Selected quad for the lemma: england_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
england_n	bishop_n	king_n	part_n	2,994	5	4.2601	3	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A11746	A short relation of the state of the Kirk of Scotland since the reformation of religion, to the present time for information, and advertisement to our brethren in the Kirk of England, by an hearty well-wisher to both kingdomes.	Warriston, Archibald Johnston, Lord, 1611-1663.	1638 (1638)	STC 22039; ESTC S116925	12,349	22

were indifferent in matters of Religion would assist the Bishops used all their meanes to conveene the greatest numbers they could The Supplicants moved with the provision intended for the Castle and these frequent meetings of Papists neutrals resolved not to joyne with them at their meeting with the Commissioner because they would impudently ascribe the most part of these whom hee had required to themselves and these neutralls for these and some other important reasons the Supplicants resolved to send out some few of their number to make their excuse to my Lord Commissioner The Supplicants together the Towne of Edinburgh apart by their request procured his comming to Haly-rood-house as the most convenient place for their attendance Vpon the seventh of Iunij at his entrie hee was attended by a great number of the Supplicants on horse meeting him three myles from Haly-rood-house and all the way betwixt by many thousands on foot amongst the which were six or seven hundreth of the Ministerie In hope that the Commissioner would not offer to furnish the Castle with munition during the treatie the numbers appointed for watching were diminished even before his entrie The Supplicants renewed their former desires of a generall Assembly and Parliament to the Commissioner as the only meane to redresse the evills complained upon He acknowledged himselfe unable to grant either till first the Countrie were in a peaceable condition till they should first rescind and render their subscribed Covenants to his Majestie To the first it was answered the Cuntrie was not unpeaceable there was many humble supplications desiring remedie of these pressing grievances the Supplicants could not be moved to stay from meeting and supplicating till they should receive a gratious answere and the onely meane to content them was the granting of a free generall Assembly and a Parliament for the second they could not draw on themselves the guilt of perjurie before God gave the Commissioner sufficient reasons of their refusall which are extant in print The Commissioner excepted against that clause in the Covenant bearing mutuall defence as if the Supplicants had combyned themselves to maintaine each other in their owne private quarrells howbeeit the clause bee cleare eneugh of itself yet for his Majesties satisfaction they gave in a Supplication to the Commissioner wherein they declared their mutuall defence of each other was only in the defence of true Religion of the lawes and liberties of this Kirk and Kingdome and of his Majesties person and autoritie in preservation thereof where-with his Grace acquiesed The Commissioner professing that all his instructions did runne on the hope of having the Covenant surrendred and this failing hee could doe no more but returne and deale with his Majesty for obtaining a free generall Assembly and Parliament Withall did shew that before his parting hee behoved to publish his Majesties gratious declaration and so first made that proclamation of returning the Counsell and Session to Edinburgh to make a faire way for the other professing also that the other should bee full of goodnesse promising only a generall Assembly and parliament and discharging all novations introduced Where upon a protestation was provided only to give thanks to his Majestie and to protest that some short and convenient time might bee appointed for holding the Assemblye and Parliament But the Supplicants attending the publishing of this faire and smooth declaration when it was proclaimed upon the fourth of Iulij they found it so grievous as it necessitat the Supplicants to make that protestation which is extant in print As the Supplicants were grieved at the Proclamation so their griefe was augmented when they heard that the Lordes of Counsell had approved the Proclamation by a particular Act. For the Counsell had approved that proclamation as satisfactorie and so full of grace and goodnesse so that it might satisfie all men Whereas it gave saisfaction to none of the Supplicants desires and did condemne their lawfull meetings Therefore they prepared a supplication for the Commissioner which did bear their just exceptions at the Proclamation and farre more against the Counsells act of approbation But the Counsell considering better of their Act did teare it after it was subscribed and before it was put upon record The next day the Commissioner was supplicated and earnestly desired to make some act to cleare that the Counsells subscribing of the Kings Majesties declaration was no approbation thereof from them but only a warrant for the Clerke to cause proclaime it The Commissioner and most of the Counsellers declared the same solemnely by their oaths wherein the Supplicants acquiesced My Lord Commissioner promised to recomend their desires earnestly to his Majestie and returne at the fifth of August next or before the twelft at the furthest The Commissioner reported that it was written from England that these of this Nation were comming with armes towards them The Supplicants protested bef●re God it never entred in their mindes to doe them the least harme but that they carried toward them all due respect of Brethren if they should not bee first invaded by them which was as farre from their expectation as it was without their deservings But on the contrare whereas such of the Bishops as were chiefe authors of these evills apprehending danger from the Panick terrours of their guiltie consciences not from any just occasion offered by the Supplicants when they and their adherents had acted the part of Incendiaries at the Court of England betwixt the Kings Majestie and his Subjects did thereafter retire themselves out of Scotland as hopelesse to find a partie for them there these who have not subscribed the Confession excepting Counsellers not beeing a considerable part and the most part of them no favourers of Bishops And they bragged that his Majestie will make the people of England come in armes against Scotland which is neither to bee expected from so just a King against his own native subjects only supplicating for the preservation of true Religion and liberties of the Countrie established by lawes nor from so good and wise a people with whom the Kingdom of Scotland is not more neerely conjoyned by marches than all true Scotish hearts have beene these many yeares past It should be an high and fearefull dissimulation if any such spytefull intention were keeped up against brethren whose naturall freedome and ingenuitie cannot admit the least suspition of any such thoughts seing they live in one Iie under one King have intertained commerce with as litle contoversie or debate with as much affection and peace as ever was betwixt two Nations yea they are so far from intention to offer wrong to the English that they are resolved never to suffer England to be wronged by any other Nation so long as their lives and meanes shall laste and doe expect the like br●therly duetie from them least they bee found even to f●ght against God himself How can they have any purpose to wrong that Countrie wherein so many worthie Preachers and professours have given both by writing and suffering abundant testimonie to the cause they plead for in all the particulars thereof which now they maintaine My Lordes of the Clergie in Scotland as they have borrowed somethings from England to wit high Commission Canons and such other stuffe not warranted by law as in England thought to have repared that loane by establishing the new Service booke first heere that thereafter their confederats might thrust out that service so long continued in England for if it had not been for that end it shuld not have goten so much help and approbation from thence and perhaps from Rome But that current is stopped heere praised be God and we wish it might be also there If some English Bishops seeming to compassionate their Brethren heere have a desire to further the plot though it were upon Nationall Perills so may move the English Catholicks as persons furthest disappointed to undertake the recoverie of their cause by giving their whole assistance against Scotland which beeing once suppressed all may bee setled there and then undoubtedly in England The kingdom of Scotland with reservation of all due respect to the true English craveth they maye not onely have help from good Christians there in case of such invasion but also leave to root out these Cananits who are pricks in their sides And this much shortly to give satis-faction to the better sort that there bee no mistaking amongst brethren Cursed bee these that doe not wish and pray for peace if it can bee had without that great losse of the Gospell of peace in the purity and power thereof according to the word of God FINIS

A SHORT RELATION Of the State of the Kirk of SCOTLAND since the Reformation of Religion to the present time for information and advertisement to our Brethren in the Kirk of England By an hearty Well-wisher to both KINGDOMES Printed in the yeare of God 1638. THE Kirk of Scotland after the reformation of Religion did by degrees attaine to as great perfection both in doctrine discipline as any other reformed kirk in Europe The soundnesse of Doctrine appeareth in her severall Confessions of Faith approven by all the best reformed Kirkes in forraine parts But because puritie of Religion cannot bee long preserved without that platforme of Government which the Word of God hath laid foorth unto us her nationall assemblies laboured diligently many years to finde out the same and after many conferences and publick reasoning resolved upon these conclusions which are contained in the booke of Policie or second booke of Discipline But shortly thus much for the present Each Parish beeing provided of a Minister who underwent tryalls before his admission to the place and behoved to be qualified both for life learning and skilfull government was ruled by him and the Elders thereof beeing the men of best life understanding in the said Parish Twelve sixteene or twentie of these Kirks were conjoyned in a Pres-byterie or classicall meeting that did meete weekly and exercise their gifts by course and had the power of ordinary jurisdiction ordination suspension deprivation excommunication or direction to the parish Minister to excommunicat after the sight of the processe deduced by the particulare Eldership collation of benefices visitation of kirks within their bounds The enormitie of Ministers either in life or doctrine were dela●ed either by some parochinar or neighbour Minister Persons of whatsoever qualitie in the Co●gregations who would not obey their owne Ministers and Elders were censured If verie great difficulties come before them or if the Pres-byterie had adoe with great parties who did withdraw any of their number in these the like cases there was recourse had to the provincial Synods The whole Pres-byterie of a shire or two mett twise a-yeare in their Synod tryed presbyteries and ordered what was disficle for the presbyteries or might concerne them al in common If any difficultie come before them for which there was no kirk constitution they referred the same to the nationall Assembly which conveened once a yeere or oftner pro re nata Where they gave their judgment in the case preponed and made some act constitution for the like cases in time comming and other acts and constitutions needfull received appellations petititions grievances and appointed some to propone their owne grievances to the Parliament King Counsellor Convention This was the supreme and highest Kirk judicatorie to which was made the last appeale which was composed of these members his Majesties self or a Commissionar representing him two or three Ministers chosen by each Presbitery one Gentleman an Elder within the bounds of a presbyterie A commissioner for each regall burgh and two for Edinburgh some one of these Ministers was chosen to moderat or preside by the voices of the whole assembly This supreme judicatorie so censured the omissions of the subordinat that no vice of any person whtasoever escaped censure no error could sooner set out its head but it was presently crushed by one of these as King IAMES confessed in diverse discourses and gave that reason why so few errours had appeared in the kirk of Scotland because they could not escape the censure of one of these Ecclesiasticall judicatories This forme of government so comfortable to the religious and profitable to the kirke was insufferable to many of higher rank who did not think this yoke of Christ so easy as to enjoy their wished libertie without controulment which made a number of these with Courtiers and some of the Ministers who were more loose worldly minded suggest unto King Iames of ever blessed memorie that He had not so much power in the kirk as in the commonwelth because when any of these libertines committed any offence he could not save them from kirk censure although his Majestie had alwayes power to remit the civill censure punishment His Majestie beeing then hopefull of the kingdom of England they added that reason that if he obtained the Kirke of Scotland to be governed by Bishops as that of England was he would thereby endeare to himself the kirk men there who might otherwise suspect his affectiō to their state being acquainted with another forme of kirk government if he should not evidence it by labouring that change And if he shuld eshablish the government of Bishops in Scotland he might bee as absolute in the kirk as in the Common-wealth Thus they kindled in his Majesties heart the des●e of an absolute power over the kirk beeing specially moved by their owne particular ends Great men for obtaining erection of kirklands which then appertained to the Crowne in recompense from his Majestie for assisting the erection of Bishops in the kirk of Scotland His Majestie being assured of the Bishops consent of inferiour kirkmen in hope of suceeeding to the said Bishopricks and of both for vindicating themselves into a licentious liberty from under the awfull censure of the Kirk was so earnest on that designe that hee made it his most speciall indevour but suppressing the same withall that hee might obtine it the more easily Where-unto hee attained by degrees which are heere set down shortly in some generall heads Wee refer the par●iculars to a more large information which shall contain the degrees course of defection advancement of Hierar by in our kirk First his Majestie Propounded the necesatie to have Ministers voters in Parliament in the name of the kirk who sitting in Parliament might bee carefull that nothing were done in prejudice of the kirk and might carrie the desires of the whole Kirke to the Parliament for such things as were convenient for them The medling of Ministers in these civill imployments was extremely disliked opposed by the most judicious in this Kirk To make the Ministers voting in Parliament the more plausible and to move the more easie condiscendence therto they were tyed to such caveats viz. that they should propone nothing in Parliament Convention or Counsell without expresse warrant from the kirk nor keep silence when any thing is proponed there to the prejudice of the Kirke That they should give an account of their Commission after each Parliament to the next nationall Assembly and be subject either to their censure of deposition incase they did transgresse To attend faithfully their particular flocks as Ministers in the administration of discipline collation of benefices or other points of ecclesiasticall government to usurpe or acclaime no jurisdiction over their brethren A number of such caveats beeing agried upon in the assembly should have beene ratified in the next parliament But these beeing suppressed there was insert

in place there of a number of articles in favours of Bishops never mentioned nor agried upon in Assembly These Ministers who would have entred the Parliament-house to discover that falshood and protest against it were holden out from protesting publickly but they delivered their protestati win write to the Estates severally All this time these pretended prelats laboured that there should be no generall Assembly at all to censure them for transgressing their cautions that they might the more boldly contraveene And whereas in these generall assemblies before their dissolving the kings Majestie or his Commissioner beeing present did appoint the time and place of the next assemblie His Majestiie beeing moved by these Kirkmen who could not endure the censure of generall Assemblyes by his owne warrant first shifted the time solemnely appointed by the last assembly to another time and then to no certaine time which made some of the speciall and ablest Ministers to keepe the time last prescribed for preserving the Kirks right These were conveened before the civill Iudge by commandement and sentenced with baniment although only the Assembly shuld have judged whether their meeting had beene a lawfull assembly or not some others of these were for that same cause imprisoned The Kirkmen presented to Bishoprickes were restored to their civill estate and dignitie in Parliament voyces beeing obtained by consenting to erections of sundry Abbacies and other corrupt meanes in the year 1606. Thereafter they began to encroach upon the kirk government First they affected to be constant moderators to the end they might effectuat this point the more easily they procured a meetting of Ministers at Linlithgow not long after while as their chiefest opposites in the Ministerie were either banished imprisoned confyned or drawne up to Court being sent for by his Majestie to give their advice or best overtures for the peace of the Kirk as was pretended That meetting consisted of such as were sent for by his Majesties missives without mention of any generall assemblies At this meeting these who were styled Bishops in respect of their benefice were made constant Moderators of the Presbyteries where they were resident but were unwillingly admitted by the presbyteries Yet this did not content them and therefore they accepted the power of the high Commission allowed them onely by his Majesties command and Lords of Counsell against the act of Parliament inhibiting any judicatories but such as should bee established by parliament Thereafter they procured an Assembly to be holden at Glasgow consisting of such as were given in note to the presbiteries and corrupted by sowmes of money or hopes of preferment or awed with the terrour of the high Commission At this pretended assembly some power in Presbyteries and moderation in provinciall Synods upon an assurance by word and an implicite condition in the Act it self for set or yeerely assemblyes was graunted to those who were styled vulgarlie Bishops in respect of their benefice But the office of a Bishop was not re-established which before had beene damned by former Assemblies Yet went some of them to England and received consecration to the office of a Diocesian Bishop returned and consecrat their Fellowes deserted their flocks and governed as diocesian Bishops without respect to the limitations of the act of the pretended assembly And this their usurpation they maintaine by the power and authoritie of the high Commission Finding that yet they wanted meanes to make the people stumble so to be brought under their censure a nationall assembly was called 1618. Whereunto his Majesty invited by his letters above thirtie Noblemen Gentlemen wanting Commissions who voted to the conclusions of that pretended assembly Ministers were brought in from the streets and some were written for to assist though never chosen for Commissioners These who had Commissions were neither suffered to reason nor vote freely There they concluded the five articles which had beene formerly condemned by our Kirk as superstitious promising then to leave the practise of them arbitrarie These they procured by the like indirect meanes to bee ratified in Parliament Anno 1621. Against the which articles and ratification thereof in Parliament without the desire and consent of the assemblyes had thereunto the most religious and judicious of the Ministerie did solemnely protest in name of the reformed Kirk of SCOTLAND whereunto the most part of the particular Congregations have adhered and never practised these Articles Notwithstanding heereof the Bishops did presse them violently and when any refused practise there was matter for their high Commission to worke on This their usurpation even without any pretended warrant of corrupt assemblyes and their crueltie encreased For they usurpe the moderation of general Assemblyes which are holden only at their pleasure at diocesian Synods they sit as Iudges rather than simple moderators They ordaine Ministers not in the presence or with consent of the Congregation but in some remote place and sometimes without the presence of any Minister of the Presbyterie or bounds where the Minister is to serve They give orders to sundrie without the charge of any flock they suspend and deprive Ministers usually for none conformitie not in Pres-byteries and in Synods where-unto they are tyed but in the Court of high Commission wherein they fyne confyne or imprison Preachers or professors at their pleasure They stay pres-byteries from proceeding to the sentence of Excommunication They exact subscripiton from intrants to the Ministerie unto articles framed by themselves alanerly and debarre the best qualified for refusing to subscribe It doth not content them to admit according to the oath contained in the Act of Parliament They convocate Ministers to promiscuous meetinges and direct their mandates from these as from the representative Kirk of Scotland They consecrate Bishops and ordaine Ministers according to a forme not allowed by this Kirk They debarre persons presented by lawfull Patrons because they refuse to enter by the degree of a baptizing Deacon They sit in Counsell Session and Exchequer contrare to the word of God and acts of the Kirk They staye processe against Papists They teach Popish and Arminian pointes of doctrine or preferre such as teach the like They bring in practise of novations in the royall chappell not warranted so much as by any pretended acts of corrupt Assemblies But to relate their particular insolencies and usurpations were fitter for a Volume than for this short information And although at Conventions and Parliaments their oppressions were complained upon yet neither parliament Convention or Counsell would heare any plaint against them By direction of his Majesties private letters the Counsell all wayes interposed their authoritie to all their sentences in the high Commission when it was craved and assisted them so far as lay in them which did increase their pride and encourage their undertaking all novelties which seemed good in their owne eyes Thus thinking themselves by thirtie one yeares experience sufficiently persuaded of the passive disposition of the people to