the place of Bishops as well to admit and exauctorate Ministers as to administrate diuine seruice Philadel ibid. pag. 3. Statuit Ecclesia ex selectissimis Pastoribus duodecem eligi quibus daretur in designatis sibi prouinciis potestas sacra administrandi auctorandi exauctorandi pastores hos superintendentes apellabant insumptum maiori stipendio instruebant Not long after whether the emenencie of superintendents did become suspicious to generall assemblies Ibid. p. 4. or whether they did not keepe their accounts streight they were first tied to a yeerely account to the brethren assembled after that certaine Commissioners of the Ministrie were adioyned to them as it seemeth to keepe them within the limits of their iniunctions howsoeuer superintendents and the former Bishops were onely fires to premature the ensuing anarchy thundred out by Iohn Knox by whom the gouernment of the Church was wholly directed In hoc negotio nemo nescit maiorem Knoxii quam omnium superintendentium luudem fuisse Vind. Phil. pag. 27. Phila. p. 5. In the assembly holden at Leeth anno 1571. Ianuary 12. Bishops were againe established but not without opposition following the next yeere in the Sinod holden at Pearthe wherein the disciples of Knox made earnest protestation against the gouernment of Bishops Anno 1573. the generall assemblies did inioyne Bishops to haue no further authoritie then superintendents had before Ibid. In the assembly holden at Edenborrough ann 1575. it was disputed whether the office of a Bishop was a place of charge or of dignitie a Thesis not vnlike that of the Popish Clergy making question to whom the Lords Prayer should be directed Pag. 6. In the assembly following at Edenborrough anno 1576. the office of Bishops is declared titular and they tyed to the gouernment of one Flocke without supremacy at all ouer other Pastours so that now they are a Stage lower then superintendents with whom they were equals by the Canons of the former assembly Ibid. Anno. 1577. the second booke of Church gouernment was confirmed and published the Hierarchy of Bishops condemned and new lawes of discipline established Ibid. In the assembly holden at Dundie anno 1580. Bishops were deuested of all authority their office declared to be a humane inuention receiued to the preiudice of the Church to bee razed out of the gouernment thereof and they inioyned to yeeld to this decree vnder the paine of excommunication But lest such dayly nouations might argue Proteus-like changes in this gouernment Ibid. Philadelphus subioyneth a reason multae erant de negligentia ignorantia Episcoporum quaerelae Such lips such latice or a mad conclusion of a fond proposition as if I should say because Philadelphus Didoclauius and the like fire-brands are the staines of the Ministry and disturbers of the Church therefore the office of all Pastors is vtterly to be defaced and forbidden the cases are matches if the one may stand in Law the other may and if we condemne the one wee must condemne the other for if we reason from the abuse of good things to the remouing of them we shall fall into an anarchy and ouerthrow all reason In the assembly holden at Glascow 1581. Aprill 24. Ibid. pag. 6. Presbiteriall gouernment and what else might aduance democratie was established and continued without great encrease till the assembly holden 1590. that paritie began to waxe like a gourd then were Commissioners or Prouinciall ouer-seers discharged and their power conferred vpon Presbiteriall assemblies as the vndoubted right of those pupils that were but nine yeeres of age Comissionariorum siue visitatorum prouinciarum potestas abrogata est Phil. p. 6. eorumque munus Presbiteriis tanquam ius suum concessum est Phil. p. 6. From the beginning of Presbiteriall gouernment vnto anno 1600. or thereabouts by the records of generall prouincial presbiteriall assemblies and Parochiall sessions nothing is to be found but the Austrian plus vltra dayly encroacht vpon and euery day new deuises In the time of this raging confusion Maiesty was ouer-swayed with clamourous railing faction incited maintained and defended by adherence of most part of the Ministrie to the strongest partie of those combustions that were too common in those dayes but now are happily remoued by the wisdome of that King whom refractarie furies hath from his very infancie so barbarously insolently and vnthankefully opposed that by diuine and nationall Lawes iustly might hee haue curbed such madnesse with a more strict censure then by his milde and royall regrate in his learned Princely Basilicon Doron Epist Altar Damasc that he had found more trueth and loyaltie amongst the dregs of his Subiects then with those who against all moderation and the conscience of their profession had left no practise vnassayed against Soueraigntie that either faction or vulgar applause could conciliate I might add here many rare paradoxes insolent misdemeanours and bold attempts not beseeming Christian sobrietie much lesse the approbation of a well settled gouernment but if it appeare that eithet the frame or administration pictured by Philadelphus bee orderly or any way sorting with an happy gouernement I desire to know what is anarchie disloyaltie and sedition but I leaue the pressure of such festered sores and continue my enquirie in the late actions of that impure Spawne of those Separatists whose Grachus doctrine Catechisme of sedition schoole of faction is neither compatible with the Lawes of God or Empire or any thing else then the ouer flowing of the surfetting stomach of Muncer the Anabaptist who drunke in selfe-conceit did bost to conquer the world with the sword of the Spirit Et cogere vniuersum orbem gladio Gedeonis ad nonum Christi regnum instituendum Gual Tug But lest any man should doubt of the perfection of the gouernment so highly aduanced Philadelp p. 7. Philadelphus crownes it with tum quidem bene currebamus It is well said Sir yet giue me leaue to tell you that oft times the more haste the worse speede and that festina lente in gouernment is more sure and commeth oft times more safely home then that hot spurre that either spoyles his horse or runneth himselfe out of winde or ioynt or as your anarchie that was rotten before it was ripe Yet let vs heare an vncharitable glosse vpon an Apocriphall text or the reason which Philadelphus giueth that this happines was interrupted by the bringing in of Bishops Diabolus sayth he hanc faelicitatem inuidens tertium Episcoporum genus noua arte supposuit Philad ibid. For answer to such prophane censures I can say no lesse then that as his former running course did shew more will then wisdome and hath shortned the life of consistorian discipline and prematured violence so is his ragged reason against all reason or probabilitie that the Prince of darkenesse and confusion should enuy anarchy and haue any hand in the frame of good gouernment which is a chiefe type
of Gods presence and the snafle that curbeth the pride selfe-conceit and presumption of vnstayed spirits who oft times in repining against Magistracy are authours in their owne destruction Thus haue you heard how Didoclauius and Philadelphus doe tilt at King and Clergy now you shall heare another bird of that same feather runne the wild-Goose chase at Councell and Court taking aime through a false looking glasse lately framed by a Scotish Separatist and steeled or put in a rauing stile at Leiden by an English Brownist Specul bell Sacr. pag. 97. A forme-changing Proteus saith this new Doctor a trecherous Seianus a time seruing Abiathar a Statizing Achitophel a calumniating Doeg are the only Councellours but Constantine tryed his Courtiers fidelitie to him by their piety towards God but now a man truly religious is thought vnfittest for state affairs a The Doctors reason because they cannot say he is an honest man but with this conditionall if he were not a ranke Puritan The first part of this bold vntrue calumny deserueth rather the examination of a whip then of a pen or of a pillory then of a reply yet I wish that the fond foole the Authour should know that his Maiesty hath moe truly religious wise learned loyall Councellours and Courteours then there be honest men Puritans of his opinion in the whole world in which large circumference I doe verily thinke there is not one On the contrary I may truly affirme that there be few Courts or Statesmen in Europe or elsewhere can paralell none exceed either the fidelity or integrity of those in great Britaine if all be not a like affected or any otherwise enclined then human eyes can see or the wisdome of a wise King preuent God must be their iudge and their conscience their witnesse A runnagate that hath put his hand from Gods plough This Lybeller was once a Minister but did lately cōmence Doctor of physicke at Leiden and turned Quackesaluer is not to censure those whom he ought not to name but with honourable humble respect The brethren of his owne profession whom he calleth truly religious and whom in all his applications hee thinketh the only able men to rule both Church Court and Campe are thought vnfit as he saith for State affaires To that part I answer that euery good subiect hath great cause to thanke God that our King is more wise then to admit any into his Councell or affaires of State whom all men besides themselues know to be fairded with false colours of religion and more fit to be fagots for combustion of State then to be helpers in supporting the heauy frame of Empire because diseases of this kinde are hereditary to most of this family infusing from one to another a taint or staggers in their vitall spirits as if they were bitten with a mad Dog which frenzie maketh them vnseruiceable either in Church or Commonwealth but specially to bee vncapable to bee vpon Councell of Kings who are the onely barres that impeach their proceedings for this cause they cunningly labour to induce the people to condole their yoke of obedience cast off such fetters and purchase their libertie The reason which the Doctor giueth is like his physicall receipts which trouble his patients more then the disease for certainly if we may call these Puritans whom this lybeller esteemeth to be so King Councell and Court haue iust cause to take exception at the very name which is but a staine of Puritanisme for my part if it bee lawfull to iudge men by their actions I may safely say that he can neuer be an honest man to God and to his countrey that conceiueth such damnable thoughts farre lesse he that publisheth such hellish positions and that besides all other poysonable trash euery where intermixt in this Doctors bitter pilles this one Colaquintida so corrupts all his other drugs that it proclaimeth him to to be an impudent rayler a Pseudo-puritan or rotten hearted hypocrite and not a Puritan of which number I wish my selfe and all others to be if human infirmitie might aime at such perfection so long as it is clothed with mortalitie But thus it falleth out that as well the best men as their best actions set and performed on the conspicuous Theater of the world are alwayes attended and entertained with blacke detraction and calumnie the deformed Brats of malecontents ignorance or enuy who loath the Nectar-like drops that fall from heauen vpon sweet flowers and delight onely to sucke the poysonable iuyce of gall and wormwood Hence it is that factious spirits violently agitated with outragious passion of singularitie enuy anger desire of rule and popular applause are onely quiet in commotions Stob. apud Plut. peaceable in tumults happy in calamities disaffecting no lesse amicable concord then regal power and authoritie thereby offring vnto Gods deputies and their iust commands the pests and poysons of their infected and ill affected minds imitating those barbarous nations who in their sacrifices did offer the gall and vilest parts of their beasts What can we call the malitious censuring of sacred persons or designes but a kind of sacriledge and blasphemy both against God and Kings of whom all discourse ought to be full of Religion reuerence and respect O mercifull God! what wit is able to sound the depth of those dangerous euils whereinto the malitious nature of scismaticall sedition vailed with religion is able to sinke it selfe rather then to acknowledge error in those things which it hath taken vpon it to defend Course of conformitie pag. 88. against the streame of publike resolution ranked in the eyes of singularitie with the most tyrannous gouernement that euer did see the Sun Miserum est peccare miserius delectari miserrimum excusare tum demum consumata amentia est cum ad studium malum opinio quedam pietatis accesserit The motto of Iacke Straw Wyat Kett was viuat Euangeliū now the pretext of conscience is a cullour of disobedience to euery casheerd Leuite or ignorant consistorian whose studies are by wresting Scripture to destroy vnitie beget a scisme in the hearts or subiects and make it their common place in writings discourse or in the Pulpit to leape from the liues of their flockes to enueigh against gouernment and presumptuously incroach without all reuerence vpon the affaires of Princes as they were able to demolish the walles of the Church shake the foundations of the State and liue Libertines without controlement When authoritie commaundeth any thing that is to be presumed not against but for aduancement of Religion I would gladly know who is to be confer whether the things commanded be lawfull or not or whether some singular contentious or malecontented spirits transported with wrong ends may oppose the Church in his Maiesties lawes giuing life vnto them If Authoritie at any time swerue from the strict obseruance of religion in its owne integritie in matters of discipline that remissenes ought to
incite Church-men to deuotion and pietie to explaine the sense of Scripture with all humilitie to acquaint as well Princes as people with the will of God by preaching to turne the wrath of God from them by prayer that so obtaining a blessing vpon their labours they may by practise confirme such in the faith by their workes as they haue wonne by their words to embrace and beleeue it Ex pede Herculem the tree is knowne by the fruite and not by the florishing shadowes of substance Exclamation and railing howsoeuer personated in religious habit is not so much to the preseruation of religion as the Romans did superstitiously imagine the keckling of Geese was to the safety of the Capitolium Ambros serm de obed Contentious bitternesse is as opposite to the peace of the Church as oyle to the quenching of fire God is not in the bitter diuision or alienation of affections nor in the raging fire of seditions nor in turbulent tempests and whirlewinds of contradictions and discentions But his blessed Spirit is in the sweet gentle breach and still calme winde of peace and concord If any man say they are warranted by their conscience contentiously to impugne authoritie anull the lawes of a free Monarchy and make a Metamorhposis of religion at their pleasure when euery misconception tickleth their fancy I answer that they balke the high way wherein they ought to walke neglect the maine end at which they should driue and aime obliquely at priuate gaine vaine glory satisfaction of some base humour or passion If our conscience tels vs this or that and cannot proue what it tells but by shifts coniectures shadows then it is not cōscience at least no true but a lying conscience that so misleads vs no it is rather our fancy our peeuish preiudicate and forward conceit which we are bound to resist and subiect our owne peruerse crooked will to the will of God Melanch Epirom Philos who hath subiected vs to lawfull Magistrates whose hearts are so deepe and vnsearchable by reason of the multiplicitie of affaires and variable waies they are forced to walke for the weale of their people that oft times when they seem to erre to these who ought to bee holden in suspence or that vnderstand not the language of State their actions tels their wisdome to the world as well in protecting their subiects within as curbing their enemies abroad In consideration whereof the booke of publike determination once opened euery liege man is to acquiesse therein because Kings are Gods deputies to execute iustice and iudgement and to leuell singular oppositions by lawes established if they doe it not the fault is theirs to whom the preuention of contempt or animaduersion into such lawes doth belong When Micha will set vp an Idoll and assume a chamber worship to satisfie his erring conscience Iudg. 17.5.6 the reason is subioyned because there was no King in Israel but euery man did what seemed good in his owne eies Conscientia non est contra scientia sed cum scientia our conscience must bee ioyned with knowledge otherwise we Idolatrze vnto our owne hearts whilst we obay an ignorant or etring conscience howsoeuer it may seeme right in the eyes of scismaticks Prouer. 14.12 yet such a conscience is but a melancholy imagination or maleuolent inuention the end whereof are the wayes of death As the Lawes of God must guide our consciences in matters of Faith so the positiue Lawes of the kingdome must be the high way wherin euery good Subiect must walke in actiue obedience in matters not repugnant to that faith Againe Kings are dispensators and dilposers of the law but they are not holden to satisfie euery priuate contentious or curious head which pretend conscience for disobedience or answer euery delinquent with arguments if they did so their worke were infinite It is strange then in the eyes of sound iudgement that some rebellious factious spirits should thus roare range rage as if we had neither Prince Priest nor Iudge The Apostles and Fathers obayed Nero a Monster and Tyrant Dioclesian a cruell persecutor and Iulian an accursed Apostate When there was not a Christian King vpon earth Saint Paul commanded Titus to put the people in remembrance of their obedience to Princes and Rulers Neque aliud remedium proponitur priuatis hominibus tirannis subiectis preter preces lachrymas vitae mendationem There can bee no iust cause enabling subiects to arme against authoritie because a publike action must be warranted with a iust cause a good intention and lawfull authoritie the last whereof can neuer fall into priuate hands which are not to vendicate that cognizance which belongeth to the tribunall of heauen That transcendent Maiestie by whom Kings raigne hath reserued their audit to himselfe that they may be more carefull to keepe their accompts streight and rule with iustice The Iura Regalia of Kings are holden of heauen and cannot escheat to any earthly power farre lesse to a subiect The Law hath two properties the one to shew men what they should doe the other to punish the transgressors the king hath interest in the first but is not further subiect to the secōd then to his Soueraign in heauen whose deputie he is in this inferior Orbe of the earth All popular commotions vnreasonable railing vomiting of vnchristian scandall factious conspiracies and treasonable practices are the badges of disloyall and treacherous subiects who ought to testifie the patience of true Israelites and the obedience of true Christians Arma mea preces meae nec possum nec debeo aliter resistere saith Saint Ambrose Phil. 3.3 The Apostle tels vs That we are to doe nothing in the Church through contention or vaine glory but that in meeknesse of minde euery man thinke another better then himselfe Supporting one another through loue Ephes 4.23 endeauouring to keepe the vnitie of faith in the bonds of peace doing all things without reasoning and murmuring For the end of the Commandements is Loue out of a pure heart and of a good conscience Phil. 2.14 Tim. 1.56 and of faith vnfaigned from which things some haue erred and turned vnto vaine ianglings Now in contempt of these Oracles of direction the discourse of religion doth so busie the world Epist histor the word that it hath well neere driuen the practice of it out of the world where charitie and trueth haue onely their being in termes as the Philosophers materia prima Religious discourse is now so canuased in the mouth of most men yea at the tipling table of euery Scoulding Drab vayled with the name of a Sister that any man might resolue that tooke notice of their zealous discourse patheticall griefes and not of their liues that there were nothing in their desires but the purchase of heauen and that they vsed the world as a reposing place towards their celestiall habitation when on the contrary their actions tell the world that
of thousands vomited by those firebrands whom I haue slightly shadowed and delineate my stile will proue more smooth then such hellish practises deserue or common patience allow and so I come to my three-fold aduertisement FIrst then to come to you my Lords that are Bishops and Rulers by place in the Church of Scotland I neede not to call to your memorie that you are the Sickles vnder your Soueraigne to cut downe euery Weed in the Garden of the Church the Snaffles to bridle Schismes and the Centinels to foresee ne quid detrimenti Ecclesia patiatur You know well that your Authoritie is to cut off the head of this Hidra of Diuision which springeth vp with such violence that your care and vigilancie is so farre as may be to ease his Maiestie of those Tumults wherewith he is dayly so much infested that you are as well to defend euery Breach in the Walls as Rupture in the bodie of the Church and that euery escape of Omission in your places is no lesse lyable to scandall then faults of Commission in your persons Your Innocencie is much wronged by Didoclauius and his brethren Separatists who labour as well by all such secret practises as by publicke Satyrs at home or abroad may draw your Authoritie or Persons into contempt But my hope is that your long patience will call to your consideration that the wisedome of good Gouernment looketh euer exactly at first into the transgression of those Lawes that are to be obserued by future Ages and that Clergie and Learning Magistracie and Lawes are so chayned together that as without Learning the one cannot be instructed so without respect to Lawes Magistracy walketh without attendance and is rather a title of honour then a frame of obedience As we doe not more reuerence and adore God in the stupendious architect of the world then in the wise conduct of it So doe wee not more admire Magistracie in the compassing and composing the extent of their gouernment then in the prudent administration and preseruation thereof from iniustice violence sedition faction and dissention the earthquakes that remoue it from the Center There is no possible way vnto peace and quietnesse vnlesse the probable voyce of euery entire societie or body politike ouer-rule all priuare opinion of that same body Councels are to no purpose if once their determination set downe men may afterwards defend publikely their opinions As these things which the law of God leaueth arbitrary are all subiect to the positiue Lawes of the Church and to be vsed till like authority see iust reasonable cause to alter thē so these Lawes of the Church abridge priuate mens libertie in such things that are not dissonant from the Lawes of God if it were not so we should ouerturne the world and make euery man his own commander and Iudge These considerations I leaue to your fatherly care if I haue said too much or to little purpose it is because I can doe nothing but tattle but if I were able to do more I would doe it that our diuisions might not be tould in Gath nor our nakednesse published in the streets of Askelon IN the second place I come to you of the Ministerie of Scotland or elsewhere within his Maiesties Dominions that are Lanternes of direction vnto your followers To you that thus frame the peoples hearts and on whose shoulders lyeth the burthen of this cause which so troubleth the common Peace I beseech you lend me patient hearing to that which in few wordes I shall deliuer vnto you from my soule and in the sinceritie of my heart and whereof I hope you will iudge more charitable then to thinke that you reade the wordes of an aduersarie against that Truth which you say you professe but of one that desireth to embrace the same Truth with you if it bee Truth Although I be not of the Tribe of Leui yet am I of the Tents of Sem Regard not then who it is that speaketh but weigh the truth of what I shall speake First if without fore-stalled or preiudicate affection you will truely examine that same externall Gouernment established which you oppose you shall finde it such as neither the Law of God or man hitherto alleadged are of sufficient force to disprooue your obedience thereunto but on the contrarie that the Frame of that Gouernment which you maintaine is insufficient to establish any well affected Conscience so long as it opposeth the current of lawfull Authoritie Neither in all your impartiall enquirie shall you finde one cleare proofe whereby it may bee demonstrate that your Opposition is not by mis-conception and error named the Ordinance of IESVS CHRIST Though you much vrge Apostolicall imitation yet my hope is that there is none so obstinate amongst you but will confesse that many things of the same nature were harmelesse in the Apostles times which now would prooue impossible or scandalous as the administration of the Eucharist after supper washing of feet oscula sancta the communitie of goods the feasts of charitie manuall exercise and the like wherof some many yeares after were retained in the Church and now vpon good considerations are remoued and other things established which the former times could not haue and are more fit for the Church of Christ then if for conformities sake to those times they should be taken away Or if a necessitous imitation of Apostolicall times should be yeelded in the externall gouernment of the Church all the passionate exhalations of Didoclauius and the like disturbers of State combined with your best reasons will neuer be able to proue that your compleat form of discipline was wholly practised in any age but in this which for insolencie and contempt may bee called the worst or that it is otherwise warranted but by maruellous poore coniectures and wresting of Scriptures to singular opinions Therefore giue me leaue to intreate you by that humilitie which is the crowne of well affected Christian minds by the obligation which you owe vnto the peace of the Church by the care of your owne soules and saluation of Gods people committed to your charge that beside many other important considerations you will lay before you the necessitie of vnitie and intestine tranquillitie at this time when now or neuer your allegeance challengeth your loyalty and vnited forces Animos vestros commune iungat periculum simultas post sit ne tum denique vestra intelligatis bona cum quae in potestate habetis ea amiseritis Meditate deepely with your best recollected sences that if his Maiestie should now cherish in his owne bosome the least Coale of home-bred Sedition that might obviate the successefull issue of his iust and holy designes the World might iustly take notice that his Royall prouidence is farre short of that care which so long hath vpholden the most peaceable Gouernment that any Age can paralell Call to minde that as God hath giuen him a wise and vnderstanding heart to iudge betwixt good