may thinke theÌ„selves safe But be assured when the Lord shall search Ierusalem with lights and enter to the fiery â—â—yall every abomination shall kythe in the own colours If ye hold your peace God will provide for his owne children But behold hee commeth shortly and his reward is with him to give to every man according as his workes shall bee Albeit my messengers may now cry with the prophet Who beleeves our report yet that dreadfull sentence shall make the soule once brought within the sight of death to tremble and quiver God wil not be mocked If the righteous scarcely be saved and God spares not his Angels where shall they appeare who make marchandise of his truth albeit at the highest rate of honour and wealth The whole word of God his law promises and threatnings his practises and the works of providence cannot prevaile with the sencelesse soules of men But death so violent are his perswasions and his might so unresistable at his first approch shall make every heart to beleeve and feele that all the workes under the Sunne are but vanity The conscience and happy remembrance of one word uttered or suffered for Christ his crowne his truth or his needy members shall at that strait fill the soule with greater joy then all the crowns and kingdoms under heaven And what is then left to the godlesse craftie and merciles wretch that laugheth at my death and daunceth at my funerals when men afflicted cry unto the Lord and he heareth them But thou hast proved in the end victorious O Iesus of Galilee I conclude with that of my beloved Bernard I owe my selfe unto God for my creation what shall I give for my restauration especially being restored after such a manner neither was â— so easily restored as created In his first work hee gave me unto my selfe in his second he gave himself unto me by giving himselfe he hath restored me unto my selfe Being therfore given restored I ow my selfe for my selfe and so ow my selfe unto God by a double right But what shall I render unto God for giving himself unto me For though I should give my selfe a thousand times for recompence what am I in comparison of him And I add that seeing all my well-doing can be no recompence unto him I wish the increase of his glory by a second restitution of me unto my selfe by giving himselfe now the second time unto me and am content to be put to a greater perplexity not knowing what to render that his mercies yet may be the greater O that it would please him yet again to pitty me At least let all the blessed of the Lord keep themselves from troubling the preachers of peace and bringers of blessings let them be stout stedfast and play the men that they may all run out their course with joy and report that excellent price conquesed by the blood bitter sufferings of Iesus Christ my spouse now at the right hand of the father for whose revelation I am waiting daily that my marriage may bee perfected and I with all the Saints may enter into the ioyes conquesed by his bitter suffering To him with the Father holy Ghost be all glory praise and honor for ever FINIS A three fold consideratioÌ„ of every Christian ap plyed to the present purpose and tyme. First of the great goodnes of God to the Kirk of Scotland In making the Gospel to shine here beyond the light of other nations Testified by their confessions ' and wishes His goodnes in the manner of the working of her reformation Frater frater abi in cellâ—m et dic miserere mei Deus more gladij cruentaÌ„di “ Malleus Romanorum His strong hand against all her enemies forraine and domestick The present distress and doleful face of the Kâ—rk Crying sinns of the godles multitude and lukewarmnes of the best preachers and professors The glory of the Kirk turned into shame In turbis pravus etiam sortitur bâ—norem et quam dignitatis sedem quieta rep desperat eam perturbata se consequi posse arbitratur The causers of her calamitie the same that have beene in other Kirks heretofore Some of theÌ„ drawen out of Gerson aâ— the neglect of Scripture and multiplying of traditions The â—variâ—â— and ambitioÌ„ of Bishops Causes out of Nicolas Orem as the profanity of kirkmen Want of proportion in the Kirk Pride of Prelates Divers other causes Causes brought by the Bishop of Spalato CoÌ„â—estae passim opes in tanti officij reverentiam pene causam reverentiae â—xâ—inxerunt Conclusion from Nazianzen III. The dutie required of us in respect of the two former consideratioÌ„s And first a common duty of humiliation urged upon all Two things required eveÌ„ of ordinary professors First skill to try the Spirits SecoÌ„dly readines to suffer for the least poynt of the 〈◊〉 truth Your care and your comfort in suffering Speciall duâ—… of Pastors †Râ—conditae prorsum occuitae eruditionis viri ‡ Audi vide tace In pace leones in praelio Cervi Quibus audendi quae fecerunt pudor est nullus faciendi quae audire â—rubescunt Illic ubi opus est nihil verentur hic ubi nihil opus est ibi verentur Some demands proponed to the Prelates Pastores facti estis non percussores nova atque inauditae est ista praedicatio quae verberibus â—xigit fidem Aliud est quod agitur typho superbiae aliud zelo disciplinae Plus erga corrigendos aâ—at benevolentia quam severitas plus cohortatio quam comminatio plus charitas quam potestas Sed hi qui quae sua sunt quaerunt non quae Iosa Christs facile ab hac lege discernuntur qâ—um domiâ—ri magis quam consulere subditis quaerunt Places honor inflat superbiâ— quod provisum ad concordiam â—endit ad noxam Petition in â— humility tâ— the Nobility and Estateâ— to deale with his Maâ—esty Triall to bee made by the word By true zeale By the fruits and not by pretext of antiquity or outward appearance Perih â—…y wants a paterne Hooker and Saravia â—heÌ„selves against the â—reâ— entry of Râ—â—es †A multâ—â—unt reformâ—â—â— ecclesiae qâ—ae â—ineam â— lam vesteâ— non admittunt pereorinaâ—uÌ„ ecclesiarum ministri insularum Iersae Iernâ—ae quae Anâ—lcanâ— ecclesiae annumerentur Resp â—um qui in illis ecclesijs usum hujus vestis vellet introducere a schismste non posse excusaâ—i sicut nec a superstitione quicquid contra ad suam excusationent posset allegare The moane of the Kirk of â—â—d under the burdâ— of ceremonies Quanto maegis accedit cumulo rituum in Ecclesia tanto maegis dâ—trahitur non tantum libertati Christianae sed Christo eiuâ— fideâ— dum vulgus ea quaeâ—â—t in ritibus quae quae eret in solo Dei filio Jesu Christo per fidem Liâ—hâ— of nature true policie and coÌ„mon equity against English formalities in our Kirk InterduÌ„ conâ—â—veâ—â—â—menus est qâ—am remâ—dâ—jâ— dâ—licta incendere JudgmeÌ„ts to be given not according to the bâ—senesse of the defenders but according to the truth Râ—spuite AEneâ—â— suscipite pâ—um Illi in vos saeviant qui nullo â—asi â—â—râ—re decâ—pâ—i sunt quali vos deceptos vident ego â—utem saevire in vot omniâ—â— non possuÌ„ quos sicut â—eipsum illo â—empore ita â—unc debeo sustinere auferamus illis nocentes divitias hoâ— enim facere est opus charitatis CoÌ„ditions of conformity Impossibile fuerit omnes ecclsiaruÌ„ quâ— per civitateâ— sunt regiones ritus coÌ„scribere Nulla religio cosdem ritus custodit etiamsi eandeâ— de illis doctrinam amplectitur Quis ferat co qui aâ—â—aÌ„ qâ—aÌ„piam synâ—dum praepoâ—â—nt Nâ—â—inae At quis non potius oderit eos qâ—i rejiciunt paâ—uÌ„ decreta praeponunt receÌ„tioâ—a nuper Aâ—â—mini contentione vi expressa Quâ—â— cum illis hominibus societateÌ„ iniâ—e velit qui ne quideÌ„ sua ipsi â—uâ—ntuâ— Nos non nostra voluntate sed necessitaâ—e adducti subscripsimus non animo sed verbis duntaxaâ— consensimus The poynts controverted are material propter scandalum quod vel 〈◊〉 imbecillitaâ—e vel ex ignorantia nascitur declinandum omnes quantum cumque rectae aut utiles actiones quae ad animi salutem non sunt necessariae praetermittendae vel occultandae aut saltem in in aliud tempus differendae sunt Thom. 2a 2â—q 43. artic Quaedam frivola innoxia quaedam frivolâ— noxia Hope of hâ—â— Ma. gracious favour Quod neque imperiale siâ— libertateÌ„ dicendi negare neque sacerdotale quod sentiat non dicere â—is causa vero Dei quem audies si sacerdotem non audies cuius maiori peccatur periculo quis tibi verum audebiâ— dicere si sacerdos non audeat Sed mihi placet sive in Romana sive in GalliaruÌ„ seu in qualibet ecclesia aliud invenisti quod plus omnipotenti Deo possie placeâ—e sollicite eâ—â—g as Et in Anglorum ecclesiaÌ„ quâ— ad fidem nâ—â— vâ— est institutione praecipua quae de multie ecclesijs colligere potuiâ—ti inâ—undas Non enim pro locâ—â— res sed pro bonis rebus loca amanda sunt Ex singulis ergo quibusque ecclesijs quae pia quae religiosa quae rectâ— sunt elige haec quasi in fasciculum collecta apud Anglorum mentes in consuetudinem deponâ— Neque Philosophia neque imperiuÌ„ â—olliâ— affectus Supplication to the Nobility and Estates urged for that end Viciâ—â—i tandem Galilae
THE SPEACH OF THE KIRK OF SCOTLAND TO HER BELOVED CHILDREN HEu heu Domine Deus quia ipsi sunt in persecutione tuâ primi qui videntur in Ecclesia tua primatum diligere gerere principatum impedire salutem est persequi Saluatorem Bernard Alace Alace ô Lord God for they are cheesest in thy persecution who love the first and chief places and to bear rule to stay the course of salvation is to persecute the Saviour Bernard SImplicitas amentia malitia sapientia nomen habet virique boni usque adeo irridentur ut fere nullus qui irrideri possit appareat Petrarch Simplicitie now carieth the name of madnes malice the name of wisdome and good men are so derided that almost no man can be found to be derided Petrarch Imprinted in the yere 1620. THE KIRK OF CHRIST IN SCOTLAND TO HER DEARLY beloved Children wisheth purity and peace AS I your loving mother fearing to be finally deserted of my glorious Spouse the Lord Iesus and to be childles hereafter haue weeped sore in the night this time bypast my teares are on my cheekes Among all my lovers few to comfort mee my friendes haue dealt treacherously with me they are become my enemies Lament 1. 2. So would ye my dear children dolefully cry out The joy of our heart is ceased our daunce is turned into mourning the crown is fallen from our heads woe unto us that we haue sinned Lament 5. 15. 16. If ye were touched with the sense and feeling of your present estate and could by the thick shaddowes of this evening be brought to consider the comfortles desolation of that approaching night of darknes after so bright a day of visitation But so much the more dangerous is defection and the mysterie of iniquitie the more pernicious that it proceeds from so subtile beginnings as to your simplicitie ar almost insensible It is not time then for me your dolorous mother to keepe silence But love and feare presse me to put you in minde that it hath been in all ages the holy disposition happy practise of all Gods people wayting for the appearing of Iesus their Lord tēdring the weal of his spouse and taking to hart the aeternall salvation of their own soules to set continually before their eyes 1. His inaestimable goodnes towardes his Kirk 2. Her case and condition while she is militant here on earth And 3. in consideration of the one and the other the duetie required and expected at their handes wherthrough in the goodnes of God they have beene safe from that dreadfull ruine that hath overtaken the wicked And which I wish you my beloved children to escape by calling to minde in like manner at this tyme of your danger and my distresse First how wonderfull the Lordes mercies have been towards me his Kirk in this nation Secōdlie my present case crying with the complaints of a mother for help at your hands And thirdly what is due from your affection places and callings to me in whose wombe ye were conceived and by whose care ye are brought up to that which ye now are That whatsoever is commanded by the God of heaven it may be diligently done for the house of the God of heaven For why should he be wroth against the realme of the King and his sonnes Ezra 7. 23. And that Christ may say to me yet once againe Thou art beautifull my love as Tirzah comelie as Ierusalem terrible as an army with banners Cant. 6. 3. Words and motions of this sort as they have been so they will be but oyle to feede the fire of the furie of such incēdiaries as make their own earthlie particulars their highest projects for the wicked shall doe wickedlie and none of them shall understand yet by the grace of God manie shal be purified and tryed the wise shall understand The greatest wisdome of the greatest of you in other matters and your gracious countenance towards me and the meanest of your brethren at other tymes suffereth me not to doubt of your audience of any message or motiō from heaven but especiallie be my mouth which may either dis cover or prevent anie spirituall or temporall danger Now the spirit of wisdome and knowledge give unto yow all wise hearts that in the sight of God ye trying thinges that differ may approve things excellent which is above the reach of the naturall man that ye may be sincere without offence till that day of Christ your Lord mine THe riches of the unsearchable favours of my spouse towardes me have beene so greate he hath made his glorie to dwell so sensiblie in this land that I may bouldlie say Mercie and truth righteousnes and peace had never since Christs comming in the flesh a more glorious meeting amiable embracing on earth then ye have seene amongst your selves in the roughe end of this northern Yland which therfore hath justlie obteined to my no small comfort a great name among the cheefe Kirkes and Kingdomes in the World A people that sat in darknes hath seene a great light and to them who sat in the region of death light is sprung up To what nation under heaven when now the sunne of righteousnes hath shined upon the most part of the world hath the Lord communicated the Gospell for so large a time with such puritie fulnes prosperitie power libertie and peace The hottest persecutions had never greater puritie and power the most halcyon hereticall tymes had never more prosperitie and peace the best reformed Kirks in other places can hardlie parallel your fulnes and libertie And all these with such continuance that not onlie hath he made the truth to stay with you as he did the sunne in the daies of Iosuah but when the cloud of your iniquities did hasten it to goe downe in his mercie hath he brought back the glorious sunne by manie degrees as in the tymes of Ezekiah Oh that ye had known the long pleasant day of your visitation and in this your day the things belonging unto your peace Christ hath not onely beene one his name one in respect of his propheticall office for your information of his priesthood for the expiation of your sinnes and intercession for you but also hath displayed his banners and hath shewed himself few can say the like a soveraigne King in our Land to governe you with his owne scepter erected in his Worde to cutt off with his sword all monuments of Idolatry and superfluitie of pompous ceremonies to restore all the meanes of his worship in Word Sacraments and discipline to the holy simplicitie and integritie of the first paterne shewed in the mount frō the which by that wisdome of man which is ever foolishnes with God they had fearfully and shamefully swerved The sincerer sort of the bordering nations about you haue been so ravished with that beautie of the Lord upon your Sion with that crowne of glorie and rich diademe by the hand of
name profaning of the Lords day and contempt of his sanctuarie and service so universally overflowing this land not onely in the persons of poore ignorants in a manner tyed to these horrible crimes by a cursed custome beggerly necessitie but even in the more honourable sort whose damnable example encourages their followers to sinne without feare with such additions as may represse and restraine these crying abhominations in all without respect of persons 2 A safe liberty to enjoy the profession of our religion as it is reformed in doctrine sacraments and discipline and hath been openly professed by Prince Pastors and people of all rankes your predecessors of worthy memory your selves us all yet living these threescore yeares by gone and above 3 A full deliverance from and a sufficient defence against all novations and novelties in doctrine sacraments and discipline and specially such as by constitutions of the Kirk confessions of faith louable lawes of the countrey and long continued practise hath been condemned and casten out as idle rites and Romish formalities under what soever pretence they plead for re-entry 4 That no act passe in derogation or prejudice of the actes already granted in favour of Reformation liberty of Assemblies convenient execution of Discipline c. or for corroboration of new opinions against the same concerning whether Episcopacie or ceremonies the shadow thereof which for the peace of the Kirk by heavenly wisedome should bee rejected before they be ratified 5 That all ministers provided to Prelacies and admitted to vote in Parliament be urged to observe the Act granted in their favours to that place especially the provision expressed therein 6 The happinesse to live under his Majesty and his highnesse ordinary Iudges and Rulers established by lawes and custome and that our cause he lawfully cognoseed according to order and justice before any sentence passe against our persons places estates In the name of Iesus Christ intreating and commanding all worldly and personall respects set apart yee look with a single eye upon the matter controverted not suffering your faith in Iesus Christ to bee blamed with partiality ye try all with the touchstone of the Temple and ballance of the Sanctuarie Consider the example of Moses when hee saw the Israelite Egyptian fight He spent no time in rebuking them for the strife but drew his sword and slew the Egyptian But perceiving a debate betwixt two Israelites he sayd Ye are brethren why strive yee If the intended novelties be Israelites then may yee say Why strive yee but if they be of that Egypt from the bondage wherof the Lord your God miraculously hath set you free then may they not be reconciled to the truth but being slaine by the sword of the Spirit must also bee proscribed by your authoritie Vse the triall of Elias against Baals Priests albeit without the miracle of Eliah take my bullockes and theirs that is the urged novelties and the possessed liberties or alas the liberties that I once possessed for now whether I possesse them or not it is uncertaine lay their peeces on the altars and on which God sends the holy fire of zeale in the powerfull preaching of the word and consuming of sinne let that bee received When no man was able to discerne betwixt Alexander the sonne of Herod before put to death and a certaine craftsman like unto him who gave himselfe out for Alexander as though hee had escaped by favour of the executioner the noble and wise Augustus by griping his hand tried him to be an Artificer and punished him for his falshood Would it please your honours whilst so many learned and wise are deceaved with the counterfeit face of these novelties but to gripe their hand a little and to try what hath beene their frootes where they have been admitted from the beginning ye shal incontinent finde that they have been voyd of the sap of grace and that their best workes evidently declare that they never were begotten nor blessed by the father of peace Their own maintainers confesse that the controversie about them hath brought confusion breach of the second command of love rent my body into divers parts divided my people into divers sects and the sheep to despise their Pastors and estranged them from the love of their flockes It hath confirmed the prophane in their impieties and given way to the common enemies distracted the mindes of the multitude and shaken their faith who for the most part knew no other difference betwixt Christ and Antichrist but that which consists in externall shewes and formalities It hath brought the ruine of Christs kingdome and increase of Satans partly in superstition and partly in impiety And in a word generally hath put out the life of true religion and brought in Atheisme Bee not satisfied with a fashionable and superficiall triall but examine them from the very root and from the ground rip them up As wise Nehemiah tried who had right to the Priesthood by searching their lineall descent from Aaron It was not sufficient for them to cleare their genealogie by writ from Levi and Coath for so the childrē of Habaiah and Barzillai had been admitted had brought the wrath of God with them Men may alledge and perhaps prove by writ some such customs as they urge for some hundreth years in my neighbour kirks but except it can bee cleared that they have their pedigree frō Christ or his holy Apostles they ought to be esteemed uncleane and should not be receiued as belonging to me or my ministers All these and many moe have vexed me before and being mans inventions in the matter of Gods worship waxed old and weak As it fareth with every errour contrary to the course of verity which groweth ever greener and stronger and at last dying were cast out of my habitations as vile and stinking carrion that now the opening of their grave raiseth a noysome fleur in every spirituall and exercised sense and if they bee taken up againe shall make many poore soules of weake constitution to perish through their pestilent contagion It cannot be denied but they have been defended by some and digested by others by way of Interim till opportunity of further reformation in the Kirks and countries where they had place But before this time we dare be bold to say never any kirk countrey or cōscientious Christian did so much as enter in deliberation whether they should have been repossessed where they have been displaced Let the two renowmed maisters of English ceremonies profound Hooker and fordward Saravia be heard in this poynt The one sayes In as much as they goe about to destroy a thing which is in force and to draw in that which hath not as yet been received and to impose that which we think not our selves bound unto and to overthrow things whereof we are possessed that therefore they are to take them to the opponents part which must consist in one of two
that are in authoritie that they may lead a quiet and a peaceable life in all godlines and honesty For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God their Saviour who will have all to be safe and come to the knowledge of the truth They wish from the desires that lodge within their breasts long life unto his Majesty a secure reigne a safe house valiant armies a faithful counsel good people a quiet world Et quaecunque hominis Caesaris sunt vota They stand by that reformation that hath been so profitable and comfortable these threescore yeares by past giving more reasons for it then hath been or can be clearly answered How can it stand then with the grounds either of good policie or Christian equity for removing dissentions to yeeld respect countenance support and authority to the other party neither having nor giving evidence of reason for their pretended novations against the received truth Although the inferior law were inacted as God forbid yet in all Christian Prudence it ought to give place to the royall law of love and unity as being of a more noble descent But since unity forbids and peace declares her miscontentment in the beginning how shall this ever contentious and unruly Hagar be heard to contest with Sarah Were not this a way to bring a further rent and desolation upon the house of Abraham Vpon this ground what great tollerations have been granted by Christian Emperours and Kings all men know who know any thing in History It is better somtime to give connivence then by untimous cures to waken diseases And as one sayd to Augustus It is a speciall poynt of wisedome not to suffer new names or ought else wherefra discord may arise The cause wherein they stand and for the constant defence wherof they are traduced under the odious names of Puritanes precisians schismatickes Anabaptists and the like is an article of your honours owne worthy profession and confessioÌ„ of faith wherof the adversaries themselves were preachers and practisers of late and have never yet made any publicke repentance for their former heresies Augustine could say albeit in a different case Let them exercise crueltie against you who never were deceived with the like error wherewith they see you deceived but as for me I am not the man that can be cruell against you whom I must beare with now as I did comport with my selfe then But they have forgotten what they were and make my ministers to find the truth of that which is in the French proverb Quison chien veult tuer larage luymeâ— sus He that is disposed to have his dogge killed will first have him thought to be madd As I will have them for their part to resolve with Daniel to sustaine the wrong of such Assyrian nick-names and by the grace of the God of Daniel wil have them both to abstaine from these impurities and to professe the detestation of the least shew of them So I would wish your honours upon the other part not to judge of them according to mens calumnies but to the truth of God And consider upon your beds who they are that yeeld what are they that stand and upon what inducements Ye can hardly poynt at any one of my ministers but hee is in some good measure fitted for the work of the ministery And howsoever according to the diverse roomes in my habitation lesse or greater all have not the same measure of light some torches for more publick places and others smaller lights for their own cottages yet every one makes conscience of residence to shine in his own roome both in the purity of doctrine and life to my great joy and your benefit by the blessing of God upon their labours hardly any one of the other side but hee is either c. They have large rents if not great wealth the others portion is but meane The one is encouraged with outward assistance the other enfeebled with cries crosses and ensuing dangers the one richly rewarded for proud practises the other are boasted for painfull labours to clear and defend a just cause the one men of glorious state and great pompe in the world the other trode upon as unworthy of the countenance of the world The one take leasure from their charge to invent and publish their pleasure the other have no time froÌ„ the charge of their flockes to cleare the truth To the one the presses are open and free to the other it is neither safe noâ— possible almost to print a few words of this sort faâ—r lesse labours of greater moment and better use The one gets money for their hungry pamphlets the other counts charges hazard gaine The one are both parties and judges of the cause the other dare scarcely make provocation in publick to the Lord Iesus The one finally by their defection rise and become Princes of the world the other for their constancy are thrust downe and tyed fast to the crosse Wherby ye caÌ„not but see whether the love of the world or the zeale of God be the spirit that blowes in the sailes of their affections Know yee not that howsoever they bee counted few silly and of base resolution yet if they esteemed not more of a good conscience then they who make a covenant with death and hell and put the evill day farr from them they might speed as well as others in worldly projects Can it bee denied but they preferre the peace of their soules and purity of their profession to the pleasures of the world wherewith others are pampered Were it proclaimed by the Emperour Let us take from them these hurtfull riches for that were a work of charity the zealots of this course would grow key cold Suffer not then poverty paucity pusillanimity prisonings wardings difficulties of writing printing uttering and countenancing Gods cause and thousands of such disadvantages be a prejudice to that truth whereof ye are convinced in your mindes Be not deceived with this new fond and false glosse of indifferencie look to God to his word to the parties to your owne soules and to that great day of the revelation of Christ Iesus As the pretext of conformity the visor of unity the null-authority of a pseudo-synod wanting formality fulnesse and liberty should not bee a Gorgons head to terrifie them so should it neither by serpeÌ„tine slight deceive you In conformity there is to bee respected 1. The substantiall truth of God wherein all true Conformitants must agree 2. The sincere ministery and sorts of ministers appoynted by the sonne of God for our edification in the truth 3. Christs incommunicable prerogative in appoynting of the Sabboth and solemne ministration of the word sacraments and discipline 4. The edificative use of these ministrations in the several ages Kirks kingdomes of the world â— A clear distinction between divine and ecclesiasticall rites the indifferencie in nature the expedience of use the diversitie