop I guesse it may be his minde to have him return'd by the creature that caries his brother Issachars burden expecting a wiser answer by the next paper Mercurie you imploy which can not be without bringing to light that law that praeauthoriz'd the Ministers protestation against the Acts of Parliament 1584. And that Act of Parliament since the null Assemblie of Glasgow yet