autâ—m dicit author ille tuus dans gloriam Deo 8 That the temporall principalities which the Pope enjoyeth this day in Italie or elswhere are but his just possessions which none ought to invy him (p) Montag antid pag. 95. Habeat ille suas sibi opes facultates fundos habeat latifundia principatum dominium per Ecclesia terras Petri possessiones obtineat dummode contentus vetuctiorum principum liberalitate alienam non invadat possessionem 9. That the restitution of the Popes ancient authority in England and yeelding unto him all the power that this day he hath in Spaine or France would be many wayes advantageous and in nothing prejudiciall to the King (q) Cant. relat pag. 202 Hee that is not blinde may see if hee wil of what little value the popes power in France and Spaine is this day further then to serve the turns of their Kings therewith which they doe to their great advantage 10 The old constitution of the Emperour whereby all the westerne clergie is so farre subjected to the Bishop of Rome that without him they are disabled to make any Ecclesiasticall law and obliged to receave for lawes what he doth enjoyne was very reasonable Yea if the King would be pleased to command all the church men in his dominions to be that far subject to the Pope they would be unreasonable to refuse present obedience (r) Montag antid pag. 156. Quod è codice allegatur Theodosiano decernimus ne quid tam Episcopis Gallicanis quaÌ„ aliarum provinciarum contra consuetudinem veterem liceat sine viri venerabilis Papae urbis alternae authoritate tentare sed illis omnibusque legis loco sit quicquid sanxit sanxeritve sedis apostolicae authoritas Quicquid hic pontifici sayeth Montagow arrogatur id totum edicto debetur Theodosiano vel vetustae consuetudini quicquid autem per rescriptum tribuitur imperatoris ad occidentales credo solos pertinebat nec omnes quibus juxta veterem consuetudinem Pontifex praesidebat ut Patriarcha Decernat imperator de Gâ—rmanis episcopis Rex Angliâ— de Britannis suis Francorum de Gallicanis quod olim Theodosius decrevit dicto erunt omnes obedientes Onely by all meanes my Lord of Canterburies prerogative behoved to bee secured his ancient right to the patriarchat of the whole Isle of Britaine behoved to be made cleare that to his rod the whole clergie of the Isle might submit their shoulders as to their spirituall head and Monarch from whom to Rome there could bee no appeale (Å¿) Cant. relat pag. 171. It is plaine that in these ancient times in the Church government Britaine was neever subject to the Sea of Rome for it was one of the six diocies of the West Empire and had a pâ—â—mat of its own Nay Iohn Capgraw and William Mabinnesburrie tell us that Pope Vrbâ—n the second in the Councel at Bari in Apuleia accounâ—ed my worthie predecessor S. Anselme as his owne Compeer and said Hee was as the patriarch and apostolick of the other world quasi comparem veluti Apostolicum alterius orbis Patriarcham Now the Britains having a primate of their own which is greater then a Metropolitan yea a patriarch if yee wil he could not be appealed from to Rome in any cause which concerned onely the churches of the Kings dominions for in causes more universall of the whole catholicke Church willingly they are contented that the Patriarch of Britaine and all others should submit to their grand Apostolicke father of Rome (t) Montag Antid pag. 57. Rectè cautum erat olim per canones vetustae Ecclesiae ut Romanus ille primus Episcoporum cui tot per occidentem suffraganei adherebant suam sententiam rogatus adhiberet ubi fidei Ecclesiae universalis vel 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in rebus ad politiam spectantibus agitabatur supra Everie one of these pontificall positions since the midst of Henrie rhe eights raigne would have beene counted in England great paradoxes yet now all of them are avowed by Canterbuerie himself in that verie booke which the last yeare at the Kings direction hee set forth for to satisfie the world anent their suspition of his Poperie or else by D. Montagu in his books yet unrepealed and cleanged of all suspition of Poperie by M. Dow under the seal of his Graces licencing servant This much for the Pope About the Cardinalls they tell us that their office is an high and eminent dignitie in the Church of God Their minde to the Cardinalat for the which their persons are to be handled with great reverence and honour (w) Montag ap pag. 56 Penitere non potuit Baronium eruditissimuÌ„ laboriosissimum virum industriae suae ac deligentiae Cardinalitiame niminde merito quidem suo adeptus suscepit dignitateÌ„ ibid. pag. 75. Virum illustri adeo nominis celebritate eminentissima dignitate coÌ„stitutum honestum probum preterea in vita privata rigidem severum ac tantum non 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nusquam nisi honorificentissime compellavi that their office is a reward due to high graces and vertues that some of them though the greatest enemies that ever the reformed Churches have felt such as Baronius that spent all his time in opposing the trueth and advancing Antichristianisme and Barromaeus (x) Pokling Alt. pag. 34. The Linchonshire Minister it his jearing veine flouteth Cardinal Baromaeus whereas if he list to read his life he may not be ignorant that the Cardinall was a man of exemplarie holinesse and spent the greatest part of his life in fasting prayer almes-deeds preaching exhoration and doctrine and did detest both impietie and vanitie both in word and deed Me thinkes his conscience should checke him for his scornfull usage of a man who had the report of so vertuous and pious a Bishop a bloudy persecutor of our religion and one of the fathers of Trent that even such men are so full of grace and pietie that it is a great fault in any protestant to break so much as a jest on their red hattes Where the head and shoulders are so much affected it is hard to restraine charitie from the rest of the bodie These good men vent their passion no lesse towards the bodie of the present Church of Rome then towards the Pope and the Cardinalls Foâ— first his grace avowes over and over againe that the Papists and wee are of one and the same religion They affect much to be joyned with the Church of Rome as shee stands that to speak otherwayes as the Liturgie of England did all King Iames dayes were a matter of very dangerous consequent and therefore he confesseth his helping that part of the liturgie which puts a note of infamie upon the popish religion least that note should fall upon our owne religion which with the popish is but all one (y) Cant. relat p 36 The Church of Rome
Protestants set not up a differeÌ„t ReligioÌ„ for the christian Religion is the same to both but they differ in the same Religion and the difference is in certain grosse corruptions to the very endangering of salvation which each side saith the other is guiltie of Star-chamber speach pag. 36. My second reason is That the learned make but three Religions to have beene of old in the world Paganisme Iudaisme and Christianitie and now they have added a fourth which is Turcisme Now if this ground of theirs be true as it is generally neceived perhaps it will be of dangerous consequence sadly to avow that the popish religion is rebellion though this clause passed in the â—iturgie through inadvertrance in King Iames time this reason well weighed is taken from the very foundation of Religion it selfe ibid. pag. 34. His Majesty expresly commanded mee to make the alteration and to see it printed 2 They will have us to understand though wee the papists differ in some things yet that this very day their is no schisme betwixt papists and Protestants that protestants keep union and communion with the Church of Rome in all things required for the essence of a true Church necessarie for salvation that though they communicate not with some of her doctrines and practices yet this marres not the true union and communion of the two Churches both in faith and charitie That these who passe harder censures upon Rome are but zelots in whom too much zeale hath burnt up all wisedome and charitie (z) Pottar p. 3. 66. Wee darre not communicat with Rome either in her publicke Liturgie which is manifestly polluted with grosse superstition or in these corrupt and ungrounded opinions which she hath added to the faith These make up the poperie but not the Church of Rome In them our communion is dissolved but wee have still a true and reall union with that and all other members of the Church universall in faith and charitie ibid. pag. 74. To depart from the Church of Rome in some doctrines and practices wee had just necessarie cause though the Church of Rome wanted nothing necessarie to salvation There is great difference betwixt shisme from them and reformation of our selfe It is one thing to leave communion with the Church of Rome and another to leave communicating with her erros whosoever professeth himselfe to forsake the communion of any one member of Christs bodie must confesse himself consequently to forsake the whole And therefore wee forsake not Romes communion more nor the body of Christ whereof wee acknowledge the Church of Rome to bee a member though corrupted If any Zelots hath proceeded among us to heavier censures their zeal may bee excused but their charitie and wisedome can not hee iustified Cant. relat p. 192. The Protestants have not left the Church of Rome in her essence but in her errors not in things which constitute a Church but only in such abuses and corruptions which worke toward the dessolution of a Church 3 Thar the points wherein the two Churches doe differ are such as prejudge not the Salvation of either partie that they are not foundamentall and albeit they were so yet the truths that the papists doe maintaine are of force to hinder all the evil that can coÌ„me from their errours (†) Cant. relate pag. 249. The foundation is and remaineth whole in the mids of their superstitions Heylens answere pag. 124. Suppose a great Prelat in the high Commission Court had said openly That wee and the Church of Rome differed not in fundamentalibus yet how commeth this to be an innovation in the doctrine of England For that church telleth us in the 19. article That Rome doth erre in matters of Faith but it hath not told us that she doth erre in fundamentalibus Halls old religion after the beginning It is the charitable profession of zealous Luther that under the poperie there is much Christian good yea all that under the papacie there is true Christianity yea the kernell of Christianitie Neither doe wee censure that Church for what it hath not but for what it hath Fundamentall truth is like the Maronian wine which if it bee mixed with twentie times so much water holds his strength Rome as it is Babylon wee must come out of it but as it is an outward visible Church wee neither did nor would Butterfields Maskell Poperie is poyson but fundâ—mentall truch is an antidot A little quantitie of antidot that is soveraigne will destroy much poyson Pottar pag. 62. The most necessarie and fundamentall truths which constitute a Church are on both sides unquestioned ibid. By fundamentall points of Faith wee understand these prime and capitall doctrines of Religion which make up the holy Catholick Faith which essentially constitutes a true Church and a true Christian The Apostles Creed taken in a Catholicke sense that is as it was further opened in some parts by occasion of emergent heresies in the other catholicke creed of Nice Constantinople Ephesus Chalcedon and Athanasius is said generally by the Scholemen Fathers to comprehend a perfect catalogue of fundamentall truths to imply a full rejection of fundamentall heresies ibid. pag. 109. It semeed to some men of great learning and judgement such as Hooker and Morton that all who professe to love the Lord Iesus are brethren and may be saved though with erros even fundamentall truths to imply a full rejection of fundamentall heresies ibid. p. 109 It seemed to some men of great learning and judgement such as Hooker and Morton that all who professe to love the Lord Iesus are brethren and may be saved though with errors even fundamentall Heretickes doe imbrace the principles of Christianitie and erre only by misconstruction Whereupon their opinions albeit repugnant indeed to Faith yet are held other wise by them and maintained as consonant to the Faith 4 That the popish errours let bee to bee fundamentall are of so small importance as they doe not prejudge either faith hope or charitie let be salvation (a) Cant relat pag. 361 Holcat Non omnis error in his quae fidei sunt est aut infidelitas aut haeresis In things not necessarie though they bee divine truths if about them men differ it is no more then they have done more or lesse in all ages and they may differ and yet preserve that one necessary Faith intire and charitie also if they be so well minded for opinions which flattereth about that one souls saving Faith there are dangerous differences this day Pottar pag. 38. It is a great vanitie to hope or expect that all learned men in this life should absolutely consent in all the particles of the divine truth so long as the Faith once delivered to the Saints and that common faith containing all necessary verities is keeped So long as men walke charitably according to this rule though in other things they be otherwise minded the unitie of the Church is no wise
it For without a priest and an altar there can be no sacrifice There was a bloudie sacrifice than an unbloudy now a priest derived from Aaron then from Melchisedeck now an Altar for Mosaicall sacrifices than for Euangelicall now The apostles in the institution were appointed priests by Christ where they received a power for them and their successours to celebrate these holy mysteries Hoc facite is for the priest who hath power to consecrat Hoc edite is both for priest and people Ibid. pag. 17. Hee maintained at length that in the Lords Supper there is a true proper corporall visible and externall sacrifice 5. After the consecration and oblation they put to the Lords prayer with the Missals Preface audemus dicere Heere the Papists tell us that their Priest by consecration having transubstantiat the bread and by their memoriall of oblation having offered up in an unbloody sacrifice the body of Christ for the reconciliation of the Father doeth then close his quiet whisperings his poore pipings and becomes bold to say with a loud voice having Christ corporally in his hands Pater noster The English to banish such absurdities put away that naughty preface and removed the prayer it selfe from that place But our men to shew their Orthodoxie repone the prayer in the owne old place and set before it in a fair Rubrick the whole old preface 6. The first English prayer which stood before the consecration where the passages of eating Christs body and drinking Christs blood could not possibly by the very Papists themselves be detorted to a corporall presence yet now in our book it must change the place and be brought to its owne old stance after the consecration and oblation immediatly before the communion as a prayer of humble accesse The third part of the Masse I spake of was the communion Our changes in the communion see how heere out men change the English Booke The English indeed in giving the elements to the people retaine the Masse words but to preveene any mischiefe that could arise in the peoples minde from their sound of a corporall presence they put in at the distribution of both the elements two golden sentences of the hearts eating by faith of the Soules drinking in remembrance Our men being nothing affrayed for the peoples beliefe of a corporall presence have pulled out of their hands and scraped out of our Booke both these antidots 2. The Masse words of Christs body and blood in the act of communion being quite of the English antidots against their poyson must not stand in our Booke simplie but that the people may take extraordinar notice of these phrases there are two Rubricks set up to their backs oblidging every communicant with their owne mouth to say their Amen to them 3. The English injoines the Minister to give the people the elements in their owne hand ours scrapes out that clause and bid communicat the people in their own order which imports not onely their removall from the altar their standing without the raile as profaine Laicks far from the place and communion of the Priests but also openeth a faire door to the popish practice of putting the elements not in the profaine hands but in the mouths of the people 4. The English permit the Curate to cary home the reliques of the bread and wine for his privat use but such profanity by our Book is discharged The consecrat elements are injoined to bee eaten in the holy place by the Priest alone and some of the Communicants that day whose mouths hee esteemeth to bee most holy Yea for preventing of all dangers the cautele is put in that so few elements as may bee consecrat 5. Our Booke will have the elements after the consecration covered with a Corporall the church linnings were never called Corporals any where till transubstantiation was born neither carried they that name in England till of late his Grace was pleased by the pen of his man Pocklingtoune and the like to disgrace them with that stile 6. The English will have the Ministers and people to communicat in both kindes our booke injoines the Priest to receave in both kindes but the people onely in due order This due order of the people opposite to the communion of the Priest in both kindes may import the removall of one kinde from the people so much the more may wee feare this sacriledge from their hands since they tell us that our only ground for communicating of the people in both kindes is stark nought that for this practice there may well be tradition but Scripture there is none (d) VVhit on the Sabbath pag. 97. Such traditions are those that follow the deliverie of the communion to the people in both kindes Montag orig pag. 396. Vbi iubentur in Scripturis infantes babtiZari aut in caena Domini subutraque specie communicantes participare de his possumus profiteri Nihil tale docet Scriptura Scriptura haec non praedicat Andrews stricturae p. 5. It can not be denyed but reserving the Sacrament was suffered a long time in the primitive church in time of persecution they were permitted to carrie away how great a part they would and to keep it by them and to take it at times to comfort them but for the sick it was alwayes sent them home were the distance never so great and against the time of extremitie it was thought not amisse to have it reserved that if the priest should not then be in state to go to the sick partie and there to censecrat it for him yet at least it might be sent him as in the case of Cerapion Pokling as we have heard made it one of the matters of that Churches glory that they yet doe retaine in their Chanchels the old Repositories Also that in diverse cases the ancient church did lawfully give to the people the bread alone that the Sacrament after the publick communion was oft reserved to be sent to the sicke to bee taken at privat occasions and laide up in the church in a publicke repositorie Now it is well knowne and the Papists presse this upon us when they would rob the people of the cup that the wine was not sent to the sicke in a farre distance from the church nor taken home by the people to bee used with the bread in the times of strait nor set up in the Church in the ciboir or repositorie These changes of the English Liturgie which the Canterburians have made in some few pages lying together of the Scottish service if they be either few or small your self pronunce the sentence The last Chapter containing the Canterburian maximes of Tyrannie ONe of the great causes of Protestants separation from Rome is the tyrannie of the Romish Clergie whereby they presse upon the very conscience of their people a multitude of their own devices with the most extreame and rigorous censures which can be inflicted either upon bodies or souls And for the
to goe kill one another alone for the bearing up of Prelates tailes and that of Prelates as unworthie of respect as any that ever wore a Mytre Let our kindred let our friends let all the Protestant churches perish let our own lives estates run never so evident an hazard yet the Prelates pride must be borne up their furious desire of revenge must be satiate all their Mandamus in these dominions must be execute with greater severitie and rigour then those of their brethren are this day in Italy or Spaine or those of their grand-father at Rome To us surely it is a strange Paradox that a Parliament of England The Canterburian faction deserveth not so well of England that armes in their favour ought to be taken against Scotland so wise grave equitable a Court as in all bygone times it hath ever proven should bee thought in danger at any time let be now to be induced by any allurement by any terrour to submitt themselves as Varlets and Pages to the execution of the lusts the furies and outragious counsels of Canturberrie and his dependars for they know much better then we that the maine greevances both of their Church and State have no other originall no other fountaine on earth but those men Who other but they have keept our most gracous Prince at a distance from the Countrie almost ever since he came to the Crowne For whose cause have Parliaments these many yeares beene hindred to meet and when they haue met beene quickly raised to the unspeakable grief and prejudice of the whole land and of all our friends abroad By whose connivence is it that the idolatrous Chappels of both the Queenes in the most conspicuous places of the Court are so gorgeous and much frequented Whose tollerance is it that at London three Masse-priests are to bee found for one Minister that three hundreth of them reside in the cittie in ordinat and six thousand at least in the countrie If yee trust the Jesuites Catalogue to Rome Whence comes their immunitie from the Lawes who have sett up Cloysters for Monks Nuns let bee houses for open Masses in divers cities of the Kings dominions Why is our correspondence with the Pope no more secret but our Agents avowedly sent to Rome his Holinesse Nuntioes received here in state and that such ones as in publick writs have lately defamed with unspeakable reproaches the person and birth of that most sacred Queene Elizabeth Such actions or at least long permission of such abominations doe they flow from any other but his Grace the head heart of the Cabbine Counsell Did any other but hee his creatures his legs and armes hinder alwaies our effectual alliance with the Sweeds French when their armies did most flourish in Germanie for the relief of the oppressed Churches Why was that poore Prince the king of Boheme to his dying day keept from any considerable help from Britaine How was these young Princes the other yeare permitted to take the fields with so small forces that a very meane power of a silly commander beat them both tooke the one captive and put the other in his flight to an evident hazard of his life Who moved that innocent Prince after his escape to take so strange a counsell as the world now speake off and when he was engadged who did betray both his purpose and person to the French king could any without the Cabbine understand the convey of such matters and within that Cabbine does any come without his Graces permission Is not that man the evident author of all the Scotish broyles Are not his Letters extant his holy hands interlynings of the Scotish service to bee seene his other writtes also are in our hands making manifest that the beginning and continuance of that cursed worke hath no spring without his braine When the King himselfe after ripe advertisement and all about him both English and Scots had returned in peace who incontinent did change the face of the Court and revive that fire which in the heart of the Prince and all his good Subjects was once closse dead That a Parliament of England will not onely let such a man his complices goe free Wee offer to instruct by the writâ— of our partie their unsupportable crimes but to serve his humour will bee content to ingadge their lives and estates for the overthrow inslaving of us their best neighbours that over our carkases a path-way may be made for Bishops now and at once for the Pope and Spaniard â—o â—red on the neck both of their bodies and souls we canÌ„â—t beleeve Yet if any such things should be propâ—unded for what dare not effronted impudence attempt we would require that sage Senat before they passe any bloudy sentence of war against us to consider a little the quality of that party for whose cause they take arms we offer to instruct to the ful satisfaction of the whole world of free imprejudicat mindes not by flying reports not by probable likelihoods not by the sentences of the gravest most solemne judicatories of this land our two last generall assemblies late parliam who at far greater length with more mature advisement did cognosce of those causes then ever any assembly or parlia among us since the first foundation of our Church kingdom did resolve upon any matter whatsoever All those means of probation we shall set aside and take us alone to the mouth of our very adversaries If by their own testimonie we make it evident that beside bookes ceremonies and Bishops which make the proper particular quarrel of this nationall Kirk against them they are guilty of grosse Arminianisme plaine popery and of setting up of barbarous tyrannie which is the common quarrell of the Kirk of England of all the reformed Kirks and of all men who delite not to live dye in the fetters of slavery If we demonstrate not so much by their preachings and practises amongst us as by their maximes printed with priviledge among your selvs which to this day though oft pressed thereto they have never recanted If wee shew that yet still they stifly avow all the articles of Arminius a number of the grossest abominations of popery specially the authoritie of the Sea of Rome that they urge conclusioÌ„s that will force you without any reluctance so much as by a verball protestation not onely to give way unto any iniquitie whatsoever either in Kirk or State whereto they can get stollen the pretext of the kings name but also to lay down your neck under the yoke of the king of Spaine if once he had any sitting in this Yle without any further resistance though in your Church by force that Tyrant should set up the latine Masse in place of the Bible and in your State for your Magna-Charta and acts of Parliament the Lawes of Castile though in your eyes he should destroy the whole race of the royall familie
lesse then Turkish If ye finde that I prove my offer I trust I may bee confident of your wisedomes that though Cicero himselfe with him Demosthenes as a second Orpheus with the enchantments of his tongue and harp as a third marrow should come to perswade yet that none of you shall ever be moved by all their oratorie to espouse the quarrels of so unhappie men If I faile in my faire undertaking let me be condemned of temeritie and no houre of your leasure be ever againe imployed in taking notice of any more of my complaints But till my vanity be found I wil expect assuredly from your Honours one hearing if it were but to waken many an able wit nimble pen in that your venerable House of Convocation Numbers there if they would speake their knowledge could tell other tales then ever I heard in an out-corner of the Isle far from the secrets of State and all possibilitie of intelligence how many affaires in the world doe goe It is one of the wonders of the world how many of the English Divines The silence of the English Divines is prodigious can at this time be so dumbe who could well if they pleased paint out before your eyes with a Sun-beame all the crimes I speake off in that head members It is strange that the pilloring of some few that the slitting of Bastwickâ—â— and Burtowns nose the burning of Prinnes cheeke the cutting of Lightouns eares the scourging of Lilburne through the cittie the close keeping of Lincolne and the murthering of others by famine cold vermine stinke and other miseries in the caves and vaults of the Bishops houses of inquisition should binde up the mouths of all the rest of the Learned England wont not in the dayes of hottest persecution in the very Marian times to bee so scant of faithfull witnesses to the truth of Christ wee can not now conjecture what is become of that Zeale to the true Religion which wee are perswaded lyes in the heart of many thousands in that gracious kirk we trust indeed that this long lurking and too too long silence of the Saints there shall breake out at once in some hundreths of trumpets and lampes shining and shouting to the joy of all reformed Churches against the camp of these enemies to God and the King that quickly it may be so behold I here first upon all hazards doe breake my pitcher doe hold out my Lampe and blow my trumpet before the Commissioners of the whole Kingdom offering to convince that prevalent faction by their owne mouth of Arminianisme Poperie and Tyrannie THE MAINE SCOPE And Delineation of the subsequent TREATISE CHAP. I. OUR Adversaries Our Adversaries decline to answer our greatest challenge are very unwilling to suffer to appeare that there is any further debait betwixt them and us but what is proper unto our Church and doe arise from the Service-Book Canons and Episcopacie which they have pressed upon us with violence against all order Ecclesiasticall and Civill In the meane least they become the sacrifices of the publick hatred of others in a subtile SophisticatioÌ„ they labour to hide the notable wrongs and effronts which they have done openly to the Reformed Religion to the Churches of England and all the Reformed Churches in the main and most materiall questions debated against the Papists ever since the Reformation for such as professe themselves our enemies and are most busie to stirre up our gracious Prince to armes against us doe wilfully dissemble their knowledge of any other controversie betweene them and us but that which properly concerneth us and rubbeth not upon any other Church In this their doing the Judicious may perceive their manifold deceit whereby they would delude the simple and many wittie worldlings doe deceive themselves First they would have the world to thinke that we obstinately refuse to obey the Magistrate in the point of things indifferent And therefore unnecessarily and in a foolish precisenesse draw upon our selves the wrath of the King Secondly when in our late Assemblies the order of our Church is made knowne and the seeds of superstition heresie idolatrie and antichristian tyrannie are discovered in the Service-Booke and Canons they wipe their mouth they say No such thing is meant and that we may upon the like occasion blame the Service-Booke of England Thirdly when by the occasion of the former quarrellings their palpable Poperie and Arminianisme are set before their eyes and their perverse intentions desires and endeavours of the change of Religon and Lawes are upon other grounds then upon the Service-Booke and Canons objected against them they stopp their eares or at last shut their mouthes and answer nothing This Challenge they still decline and misken they will not let it be heard let be to answer to it And for to make out their tergiversation and to dash away utterly this our processe they have beene long plying their great engine and at last have wrought their yond most myne to that perfection that it is now readie to spring under our wals By their flattering calumnies they have drawn the Prince againe to arms for the overthrow of us their challengers and for the affrighting by the terrour of armies on foot of all others elsewhere from commencing any such action against them As for us The scope of the Treatise truely it were the greatest happinesse wee doe wish for out of Heaven to live peaceably in all submission and obedience under the wings of our gracious Soveraigne and it is to us a bitternesse as gall as wormwood as death to be necessitated to any contest to any contradictorie tearmes let bee an armed defence against any whom he is pleased to defend Yea certainly it were the great joy of our heart to receive these very men our mortall enemies into the armes of our affection upon any probable signes in them of their sincere griefe for the hudge wrongs they have intended and done to their mother-Mother-Church and Countrie But when this felicitie is denyed and nothing in them doeth yet appeare but induration and a malicious obstinacie going on madly through a desperate desire of revenge to move a very sweete Prince for their cause to shed his owne blood to rent his owne bowels to cut off his owne members what shall wee doe but complaine to GOD and offer to the worlds eyes the true cause of our sufferings the true grounds of this Episcopall warre or rather not Episcopall but Canterburian broyle for we judge sundrie Bishops in the yle to be very free of these mischiefes and beleeve that divers of them would gladly demonstrate their innocencie if so bee my Lord of Canterburie and his dependants were in any way to receive from the Kings justice some part of their deservings Howsoever that wee may give a testimonie to the truth of God which wee are like at once to seale with our blood wee will offer to the view of all Reformed Churches and above
more facilitating of their purposes they advance the secular power of Princes and of all soveraigne Estates above all that themselves either crave or desire alone for this end that their clerks may ride upon the shoulders of Soveraignitie to tread under the feet of their domination first the Subjects and then the Soveraignes themselves The tyrannous usurpation of the Canterburians are as many and heavie as these of the Romist Clergie How much our men are behinde the greatest tyrants that ever were in Rome let any pronounce when they have considered these their following maximes They tell us first that the making of all Ecclesiastick constitutions doth belong alone to the Bishop of the Diocesse no lesse out of Synod then in Synod That some of the inferior clergie may bee called if the Bishops please to give their advice and deliberative voice That the Prince may lend his power for confirming and executing of the constitutions made but for the work of their making it is the Bishops priviledge belonging to them alone by Divine right (a) Samuel Hoards sermons pag. 7. By the Chruch I meane the Churches Pilots who sit at the sterne Heads members divide all bodies Ecclesiasticall and civill what ever is to bee done in matters of direction and government hath alwayes beene and must be the sole prerogative of the heads of these bodies unlesse wee will have all common-wealths and churches broken in picees Ibid. pag. 8. The key of jurisdiction which is a power of binding and lousing men in foro exteriori in the coutts of justice and of making lawes and orders for the government of Gods house is peculiar to the heads and bishops of the church Ibid. p. 31. what was Ignatius and Ambrose if we look at their authoritie more than other bishops of the church That libertie therfore which they had to make new orders when they saw cause have all other prelats in their churches Edward Boughanes serm Pag. 17. Submit your selves to those that are put in authoritie by kings so then to Bishops because they are put in authoritie by Kings if they had no other clame But blessed bee God they hold not only by this but by a higher tenor since all powers are of God from him they have their spirituall jurisdiction what ever it be S. Paul therfore you see assumes this power unto himselfe of setting things in order in the kirk before any Prince become Christian 1 Cor. 11.34 The like power hee acknowledgeth to be in Titus 1.5 and in all bishops Heb. 15.17 Ibid. pag. 18. Kings make lawes and bishops make canons This indeed it was of necessitie in the beginning of Christianitie Kings made lawes for the State and bishops for the kirk because then there was no Christian Kings either to authorize them to make such lawes or who would countenance them when they were made But after that Kings became nourishing fathers to the Church in these pious and regular times bishops made no Canons without the assent and confirmation of Christian Kings and such are our Canons so made so confirmed Chounei collect pag. 53. Reges membra quidem filios Eccesiae se esse habitos reiecisse contempsisse nonnunquam audivimus obediunt simulque regnant Iura quibus gubernari se permittunt sua sunt vitalitatem nativam ex praepositis Ecclesiae tanquam ex corde recipiunt vivacitatem ex ipsis tanquam ex capitibus derivant Samuel Hoards pag. 9. Nor did they exercise this power when they were in Counsell only but when they were asunder also Speaking of apostles as they are paterns to all bishops 2. That in a whole Kingdome the Bishops alone without the privitie of any of the clergie of any of the laitie may abolish all the Ecclesiastick judicatories which the standing and unrepealled lawes which the constant customes ever since the reformation had setled and put in their rowme new forraigne courts which the kingdome had never known scarce so much as by their name (b) Our Chrurch Sessions our weekly presbyteries our yearly generall Assemblies whereof by our standing lawes wee have beene in possession are closse put downe by our book of Canons and in their rowme Church-wardens officiall courts synods for Episcopall visitation and generall Assemblies to bee called when they will to be constitute of what members they please to name are put in their place That at one stroke they may annull all the Acts of three or fourscore National Afsemblies and set up in their roome a Book of Canons of their own devysing (c) So is their book entituled Canons and Constitutions Ecclesiasticall gathered and put in forme for the governement of the Church of Scotland and ordained to bee observed by the clergie and all others whom they concerne That they may abolish all the formes used in the worship of God without any question for threescore yeares and above both in the publicke prayers in the administration of the Sacraments in singing of Psalmes in preaching the Word in celebrating of Marriage in visiting the sicke and in ordination of Ministers Neither this alone but that it is in their hand to impose in place of these accustomed formes foure new Bookes of their owne of Service of Psalmes of Ordination of Homilies All this our Bishops in Scotland have done and to this day not any of them to our knowledge can be moved to confesse in that deed any faile against the rules either of equitie or justice what ever slips of imprudence there may bee therein And all this they have done at my lord of Canterburies direction as wee shall make good by his owne hand if ever we shall be so happy as to be permitted to produce his owne authentick autographs before the Parliament of England or any other Judicatorie that his Majestie will command to cognosce upon this our alleadgance Readily Rome it self can not be able in any one age to paralell this worke which our faction did bring foorth in one yeare It is a bundel of so many so various and so heavie acts of tyrannie Certainly England was never acquaint with the like wee see what great trouble it hath cost his Grace to get thorow there one poore ceremonie of setting the Communion table altar-wayes for there themselves dar not deny that it is repugnant to the established Lawes of their church and state for any Bishop yea for all the Bishops being joined to make the poorest Canon without the voices of their convocation-house or Nationall Assemblie yea without the Parliaments good pleasure (d) VVhites examination of the dialogue pag 22. By the lawes of our kingdome and Canons of our Church many learned persons are appointed to be assistants unto bishops and in our nationall Synods in which all weightie matters concerning religion are determined nothing is or may be concluded but by the common vote and counsell of the major part of the convocation which consisteth of many other learned Divines besides Bishops Andrews sermons
noble gentle-man Generall Leslie Generall Leslies vindication cannot escape the scrapes of your empoysoned peâ— Ye are on a stage playing the part of a Fuâ—ioso who ever commeth in your way the first dirt and stones ye can grip must flie at their faces When ye have searched that great personage from his birth to his old age nothing can yee espy in all his life whereupon to fasten your tuske but that which among all Nations as well barbarous as civill hath ever beene reputed a marke of honour and matter of gloriation When ye have curiously eyed that excellent piece from top to toe your malice can espy no blemish but a skar of an old most honourable wound which maketh him the more glorious with all who understand the tearmes of true honour and the dearer to every one who hath any spark of affection toward that service wherin that wound among many more was received by him But ye your like cannot hold in the passion of your soule but must vent your hatred malice your disdainfull indignation against all the valarous acts of any in the reformed religion against the popish partie whether in these dayes or the dayes of our forfathers Ye cannot dissemble your passionate affection to the side of Q. Marie at our first reformation rather ere your loyal heart had played the pranks of the rebellion the treason and what not of our ancestours ye would have joyned with the enemies of our Churcâ— State for the cutting off of the blessed root of King Charles race for the setling upon the throne of Britaine after the dispatch of Q. Elizabeth K. Iames these hereticall Schismaticks the posteritie of Iohn of Austria of the Duke of Northfolke or of any whom it should have pleased the Pope the Catholick King the Duke of Guise to have matched with Q Marie Thus dâ—e ye and your faction stand affected toward the former age neither is your minde any better toward this present The Dâ—tch Princes the head of their league that true Heroâ— â—hat wonder of the world the K. of Swaine must all be to you but villanes traitours who for their zeale to the reformed Religion Liberties of Germanie durst be so peart as to lift up armes to stop that very far advanced reformation of Ferdinand The wounds that famous Leslâ—e did get in this cause must be slandered and made a matter of reproach to you your like but it is good that men of honour doe think of you your language as it is Who is acquainted with the world abroad they know full well that Leslies most valarous very wise happie deportments in the wars over Sea have brought more true glorie to our NatioÌ„ then the cariage of any man who went out of our Land these manie ages Certainly this brave Souldiers late conduct of our Nation in the time of the greatest danger that our land did see this hundreth yeares was so full of wisedome stoutnesse moderation successe that his memory will be fragrant blessed in all generations to our posteritie This sight of that mans vertues did draw to him so much love from all that followed his Campe so much honour from all the English Nobilitie that served in the opposite armie that we may say truely There liveth not in this Yle a gentle-man of comparable reputation with all sorts of men except alone of you in the faction by whose hearts to be hated by whose pens to be defamed it is an increase of contentment praile of all honest men But being unable to stand any longer upon your dung hill least I be suffocat with the stink therof I must turn my back flie leaving you to dwell upon these your excrements if so be ye cannot be drawn from them to die be buried therin only my parting a little of one purpose which so oft in your whole writ ye inculcate Ye will have us in the doctrine of Episcopacie we agree in our Tenets of Episcopacie with all the reformed abroad to differ from all other reformed Churches yet it will appeare to those who goe not beyond the very passages your selfe doth bring in this matter that betwixt us any reformed Church there is no discrepance at all For that Episcopacie which ye maintaine beside the manifold unhappy accidents that use to hang both upoÌ„ the persons and office which your selfe will scarce defend hath into it essentially the power of ordination all Ecclesiastick jâ—risdiction annexed that by a divine right to the person of one man in a whole diocesse that ever any reformed divine except some few that but lately in England did approve let be commend such an office it is so false as any thing can be That kind of episcopacie wherof the divines ye alleadge speak off is so farre from the present English and late Scotish one as light is from darknesse as reformed doctrine from grosse Poperie contrarie both to the word of God all sound antiquitie Beside even that kinde of Episcopacie which they seem not much to oppose is such an office as they make to be no way necessary in any Church but removeable out of all to which they thought never meet to give any footing in their own churches but at the beginning did cast it out and to this day have carefullie holden it at the doore This ye cannot be ignorant is the known practice let be the doctrin of al the reformed churches over Sea of all their divines without the exception of one man Doe ye think that any of them will be offended with us for following their owne example for casting out that which they have rejâ—cted before us upon lesse occasions For it is certain that Episcopacie is no way so opposite to the discipline of any reformed church as to that discipline which many Assemblies Parliaments have setled in our land it is certain that no church over Sea hath ever been halfe so much grieved with that unhappie office as ours oft times hath beene we all know that from it alone hath flowed all the miseries schisms dangers wherwith our church since the reformation hath been vexed none of us is ignorant that this â—ffice was the only horse wherupon our later novations of Perth articles high CoÌ„mission Leiturgie Canons came riding unto us And now the world may see that it is only Bishops that threaten this whole Yle with the danger of the most cruell warre it saw these 500 yeares That any reasonable man will blame us for our firm resolution to oppose their re-entrie among us for ever we doe not â—ear for beside that our whole land is al utterly impatient of their but theÌ„ our last two generall Assemblies articles of our late Pâ—rliament with our Princes approbatioÌ„ have ordained their office to be abjured by our whole nation with solemne oaâ—h subscriptioÌ„ As for our neighbour churches in Engâ—aÌ„d Ireâ—aÌ„d though hitherto we have been mâ—st sparing to meddle with any thing which concerneth them yet now since ye put us so hardly to it we canÌ„ot dissemble any loÌ„ger our hearty wishes that since the bishops there beside the manifold evils that is in tâ—e â—ffice which they doe use defend the needlesnes of iâ— since I say their bishops have been the first fountain of all our churches trouble since they are the prime instrumeÌ„ts which now infect this Yle with Arminianisme popery since they have raised yet doe further so hot a persecutioÌ„ against our whole natâ—oÌ„ in Iâ—land as no reformed church to this day hath ever beeÌ„ acquainted with since after our full agreemeÌ„t with our gratious king neighbour natioÌ„ of Eng aÌ„d they without any cause that yet we know or can hear tel of have been the bellows to kindle the wrath of our king against us to stir up a most blodie war for the undoing if God prevent it not first of the most flourishing churches in these dominioÌ„s theÌ„ of the whole reformed elâ—where we professe it our wish to God that the king his present parliameÌ„t might seriously coÌ„sider if it were not for the good of the crown for the welfare of their natioÌ„ for the peace of their church that EnglaÌ„d after the exaÌ„ple of all the reformed should rid theÌ„selvs at least of their bishops trouble as they did of old without any repentance to this day of their Abbots Monks This we conceive would much increase the joy and prosperitie of all the three Dominions FINIS