all their hundreth and six glorious Predecessours are endebted before God and the VVorld all their Prerogatives both of nature grace and estate so much as any Princes were ever to their mother church native Countrie CHAP. II. The Canterburians avovved Arminianisme ARminianisme how great and dangerous an innâ—â—ation of the Reformed Religion it is Arminianisme â— great and dangerous innovation oâ— Religion wee m y learne by the late experiences of our neighâ—ours when that weed began to spread among 〈◊〉 The States of Holland have declared in many pâ—ssages of their Dordracen Synod that they found it a more readie meane to overthrow both their Church and State then all the engines Policies armes which the Pope and Spaniard in any bygan time had used â—gainst them The Church of France the other yeare when Amirâ—t and Testard and some few of their Divines were but surmised to incline a little towards some small twigs of one article of Arminius was so affrighted that they rested not till in a generall assembly at Paris they did runne together for the extinguishing of the first sparkes as it were of a common fire When Barrow in Cambridge began to run a little on this rock how careful was my Lord of Canterburie and the Bishops than in the meeting at Lambeth for the crushing of that Cokatrice in the egge when that Serpent againe in the same place began to sett up the nose in the writtes of Thomson how carefull were the Bishops then by the hand of their brother of Salisburie Doctor Abbots to cutt off the head of that monster But what speake wee of the Churches Reformed The very Synagogue of Rome whose conscience is enlarged as the Hell to swallow downe the vileâ—â— morsels of the most lewd errours that Antichrist can present yet did they stick much at this bone when the Iesuite Molina began to draw out these dreggs of Pelagianisme from the long neglected pitts of some obscure Schoolemen what clamours were raised there not onely by Alvarez and his followers but ulso by numbers of Prelates and some great Princes till the credit of the Iesuites in the Court of Rome and the wisedome of the Consistorie prognosticating a new Rent in their Church did procure from the Pope a peremptorie injunction of silence to both sides on all highest paines hoping if the Dominicans mouthes were once stopped that the Iesuites by their familiar arts and silent Policies would at last worke out their intended point which indeed since that time they have well neare by fully gained But to King Charles eye no evidence useth to bee so demonstrative as that which commeth from the learned hand of his blessed Father VVould wee know how gracious a Plant Arminianisme and the dressers of it will prove in England or any where else advise with King Iames King Iames judgement of Arminianisme who after full triall and long consultation about this emergent with the Divines of his Court especially the late archbishop Abbots gave out at last his Decreet in print and that in Latine not onely for a present declaration to the States of Holland of his minde against Vorstius and a cleare Confession of his Faith in those points to the Christian VVorld but above all to remaine a perpetuall Register for his heirs and successours of his faithfull advise if after his death their Kingdomes should be ever in danger to bee pestered with that wicked seed In that treatise his Majestie doth first (a) Declarat contr Vorst pag. 15. Non erubescit ita crasse mentiri ut affirmet haereses libro suo expressas á professione Ecclesiae Anglicanae non dissentire avow all them to be grosse lyers who doe not blush to affirme that any of the Arminian articles even that most plausable one of the Saints apostasie are consonant with the Doctrine or articles of the Church of England (b) Ibid. pag. 12. Gnaviter impudens ferreioris Hee stileth Bertius for such a slander a very impudent and brazen faced man 2. (c) Ibid. pag. 18 Detestandae haereses novitor exortae maturè exstingueÌ„dae ad usque inferos unde manarunt relegandae He pronounceth these Doctrines of Arminius to be heresies lately revived and damnable to the hells from whence they come 3. (d) Ibid. pag 12. Sola inscriptio clamat igni damnandum That Bertius for the very title of his booke The Saints apostacie deserved burning 4. (e) Ibid. pag. 14. Inimicus Deo Arminius cujus discipuli pestes arrogantes haeritici 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sectarij That Aâ—minius and his Schollers were to be reputed pests enemies to God proud schismaticall hereticall Atheists 5. (f) Ibid. pag. 15. A Deo maledictionem apud Ecclesias omnes infamiam in Republicam perpetuam distractionem The great increase of Arminians in Scotland by Canterburies meanes Hee affirmeth that their tolleration would not faile to bring upon the heads of their toleraters let be favourers Gods malediction an evill report slander and infamie with all the Churches abroad and certaine Schisme division and tumults at home Shall wee then make any doubt of King Charles full contentment that we avow Arminianisme to bee such a dangerous innovation in our Religion as the Reformed Churches abroad and his Father at home hath taught us to count it where ever it is found Notwithstanding this bitter roote amongst us was setting up the head of late very boldly in all the prime plâ—ces of our Kingdome wee have had since the reformation many bickerings about the Church government and Ceremonies but in matters of Doctrine never any controversie was knowne till some yeares agoe a favourable aire from the mouth of Doctor Laud at Court began to blow upon these unhappie seeds of Arminius No sooner was those south-winds sensible in our climate but at once in S. Andrews Edinburgh Aberdeen and about Glasgow that weed began to spring amaine Doctour Wederburne in the new Colledge of S. Andrews did stuffe his dictates to the younge Students in Divinitie with these errours This man upon the feares of our Churches censure having fled the Countrie was very tenderly embraced by his Grace at Court and well rewarded with a faire Benefice in England for his labours But to the end his talents should not lye hid although a man very unmeete either for preaching or government hee was at once sent downe to us without knowledge of our Kirk by Canterburies onely favour to be Bishop of Dumblane for this purpose mainly that in the Royall Chappell whereof that Bishop is alwayes Dean hee might in despite of all our Presbyteries weive out the webbe hee had begun in S. Andrews So at once there was erected a society of twentie foure Royall Chapplains who were thought fittest of the whole Cleargie of the Kingdome to be allured with hopes of favour from Court to preach to the State the Deans Armiminian tenets In Edinburgh M. Sydserfe did partly play his part and for the
ratum firmum fixumque legis vim efficaciam per Ecclesiam universalem obineret Ibid. pag. 80. Monarchae sunt Episcopi in suis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 monarchae in suis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Metropolitae Monarchae Patriarchae augustiores sed plures per unam Ecclesiam Catholicam Praecipuae olim parti Chistiani orbis hoc est cunctis ad occidentem regionibus cum authoritate quadam non illa suprema praefuit Pontifex etsi non obstaret illa perdita ambitio etiam hodie preesset Petets onelie successor that within the bounds of his owne Patriarchat he is a Prince he is a monarch Thirdlie that order and unitie do necessarly require one Bishop to have the inspection and superioritie over all Bishopes and that this prerogative by good Ecclesiasticall right is due to the Pope (k) Cant. relat p. 183. The Roman Prelate was ordine primus first in order or degree which some one must bee to avoid confusion Montag antid pag. 116. Certum est ratione vinculi communis inter Christanos ratione ordinis praecedentis inter Patriarchas universalis Ecclesiae curam ad Petri sedim confluxisse Ibid. pag. 51. Eclesia acies ordinata multitudo 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 costituta Vbicunque multi multiplicitas ut ordo eluceat harmonia conservetur ab uno arcessenda est origo omnis Vnde autem melius origo omnis quam ab Ecclesia principali loco debetur haec praeminentia loci primatum illum ordinis propter utrumque praestantiae habeat si voluerit Romanus pontifex Inter Ecclesiae sacerdotes communio societas ejusdemque fidei integrae illibatae professio quoà d ordinem interdum executionem non potuit nisi ab uno aliquo fieri derivari Inde autem per consensum Christianae orbis derivabatur hoc est à cathedra sede Petri Romano scilicet Episcopatis Ibid. pag. 158. Illi certè principatum sacerdotii super omnes antiquatas tribuit neque nos hunc abnuimus principatum fontem esse sacerdotti summi Pontificatus apicem nos non reluctamur est sit Fourthly that all the authoritie which the English Bishops have this day speciallie his Grace of Canterbury is derived to them from the Pope and Peters chair That if this derivation could not be clearlie demonstrat the Clergie of England might justlie refuse all obedience to their Bishops jurisdiction (l) Pokling alt pag. 50 Miserable were we if hee that now sits Archbishop of Canterburie could not derive his succession from S. Augustine S. Augustine from S. Gregorie S. Gregorie from S. Peter What a comfort it is to his Grace that he can say Ego sum haeres Apostolorum I and my predecessors have kept possession Pokling Sunday at the beginning Our Diocesian can derive himselfe the successor of an apostle otherwise we should have taken his call for the vocie of a stranger not have here appeared It is S. Augustins resolutoÌ„ Successio Episcoporum ab ipsa sede Petri is that which among other things by him named keepes us in the bosome of the Church subjects us to our Bishops jurisdiction Fifthly that divers of the late Popes have been verie good men yea among the best of men that those of them who have beene verie monsters of men yet for that veneration which their high and eminent place in the Church of God doth require all the stiles of honour in justice is due to them even holinesse it self in abstracto that to refuse them this or their other titles is but brainsick puritanisme (m) Montag oreg Eccles p. 114. Patrum nostrorum vel avorum memoria dua summi Pontifices virri optimi doctissimi Hadrianus sextus Bellarmini avunculus Marcellus secundus Antid pag. 47. Romanus Episcopus Pontifex maximus quidni dicebatur scio vocatum benedictum scio Papam Pastorem nominariâ— quid si haec omnia nomina usurpabat Orig. pag. 417. Certis quibusdam titulis elogiis homines 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 constitutos ab omni retro antiqualite viti prudentes etiam religiosi honorant istos honorum lemnistos non est cujusvis conculcare sed nec palam reprehendere aut iisdem derogate id quod solent 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Puritani Pontificem Romanum suam sanctitatem indigitare certissimus est character Antichristianismi Non tibi sed religioni dicebat olim Isidis adorator cum asinus portans mysteria se putaret veneratum honorem pari modo non Paulo alicui quarto Alexandro Sexto Ioanni duodecimo caeteris si qui sunt prodigia propudia honestatis sed religioni exhibendum contendimus hoc est eminentî dignitati quâ ultra alios in Ecclesia Dei praediti sunt sed est haec pbrenesis hominum solummodo phanaticorum 6 That the dignitie of the Episcopall office specially the Bishop of Rome his eminency was as far above the dignity of the Emperours and Kings as the soule is above the body or God above the creature yea that the stile of God was but the Popes due (n) Montag antip pag. 166. Est quidem sacerdotium ut rectè observat Pbil. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 itaque ut 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Iesu Christi ut Dei atque hominum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 summus à C ristianis omnibus Divino instituto debetur honor reverentia singularis ibid. p. 40. Fatetur ultro sacerdotium aliquo modo in quibusdam supra regiam dignitatem eminere cum vetustis orthodoxis patribus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 inquit Chryâ—ostom 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 regem prius dixerat 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nazianzen in apologi a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ibid. p. 162. Allusum est a piissimo rege ad illud Exodi Constitui te Deum Pharaonis communicat Deus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 seu Pontificio seu civili sui ipsius 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 dii vocantur quis ringatur ob hanc 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 merito quos locuÌ„ ille suum voluit inter homines sustinere 7. That Emperours and Kings did but their duety in giving reverence yea adoration unto the Pope with great summes of money by way of tribute (o) Montag antid pag. 40. Non est mirum si Constantinus olim Pipinus Carolus alii occurrerent de equis descenderent venientes exceperint religionis antistites Christianae venerationemque exhibuerint Quid mirum Turcarum Caliphis non ita pridem tot Sultanos tantam observantiam exhibuisse tam ampla vectigalia persolvisse Non minora quondam principes populi Christiani Christianis sacerdotibus imprimis Romanis pontificibus exhibuerint exhibebunt etiamnum ad pristinos illos mores si tantum revertatur exempla pietatis maiorum ibid. pag. 158. Adoravit Ioannem Iustinus sic Constantinus inferiores Ioanne sacerdotes adoravit
ceremonias à maioribus hominibus religiosissimis usurpatas quod advarios pietatis usus valeant exercitia quedam sunt quibus mens externarum rerum sensu significatione ad divinum cultum ipsumque Deum attrahitur in Ecclesia retinendas ubi abrogatae fuerant restituendas esse statuimus Andrews stricturae p. 13. Chrisme salt candles exorcismes signe of the crosse ephata and the consecration of the water those being all matters of ceremonie are therefore in the Church power on good reasons either to retaine are to alter For their tenets in the sacrament of the supper wee shall speak anone of them in the head of the masse 4. They tell us that our dispute about the five bastard sacraments is a plaine logomachie (y) Andrews stristurae p. 11. The whole matter about the five Sacraments is a meer 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 5. They tell us that not only infants after their baptisme but even men baptised in perfect age who before baptisme gave sufficient count of their faith yet they may not be esteemed full Christians while they have received confirmation by the imposition of hands and that alone by a Bishop (z) pokling altare p. 165. And because the competentes were persons of full age they received also consumation by imposition of hands ut pleni Christiani inveriantur About the orders they tell us that they agree with the papists in their number that the reason why they want their Acolits sub-deacons and the rest is but their Churches pouerty (zz) Andrews stricturae p. 12 The five orders is a point not worth the standing on while the revenues of the church were able to mantaine so many degrees it can not be denyed but that there were so many but by the Churches owne order neither by commandement nor example of Scripture but what is this to the present estate of the Church scarce able to mantaine twon Which can scarce wel mantaine the two orders of priests and deacons But which in their questions is worst of all they side here with the papists in giving to all the protestant Churches a wound which our enemies proclame to be mortall fatall incurable They tie the conferring of ordours by a full divine right to the office of bishops they avow that the lawfull use of all ordination and outward ecclesiastick jurisdiction is by God put in the hands of their persons alone Other reformed Kirks therefore wanting bishops their ministers must preacù celebrate the sacraments administer discipline not only without a lawfull warrand but also against the ordinance of God When they are put in minde of this great wound given by them to all other reformed Churches they either strive to cover it with the fig-tree-leaffs of an imagined case of necessity which never was or else plainly to passe over it as immedicable ( c.) Heylens antid sect 3. pag 8. Let the bishops stande alone on Apolicall right and no more then so and doubt it not but some will take it on your word and then plead accordingly that thing of apostolicall institution may bee laid aside When Bishop Andrews had learnedly asserted the episcopal order too bee of Christ institution I have heard that some who were there in place did secrerly interceed with King Iames to have had it altered for fear forsooth of offending our neighbour Churches Andrews resp ad epist. 3. Molm p. 195. Dixi abesse ab ecclesiis vestris aliquid quod de jure divino sit culpa autem vestra non abesse sed injuria temporum non enim tam propitios habuisse Reges Galliam vestram in Ecclesia reformanda quam habuit Brittannia nostra Interim ubi dabit meliora Deus hoc quoque quod jam abest per Dei gratiam suppletum iri Relatum inter haereticos Aerium qui Epiphanio credat vel Augustino necesse est fateatur tu qui damnes Aerium quo nomine damnas An quod se opposuerit consensui universalis ecclesiae Idem quisentit an non itidem se opponit ac eo nomine damnandus erit Montag antid page 138. Ordinationis jus autoritatem ita credimus annexam episcoporum personis ut a nemine non episcopo ordinato consecrato possit aut de beat adhiberi irritam ordinationem omnem pronunciamus quae non a legitimo canonico more proficiscatur quod si a se oriantur aliqui non missi ingerant caelesti huic muneri functioni manus viderint ipsi quid sint responsuri olim summo sacerdoti cujus partes usurpant nos nostras non aliorum tuemur vocationes Yea not only they ty ordination and jurisdiction to the person of bishops but of such bishops who must of necessity shew the derivation of al their power from the Pope as was shown before 6. In matrimonie they will keep not only the popish sacramentall words and signes the popish times of lent and other dysmall-dayes except the bishops give their dispensation but also they will have the whole matrimoniall causes ruled by the popes cannons yea which is more they avow that the Cannon-law by acts of parliament yet unrepealled stands in vigour amongst them (a) Dow p. 184. By his favour I must tell him that neither the law of God nor of the King doth disallow the use of the old canons and constitutious though made in the time of popery and by the pope or popish prelats which are not contrary to the law of God or the King If he desire proof of this let him consider whether the statute 25. Hen. 8.19 do not say as much as I affirme which having regulated diverse things touching the exercise of ecclesiasticall jurisdiction At last the statute concluds with this proviso provyded also that such Canons constitutions ordinances and synodals provinciall being already made not repugnant to the laws customes of this Realme nor to the hurt of the Kings prerogative royall shal now still be used and executed as they were before the making of this act till such time as they be viewed searched or otherwise ordered by the said two thirty persons or the more part of them according to the tenour of this present act It followes then that till these thirtie two persons determine otherwise old Canons may be still executed retaine their ancient vigour authoritie when that will be I know not but as yet I am sure it hath not been done Except in some few things which are directly opposit to some late laws of the land and that Cannon-law they will haue extendid as far down as the very councel of Basil (b) Femal glory pag. 128. With this pious and gratefull ordinance I conclude the visitation of our incomparable Ladie he meanes the act of the late Councell of Basile which ordained a festivall fo that visitation And as far up as the constitutions of the first Popes (c) Pocklingtoun altar pag. 52. There
15. Reckons out among his traditions the crossing of themselves when they went out or when they came in when they went to bed or when they rose when they set down to meat or lighted candles or had any businesses of moment to doe Montag apeal page 286. What hinders but that I may signe my self with the signe of the crosse in any part of my boody at any time when I goe to bed in the morning when I rise at my going out at my returning home the ancient Church so used it and so may wee for ought I know without just scandall or superstition 2. They avow expresly the carrying of these holy trincats about their neck in caisses of silver or gold (b) Montag antid p. 17. Ego certe illas reliquias fasâ—iis involvam auro includam circumgestandas admovebo labiis ac collo suspensas manibus oculisque crebro usurpatas intuebor Ibid. p. 24. Imagines praesertim Christi crucifixi asservamus diligenter cum cura sunt apud nos per fenestras ambones vasa vestimenta 3 The saying of their prayers yea their Ave maries upon their beeds is to them an holy Arithmetick worthie of praise and imitation (c) Female glory pag. 148. Among the other praises of his holy Nuns this is one You who ply your sacred Arithmetick and have your thoughts cold and cleare as the crystall beeds yee pray by And in his proemials Omnis terra revibrat aeve 4. Wednesday fryday and Lent-fasts are to them not only lawdable practices of the ancient church but also traditions come from Christ and the Apostles which for religions cause all are oblidged to embrace (d) Montag antid p. 164. Quadragesimale jejunium libenter ego concesserim ab Apostolis constitutum apud vetissimos Ecclesia proceres usurpatum Ibid. p. 9. Doceatur esse aliquid ab ipsis Apostolis institutum utpote jejunium quadragesimale Causam non dicamquin haereseos accuser si non ut ab Apostolicae authoritate sancitum propugnavero William Wats sermon page 50. Most precise and severe observers were they of Lent-fast which the whole primitive Church did believe to bee of Apostolicall institution so that they had their Saviours and his Apostles example for that strictnesse I passe their observation of Wednesdayes and Frydayes fast weckly which Epiphanius among many others assureth to bee of Apostolicall institution Couzins devotion It had also beene an ancient and religions custome to fast all the Frydayes in the yeare except those which fall within the twelve dayes of Christmasse The Lent which now is and ever hath beene reputed an apostolical constitution and wee adde out of Chrysologus that it is not an humane invention as they call it but it comes from Divine authoritie that wee fast our fouritie dayes in Lent p. 221. They embrace the grossest not onely of their private but also of their publick superstitions The popish publick superstitions are very many but of these which that whole Church doth allow very few comes to my minde which stand much against the stomack of our men Those that come first to my thoughts are all pleasently digested Protestants wont to deride the popish conceat of their holy ground of their consecrat walls and the sanctuary of their Chancels their turnings towards the East their manifold toies in baptisme and the Lords supper joyned with the sacramentall elements their hallowing above the Sabboth a multitude of Festivals their pilgrâ—mages their processions and many such their practises In this behold the minde of our men they tell us first that Kirk-yards by prayers and conspersion of holy water must be made holy ground that before these episeopall consecrations no Christian buriall may be made therein but after that the bishop hath used the pontificall ceremonies therupon no Heretick no Schismatick no Excommunicat person may be brought there no worldly no common action there performed without the profanatioÌ„ of the holy place (e) Laurence sermon p. 9. Christians distinguished their oratories into an aetriuÌ„ a Church yard a sanctuÌ„ a Church a sanctum sanctorum a Chancell they did conceive a greater degree of sanctitie in one of them than in an other and in one place of them than another churchyards they thought profained by sports the whole circuit both before and after Christ was priviledged for refuge none out of the communion of the Kirke permitted to lie there any consecrate ground preferred for interment before that which was not consecrat and that in an higher esteem which was in a higher degree of consecration and that in an higher which was neerest the altar Halls sermon at the consecration of a buriall place p. 38. Out of the consideration of the holy designation of these peculiare places came both the tittle and practice of consecration of cemiteries which they say is no lesse ancient than the the dayes of Calixtus the first who dedicated the first Cemmiteries albeit it was decreed by the counsel of Arles that if any Church were coÌ„secrated the Church yard of it should require no other hallowing but by simple conspersion p. 40. It is meer and necessary that those places should be set aside to this holy use by a due and religious dedication by prayers and holy actions tending thereunto if the Iews used these dedications how much more we Ib. in the preface an act worthy both of this common celebration and of that episcopall service of mine Again they shew us that the church by the bishops anointing some stones thereof with oyl and sprinkling others with water and using from the Roman pontificall some mo prayers some mo ceremonies upon it becomes a ground more holy That before these consecrations though the people of God for many years have meet into a Church for divine service yet it is no more holy then a barn a tavern a tolbooth but after these consecrations there is such holinesse in the walls that even when there is no divine service men at their comming in and going out must adore and all the time of their presence stand discovered and never so much as sit down were the service never so long except upon great infirmity (f) Tedders sermon p. 8. It is the consecration that makes them holy and makes God esteeme them so which though they be not capable of grace yet receive by their consecration a spirituall power whereby they are made fit for divine service and being consecrate there is no danger in ascribing holinesse unto them if we beleeve S. Bernard quis parietes istos sanctos dicere vereatur quos manus sacratae Pontificum tantis sactificavere mysteriis When we come to Church sayes the holy Fathers of the devotion of those primitive times corpora humi sternimus they that shewed the least devotion did bow all the time that they were there none presumed so much as to sit as being too bold and lazie a posture in Gods house but only for infirmitie or some other
of Trumpets dedicated to the King by Canterburie As for the Churches lawes which wee call Canons or rules made to restrain or redresse abuses they have alwayes been made at Church assemblies and in her owne Councels not elsewhere Heylens antidot pag. 29. I trow you are not ignorant that the kirk makes canons it is the work of Cleargie men in their Convocations having his Majesties leave for their conveening and approbation of their doings His Majestie in the declaration before the articles hath resolved it so and the late practice in King Iames raigne what time the Book of Canons was composed in the Convocation hath declared it soo to 3. They avow that all their injunctions though so many and so new yet they are so holy and so just that the whole kingdome in conscience must embrace them all as the commands of God (e) VVhites examination pag. 20. telleth us as it were from Eusebius Quicqued in Sanctis Episcoporum conciliis decernitur id universum Divina voluntati debet attribus And from Bernard Sive Deus sive homo vicarius Dei mandatum quodcunque tradiderit pari profectó obsequendum est cura pari reverentia suscipiendum ubi tamen Deo contraria non praecepit homo That whoever will be so peart as to affirm in any one of them the least contrarietie to the Word of God he must have no lesse censure then the great excommunication from which he must never be relaxed but by the Bishops own mouth after his publick repentance and revocation of so vile an errour (f) Book of Canons pag. 8. VVhosoever shall hereafter affirme that the forme of worship contained in the booke of Commoun Prayer that the rites and ceremonies of the church that the government of y Church by archbishops bishops and others that the forme of consecrating archbishops bishops presbyters and deacons as they are now established under his Maiesties authoritie doe containe in them any thing repugnant to the Scriptures or are corrupt superstitious or unlawfull in the service and worship of God let him be excommunicate and not restored but by the bishop of the place or archbishop of the province after his repentance and publick revocation of such his wicked errours That his bodily and pecuniall penaltie shall be at the free will and discretion of the Bishop (g) Book of Canons pag. 37. In all this book of Canons whersoever there is no penaltie expressely set downe it is to be understood that so the crime or offence bee proved the punishment shall be arbitrarie as the ordinarie shall think fittest That the worthiest men of any liberall profession get savour to losse but their eares to have their noses slit and cheeks burnt for contradicting their innovations (h) Canterburies Star chamber speach in his epistle to the King I shall rather magnifie your clemencie that proceeded with those offenders Burtoun Bastmijck Prinne in a Court of Mercie as well as Iustice since as the reverend Iudges then declared yee might have justly called the offenders into another Court and put them to it in a way that might have exacted their lives That the furthest banishments for tearme of life is a priviledge which their indulgence may grant but to few (i) The world knowes that numbers who have beene flying from episcopall tyrannie out of England to the very new found lands never to return have beene by violence keeped back and cast in their prisons and wee see dayly that numbers not onely of men but even of sillie women are drawn back in Ireland from their flight out of the kingdom to close prisons That the vilest dungeons yrons whippings bread and water chaining to posts without all company day or night in the coldest and longest winters is but a part of their opposers deserving (k) Huntly in his Breviat reports as a known case among many other this one also that M. Iohn Hayden a poore Devonshire Minister for preaching at Norwich a Sermon wherein he let fall some passages against setting up of images and bowing at the name of Iesus was apprehended like a traitour with the Constables bills and halberts by D. Harsnet then Bishop and brought manacled to him like a fellon and committed to the common Iayle close prisoner above thirteene weekes where hee was like to sterve the Bishop having taken from him his horse papers and all thereafter he was sent by a pursevant to London and keeped two full tearms At last by the high Commission he was deprived of his orders thereafter the high Commissionars imprisoned him in the Gate house common dungeon and Canterburie sent him to be whipped in Bredwall and there keeped him all the long extreame cold winter in a dark cold dungeon without fire or candle light chained to a post in the mids of the room with heavy yrons on his hands and feet allowing him only bread and water with a pad of straw to ly on And since on his reliefe hath caused him to take an oath and give band to preach no more and to depart the Kingdome within three weeks without returning and all this for preaching after his first uniust deprivation though no exception was taken against his doctrine That the greatest Nobles of the Land ought in Law to for-fault their Life and Estate if they be so bold as to put their hand to a supplication unto their gratious Prince against their practices (l) Sundrie of our prime Earles and Lords did present a supplication to our King after his Coronation wherein the matter of their greatest complaint was so far as ever wee heard their challenging of the Bishops for what they had done and were likely to doe The copie of this privie supplication being privily convoyed by an unfriend some two or three years thereafter out of my Lord Balmerinochs chamber was a dittay for which hee was condemned to die for an example to all other Noble Men to beware of the like rashnesse especially his Fellow-supplicants who are all declared to have deserved by that fault the same sentence of death Large Declaration pag. 14. Nor could they have found the least blemish in our justice if wee should have given warrant both for his sentence and execution whose life was now legally devolved into our hands Ibid. pag. 13. VVee were graciously pleased that the feare and example might reach to all but the punishment onely to one of them to passe by many who undoubtedly had beene concluded and involved by our Lawes in the same sentence if wee had proceeded against them That all this is but just severitie and the very expedient meane to advance their cause which they glory have well neere already close undone their opposites (m) Studley about the end of his wicked storie avowes that since by severe punishment the number of the unconformists have decayed that their cause can not bee from God and which they boast shall still bee used (n) Canterburie in his epistle to the
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
violated for it doth consist in the unitie of faith not of opinions in the union of mens hearts by true charitie which easily tolerateth unnecessar differences Some points of religion are primitive articles essentiall in the obiect of Faith Dissension in these is pernitious and destroyeth unitie Other are secundary probable obscure and accidentall points Disputations in these are tolerable Unitie in these is very contingent and variable As in musicall consort a discord now and then so it bee in the discant and depart not from the ground sweetens the harmonie So the varitie of opinions and rites in divers parts of the Church doth rather commend then prejudice the unitie of the whole Montag Antigog page 14. Truth is of two sorts among men manifest and confessed truth or more obscure and involved truth Plainly delivered in Scripture are all these points which belong unto Faith and maners hope and charitie I know none of these contraverted inter partes The articles of our creed are confessed on both sides held plaine enough The contraverted points are of a larger and inferiour allay Of them a man may be ignorant without any danger of his soule at all A man may resolve or oppose this way or that way with out perrell of perishing Cant. relat about the end The coruptions of Rome materially and in the very kinde and nature are leaven drosse hay and stubble yet the Bishop thought that such as were misled by education or long custome or overvalving the Soveraignity of the Romane Church and did in simplicitie of heart imbrace them might by theyr generall repentance and Faith in the Merits of Christ attended with charitie and other verues finde mercie at Gods hands Shelfoord pag. 235. Though there bee some difference among us in ceremonies and expositions which destroy not yet still our head Christ by Baptisme stands upon our bodie and the substance of the Gospel is intire and whole among us by retaining the articles of the Faith the volume of the New-Testament and the practice there of by Faith and good workes ibid. page 239. There bee differences which hinder our agreement What then Among the Greekes there were divers Dialects and yet they had but one language they held together in the maine So though Papists have a letter more then wee and wee one letter for another yet wee hold together in the radix Paul could beare with differences expecting Gods reformation If you bee otherwise minded God shall revaile For the present let us bee patient and afterward God will shew where the errour lyeth Why should wee presume so much of our skill while wee are in our none-age and know but in part Have not better men then wee beene deceived Have not dissenting Fathers and slyding Schoolists been alwayes borne with in points of Religion Fiftly That a generall repenrance for all unknowne sinnes is sufficient to secure the salvation not only of these who have lived and died in the popish tenets before the councell of Trent but even to this day not only their people but their most learned Clergie Popes Cardinalls Iesuits living and dying in their bitter oppositions and persecutions of protestants are in no hazard of damnation though they never come to any particular acknowledgement of their sinfull opinions or practises following thereupon (b) Pottar page 77. Wee hope well of these holy soules who in former ages lived and died in the church of Rome for though they died in many sinfull errours yet because they did it ignorantly through unbeliefe not knowing them either to bee errours or sins and repented in generall for all their unknowne trespasses wee doubt not but they obtained pardon of all their ignorances Nay our charitie reacheth further to all these that this day who in simplicitie of heart believe the Romane religion and professe it But we understand only them who either have no sufficient meanes to finde the truth or else as after the use of the best meanes they can have all things considered finde no sufficient motives to convince their consciense of errours Chomley his defence of Hall I dare bee bold to say that the church of Rome had not for many hundreth yeares before the councel of Trent so good a forme of doctrine as the Tridentin catechisme doth containe Sixtlie They teach us that papists may not in reason be stiled either idolaters or hereticks or schismaticks His Grace in that great large folio set out the last yeare to declare to the world the fartherst that his minde could be drawen for to oppose poperie is not pleased to my memorie in his most verhement oppositions to lay to their charge any of these three cirmes neither doe I remember in all the search my poore lecture hath made that any of his favourits in their writtes these twelve yeares bygone hath layed to the charge of Rome in earnest either idolatrie heresie or shisme but by the contrary hath absolved them clearly in formall termes of al those three cirmes (c) Shelfoord p. 300 I am not in the minde that all images are idols but only when they are worshipped for gods This the word idolatria signifieth the wotshipping of images with latria that is divine worship as it is used by Divines Cant. relat pag. 299. They keepe close to that which is superstition and in the case of images come near to idolatrie Montag apar page 79. Et certè quamdiù palam non deficiunt à pietate cultu Dei proprio ad idolatriam etiam moribus impii vita contaminati tolerantur in Ecclesia non minus quam milvus corvus immunda animalierant in arca Ecclesia 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 singulari At nullus in arca erat idololatres quia Christianam pietatem quatenus Christianam idololatres execratur Montag pag. 309. Dei cultum latriam quam appellant nec possumus alicui creaturae nec debemus sive humanae sive angelicae quamvis excellentissimae impendere Hoc fatibitur Bullingerus Pontificius tota schola non insanientium adversariorum nolunt enim illi quovis modo cuicunque creaturae latriam nequidem cultu relativo exhiberi Montag Antigag page 319. You say that images must not have latria so we let your practice and doctrine goe together and wee agree Dow against Burton obiecteth that my lord Canterburie did raze out the publicke booke of fasts this sentence Thou hast delivered us from superstition and idolatrie wherein we were utterly drowned his chief answere is That men may bee good Protestants and yet not damne all their forefathers who lived before the reformation as hee must doe who saith of them they were wholly drowned in idolatrie which though M. Burton perhaps will not yet some men may thinke it to be a reason sufficient for the leaving out of that sentence Of idolatrie because they teach not the giving of latria to any image or any creature (d) Cant relat page 306. Non omnes error in his que fidei
books of Canonicall Scripture the Catholick exposition of many sentences of Scripture the apostles creed the baptisme of infants the observation of the Lords day and some other feastivals as Easter Pentecost c. baptizing and administration of the Supper in holy assemblies the service of the Church in a knowne language the delivering of the Communion to the people in both kindes the superioritie of Bishops over Priest and Deacons in Iurisdiction and power of ordination and triumph above all other reformed churches that they do embrace doctrinall traditions for which in Scripture there is no ground And of this kinde they reckon out some of great importance such as are the baptisme of infants the sanctifying of the Sabbath the Apostles Creede the giving of the cup to the people praying in a known tongue our knowledge of Scripture to be Scripture the names and number of the Canonicall Bookes and their distinction from Apocrypha of this kinde they maintaine large as many as Rome For at the first word theâ— speake to us of six hundreth (c) Montag orig pa. 396. Vbi iubentur in Scripturis infantes baptizori aut in coena Domini sub utraque specie communicantes participare 600. sunt ejusmodi in rebus sacris à deo institutis ecclesiae mandatis usurpaatis ab ecclesia de quibus possumus profiteri nihil tale docet Scriptura Scriptura haec non praedicat among these traditions which we must embrace with an undoubted faith They reackon up the authoritie of the Bishopes above the Priests prostration before the altars worshipping towards the East crosse iâ— Baptisme crossing of our faces at all occasions the standing of a crucifix upon the altar and whaâ— else they please to urge for which they can get no Scripture warrant To this head they referre the verie customes of the Popish church in latter times for which they have no scribe in any writeâ— let be in any Father (d) Montag orig page 276. Nihil est memoriae proditum quod ego quidem sciam hac dei apud vetustiores sive historicos sive patres prohabile tamen est hanc receptam ecclesiae consuetudinem de traditione vetustiore an t scriptis etiam patrum vetustioribâ— nunc deperditis dimanasse Montag apar page 389. Ad me quod attinet quid à sanctis patribus per illa tempora inventum primo usurpatum nulla traditione priore commendatum nullo usu veterum ne quidem vestigiis leviter impressis consignatum per tot aunorum decursum ad nostra usque tempora sine contradictione descenderit non video cur non 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vim suam obtineat authoritatem Absit enim ut universalis ecclesia vel in rebus de facto ecclesiasticis ritibus tam diu aberraverit Ibid. page 382. Meminerimus Tertullianum olim statuisse cum applausu de hujusmodi consuetudinibus si legem expostules scriptam nullam invenies sed traditio a praetenditur auctrix consuetudo confirmatrix fides observatrix Et Irenaeus quid autem si neque Apostoli reliquissâ—nt nobis Scripturas nonne oporteret ordinem sequi traditsonis Idem antig page 42. That author sayes no more then is justifiable touching traditions for thus hee sayes The doctrine of the Church is two wayes delivered unto us first by writing then by tradition from hand to hand Both are of alike value of force unto pietie Yea all the injunctions of the Bishopes must be Ecclesiastick traditions whereto the conscience must submit no lesse then to the precepts of God (e) White in his examination of the dialogue presseth not only this testimonie of Austine Etiamsi Scripturae authoritas non subesset totius tamen orbis in hanc partem consensus instar precepti contineat nam alia multa quae per traditionem in Ecclesiis observantur authoritatem sibi scriptae legis usurpaverunt but also that of Eusebius Quicquid in sanctis Episcoporum consiliis decernitur id universum divinae voluntati debet attribui And this of Bernards Sive Deus sive homo vicarius Dei mandatum quodcunque tradiderit pari profecto obsequendum est cura pari reverentia suscipiendum ubi tamen Deo contraria non praecepit homo In the meane time Scripture must bee stiled the booke of hereticks (f) Montag orig page 353. Eusebius de Severianis hereticis loquens ait Hilege Prophetis Euangâ—liis utantur socrarum Scripturarum sensus sententias ut nostri salent purtani novatores pro suo arbitratu interpretantur Chounaei Colect page 31. Sensum Scripturarum ex patribus ecclesiae deductum traditum conseruatum in ecclesia approbatum quidni pro tali traditione agnoscamus in cujus veritate acquiescendum à qua minimè discendendum sit Montag orig page 318. Neque enim insanire solent sine Scripturis haeretici mirificè easdem ad suos 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 solent applicare defendendos persuadendosque a Lesbian rule (g) Montag apar page 382. Non ut nostri novatores deâ—dirant quibus quicquid est 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 respit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ideo refigendum est â— vel ut amant loqui reformandum ad Dei verbum hoc est ad Lesbiam plane regulam â—ipsorum cerebrositatem amussitandum In no controversies no not in Sermons any use may bee made of it except so farre as we can backe our deductions from Scripture by consent of the ancient Fathers or present church (h) Pocklingtoun altare page 129. The godlie and learned Fathers of our church give strict charge to private preachers that they preach nothing in their preachings which they would have the people religiously to believe and observe but that which is agreeable to the doctrine of the old and new Testament and that which the catholick fathers and ancient bishops have formerly taught and collected from thence White upon the Sabboth page 12. The holy Scripture is the fountaine and living spring containing in all sufficiencie and aboundance whatsoever is necessarie to make Gods people wise unto salvation The consentient and unanimous testimonie of the true Church of Christ in the primative ages thereof is the canalis or a conduit pipe to derive and convoy to succeding generations the celestiall water contained in the holy Scripture Ibid. From Meisnerus hee sayeth Iniuriam nobis facit Beeanus scribendo nos docere solam Scripturam esse normam iudicem contraversiarum fidei imò spiritum sanctum seu judicem supremum praesupponimus ecclesiam ceu iudicem inferiorem libenter admittimus ideoque soli Scripturae officium iudicandi absque omni distinctione non assignamus Idem page 14. The ecclesiasticall storie reporterh of Nazianzen and Basille that in their studying the holy Scriptures they collected the sense of them not from their owne judgement or presumption but from the testimonie and authoritie of the
is mention made of the dedication of churches under Euaristus anno 112. under Hyginus 154. under Calixtus 221. And before them all in S. Clemence his epistles These testimonies of Romane Bishops the Centurists do suspect Where the doctrine and decrees of Popes and those in the first and best times are confirmed by the doctrine and constant practice of the holy catholicke church it seemeth great boldnesse in trhee or foure men to condemne and to brand their authoritie with the misterie of iniquitie Which diverse of the papists themselves acknowledge to be supposititions yet our men will defend them all and with them the Canons of the apostles the constitutions of Clemence and all such trash (d) Laurence Sermon p. 18. the Apostles in their Canons and these to which are undoubtedly theirs Montag apar p. 390. Ex antiquissimis illum facile principem primariae authoritatis quia erat Apostolorum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 clementem nimirim 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 non preteribo quem licet delicatuli nescio qui ex utraque parte contendentium falsi postulant tanquam falsarium 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nos tamen ipsius tanquam 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 contra quosvis suscipere patrocinium audemus post doctissimum virum Turrianum In the sacrament of pennance they teach first that auricular confession was evil abolished and was verie expedient to be restored (e) White on the Sabbath in the preface There might also my reverend good Lord be a verie profitable use of some private forme of pasturall collation with their flock for their direction and information in particular spirituall duties such as was privat confession in the ancient Church Now the Presbyterian censures by their paralogisme taken from abuse have with such loud and impetuous declamations filled the eares and prepossessed the mindes of many people that they are exceeding averse from this soveraigne and ancient medicine of consolation prevention and curing of the maledies of the soule He approveth that of Gerardus Privata coram Ecclesiae ministro confessio quam auricularem vocant quamvis non habeat expressum peculiare mandatum ac proinde non fit absolutae necessitatis tamen cum plurimas praestet utilitates disciplinae Ecclesiasticae pars sit non postrema publico Ecclesiae consensu recepta ideo nequaquam temere vel negligenda vel abolenda sed piè in vero Dei timore praesertim ab illis qui ad sacram synaxin accedunt usurpanda M. Sp Sermon printed with approbation p. 18. Confesse as the church directs confesse to God confesse also to the Priest if not privat in the eare since that is out of use Male aboletur sayeth a devout Bishop it is almost quite lost the more pitie 2. That God hath given a judicial power of absolution to every priest which every one of the people is obliged to make use of especially before the communion by confessing to the priest all their sins without the reconcilement of any (f) Dow p. 35. It can not bee denyed but that the Church of England did ever allow the private confession of sinnes to the Priest it were very strange if our church ordaining Priests and giving them power of absolution and prescribing the forme to bee used for the exercise of that power upon confession should not also allow of that private confession M. Sp. Sermon p. 16. Since the Priest can in the name of God forgive us our sinnes good reason we should make our confession to him Surelie God never gave the Priest this power in vaine he expects we should make the best use of it we can He requires we should use the meanes we can to obtaine that blessing now the onely meanes to obtaine this absolution is our confession to him Ib. p. 19 If we confesse in humilitie with griefe and sorrow for them if we confesse them faithfully not concealing any 3. That God in the heaven will certainly follow the sentence of the priest absolving on earth (g) Ib. pag. 15. There is another confessiō that would not be neglected Hee that would be sure of pardon let him seek out a priest make his humble confession to him for God who alone hath the prime and originall right of forgiving sins hath delegat the priests heere upon earth his judges hath given them the power of absolution so that they can in Gods name forgive the sinnes of those that confesse to them But is not this poperie would some say Now take the counsell that is given in the eight of Iob Aske the Fathers and they shall tell thee aske then S. Chrysostome on Esay and hee will tell thee that heaven waites and expects the priests sentence heere on earth For the priests sits judge on earth and the Lord followes the servant and when the servant bindes or louses heere on earth clave non errante the Lord confirmes it in heaven words sayes hee so cleare for the judiciall and formall absolution of the priest that nothing can be said more plaine 4. Beside a private confessor it were very expedient to have in every congregation a publik penitentiarie who in the beginning of Lent on ashe-wednesday might in the Kirk sit in his reclinatorie and sprinkling dust on the head of every parishioner enjoyn them their lent-pennance whereby they may truly satisfie Gods judgement for their sins in the end of lent or Shrif-thursday before Pasche give his absolution to those who have fully satisfied (h) Pockl. alt pag. 57. The bishops made an addition to the ecclesiastick canon that in every church a penitentiarie should bee appointed to remit penitents in the church after they have done publick pennance This kinde of confession Nectarius abolished in the church of Constantinople howbeit the confession whereof Tertullian and Cyprian speaks was never abolished but did ever continue in the Greek church and in the Latine likewise And to this purpose a solemn day was set apart for taking of publick pennance for open faults by imposition of hands and sprinkling of ashes namely Ashwednesday This is the godly discipline whereof our church speaketh and wisheth that it might be restored And as Ashwednesday was appointed for putting notorious sinners to open pennance so Thursday before Easter is appointed for penitents to receive absolution This absolution they took upon their knees by the imposition of the priests hands Ib. p. 63 67. The Competents beginning on Ashwednesday in sackcloth ashes to humble themselves they were all Lent long purged with fasting and prayer They were to stand barefoot on sackcloth and watch on good Fryday all night Howfond a thing it is sayeth Tertullian to think to carrie away with us the pardon of sin not first of all to pay for our commoditie The merchant before he deliver his wares will look to your coyne ne sculptilis ne rafus that it be neither washed nor shaved and doe not
in this as well as in that other quarrell you have against him 6. That who ever in the publick prayers hath their face toward the North South and West must be publickly called upon to turn themselves ever towards the East (k) Vide supra cap. 5. B. 7. That in the Church not only in the time of prayer but at the reading of the ten commands all must fal on their knees but when the creed is read all must stand upright on their feet wheÌ„ the epistle commeth all may sit down but when the gospel begineth all must again arise during the time of sermon all must stand uncovered That to these and all such pious practises we are oblidged by the sole example of the bishops or some few of them even before the inacting of any law either of Church or state (l) Edward Bugheus serm pag. 9. We may not think it enough that we stand at the Creed except we say it also with the Minister audibly with a lowd voice nor is it enough for us to stand up at the gospel but we must also bow at the name of Iesus not as if we were ashamed of what we did but with due and lowly reverence neither is it sufficient to be bare in time of divine service except we also reverently kneell on out knees when the commands and letanie are read Shelfoord p 20. Let us learn of our Cathedrall Churches for there our reverend Fathers the prelats make their reverence to God in this wise both at their entry and their returne wherefore to follow their good and holy paterne we are to do the like both at our comming in to Gods house and at our going out Ibid p. 22. The fifth office of holinesse is to rise up from our seats when the articles of our faith are read we also do more reverently to stand up at the reading of the psalmes before after and behind the holy lessons We are also to stand at the reading of the gospell The reason that the old Lytargick writters gives of this superstitious standing at the Creed and gospel more then at the reading of the lessons and epistles is because these epistles among which they put the revelation the penteteuch and sundry other parts of the old testament containes more base doctrine then the gospel which comes behind them as the Master comes after his servant which goes before to make way 8. That the conscience is oblidged not only to keep religiously the greater festivities of Yule pasch pentecost the rest which are immediatly referred to the honour of the Trinitie but also a number of the festivals of the blessed Virgin of the Saints and Angels Those must not be polluted with any work or seculare affaire as we desire to bee helped by these glorified persons intercession (m) Cousins devotions they offend against the fifth command that obeyes not the precepts of the ecclesiastick governours The precepts of the Church are first to observe the feastivals and holy dayes appointed in the Church calendar vide supra cap. Yet Christs Sunday must bee no Sabbath bowling balling and other such games may well consist with all the holinesse it hath yea no law of God no ancient Canon of the Church doth discharge shearing of corne taking of fish or much other husband labour upon that day but by the contrary acts both of church State do warraÌ„d such labour yea there is so great Iewish superstition in the land about Christs Sunday that all preachers must be oblidged in their very pulpits to proclame the new book of sports for incouragment of the people to their gaming 's when the short houre of divine service is ended and that under no lesse paine than ejection from the Ministere (n) Whits examinat p. 118. The injunction maketh no difference betwixt Sunday and the other holy dayes concerning working in harvest no speciall priviledge is given it more then the rest For King Edwards statute repeated by Queen Elizabeth saith It shall be lawfull to every husband man labourer fisher-man c. upon the holy dayes aforesaid in harvest or at any other time of the yeare when necessity shall require to labour ride fish or work any kinde of work at their free wils and pleasure Ibid. on the Sabbath p. 217. In the new testament we read of no prohibition concerning abstinence from secular actions upon the Lord day more then upon other dayes Et quod non prohibetur ultro permissum est The Catholick Church for more than 6â—0 year after Christ gave licence to many Christian people to work upon the Lords day at such houres as they were not commanded to be present at the publick service by the precept of the Church In S. Ieromes dayes the devotest Christians did ordinarly work upon the Lord-day In Gregorie the greats time it was reputed antichristian doctrine to make it a sin to work on the Lords day Helens answer p 111. His Majestie having published his declararion about lawfull pastimes on the Sunday gives order to his bishops that publication thereof be made in all their severall diocesses the bishops hereupon appoint the incumbent of every Church to read the declaration to the people and finding opposition to the said appointment presse them to the performance of it by vertue of that Canonicall obedience which by their severall oaths they were bound to yeeld unto their ordinaries but seeing nothing but contempt upon contempt after much patience and long suffering some of the most perverse have been suspended as well a beneficio as officio for an example to the rest 9. Pilgramages to Sants reliques and barefooted processions to their Churches are preached and printed (o) Vide supra caput 5. w. Those throats which are so wide as to swallow down all these it seemes they will not make great bones in all the other trash which in the Romish Church we challenge as superstitious CHAP. VII The Canterburians embrace the Masse it selfe OF all the pieces of Poperie there is none so much beloved by Papists nor so much hated by Protestants as the Masse since the reformation of Religion the Masse hath ever beene counted the great wall of division keeping the parties asunder who ever could free that ditch whose stomack could digest that morsell no man of either side was wont to make any doubt of his name but that with consent of all hee might passe for a true Papist and no wayes in any reason stand for a moment longer in the catalogue of Protestants If then I bee able to demonstrate the Canterburians minde to be for the Masse I hope no man of any understanding and equitie will require of me any further proofe of their popery but with good leave of all I may end my taske having set upon the head thereof this cape-stone In the mouth of both sides reformed and Romish preaching and the Masse go for reall opposites the affection of Papists to their Masse maketh
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
articles of Parliament it is commanded to be subscribed by the hearts and hands of all in this Kingdome without exception So that new there stands at the back of that long blasphemed Covenant among the first and most conspicuous hands not onely Roxburgh Lawder-dale Southâ—ke and others of the prime Counsellours but also Traquair the Kings great Commissioner for that effect We hope then that you and your like if there remaine any sparke of reverence in your breast towards that authoritie which oft yee pretend to adore will not onely for ever hereafter bridle your very loose tongues but also eate in againe or at last cover so farre as ye can for hidding of your shame these most false lies and unchristian railings which these two yeares by-gone in word writ Print ye have vomitted out against our proceedings especially that most hatred slandered passage of them the renewing of our Covenant The fi st point wherein ye parallell us with Jesuites 1. paralel Wee are for Monarchie but against Monarchical tyranny is in our opposition to Monarchicall government By Monarchicall government yee expreslâ— enough declare that ye understand such an absolute and illimitate power as exeemeth the Prince from the tye of all Law and puts in his hand the full libertie to make what Lawes he wâ—ll withâ—ut the advice let bee consent of Parliament of Counsell or of any others and taketh absolutely all Liberty from his Subjects though met together in Parliament to defend them elves by Armes in any imaginable oppression even such a Mâ—narchie as the great Turke or the Mâ—gor of Iâ—dia or the Châ—m of Taâ—tarie this day doth enjoy over their slaves even that strange kinde of government which in my last Chapter I descrived in the words of your brethren We confesse freely that our heart is much opposite to such a Mâ—narchie yet no more then our gracious Prince king Charles his glorious Father king Iames give us expresse warrant The one in his fore-cited writ of his Atturney Suprâ— chap 8. Q.R. abhorring these injurious flatterers who would impute unto him the making of Lawes without his Parliament the other in his Parliamentary Speach Page 531. A king governing in a setled kingdome leaveth to bee a King degenerateth in to a tiraÌ„t as soone as hee leaveth off to rule according to his Lawes Therefore all Kings that are no tyrants or perjured will be glad to bound themselves within the limits of their Lawes They that perswade them the contrarie are vipers and posts both against them and the Common-wealth making that Prince a perjured tyrant who would not gladly bound himself within the limits of his laws and these men to be taken for vipers pests and common enemies to Princes and people who would assay by their flatteries to loose Princes from their pactions made with their people at their Coronation and the setled lawes of their Kingdome yea we show that your own great Bishop Laud possibly as great a Royalist as is needfull goeth before us with his own mouth what ever he directeth you and many other of his followers to the contrary to teach that no statute Supra Cap. â— Q Law can bee made any where but in Parliament even in England let bee â—cotland where to this day never any conquerour did dwell But as for true Monarchie so high as the lowable lawes any where do make it we are in nothing opposite thereto for what have we to doe to condemne the setled state Lawes of any other Nation Certainly the royall authority of our owne gratious Soveraigne so far as the lowable lawes of our Kingdome doe extend it we are sworne in our Covenant heartily to the uttermost of our power to maintaine As for the lawfulnesse The lawfulnesse of defensive Arms of resistance in the present case of our invasion I may not enter in this short postscript in any such question onely ye may if ye please understand that it hath been the tenet of our Church since the reformation it hath been the right and practice of our Kingdome since the first foundation a number of instances thereof are approved in our standing acts of Parliament unrepealed to this day it hath been the practice of all the reformed Churches abroad wherein by Queen Elizabeth King Iames King Charles they have been all allowed and the most of them countenanced with powerfull assistance of men and money Your self cannot deny but in the judgement of reformed Divines resistance in many cases is lawfull even in Kingdomes where the Prince is tyed in the fundamentall lawes by paction to his people That this is the State of the kingdome of Scotland though ye may deny it yet King James who is like to have as great understanding in the rights of the Crowne and Kingdome of Scotland as you or your like gives us assurance that by a fundamentall law the King of Scotland is obliged at his coronation to paction under his great oath the preservation of the established Religion of the Lawes of the Kingdome of the Liberties and priviledges of the Subjects P. 105 In the Coronation our Kings give their oath first to maintaine the Religion presently professed punish al those that should alter or disturbe the profession thereof and next to maintaine the lowable good lawes made by their predecessours lastly to maintain the whole Countrie and every state therein And this oath in the Coronation is the clearest civill fundamentall Law whereby the Kings office is properly defined However we love your ingenuity who doe not dissemble but professe openly your minde that when a faction about a Prince by divine providence is permitted to take courses for the evident overthrow both of the Religion of the Lawes of the Liberties of the goods of the lives and all that is deare to an whole kingdome that in those or any other imaginable cases of tyrannie whole Parliaments may not proceed for their defence one step beyond teares prayers and flight That what ever is done more by whole and consentient nations against a faction of Court misleading the Prince is simplie unlawfull Your scoffes about the questions of Bishops and Elders deserve no answer Our Tenets about bishops and ruling Elders the king hath approved nothing doe we maintaine in them but what the assemblies of our church at our first reformation ordained and was in peaceable practice among us ever till men of your coat by fraudulent and violent wayes for their owne ambition and avarice set up their novations We have no other minde in those questions then the Church of Holland and France All our tenets are so well cleared by that Learned Hollander Gersome Bucerus as none of your partie hath yet beene bold after 22. yeares advisement to make any reply yea we maintaine no more in these questions then that wherewith our gracious Prince by his Commissioner and act of Counsell in our last generall assemblie hath declared himselfe to be well pleased but ye are a
of some Parliaments we did recognosce and that alone in their Ecclesiastick part with the good leave of the Kings Commissioner As for the civill sanction of Parliament according to the ordinary Ecclesiastick proceeding of our Church in all by gone times wee did appoint Commissioners from our Assembly to supplicate the Parliament for the abolition thereof Neither doe we meddle at all in our Synods with secular affaires remember what your selfe in your Canons doe pronounce to be the due and lawfull Subject of Ecclesiastick jurisdiction ye will finde that our generall Assemblies did never take in so much matter as ye appropriate to any of your officiall Courts Our act anent the going of Mills and Salt-pans upon the Sabbath-day was but a renovation and that with the Commissioners consent of an old act in a former Assemblie whereat King Iames was present It seemeth it grieveth you to see the Sabbath sanctified among us that yee are but like your brother to whom Sunday is no Sabbath but a day wherein games of all kinde also diverse kindes of Husband labour should publickly be allowed for the crossing of that Jewish Superstition whereby Puritanes abuse that Festivall What further here ye obiect of our unwillingnesse to subscribe at the Counsels direction the Covenant at it was dated in the yeare 1581. without the application of it to your later corruptions which addition we had sworne before yee will finde that we had good reason so to doe your selfe being judge for ye tell us that all these your corruptions even the Service-Booke it selfe are very consonant with that Covenant and that the main end why the Subscription thereof was urged was the cleane quiting of these additions formerly sworne and now by the mercy of God fully approved by the King by his Commissioner by his Counsell by the Assemblie by the articles of Parliament and all but men of your stuffe who resolve to die let all the world about you be never so fickle with the untainted glorie of constant obstinacie In your tenth Paralell Yee act the Iesuite so perfectly 10. Paralell Both out CovenaÌ„t and posteriour proceedings shew us no wayes to be opposite to the oath of alleageance that few hereafter will hope for the praise of going beyond you in their arts your pen drops so many Sentences so many cursed lyes so many blasphemous wrestings of mens words and writs Deny we the Oath of alleadgeance the words of our Covenant and mutuall defence whereupon yee would build that denyall let be that they are approved by our King as said is doe not they stand expresly in King James Covenant yea in the vesy first Confession of our Faitâ— Is not our late Covenant an expresse renewing of our oath of alleadgeance in so strict tearmes as is possible Did our armed defence in that desperate extremitie which your faction put us unto import any danger to the Kings person or Crowne Did we not then before all the world give a sufficient proofe of our humble loyaltie and practice of our Covenant At the very hight of all our advantages and your too well knowne unreadinesse at that time for fighting at the least appearance of his Majâ—sties minde to lay by armes to leave the prosecution of your bloudy desires were we not content to cast our selves at his feete to put our Munition in his hand and all our Castles in his power to be stockes to our feet and roaps to our neckes had our hearts been in the least measure so treasonable as you slander would these have been our actions What ye speake of our Forfathers actions in Queen Regent and Queen Maries dayes ye are into it but answerable to your name a true Jesuite The defence of the Religion and Liberties of the Kingdome against the Guisian usurpations in the minoritie of our Queen and our Queens voluntary dimission of the government to her Sonne King James after many unspeakable misaccidents These and such like proceedings of our Forfathers confirmed by our standing acts of Parliament Iesuites of old wont to blaspheme but all the reformed and none more then the Bishops of England especially Doctor Bilson doe vindicate from their wicked aspersions which yet ye have a stomach to resorbe to spew them out once againe upon our face But yeâ— are priviledged to speake all your pleasure for yee are here on a Stage under the maske of a furious phrentick Iesuite at the back of this curtaine yee may belch out what yee will all is conforme to the person yee sustaine In your eleventh twelve and thirteenth parellel 11. 12 13. Para. Blinde obedience to mens Lawes binding of the conscieÌ„â—e by them works of Supererogation are not ours but your tenets ye doe but toy the three faults ye object to us of blinde obedience of binding the conscience workes of Supererogation we are free of them all But see if ye can free your owne faction of any one thereof for your brethren teach that all men must give quicke obedience unto all their injunctions not only in the midst of their deepest ignorance of any reason for these injunctions but also in the midst of never so many doubts and perplexities and strong inclinations to thinke your acts most unlawfull Ye will admitt neither ignorance nor the greatest doubtings to bee any impediment to the present obedience of your Episcopall injunctions how farre is this from that yee pronounce in us blinde obedience Againe yee make all the commandements of the Church to be branches of the fift command and to be obeyed as the precepts of God which we suppose doe binde the conscience For the third yee teach more merite of workes then Bellarmine yea yee proclaime that the following of the counsels of perfection that the keeping of the three Monastick vowes doth deserve an augmentation as ye call it an Aureola above common happinesse In your fourteenth also yee cast upon us your owne domestick fault of Equivocation 14. Paralell No equivocation used by us in any of our proceedings Are you ignorant how your brethren the Bishops of Scotland did swear their famous caveats In the very time while they were dressing for our Church their Canons and Leiturgie which the large declaration tells us were alwayes in hand from the 16 yeare to the 38 how oft did they swear to many who proponed to them their feares of their underminding practices that they were utterly ignorant of all further novations to bee brought into our Church As for these matters wherein yee make us equivocators we were farre in any of them from that Crime We truely without any equivocation doe thinke our Covenant to be for the King and no wayes against either his persoâ— or authoritie we thinke in our minde that in some cases resistance to Princes is much better service and one day will be so acknowledged then present obedience How oft have Princes professed at last themselves much more beholden to those who with displayed banners hath come against their Campe then
to others who by their flattering service and wicked perswasions moved them to take up their unjust armes Ye doe well by the passages of King James writs which hee let fall in passion against some few persons as himselfe professeth to incite King Charles to destroy the whole generation of your opposits For that equivocation which ye obiect to some in their subscribing of the Covenant at the Commissioners and Counsels direction sufficient satisfaction is given long agoe to all reasonable men by published writs The matter shortly was this one of your factious ingines to draw us subtilie from that Covenant wherein we did abiure Bishops Bookes and the rest of your novations which were contrarie to the doctrine and discipline of our Church was a new subscription to the first part of this Covenant as it was first set downe in the yeare 1580 without our late addition wherein it was applyed to your newly obtruded novations Upon hope by this new subscription that not only the formerly subscribed addition and abjuration of these novelties expressed in that addition should be forgotten but also that meanes should be gotten to perswade that these once abiured novations were in nothing contrary to the Kings Covenant yea that all of them were so much conforme to it and virtually contained therein that all the subscrivers should finde themselves oblidged by that oath and subscription to embrace the articles of Perth the Canons the Leiturgie and all the intended novations at least without all doubt Episcopacie the Fountaine whence the rest had proceeded and from which they knew they would flow againe in due time if it alone could be gotten preserved This was the true intention of the Commissioner in pressing that new subscription as his Grace did publish thereafter in print but in the first proposition of that new oath all such designe was carefully concealed yet wise men among us fearing and foreseing the plot did carefully diswade that new subscription as a dangerous master piece invented for the utter destruction of the true sense of our first subscribed Covenant Their advice was heard by the most part who thereupon refused that new subscription yet some knowing perfectly well that the Covenant in the 1581 did not include Episcopacie or any of the late novations but clearely enough excluded them Since the Commissioner his Grace in the proponing that subscription did make no declaration at all neither of his owne nor of his Master the Kings minde to have Episcopacie or any of these novations included in that Covenant they were content at his desire to subscribe it but with this expresse declaration which they required and obtained to be acted in the Counsell Bookes so farre were they from any Equivocation that they did subscribe that Covenant in that same sense and no other wherein it was understood at the first framing in the 1580. What that sense was we had for a time too much dispute but at last the Registers of our Church in the generall Assembly being carefully cast over it was found that the doctrine and discipline of our Church in that 80. yeare did runne so crosse to Episcopacie to Perth articles to the Leiturgie and all the rest of our troublesome novelties that whosoever did heartily subscribe the Covenant of our Church in that sense it behoved to have in the yeare of his first framing did stand no lesse oblidged thereby to renounce the posteriour novations then those who had subscribed the other Covenant with the addition wherein all these novations were expressely named It was found even in our last Assembly whereto Traquaire according to his commission from the King did consent that both these Covenants that with the application and that without the application were but both one So that your equivocation whereupon your brethren also have too much tinkled is cleared without the disgrace of any but the like of you who were the authours of all the mistake that for a time was in this matter 15. Paralell The fifteenth paralell of your piae fraudes is but like the rest the ground of this great commotion could not be the malcontentment of any man for losse of what they possessed in the tyths or any thing else of the Church patrimonie or for want of such favour they desired to have with their Prince All these are but sillie fables These whose hand hath beene prime in this high affaire from the beginning hath had very little or no entresse at all in any part of the Church patrimonie ye may know that the most of the tithes were in the hands of the not covenanting Lords and that the small portion which remained with Covenanters was made so sure to them as the King and his Lawes were able to make it Also it is very well knowne that the chiefe in the Covenant had so much favour of their Prince as their heart could wish which they constantly did brook till their zeale unto this cause did crack their credit Yee are exceedingly injurious to say that we did ever slander our King with any idolatrie with any poperie Our thoughts of that gracious Princeâ— are farre more considerate and our words of so sacred person more full of due regard But indeed though we both say preach and print that so long as the like of you gett leave to possesse his eare we can have little hope that any true Protestant so farre as ye are able shall ever gett living in quiet in this I le and though we avow that by the Service-booke and other novations yee intended to make us all trot backe againe unto Rome believe us that in those Speeches we wrong not our minde that we speake no other then we thinke and we hope now have given tolerable evidence for these our thoughts and Speeches though ye and the Pope both should laugh in the Sardonian fashion when ye are like to lose your game In your last paralell The last paralell The paterne of a perfect Iesuite your motion that it may appeare to be naturall is swifter then at the beginning ye â—ere overcome your very selfe any Iesuite J have ever read in vilenesse of lies slanders filthie Speeches railings scâ—ffings and blasphemous abuse of the holy Scripture to all this stuffe Ye prove a good Scholler to your Masters Petroneus Arbiter Lucian Rabelais none that come in your way whether men or wâ—men whether living or dead Nobles Pastors Commanders People may escape the fire and filth of your envenomed tongue All your opposites if the King can be perswaded to follow your advice must quickly be packing out of these dominions as the vilest straitours but to our nobles and leaders ye will not shew such favour they as ye tel us with Râ—villiack Coppinger must be hanged drawen quartered and buried with the buriall of an asse That Jesuite Abernethy should have become Protestant ye can not abide with patience for so is the doctrine of your Society that separation from Rome is needlesse That
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