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A58539 The Scots Commissioners, their desires concerning unitie in religion, and uniformitie of Church-government as a speciall meanes for conserving of peace, in his Majesties dominions. Presented to the Kings Majestie, and both Houses of Parliament in England. March. 1641. Scotland. Parliament. 1641 (1641) Wing S1001C; ESTC R219080 7,516 18

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would quickly turne themselves to their pious ordinances 8. This unitie of Religion shall make Ministers to build the Church with both their hands whiles now the one hand is holden out in opposition against the other partie and shall turne the many and unpleasant labours of writting and reading of unprofitable controversies into treatises of mortification and studies of devotion and practicall divinitie This unitie of Religion is a thing so desireable that all found Divines and Politicians are for it where it may bee easily obtained and brought about and as wee conceive so pious and profitable a work to be worthie the best considerations So are we earnest in recommending it to your Lo. that it may be brought before his Majestie and the Patliament as that which doth highly concerne his Majesties honour and the well of all his dominions And which without forcing of consciences seemeth not only to be possible but an easie work But because the matter is of great weight and of large extent Our desire is that for the present some course may betaken for an uniformitie in government 1. Because there can be small hope of unitie in Religion which is the chiefe bond of Peace and humane societie unlesse there be first one forme of Ecclesiasticall government 2. Because difference in this point hath beene the maine cause of all other differences betweene the two Nations since the reformation of Religion 3. Because although it ought not to be so we finde it true in experience that Church-men through their corruption are more hotte and greater Zelotes about government then about matters more substantiall their worldly dignities and wealth being herein concerned As Erasmus rendereth this reason of the animosity of the Church of Rome against Luther seeking after Reformation that hee medleth with the Popes crowne and the Monkes bellies 4. It is observed by Politicians and we have found it in experience that Church-men doe not onely beare with different Religions and suffer division both in Church and Policie to rise and grow but doe also foment and cherish the contrarie factions that they themselves may grow bigge and swell to a greatnesse while both sides have their dependance upon them and hath their thoughts busied about other matters then about Church-government and the ambition pompe and other corruptions of Church governours 5. None of all the reformed Churches although in Nations farre distant one from another and under diverse princes and Magistrates are at so great a difference in Church-government as these two Kingdomes which are in one Yland and under one Monarch which made King Iames of happie memorie to labour to bring them under one forme of government But since all the question is whither of the two Church-governments shall have place in both Nations for we know no third forme of the government of a nationall Church distant from these we doe not presume to propone the forme of government of the Church of Scotland as a paterne of the Church of England but doe only represent in all modestie these few considerations according to the trust committed unto us 1. The government of the Church of Scotland is the same with the government of all the reformed Churches and hath beene by them universally received and practised with the reformation of the doctrine and worship from which so far as we depart We disjoyne our selves as farre from them and welosse so much of our harmonic with them Whence it is that from other reformed Churches it hath beene written to the Church of Scotland That it was a great gift of God that they had brought together into Scotland the puritie of Religion and Discipline whereby the doctrine is safely keeped praying and beseeching them so to keepe those two together as beeing assured that if the one fall the other can not long stand Vpon the other part the government of the Church of England was not changed with the doctrine at the time of the reformation The Pope was rejected but his Hierarchie was retained which hath beene a ground of jealousie and suspition to the reformed Churches of continuall contention in the Church of England these foure-score years past since the beginning of Queen Elizabeth her reigne and of hopes and expectation to the church of Rome for saith Coulzen in his politicks l. 2. c. 18. Were all England brought once to approve of Bishops it were easie to reduce it to the church of Rome But what one Prince hath begun and by reason of the times or of other hinderances could not promote or perfect an other raised up by the mercie of God may bring to passe according to the example of good Iosiah like unto whom there was no King before which we heartily wish may bee verified of King Charles 2. The Church of Scotland hath beene continually and sundrie wayes vexed and disquieted by the Bishops of England First by the continuall and restlesse negotiation of the prime Prelates in England with some of that faction in Scotland both before the comming of King Iames into England which we are ready to make manifest and since his comming till at last a kind of Episcopacie was erected there by the power of the Prelates of England against the confession of Faith the Covenant and actes of the nationall assemblies of the Church of Scotland Secondly the Prelates of England without the consent or knowledge of the church of Scotland gave Episcopall consecration to some corrupt members of the Church of Scotland and sent them home to consecrat others like unto themselves And when some great men have beene for their obstinacie in papistrie excommunicat by the Church of Scotland they have been absolved from the sentence by the Prelates of England So that they have usurped the power of that which indeed is the highest point of jurisdiction Thirdly they rested not here but proceeded to change the forme of divine worship and for many yeares bred a great disturbance both to Pastours and people by five Articles of conformitie with the Church of England Fourthly having in the former prevailed and finding their opportunitie and a rare concurse of many powerfull hands and heads readie to cooperate they made strong assaults upon the whole externall worship and doctrine of our Church by inforcing upon us a popish book of common prayer for making Scotland first as the weaker and thereafter England conforme to Rome And upon the consciences liberties and goods of the people by a booke of canons and constitutions Ecclesiasticall establishing a tyrannicall power in the persons of our Prelats and abolishing the whole Discipline and government of our Church without so much as consulting with any Presbyterie Synod or Assembly in all the land Fifthly They procured subsidies to be lifted for warre against us under the paine of deprivation to all of the Clergie who should refuse Sixthly They commanded both preaching and imprecations against us as enemies to God and the King Seventhly they have received into the ministerie and provided place
THE SCOTS COMMISSIONERS Their desires concerning unitie in Religion and uniformitie of Church-government as a speciall meanes for conserving of Peace in his Majesties Dominions Presented to the Kings Majestie and both Houses of Parliament in England MARCH 1641. EDINBVRGH Printed by James Bryson 1641. THE SCOTS COMMISSIONERS their desires concerning unitie in Religion and uniformitie of Church-government c. AS wee shall not make any proposition about the last Article of establishing a firme and happie peace but that which wee conceive to bee both expedient and just So will your Lo. we doubt not in your wisedomes consider that since that which is sought is not a cessation of Armes for a time but peace for ever and not peace onely but a perfect amitie and a more neare union then before which is of greater consequence then all the former Articles It is no marvell that a composition so excellent and so powerfull to preserve the whole Yland in health against all inward distempers and in strength against all contagion and wounds from without require manie ingredients of which if any one be wanting wee may on both sides please our selves for the present with the sweet name of Peace and yet for no long time enjoy Peace it selfe which hath in it not onely sweetnesse and pleasure but also much more profit and true honour then all the triumphes on earth As wee accompt it no lesse then usurpation and presumption for one Kingdome or Church were it never so mightie and glorious to give lawes and rules of reformation to another free and independent Church and Kingdome were it never so meane civill libertie and conscience beeing so tender and delicat that they cannot endure to bee touched but by such as they are wedded unto and have lawfull authoritie over them so have wee not beene so forgetfull of our selves who are the lesser and of England who is the greater Kingdome as to suffer any such arrogant and presumptuous thoughts to enter into our mindes Our wayes also are witnesses of the contrare against the malicious who doe not expresse what we are or have beene but doe still devise what may bee fewell for a common combustion Yet Charitie is no presumption and the common duety of Charitie bindeth all Christians at all times both to pray and professe thei● desire That all others were not onely almost but altogethe● such as themselves except their afflictions and distresses● And beside common Charitie wee are bound as Commissioners in a speciall duetie to propone the best and readie● meanes for setling of a firme Peace as wee love not to be curious in any other Common-wealth nor to play the Bisho● in another mans Diocese So may wee not bee carelesse an● negligent in that which concerneth both Nations Wee doe all know and professe that Religion is not onl● the meane to serve God and to save our owne soules b●● that it is also the base foundation of Kingdomes Estats and the strongest band to tye the Subjects to their Prince in true loyaltie and to knit the hearts of one to another in true unitie Nothing so powerfull to divide the hearts of people as division in Religion nothing so strong to unite them as unitie in Religion And the greater zeale in different Religions the greater division But the more zeale in one Religion the more firme union In the paradise of nature the diversitie of flowers and herbes is pleasant and usefull but in the paradise of the Church different and contrarie Religions are unpleasant and hurtfull It is therefore to bee wished that there were one confession of Faith one forme of Catechisme one directory for all the parts of the publick worship of God as Prayer Preaching administration of Sacraments c. And one forme of Church-government in all the Churches of his Majesties dominions This would 1. Be acceptable to God Almightie who delighteth to see his people walking in truth and unitie and who would looke upon this Yland with the greater complacencie that wee were all of one heart and one soule in matters of Religion 2. This unitie in Religion will preserve our Peace and prevent many divisions and troubles Of old as Beda recordeth the difference about the time of observing Easter although no great matter in Religion and although in divers independent Kingdomes had troubled their peace if the wiser sort had not brought them to one uniformitie wherein they were so zealous that they would not suffer so much as one small Yland which differed from the rest to bee unconforme 3. His Majestie and his Successours in their government shall be eased of much more trouble which ariseth from differences of Religion and hath beene very grievous unto Kings and Emperours As Eusebius witnesseth in his third booke chap. 12. of the life of Constantine Sedition begotten in the Church of God saith Constantine seeme to mee to containe in it selfe more trouble and bitternesse then warre or battell 4. Since by divine providence his Majestie is King of divers Kingdomes It shall be much content both to himselfe to his Nobles and Court and to all his people When his Majestie shall in person visite any of his Kingdomes that King Court and people may without all scruple of conscience bee partakers of one and the same forme of divine worship and his Majestie with the Court may come to the publick Assemblie of the people and serve God with them according to the practise of the good Kings of Iudah As on the other part difference in formes of divine worship divideth betweene the King and the people 5. This shall bee a great comfort to all his Majesties Subjects when they travell abroad from their owne Countrey to any other place in his Majesties dominions whither for commerce or whatsoever negotiation and effaires That they may with confidence resort to the publicke worship as if they were at home and in their owne paroch Church and shall satisfie many doubts and remove many exceptions jealousies and scandals which arise upon resorting to different formes of worship 6. The names of Haeresies and Sects Puritanes Conformists Separatists which rent the bowels both of Church and Kingdome are a matter of much stumbling to the people and diminish the glorie of his Majesties reigne shall no more be heard but as the Lord is one his Name shall bee one and the name of the people one in all his Majesties dominions 7. Papists and Recusants shall dispaire of successe to have their Religion set up againe and shall either conforme themselves or get themselves hence and irreligious men shall have a great scandall removed out of their way which shall bee a meane of great saftie and securitie and of many blessings both to King and people I am perswaded saith Constantine as Eusebius recordeth in his life lib. 2. cap. 63. Were I able as it is in my desires to bind all the true worshippers of God by the common bond of concord all the Subjects of my Empire