to order Ecclesiasticall Affairs and reforme the Church within their Dominions ALl Princes and States invested with Sovereignty of power do justly challenge to themselves the right of Convocating Nationall Synods of their own Subjects and ratifying their constitution And although pious Princes may tollerate or priviledge the Church to convene within their territories annually or triennially for the exercise of Discipline and execution of constitutions already confirmed neverthelesse we see how wary the Synod of Dort was in this particular yet he is a Magistrate of straw that will permit the Church to convene within his territories whensoever wheresoever they list to convocate before them whomsoever they please all the Nobles all the Subjects of the Kingdome to change the whole Ecclesiasticall pollicy of a Commonwealth to alter the Doctrine and Religion established to take away the legall Rights and Priviledges of the Subjects to erect new Tribunals and Courts of Justice to which Sovereigns themselves must submit and all this of their own heads by virtue of a pretended power given them from Heaven contrary to known Laws and lawfull Customs the Supreame Magistrate dissenting and disclaiming Synods ought to be called by the Supreame Magistrate if he be a Christian c. And either by himself or by such as he shall please to choose for that purpose he ought to preside over them This power the Emperours of old did challenge over Generall Councels Christian Monarchs in the blindnesse of Popery over Nationall Synods the Kings of England over their great Councels of old and their Convocation of later times The Estates of the united Provinces in the Synod of Dort this power neither Roman Catholick or Protestant in France dare deny to his King None have been more punctuall in this case then the State of Geneva where it is expresly provided that no Synod or Presbytery shall alter the Ecclesiasticall pollicy or adde any thing to it without the consent of the civil Magistrate Their Elders do not challenge an uncontrolable power as the Commissioners of Christ but are still called the Commissioners of the Signiory The lesser Councel names them with the advise of the Ministery their consent is not necessary The great Councel of 200. doth approve them or reject them At the end of the year they are presented to the Signiory who continue them or discharge them as they see cause At their admission they take an Oath to keep the Eccesiasticall Ordinances of the civil Magistrate The finall determination of doctrinall differences in Religion after conference of and with the Ecclesiasticks is referred to the Magistrate The Proclamations published with the sound of Trumpet registered in the same Book do plainly shew that the ordering of all Ecclesiasticall affairs is assumed by the Signiory But in Scotland all things are quite contrary the civil Magistrate hath no more to do with the placing or displacing of Ecclesiasticall Elders than he hath in the Electoral Colledge about the Election of an Emperour The King hath no more legislative Power in Ecclesiasticall causes than a Cobler that is a single Vote in case he be chosen an Elder otherwise none at all In Scotland Ecclesiasticall persons make repeal alter their Sanctions every day without consent of King or Councel King Iames proclaimed a Parliament to be held at Edenburgh and a little before by his Letter required the Assembly to abstain from making any Innovations in the Policy of the Church and from prejudging the decisions of the States by their conclusions and to suffer all thâ—ngs to contiâ—ue in the condition they were untill the approaching Parliament What did they hereupon They neglected the Kings Letter by their own Authority they determined all things positively questioned the Arch-Bishop of St Andrews upon their own Canons For collating to benefices and Voting in Parliament according to the â—ndoubted Laws of the Land Yea to that degree of sawcinesse they arrived and into that contempt they reduced Sovereigne Power that twenty Presbyters no more at the highest sometimes but thirteen sometimes but seven or eight dared to hold and maintaine a General Assembly as they miscalled it after it was discharged by the King against his Authority an Insolence which never any Parliament durst yet attempt By their own Authority long before there was any Statute made to that purpose they abolished all the Festivals of the Church even those which were observed in memory of the Birth Circumcision Resurrection and Ascension of our Saviour By their own Authority they decreed the abolition of Bishops requiring them to resigne their offices as not having any calling from Gods Word under pain of Excommunication And to desâ—st from Preaching untill they had a new Admission from the Generall Assembly And to compleate their own folly added further that they would dispose of their possessions as the Churches Patrimony in the next Assembly which ridiculous Ordinance was maintained stifly by the succeeding Synods notwithstanding the Statute that it should be Treason to impugn the Authority of the three Estates or to procure the innovation or diminution of â—â—y of them Which was made on purpose to controll their vain presumption Notwithstanding that themselves had formerly approved and as much as in them lay established Superintendents to endure for terme of life with their numbers bounds salaries larger than those of other Ministers indewed with Episcopall power to plant Churches ordaine Ministers assign Stipends preside in Synods direct the censures of the Church without whom there was no Excommunication The world is much mistaken concerning Episcopacy in Scotland for though the King and Parliament were compelled by the clamours and impetuous violence of the Presbyters to annex the temporalities of Bishops to the Crown yet the Function it self was never taken away in Scotland from their first conversion to Christianity untill these unhappy troubles And these very temporalities were restored by the Ad of restitution and their full power was first established Synodically and afterwards confirmed by the three Estates of the Kingdome in Parliament By their own Authority when they saw they could not prevaile with all their iterated indeavours and attempts to have their book of discipline ratified they obtruded it upon the Church themselves ordaining that all those who had born or did then beaâ—â— any office in the Church should subscribe it under pain of Excommunication By their own Authority or rather by the like unwarrantable boldness they adopted themselves to be heirs of the Prelates and and other dignities and orders of the Church suppressed by their tumultuous violence and decreed that all tythes rents lands oblations yea whatsoever had been given in former times a should be given in future times to the service of God was thâ— Patrimony of the Church and ought to be collected and distributed by the Deacons as the Word of God appoints That to convert any of this to their particular or
Subject must be divided into two and the one half given to the one and the other half to the other For the Oracle of Truth hath said that one man cannot serve two masters But in Scotland every man must serve two Masters and which is worse many times disagreeing Masters At the same time the Civill Magistrate hath commandâ—d the Feast of the Nativity of our Saviour to be observed and the Church hath forbidden it At the same time the King hath summoned the Bishops to sit and Vote in Parliament and the Church hath forbidden them In the year 1582. Monsieur-le-mot a Knight of the Order of the Holy Ghost with an associate were sent Ambassadours from France into Scotland The Ministers of Edenburgh approving not his Message though meerly Civill inveigh in their Pulpits bitterly against him calling his White Crosse the badge of Antichrist and himself the Ambassadour of a Murtherer The King was ashamed but did not know how to help it The Ambassadours were discontented and desired to be gone The King willing to preserve the ancient Amity between the two Crownes and to dismisse the Ambassadours with content requires the Magistrates of Edenburgh to feast them at their departure so they did But to hinder this feast upon the Sunday preceding the Ministers proclame a â—ast to be kept the same day the Feast was appointed and to detaine the people all day at Church the three Preachers make three Sermons one after another without intermission thundring out curses against the Magistrates aud Noblemen which waited upon the Ambassadors by the Kings appointment Neither stayed they here but pursued the Magistrates with the censures of the Church for not observing the Fast by them proclaimed and with much difficulty were wrought to abstaine from Excommunicating of them which censure how heavy it falls in Scotland you shall see by and by To come yet neerer the late Parliament in Scotland injoyned men to take up Armes for delivery of their King out of prison The Commissioners for the Assembly disallowed it and at this present how many are chased out of their Country How many are put to publike repentance in sackcloth how many are excommunicated for being obedient to the Supreme Judicatory of the Kingdom that is King and Parliament Miserable is the condition of that people where there is such clashing and interfereing of Supreme Judicatories and Authorities If they shall pretend that this was no free Parliament First they affirm that which is not true either that Parliament was free or what will become of the rest Secondly this plea will advantage them nothing for which is all one with the former thus they make themselves Judges of the validity oâ— invaidity of Parliaments CHAP. X. That this Dicipline is most prejudiciall to the Parliament FRom the Essentiall body of the Kingdom we are to proceed to the representative body which is the Parliament We have already seen how it attributes a power to Nationall Synods to restrain Parliaments and to abrogate their Acts if they shall judge them prejudiciall to the Church We need no other instance to shew what small account Presbyteries do make of Parliaments then the late Parliament in Scotland Not withstanding that the Parliament had declared their resolution to levy forces vigorously and that theâ— did expect as well from the Synods and Presbyteries as from all other his Majecties good Sujects a ready obedience to the commands of Parliament and Committee of Estates The Commissioners of the Assembly not satisfied herewith do not onely make their proposalls that the grounds of the Warre and the breaches of the Peace might be cleared that the union of the Kingdomes might be preserved that the popish and prelaticall party might be suppressed that his Majesties offers concerning Religion might be declared unsatisfactory that before his Majesties restitution to the exercise of his Royall power he shall first engage himself by solemn Oath under his hand and Seal to passe Acts for the settlement of the Covenant and Presbyterian Government in all his Dominions c. And never to opposâ— them or endeavour the Change of them An usurer will trust a bankrupt upon easier tearms then they will do their Soveraign and lastly that such persons onely might be intrusted as had given them no cause of jealousie which had been too much and more then any Astates in Europe will take in good part from half a dozen Ministers But afterwards by their publick Declaration to the whole Kirk and Kingdom set forth that not being satisfied in these particulars they do plainly dissent and disagree and declare that they are clearly perswaded in their consciences that the Engagement is of dangerous consequence to true Religion prejudiciall to the Liberty of the Kirk favourable to the Malignant party inconsistent with the union of the Kingdom Contrary to the word of God and the Covenant wherefore they cannot allow either Ministers or any other whatsoever to concurre and cooperate in it and trust that they will keep themselves free in this businesse and choose affliction rather then iniquitie And to say the Truth they made their word good For by their power over the Church-men and by their influence upon the people and by threatening all those who engaged in that action with the censures of the Church they retarded the Levies they deterred all preachers from accompanying the Army to do divine offices And when Saint Peters keyes would not serve the turn they made use of Saint Pauls sword and gathered the countrey together in arms at Machleene-Moore to oppose the expedition So if the high court of Parliament will set up Persbytery they must resolve to introduce an higher court then themselves which will overtop them for eminency of authority for extent of power and greatnesse of priviledges that is a Nationall Synod First for authority the one being acknowledged to be but an humain convention the other affirmed confidently to be a divine institution The one sitting by vertue of the Kings writ the other by vertue of Gods writ The one as Councellers of the Prince the other as Ambassadours and Vicars of the Sonne of God The one as Burgesses of Corporations the other as Commissioners of Jesus Christ. The one judging by the law of the land the other by the holy Scriptures The one taking care for this temporall life the other for eternall life Secondly for power as Curtius saith ubi multitudo vana religione capta â—st melius vatibus sâ—uis quam ducibus paret where the multitude is led with superstition they do more readily obey their Prophets then their Magistrates Have they not reason Pardon us O Magistrate thou threatenst us with prison they threaten us with hell fire Thy sentence deprives us of civill protection and the benefit of the law so doth theirs indirectly and withall makes us strangers to the common-wealth of Israel Thou canst outlaw us or horn us and confiscate our estates their keyes do the
their Subjects They allow them some sort of judgement over Ecclesiastical persons in their civill capacities for it is little according to their rules which ever is not Ecclesiasticall or may not be reduced to Ecclesiasticall But over Ecclesiastick persons as they are Ecclesiasticks or in Ecclesiasticall matters they ascribe unto them no judgment in the world They say it cannot stand with the Word of God that no Christian Prince ever claimed nor can claime to himself such a power If the Magistrate will be contented to wave his Power in Ecclesiasticall matters and over Ecclesiasticall persons as they are such and give them leave to do what they list and say what they list in their Pulpits in their Consistories in their Synods and permit them to rule the whole Commonwealth in order to the advancement of the Kingdome of Christ. If he will be contented to become a subordinate Minister to their Assemblies to see their decrees executed then it may be they will become his good Masters and permit him to injoy a part of his civill power When Sovereigns are made but accessaries and inferiours do become principals when stronger obligations are devised than those of a Subject to his Sovereign it is time for the Magistrate to look to himself these are prognosticks of insuing storms the avant curriers of seditious tumults When Supremacy lights into strange and obscure hands it can hardly contain it self within any bounds Before our Disciplinarians be well warmed in their Ecclesiasticall Supremacy they are beginning or rather they have already made a good progresse in the invasion of the temporall Supremacy also CHAP. VII That the Disciplinarians cheat the Magistrate of his Civill Power in order to Religion THat is their sixt incroachment upon the Magistrate and the verticall point of Jesuitism Consider first how many civil causes they have drawn directly into their Consistories and made them of Ecclesiasticall cognisance as fraud in bargaining false weights and measures oppressing one another c. and in the case of Ministers bribery peâ—jury theft fighting usury c. Secondly Consider that all offences whatsoever are made cognoscible in their Consistories in case of scandall yea even such as are punishable by the civill Sword with death If the civill Sword foolishly spare the life of the offender yet may not the Kirk be negligent in their office which is to excommunicate the wicked Thirdly They ascribe unto their Ministers a liberty and power to direct the Magistrate even in the Managerie of civill Affairs To governe the Commonwealth and to establish civill Laws is proper to the Magistrate To interpret the Word of God and from thence to shew the Magistrate his duty how he ought to governe the Commonwealth and how he ought to use the Sword is comprehended in the office of the Minister for the holy Scripture is profitable to shew what is the best governement of the Commonwealth And again all the duties of the second Table as well as the first between King and Subject Parents and Children Husbands and Wives Masters and servants c. are in difficult cases a subject of cognisance and judgement to the Assemblies of the Kirk Thus they are risen up from a judgment of direction to a judgement of Jurisdiction And if any persoâ—s Magistrates or others dare act contrary to this judgement of the Assembly as the Parliament and Committee of Estates did in Scotland in the late expedition they make it to be an unlawfuâ—l ingagement a sinfuâ—l War contrary to the Testimonies of Gods servants and decree the parties so offending to be suspended from the communion and from their offices in the Kirk I confesse Ministers do well to exhort Christians to be careâ—ull honest industrious in their speciall callings but for them to meddle pragmatically with the mysteries of particular Tradâ—s and much more with the mysteries of State which never came within the compasse of their shallow capacities is a most audacious insolence and an insufferable presumption They may as well teach the Pilot how to steer his course in a tempest or the Physician how to cure the distempers of his patient But their highâ—st cheat is that Jesuiticall invention in ordiâ— ad spiritualia they assume a power in worldly affairs indirectly and in order to the advancement of the Kingdome of Christ. The Ecclesiasticall Ministry is conversant spiritually about civill things Again must not duties to God whereof the securing of Religion is a main one have the Supreame and first place duties to the King a subordinate and second place The case was this The Parliament levied forces to â—ree their Kings out of prison A meet civill duty But the Commissioners of the Assembly declare against it unlesse the King will first give assurance under hand and seal by solemne oath that he will establish the Covenant the Presbyterian Discipline c. in all his Dominions and never indeavour any change thereof least otherwise his liberty might bring their bygone proceedings about the League and Covenant into question there is their power in ordine ad spiritualia The Parliament will restore to the King his negative voice A meer civill thing The Commissioners of the Church oppose it because of the greâ—t dangers that may thereby come to Religion The Parliament name Officers and Commanders for the Army A meer civil thing The Church will not allow them because they want such qualifications as Gods word requires that is to say in plain terms because they were not their confidents Was there ever Church challenged such an omnipotence as this Nothing in this world is so civil or political wherein they do not interest themselves in order to the advancement of the kingdom of Christ. Upon this ground their Synod enacted that no Scotish merchants should from thenceforth traffique in any of the dominions of the King of Spain until his Majesty had procured from that King some relaxation of the rigour of the Inquisition upon pain of excommunication As likewise that the Munday market at Edâ—nburgh should be abolished It seems they thought it ministered some occasion to the breach of the Sabbaâ—h The Merchants petitioned the King to maintain the liberty of their trade He grants their request but could not protect them for the Church prosecuted the poor merchants with their censuers untill they promised to give over the Spanish trade so soon as they had perfected their accounts and payed their Creditors in those parts But the Shoemakers who were most interested in the Munday markets with their tumults and threatenings compâ—lled the Ministers to retract whereupon it became a jest in the City that the Souters could obtain more at the Ministers hands than the King So they may meddle with the Spanish trade or Munday markets or any thing in order to Religion Upon this ground they assume to themselves a power to ratifie Acts of Parliament So the assembly at Edenburgh enacted That the Acts made in the
Parliament at Edenburgh the 24 of August 1560 without either Commission or Proxie from their Sovereign touching Religion c. should have the force of a publick Law And that the said Parliament so far as concerned Religion should be maintained by them c. and be ratified by the first Parialment that should happen to be kept within the Realm See how boâ—d they make with Kings and Parliaments in order to Religion I cannot omit that famous summons which this Assembly sent out not onely to entreat but to admonish â—ll persons truly professing the Lord Jesus within the Realm as well Noble-men as Barons and those of other estates to meet and give their personal appearance at Edenburgh the 20 of Iuly ensuiâ—g for giving their advice and concurrence in matters then to be proponed especially for purging the Realm of Popery establishing the policy of the Church and restoring the patrimony thereof to the just possessours Assuring such as did absent themselves that they should be esteemed dissimulate professours unworthy of the feâ—lowship of Christs flock who thinks your Scotish Disciplinarians know not how to ruffle it Upon this ground they assume a power to abrogate and invalidate Laws and Acts of Parliament if they seem disadvantagious to the Church Church Assemblies have power to abrogate and abolish all statutes and ordinances concerning Ecclesiastical matters that are found noysom and unprofitable and agree not with the times or are abused by the pâ—ople So the Acts of Parliament 1584 at the very same time that they were proclamed were protesied against at the market crosse of Edenburgh by the Ministers in the name of the â—irk of Scotland And a liâ—tle before whatsoever be the Treason oâ— iâ— pugniâ—g the authority of Parliament it can be no Treason to obey God rather than man Neither did the General assembly of Glasgow 1638 c. commit any treason when they impugned Episâ—opacy and Perth-Arâ—icles although ratified by Acts of Parliament and standing laws then unrepealed He saith so far true than we ought rather to obey God than man that is to suffer when we cannot act but to impugn the authority of a lawfull Magistrate is neither to obey God nor man God commands us to die innocent rather than live nocent they teach us rather to live nocent than die innocent Away with these seeds of sedition these rebllious principles Our Master Christ hath left us no such warrant and the unsound practise of an obscure Conventicle is no safe patern The King was surprized at Ruthen by a company of Lords and other conspirators this fact was as plain Treason as could be imagined and so it was declared I say declared not made in Parliament Yet an Assembly Generall no man gain saying did justify that Treason in order to Religion as good and acceptable service to God their Soveraign and native Countrey requiring the Ministers in all their Churches to commend it to the people and exhort all men to concurre with the actors as they tendred the glory of God the full deliverance of the Church and perfect reformation of the Commonwealth threatning all those who subscribed not to their judgement with Excommunication We see this is not the first time that Disciplinarian Spectacles have made abominable Treason to seem Religion if it serve for the advancement of the good Cause And if were well if they could rest here or their zeale to advance their Ecclesiasticall Soveraignty by force of Armes and effusion of Christian blood would confine it self within the limits oâ— Scotland No those bounds are too narrow for their pragmaticall spirits And for busâ—e Bishops in other mens Diocesses see the Articles of Sterling That the securing and setling Religion at home and promoting the work of Reformation abroad in England and Ireland be referred to the determination of the General Assembly of the Kirk or their Commissioners What is old Edenburgh turned new Rome and the old Presbyters young Cardinals and their Consistory a Conclave and their Committees a Juncto for propagating the faith Themselves stand most in need of Reformation If there be a mote in the eye of our Church there is a beam in theirs Neither want we at home God be praised those who are a thousand times fitter for learning for piety for discretion to be reformers then a few giddy innovators This I am sure since they undertook our cure against our wills they have made many fat Church-yards in England Nothing is more civill or essentiall to the Crowne then the Militia or power of raising Armes Yet we have seen in the attempt at Ruthen in their Letter to the Lord Hamilton in their Sermons what is their opinion They insinuate as much in their Theorems It is lawfull to resist the Magistrate by certain extraordinary wayes or meanes not to be ordinarily allowed It were no difficult task out of their private Authors to justifie the barbarous acts that have been committed in England But I shall hold my selfe to their publike actions and records A mutinous company of Citizens forced the gates of Halyrood-house to search for a Priest and plunder at their plrasure M. Knox was charged by the Councell to have bin the author of the sedition and further to have convocated his Mâ—jesties Subjects by Letters missivâ— when he pleased He answered that he was no preacheâ— of Rebellion but taught people to obey their Princes in the Lord I seâ—â— he tâ—ught them likewise that he and they were the competâ—nt judges what is obedience in the Lord. He confessed his convocating of the Subjects by vertue of a command form the Church to advertise the brethren when he saw a â—ecessity of their meeting especially if he perceived Religion to be in peril Take another instance The Assembly having received an answer from the King about the tryall of the Popish Lords not to their contentment resolve all to convéne in Armes at the place appointed for the tryall whereupon some were left at Edinburgh to give timely advertisement to the rest The King at his return gets notice of it calls the Ministers before him shewes them what an undutifull part it was in them to levy Forces and draw his Subjects into Armes without his warrant The Ministers pleaded That it was the cause of God in defence whereof they could not be deficient This is the Presbyterian wont to subject all causes and persons to their Consistories to ratifie and abolish civill Lawes to confirm and pull down Parliaments to levy Forces to invade other Kingdoms to do any thing respectively to the advancement of the good cause and in order to Religion CHAP. VIII That the Disciplinarians challenge this exorbitant Power by Divine Right BEhold both Swords spirituall and temporall in the hands of the Presbytery the one ordinarily by common right the other extraordinarily the one belonging directly to the Church the other indirectly the one of the Kingdom of Christ the other for his
Kingdom in order to the propagation of Religion See how these hoc as pocases with stripping up their sleeves and professions of plain-dealing with declaiming against the tyranny of Prelates under the pretense of humility and Ministeriall duty have wrested the Scepter out of the hand of Majesty and jugled themselves into as absolute a Papacy as ever was within the walls of Rome O saviour behold thy Vicars and see whither the pride of the servants of thy servants is ascended Now their Consistories are become the Tribunalls of Christ. That were strange indeed I Christ hath bet one Tribunall his Kingdome is not of this world Their determinations passe for the Santence of Christ. Alas there is too much fiction and passion and ignorance in their Presbyteries Their Synodall Acts go for the Lawes of Christ. His Lawes are immutable mortall man may not persume to alter them or to adde to them but these men are chopping and changing their constitutions every day Their Elders must be looked upon as the commissioners of Christ. It is impossible Geneva was the first City where this discipline was hatched though since it hath lighted into hucksters hands In those dayes they magnified the platform of Geneva for the pattern sheâ—ed in the mount But there the Presbyters at their admission take an oath to observe the Ecclesiasticall Ordinances of the small great and generall Councels of thâ—t City Can any man be so stupid as to think that the high Commissioners of Christ swear fealty to the Burgers of Geneva Now forsooth their Discipline is become the Scepter of Christ the Eternall Gospel See how successe exalts mens desires and demands In good time where did this Scepter lye hid for 1500 yeers that we cannot finde the least footsteps of it in the meanest village of Christendom This world drawes towards an end was this discipline fitted and contrived for the world to come Or how should it be the Eternal Gospel When every man sees how different it is from it self in all Presbyterian Churches adapted and accommodated to the civill policy of each particular place where it is admitted except only Scotland where it comes in like a Conqueror and makes the Civill Power stoop and strike top saile to it Certainly if it be the Gospel it is the fifth Gospel for it hath no kindred with the other foure There is not a Text which they wrest against Episcopacy but the Independants may with as much colour of reason and truth urge it against their Presbyteries Where doth the Gospel distinguish between temporary and perpetuall Rulers Between the Government of a person and of a corporation There is not a Text which they produce for their Presbytery but may with much more reason be alledged for Episcopacy and more agreeable to the analogie of faith to the perpeâ—uall practice and belif of the Catholick Church to the concurrent Expositions of all Interpreters and to the other Texts of holy Scripâ—uâ—e for untill this new modell was yesterday devised none of those Texts were ever so understood When the practise ushers in the doctrine it is very suspicious or rather evident that the Scripture was not the rule of their reformation but their subsequent excuse This jure devino is that which makes their sore incurable themselves incorrigible that they father their own brat upon God Almighty and make this Mushrome which sprung but up the other night to be of heavenly dâ—scent It is just like the doctrine of the Popâ—s infallibility which shuâ—s the door against all hope of remedy How should they be brought to reform their errors who belâ—eve they cannot erre or they be brought to renounce their drowsy dreams who take it for granted that they are divine revelations And yet when that wise Prince King Iames a little before the Nationall Assembly at Perth published in print 55 Articles or Questions concerning the uncertainty of this Discipline and the vanity of their pretended plea of divine right and concerning the errours and abuses crept into it for the better preperation of all men to the ensuing Synod that Ministers might study the point beforehand and speak to the purpose they who stood effected to that way were extremely perplexed To give a particular account they knew well it was impossible but their chifest trouble was that their foundation of divine right which they had given out all this while to be a solid rock should come now to be questioned for a shaking quagmire And so without any opposition they yeelded the bucklers Thus it continued untill these unhappy troubles when they started aside again like broken bowes This plant thrives better in the midst of tumults then in the times of peace and tranquillity The Elme which supports it is a factioâ—â— multitude but a prudent and couragious Magistrate nips it iâ— the bud CHAP. IX That this Discipline makes a monster of the Commonwealth WE have seen how pernicious this Discipline as it is maintained in Scotland and endeavoured to be introduced into England by the Covenant is to the supreme Magistrate how it robs him of his Supremacy in Ecclesiasticall affaires and of the last appeals of his own Subjects that it exempts the Presbyters from the power of the Magistrate and subjects the Magistrate to the Presbyters that it restraines his dispensative power of pardoning deprives him of the dependance of his Subjects that it doth challenge and usurp a power paramount both of the word and of the Sword both of Peace and War over all Courts and Estates over all Laws Civill and Ecclesiasticall in order to the advencement of the Kingdom of Christ wherof the Presbyters alone are constiâ—â—ted rulers by God and all this by a pretended divine right which takes away all hope of remedy untill it be hissed out of the world in a word that it is the top-branch of Popery a greater tyranny then ever Rome was guilty of It remains to show how disadvantagious it is also to the Subject First to the Common-wealth in generall which it makes a Monster like an Amphishbaina or a Serpent wiâ—h two heads one at either end It makes a coordination of Soveraignty in the same Society two supermes in the same Kingdom or State the one Civill the other Ecclesiasticall then which nothing can be more pernicious either to the consciences or the estates of Subjects when it falls out as it often doth that from these two heads issue contrary commands If the Trumpet give an uncertain sound who shall prepare himself to the battel Much more when there are two Trumpets and the one sounds an Alarm the other a Retreat What should the poor Souldier do in such a case or the poor Subject in the other case If he obey the Civill Magistrate he is sure to be excommunicated by the Church if he obey the Church he is sure to be imprisoned by the Civill Magistrate What shall become of him I know no remedy but according to Solomons sentence the living
Covenant issued out by the Kings Authority this Covenant without his Authority against his Authority that Covenant was for the Lawes of the Realm this is against the Lawes of the Realm that was to maintain the Religion established this to overthrow the Religion established But because I will not ground my Discourse upon any thing that is disputable either in matter of Right or Fact And in truth because I have no need of them I forgive them these advantages onely with this gentle memento That when other forraign Churches and the Church of Soctland it selfe as appeares by their publike Liturgy used in those dayes did sue for aid and assistance from the Crown and Kingdom of England they did not go about to obtrude their owne Discipline upon them but left them free to choose for themselves The grounds which follow are demonstrative First no man can dispose that by vow or otherwise either to God or man which is the right of a third person without his consent Neither can the inferiour oblige himself to the prejudice of his Superiour contrary to his duty without his Superiours allowance God accepts no such pretences to seem obsequious to him out of the undoubted right of another person Now the power of Armes and the defence of the Lawes and portection of the Subjects by those Armes is by the Law of England clearly invested in the Crowne And where the King is bound in conscience to protect the Subject is bound in conscience to assist Therefore every English Subject owes his Armes and his Obedience to his King and cannot dispose them as a free gift of his owne nor by any act of his whatsoever diminish his Soveraignes right over him but in those things wherein by Law he owes subjection to his Prince he remaineth still obliged notwithstanding any Vow or Covenant to the contrary especially when the subject and scope of the Covenant is against the konwn Lawes of the Realm So as without all manner of doubt no Divine or Learned Casuist in the world dissenting This Covenant is either void in it self or at least voided by his Majesties Proclamation prohibiting the taking of it and nullifying its obligation Secondly It is confessed by all men that that an Oath ought not to be the bound of iniquity nor doth oblige a transgressour The golden rule is in malis prâ—missis rescinde fidem in turpi voto muta decretum To observe a wicked engagement doubles the sinne Nothing can be the matter of a Vow or Covenant which is evidently unlawfull But it is evidently unlawfull for a Subject or Subjects to alter the Lawes established by force without the concurrence and against the commands of the Supreme Legislator for the introduction of a forraign Discipline This is the very matter and subject of the Covenant Subjects vow to God and swear one to another to change the Lawes of the Realm to abolish the Discipline of the Church and the Liturgy lawfully established by the Sword which was never committed to their hands by God or man without the King against the King which no man can deny in earnest to be plain rebelâ—ion And it is yet the worse that it is to the main prejudice of a third order of the Kingdom the taking away whose rights without their consents without making them satisfaction cannot be justified in point of conscience Yea though it were for the greater convenience of the Kingdom as is most falsely pretended And is harder measure than the Abbots and Friers received from Hanry the eight or than either Christians or Turkes do offer to their conquered enemies Lastly a supervenient oath or covenant either with God or man cannot take away the obligation of a just oath precedent But such is the Covenant a subsequent oath inconsistent with and destuructive to a precedent oath that is the oath of Supremacy which all the Church-men throughout the Kingdome all the Parliament men at their admission to the house all persons of quality throughout England have taken The former oath acknowledgeth the King to be the onely supreame head that is civill head to see that every man do his duty in his calling and Governour of the Church of England The second aoth or covenant to set up the Presbyterian Gouernment as it is in Scotland denieth all this virtually maks it a politicall papacy acknowledgeth no governors but onely the Presbyters The former oath gives the King the supream power over all persons in all causes The second oath gives him a power over all persons as they are subjects but none at all in Ecclesiasticall causes This they make to be sacriledge By all which it is most apparent that this Covenant was neither free nor deliberate nor valide nor lawfull nor consistent with our former oathes but inforced deceitfull invalid impious rebellious and contradictory to our former ingagements and consequently obligeth no man to performance but all men to repentance For the greater certainty whereof I appeale upon this stating of the case to all the learned Casuists and Divines in Europe touching the point of common right And that this is the true state of the case I appeal to our adversaries themselves No man that hath any spark of ingenuity will denie it No English-man who hath any tolerable degree of judgement or knowledge in the laws of his countrey can denie it but at the same instant his conscience must give him the lie They who plead for this rebellion dare not put it to a triall at law they doe not ground their defence upon the lawes but either upon their own groundlesse jealosie and fears of the Kings intention to introduce Popery to subvert the lawes and to enslaâ—e the people This is to run into a certain crime for fear of an uncertain They who intend to pick quarrels know how to feign suspicions Or they ground it upon the succâ—sse of their arms or upon the Soveraigne right of the people over all lawes and Magistrates whose Representatives they create themselves whilest the poor people sigh in corners and dare not say their soul is their own lamenting their former folly to have contributed so much to their own undoing Or lastly upon Religion the cause of God the worst plea of all the rest to make God accessary to their treasons murthers covetousnesse ambition Christ did never authorise Subjects to plant Christian Religion much lesse their own fancticall dreames or fantasticall devises in the blood of their Soveraigne and fellow subjects Speak out is it lawfull for Subjects to take up arms against their Prince meerly for Religion or is it not lawfull If ye say it is not lawfull ye condemn your selves for your Covenant testifieth to the world that ye have taken up armes meerly to alter Religion and that ye bear no Allegiance to your King but onely in order to Religion that is in plain terms to to your own humours and conceits If ye say it is lawfull ye justifie the Independents in England for