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A62502 Three treatises concerning the Scotish discipline 1. A fair warning to take heed of the same, by the Right Reverend Dr. Bramhall, Bishop of Derris : 2. A review of Dr. Bramble, late Bishop of London-Derry, his fair warning, &c. by R.B.G. : 3. A second fair warning, in vindication of the first, against the seditious reviewer, by Ri. Watson, chaplain to the Right Honorable the Lord Hopton : to which is prefixed, a letter written by the Reverend Dean of St. Burien, Dr. Creyghton. R. B. G. A review of Doctor Bramble.; Bramhall, John, 1594-1663. Fair warning to take heed of the Scotish discipline.; Baillie, Robert, 1599-1662.; Watson, Richard, 1612-1685.; Creighton, Robert, 1593-1672. 1661 (1661) Wing T1122; ESTC R22169 350,569 378

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the Presbyters answer nor I a leter take which he will in exchange for his name Aedepol nugatorem lepidum lepidé hunc pactu'st… Calophantam an sycophantam hunc magis esse dicam nescio That the whole generation of the praelatike faction as your style it did hyperbolize in zeale against that which they call sacriledge is an argument they were all true bred no bastard children of the Church not so meane condition'd as to sell their spiritual birthright for potage Were your title as good which can appeare to be nothing but your rough hands and red soules with the bloud of the Martyrs of your owne making we should commend so farre as we act our selves your strugling aswell for the inheritance as primogeniture But when we compare our professions or evidences finde our brethren to say that the benefactours and founders of these Ecclesiastike possessions were true Christians though mistaken we thinke in many maters of doctrine and worship yours that that they were Members of Anti-Christ undoubted Idolaters and haeretikes Ours that the Churches which they endowed were Episcopal such as we continue them or to our utmost endeavour it From which you degenerate schismaticallie separating and arming your selves with all resolution rage to demolish beside what other advantage we may use of a nearer union uniformitie in religion more consonant to the minde of the doners at least if such as your malice doth render it litle thinking it may be to have it so unhapilie retorted in that which is the chiefe drift of all your rebelling and covenanting when we thinke of no other restitution but by the possessours consent when it may be transferred to us by the same supreme hand that conserr'd it on them out of which you no sooner get opportunitie and power but you violentlie ravish it calling Princes nobles sacrilegious robbers while they over-power you and deteine it I beleeve all our Religious and prudent Nobilitie will unanimouslie grant our plea more just our proceedings more moderate when God shall if ever touch their consciences not we the skirt of their estates and livelihoods with an humble feare that such an inheritance with-held from such a Church may be sacrilegious indeed with assurance that if it be so 't is sinfull they will not value their lands at so deare a rate as to pay their soules for the purchase but with courage confidence in a blessing from God to be multiplied on their undevoted temporal possessions returne them to him the King I meane from whom they receiv'd them and be beter content that Episcopal Christians then Presbyterian counterfeits should repossesse them But if such of them as are not perswaded in conscience they are oblig'd to restore them upon the arguments we bring which would ne'r be convictive if our plea were no beter then yours shall adventure to leave the suit depending till the Court of heaven give final sentence upon it at their peril be it the Praelates their followers use no violence nor course of law here below to put them out of these their possessions no threats but those against sacriledge in Scripture fearing this may be such no activitic but that of a swift charitie to catch hold of their soules and snatch them out of the snare when they finde them devouring the bate and to put them ante vota before vowes upon making enquirie or if post vota to retract them Therefore such of the Nobilitie and Gentrie as were wakened hereby to take heed of their rights were best have a care they slumber not in the wrong and take Solomons counsel intended Prov. 16. 8. Beter is a litle with righteousnesse then great revenues without right But which requires the Readers advertence for you here to call those the rights of the Nobilitce and Gentrie which so many Assemblies have declar'd to belong jure divino to the Church which in your first booke of Discipline you tell them they had from theeves and murderers and hold as unjust possessions or indeed no possession before God which in your second you hold a detesiable sacriledge before God For you to twit the Praelates with violence threats who are bound in Iohn Knox's bond not onelie to withstand the mercilesse devourers of the Church patrimonie… but to seeke redresse at the hands of God man That declare the same obligation upon you to root out of the Kingdome aswell the monster of sacriledge as that of Episcopacie and so aswell the persons of most your Nobles as the Bishops For you to object a ●…ourse of law and activitie who by incessant demands and praeter legal devices never gave over till the lawes that annexed lands to the crowne were repealed For you to bragge of your last Parliament's con●…irmation of titles because your last Assemblie power could not reach beyond the destruction of patronages What is this but apertlie Sucophantein calophantein to fawne accuse dissemble destroy flater your with mouth while you spread a net for their feet and worke the ruine of their persons and estates If Noblemen once abase themselves to be Elders of every ordinarie Presbyterie it 's not to be doubted but evey ordinarie Presbyter takes himselfe for their fellow if not their superiour which they finde to their griefe Therefore all or most respect that they give to their gracious Ministers is alas a litle Court holy water cast on the flame of their zeale a sacrifice made for their owne securitie from your ton●…ues and pennes and from the armes of the people that serve you●… warrants oft times in tumults upon their persons For the hon●…ur on pay them they are faine like wretches to morgage their conscience those that doe not gaine the honourable titles of Traytours of G●…d are cashier'd your companie and then passe for no 〈◊〉 honourable heathen publicans and sinners If they becom●… 〈◊〉 hmen between a single Presbyter and a Prince when he 〈◊〉 with his I require you in my name c. Before every charge no very humble forme as I take it they ●…all be called abusers of the world neutral livers a●… their pleasure if not shedders of Scotch bloud And some that draw on themselves their Prince's displeasure for a Rethorical libertie used in their behalfe shall be pay'd for their paines with the honourable essay of men sold unto sin enemies to God and all godlinesse the L. Sempils reward which he had from Iohn Knox as this gratefull Presbyter hath registred in his storie They that bridle the rage of their Princes the phrase usd as occasion serves will not sticke to halter the heads of their Nobles if they will neither leade nor drive but molest the progresse of their Presbyterian designes Your Historical Vindication I hope is no new nam'd Logike to prove negatives of fact your detraction from the credit of many irrefragable authours that Historize that insolent speach
Churches had not the Scotes all the reason in the World to applaud such pious just and necessary resolutions of their English Brethren though the warner should call it the greatest crime CHAP. II. The Presbiterians assert positively the Magistrats right to convocat Synods to confirme their acts to reforme the Churches within their dominions IN the second Chapter the warner charges the Scotes presbytery with the overthrowing the Magistrats right in convocating of Synods When he comes to prove this he forgets his challenge and digresses from it to the Magistrates power of choysing elders and making Ecclesiastick lawes avowing that these things are done in Scotland by Ecclesiastick persons alone without consent of the king or his counsel Ans. It seemes our Warner is very ignorant of the way of the Scotes discipline the ordinary and set meetings of all assemblies both nationall and provincionall since the first reformation are determined by acts of Parliament with the Kings consent so betwixt the King and the Church of Scotland there is no question for the convocating of ordinary assemblies for extraordinary no man in Scotland did ever controvert the Kings power to call them when and where he pleased as for the inhaerent power of the Church to meet for discipline alswell as for worship the Warner fals on it heereafter we must therefore passe it in this place What hee meanes to speake of the Kings power in choysing elders or making Ecclesiastick Lawes himselfe knowes his Majestie in Scotland did never require any such priviledge as the election of elders or Commissioners to Parliament or members of any incorporation civill or Ecclesiastick where the Lawes did not expresly provide the nomination to be in the crowne The making of Ecclesiastick Lawes in England alswell as in Scotland was ever with the Kings good contentment referred to Ecclesiastick assemblies but the Warner seemes to be in the mind of these his companions who put the power of preaching of administring the Sacraments and discipline in the supreame Magistrat alone and derives it out of him as the head of the Church to what members he thinks expedient to communicat it also that the legislative power alswell in Ecclesiastick as civill affairs is the property of the King alone That the Parliaments and generall assemblies are but his arbitrary counsels the one for matters of the state the other for matters of the Church with whom or without whom hee makes acts of Parliament and Church cannons according to his good pleasure that all the offices of the Kingdome both of Church and State are from him as he gives a Commission to whom he will to be a sheriffe or justice of peace so he sends out whom he pleaseth to preach celebrate Sacraments by virtue of his regal mission The Warner and his Erastian friends may well extend the royall supremacy to this largenes but no King of Scotland was ever willing to accept of such a power though by erroneous flaterers sometimes obtruded upon him see Canterburian self conviction cap. ult The Warner will not leave this matter in generall he discends to instance a number of particular incroatchments of the Scots Presbiters upon the royall authority wee must dispence in all his discourse with a small peckadillo in reasoning hee must bee permitted to lay all the faults of the Presbiterians in Scotland upon the back of the Presbitery it selfe as if the faylings of officers were naturall to and inseparable from their office mis-kenning this little more of unconsequentiall argumenting we will goe through his particular charges the first is that King James anno 1579 required the generall assembly to make no alteration in the Church-Policy till the next Parliament but they contemning their Kings command determined positively all their discipline without delay and questioned the Arch-Bischop of Sainct Andrews for voting in Parliament according to the undoubted Lawes of the Land yea twenty Presbiters did hold the generall assembly at Aberdeen after it was discharged by the King Ans. The Warner possibly may know yet certainly he doth not care what he writes in these things to which hee is a meere stranger the authentick registers of the Church of Scotland convinces him heire of falshood His Majestie did write from Stirling to the generall assembly at Edinburgh 1579 that they should ceasse from concluding any thing in the discipline of the Church during the time of his minority upon this desire the assembly did abstaine from all conclusions only they named a committee to goe to Striveling for conference which his Majestie upon that subject What followeth thereupon I. Immediatly a Parliament is called in October 1579 and in the first act declares and grantes jurisdiction unto the Kirk whilk consistes in the true preaching of the word of Jesus Christ correction of maners and administration of the true Sacraments and declares that there is no other face of Kirk nor other face of Religion then is presently by the favour of God established within this realme and that there be no other jurisdiction Ecclesiastical acknowledged within this realme then that whilk is and shal be within the samen Kirk or that which flowes therfra concerning the premisses II. In Aprile 1580. Proclamation was made ex deliberatione Dominorum Consilii in name of the King charging all Superintendentes and Commissioners and Ministers serving at Kirkes To note the names of all the subjectes alsweel men as women suspected to be Papistes or and to admonish them to give Confession of their faith according to the Forme approved by the Parliament and to submitte unto the discipline of the true Kirk within a reasonable space and if they faile that the Superintendents or Commissioners presente a role or catalogue of their names unto the King and Lords of Secret Counsell whereby they shal be for the time between and the 15 day of Iulie nixt to come to the end that the actes of Parliament made against such persones may be execute III. The shorte Confession wes drawen up at the Kings command which was first subscrived by his royall hand and an act of Secret Counsell commanding all subjectes to subscrive the same as is to be seen by the Act printed with the Confession wherein Hierarchie is abjured that is as hath been since declared by Nationall assemblies and Parliamentes both called and held by the King episcopacie is abjured IV. In the assemblies 1580 and 1581 that Confession of faith and the second book of discipline after debating many praeceding years were approved except one chapter de diaconatu by the Assemblie the Kings Commissioner being alwayes presente not finde we any thing opposed then by him yea then at his Majesties speciall direction about fifty classical Presbyteries were set up over all Scotland which remaine unto this day Was there heer any contempt of the royall authority About that time some noble men had gote the revenues of the Bisshop-rickes for their private use and because they could not enjoy them
are brought to ignorance contempt and beggery Ans. Whither Episcopacy or Presbytry is the fittest instrument to avert these evills let reason or experience teach men to judge The Presbyteriall discipline doth oblige to a great deale of severer tryalls in all sort of learning requisite in a divine before ordination then doth the Episcopall let either the rule or practise of Presbyterian and Episcopall ordination be compared or the weekly Exercises and monthly disputations in Latine upon the controverted heads be looked upon which the Presbytry exacts of every Minister after his ordination all the dayes of his life for experience let the French Dutch and Scots divines who have been or yet are be compared with the ordinary generation of the English Clergie and it will be found that the praelats have not great reason so superciliously to look downe with contempt upon their Brethrens learning I hope Cartwright Whitaker Perkins Reynolds Parker Ames and other Presbyterian English were inferior in learning to none of their opposits some of the English Bishops has not wanted good store of learning but the most of them I beleeve wil be content to leave of boasting in this subject what does the Warner speake to us of ignorance contempt and Beggery does not all the world know that albeit some few scarce one of twenty did brook good benefices yea plurality of them whereby to live in splendor at Court or where they listed in their non-residency neverthelesse it hath been much complained that the greatest parte of the priests who had the cure of soules thorow all the Kingdome of England were incomparably the most ignorant beggerly and contemptible clergy that ever have been seen in any of the reformed Churches neither did we ever heare of any great study in the Praelats to remeed these evils albeit some of them be provident enough for their owne families Doctor Bramble knowes who had the skill before they had sitten seven yeare in their charge to purchase above fifeteen hundred pounds a yeare for themselves and their heirs what somever The third evil which the Ptesbytery brings upon Ministers is that it makes them prat and pray nonsence everlastingly Ans. It is indeed a great heartbrake unto ignorant lazy and unconsciencious Ministers to be put to the paines of preaching and prayer when a read service was wont to be all their exercise but we thought that all indifferently ingenuous men had long agoe been put from such impudence It was the late labour of the praelats by all their skill to disgrace preaching and praying without booke to cry up the Liturgy as the only service of God and to idolize it as a most heavenly and divine peece of write which yet is nought but a transcript of the superstitious breviary and idolatrous missall of Rome The Warner would doe well to consider and answer after seven years advisement Mr. Bailie his pararell of the service with the missall and Breviarie before hee presente the world with new paralels of the English liturgy with the directories of the Reformed Churches Is it so indeed that all preaching and praying without book is but a pratting of non-sence everlastingly why then continues the King and many well minded men to be deceived by our Doctors while they affirme that they are as much for preaching in their practise and opinion as the Presbyterians and for prayer without book also before and after sermon and in many other occasions it seemes these affirmations are nothing but grosse dissimulation in this time of their lownesse and affliction to decline the envy of people against them for their profane contempt of divine ordinances for wee may see heere their tenet to remaine what it was and themselves ready enough when their season shall be fitter to ring it out loud in the eares of the World that for divine service people needs no more but the reading of the liturgy that sermons on week dayes and Sundayes afternoon must all be laid aside that on the Sabbath before noone Sermon is needlesse and from the mouths of the most Preachers very noxious that when some learned Schollars are pleased on some festivall dayes to have an oration it would be short and and according to the Court paterne without all Spirit and life for edification but by all meanes it must bee provided that no word of prayer either before or after be spoken except only a bidding to pray for many things even for the welfare of the soules departed and all this alone in the words of the Lords prayer If any shall dare to expresse the desires of his heart to God in privat or publick in any words of his own framing hee is a grosse Puritan who is bold to offer to God his own nonsence rather then the auncient and well advised prayers of the holy Church The Warner is heer also mistaken in his beleefe that ever the Church of Scotland had any Liturgy they had and have still some formes for helpe and direction but no ty ever in any of them by law or practise they doe not condemne the use of set formes for rules yea nor for use in beginners who are thereby endeavouring to attaine a readinesse to pray in their family out of their owne heart in the words which Gods spirit dytes to them but for Ministers to suppresse their most confortable and usefull gift of prayer by tying their mouth unto such formes which themselves or others have composed wee count it a wrong to the giver and to him who has received the gift and to the gift and to the Church for whose use that was bestowed In the nixt place the Warner makes the Presbytry injurious to parents by marying their children contrary to their consent and forcing them to give to the disobedient as large a portion as to any other of their obedient children and that it is no mervail the Scots should doe these things who have stripped the King the father of their country of his just rights Ans. By the Warners rule all the actions of a nation where a Presbytry lodges must be charged on the back of the Presbytry II. The Parliament of Scotland denyes that they have stripped the King of his just rights while he was stirred up and keeped on by the praelaticall faction to courses destructive to himselfe and all his people after the shedding of much blood before the exercise of all parts of his royall government they only required for all satisfaction and security to religion and liberties the grant of some few most equitable demands The unhappy Praelats from the beginning of our troubles to this day finding our great demande to runne upon the abolition of their office did everpresse his Majestie to deny us that satisfaction and rather then Bishops should be laid aside they have concluded that the King himselfe and all his family and all his three Kingdomes shall perish yet with all patience the Scotes continue to supplicat and to offer not
takes off some what from the personal imputation yet with all demonstrates that it is not all bloud Royal which runnes in His Lordships veines nor it may be all bloud Noble having so ample testimonie from him who had allwayes some dregs of the Common thoare in his inke whose power is cankerd with envious invectives against them that have not layd their honour in the vulgar dust levell'd Majestie as well as Nobilitie with the people Whose Ghost will not thanke the Reviewer for calling him Prince of Historians being so litle enamourd with titles of that nature that he accounted them where they were more properlie due the filth of flaterie the plague of all legitimate praerogative His exemplarie practice in publike-private duties is indeed some what singular my selse having seen him very zcalouslic penning downe such slender to omit what I might call in the Reviewers language praeter anti-scripturall divinitie as was not fitting for any Novice or Catechumen in Religion to owne much lesse for so grave a Theologue to preach so well exerciz'd an adultist to register for his use I commend beter the exemplarie practice of the Reviewers brother Presbyter who seem'd to take a sound nap in the meane time hoping it may be to be better inspired in his dreame This potent Lord thus qualified brought up to his hand I can not blame Mr. Baylie for chusing him to be his patron who discernes with his eyes decernes by his dictates who being judge partie both will quaestionlesse doe right like a Lord Justice in the businesse The praejudice the Reviewer would here at first cast upon the person of the Bishop will advance his owne reputation but a litle in high way Rhetorike not advantage him one whit with any of those judicious aequitable comparers he expects who being able to instruct themselves upon these many late yeares experience that what Mr. Baylie calls that Church Kingdome is onely a praevalent partie of Schismatikes Rebells what adhaerence to the sacred truth of God an obstinate perseverance in an execrable covenant which hath tied up the hands of many a poor subject from the enjoyment of all the just liberties the established lawes of Scotland hold out to him will looke upon the Bishop as a couragious affertour of Gods truth the Churches puritie the Kings supremacie the subjects libertie if for that condemned by an unanimous faction in both Kingdomes will commend his zeale reverence his name and ranke him with the prime Fathers of the Church who so soon endeavoured to stop that deluge of miserie wherewith Britanie Ireland have been most unhapilie overwhelmed For the dirtie language he useth here otherwhere extreme sawcie spirit stigmatiz'd incendiarie c. I desire the Reader to take notice I shall sweep it out of his my way yet if he thinkes it may serve his turne as well as the garlike heads did Cario his master in the Comoedie the Printers boy shall throw it by itselfe at the backe side of my replie in a piece of white paper that he may not sowle his fingers What the Reviewer calls Boldnesse was prudence seasonable caution in the Bishop to praesent his booke to the eminent personages in this place observing the indesatigable industrie of Mr. Baylie his brethren of the mission very frequentlie in their persons perpetuallie by many subtile active instruments they imploy'd before after their coming hither insinuating into the hearts affections of all people here of what sexe or condition soever in Courts Townes Vniversities Countrey praepossessing them with the Justice of their cause the innocencie of their proceedings the moderation of their demands the conformitie of their practice designe to the praesent discipline Government of the Church presbyterie in these Provinces And great pitie it is that all people nations languages have it not translated into their owne dialect that a discoverie of this grand imposture may be made to them who are so insolentlie summon'd to fall downe worship this wooden idol of the discipline threatned the aeternal fierie furnace if they refuse it In the next Paragraph the Reviewer drawes Cerberus like his threeheaded monster out of hell Discipline Covenant unkindne's to our late soveraigne Novos Resumit animos victus vastas furens Quassat catenas His Apologie for the first being the conformitie I mentioned principally with the Brethren of Holland France whom he would very faine flater into his partie make the Bishop whether he will or no fall foule upon them whom His Lordship hath scarce mentioned in all his tract And I having no reason not desire to enlarge the breach shall say no more then this because some what he will have sayd That if their discipline harmoniouslie be the same particularlie in those extravagancies His Lordship mentions which to my knowledge they denie for alleging which they are litle beholding to Mr. Baylie they are all alike concerned yet having as learned Apologists of their owne when they finde themselves agriev'd will in their owne case very likely speake their pleasure In the interim I must require his instance where any Reformed Church hath declared regular Episcopacie which we call Apostolical Antichristian What particular persons of Mr. Baylies temper may have publish'd must not passe for an Ecclesiastical decrce And if all even in those Churches he mentions might freelie speake their minde I believe that order would have their Christian approbation as it is in any reformed Countreys established some such relation was made not long since about certain Divines of the Religion in France some that came from other parts to the Synod of Dust. And I can acquaint the Reviewer with the like piece of charitie bestowed by P. Melin in the letters that passed from him to Bishop Andrewes beside what Mr. Chillingworth as I take it hath collected out of him Beza in favour both of name thing though not to the same latitude we extend them And which will not be alltogether impertinent to adde I doe not remember I have heard that Causabon Vossius no obscure men in the French Dutch Churches were at any time by their presbyterie excommunicate for becoming limbes of the English Antichrist Praebendaries of the Archiepiscopall Church of Canterburie with us But if the Reviewer here begin to cant distinguish between Episcopacie Episcopal declinations for that indeed is the expression that he useth I must ingenuouslie acknowledge that there may 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
them license for holding of their Assemblies once in the yeare or oftner as occasion shall require which proves that all their power onelie proceeds from us so must it not be convened without our owne prasence or then of our Commissioner nor no day nor place set downe for the next Assemblie but by Our or our Commissioners appointment except we be not pleased neither to goe in our owne person neither to send any for assisting the sayd Assemblie And how these limitations have beene observed by them at this time let the world judge first in not onelie refusing the praesence of our Commissioner but most contemptuouslie injuriouslie barring the doore upon him next in setting downe the dyes of the next Assemblie without either his privitie or consent The letter which His Majesties Commissioner Sr. Alex Strayton of Lowrenston offered you know was a missive from the Lords of the Councel not addressed to them as to an Assemblie therefore no such capacitie requir'd to their receiving it His Majesties letter to the Commissioners of the general Assemblie signifying his pleasure to have the appointment of this meeting deferred no new indiction to be made without his consent having been long before delivered the substance of it by them communicated to the several Presbyteries of the Kingdome In contempt whereof these persons assembled at Aberdene where the day before they sate downe was a publication at the mercate Crosse of a charge to the contrarie from the Lords of the Councel Beside they had not His Majestie tells them any warrant to hold a new Assemblie without the praesence either of the Moderatour of the last or of the ordinarie Clerke of the Assemblie As for their dutifull demeanour afterward That they rise immediatelie after the reading of the Missive Mr. Baylie knowes to be absolutelie false Howsoever the naming a diet for the next meeting Was against an expresse clause in His Majesties letter which by the Councel is calld a Rebellious traiterous misbehaviour For the trouble that followed hereupon if by the counsel of Arch-Bishop Bancroft that could not be pernicious because the proceeding against them was legal They were calld before the Lords of His Majesties Councel had libertie given them to entertaine lawyers make their defense which prov'd a Declinatour disclaiming all subjection to His Majestie His Councel This Declinatour was repell'd they were found to have unlawfullie conven'd His Majestie commanded that the ordinarie course of justice should proceed Whereupon Sixe of them were presented upon panel at Lynlithgow before His Highnesse Justice being the ordinarie Judge who had joyned to him a great number of Noblemen c. Their inditement grounded upon the first statute in May 1584. Two of their Procuratours Counsellers at law not being able to perswade them to a course of humilitie did upon their obstinacie refuse to plead for them Indeed Sixe or seven of them touched with the open discoverie made by the Kings Declaratour upon humble submission were dismissed sent home to their charge See more particularlie of all these in the Declarations of K. James his Councel 1606. The next instance of the Bishops Viz. Their abolishing the chiefe festivals of the Church the Reviewer can not justifie to any purpose either from the authoritie or the time For first this great Councel of Scotland were but a parsel of the rebell Nobilitie that had of late deposed persecuted the poore Queen Dowager to the death And now having the yong King Queen at as great a distance as France at the same rate order the affaires of the Church as they had the policie of the State The charge they gave the Assemblie brethren dated the 29. day of April 1590. the summe whereof is so formallie placed in the front of the Discipline was upon procurement by themselves It being ordinairie with them when they had any new device on foot to extort some pretended authoritie by their letters Therefore it is but a mocke obedience by service not onelie offered but obtruded Nor was it so pleasing to them whom they here owne for their masters but that after many dayes perusal it was with dislike scorne rejected by diverse Those that sign'd it had no power to ratifie it no more then just before the Confession of fayth which they were faine to send over into France And how their Act or promisse in secret Councell dated the 27. of Ianuarie was illuded from time to time Knox relates very much laments in his storie For the time there was no such Parliament intervall as required the diligence of the Councel of State for what they call'd a Parliament though none was but new lie dissolv'd when presentlie consultation was had how the Church might be established in a good Godlie policie The reason of which haste was lest the yong Queen should come over interpose her Royal authoritie in this great Councel of State as she did afterward rejected the Discipline for all the Act of State that had passed on it demanding How many of those that had subscribed would be subject unto it her Secretarie telling them That many subscribed in fide parentum as children are baptized Those dayes which Mr. Baylie calls here fond seasts out of the booke of Discipline that farther abominations were not thought such by the Primitive Christians who were strict in the solemnitie of such times And if the writings of the ancient Fathers the Godlie approved lawes of Iustinian the Emperour might be admitted as once they were offered to decide the controversie betvixt us we know what Would become of this part of the Discipline The authoritie of the Church warranted by the holie Scriptures is sufficient to justifie them us in this observance Nor were the Scots so fallen out with these abominations but that they let them stand in the Calendar before their Liturgie c. And there were a people in Scotland which in the Bishops dayes did celebrate those feasts Therefore ever since they have not shewed such readie obedience to that direction of the Discipline See the Bishop of Brechen's defense of the Perth Articles Your farre-fetecht comparison accidentallie improves the Bishops knowledge by a seasonable experiment Who findes the Disciplinarian barbarismes in Scotland as monstrous as any he ever read of in Iapan your nullities in religion as many as Vtopia hath in policie or nature If your thoughts had not been rambling so farre for recruits to your malice you might have been furnish'd with truth nearer home which His Lordship brings unto your doore As fine as here you make your selfe for the triumph out of every wing you plucke you will by by be at a losse for your victorie must then weare your blew cap without a feather For that you may know my meaning His Lordship can afford you no such pretie thing as the antichronisme you lay hold
his person was faine to put away his friends of greatest trust the Chancellor Treasurer Baron Humes c. but within a moneth repents him appeales to his Nobles by their advice recalls them yet permits Bothwell to depart The Ministers are angrie that the Papists are not persecuted by fire sword They assemble without the Kings order call together the Barons Burgers Bothwell enters againe with 400. Horse as farre as Leith makes proclamation summons all in to defen'd religion put away evil Counsellers sends it to the Synod at Dunbar which favour'd it The same day he marcheth against 3000. of the Kings forces neare Edenburgh fainteth in his businesse and gets away to the borders Queen Elizabeth sets out a proclamation against him yet presseth the King for proscription of Papists The Lords are but few that meet expresse some reluctance at it The Ministers Burgers are many which vote it take their armes downe out of the windowes c. Argile is sent against them beaten The King drawes toword them permits three of Huntley's houses to be pull'd downe Huntley escapes to his Aunt in Sutherland thence into France These were Huntley's notorious crimes multiplied outrages which cryed up to the God of heaven Out of which let the world judge what reason the Ministers those mercifull men of God had to give such warning crie to the Iudges of the earth to shed his bloud That appearance with display'd banner against the King in person should be made an article against him by Mr. Baylie a loyal peaceable assertour of ten yeares armed rebellion in three Kingdomes I dare not adventure my spleen to discourse on but in Mr. Baylies language hope by his good advise the Prelates will no more Lull ' Princes asleep in such a sinfull neglect of their charge but breake off their slumber by wholesome seasonable admonitions from the word of God such as that Prov. 10. A wise King seatercth the wicked bringeth the wheel over them Or what other texts their Lordships better know applicable to the most just necessarie chastisment of schismatikes Rebells About E. Angus Errol you thinke your selfe not concern'd to make answer because your brother Presbyter Mr. Rob. Bruce gave King Iames leave to recall them but with this considerable sentence against E. Huntley Well Sir you may doe as you list But chuse you you shall not have me the E. Huntley both for you Pretie humble soules who can weigh downe the chiefest Earles in the ballancing of a state In the next paragraph you dawbe with untemper'd morter such as can never keep the Kings right to any Ecclesiastike revenue the claime of the Discipline together For having comprehended in the patrimonie of the Kirke all things without exception given or to be given to that the service of God All such things as by law or custome or use of Countreys have been applied to the use utilitie of the Kirke 2. book Disc. ch 9 And call'd them theeves murderers without exception of persons that alienate any part of this patrimonie 1. books Disc 6. head you are the innocent dove that here bring us newes That the Church never spoyld the King of any tithes while those birds of spoyle your forefathers have left him neither eare nor straw to possesse But to deale with you at your owne weapon in your words If the King never had any first fruits then as the Bishop sayth you are the Popes that with-held it by you that were the Reformers was that point of papacie maintained If he neither had nor demanded to what purpose toke you such paines to obtaine in favour of the Church to have it declar'd in Parliament That all benesices of cure under Praelacies shall in all time coming be fee of the first yeares fruits fift penie the Ministers have their significations of presentation past at the Privie seale upon His Majesties owne subscription his secretaries onelie without any payment or caution to his Treasurer for the sayd first fruits fift penie About tithes you say His Majestie the Church had never any controversie in Scotland How agrees this with your Declaratour in his appendix to the maintenance of your sanctuarie When the minor-age of a good King had been abused to the making of a law whereby the most of these rents first fruits Tithes the lands belonging to Bishoprikes were annexed to the crowne the Church very earnestlie do labour for restitution never gave over till these lawes were repealed If you review your records you will finde in the yeare 1588. that you had a plea with which you call an earnest suit to His Majestie about patronages such considerable opposition as put you upon inhibiting all commissioners Presbyteries to give collation or admission to any person praesented by authoritie from the King And to omit many a greater you had before with the Queen Anno 1565 The Nobilitie Gentrie were more beholding to your impotencie then patience for peace What gracious men yon have shewd your selves since your Rebell-Parliament got that incumbent power into your hands your congregations would speake if they durst whom you feed with the bread of violence with that you cover them as a garment So that whether the Presbyterie be not as good patrons of the people as they are vassals to the King need never more be quaestion'd in Scotland Whether by the wickednesse of Praelates or Presbyters the King Church were cousin'd of the tither will appeare by them that bragg'd most when they were most endanger'd by the sequestring the other patrimonie from the Church which I finde to be the Presbyters that could not keep councel but boasted they had given a seasonable blow unto the Bishops That legitimate power in the Magistrate the Bishop pleades for King James never declared to be a sinne against Father Son or Holy Ghost nor did ever the patrons of Episcopac●…e oppose it That changeling you here substitute in the roome calls you Father by the ridiculous posture in which it stands your friend Didoclave had more ingenuitie then to inferre a claime to the power of preaching celebrating the Sacraments upon the power of iurisdiction over Ecclesiastical persons derived upon the King from his praedecessours in England given them by a statute Verba statuti de jurisdictione non de simplici functionum sacrarum administratione intelligenda esse quis dubitat The well grounded consequences which you call Castles in the aire will hereafter batter your Presbyterie to the ground when Princes shal retract their too liberal indulgence take a courageous resolution to claime their own relie upon Gods providence to maintaine it King Iames had given you the practical meaning of his wise sentence seven yeares before he spake it at St. Andrews For as you may very well remember when His
reasonablie suppos'd incident to all that you call Saints and what securitie they have from all casualties all attempts in the very moment of sinne to destroy them The general promises can be no protection in such cases some it may be are not so general as to be made applicable to all which well scann'd incline to the peculiar concernment of them to whom they were made and of whom onelie they seeme to be ●…ean'd But in points of this nature whatsoever the Warners friends have avowed your exception against them is the same with that against the expresse words of the Church in the Assemblie at Glasgow 1638 draw'n from what she professd That insants baptiz'd have all things necessarie to salvation This you may take as the summe of that which the Bishop knew to have been with much moderation reason often answerd to your sore challenge Your slight replies thereunto being indeed but squibs and crackers for children to sport with had not the armes of sinfull men the Kings artillerie been rebelliouslie us'd as a more unanswerable argument to force them The following position His Lp. nowhere will dispute nor doth laugh a●… That Christ as King of his Church hath appointed lawes for governers of the same Who and what these are in the general Saint Paul hath left in his letters to the first Christians which they and their successours have kept for us that come after He takes you for usurpers tyrants who crosse to these lawes for pride filthie lucre make your selves not onelie Lords over Gods heritage but commanders of subjection from Kings 2. b. Disc ch 1. Pro Rege Regum Domino Dominantium presbyteria nobis Synodos supponentes The consequence hereupon That Acts of Synods must be Christs lawes where Synods make themselves Dictatours of his pleasure and repraesentatives of his person is no other follie then what the Logical rules of Relatives praescribe us which if your Sophistrie decline I must referre the Reader to the like expressions so frequentlie us'd in your publike papers in the several contests that Knox had with your Queenes their Councels in defense of your discipline And to come somewhat nearer in your very praeface before the booke it selfe where your Reformed Kirke is call'd the spouse of Icsus Christ the rules of her discipline in the language of Scripture The Lords lawes and commandements…the heavenlie proportion of divine discipline And at last compared to the booke of Gods covenant that lay hid in the Temple Under the name of which Discipline we are admonished is to be understood Beside the two bookes the Acts Constitutions and practices agreed upon and recorded in the Registers of the General and provincial Assemblics c. And a brother plainlie asserts That your Discipline in the general which we denie to have any other authoritie then your votes is as immutable as the Scripture I finde you now here such a Master of Rhethorike and language as to take your judgement in comparing of styles If the Bishop hath borrowed the Iesuites invectives or any from the Pagan philosophers he could not beter bestow them then on you that are neither good Protestants nor Christians His declamations against your noveltie will be regarded by such as take universalitie and perpetuitie for two discretive markes of Christs Kingdome government which must not be limited to a rebellious schismatical Centurie in one Countrey The antiquitie you boast of is founded upon as great a mistake of the Gospell as was the sadduces of the law you both erre not knowing the Scriptures Yet that being your plea I will urge the Bishops argument no farther concerning the change and difformitie of your discipline which may be prov'd in particulars not twice romov'd from your essentials themselves but appeale with you to Caesar who calling to his Councel the Primitive Fathers the most publike spirits most unbyassed Interpreters may by the tributarie assistance if his Majestie please of as many B●…hops or Doctou●…s as sectarian Presbyters after a faire schelastike discussion discerne the truth decide the controversie and according as he findes Christs scepter was swayed among Catholike Christians by deputation of one part or other abolish the Rebell Vsurper at his pleasure But Annuneiare or imperare aliqued Christianis Chatholicis praeter id quod acceperunt nunquam licuit nusquam licet nunquam licebit To declare or command a beliefe of divine right in that which hath not been received in Gods Church never was no where is nor will it at any time be law full Your dearth of matter renders you taedious in the rest of the paragraph and the course faire wherewith you entertaine your reader flesh bloud and limbes of an English Bishop makes you suspected here to have been at a stand to have layd your spiritual scribling aside till you went to market and fetcht these carnal expressions from the ●…ambles My Lord of Derrie and his friends in citing authoritie and pressing reason for their order have dealt so farilie wrought so effectuallie as for all the stripping your sleeves and the other hocas pocas trickes that he tells you of you will finde no cleanlie conveyance of your Presbyterie into the heads of any your judicious comparers nor will their eares be chain'd by your brazen hypocrisie to maintaine it Your too curious anatomie of English Episcopacie touching which you interrogate will onelie countenance them in a demand not otherwise intended of a Scripture warrant for Scottish Presbyterie as such disciplining excommunicating deposing I shall doe no wrong if I adde what I prove justifying praysing God for the death if not the murder of Kings renouncing the name but acting every one a double part of a lord in Parliament not onelie voycing in but imperiouslie overruling all Acts of State all elections of principal officers in order to conscience for praevention of scandal keeping a lower Commission Court in every Towne parish forcing every Bayliffe and provest to be your creature A Presbyterie bold'lie ordaining without a Bishop and gulling the people into a foolish conceit of Gods call in them when 't is their lying spirit that hath praeposless'd them For let the people call or praesent whom they will if the learned the priviledge of which title every covie of Dunces challenge to themselves judge the person unable of the regiment he is set aside and they forced to take without violent intrusion they tell them whom the superintended Councel offereth to instruct them A Presbyterie exercing all jurisdiction without any appeale from themselves A Presbyterie feeding their flockes like swine with graine and hu●…kes such divinitie as every brewer or hogheard can helpe them to never leading them through the g●…een pastures of the ancient learned and devout Fathers nor to any other waters of comfort but such as the very fountaine whereof the foot of schisme or rebellion hath troubled This is