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
cumulative and onely auxiliary or assisting Besides the power which they call abusively authoritative but is indeed ministeriall of executing their decrees and contributing to their settlement they ascribe to the Magistrate concerning the Acts of Synods that which every private man hath a judgement of â—iscretion but they retain to themselves the judgement of Iurisdiction And if he judge not as they would have him but suspend out of conscience thâ— influence of his politicall power where they would have him exercise it they will either teach him another point of Popery that is an implicite faith or he may perchance â—eel the weight of their Church-censures and find quickly what manner of men they be as our late Gratious King Charles and before him his Father his Grandmother and his great Grandmother did all to their cost Then in plain English what is this politicall Power to call Synods to preside in Synods and to ratifie Synods which these good men give to the Magistrate and magnifie so much I shall tell the truth It is a duty which the Magistrate ows to the Kirk when they think necessary to have a Synod convocated to strengthen their summons by a civill Sanction to secure them in coming to the Synod and returning from the Synod to provide them good accommodation to protect them from dangers to defend their Rights and Priviledges To compel obstinate persons by civill Laws and punishments to submit to their censures and decrees What gets the Magistrate by all this to himself He may put it all in his eye and see never a whit the worse For they declare expresly that neither all the power nor any part of the power which Synods have to deliberate of or to define Ecclesiasticall things though it be in relation to their own Subjects doth flow from the Magistrate but because in those things which belong to the outward man mark the reason the Church stands in need of the help of the Magistrate Fair fall aâ— ingenuous confession they attribute nothing to the Magistrate but only what may render him able to serve their own turns and supply their needs I wish these men would think a little more of the distinction between habituall and actuall Jurisdiction After a School-master hath his License to teach yet his actuall Jurisdiction doth proceed from the Parents of his Scholars And though he enjoy a kind of Supremacy among them he must not think that this extinguisheth either his own filiall duty oâ— theirs Like this power of presiding politically in Synods is the other power which they give him of reforming the Church that is when the State of the Church is corrupted but not when it is pure as they take it for granted that it is when the Jurisdiction is in their own hands Although godly Kings and Princes sometiâ—â— by their own Authority when the Kirk is corrupted and all things out of order place Ministers and restore the true service of the Lord after the example of some godly Kings of Iudâ—â— and divers godly Emperours and Kings also in the light of the New Testament yet where the Ministry of the Kirk is once lawfully constituted and they that are placed do their office faithfully all godly Princes and Magistrates ought to hear and obey their voice and reverence the Majesty of the Son of God speaking in them Leave this jugling who shall judge when the Church is corrupted the Magistrates or Church-men if the Magistrates why not over you as well as others If the Church-men why not others as well as you here is nothing to be answered but to beg the question that they only are the true Church Hear another witnesse in evill and troublesome times and in a lapsed state of affairs when the order instituted by God in the Church is degenerated to Tyranny to the trampling upon the true Religion and oppressing the professors of it when nothing is sound the godly Magistrate may do some things which ordinarily are not lawfull c. But ordinarily and of common right in Churches already constituted if a man flye to the Magistrate complaining that he is injured by the abuse of Ecclesiasticall Discipline or if the Sentence of the Presbyteries displease the Magistrate either in point of Discipline or of Faith he must not therefore draw such causes to a civill tribunall nor introduce a Politicall Papacy And as the Magistrate hath power in extraordinary causes when the Church is wholly corrupted to reforme Ecclesiasticall abuses so if the Magistrate shall Tyrannize over the Church it is lawfull to oppose him by certain wayes and meanes extraordinarily how ever ordinarily not to be allowed This is plain dealing the Magistrate cannot lawfully reforme them but in cases extraordinary and in cases extraordinary they may lawfully reforme the Magistrate â—y meanes not to be ordinâ—rily allowed that is by force of armes See the principles from whence all our miseries and the losse of our gratious Master hath flowed and learn to detest them They give the Magistrate the custody of both Tables so they do give the same to themselves they keep the second Table by admonishing him he keeps the first Table by assisting them they reforme the abuses of the first Table by ordinary right of the sâ—cond Table extraordinariâ—y He reforms the abuses against the second Table by ordinary right and the abuses against the first Table extraordinarily But can the Magistrate according to their learning call the Syâ—od to an account for any thing they do can he remedy the ertoâ—rs of a Synod either in Doctrine or Discipline No if Magistrates had power to change or diminish or restraine the Rights of the Church the Condition of the Church should be worse and their Liberties less under a Christian Magistrate than undâ—r an Heathen For say they Parliaments and supreame Senates are no more infallible thâ—n Synods and in matters of Faith and Discipline more apt to â—rre And again the Magistrate is â—ot judge of Spirituall causâ—s coâ—troverted in the Church And if he decree any thing in such businesses according to the wisdom of the flesh and not according to the rule of Gods Word and the wisdome which is from above he must give an account of iâ— unto God Or may the Supreame Magistrate oppose the execution of their discipline practised in their Presbyteries or Synods by Laws oâ— prohibitions No it is wickednesse If he do so farre abuse his Authority good Christians must rather suffer extremities thâ—â— obey him Then what remedy hath the Magistrate if he find himself griâ—ved in this case He may desire and procure a review in another Nationall Synod that the matter may be lawfully determined by Ecclesiasticall judgement Yet upon this condition the notwithstanding the future review the first sentence of the Synod be executed without delay This is one main branch of Popery and agrosse incrochment upon the right of the Magistrate CHAP. III. That this Discipline
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