his Age nor had they been if preserved applicable to all times according to the variety of which and other circumstances the Decretalls multiplied and so will Ecclesiasticall Canons increase in number or be alterable for necessity or decency unto the end What presseth most in the tenth Article Sir Iohn declineth and therefore no wrong is done him if he be thought imprudently to have said c. That Religion that is to say so much of it as Henry 8. turn'd off was to be abolished and destroyed as then in England where whatsoever good reformation hath since been made a great deal of Murder Rapine and Injustice was acted and countenanc'd by what King and to what purpose the world knowes And the Cardinal with his Clergy had good reason beside private interest to prevent so passionate and sacrilegious a change in Scotland Some moderation Sâ—r Iohn shews in permitting S. Augustines Monks to stand for not whom alone but others of ancient institution as much may be pleaded if S. Basils Rule and the historical passages of S. Hierom and other holy Fathers be duly read whose Convents were made no brothel houses nor swine-sties nor was their worship such as to devote them unto the devill and yet much reverence they gave unto the Reliques of Christian Martyrs They that afterward made counterfeits for gain of proselytes or money may the better sort dispute the point of piâ— fraus with his Knightship and the worse with his hypocriticall corrupted Sectaries who pretend to as great miracles in having Gods Spirit at their call and the power of all his Ancient Prophets in their Night-caps The habits of Monkâ— which he excepts against were in the purest times impos'd upon them and fitter it may be were they for a Cloyster than those by which the tribe of precisians will since be distinguished in the Chuâ—ch Yet am I not so angry with Sr. Iohn Borthwick for his separate singularity in opinion as to justifie the sentence pass'd upon him to be executed in effigie while absent and in person when he could be chatched my portion being not with them that condemn Hereticks to fiâ—e and faggot but if he did as commonly such unquiet spirits do under the pretence of conversion instigate the people against the government of that Kingdome because not of his Religion I referre him to the Laâ— and should no otherwise have wisht his pardon than upon a serious acknowledgement of his fault What folâ—ows in Fox's Acts of a conference between the Bishop of Dunkelden and Dean Thomas a Canon of St. Colmes Inch I cannot judge of finding little or nothing about it in their own Historians nor can I credit one particular of the Bishops stout saying I thank God I never knew what the Old and New Testament was howsoever rise the Proverb which he pretends to be so common in Scotland Ye are like the Bishop of Dunkelden that knew neither New nor Old Law no more than the like in Buchanan That upon a strict enquiry at Dundee after the Readers of the New Testament most of the Priests who sure were licensed profest so much ignorance of the Book as they contentiously averr'd it to be written by Martin Luther thereupon rerejected it and required the Old And somewhat to be suspected is that which comes after That the Dean with six other Friars and a Gentleman were burn'd principally upon these articles of the Deans preaching every Sunday on the Epistles and Gospels and their eating of flesh in Lent for which more moderate penance to my knowledge is inflicted in other Catholick Countryes at this day and that ancient Canon is not wantonly abused upon reasonable causes dispensations without any great difficulty are obtained And therefore another story of like nature countenanc'd by Buchanan and most passionately laid forth by Knox of four hanged in St. Ionhstons for eating one poor Goose on a Friday which could not afford each of them a leg and a wing hath little of my belief and indeed the lesse because I find them conceal what Fox out of no meaning I ghess to deal more impartially inserteth Their hanging up the Image of St. Francis nailing Rams horns to his head and a Cows rump to his tail and some of them interrupting Friar Spense in his Sermon maintaining the established doctrine of those times the necessity of prayer to Saints whereupon followed such a tumult of the people as hazarded his life which murder would have been more unjustifiable before God and man than the hanging up four or four hundred of them for attempting that on the person of one which might and did draw after it the destruction of many not in halters upon a legal sentence but by the sword rebelliously imployed as well agaâ—nst their Prince as their fellow subjects which will appear too evidently in the sequel of this story I shall not follow every little Martyr to the stâ—ke â—et not any of them is there but I shâ—uld heartily commiseraâ—e if I were as we I persâ—aded as some Historians seem to be that he suffered clearly for the tenderâ—ess of his consciâ—nce or by the merciless cruelty of his mâ—licious Judges But when I discover in most theâ—r prâ—aâ—hing praying discâ—ursiâ—g designing câ—unselling such a â—â—irit of virulency agaâ—nst their Romane Adversaries which must â—e censur'd incompetible with that Christian charity which the best patteâ—ns the most exemplary sufferers in the primitive times decâ—â—red principally at their death when very few of them can be so justified in their strictness of Religion as they are most evidently to be condemned for sedition whatsoever indirect proceedings may be observed in their tryalls whatsoever accumulative articles were by mistake or wilfull injury cast upon them I cannot so commend them for their vertues as to flatter posterity by the example into their errours Therefore passing by a multitude of petty Saints whom Knox and Buchanan canonize as they go some of whom may be feared to deserve no other red letters in the Calender than themselves whose names are deeply dyed in the bloud which is not little shed upon the rebellious practices they prescribed I will discuss onely the passages about one more signal than the rest out of whose ashes the Scotish Reformation was raked and beside the murder of the Cardinal a consequent rebellion advanced chiefly upon the reputation of his name though I will not alledge it as apparently founded in his doctrine The man I mean is Mr. George Wisheart of Bâ—nnets Colledge in Cambridge where he is famed to have lived a very studious and religious life yet not without some such singular eccentrick motions from the custome of other honest men in his time as gave some part of his piety the character of Melancholy and the impress of cruelty to some severity in his discipline An instance of the former in his Wearing and sleeping in Canvas which his sheets and shirâ—s freez-mantle
passge into France But the walls of Leith were not to be blown down by this breath nor was it strong enough to fill the sails for her passage into France A stronger wind blew out of the Town which so dispelled the Congregational Brethren that glad was he who could shelter himself and many grew desperate of the cause But Iohn Knox by power of the spirit when but a spark or two of rebellion was left could ever blow it up into a flame which he began now at Sterlin in a Sermon upon the 80. Psalm v. 4 5 6 7. and encreased it in another afterwards some where else upon Iohn 6. exhorting the Congregation that they should not faint but that they should stiâ—l row against the contrarious blasts till that Iesus Christ should come so that onely the day of judgement is to put an end to the Presbiterian commotions But nothing can be done without a Covenant which An. 1560. was entred at Edenburgh That what person soever will plainly reject their godly enterprises and will not concur as a good and true member of their Common-wealth they shall fortifie the authoritie of Council to reduce them to their duty c. The issue of this as of all their Covenants was to put many quiet conscientious people to the choice of either extream without the priviledge of a detestable neutrality Do as we do Rebel or perish whereby they never faild of an Army that should guard the gospell with an unparalell'd villany and resist the Queen Regent unto her death which fell out very opportunely while they lay at the siege before Leith being if not procur'd by their means very evidently hastened by their malice denying Her Majesty the benefit of some drugs for which she sent to her Apothecary and Chyrurgeon and in her inrecoverable condition not indulging her free speech with some Lords joyntly though of their own faction and what curtesie they granted being clogged with the ungrateful presence and more unpleasing discourse of Iohn Willock Brother-rebel-preacher with Knox who was sent on purpose to set the Queens conscience on the rack and torture it to despair if he could By all these unchristian proceedings having speeded on their impatient wishes and fretted open a passage for that Royal soul to expire they become soon Lords not onely of the Congregation but Countrey and having eleven points of the law their young Queen and her Husband being absent in France upon advantage enough they capitulate with their Majesties for the twelfth In which pacification the Deputies from France would not medle with the matter of Religion but agreed that a certain number of Noblemen should be chosen in the next Convention and Parliament to be sent to their Majesties to whom they shall expose those things that shall be thought needful for the State of that business In the interim the Brethren I 'le warrant you were not idle but after publick thanksgiving at Edenburgh for their deliverance that is to say for the death of their Queen upon whom they heap though they name her not a heavy load of calumnies in their prayers A Committee sits to distribute Ministers and so Knox is made Primate of Edenburgh or in it rather of Scotland that being the fountain head from whence all future Rebellion must stream by Goodman to St. Andrews by Heriot to Aberdeen by Row to St. Iohnston c. And though they will have no Bishops they 'l have Over-seers {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Spotswood for Lothian Winram for Fife c. And now to work they go to drive the stray-doctrine and discipline of the Countrey into the Parliament pound at Edenburgh Please your Honours comes presently from the supplicant Barons Gentlemen and Burgesses A Confession of Faith with a more imperious preface or title from the Presbytery out of Matth 24. And this glad tidings of the Kingdome shall be preached through the whole world for a witness unto all Nations and then shall the end come that is the Presbyterian Scot shall pull down all Government in the world establish the Kingdome of Iesus Christ upon the earth and then the end shall come the work is done 't is fit then the wages should be paid especially since by this new engine they draw Christ into their Covenant chap. 11. rebellion into the fifth Commandement under the notion of saving the life of innocents and repressing Tyranny resisting authority if they take it to passe the bounds of the Magistrates office not suffering innocent bloud to be shed if they may gain-stand it ch. 14. Likewise they dash all moral vertues at a stroak restrain the power of Gods Grace from effecting due obedience to his Law ch. 15. Confine the Catholick Church to themselves and such as shall communicate with them denying all other Christians the undeniable benefit of their Baptism ch. 16 18. which they say notwithstanding ch. 21. was instituted of God to make a visible difference betwixt his people and those that are without his League Pretend to reconcile these contradictions making both true at a time This Church is invisibly known onely to God who alone knoweth it whom he hath chosen c. ch. 16. and yet the notes signs and assured tokens whereby the immaculate Spouse of Christ Iesus is known to whom from the horrible Harlot the Church malignant we affirm are c. Defraud Antiquity and lineal descent in an undivided continuity the reverence rendred by the Primitive Fathers of the Church to be paid by us for the first knowledge benefit of the Gospel and yet at the same time running to the Ancients for strengthening the authority of the Canon For the doctrine taught in our Churches say they is contained in the written Word of God to wit in the Books of the New and Old Testaments in those Books we mean which have been reputed by whom but Bishops and Episcopal Doctors no Preâ—byterian canonical Depriving the Church of her just priviledge in interpreting the Scriptures under a pretence of bestowing it upon the Spirit distracting Christians hereby in matter of opinion without extraordinary divine revelation as in the point of Justification wherein St. Paul and St. Iames seem to differ and in matters of practice by the example of St. Peter and St. Paul Gal. 3. All this in one ch. viz. 18. frame a plausible excuse for negligence in or after the receiving the Sacrament of the Lords Supper ch. 21. Exclude all but Preachers though Priests or Deacons from the efficatioâ—s administration of the Sacraments annexing the power and vertue of the same to divine revelation or operation of a Sermon and so defrauding many that have had legitimate imposition of hands call'd Ordination of the character exercise of that power Justifie such as resist Supream powers doing that which appertaineth not to their charge ch. 24. so taking away the glory of Christian
humility patience and the crown of Martyrdome it self Retâ—act in part ch 15. what they professed chap. 18. about the notes of the Church and so take Gods Name in vain making a formal confâ—ssion of his truth to no purpose This pretty Pageant fram'd in a schismatical Assembly was brought into the packt Parliament to be voted The true Representative of the doctrine of Christs Church which the Bishops suffered quietly to pass by without spoiling any of the pastboard or guilding because they durst not writes Knox say any thing to the contrary and very likely when they knew it would be to no purpose and were well assured they should pay their Ecclesiastical Benefices if not their lives for a syllable of any such contradiction the Bretheren having petitioned that they might be compelled to answer to former accusations and to other likewise they had yet to lay to their charge which were such no doubt as wanted no weight of further delinquence to press them down to the depth of any Parliamentary Vote This Confession of Faith very liberally suffrag'd was sent into France by the Lord St. Iohn to be ratified by their Majesties By which act of pretended submission to the supremacy of their Princes we may interpret the true meaning of all the rest and take a sure essay of the Presbyterian subjection whatsoever otherwhere they pretend which I desire the Reader diligently to observe and have in mind whensoever afterward shall occur their hypocrisie in dutifull expressions for saith no less author than Mr. Knox No ratification brought he the Lord St. Iohn unto us but that we little regarded or yet do regard for all that we did was rather to shew our dutiful obedience than to beg of them the King and Queen any strength to our religion which from God hath full power and needed not the suffrage of man wherefore then was it put to the Vote in Parliament but in so far as man had need to believe it if that ever he shall have participation of the life everlasting Such obedience as this shewed the Souldiers to our Saviour when they bowed the knee before him and mocked him saying Hail King of the Iews Buchanan acknowledgeth it was sent to the Queen without hope of grant onely to discover the nakedness of her thoughts as good an argument of the modesty as the other was of loyalty of the Brethren But this was not enough to make the Assembly magisterial who themselves must stoop as low as any lay-brother in doctrine and confession of faith It is the discipline that must hold up the rod at least if not the axe too bind their Kings in chains their Nobles in links of iron To the framing of which immediately after this Parliament dissolved commission was given to Mr. Iohn Winram Sub-prior of St. Andrews Mr. Iohn Row and Iohn Knox Mr. Iohn Spotswood Iohn Willock Mr. Iohn Dowglass Rector of St. Andrews all Iohns and beloved disciples that had laid their heads on Christs breast and knew his heart about the reglement of his Kingdome Yet their letters of credit were not so good as to obtain the reception of Ambassadors from heaven though they pretended their message was in every point consonant to the word The Lord Erskin as great a professor as he was and the major part of the Nobility refused this new model Knox imputes it to the care of his Kitchin and 't is not unlikely he and the rest thought their title as good to the Church lands that they might eat the fat and be cloathed with the wooll of the lambs which themselves as well the Clericall Iohns had taken the pains to worry and slay Or it may be they had a care of their eyes which already began to swell with fatness and if they yielded this they would go on with the Psalmist being holdâ—n with pride and overwhelmed with cruelty they would then do even what they lust Yet this curtesie they did the discipline to call it A Book of devout imaginations that is zealous whimzies which might run the round in the Name sakes noddles but if they once got abâ—oad with power to captivate the thoughts of other men which were to be kept in a more reasonable service and obedience of Christ they were to be cast down by the Apostles command like high things that exalt themselves against the knowledge if God yet Argile Glencarn and the whole private pack of conjur'd Rebels subscribe the Book and promise to set it forward at the uttermost of their power whose names were enough to write Nobility in the front and hold it out with the approbation of the Honourable to the people But to accomplish the work behold the hand of God appears through this cloud and scatters morning roses in the way of the Râ—formers Here saith Knox was joy to Scotland and matter of Thanksgiving for the wondrous work and inestimable benefit of the Lord And what is this but the death of an innocent young King Francis the second Husband to the Queen of Scots who because no friend to the Brethren and so a robber c. Knox cannot but brand his memory in the forehead with He was suddenly stricken with an Apostâ—me in the deaf ear that nevâ—r would hear the truth of God His glory perished and the pride of his stubborn heart vanished in smoak Upon notice hereof was a new Convention of the Nobility at Edenburgh wherein the Book of Discipline was again perused in favour of some that pretended ignorance who when they heard it were not so taken as to own it by subscription or adde to the authority of it by their vote yet to prepare the way for the people to be acquainted with it twelve things call'd Superintendents are â—ut out chipt and fashioned just after the pattern in the Book And because all must run in the name Iohn Spotswood is appointed for Lowthian and as the leading man is in the printed form and order of the election March 9 1560. In which form I shall onely intimate two or three things as I go First that the election of him not onely approbation is in shew devolv'd upon the people who promise obedience to him as their Pastor no longer than he remains faithfull in his office This election of the people is styl'd The Call of God in them who it should seem miraculously moves their hearts and directs them to the summoning of Iohn This Iohn must professe That the life of Angels relates to Christ as Head and Mediator of his Church that is if any thing Christ came to redeem as well Angells as men and either summon'd part of those lapsed spirits out of Hell or recovered others that never had been condemned so low This Iohn must further profess himself Subject to the wholesome discipline of the Church and to avoid ambiguity the discipline of the same Church by which he is now
inconsistent with what was said of an article propounded so they acquainted him not upon his refusal with their designe search is made by order after the actors and partizans care being taken that the Brethren which so zealously prayed and fasted for poor Rizio's death should not surfeit at their leisure on his blood The common hackney-interruption of every Royal enterprize or process was the humble and lamentable complaints of Her Highnesses poor Oratours the superintendents and Ministers c. who still want 〈◊〉 meanes and at this time it may be a reward for their late service But here they fetch their breath short and cannot lengthen out their supplicate as heretofore to abolishing the Mass antichristian Bishops the temporal sword was wanting which should strengthen their weak hands and confirme their feeble knees The Queen gratified their present modesty with a promise although the Assembly was nice in owning her gracious performance afterward for the writ of maintenance subscribed by Her Majesty being publickly presented they take time to deliberate about acceptance of it from her hand and answer very gravely That it was their duty to preach to the people the Word of God truly and sincerely and to crave of the auditors the things that were necessary for their sustentation as of duty the Pastours might justly crave of their flock and further it became them not to have any care Which plain contradiction can adâ—mit of no other Salve but this That they wanted not the subsistence for which they so frequently and importunately petition'd nor had they any desire to be answered by a grant but this colourable pretence they could ever make use of to usher in their more peevish demands upon denial whereof or which they made ever equivalent delay the publick commiseration of their poverty who laboured in the Gospel melted the peoples loyalty into a tumult About this time comes matter of joy for all though upon several grounds and different hopes of advantage to be made by it the birth of a Prince of whom if the Brethren can get the godly education and mold the new dâ—scipline into his creed there can be Gospel enough beside Knox's Book against the Empire of Women or else club law which is better to prevail with the Queen for a surrender of the Crown and Scepter into his hand In reference hereunto after thanks and praises are made many supplications to God and wishes more powerfull perswasions being wanting that he might be Baptized according to the manner of the Reformed Churches in the Realm But the Bishop of St. Andrews is thought to have a more authentick mission then the Brethren and the Sacrament efficacious from his hand though none but boyes could be got to bear torches at the solemnitie of the Christening This check to the Discipline seemed ominous and if the future removes in the Princes education should be answerable the Brethren saw they might be mated in the end The King had either taken no impression by their counsel about Rizio or retain'd very little of it after his dispatch He had been so uxorious as to put the bloody Lords to shift for themselves and being given to his sports might possibly leave the yong child wholly to the Queens disposal at the best he was but a Cypher in Religion and fill'd up the room of a more significant figure a Regent or Protector of the Prince The strong reports of his engagement against Rizio hath wrought a visible suspicion in the Queen and that will be enough to draw a popular jealousie upon her self though Murray and his complices be the true politick Assassins that act a second Trajedy in the murder of the King Howsoever this bloody businesse was contrived and executed the Corps of the murder'd King was thrown into a Garden and one of his Servants strangled with him the house where he lay in Edenburgh blown up in triumph for the designe taking effect or as a signal to the Brethren to blaspheme God by their midnight Thanksgiving Now was the poor Queen once again reduced to her solitude without the comfort or assistance of a Husband in greater hazâ—rd of her peace and security then ever by what she foresaw would be actâ—d against her by the Reformers under the umbrage of her Son To prevent what she well could of this mischief she casts her self upon the despeâ—ate adventure of a sudden marriage The experience she had of Earl Bothwels trust and the clear opinion the world had of his courage led her nuptial affection unto his comely person by the hand The intended divorce between the Earl and his Lady upon the lawfull ground of too near consanguinity would assuredly set him at liberty for her purpose and Her Majestie thought Religion as well as policy might be had to justifie his help being then at leisure in supporting of a Crown she presum'd on her innocency to quit her from the slander of the Brethren about her former familiarity with the Earl and upon the justice of the Law to wash his hands in the sight of the world from the murder of the King What other inevitable difficulty she must encounter she left to providence and the fortune of war And if by all the faire meanes to be used the precise mouths could not be stopt from shooting bitter words and sharp arrows against her person or government she saw no way left but to hold their hands and â—ut their venemous tongues out with the Sword But the Brethren were never wont to be backward to raise a Rebellion in their own defense as they call'd it and much more unlikely is it they should be now when a young Prince was committed by Heaven unto their charge The fountain-head for sedition was most commonly at Edenburgh which now had for a Conduit Iohn Craig the Minister who declaimed fiercely against the divorce and marriage and as boldly as could be maintain'd his discourse when he was question'd for it before the Council Hence tumults beginning the Queen thought to seize the Castle of Edenburgh to suppresse them which she demands of the old Earl of Marre who though sick at Sterling advis'd by his Confessours would make no surrendeâ— and exchange he would for no lesâ— then the person of the Prince The condition was hard â—et at length consented to by the Queen who might have saved some part of her future trouble it may be her head if when she kissed and shook hands with her Babe she had taken off her Crown and thrown it into the cradle for now we hear of no more Supplicates and humble addresses to her they had now a Royal Infant in their hands whom as young as he was they had taught to speak far better language then his Mother and to act with good authority and judgement no question their hearts desire in behalf of the Dâ—scipline The Queen may now proclaim
Ambassador composed the publick difference at present after which a better expedient was supposed to be found to prevent by poyson all further martial attempts of Athol while Earl Morton betook himself more unto his privacy than innocency at home The first salley of Regal government under the pretended personall conduct of the King put the Assembly brethren in mind to strengthen their incroachment upon the Church to which purpose follows a discharging of Chapters with their election of Bishops the titular Bishops are warned to quit their anti-christian corruptions in particular was instanc'd their receiving Ecclesiastick emoluments so that notwithstanding all former Acts and agreements for life their known assignation of benefice must be as well extinct as their Jurisdiction and office yet to please the young King who beyond his years had a discretive Judgement and held Episcopacy in a reverend esteem that they might seem to leave them somewhat to do they make them Itinerant Visiters of their Hospitals themselves being the Sacrilegious Collectors of the Rents Beside this they heave hard to obtain an establishment of the policy in the Second Book of their Discipline but as that yet could not be got to be incorporated with other Parliament Acts At this time two French Noblemen raise fears and jealousies in abundance the Duke of Alanson in England by endeavouring a Marriage with Queen Elizabeth with whom he held private conference but was suspected to aime at restoring the Queen of Scots Lord Aubignie in Scotland who was become the only favorite of the King The consequences of the Marriage were debated by the Lords in Council and their opposite possibilities or conjectures represented to the Queen The new humours of Esme Stuart Lord d' Aubignie whom the King had â—arely câ—eated Duke of Lenox was a business undoubted to be of Ecclesiastical cognizance and therefore taken into consideration by the Assembly the Christian result of whose counsels was this To set up against him an emulous rival Iames Stuart of the Ochiltrie Family call'd Earl of Arran which title he attained by cession from one of the Hamiltons not well in his wits to whom he had been Guardian but these two were soon reconciled by the King and the Assembly Brethren defeated in their plot They can soon find means to be revenged and make the King hear of his misdemeanour A large complaint is sent up to Queen Elizabeth which being sweetned with the discovery of a feigned designe to conveigh the captive Queen out of rison laid to the charge of the Duke of Lenox rellisheth well in the Court and Council of England from whence come endeavours and Embassies to degrade him from favour if not his honour and demâ—nds to have him baniâ—â—ed out of Scotland The young King had now quit himself of his pupillage and with that of his custome to return suppliant answers by his Regent according to the instructions that ever accompanied the demands Sir Robert Bowes the Agent was admitted to deliver his Message but not with his condition to have Lenox removed from the Council and therefore went grumbling home without audience Humes was sent with a complement after him and had the like reception in England where he was turn'd over to Lord Treasurer Burleigh and could have no admission to the Queen Lord Burleigh at large expostulated with him about the miscarriage of some in the Scotch Kings Council The Queen of Englands succesfull endeavours were magnified and her tender care in preventing many eminent mischiefs from the French Some sharp language was used which was hoped would cut off the Kings affection to the Duke of Lenox and make way for Mortons restitution to favour but the issue was otherwise Morton was question'd for many great enormities especially the murder of the Kings Father Randolph is sent to intercede somewhat magisterially and hinder the proceeding against him for his life The King adhears to his Laws by which he answers he is bound to submit Delinquents to Justice Randolph by the help of the Assembly Brethren makes a strong faction of Lenox's enemies and Mortons Friends draws Argile Angus and many other of the Nobility to the party but their different interests caus'd division in their counsels made them quit the engagement and leave Morton after proof and his own confession of the murder to pay his Head â—o the Justice of the Law In this time passed many arrogant Acts in their general Assemblies one among the rest did confine the holy Kirk of Iesus Christ in that Realm to the Ministers of the blessed Evangel and such as were in communion with them excluding all the Episcopal party and deâ—ivâ—ring them up to Satan as being Members of a Kirk divided from the Society of Christs body They professed That there was no other face of Kirk no other face of Religion then was presently at that time established which therefore is â—ver stiled Gods true Religion Christs true Religion the true and Christian Religion admiâ—ting it seems no other Religion to be so much as Christiâ—n but that Beside thâ—s other Acts there were entâ—encâ—ing upon the civill authority whereupon the King by Letter required the Assembly to abstain from making any innovations in the Policy of the Church and from prejudging the decisions of the State by their conclusions to suffer all things to continue in the condition they were during the time of his minority They regard not his letter send a Committee to Striveling to contest with His Majesty and sit down again about the ordering their Discipline Set Iohn Craig a Presbyter about framing a most rigid * Negative confession of Faith Never let His Majesty have quiet untill himself and his Family subscribe it Wrest a charge from him to all Commissioners and Ministers to require the like subscriptions from all and upon this authority taken by violence play the tyrants over the Consciences of the people They censure the Presbytery of Striveling for admitting Montgomery to the temporallity of the Bishoprick of Glascow and him for aspiring thereto contrary to the word of God and Acts of the Kirk While they are thus fencing with the spirituall Sword in Scotland their pure Brethren in England execute their Commission by the pen where the marriage between Qu. Elizabeth and Alanson new Duke of Anjâ—u being in a manner concluded they set out a virulent book with this Title The Gulf wherein England will be swallowed by the French Marriage but the Author Iohn Stubbs of Lincolns-Inne a zealous professor as he must needs be who was Brother-in-Law to Cartwright and one William Page who dispersed the Copies soon after had their hands cut off on a Scaffold at Westminster and play'd their parts no more at that weapon But the civil Sword must have its turn and what no menacing bulls of the Assembly nor any pointed calumnies of mercenary pens can keep off must by a