by the Church for the rectifying of that action which as it stood in the state and management was cleerly foretold to be exceeding like to destroy the King and his friends of all sorts in all the three Kingdomes The irreparable losses and unutterable calamities which quickly did follow at the heeles the misbeleefe and contempt of the Lords servants and the great danger religion is now brought unto in al these Kingdomes hes I suppose long agoe brought griefe enough to the heart of them whose unadvised rashnes and intemperate fervour did contribute most for the spoiling of that designe The first desire about that engagement which the Warner gives to us concernes the security of religion In all the debate of that matter it was aggreed without question upon all hands that the Sectarian party deserved punishment for their wicked attemptes upon the Kings persone contrary to the directions of the Parliamentes of both Kingdomes and that the King ought to be rescued out of their hands and brought to one of his houses for perfecting the treaty of peace which often had been begunne but here was the question Whither the Parliament and Army of Scotland ought to declare their resolutiones to bring his Majestie to London with honour freedome and safty before he did promise any security for establishing Religion The Parliaments of both Kingdomes in all their former treaties had ever pressed upon the King a number of propositions to be signed by his Majestie before at all he came to London was it then any fault in the Church of Scotland to desire the granting but of one of these propositions concerning Religion and the covenant before the King were brought by the new hazard of the lives and estats of all the Scottish nation to sit in his Parliament in that honnor and freedome which himselfe did desire There was no complaint when many of thirty propositions were pressed to be signed by his Majestie for satisfaction and security to his people after so great and long desolations how then is an out-cry made when all other propositions are postponed and only one for Religion is stuck upon and that not before his Majesties rescue and deliverance from the hands of the sectaries but only before his bringing to London in honor freedom and safety This demande to the Warner is a crime and may be so to all of his beleefe who takes it for a high unjustice to restraine in any King the absolute power by any condition for they doe mantaine that the administration of all things both of Church and state does reside so freely and absolutly in the meere will of a Soveraigne that no case at any time can fall out which ought to bound that absolutnesse with any limitation The second particular the Warner pitches upon is the Kings negative voyce behold how criminous we were in the point When some most needlesly would needs bring into debate the Kings negative voyce in the Parliament of England as one of the royall praerogatives to bee maintained by our engagement it was said that all discourse of that kynde might bee laid aside as impertinent for us if any debate should chance to fall upon it the proper place of it was in a free Parliament of England that our Lawes did not admit of a negative voyce to the King in a Parliament of Scotland and to presse it now as a prerogative of all Kings besides the reflection it might have upon the rights of our Kingdome it might put in the hand of the King a power to deny all and every one of these things which the Parliaments of both Kingdomes had found necessary for the setling the peace in all the three dominions Wee marvail not that the Warner heere should taxe us of a great errour seeing it is the beleefe of his faction that every King hath not onely a negative but an absolute affirmative voyce in all their Parliaments as if they were nothing but their arbitrary counsels for to perswade by their reasons but not to conclude nor impede any thing by their votes the whole and intire power of making or refusing Lawes being in the Prince alone and no part of it in the Parliament The Warners third challenge against us about the ingagement is as if the Church had taken upon it to nominate the officers of the army and upon this he makes his invectives Ans. The Church was farre from seeking power to nominate any one officer but the matter was thus when the State did require of them what in their judgement would give satisfaction to the people and what would encourage them to goe along in the ingagement one and the last parte of their answer was that they conceived if a Warre shal be found necessarie much of the peoples encouragement would depend upon the qualification of the commanders to whom the mannaging of that great trust should be committed for after the right stating of the Warre the nixt would be the carying on of it by such men who had given constante proofe of their integrity To put all the power of the Kingdome in their hande whose by past miscariadges had given just occasion to suspect their designes and firmenesse to the interest of God before their owne or any other mans would fill the hearts of the people with jealousies and feares and how wholsome an advice this was experience hath now too cleerly demonstrate To make the world know our further resolutiones to medle with civile affaires the Warner is pleased to bring out against us above 80 yeares old stories and all the stuffe which our malicious enemy Spotsewood can furnish to him from this good author he alledges that our Church discharged merchants to traffique with Spaine and commanded the change of the mercat dayes in Edenburgh Ans. Both these calumnies are taken of at length in the Historicall Vindication After the Spanish invasion of the yeare eighty eight many in Scotland kept correspondence with Spaine for treacherous designes the Inquisitors did seduce some and persecute others of our merchants in their traffique the Church did deale with his Majestie to interceed with the Spanish King for more liberty to our country men in their trading and in the meane time while an answer was returned from Madrile they advertised the people to be warry how they hazarded their soules for any worldly gaine which they could find about the inquisitors feet As for the mercat dayes I grante it was a great griefe to the Church to see the sabbath day profaned by handy labour and journeying by occasion of the munday-mercats in the most of the great tounes for remedie heerof many supplications have been made by the Assembly to the Parliament but so long as our Bishops satte there these petitiones of the Church were alwayes eluded for the praelats labour in the whole Iland was to have the sunday no Sabbath and to procure by their Doctrine and example the profanation of that day by all sorts of playes
CHAP. I. The proelaticall faction continue resolute that the King and all his people shall perish rather then the praelats be not restored to their former places of power for to set up Popery Profanity and Tirranny in all the three Kingdomes WHile the Comissioners of the Church and Kingdome of Scotland were on their way to make their first addresses to his Majestie for to condole his most lamentable afflictions and to make offer of their best affections and services for his comfort in this time of his great distresse it was the wisedome and charity of the praelaticall party to send out Doctor Bramble to meet them with his Faire Warning For what else but to discourage them in the very entry from tendering their propositions and before ever they were heard to stop his Majesties eares with grievous praejudice against all that possibly they could speake though the world sees that the only apparent fountaine of hope upon earth for recovery of the wofully confounded affaires of the King is in the hands of that Antipraelaticall nation but it is the hope of these who love the welfaire of the King and his people of the Churches and Kingdomes of Britain that the hand of God which hath broken all the former devices of the Praelats shall crush this their engine also Our warner undertaketh to oppugne the Scotes discipline in a way of his owne none of the most rational He does not so much as pretend to state a question nor in his whole book to bring against any maine position of his opposites either Scripture father or reason nor so much as assay to answer any one of their arguments against Episcopacy onely hee culs out some of their by-tenets belonging little or nothing to the maine questions and from them takes occasion to gather together in a heape all the calumnies which of old or of late their knowne enemies out of the forge of their malice and fraud did obtrude on the credulity of simple people also some detorted passages from the bookes of their friends to bring the way of that Church in detestation without any just reason These practises in our warner are the less pardonable that though he knowes the chiefe of his allegations to bee but borrowed from his late much beloved Comerads Master Corbet in his Lysimachus Nicanor and Master Maxewell in his Issachars Burden yet he was neither deterred by the strange punishments which God from heaven inflicted visibly on both these calumniatores of their mother Church nor was pleased in his repeating of their calumnious arguments to releeve any of them from the exceptions under the which they stand publickly confuted I suppose to his own distinct knowledge I know certainly to the open view ofthousands in Scotland England and Ireland but it makes for the warners designe to dissemble here in Holland that ever he heard of such books as Lysimachus Nicanor and Issachars Burden much lesse of Master Baylies answer to both printed some yeares agoe at London Edinburgh and Amsterdam without a rejoinder from any of that faction to this day How everlet our warner be heard In the very first page of his first chapter wee may tast the sweetnes of his meek Spirit at the verie entrie he concludeth but without any pretence to an argument there or else where the discipline of the Church of Scotland to be their owne invention whereon they dote the Diana which themselves have canonized their own dreams the counterfeyt image which they faine hath fallen down from Iupiter which they so much adore the very quintessence of refined popery not only most injurious to the civill Magistrat most oppressive to the subject most pernicious to both but also inconsistent with all formes of civill governement destructive to all sorts of Policy a rack to the conscience the heaviest pressure that can fall on a people So much truth and sobernes doth the warner breath out in his very first page Though he had no regard at all to the cleare passages of Holy Scripture whereupon the Scotes doe build their Anti-Episcopall tenets nor any reverence to the harmony of the reformed Churches which unanimously joyne with the Scotes in the maine of their discipline especially in that which the Doctor hates most therein the rejection of Episcopacy yet me thinks some little respect might have appeared in the man to the authority of the Magistrat and civil Lawes which are much more ingeminated by this worthy divine over all his book then the holy Scriptures Can hee so soon forget that the whole discipline of the Church of Scotland as it is there taught and practised is established by acts of Parliament and hath all the strength which the King and State can give to a civil Law the warner may wel be grieved but hardly can he be ignorant that the Kings Majestie this day does not at all question the justice of these sanctions what ever therefore be the Doctors thoughts yet so long as hee pretends to keep upon his face the maske of loyalty he must be content to eat his former words yea to burne his whole book otherwise hee layes against his own professions a slander upon the King and His Royal Father of great ignorance or huge unjustice the one having established the other offring to establish by their civill lawes a Church discipline for the whole nation of Scotland which truly is the quintessence of Popery pernicious and destructive to all formes of civill governement and the heaviest pressure that can fall on a people All the cause of this choler which the warner is pleased to speake out is the attempt of the Scotes to obtrude their discipline upon the King contrary to the dictats of his own conscience and to compell forraigne Churches to embrace the same Ans. Is it not presumption in our warner so soone to tell the world in print what are the dictats of the Kings conscience as yet he is not his Majesties confessor and if the Clerk of the Closet had whispered some what in his earâ—… what he heard in secret hee ought not to have proclaimed it without a warrant but we doe altogether mistrust his reports of the Kings conscience for who will beleeve him that a knowing and a just King will ever be content to command and impose on a whole Nation by his Lawes a discipline contrary to the dictats of his owne conscience This great stumble up on the Kings conscience in the first page must be an ominous cespitation on the threshold The other imputation had no just ground the Scotes did never medle to impose any thing upon forraigne Churches there is question of none but the English and the Scotes were never so presumptuous as to impose any thing of theirs upon that Church It was the assembly of divines at Westminster convocat by the King and Parliament of England which after long deliberation and much debate upanimously concluded the Presbiterian discipline in all the
to meet when an erroneous Magistrat by his Tyrannous edict commands them to doe so let him call up Erastus from the dead to be disciplined in this new doctrine of the praelats impious loyalty The third principle is that the judgment of true and false doctrine of suspension and deprivation of Ministers belongeth to the Church Ans. If this be a great heresie it is to be charged as much upon the state as upon the Church for the acts of Parliament give all this power to the Church neither did the lawes of England or of any Christian state popish or protestant refuse to the Church the determination of such Ecclesiastick causes some indeed doe debate upon the power of appeales from the Church but in Scotland by the law as no appeale in things civill goes higher then the Parliament so in matters Ecclesiastick none goes above the generall assembly Complaints indeed may goe to the King and Parliament for redresse of any wrong has been done in Ecclesiastick Courts who being custodes religionis may by their coercive power command Ecclesiastick Courts to rectifie any wrong done by them contraire to Scripture or if they persist take order with them But that two or three praelats should become a Court of delegats to receave appeales from a generall assembly neither Law nor practise in Scotland did ever admit nor can the word of God or any Equity require it In the Scotes assemblies no causes are agitat but such as the Parliament hath agreed to bee Ecclesiastick and of the Churches cognisance no Processe about any Church rent was ever cognosced upon in Scotland but in a civill Court it s very false that ever any Church censure much lesse the highest of excommunication did fall upon any for robbing the Church of its patrimony Our fourth challenged principle is that wee maintain Ecclesiastick jurisdiction by a divine right Ans. Is this a huge crime is there divine in the world either Papist or Potestant except a few praelaticall Erastians but they doe so If the Warner will professe as it seemes hee must the contradiction of that which he ascribes to us his avowed tenet must bee that all Ecclesiastick power flowes from the Magistrat that the Magistrat himself may execute all Church censures that all the Officers appointed by Christ for the governement of his Church may bee laid aside and such a kind of governors bee put in their place as the Magistrate shal be pleased to appoint that the spirituall sword and Keies of heaven belong to the Magistrate by vertue of his supremacy al 's wel as the temporall sword and the Keies of his earthly Kingdome our difference heere from the Warner will not I hope be found the greatest heresie Our last challenged principle is that wee will have all our power against the Magistrat that is although hee dissent Ans. It is an evill comentare that al must be against the Magistrate which is done against his consent but in Scotland their is no such case for all the jurisdiction which the church there does enjoy they have it with the consent of the Magistrat all is ratified to them by such acts of Parliament as his Majestie doth not at all controvert Concerning that odious case the Warner intimats whither in time of persecutiō when the Magistrat classheth with the Church any Ecclesiastick disciplin be then to be exercised himselfe can better answer it then we who with the auncient Christians doe think that on all hazards even of life the church may not be dissolved but must meet in dens and caves and in the wildernes for the word and Sacraments and keeping it selfe pure by the divine ordinance of discipline Having cleered all the pernicious practises and all the wicked Doctrines which the Warner layes upon us I think it needles to insist upon these defenses which he in his aboundant charity brings for us but in his owne way that he may with the greater advantage impugne them only I touch one passage whereupon he make injurious exclamations that which Mr. Gilespie in his theoremes wryts when the Magistrate abuses his power unto Tyranny and makes havock of all it is lawfull to resist him by some extraordinary wayes and meanes which are not ordinarily to bee allowed see the principles from which all our miseryes and the losse of our gracious Master have flowed Ans. Wee must heere yeeld to the Warner the great equity and necessity that every doctrine of a Presbyter should be charged on the Presbytery it selfe and that any Presbyter teaching the lawfulnesse of a Parliaments defensive armes is tantamont to the Churches taking of armes against the king These small unconsequences wee must permit the Warner to swallow downe without any stick however wee doe deny that the maxime in hand was the fountaine of any our miseryes or the cause at all of the losse of our late Soveraigne Did ever his Majestie or any of his advised counsellers declare it simply unlawfull for a Parliament to take armes for defence in some extraordinary cases however the unhappines of the Canterburian Prelats did put his Majestie on these courses which did begin and promote all our misery and to the very last these men were so wicked as to refuse the lousing of these bands which their hands had tyed about his misinformed conscience yea to this day they will not give their consent that his Majestie who now is should say aside Episcopacy were it for the gayning the peaceable possession of all his three Kingdomes but are urgers of him night and day to adhaere to their errours upon the hazard of all the miseries that may come on his person on his family and all his people yet few of them to this day durst be so bold as to print with this Warner the unlawfulnes of a Parliaments armes against the Tyranny of a Prince in any imaginable case how extraordinary soever CHAP. III. The Lawes and customes of Scotland admitte of no appeal from the generall assembly IN this chapter the challenge is that there are no appeales from the generall Assembly to the King as in England from the Bishops Courts to the King in Chauncery where a Commission uses to be given to delegats who discusse the appeales Ans. The warner considers not the difference of the Government of the Church of Scotland from that which was in England what the Parliament is in the State that the generall assembly is in the Church of Scotland both are the highest courts in their owne kind There is no appeale any where in moderat Monarchies to the Kings person but to the King in certaine legall courts as the Warner here confesseth the appeale from Bishops lyes not to the King in his person but to the King in his court of Chauncery As no man in Scotland is permitted to appeale in a civil cause from the Lords of Session much lesse from the Parliament so no man in an Ecclesiastick cause is permitted by
The fourth hurt is that every ordinary Presbyter wil make himselfe a Noblemans fellow Ans. No where in the World does gracious Ministers though meane borne men receive more respect from the Nobility then in Scotland neither any where does the Nobility and gentry receive more duely their honour then from the Ministers there That insolent speach fathered on Mr. Robert Bruce is demonstrat to be a fabulous calumny in the historicall vindication How ever the Warner may know that in all Europe where Bishops have place it hes ever at least these 800 yeares been their nature to trample under foot the highest of the Nobility As the Pope must be above the Emperour so a little Cardinal Bellarmin can tell to King Iames that hee may well be counted a companion of any Ilander King were the Bishops in Scotland ever content till they got in Parliament the right hand and the nearest seates to the throne and the doore of the greatest Earles Marquesses and duks was it not Episcopacy that did advance poore and capricious pedants to strive for the whyte staves great Seales of both Kingdomes with the prime Nobility and often overcome them in that strife In Scotland I know and the Warner will assure for England and Ireland that the basest borne of his brethren hes ruffled it in the secreet counsel in the royall Exchequer in the highest courts of justice with the greatest Lords of the Land it s not so long that yet it can be forgotten since a Bishop of Galloway had the modesty to give unto a Marquise of Argile tanta mont to a broadly in his face at the counsel table The Warner shall doe well to reckon no more with Presbyters for braving of Noblemen The nixt hee will have to bee wronged by the Presbytery are the orthodoxe clergy Ans. All the Presbyterians to him it seemes are heterodoxe Episcopacy is so necessary a truth that who denies it must be stamped as for a grievous errour with the character of heterodox The following words cleere this to be his mind they losse saith hee the confortable assurance of undoubted succession by Episcopall ordination what sence can be made of these words but that all Ministers who are not ordained by Bishops must lie under the confortlesse uncertainty of any lawfull succession in their ministeriall charge for want of this succession through the lineall descent of Bishops from the Apostles at least for want of ordination by the hands of Bishops as if unto them only the power of mission and ordination to the Ministry were committed by Christ because of this defect the Presbyterian Ministers must not only want the confort of an assured and undoubted calling to the Ministry but may very well know and be assured that their calling and Ministry is null The words immediatly following are scraped out after their printing for what cause the author lest knoweth but the purpose in hand makes it probable that the deletted words did expresse more of his mind then it was safe in this time and place to speake out it was the late doctrine of Doctor Brambles prime friends that the want of Episcopall ordination did not only annuall the calling of all the Ministers of France Holland Zwit-zerland and Germany but also did hinder all these societies to be true Churches for that popular Sophisme of the Jesuits our praelats did greedily swallow where are no true Sacraments there is no true Church and where is no true Ministry there are no true Sacraments and where no true ordination there is no true ministry and where no Bishops there is no true ordination and so in no reformed country but in England and Ireland where were true Bishops is any true Church When Episcopacy comes to this height of elevation that the want of it must annull the Ministry yea null the Church and all the Reformed at one strock is it any mervaill that all of them doe concurre together for their own preservation to abolish this insolent abaddon and destroyer and notwithstanding all its ruine have yet no disconfort at all nor any the least doubt of their most lawfull ordination by the hands of the Presbytry After all this was writen as heer it stands another copie of the Warners book was brought to my hand wherin I found the deleted line stand printed in these distinct tearmes and put it to a dangerous question whither it be within the payle of the Church the deciphering of these words puts it beyond all peradventure that what I did conjecture of the Warner and his Brethrens minde of the state of all the reformed Churches was no mis-take but that they doe truely judge the want of Episcopall ordination to exclude all the Ministers of other Reformed Churches and their flocks also from the lines of the true Church This indeed is a most dangerous question for it stricks at the root of all If the Warner out of remorse of conscience had blotted out of his book that errour the repentance had been commendable But he hes left so much yet behind unscraped out as does shew his minde to continue what it was so that feare alone to provoke the reformed heere at this unseasonable time seemes to have been the cause of deleting these too cleare expressions of the praelaticall tenet against the very being and subsistence of all the Protestant Churches which want Episcopacy when these mē doe still stand upon the extreame pinacle of impudency and arrogance denying the Reformed to be true Churches and without scuple averring Rome as shee stands this day under the counsel of Trent to be a Church most true wherin there is an easy way of salvation from which all separation is needlesse and with which are-union were much to be desired That gracious faction this day is willing enough to perswade or at least to rest content without any opposition that the King should of himselfe without and before a Parliament though contrary to many standing Lawes grant under his hand and seale a full liberty of Religion to the bloody Irish and to put in their hands both armes Castles and prime Places of trust in the State that the King should give assurance of his endeavour to get all these ratified in the nixt Parliament of England these men can heare with all moderation and patience but behold their furious impatience their whole art and industry is wakned when they heare of any appearance of the Kings inclination towards covenanting Protestants night and day they beate in his Majesties head that all the mischieves of the world does lurke in that miserable covenant that death and any misfortune that the ruine of all the Kingdomes ought much rather to bee imbraced by his Majestie then that prodigious Monster that very hell of the Covenant because forsooth it doth oblige in plane tearmes the taker to endeavour in his station the abolition of their great Goddesse praelacy The nixt hurt of Ministers from the Presbytry is that by it they
of Scotland were the first and only framers thereof but they who gave the life and being to it in England were the Lords and Commons assembled in Parliament at West-Minster by the Kings call and at that time acknowledged by his Majestie without any question about the lawfullnes of their constitution and authority these men and that Court were not I hope great strangers in England The covenant was not imposed upon the King but the Parliaments of both Kingdomes made it their earnest desire unto his Majestie that he would be pleased to joyne with them in that Covenant which they did judge to be a maine peece of their security for their Religion and liberties in all the three Kingdomes As for their imposing of it upon the subjects of England an ordinance of Parliament though the King consent not by the uncontroverted lawes of England is a sufficient authority to crave obedience of all the subjects of England during the continuance of that Parliament The last part of the demonstration is dishonorable indeed to the English Nation if it were true it was no dishonour to England to joyne with their brethren of Scotland in a Covenant for mantainance of their Religion and Liberties but for many of the English to sweare a covenant with their lippes from which their heart did dissent and upon this difference of heart and mouth to plead the nullity of the oath and to advance this plea so high as to a cleer demonstration this is such a dishonour and dishonesty that a greater cannot fall upon a man of reputed integrity Especially when the ground of the lie and perjury is an evident falshood for the covenant was not extorted from any flesh in England by feare of any unjust suffering so far was it from this that to this day it could never be obtained from the Parliament of England to enjoyne that covenant upon any by the penulty of a two pence The Warners second demonstration is no better then the first the ground of it is that all oathes are void which have deceipt and errour of the substantiall conditions incident to them This ground had need to be much better cautioned then heere it is before it can stand for a major of a clear demonstration but how is the minor proved behold how much short the Warners proofes are of his great boastings His first argument is grounded upon an evident falshood that in the Covenant we sweare the lately devised discipline to be Christs institution Ans. There is no such word nor any such matter in all the Covenant was the Warners hatred so great against that peece of write that being to make cleare demonstrations against it hee would not so much as cast his eye upon that which he was to oppugne Covenanters sweare to endeavour the reformation of England according to the word of God and the best reformed Churches but not a word of the Scotes Presbytery nor of any thing in any Church even the best reformed unlesse it be found according to the paterne of Gods holy word The second ground of his demonstration is also an evident errour that the covenant in hand is one and the same with that of King Iames. Ans. Such a fancy came never in the head of any man I know much lesse was it ever writen or spoken by any that the Covenant of King Iames in Scotland 1580 should bee one and the same with the Covenant of all the three Kingdomes 1643 whatsoever identities may appeare in the matter and similitude in the ends of both but the grossest errors are solide enough grounds for praelaticall clear demonstrations Yet heere the Warner understands not how hee is cutting his own vines his friends in Scotland will give him small thanks for attributing unto the nationall Covenant of Scotland that Covenant of King Iames these three properties that it was issued out by the Kings authority that it was for the maintenance of the Lawes of the realme and for the maintenance of the established Religion tyme brings adversaries to confesse of their own accord long denyed truthes But the Characters which the Warner inprints upon the solemne league and Covenant of the three Kingdomes wee must bee pardoned to controvert till he have taken some leasure to trie his wilde assertions First that the league is against the authority of the King secondly that it is against the Law and thirdly that it is for the overthrow of Religion The man cannot think that any should beleeve his dictats of this kind without proofe since the expresse words of that league do flatly contradict him in all these three positions His gentle memento that Scotland when they sued for aid from the crowne of England had not the English discipline obtruded upon their Church might heer have been spaired was not the English discipline and liturgy obtruded upon us by the praelats of England with all craft and force did we ever obtrude our disciplin upon the English but when they of their owne free and long deliberate choice had abolished Bishops and promised to set up Presbytery so far as they had found it agreable to the word of Cod were wee not in all reason obliged to encourage and assist them in so pious a work In the nixt words the Warner for all his great boasts finding the weaknes of all the former grounds of his seconde demonstration he offers three new ones which doubtles will doe the deid for he avowes positively that his following grounds are demonstrative yet whosoever shal be pleased to grip them with never so soft an hand shall find them all to be but vanity and wind The first after a number of prosyllogismes rests upon these two foundations first that the right of the militia resides in the King alone secondly that by the covenant the militia is taken out of the Kings hands and that every covenanter by his covenant disposes of himselfe and of his armes against the right which the King hath into him Ans. The Warner will have much adoe to prove this second so that it may be a ground of a clear demonstration but for the first that the power of the militia of England doth reside in the King alone that the two houses of Parliament have nothing at all to doe with it and that their taking of armes for the defence of the liberties of England or any other imaginable cause against any party countenanced by the Kings presence against his lawes must be altogether unlawfull if his demonstration be no clearer then the ground where upon he builds it I am sure it will not be visible to any of his opposits who are not like to be convinced of open rebellion by his naked assertion upon which alone he layes this his mighty ground Beleeve it he had need to assay its releefe with some colour of ane argument for none of his owne friends will now take it of his hand for ane indemonstrable principle since the King for
a long time was willing to acknowledge the Parliaments jointe interest in the militia yea to put the whole militia in their hands alone for a good number of yeares to come so farre was his Majestie from the thoughts that the Parliaments medling with a parte of the militia in the time of evident dangers should be so certainly and clearly the crime of rebellion The Warners second demonstrative ground wee admit without question in the major that where the matter is evidently unlawfull the oath is not binding but the application of this in the minor is very false All that hee brings to make it appeare to be true is that the King is the supreame Legislator that it is unlawfull for the subjects of England to change any thing established by Law especially to the prejudice of the Praelats without their own consent they being a third order of the Kingdom otherwise it would be a harder measure then the Friers and Abbots received from Henry the eight Ans. May the Warner be pleased to consider how farre his dictats heere are from all reason much more from evident demonstrations That the burden of Bishops and ceremonies was become so heavy to all the three Kingdomes that there was reason to endeavour their laying aside he does not offer to dispute but all his complanit runnes against the manner of their removall this say I was done in no other then the ordinary and high path-way whereby all burdensome Lawes and customes use to be removed Doth not the Houses of Parliament first begin with their ordinance before the Kings consent be sought to a Law is not an ordinance of the Lords and Commons a good warrant to change a former Law during the sitting of the Parliament The Lawes and customes of England permit not the King by his dissent to stoppe that change I grant for the turning an ordinance to a standing Law the Kings consent is required but with what qualifications and exceptions wee need not heere to debate since his Majesties consent to the present case of abolishing Bishops was obtained well neere as farre as was desired and what is yet lacking wee are in a faire way to obtaine it for the Kings Majestie long agoe did agree to the rooting out of Episcopacy in Scotland he was willing also in England and Ireland to put them out of the Parliament and all civil courts and to divest them of all civil power and to joyne with them Presbyteries for ordination and spirituall jurisdiction yea to abolish them totally name and thing not only for three yeares but ever till he and his Parliament should agree upon some setled order for the Church was not this Tantamont to a perpetuall abolition for all and every one in both houses having abjured Episcopacy by solemne oath and Covenant the Parliament was in no hazard of agreing with the King to re-erect the fallen chaires of the Bishops so there remained no other but that either his Majestie should come over to their judgement or by his not agreing with them yet really to agree with them in the perpetuall abolition of Episcopacy since the concession was for the laying Bishops aside ever till hee and his houses had agreed upon a settled order for the Church If this be not a full and formall enough consent to the ordinance of changing the former Lawes anent praelats his Majestie who now is easily may and readily would supply all such defects if some of the faction did not continually for their own evill interests whisper in his eares pernicious counsel as our Warner in this place also doeth by frighting the King in conscience from any such consent for this end he casts out a discourse the sinshews whereof are in these three Episcopall maximes First that the legislative power is sollie in the King that is according to his Brethrens Cōmentary that the Parliament is but the Kings great counsel of free choyce without or against whose votes hee may make or unmake what Lawes he thinks expedient but for them to make any ordinance for changing without his consent of any thing that has been or instituting any new thing or for them to defend this their legall right and custome time out of mind against the armes of the Malignant party no man may deny it to be plaine rebellion II. That the King and Parliament both together cannot make a Law to the praejudice of Bishops without their own consent they being the third order of the Kingdome for albeit it be sacriledge in the Lords and Commons to clame any the smallest share of the legislative power this i◅ them were to pyck the chiefest jewel out of the Kings Crowne yet this must be the due priviledge of the Bishops they must be the third order of the Kingdome yea the first and most high of the three far above the other two temporall States of Lords and Commons their share in the Legislative power must be so great that neither King nor Parliament can passe any Law without their consent so that according to their humble protestation all the Lawes and acts which have been made by King and Parliament since they were expelled the house of Lords are cleerly voide and null That the King and Parliament in divesting Bishops of their temporall honour and estats in abolishing their places in the Church doe sin more against conscience then did Henry the eight and his Parliament when they put down the Abbots and the Fryers Wee must beleeve that Henry the eight his abolishing the order of Monks was one of the acts of his greatest Tyranny and greed wee must not doubt but according to Law and reason Abbots and priours ought to have kept still their vote in Parliament that the Monasteryes and Nunryes should have stood in their integrity that the King and Parliament did wrong in casting them down and that now they ought in conscience to be set up againe yea that Henry the eight against all reason and conscience did renounce his due obedience to the Pope the Patriarch of the West the first Bishop of the universe to whom the superinspection and government of the whole Catholick Church in all reason doth belong Though all this be heere glaunced at by the Warner and elsewhere hee prove it to be the declared mind of his Brethren yet we must be pardoned not to accept them as undenyable principles of cleare demonstrations The last ground of the Doctors demonstration is that the covenant is ane oath to set up the Presbyterian government in England at it is in Scotland and that this is contrary ◅o the oath of Supremacy for the oath of Supremacy makes the King the only supreame head and governour of the Church of England that is the civil head to see that every man doe his duty in his calling also it gives the King a supreame power over all persons in all causes but the Presbytery is a politicall papacie acknowledging no governours but
reference to its reception otherwhere because vested with the power of a civile law in Scotland nor is that law unalterable when a future Parliament may take into consideration the inconveniencies that accompanie it The Bishop need not be grieved being as ignorant as your selfe you are enough as King knowing as you would seem that His Majestie doth not at all question the justice because he doth not the legalitie of these sanctions Therefore his Lordship may thinke on speake on when he pleaseth more about this bussinesse yet vouch with out a maske loyaltie in his face nor for ought you draw from him need his veines be so emptie nor his stomake so sharpe set as to eate his former words much lesse be so desperate as to burne his whole booke the consistence of it with his toughts professions laying no slander upon the King his Royal Father of ignorance injustice the one having established the other offering to establish by your civile lawes such a Church discipline as is mentiond both having done it upon most unreasonable importunitie without any know'n inclination to or approbation of the same Farther what a slander this would prove upon your grounds beyond the irreverence toward any actions of a King which is haled hither in a forced consequence by the cords of your malice may be guessed by the Royal Father's confession in his solitude If any shall impute my yeilding to them the Scots as my failing sinne I can easilie acknowledge it but that is no argument to doe so agaiâ—…e or much more For the Royal sonne His Majestie now being you say he hath not yet gone beyond an offer therefore His Martyr'd Fathers poenitential acknowledgement of his failing sinne join'd to your seasonable admonition That there can be no such actual concession but upon the peril of ignorance or buge injustice except he ownes it aswell to be the religious dictate of his conscience as a poltike indulgence upon necessitie of state may probablie move him at leisure to deliberate whatsoever he shall determine to doe in this wherein God direct him for the best aswell for his owne sake as the saftie of his Kingdomes make him cautious hereafter how the importunitie of the mission gets ground upon his goodnesse when all his grants shall be so publikelie registred as conscientious acts by such barbarious pens deliver'd to posteritie as sealed with his soule The Bishops presumption in that which followes is none but what from the grounds of modest Christian charitie may be raised viz. That a knowing a just King such as your owne character renders him will acknowledge that contrarie to the dictates of his conscience which is proved contrarie to the lawes of God man And this may be proclaimed if not prohibited without being his Confessour or taking it from the Clerke of the closet in any whisper Nor doth your mistâ—…ust of reports beare authoritie enough to make His Majesties conscience passe for Presbyterian no more then that for a command or imposition by law which was by your petitionarie violence ravish'd from his passive innocencie into a grant So that you see in the very beginning you stumble at a strawe being to finde somewhat worse in your way you were best life your legs higher in your progresse How much the Disciplinarian Scots have contributed from the beginning toward the alteration of Religion in England is too large a storie to be inserted in this dispute Their old account the Rt Reverend Arch-Bishop Bancroft cast up in his Dangerous positions English Scotizing Discipline their later arreares ruu very high in the historie of our times beginning with his religious learned successour The losse of whose head is not more to be imputed to the peoples clamours then the Scotish papers Whatsoever they did before I hope they can not denie themselves to be one of the horned beasts which together with their English brethren make the supporters of the Presbyterian Rebells scutcheon in the Covenant This in their remonstrance upon their last inroad into England when their fainting brethren with the cause were giving up the ghost they tell the King plainlie they shall zealouslie constantlie in their severall vocations endeavour with their estates lives to persue advance This pursuance was against the King Bishops which with the Convocation of divines are the true full representatives of the Church of England The assemblie of Divines were but locusts caterpillars brought together at Westminster by a Northerne wind The lawes of England convocate no such creatures nor in such a maner King Parliament were mere names had then there no real being so no breath to such a purpose nor those in the two Houses afterward more then the heads on the top of them in any politike capacitie to ordaine the abolition of Episcopacie Beside what the Assemblie did deliberate debate poor mechanike people 't is very well know'n they did as daylie labourers sacrilegious hirelings spend the thred of their time in your service payd the price of their souls for a sequestration or two the Covenanting brethren's pillage of the Church So that if they began the song you know by whom they were payd for their paines if they danc'd not after your pipe poor scraping wretches they came at your call how soever you were in a medley together to be sure your Covenanting Divel had got you all into a circle will better distinguish you when he calls to you for his reâ—…koning But by your favour good Sir His Majestie kept out for the very three yeares you mention told you plainlie he would make one in the practike harmonie of the Catholike Church That permission for it was no more necessitie extorted though he could not at that time get you all into Bedlam he thought in thrce yeares you would pipe dance your selves wearie then be content to give way to a better solemnitie of the Cathedral musike to come in In the meane time estates lives engag'd in the advancement of the Covenant by the sword the end thereof being to setle discipline was medling with imposing upon our Church Quod erat demonstrandum The Bishop you see gives a shrewd guesse who they are you endeavour to brand with the name of Erastians how all Protestans Churches even such as are not Episcopal must be beholding to you for that title because they come not up to the rigour of your Discipline Wherein Erasttus slaterd the Magistrate to the prejudice of the just rights of the Church concernd you aswell to prove as to mention then to have draw'n a parallel of the like flaterie in the Bishop Your doubting argues you ignorant or negligent confirmes my beleefe that you have travail'd as litle in Erastus's doctrines as his wayes gone no farther then the title of his booke What His
for what I thinke in my judgement best I may not thinke so absolutelie necessarie for all places at all times Not so rooted setled not so absolutelie necessarie implies no act of everting the foundations both of Religion Government c. nor can such an act be so pleasing to Kings nor that order which is wholelie imployed therein win so much upon their affections judgements as to make them professe to the world they thinke it best as you see our King of blessed memorie hath done When England thereafter as you terme it did root out that unhappie plant they danc'd after the Scotish pipe though England was neither in that thing calld an assemblie nor in any full free Parliament that did it They were but a few rotten members that had strength enough then to articulate their malice in a vote but have since given up the ghost being cut downe by the independencie of the sword their presbyterie with them for a Stinking weed throw'n over the hedge or Severu's wall into Scotland where they their blew-bottle brethren are left to lie unpittied on the dunghill together The rest of the ReformedChurches otherwhere did never cast out what they never had such an happie plant as regular Episcopacie in their grounds those that have as some such I have told you there are carefullie keep it The one part hath been more wise in their actions the other more charitable to us in their words Let the Scots applaud or clap their hands when they please there is an act behind the plays ' not yet done CHAPTER II. The Scottish Discipline overthrowes the right of Magistrates to convocate Synods otherwise to order Ecclesiastical affaires THe Bishop doth not forget his challenge about the Magistrates right in convocating Synods But if Mr. Baylie's eyes be too old to see a good argument in an enthymem let him take it out of an explicite syllogisme which may fairlie be draw'n out of His Lordships first second paragraph in this Chapter MAJ. That Discipline which doth countenance the Church to convene within the Magistrates territories whensoever wheresoever they list To call before them whomsoever they please c. doth overthrow the Magistrates right to convocate Synods to confirme their Acts c. MIN. But this new Discipline doth countenance the Church to convene within the Magistrates territories whensoever wheresoever they list c. Ergo CONCL. This new Discipline doth overthrow the Magistrates right to convocate Synods c. The Major his Lordship proves from that know'n Soveraignite of power wherewith all Princes States are indued From the warinesse of the Synod of Dort Can. 50. From that decree out of Ench. Cand s. min. Synods ought to be called by the supreme Magistrate if he be a Christian c. From the power the Emperours of old did challenge over General Councels Christian Monarches in the time of Poperie over National Synods The Kings of England over their Convocations The Estates of the Vnited Provinces From the professions of all Catholikes Protestants in France very particularlie liberallie the State of Geneva where the ordering of all Ecclesiastike affaires is assumed by the Seigniorie The Minor he takes for granted is know'n out of all the proceedings in the Presbyterie which from time to time have thus conven'd convocated themselves therefore His Lordship onelie intimates it in his first paragraph yet afterward proves it in part by an Assemblie meeting when it had been prohibited sitting after it was discharged by the King which the 20. Presbyters did at Aberdene Anno 1600. And all this with the Reviewer is to forget the challenge because he hath forgot his logike the new light hath dazeld the eye of his old intellectual facultie to discerne The truth of it is this was a litle too hot for Mr. Baylies fingars because it makes such cleare instances about the Synod of Dort Geneva wherein they differ from the Scotish Presbyterie which he will not owne because he every where denies therefore takes no notice of it as he goes Nor can any ignorance of the way of the Scotish Discipline be imputed to the Bishop who produceth so numerouslie the practical enormities thereof strikes at the very foundation as infirme because contrarie to the know'n lawes lawfull custome the supreme Magistrate dissenting disclaiming For what he pretends to have been unquestionablie authentike by vertue of Parliament Acts the Kings consent since the first reformation I have otherwhere successivelie evidenc'd up as farre as the unhappie beheading of Marie Queen of Scots in England to which the rest may be hereafter annexed to have no other strength then what rage violence could afford it The power which he sayth every man in Scotland gives the King without controversie to call extraordinarie Assemblies when he pleaseth takes not away in its hast the maine part of the Bishops objection implying no negative to this That the Presbyteric hath often extraordinarilie assembled without the Kings leave nay against his command nor will they be checkt in that rebellious license by his power What the Bishop meanes to speake of the Kings power in chusing Elders c. Mr. Baylie might know but that still he hath no mind to take notice That in the former paragraph His Lordship spake of a seigniorie a Civile Magistrate at Geneva to which at the end of the yeare are presented the Elders by that continued or discharged The Civile Magistrate in Scotland hath no more power in placing or displacing which before was calld continuing or discharging the Elders then in the election of the Emperour whose inhaerent right he conceives to be as good there as at Geneva therefore if the lawes do not expresselie provide it they are such he thinkes as tend to the overthrowing of that right This His Lordship meanes as part of that he was to prove being a clause in the title of this Chapter Your closing with the Parliament which the Bishop hath not mention'd is but to beget a wonder by making an hermaphroditc of the question which before was but single in your sexe You are not so united but that I can untwist you though against your will consider in this case the Presbyterie by it selfe The making of Ecclesiastike lawes in Scotland as for England it shall not be here disputed as desirous as you are to be wandring from home was never in justice nor with any Kings content referred so absolutelie to Ecclesiastike Assemblies as not to aske a ratification from the crowne What the Bishops minde is about the head of the Church will be clearlie rendred when just Authoritie demands it but His Lordship thinkes not good to be catechiz'd by every ignorant Scotish Presbyter nor give answer to every impertinent question he puts in If your fingars itch to be handling the extrinsccal power in the Minister derivative from the supremacie
anomia ergapiria the very shops or Laboratories of rebellion The Church is not dissolv'd where dissipline's not executed if it were it should be where it is at the pleasure of the Magistrate suspended To imagine a final ineapacitie of meeting by perpetual succession of Tyrants hath litle either of reason or conscience it assaults the certitude of fayth in Gods promises advanceth infidelitie in his providence But to give you at length your passe from this paragraph Such as you in a schismatical Assemblie may have frequentlie in Scotland pinn'd the character of erroneous upon an upright Magistrate a Disciplinarian rebell to save his credit call'd a Royal moderate proclamation a tyrdnous edist The Bishops third allegation you finde too heavie therefore let fall halfe of it by the way You have too good a conceit of your Parliaments bountie though had they been as prodigal as you make them it litle becomes you to proclaime them bankrupts by their favour Their Acts were allwayes ratified by your Princes any which whom tell me one wherein this right Royal was renounc'd of suspending seditious Ministers from their office or if cause were depriving them of their places It were a senselesse thing to suppose that the Bishop would denie to the Church a proprietie to consult determine about religion doctrine haeresie c. Yet its likelie His Lordship allowes it not in that mode which makes her power so absolute as to define consummate authorize the whole businesse by her selfe He hath heard the King to be somewhere accounted a mixt person thinkes it may be that the holie oyle of his unction is not onelie to swime on the top be sleeted off at the pleasure of a peevish Disciplinarian Assemblie but to incorporate with their power The lawes of England have not been hitherto so indulgent of libertie to our Convocation but that the King in the cases alledged did ever praedominate by his supremacie And the Parliament hath stood so much upon priviledge that if Religion fetch'd not her billet from West-minster the could have but a cold lodging at St. Pauls The booke of Statutes is no portable manual for us whom your good brethren have sent to wander in the world yet I can helpe you to one An. 1. Eliz. that restor'd the title of supreme to the Queen withall provided that none should have authoritie newlie to judge any thing to be haeresie not formerlie so judged but the High Court of Parliament with the assent of the Clergie in their Convocation Where the Convocations assent by the sound should not be so determinative as the Parliaments judgement which right or wrong here it assumes As touching appeales because you will have somewhat here sayd though it must be otherwhere handled No law of Scotland denies an appeale in things Civile or Ecclesiastike to the King One yet in force enjoines subjection unto them the Act of Parliament in May 1584. which was That any persons either spiritual or Temporal praesuming to decline the judgement of His Majestie His Councel shall incurre the paine of treason What you call a complaint is in our case an appeale what taking order is executing a definitive judgement without traversing backe the businesse to Ecclesiastike Courts or holding over the rod of a coercive power to awe them into due regular proceedings I confesse this the Presbyters in Scotland never made good by their practice Their appeales were still retrograde from the supreme Magistrate his Councel to a faction of Nobles or a seditious partie of the people Such is that of Knox printed at large Or which in effect is the same The Scotish Assemblies when they had no power appeald to providence when they had whereupon they might relie unto the sword In case of Religion or doctrine if the General Assemblie which is not infallible erre in judgement determîne any thing contrarie to the word of God the sense of Catholike Antiquitie the King may by a court of Orthodoxe Delegates consisting of no more then two or three Prelates if he please receive better information of truth establish that in his Church Or which often hapens in Scotland If the Presbyters frame Assemblie Acts derogatorie to the rights of his Crowne prejudicial to the peace of his people the King may personallie justifie his owne praerogative and keep the mischiefe they invented from becoming a praecedent in law This doth not the word of God nor any aequitie prohibite The judgement of causes concerning deprivations of Ministers in the yeare 1584 you would have had come by way of appellation to the General Assemblie there take final end but this you could not make good within yourselves nor doe I finde upon your proponing craving it was then or at any time granted you by the King Two yeares before you adventurd not onelie for your priviledge in that … but against the Magistrates puting preachers to silence…hindering staying or disannulling the censures of the Church in examining any offender Rev. In the Scotes Assemblies no causes are agitated but such as the Parliament hath agreed to be Ecclesiastike c. Ans If any Parliament have agreed all causes of what nature soever to be Ecclesiastike by reduction so of the Church cognizance you have that colour for your pragmatical Assemblies but if you admit of any exception you have for certaine transgressed yourlimits there being no crime nor praetended irregularitie whatsoever that stood in view or came to the knowledge of the world that hath escaped your discussion censure not been serv'd up in your supplicates to be punished Rev. … No processe about any Church rent was ever cognosced upon in Scotland but in a Civile Court Ans. Your imperious though supplicatorie prohibition 1576. I allreadie mention'd In the Assemblie at Edenburgh April 24. 1576. You concluded…That you might proceed against unjust possessours of the patrimonie of the Church…by doctrine admonition last of all if no remedie be with the censures of the Church In that at Montrosse June 24. 1595. About setting Benefices with diminution of the rental c. you appointed Commissioners with power to take oaths call an-inquest of men of best knowledge in the Countrey about to proceed against the Ministrie with sentence of deposition Master Tho. Craig the Solicitour for the Church to pursue the Pensiionars in Caitnes for reduction of their pensions If in no particular you actuallie proceeded to Church censures It was because you foresaw they would not restraine the corruption no more of the laitie then the Clergie then your menasing petitions sometime obtein'd strength from some partial or pusillanimous Parliament or when you praevail'd not you wrapt this up with the rest of your discipline put all to the processe of a warre And this was you know the mysterious sense of Knox's method upon good experience praescrib'd on his death bed First
and all proceedings in that kinde 2. An ordinance of the Lords and Commons without and against the King is no good narrant to change such lawes during the fitting os the Parliament 3. No law nor lawfull custome of England debarres the King by dissenting to stop that change Untill which three assertions be refuted in law it will be needlesse to debate the qualifications and exceptions which can be none of moment in this case against the Kings consent requisite to turne an ordinance into a law But you take His Majesties concessions to have praevented all can be sayd in the praesent case Behold you that kindled the sire in his breast here compasse yourselves with the sparkes of his consent which charitie would have suffered to exspire with the breath that brought them forth or buried in his ashes which they made Yet can not you walke by the light of this fire unto the full accomplishment of your ends His successour being not yet conveighd into any such place as Holmebye or Carisbrooke Castle where you would â—…ave him some such fatal haereditarie confinement being the fairest apologie if any when he should subscribe so many of your uncâ—…nscionable desires and write after his Father in the extremitie of misfortune who as litle intended what himselfe accounted his failings for his copie as he desired his undeserved miseries should be a patrimonie transmitted to him by your hands As to the obtaining of what is lacking your way is not so faire in which visiblie lies the same Scripture Antiquitie law reason conscience and honour which heretofore hindred your journey to the end of your hopes the obtaining His Majesties plenarie consent Who did not agree to if you meane approve of the rooting out Episcopacie in Scotland That he gave so much way to such wild boares as were in your Presbyterie to doe it he afterward repented and you rewarded him not so well as that his Royal sonne should be encouraged to purchase sorow at so deare a rate 2. He was not willing allthough he yeilded to have them put out of the House of Pâ—…ercs in England and Ireland out of a generous scorne of your uncharitable susspicion that he would have them there onelie because he was to make use of their votes in State affaires 3 He divested them of civile power hoping to perswade such as your Lay Presbyters by the objections maâ—…e against them out of the Ecclesiasticall which they more irrationallie usurped 4. He joined Presbyters with them for ordination because he found it before seldome administred without them But he never made them coordinate in nor aequiparticipant of that power He joined them sor spiritual jurisdiction as being a fit meanes to avoyd… partialities incident to one man And tyrannie which becomes no Christians leaft of all Churchmen And thirdlie to take away from them the burden and Odium of afsaires which was a courteous diminution in such times How sacrilegiouslie you roh the Temple of Memorie of the pillar he set up in the period of your Treatie and erect in the place an impious calumnie of his abolishâ—…ng Episcopacie totallie name and thing will be seen by part of his inscription or ultimate answer to the Rebell Commissioners paper about the Church The words are these… His Majestie doth againe clearlie professle That he can not with a good conscience consent to the total abolition of the function and power of Bishops nor to the intire and abfâ—…lute alienation of their lands as is desired because he is yet perswaded in his judgement that the former is os Apostolical institution and that to take away the later is sacriledge… And if his two Houses shall not thinke fit to recede srom the strictnesse of their aemanas in these particularâ—… His Majestie can with more comfort cast himselfe upon his Saviours goodnesse to support him and desend him from all afflictions how great soever that may besall him then sor any politike consideration which may seems to be a meanes to restore him deprive himselfe of the inward tranquillitie of a quiet minde And some of his last words were I am firme to primitive Episcopacie not to have it extirpated if I can hinder it He sayd indeed that by his former answer he had totallie suspended Episcopal government for three yeares after the sayd time limited the same in the power of ordination and jurisdiction Which the Commissioners he dealt with so litle thought Tantamont to a perpetual abolition that they sayd it met not with their feares nor could praevent the inconveniences which must necessarilie follow upon the returne of Bishops and the power which he reserved to them after that time For that a Bishop so qualified as qualificd as â—…is Majestie expressed should rise againe then they declared whollie in his choyce unavoy dable by Parliament if they agreed not But behold a pretie peice of aequivocation call'd Anti-christian Iesuitisme by these Rabbi Presbyters of old to draw their dull Commissioners out of the mire and as good as inke for ivorie to wash them cleane His Majestie suspended it till he and his Parliament should agree All and every one in both Houses had abjured Episcopacie by solemne oath and Covenant and so in no hazard ever to agree with him Ergo He must either agree with them that is like wise abjure which is abolition or coutinue perpetuallte his suspension which is Tantamont unto it This is very well ordered especiallie if you call to minde somewhat else that was condition'd for viz. That twentie Divines of His Majesties nomination being added unto the Assemblie were to have a free consultation debate whence it might be determin'd by His Majestie and his two Houses how Church government c should be setled after the sayd time or sooner if differences might be agreed A very free debate when all demonstrative reasons should be forespoken to be silenced by an oath And a very conscionable treatie That a faction in both Houses should be without the restitution of the rest that were beter temper'd the men that should continue siting not onelie 3. yeares but 300. if they could live so long because sworne not to yeild a syllable of their owne tearmes Yet because you thinke your selfe so witie in your sophistrie letme aske you What assurance these all and every one in both Houses had to be immortal If they were not what you have that the new elected would be Covenanters and if they were not by what law they could have been excluded the Houses whither they should be sent as Repraesentatives of their Electours If admitted and so reasonable as to hearken to a possible result of the Divines debate in condemnation of Presbyterie and vote according to it what then were likelie to become of your perpetual abolition or the Tantamont unto it Such measure may you have if ever it come to treatie between you and your sectarian brethren now siting in one House who having
Bishop Adamsons lying libel Though alwayes in England yet never in Scotland had Commissarie any jurisdiction over Ministers Iames Gibson was never absolved by the Church from his Proces Master Blacks appeale from the counsel cleered The tumult of the seventeenth day of December was harmelesse and no Minister guilty of it The praelats ordinarly but the Presbytery never were for rash excommunications The Praelats flatter Princes to their ruine The Scots Ministers preaching for justice was just and necessary Huntlyes notorious crymes Never any question in Scotland betwixt the King and the Church for Tythes and patronages King James avowes himselfe a â—…ater of Erastianisme The Presbytery cognosceth only upon scandals and that in fewer civil things then the Bishopscourts were wont to meddle with The Churches proceedings in the late engagement cleered from mistakes The Church medled not with the manday mercat but by way of supplication to Parliament The Church once for safty of the infant Kings life with the concurrence of the secrete counsel did cal an extraordinary meeting By the lawes and customes of Scotland the Assembly praecieds the Parliament in the reformation of Ecclesias-tical abuses The Church parte in the road of Ruthven clecred The interest of the generall assembly of Scotland in the reformation of England The violent apprehension of Masse-Priests in their act of idolatry reproved by the Warner The Warner and his Praelatical Erastian brethren are obliged by their owne principles to advise the King to lay aside Episcopacy and set up the Praesbytery in all his dominions The praelaticall party were lately bent for Popery The Praelats professe now a willingnes to abolish at least three parts of the former Episcopacy The portion of Episcopacy which yet is stuck to cannot be kept up upon any principle either of honour or conscience The smallest portion of the most moderat Episcopacy is contrary to scripture The Praelats unable to answer their opposits Prelacy was ever grievous to Scotland There is no Lordship but a meer service and ministry in the Pastors of the Church The Warner is ful of calumnious untruths The eight desires of the Church about the ingagement were just and necessary It is one of the liberties of the Church of Scotland to publish declarations The leavy was never offered to be stopped by the Church The Church was not the cause of the gathering at Mauchlin Moore The assembly is helpfull and not hurtfull to the Parliament The apointment of comittees is a right of every court as well Ecclesiastick as civil There is no rigour at all in the Presbytery Crimes till repented of ought to keep from the holy table Excommunication in Scotland is not injurious to any The Warners outrage against the Presbytery The Praelats were constant oppressors of the Nobility and gentry The way of the Scotes Presbytery is incomparably better then that of the English Episcopacy All questions about patronages in Scotland are now ended The possessors of Church lands were ever feared for Bishops but never for the Presbytery The praelats continue to annull the being of al the reformed Churches for their want of Episcopacy The Praelats are so baselie injurious to all the reformed Churches that their selses are ashamed of it The generality of the Episcopal clergy have ever been covered with ignorance beggery and contempt The Praelats continue to hate preaching and prayer but to idolize a popish service Vide ladâ—…nsium cap. 7. Episcopall warrants for clandestin marriages rob Parents of their children Serious catechising is no Episcopal crime Church sessions are not high commissiones The Covenant was not dishonourable to union Covenanters were not deceived but understood what they sweare The Warner unwittingly comends the Covenant The King did not clame the sole and absolute possession of the militia The change of lawes in England ordinarly beginne by the two houses without the King The King did really consent to the abolition of Bishops The Praelats would flatter the King into a Tyranny The praelats takes to themselves a negative voice in Parliament The Praelats grieve that Monks and Friers the Pope and Cardinals were casten out of England by Henry the eight The just supremacy of Kings is not prejudged by the Covenant The Warners insolent vanity The covenant is not for propagating os Religion by armes The Warners black Atheisme a The Praelats condemne the defensive armes of the Dutch Frensh Protestants b The Praelats decline the judgement of counsels c The Praelats overthrow the foundatioÌ„s of Protestant Religion d The Praelats are stil peremptorie to destroy the King and all his Kingdoms if they may not be restored My reason for refuting his Epistle The Rewiewers vanitie in giving titles inconsistent with the praesent condition practice of his Lord. The Earle of Cassils no late Illuminate No credit for his samilie to be commended by Buchanan Very Improper to style Buchanan Prince a Legitimi regni gravissima pestis Praet ad Dial. de jur Reg. b The Reviewers sermon divinttie c He may well count it an advantage to have the E. Cassils his judge d An honour for the Bp. to be calld by the Rev unpardonable incendiaire The Rev's uncleanlie language Aristoph Plut. The active boldnesse of the Scotish Presbyterians in Holland c a The three headed monster in controversie b Sen. Her Fur. c The Scotish Discipline vrey different from that in Holland France d No Reformed Church calls regular Episcopacie Antichristian e Many emincnt persons in those Churches have approv'd of it Vindic of K. Ch. p. 125. Apost Instit of Episcopacie Episcopal declinations different from Episcopacie Presbyteria aberrations the same with Presbyterie The praesent concernment greater to reveale the Scotish Discipline the refute old adversaries of Episcopacie a Sr. Claud Somays likelie to be no great friend to the Discipline b He offe red no dispute with the Kings Chaplaines about Episcopacie They transgresse not the dutie of their place by informing the Kings conscience about The Primitive Doctrine Discipline Eikôn Basiliké cap. 14. Praeservation of the Church a Pardoning the Irish tolerating their Religion b Eikôn Basilikè conscience honour reason law c Inclining his mind to the Counsels of his Father d Cant. 4 4. e Eikôn Basilikè penned wholely by K. Ch. 1. not a syllable of it by the Bishops f God not they the supporter of the Matyr'd King a The hard-hearted Scotish Presbyterians b Holmebie the fatal praecipice to K. Ch. 1. c Endeavours to make it such to K Ch. 2. d His best way to praevent it is consorting with his Fathers booke e Wherein is divine wisdome Counsel f Ps. 72. g Gods providence in ordering his commendations of this booke to proceed out of the mouth of the Revicwer h The Reviewers scaesonable advertishment to the King a K. Ch. 1. no Presbyterian in heart nor tongue at Newcastle the Isle of Wight b His papers to Mr. Henderson against it c
No Bishop No King d Ovid. Met. lib. 5. fab 1. e The Reviewers false profession in publike contrarie to conscience vulgar knowledge f The same speach now printed in effect No necessitie for the Scots to enter into a Covenant which is No oath of God but the Devil No wonder why the lovers of the King are no Covenanters a The Cheat of the Covenant b The Scot-Presbytirian open unkindnesse that is treason against the late King c Bishops in other Reformed Churches d The Reviewers in constancie a K. Ch. 1 never justified the Scotish contests b Eikôn Basilikè Ch. 13. c The King may bring an armie to the Scotish borders d Alawe above Dunce law e Liturgie Canons contrarie neither to the lawes of God nor Scotland f The Reviewers brag K. Ch. 1. gave the Scots too easie conditions a He had good reason to raise a secound armie against them b The Scots successe at New bourne opened not a passage for them to London c The Pr. Scotish Rebellion copied by the English d K. Ch. 1 his raising an armie a signe of divine providence e The Rebells faint in their faith notwithstanding the revelations they pretend to f The Prerb Scots coming in no condition of the peace a Their guilt made them feare a third warre b Their worke of supererogation in interceding c Their Remonstrance d They mediate for no reasonable accommodation e Were never slighted nor rejected f Were justlie denjed g Covenants the common road for faections h Remonst about the Treaty in the Isle of wight The Covenant destructive to all the Royal line The charge Against K. Ch. 1. taken out of the Pr. Scots Remonstrance The Presb. Scots wicked Impostours no messeangers of Christ. The Kings partie not subdued when His Majestie left Oxford The King not necessitated to cast himselfe upon the Scots He had promised all reasonable satisfaction before His Religious adhe rence to his old oathes The Kings presence might best have composed the divisions in Scotland Isai. 32. 17. His garrisons surrendered upon the counter feit professions of the Pr. Scots They obteine no termes satisfactorie to the King Their injustice unkindnesse imprudence Their deliverie of the Kings person was a selling him to his Enemies They might have prevented the murder thaâ—… followed Ier. 51. 7. They were not readie to the utmost of their power An old grudge the reason why they were not S. Matth. 27. 24. The Kings not granting all demands They beare the like grudge against K. Ch. 2. * In libro Cap. 1 The Reviewers politike staterie Ecclesiast 12. 6. The unseasonablenesse of the Scots coming to the King at the Hague Iob 26. 9. Iob 16. 16. The seasonable successe of the Bishops Warning The Scotish Presbyterians an inconsiderable partic Sen Conâ—…rov Iob 8. The Bishops method apposite to his matter His proose â—…o by tenets His allegations confirm'd by others The Reviewers rash uncharitable judgement about the ends af Mr. Corbeâ—… Arch-Bishop Maxwell His vanitie in mentioning the frequent impressions of his book His language more bitter then the Bishops his hast greater to vent it No regard wanting in the Bishop to Scripture nor reverence to th Reformed Churches Nor respect to the Magistrate and lawes The Bishop no slanderer of the King nor his Royal Father Eikôn Basilikôn ch 17. The Reviewers seasonable advertissement abouâ—… the Kings late offer to the Scots No râ—…sb presumption in the Bishop The Scots endeavours to impose their discipline upon England K. Ch. 1. in no barmonie with the Prcâ—…byterians All Protestants implied to be Erastians as well as the Episcopal by Mr. Baylic The Reviewer not acquainted with the late controversie between us the Papists No Canter-burian designe but what was forged at Edenburg Basilik dor The Scots heretofore gave no so bad language to the English Bishops 1. Pet. 5. 2 Though they acted enough against their Bishops at hâ—… Ierr. 8. 22. The crimeâ—… alleged not the grounds of K Ch. 1. his concessions against Episcopacle in Scotland Episcopacie in England not put downe by a legal Assemblie Parliament The Reviewer knowes not good logike when he meetes with it The Bishop not ignorant of the way of the Scotish Discipline The Reviewers Sophystrie The Bishops meaning about the Kings power in chusing Elders Ecclesiastike lawes The head of the Church Assembies are the Kings arbitrarie Counsels The Bishop had reason to instance in particulars The Assemblie contest with the King about his command Conf. as Hapt Court And. Melvin Epist. ad Th. Bez. 1579. K. I. his Nobilitie against the Discipline Vindic. Epist. Hieron Philadelph The Reviewer his brethren agree not in their storie Duo folia dilac erata in ignem conjecta Gâ—…or Con. De duplic stat Relig. apud Scot. lib. 2. … ministri cu omnia ex suo suorumque arbitrio pendere savente annitente imprimis Buchanano cerncrent c. K. 1. his dislike of the short Confession Many unjustisiable praciices about it Vindic. Epist Hieron Philadelph Archiepis Fan S. Andr. Pa. 1 77 Archiepis Fan. S. Adr. Epist. ad Theod. Bez. The reason upon which the Nobilitie maintaind Bishops Pseudo-Episcopatu The Presbyterie the Cause of the Nobilities kceping the revenue of the Church Episcopacie more then titular by the Covenanters acknowledgement The Bishop too courteous in passing over 27. yeares storie meane base abject persons who were never any way remarkable as â—…en of great gifts Decl. of His Majesties Counc Imperfect policie alterable at the Kings pleasure The Priviledge of Assemblies limited The Legal proceedings against the Aberdene Assemblers Their obstinacie The Church festivals abolished in Scotland by no just Authoritie The primitive Christians observ'd thom Orat of the Protest of Scotl. to the Q. Reg. 1558. The Bishop not mistakeÌ„ in the Scottish Chronologic What kinde of Presbyteries were erected by K. Iames his Commissioners to what purpose Bishops to praeside in them Declar. 15â—…2 The abuse of the Kings indulgence by the Presbyters The E of Arran no wicked Courtier His bloud reveng'd Bishop Bancroft Dang Posiâ—… b. 1. Gibsons bold speaches to the King Perpetuitie the Bishops in Scotland The Reviewers long reach for the antiquitic of Presbyters … facile est credere Victorem Pontisicem …in Scotia reperisse multos quos salutaribus undis expiaret alios quos Judaizantium in feâ—…erat error G. Con. De dupl stat Rel. apud Scot. lib. 1. Multi ex Britonibus Christiani savitiam Diocletiani tiementes ad eos Scotos confugerant è quibus complures doctrina vitae integritate clari in Scotia substiterunt vitamque solitariam tanta sanctitutis opinione apud omnes vixerunt ut vita sanctorun cellae in templa commutareniur Ex eoque consuetuao mansit apud posteros ut prisci Scoti templa cellas vocent Hoc genue Monaâ—…horum Chaldeos appellabant mansitque nomen institutum donec Monachorum genus rocentius
change the whole Ecclesiastical pollicy of a Common-wealth to alter the Doctrine and Religion established to take away the legall rights and privileges of the Subjects to erect new tribunalls and courts of Justice to which Sovereigns themselves must submit and all this of their own heads â—…ue of a pretended power given them from heaven contrary to kâ—…own laws and lawfull customs the Supreme Magistrate dissenting disclaiming Synods ought to be called by the supreme Magistrate if he be a Christian c. And either by himself or by such as he shall please to choose for that purpose he ought to preside over them This power the Emperours of old did challenge over General Councels Christian Monarchs in the blindnesse of Popery over National Synods the Kings of England over their great Councels of old and their Convocation of later times The Estates of the united Provinces in the Synod of Dort this power neither Roman Catholick or Protestant in France dare denie to his King None have been more punctual in this case then the State of Geneva where it is expressely provided that no Synod or Presbytery shall alter the Ecclesiastical pollicy or adde any thing to it without the consent of the civil Magistrate Their elders do not challenge an uncontrolable power as the Commissioners of Christ but ate still called the Commissioners of the Signiory The lesser Councel names them with the advise of the Ministery their consent is not necessary The great Councel of 200 doth approve them or reject them At the end of the year they are presented to the Signiory who continue them or discharge them as they see cause At their admission they take an oath to keâ—…p the Ecclesiastical Ordinances of the civil Magistâ—…ate The finall determination of doctrinal differences in Religion after conference of and with the Ecclesiasticks is referred to the Magistrate The proclamations published with the sound of trumpet registered in the same book do plainly shew that the ordering of all Ecclesiastical affairs is assumed by the Signiory But in Scotland all things are quite contrarie the civil Magistrate hath no more to doe with the placing or displacing of Ecclesiastical Elders than he hath in the Electoral Colledge about the Election of an Emperor The King hath no more legislative Power in Ecclesiastical causes than a Cobler that is a single Vote in case he be chosen an Elder other wiâ—…e none at all In Scotland Ecclesiastical persons make repeal alter their Sanctions eyery day without consent of King or Councel King Jonâ—…s proclaimed a Parliament to be held at Edenburgh and a little before by his letter required the Assembly to abstain from making any Innovatioâ—…s in the Policy of the Church and from prejudging the decisions of the States by their conclusions and to suffer all things to continue in the condition they were until the approcâ—…ing Parliamâ—…nt What did they hereupon They neglected the Kings letter by their own Authority they determined all things positively questioned the Arch-Bishop of St. Andrews upon their own Canons For collating to benefices and Voting in Parliament according to the undoubted Laws of the Land Yea to that degâ—…ee of sawcines they arrived and into that contempt they reduced Sovereign power that twenty Presbyters no more at the highest sometimes but thirteen sometimes but seven or eight dared to hold and maintain a General Assembly as they miscalled it after it was discharged by the King against his Authority an Insolence which never any Parliament durst yet attempt By their own Authority long before there was any Statute made to that purpose they abolished all the Festivals of the Church even those which were observed in memory of the Birth Circumcision Resurrection and Ascension of our Saviour By their own Authority they decreed the abolition of Bishops requiring them to resign their offices as not having any calling from Gods word under pain of Excommunication And to desist from preacbing until they had a new admission from the General Assembly And to compleat their own folly added further that they would dispose of their possessions as the Churches Patrimony in the next Assembly which ridiculous Ordinance was maintained stifly by the succeeding Synods notwithstanding the Statute that it should be Treason to impugn the Authority of the three Estates or to procure the innovation or diminution of any of them Which was made on purpose to control their vain presumption Notwithstanding that themselves had formerly approved and as much as in them lay established Superintendents to endure for term of life with their numbers bounds salaries larger than those of other Ministers indewed with Episcopal power to plant Churches ordain Ministers assign Stipends preside in Synods direct the censures of the Church without whom there was no Excommunication The world is much mistaken concerning Episcopacie in Scotland for though the King and Parliament were compelled by the clamours and impetuous violence of the Presbyters to annex the temporalities of Bishops to the crown yet the Function it self was never taken away in Scotland from their first conversion to Christianity until these unhappy troubles And these very temporalities were restored by the Act of restitution and their full power was first established Synodically and afterwards confirmed by the three Estates of the Kingdom in Parliament By their own Authority when they saw they could not prevail with all their iterated indeavours and attempts to have their book of discipline ratified they obtruded it upon the Church themselves ordaining that all those who had born or did then bear any office in the Church should subscribe it under pain of Excommuication By their own Authority or rather by the like unwarrantable boldnesse they adopted themselves to be heirs of the Prelates and other dignities and orders of the Church suppressed by their tumultuous violence and decreed that all tythes rents lands oblations yea whatsoever had been given in former times or should be given in future times to the service of God was the patrimonie of the Church and ought to be collected and distributed by the Deasons as the Word of God appoints That to convert any of this to their particular or profane use of any person is detestable Sacriledge before God And elsewhere Gentle-men Barons Earls Lords and others must be content to live upon their just rents and suffer the Kirk to be restored to her libertie What this libertie is follows in the same place all things given in hospitalitie all rents pertaining to Priests Chanteries Colledges Chappelries Frieries of all orders the Sisters of the Seens all which ought to be retained still in the use of the Kiâ—…k Give them but leave to take their breath and expect the rest The whole revenues of the temporalities of Bishops Deans and Arch-Deans lands and all rents pertaining to Cathedrall Kirks Then supposing an objection that the Possessours had Leases and Estates
Ministers reject them proclaim a fast â—…ai e a tamult in Edenburgh Petition prefer Articles The King depa teth from the Citie removeth his â—…rts oâ—… Jâ—…uice the people repent tâ—…e Ministers persist and seek to ingage the Subjects in a Covenaâ—…t for â—…utuall defence One Mâ—… Waâ—…sh in his Sermon tells the people that the King was possessed with a devil yea with seven devils that the subjeâ—…s might lawfully rise and take the sword out of his hands The Seditious incouraged from the Pulpit send a letter to the Lord Hamilton to come and be their General He noblv refuseth and sheweth their letter to the King Hereupon the Ministers are sought for to be apprehended and flie into England The Tumult is declared to be trea on by the Estates of the Kingdom I have urged this the moâ—…e largely yet as succinctly as I could to let the woâ—…ld see what dangerous Subjects these Diâ—…ciplinarians are and how inconsistent their principles be with all orderly Societies CHAP. V. That it subjects the supreme Magistrate to their censures c. FOurthly they have not onely exempted themselves in their duties of their own function from the tribunal of the Sovereign Magistrate or Supreme Senate but they have subjected him and them yea even in the discharge of the Sovereign trust to their own Consistories even to the highest censure of Excommunication which is like the cutting of a member from the body Natural or the out-lawing of a Subject in the body politick Excommunication that very engine whereby the Popes of old advanced themselves above Emperours To discipline mâ—…st all the Estates within this Rcalm be subject as well Râ—…lers as they that are ruled And elswhere all mea as well Magistrates as Inferiours ought to be subject to the judgement of General Assemblies And yet again no man that is in the Church oâ—…ght to be exempted from Ecclesiastical censires What horrid and pernicious mischiefs do use to attend the Excommunication of Sovereign Magistrates I leave to every mans memory or imagination Such courâ—…es make great Kings become cyphers and turn the tenure of a crown copie-hold ad voluntatem Dominorum Such Doctrines might better become some of the Roman Alexanders or Bonifaces or Gregoâ—…ius or Plus Quintus than such great Professours of Humility such great disclaimers of Authority who have inveighed so bitterly against the Bishops for their usurpations This was never the practice of any orthodoâ—… Bishop St. Ambrose is mistaken what he did to Theodosius was no act of Ecclesiastical jurisdiction but of Christian discretion No he was better grounded David said Against thee onely have I sinned because he was a King Our Disciplinarians abhor the name of Authority but hugge the thing their profession of humility is just like that Cardinals hanging up of a fishers net in his dining room to put him in mind of his discent but so soon as he was made Pope he took it down saying the fish was caught now there was no more need of the net CHAP. VI. That it robs the Magistrate of his Dispensative power FIfthly all supreme Magistrates do assume to themselves a power of pardoning offences and offenders where they judge it to be expedient He who believes that the Magistrate cannot with a good conscience dispence with the punishment of a penitent malefactour I wish him no greater censure than that the penal laws might be duly executed upon him until he recant his errour But our Disciplinarians have restrained this dispensative power in all such crimes as are made capital by the judicial Law as in the case of Bloud Adultery Blasphemy c. in which cases they say the offender ought to suffer death as God hath commanded And If the life be spared as it ought not to be to the offenders c. And the Magistrate ought to prefer Gods expresse commandment before his own corrupt judgement especially in punishing these crimes which he commandeth to be punished with death When the then Popish Earls of Angus Huntley and Erroll were excommunicated by the Church and forfeited for treasonable practices against the King it is admirable to read with what wisdom and charity and sweetnesse his Majesty did seek from time to time to reclaim them from their errours and by their unfeigned conversion to the reformed Religion to prevent their punishment Wherein he had the concurrence of two Conventions of Estates the one at Falkland the other at Dumfermling And on the other side to see with what bitternesse and radicated malice they were prosecuted by the Presbyterics and their Commissioners sometimes petitioning that they might have no benefit of law as being excommunicated Sometimes threatening that they were resolved to pursue them to the uttermost though it should be with the losse of all their lives in one day That if they continued enemies to God and his Truth the Countrey should not brook both them and the Lord together Sometimes pressing to have their estâ—…es confiseaâ—…d and their lives taken away Alledging for their ground that by Gods Law they had deserved death And when the King urged that the bosom of the Church should be ever open to penitent sinners they answered that the Church could not refuse their satisfaction if it was truly offered but the King was obliged to do justice What do you think of those that roar out Justice Justice now a dayes whether they be not the right spawn of these Bloud-suckers Look upon the examples of Cain Esau Ishmael Antiochus Antichrist and tell me if You ever find such supercilious cruel bloud-thirsty persons to have been pious towards God but their Religion is commonly like themselves stark naught Cursed be their anger for it was fierce and their wrath for it was cruel These are some of those incroachments which our Disciplinarians have made upon the rights of all supreme Magistrates there be sundry others which especially concern the Kings of Great Brittain as the losse of his tenths first-fruits and patronages and which is more than all these the dependence of his Subjects by all which we see that they have thrust out the Pope indeed but retained the Papacy The Pope as well as they and they as well as the Pope neither barrel better herrings do make Kings but half Kings Kings of the bodies not of the souls of their Subjects They allow them some sort of judgement over Ecclesiastical persons in their civil capacities for it is little according to their rules which either is not Ecclesiastical or may not be reduced to Ecclesiastical But over Ecclesiastick persons as they are Ecclesiasticks or in Ecclesiasticall matters they ascribe unto them no judgement in the world They say it cannot stand with the word of God that no Christian Prince ever claimed or can claim to himself such a power If the Magistrate will be contented to wave his power in Ecclesiastical matters and over Ecclesiastical persons as they are such and give them leave to
dayes did sue for aid and assistance from the Crown and Kingdom of England they did not go about to obtrude their owne Discipline upon them but left them free to choose for themselves The grounds which follow are demonstrative First no man can dispose that by vow or otherwise either to God or man which is the right of a third person without his consent Neither can theâ—…nferiour oblige himselfe to the prejudice of his Superiour contrary to his duty without his Superiours allowance God accepts no such pretences to seem obsequious to him out of the undoubted right of another person Now the power of Armes and the defence of the Lawes and protection of the Subjects by those Armes is by the Law of England clearly invested in the Crowne And where the King is bound in conscience to protect the Subject is bound in conscience to assist Therefore every English Subject owes his Armes and his Obedience to his King and cannot dispose them as a free gift of his owne nor by any act of his whatsoever diminish his Soveraignes right over him but in those things wherein by Law he owes subjection to his Prince he remaineth still obliged notwithstanding any Vow or Covenant to the contrary especially when the subject and scope of the Covenant is against the known Lawes of the Realm So as without all manner of doubt no Divine or Learned Casuist in the world dissenting This Covenant is either void in it selfe or at least voided by his Majesties Proclamation prohibiting the takirg of it and nullifying its obligation Secondly It is confessed by all men that that an Oath ought not to be the bond of iniquity nor doth oblige a man to be a transgressour The golden rule is in malis promissis rescinde fidem in turpi voto muta decretum To observe a wicked engagement doubles the sinne Nothing can be the matter of a Vow or Covenant which is evidently unlawfull But it is evidently unlawfull for a Subject or Subjects to alter the Lawes established by force without the concurrence and against the commands of the Supreme Legislator for the introduction of a forraign Discipline This is the very matter and subject of the Covenant Subjects vow to God and swear one to another to change the Lawes of the Realm to abolish the Discipline of the Church and the Liturgy lawfully established by the Sword which was never committed to their hands by God or man without the King against the King which no man can deny in earnest to be plain rebellion And it is yet the worse that it is to the main prejudice of a third order of the Kingdom the taking away whose rights without their consents without making them satisfaction cannot be justified in point of conscience Yea though it were for the greater convenience of the Kingdom as is most falsely pretended And is harder measure then the Abbots and Friers received from Henry the eight or then either Christians or Turkes do offer to their conquered enemies Lastly a supervenient oath or covenant either with God or man cannot take away the obligation of a just oath precedent But such is the Covenant a subsequent oath inconsistent with and destructive to a precedent oath that is the oath of Supremacy which all the Church men throughout the Kingdome all the Parliament men at their admission to the house all persons of quality throughout England have taken The former oath acknowledgeth the King to be the onely supreame hâ—…ad that is civill head to see that every man do his duty in his calling and Governour of the Church of England The second oath or covenant to set up the Presbyterian Government as it is in Scotland denieth all this virtually makes it a politicall papacy acknowledgeth no governours but onely the Presbyters The former oath gives the King the supream power over all persons in all causes The second oath gives him a power over all persons as they are subjects but none at all in Ecclesiasticall causes This they make to be sacriledge By all whiâ—…h it is most apparent that this Covenant was neither free nor deliberate nor valide nor lawfull nor consistent with our former oathes but insorced dâ—…ceitfull invalide impious rebellious and contradictory to our former ingagements and consequently obligeth no man to performance but all men to repentance For the greater certainty whereof I appeâ—…le upon this stating of the case to all the learned Casuists and Divines in Europe touching the point of common right And that this is the true state of the case I appeal to our adversaries themselves No man that hath any spark of ingenuity will denie it No English-man who hath any tolerable degree of judgement or knowledge in the laws of his countrey can denie it but at the same instant his conscience must give him the lie They who plead for this rebellion dare not put it to a triall at law they doe not ground their defence upon the lawes But either upon their own groundlesse jealousies and fears of the Kings intention to introduce Popery to subvert the lawes and to enslave the people This is to run into a certain crime for fear of an uncertain They who intend to pick quarrels know how to feign suspicions Or they ground it upon the successe of their arms or upon the Soveraigne right of the people over all lawes and Magistrates whose Representatives they create themselves whilest the poor people sigh in corners and dare not say their soul is their own lamenting their former folly to have contributed so much to their own undoing Or lastly upon Religion the cause of God the worst plea of all the rest to make God accessary to their treasons murthers covetousnesse ambition Christ did never authorise Subjects to plant Christian Religion much lesse their own fanâ—…ticall dreams or fantasticall deviles in the blood of their Soveraigne and fellow subjects Speak out is it lawfull for Subjects to take up arms against their Prince meerly for Religion or is it not lawfull It ye say it is not lawfull ye condemn your selves for your Covenant testifieth to the world that ye have taken up arms meerly to alter Religion and that ye bear no Allegiance to your King but onely in order to Religion that is in plain terms to your own humours and conceits If ye say it is lawfull ye justifie the Independents in England for supplanting your selves ye justifie the Anabaptists in Germany Iohn of Leyden and his câ—…ue Ye break down the banks of Order and make way for an inundation of blood and confusion in all Countreys Ye render your selves justly odious to all Christian Magistrates when they see that they owe their safety not to your good wills but to your weaknesse that ye want sufficient strength to cut their throats This is fine doctrine for Europe wherein there is scarce that King or State which hath not Subjects of different opinions and communions in Religion Or lastly if ye say it is lawfull for
second their unreasonable rage was it not then necessary for the Scots to arme againe when they had defeate the Episcopall Army and taken New-castle though they found nothing considerable to stand in their way to London yet they were content to lie still in Northumberland and upon very meane tearnes to returne the second time in peace For all this the praelats could not give it over but raised a new Army and filled England with fire and sword yea well neere subdued the Parliament and their followers and did almost accomplish their first designes upon the whole Isle The Scots then with most earnest and pitifull entreaties were called upon by their Brethren of England for helpe where unwilling that their brethren should perish in their sight and a bridge should be made over their carcasses for a third warre upon Scotland when after long tryall they had found all their intercessions with the King for a moderat and reasonable accommodation slighted and rejected they suffered themselves to be perswaded to enter in covenant with their oppressed and fainting brethren for the mantainance of the common cause of Religion and liberty but with expresse Articles for the preservation of royalty in all its just rights in his Majestie and his posterity what unkindnes was heer in the Scots to their King When by Gods blessing on the Scotes helpe the opposit faction was fully subdued his Majestie left Oxford with a purpose for London but by the severity of the ordinances against his receivers he diverted towards Linn to ship for Holland or France where by the way fearing a discovery and surprise he was necessitate to cast himselfe upon the Scotes army at New-wark upon his promise to give satisfaction to the propositions of both Kingdomes he was received there and to New-castle here his old oathes to adhaere unto Episcopacy hindred him to give the expected satisfaction At that time the prime leaders of the English army were seeking with all earnestnes occasion to fall upon the Scots much out of heart and reputation by Iames Grahame and his Irishes incursions most unhappy for the Kings affaires Scotland at that time was so full of divisions that if the King had gone thither they were in an evident hazard of a present war both within among themselfes and without from England our friends in the English Parliament whom we did and had reason to trust assured us that our taking the King with us to Scotland was the keeping of the Sectarian Army on foot for the wracke of the King of Scorland of the Presbyterian party in England as the sending of his Majestie to one of his houses neer London upon the faith of the Parliament of England was the only way to get the Sectaryes disarmed the King and the people settled in a peace upon such tearmes as should be satisfactory both to the King and the Scots and all the wel-affected in England This being the true case was it any either unjustice unkindnes or imprudence in the Scots to leave the King with his Parliament of England was this a selling of him to his enemies the monyes the Scots received at their departure out of England had no relation at all to the King they were scarce the sixth parte of the arreares due to them for bygon service they were but the one halfe of the sume capitulat for not only without any reference to the King but by an act of the English Parliament excluding expresly from that Treaty of the armies departure all consideration of the disposall of the Kings person The unexpected evills that followed in the Armies rebellion in their seasing on London destroying the Parliament murthering the King no mortall eye could have forseen The Scots were ever ready to the utmost of their power to have prevented all these mischiefes with the hazard of what was dearest to them notwithstanding of all the hard measure they had often received both from the King and the most of their friends in England That they did not in time and unanimously stur to purpose for these ends they are to answer it to God who were the true Authors the innocency of the Church is cleered in the following treatise Among the many causes of these miseries the prime fountaine was the venome of Episcopall principles which some serpents constantly did infuse by their speaches and letters in the eares and heart of the King to keep him of from giving that satisfaction to his good subjects which they found most necessary and due the very same cause which ties up this day the hands of covenanters from redressing ali present misorders could they have the King to joyne with them in their covenant to quit his unhappy Bishops to lay aside his formall and dead Liturgie to cast himselfe upon the counsels of his Parliaments it were easy to prophecie what quickly would become of all his enemies but so long as Episcopall and malignant agents compasseth him about though all that comes neer may see him as lovely hopfull and promising a prince for all naturall endowments as this day breaths in Europe or for a long time has swayed a Scepter in Britaine yet while such unlucky birds nest in his Cabin and men so ungraciously principled doe daily besiege him what can his good people doe but sit downe with mournfull eyes and bleeding hearâ—…s till the Lord amend these otherwise remediles and insuperable evills but I hold heer least I transgresse to farr the bounds of an Epistle I account it an advantage to have your Lordship my judge in what heere and in my following treatise I spake of Religion the liberties of our country and the Royall Family I know non fitter then your Lordship both to discerne and decerne in all these matters Me thinks I may say it without flattery which I never much loved either in my selfe or others that among all our Nobles for constancy in a zealous profession for exemplary practise in publick and privat duties the mercy of God has given to your Lordship a reputation second to none And for a rigid adhaerence to the Rights and Priviledges of your Country according to that auncient disposition of your most Noble Family noted in our Historians especially that Prince of them Georg Buchanan the Tutor of your Grand-Father I know none in our Land who wil pretend to goe before you and for the affairs of the King your interest of blood in the Royall Family is so well known that it would be a strange impudency in me if in your audience I durst be bold wittingly to give sinistrous information Praying to God that what in the candid ingenuity true zeale of my spirit I present under your Lordships patrociny unto the eye of the World for the vindication of my mother Church and Country from the Sicophantick accusations of a Stigmatised incendiary may produce the intended effects Hague this 28 May 7 Iunie 1649. I rest your Lordships in all Christian duety R. B. G.
parts thereof to be agreable to the word of God it was the two Houses of the Parliament of England without a contrary voice who did ordaine the abolition of Episcopacy and the setting up of Presbyteryes and Synods in England and Ireland Can heere the Scotes be said to compell the English to dance after their pype when their own assembly of divines begins the song when the Lords and Commons assembled in the Parliament of England concurre without a discording opinion when the King himselfe for perfecting the harmony offers to adde his voice for three whole yeares together In the remainder of the chapter the warner layes upon the Scotes three other crimes first That they count it Erastianisme to put the governement of the Church in the hand of the Magistrat Answ. The Doctors knowledge is greater then to bee ignorant that all these goe under the name of Erastians who walking in Erastus ways of flattering the Magistrat to the prejudice of the just rights of the Church run yet out much beyond Erastus personall tenets I doubt if that man went so far as the Doctor heere and else where to make all Ecclesiasticall jurisdiction but a part of the Magistrats civill power which for its execution the supreame Governours of any state may derive out of the fountaine of their supremacy to what ever hands civill or Ecclesiastick themselfes think fit to commit it Let the Doctor adde to this much knowledge but a little ingenuity and he shall confes that his Brethren the Later Bishops who claime Episcopacy by divine right are all as much against this Erastian Caesaro-papisme as any Presbiterian in Scotland The elder Bishops indeed of England and all the Lawes there for Episcopacy seeme to be point blank according to the Erastian errours for they make the crowne and royall supremacy the originall root and fountaine whence all the discipline of the Church doth flow as before the days of Henry the eight it did out of the Popes head-ship of the Church under Christ. How ever let the Doctor ingenuously speake out his sence and I am deceived if he shall not acknowledge that how grosse an Erastian so ever himselfe and the elder Bishops of England might have been yet that long agoe the most of his praelatical friends have become as much opposit to Erastianisme as the most rigid of the Presbiterians The other crime he layes to the charge of the Scotes is that they admit no latitude in Religion but will have every opinion afundamentall article of faith and are averse from the reconciliation of the Protestant Churches Ans. If the warner had found it seasonable to vent a little more of his true sence in this point he had charged this great crime far more home upon the heade of the Scotes for indeed though they were ever far from denying the true degrees of importance which doe cleerly appeare among the multitude of Christian truthes yet the great quarrell heer of the warner and his freinds against them is that they spoiled the Canterburian designe of reconcealing the Protestant Churches not among themselfes but with the Church of Rome When these good men were with all earnestnes proclaming the greatest controversies of Papists and Protestants to be upon no fundamentalls but only disputable opinions wherein beleefe on either side was safe enough and when they found that the Papists did stand punctually to the Tenets of the Church of Rome and were obstinately unwilling to come over to England their great labour was that the English and the rest of the Protestants casting aside their needlesse beleefe of problematick truths in piety charity and zeale to make up the breach and take away the shisme should be at all the paines to make the journey to Rome While this designe is far advanced and furiously driven on in all the three Kingdomes and by none more in Yreland then the Bishop of Derry behold the rude and plaine blewcapes step in to the play and marre all the game by no arte by no terrour can these be gotten alongs to such a reconciliation This was the first and greatest crime of the Scotes which the Doctor here glances at but is so wyse and modest a man as not to bring it above board The last charge of the Chapter is that the Scotes keep not still that respect to the Bishops of England which they were wont of old in the beginning of Queen Elizabeths reigne Ans. In that letter cited by the warner from the generall assembly of Scotland 1566. Sess. 3. there is no word of approbation to the office of Episcopacy they speake to the Bishops of England in no other quality or relation but as Ministers of the word the highest stile they give them is reverend Pastors and Brethren the tenour of the whole Epistle is a grave and brotherly admonition to beware of that fatall concomitant of the most moderat Episcopacy the troubling of the best and most zealous servants of Christ for idle fruitles Ceremonies How great a reverence the Church of Scotland at that time carried to praelacy may be seen in their supplication to the secret counsell of Scotland in that same assembly the very day and Session wherein they write the letter in hand to the Bishops of England The Arch-Bishop of S. Andrews being then usurping jurisdiction over the ministry by some warrant from the state the Assembly was grieved not only with the popery of that Bishop but with his auncient jurisdiction which in all Bishops Popish and protestant is one and the same That jurisdiction was the only matter of their present complaint and in relation thereto they assure the counsel in distinct tearmes that they would never be more subject unto that usurped tiranny the they would be to the devill himselfe So reverend an opinion had the Church of Scotland at that time of Episcopall jurisdiction But suppone that some fourscore yeares agoe the Scotes before they had tasted the fruits of Protestant Bishops had judged them tolerable in England yet since that time by the long tract of mischiefes which constantly has accompanied the order of praelacy they have been put upon a more accurat inspection of its nature and have found it not only a needles but a noxious and poysonous weed necessare to be plucked up by the root and cast over the hedge Beside al its former malefices it hath been deprehēded of late in the very act of everting the foundations both of Religion and governement of bringing in Popery and Tiranny in the Churches and States of all the three Kingdomes Canterburian self conviction cap. 1. And for these crimes it was condemned killed and buried in Scotland by the unanimous consent of King Church and Kingdom when England thereafter both in their Assembly and Parliament without a discording voice had found it necessary to root out that unhappy plant as long agoe with great wisedome it had been cast out of all the rest of the reformed
only the Presbyters it gives the King power over all persons as subjects but none at all in Ecclesiastick causes Ans. Is there in all this reasoning any thing sound First what article of the covenant beares the setting up of the Presbyterian government in England as it is in Scotland II. If the oath of supremacy import no more then what the Warners expresse words are here that the King is a civil head to see every man doe his duty in his calling let him be assured that no Presbyterian in Scotland was ever contrary to that supremacy III. That the Presbytery is a papacy and that a politicall one the Warner knowes it ought not to be graunted upon his bare word IV. That in Scotland no other governors are acknowledged then Presbyters himselfe contradicts in the very nixt words where he tells that the Scots Presbytery ascribes to the King a power over all persons as subjects V. That any Presbyterian in Scotland makes it sacriledge to give the King any power at all in any Ecclesiastick cause it is a senselesse untruth The Warners arguments are not more idle and weake then his triumphing upon them is insolent for he concludes from these wise and strong demonstrations that the poor covenant is apparently deceitfull unvalide impious rebellious and what not yea that all the learned divines in Europe wil conclude it so that all the covenanters themselfes who have any ingenuity must grant this much and that no knowing English man can deny it but his owne conscience will give him the ly Ans. If the Warner with any seriousnesse hath weighed this part of his owne write and if his mind goe along with his pen I may without great presumption pronounce his judgment to be none of the most solide His following vapours being full of aire we let them evanish only while he mentioneth our charging the King with intentions of changing the Religion and government we answer that we have been most willing alwayes to ascribe to the King good intentions but withall we have long avowed that the praelaticall party have gone beyond intentions to manifest by printed declarations and publick actions their former designe to bring Tiranny upon the States and popery upon the Churches of all the three Kingdomes and that this very write of the Warners makes it evident that this same minde yet remaines within them without the least shew of repentance So long as the conscience of the court is mannaged by men of such principles it is not possible to free the hearts of the most understanding from a great deale of Jealousy and feare to have Religion and lawes still overturned by that factione But the Warner commands us to speake to his Dilemma whither we think it lawfull or unlawfull for subjects to take armes against their prince meerly for Religion We answer that the reasons whereby he thinks to conclude against us on both sides are very poor if we shall say it is unlawfull then he makes us to condemne our selfes because our covenant testifies to the world that we have taken up armes meerly to alter Religion and that we beare no alleadgance to our King but in order to Religion which in plaine tearmes is to our owne humours and conceits Ans. There be many untruthes here in few words first how much reality and truth the Warner and some of his fellowes beleeves to be in that thing which they call Religion their owne heart knowes but it can be no great charity in him to make the Religion of all covenanters to be nothing but their owne humours and conceits Secondly it is not true that Covenanters beare no alleadgance to the King but only in order to religion III. The Parliament of England denied that they took up armes against their King though to defend themselves against the popish praelaticall and malignant faction who were about to destroy them with armes IV. They have declared that their purpose was not at all to alter Religion but to purge it from the corruptions of Bishops and ceremonies that to long had been noxious unto them V. They have oft professed that their armes were taken for the defence of their just liberties whereof the preservation and reformation of Religion was but one The other horne of his Dilemma is as blunt in pushing as the former If we make it lawfull saith he to take up armes for Religion we then justify the independents and Anabaptists wee make way for any that will plant what ever they apprehend to be true Religion by force and to cut the throat of all Magistrats who are in a contrary opinion to them that it is a ridiculous partiality for any to priviledge their own Religion as truth and Gospell Ans. Whether will these men goe at last the strength of this reason is blak atheisme that their is no realty of truth in any Religion that no man may be permitted to take his Religion for any thing more but his owne apprehension which without ridiculous folly he must not praeferre to any other mans apprehension of a contrary Religion this is much worse then the pagane Scepticisme which turned all reality of truth into a meer apprehension of truth wherein their was no certainty at all this not only turnes the most certaine truths even these divine ones of Religion into meer uncertaine conceptions but which is worse it wil have the most orthodoxe beleever so to think speake and act as if the opinions of Independents Anabaptists Turks Jews Pagans or grosse Atheists were as good true and solide as the beleefe of Moyses or Paul were of the truths revealed to them from heaven Secondly we say that subjects defence of their Religion and liberties established by Law against the violent usurpation of Papists Praelats or Malignants is not the planting of Religion by arms much lesse is it the cutting of the throats of al Magistrats who differ in any point of Religion III. In the judgement of the praelaticall party the defensive armes of the Protestants in France Holland and Germany must be al 's much condemned as the offensive armes of the Anabaptists in Munster or of the sectaries this day in England Can these men dreame that the World for their pleasure will so farre divest themselves of all Religion and reason as to take from their hands so brutish and Atheisticall maximes He concluds with a wish of a generall counsel at least of all protestant Churches for to condemne all broatchers of seditious principles Ans. All true covenanters goe before him in that desire being confident that he and his fellowes as they have declined al ready the most solemne assemblies of their owne countries upon assurance of their condemnation so their tergiversation would be al 's great if they were to answer to an oecumenick Synod What I pray would the Warner say in a counsel of protestants for the practise of his party pointed at in his last words I meane their
your Rebell brethren was a special marke of divine providence cleare in so happie successe as he that ran might then have read their ruine writ by the fingar of God had not the blacke cloud of our sinnes eclips'd that light blotted out that handwriting shour'd downe vengeance upon our heads That such earnest pitifull entreatics should be made to strengthen the arme of flesh by Gods people in Gods cause after such divine revelation that this was the appointed time wherein Christs Kingdome was to be exalted on earth that the Saints should flourish laugh sing at the downefull of that man of sinne c. Is a note me thinkes that spoyles all the harmonie of the rest That upon such earnest entreaties the Scots were oblig'd to come in is not to be found among all those easie conditions made their double former returning in peace Their feare of a third warre to passe over their brethrens carkasses to themselves is a strong argument of their guilt that their advise some other assistance had passed over the late agreement made between His Majestie them to promote that horrid rebellion against him That so many intercessions with the King for a moderate reasonable accommodation had been used by them was a relique of Poperie they kept notwithstanding the roformation they had made they did truely supercrogate in that worke no law of the three Kingdomes I take it making them umpires between the King his subjects nor is iâ—… yet revel'd to the world what divine authoritie they had as was pretended in their Remonstrance to come in the name of our Lord Master Iesus Christ to warne the King that the guilt which cleav'd so fast to his throne soul was such as if not timelie repented would involve him his postcritie under the wrath of the everliving God For how moderate how reasonable accommodation they mediated appeares in the 19 propositions to the substance of every one of which their unreasonable brethren adhaered to the end That they were at any time slighted rejected is a mere calumnie of the Reviewer ' he would have told us when where if he could That al they ask'd was not granted was upon unanswerable reasons which His Majestie render'd in his publike Declarations about the Treaties c. That they their fainting brethren were so easilie perswaded to enter into a Covenant together is no great mervaile His Majestie tells them Solemne leagues Covenants… are the common road used in all factions powerfull perturbations of state or Church… by such as ayme to subdue all to their owne will power under the disguizes of holic combinations The expresse articles in the Covenant for the praeservation of Royaltie c. are spun so fine woven so thin as that white vaile can not hide the face of that blacke rebellious divel that is under it Whereof they being conscious that had been very well acquainted with the mysterie no lesse then an whole armie together conduct us to the perfect beholding the sweet countenance of this late Baal Berith as he lies We crave say they leave to beleeve that an accommodation with the King in the way termes you are upon or any as all as the case now stands that shall implie his restitution or shall not provide for his subjection to trial judgement would first not be just before God or man but many wayes evill Secondlie would not be safe 1. The Covenant engaging to the maters of religion publike interests primarilie absolutelie marke that with out any limitation after that to the preservation of the Kings person authoritie but with this restriction marke this too viz. In the preservation of the true religion liberties of the Kingdomes In this case though a Cavallier might make it a question yet who will not rationallie resolve it That the preceding maters of religion the publike interest are to be understood as the principal supreme maters engaged for that of the Kings person authoritie as inferiour subordinate to the other 2. That where persons joyning to make a mutuall covenant if the absent parties shall oppose it the maters contein'd in it surelie that person excludes himselfe from any claime to any benefit therefrom while he continues so refusing opposing So that you see notwithstanding the expresse articles for the preservation of Royaltie His Majestie may be brought to his trial all his posteritie too when the holie brethren can catch them be murder'd at their owne gates according to the expresse sense of severall articles in the Covenant for maintenance of religion libertie And what unkindnesse was here in the Scots to their King Besides whosoever will take the paines to compare the particulars in the Scotish Remonstrance which they brought in their hands when they came in upon the Covenant with those in the accursed Court proceeding against His late Royal Majestie may be able to doe Dorislaw Steel Cooke c. some litle courtesie in their credit pleade for them that they drew not up but onelie transscribed a charge brought long since from Edenburgh to London And yet what unkindnesse was here in the Scots to their King There is yet one thing more whereof upon this mention of Remonstrance Covenant I can not but advertize my reader having but lightlie touch'd upon it before That whereas the Scots in their Covenant confesse before God the world many sinnes whereof they were guiltie for which they desire to be humbled Viz. That they had not as they ought valued the in aestimable benefit of the Gospell That they had not laboured for the puritie power thereof That they had not endeavoured to receive Christ in their hearts marke that nor to walke worthie of him in ' their lives These men tell the King in their remonstrance That they come in the name of their Lord Master Iesus Christ to warne him about the guilt of I know not what sinnes they there heape together upon his soul. A very likelie storie to beleeve That Christ had sent them into England with this covenanting paper in their hands who had shut him out of doores very latelie would not receive him into their hearts Notwithstanding all the pretended glorious successe obteined more by the name then exploits of the Scotish armie the opposite partie was not so fullie subdued but that the multitude of garrisons beside Newarke which might have cost them deare surrender'd after His Majesties leaving Oxford make a great flame in the Burning bush which your zealous friend Iohn Vicars hath kindled You will hardlie perswade any your judicious comparers of this your preface with the many treacherous practices you had used that His Majestie in the greatest necessitie would not have chosen rather to have cast himselfe into the mercilesse yet more
this wild monster out of the world Which accurate Remonstrance of the Bishops carying with it the highest authoritie of their Assemblie acts provincial general of the concurrent sense in the writings of many their deified Divines prevail'd with all impartial advertend persons to bring this glittering Godesse of the Scotsh discipline to the touch to discover all the dirt drosse whereof every limbe of her is made reduc'd many her before incautious worshipers to a better practice of their dutie opinion of the Catholike truth So that the shrine trade being very likelie to goe downe the craftsmen's gaine to faile this Demetrius as it hapens at a distance from the great companie of his brethren adviseth onelie with one of his tribe 3. or 4. the idolatrous worshipers of his imaginations cries aloud in print Magna est Diana Great is Diana of the Scots yea so great he makes her in the very first page of his booke as if she were Queen of heaven earth no other divine providence but hers able to recover as he speakes the wofullie confounded affaires of the King no other nations hands upon the earth but the Antiprelatical be the instruments to effect it Whereas they are at this time the most inconsiderable faction in His Majesties Dominions being kept at a bay by the present tyrannie in England having such distractions divisions among themselves so intermingled with a Royal Independent partie that let them talke or write what they will they can make no muster roll of their owne strength durst they speake out their desires or could their guilt permit them an assurance of securitie protection they would with all their hearts take sanctuarie in the person aswell as hitherto they have done an abused authoritie from the name of their King cast themselves with their covenant their claimes to all former concessions even touching their discipline at his foot But desperatione ultima in furorem animus convertitur instead of that they turne despaire into madnesse hoping onelie for some miracle to be wrought by the hand of God that they may have companie in their ruyne Naturali quodam deploratae mentis affectiu morientibus gratissimum est commori But we are told the hopes of such hypocrites shall perish That they shall be cut of their trust be but a spiders web Having done his crie he begins to chop logike with the Bishop complaines of his method though most apposite to the purpose calls for Scripture Fathers Reason as if disciplinarian practical instances required the strength of any of the three unlesse the vertuous precedents of Father Iohn of Leyden or Kniperdolin should come in as they may in judgement against the Scots He admits of the Bishops proofes I am very glad he doth but as by tenets belonging litle or nothing to the main question Whereas if The overthrowing the rights of Magistrates to convocate Synods c. Chapt. 2. Subjecting the supreme to their censures chap. 5. Chcating him of his civile power in order to religion ch 7. be but by tenets Their challenging this exorbitant power by divine right ch 8. That the exercise of it is hurtfull to all orders of men chap. 12. Belong litle or nothing to the maine questions about the discipline it should seem we must climbe heaven for the height of the controversie see whether it will suffer God any more then the King to sit sure in his throne have the supreme government of the world The heape of calumnics he mentions is a faythfull collection of historicall narrations which requires not the credulitie of the simple but the search of sedulous people if distrusted who may take the other bookes in their way satisfie themselves about what passages he pretends to be detorted If any of the Bishops allegations are coincident with them in Lysimachus Nicanor Isachars burden they have two witnesses at least to quit them at the barre need not stand to the mercie of Iudge Baylie for their pardon Whatsoever were the sufferings of the authours Mr. Corbet Mr. Maxwell the Reverend Arch-Bishop of Towmond truth integritie ought not to be danted The hand of heaven is not allwayes guided by the mouth nor Gods judgements discernd by the eye of the Disciplinarian brethren though most commonlie we heare of no lesse then the murder of the best men when they make themselves dispensers of his punishments I am crediblie informed that Mr. Corbet was murderd by the Irish the Arch-Bishop stript naked left desperatelie wounded but by Gods mercie recover'd since died a natural death What spirit it is that hath cosind Mr. Baylie into this uncharitable beliefe of Gods strange punishments in their ends or rather fram'd contrarie to his conscience this rash judgement in his mouth I leave to the Christian reader to conjecture Had the like befallen any couple of his brethren he would have writ with their bloud some red letters in the Calendar made them currentlie passe for two Martyrs of the discipline If what the Bishop they have jointlie published be fullie aswered by Mr. Baylie in his booke printed at London Edenburgh Amsterdam because the weight of the presse addes every time more strength to his arguments for I know not else to what purpose he mentions the severall impressions he might have sav'd this labour of Reviewing publish'd a fourth editon of it at Delfe After so much praejudice the Bishop is beholding to you for his hearing since you have tasted the sweetnesse of his spirit sobernesso of his language in his first page you doe well to spit out the bitternesse of your owne in a mad epistle before your booke If any regard had been wanting in his Lordship to the passages of Scripture whereupon you build your Antiepiscopal tenets the quotations would have been some what more numerous in your Review That no reverence should be required to the harmonic of the Reformed he takes care in the third paragraph of his booke where he sayth he hopes there is nothing whereof he convicteth you but will be disavowed… by all the Protestant Churches in the world which it should seem they may doe yet agree with you in the maine of your discipline for you calld all those but by-tenets ev'n now That they doe so beyond a non admission to a rejection of our Episcopacie as Antichristian between which as I take it there is some difference I desire you to tell us where What respect the Bishop beares to the Civile Magistrate lawes appeares best by his vindication of just authoritie to them both against your disciplinarian incroachments His Lordship doth not forget by what authoritie your discipline is established though the extravagance of your practices stands not justified by that which you pretend to If your rule doth it doth not quit it selfe of censure in
he that is read in your opinions actions will take it for granted that you must pay the acknowledgement of your Presbyterie to the Sanhedrin your sects conversion to the lewes If you will impudentlie crowd it into the companie of the first Christians that came into Scotland you can not denie but that for some part of the Centuries you speake of it was confin'd to the monkes colls never came to clamour at the Court the poore Culdiis with a great deale more humilitie pietie then the Covenanters caried it in their cowles Rev. … after the reformation there was no Bishop in that land Ans. The reformation you meane began the day before or after the Greeke Calends if you will helpe me to an account of the one I shall know how to order the aera of the other Many yeares confusion there was of Poperie Presbyterie Superintendencie The reform'd Episcopacie could never get ground till King James set it forward then it went not far before it met with your violent encounter by Sword Covenant which never suffered the crowne nor Miter to stand long unshaken till both were held up by the Armes of England the Kings person secure at a distance to command you That ever such a thing as reformed Presbyterie according to the Canon in your Discipline had the free positive consent of King Parliament without which it can not legallie passe for the Religion of your Kingdome I denie to be visible any where in your storie Rev. … till the yeare 1610. Ans. That yeare did indeed complete the Episcopal power which King James had by degrees piouslie industriouslie promoted many yeares before Rev. … When Bancrost did consecrate three Scots Ministers c. Ans. A brother of yours tells us they were consecrated by Bishop Abbot As evil as their report was the men were not so bad as their names need be in charitie conceled They were Iohn Spotswood Andrew Lamb Gawin Hamilton Bishops of Glasgow Brechen Galloway Who enjoy now their reward in heaven for the râ—…viling they had on earth it being for Gods sake his Church according to our Saviours promise St. Matth. 5. 11. The first was a man for zeale to the Church fidelitie to the King prudence in Government constancie under affliction singular inimitable indeed for his excellent gifts onelic hatefull to the Disciplinarians though especiallie because he through long experienec was of all Scotish men best acquainted with ablest to detect their crosse wayes to the King all Soveraigne Magistracie He died piouslie peaceablie at Westminster in the second yeare of this rebellion was buried in the Abbey Church The second was a great assiduous preacher even when he was blinde through extreme age He also died in peace with the good report of all except these calumniatores who hold that no Bishop can be an honest man whose invention is so rich of nothing as reproaches against better men then themselves The third was a reverend Praelate of great parts singular learning a most constant preacher who lived in peace died in his bed Rev. … that violent Commissioner the Earle of Dunbar Ans. His violence did not carie him beyond his Commission because he executed that upon the rebellious Aberdene Assemblers would not take off some of his kindred or acquaintance who were in the jurie that deliberatelie cast them in their verdict nor intercede for their stay in Scotland being desir'd you here meet with him at the Synod of Glasgow Which being at large prov'd legitimate in every circumstance required by law is in vaine condem'd as null by your faction Nor was it corrupt in any more then three members of about 140. who being rotten drop of from the close union harmonious suffrage of the rest Rev … got authorized in some part of the Bishops office Ans. I hope you will not denie that Bishops were authorized to ordaine in this Synod And into how many particulars their power of jurisdiction was branched your brother very pittifullie complaines… jurisdictio in omnibus offendiculis sive in doctrina sive in moribus … Armantur … potestate exauctorandi ministros suspensionis censuram irrogandi excommunicationem decernendi c. you may reade the rest then tell us what part of their office was left out Rev. Superintendents are no where the same with Bishops much lesse in Scotland Ans. That they are aequivalent to Bishops is evident by the conformitie in their offices power The particulars whereof His Lordship recites out of the fourth sixt heads of your 1. Book Discipl To which upon my Review I could adde some more if those were not enough Their ambulatorie commission was no other then our Bishops ambulatorie visitation If your onclic in the time before have any influence here exempt them from all duties in their visitation but preaching the word c. you cut of three parts of their injunction in the Discipline If they were onelie as you say for a time it concerneâ—… you to tell us where they ceas'd denie there were any since or ever shall be more but upon some future new plantation in your Churches Being pressed about obtruding your Discipline you tell us For the Eâ—…clesiastike enjoyning of a general Assemblies decrees a particular ratisication of Parliament is unnecessarie Which holds not where the particular decrees of your Assemblie transgresse the general intent of that Act whereby you are authoriz'd to meet That relates to the times and matters to be treated of In the former you are limited to custome or praescription In the later to the doctrine discipline receiv'd Which are therefore ratified in such Acts together with your Assemblies Presbyterie Sessions that obedience might be render'd upon the visible conformitie of your decrees injunctions to that rule But to make any Act of Parliament so general as to ratisie at adventure all possible arbitrarie commamds of your Assemblie to the altering of the doctrine or discipline established were to praecontract affinitie with all sects haeresies to enter into an implicite league or Covenant with the Devil about his worship so it may be de futuro ad placitum Synodi generalis Let me put this case suppose a general Assemblie should by an Ecclesiastical decree enjoyne the canons of that Antichristian government against which you praetend your discipline is framed Whether or no is that injunction authentike upon the general A of Parliament for their Assembling without a particular ratification thereof I might adde how ridiculous it is for you to make the power of your Assemblies so absolute yet trouble King Parliament so often with your importunate petitions to passe what is fullie ratified before that by their owne General Acts including that very particular for which you supplicate The debates about the second booke of Discipline I
beleeve But that in the Assemblie 1590. the Kings consent to it was obtaind I can sooner admit upon undeniable authoritie then your Logike you pretend not to the perpetuitie of His Majesties personal praesence which was but some times it should seem not at that time of general consent Nor is your Act for subscription so cleare in the assurance you give us that His Majesties Commissioner was there you onelie take it for granted he was among the herd Nor so explicite in his positive consent you onelie collect it from a clowdie universal to serve your turne honour him with a primacie in suffrage Wherein you are a litle redundant in courtesie there having been a time when if His Majestie or His Commissioner siting in Assemblie should denie his voyce to any thing which appear'd unjust repugnant to his lawes yet it that were concluded by most voyces you would tell him he was bound jure divino to inforce obedience to your Act. The case for ought I know stood no otherwise here in this Assemblie Where to discountenance the testimonie you bring you have been told long before now That the superintendents of Angus Lothian Fife c. George Hayes Commissioner from the North. Arbuthnoth of Aberdene others were dissenters from this Act about the discipline whereby His Majesties or His Commissioners consent becomes somewhat improbable to the authoritie whereof such men as they had in prudence submitted if not in dutie by their silence That States-men in Parliament oppos'd it is evident That the King ever endeavourd to get it passe is your single assertion Neque usquam sictum neque pictum neque scriptum If your Church did it was for want of worke for you told us even now To this a particular ratisication of Parliament was unnecessarie What the Bishops opinion is about the patrimonie of the Church how farre by whom what part of it may be law fullie alienated when just occasion is given I praesume His Lordship freelic faythfullie will declare In the meane time his chalenge against the Scotish Presbyterians is without hypocrise injustice Himselfe many other good Prelates having ever aesteem'd it a fault to call the annexing some part of the Church revenues unto the crowne a detestable sacriledge before God Nor can Mr. Baylie instance in any indefinite disputes including all that hath been or shall be given to the Church that have hapened since the first reformation between the Kings of England their Bishops Who had they found their Princes rapacious sequestratours would not have failed in their dutie modestlie to admonish them of the danger yet had it may be abstained from calling them theeves murderers peculiar termes characteristical of the Discipline-To which I thinke I shall doe no injustice if I assert that the revenues of Bishops Dcanes Arch-deacous of Chapellries Friaries of all orders together with the sisters of the seenes abstracting from the favour of Princes no more belong to the Scotish Presbyters then they doe to the Mufties of the Turke The intention of the doners having never been that such strange catell should feed in their pastures Nor can M. Baylie shew me any law that makes him heir to Antichrist or a just inheriter of his lands Beside methinkes the weake stomack'd brethren should take checke at the meate offered unto idols any silken sould Presbyter be too nice to array himselfe in the ragges of Rome or be cloth'd at that cost that belong'd to the idolatrous Priesthood of Baal But it may be in the heate of Reformation they went to worke with the coyning irons which they more then once got into their possession with them altered the impression of the beast And the mattokes shoucls Which other armes being wanting they very often tooke in their hands were possiblie onelie to turne up the Church land whereever crop had been reap't by Antichrist that abominable glebe went downe to the center of the earth What he talkes about the Praelatical jus divinum their taking possessions by commands from Court without a processe requires his instance then he shall have his answer In the interim he playes the hypoctite in a question What if then the Disciplinarians had gone to advance that right to all jusdivinum when the Assemblie at Edenburgh did so April 24. 1576. But he sayth all the Scots can be challeng'd for is a mere declaration of their judgement simple right in a supplication to the Regents Grace 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 These Scots judgement was not allwayes in righteousnesse and their simplicitie in supplicates had many times more of the Lion then the Lambe Witnesse that to the Queen Regent 1559. where they declare their judgements freelie as true faithfull subjects they tell her yet this is the style of that declaration …Except this crueltie be stayed by your wisdome We shall be compelled to take the sword of just defense c. …If ye give eare to their pestilent counsel…neither ye neither yet your posteritie shall at any time after this finde that obedience faythfull service within this Realme which at all times ye have found in us In the assemblies supplications to the Lords of secret Councel May 28. 1561. the second article annexed to which was for the maintenance of the ministerie this Before ever these tyrants dumbe dogs Empire above us…we…are fullie determin'd to hazard life whatsoever we have recived of God in temporall things…And let these enemies of God assure themselves That if your Honours put not order unto them That we shall shortlie take such order That they shall neither be able to doe what they list neither yet to live upon the sweat of the browe December 25. 1566. They order requiring instead of Supplicating Churh censures to the disobedient Their sixt head of Church rents in the first booke of Discipline runnes very imperiouslie upon the must The Gentlemen Barons c. must be content to live upon their just rents suffer the Kirke to be restored to her libertie And Jul. 21. 1567. They tell them they shall doe it shall passe nothing in Parliament untill it be done That ever any assemblie in Scotland did make any other addresse to the Parliament for stipend then by way of such humble supplication I grant is a great untruth Nor were onelie the birds thus petition'd for but time after time all tithes rents whatsâ—…ever could be comprized under the patrimonie of the Church were demanded as insolentlie as could be which meetes me every where in their storie as frequentlie as Mr. Baylies dissembling falsifying in his Review In the last instance the Bishop denies not but there was a time when a kinde of Presbyteries was legallie approv'd receiv'd And this I presume he will admit to be after the Assemblie 1580. About which allreadie you have indeed alledged more untruth then you
of raskals at Edenburgh From protesting they mount up to covenanting by that engage multitudes of people to attend them at pleasure in affronting His Majesties Commissioner With whom when they came to capitulate they gave this extraordinarie answer That they would rather renounce their baptisme then Covenant good Christians or abate one word or syllable of the literal rigour of it If Mr. Baylie hath any minde to goe farther I shall desire him to step up beyond the preachers perswading the people to arme themselves to meet in the streets dutifullie to enterâ—…aine His Majesties proclamation Their protestations against that the rest with such loyal expressions as this That if the King will not call a general Assemblic which shall allow of their proceedings they themselves will Their branding the subscription of their owne confession of fayth with the most hideous horrible name of the very depth policie of Satan Their pulpit imprecations God scatter them in Israel divide them in Iacob who where the authours of this scattering divisive counsel of whom as â—…range as it seeme the King againe must be principal Their grand imposture in Michelson a mayd about whom their Ministers cosin'd the people into an implicite fayth that she was inspired by God while the vented their devillish rebellion in her fits Rollokes blasphemous praetense for his silence That he durst not speake while his Master was speaking in her Another having these words in his Sermon Let us never give over till we have the King in our power Another That the sharpest warre was rather to be endur'd then the least errour in doctrine or discispline Their maintaining this position among the rest That it is lawfull for subjects to make a Covenant combination without the King to enter into a band of mutual defense against the King all persons whatsoever Their laying open the true meaning of their protesting Covenanting Arming c. That Scotland had been too long a Monarchie that they could never doe well so long as one of the Stuarts was alive Their raising an armie for their extirpation meeting K. Ch. 1. to that purpose in the field Their renewing continuing the warre when their first designe had been obstructed by His Majesties unexpected unwelcome grant of their demands Their reasonable dealing with the King when he unhappilie made their Armie his refuge by cheating his pious facilitie of his strength delivering up his naked person to their fellow Rebells upon conditions litle coulorable in words not at all justifiable in substance sense Their laying chaines upon His Majestie when a prisoner linking his crowne with iron propositions Beside what was acted at Derbie house otherwhere in the darke not improbablie agreed on at Câ—…nthia's midnight Revells when Cromwell was in Scotland And all this under the fallacie of exstraordinarie resisting reforming And now let Mr. Baylie looke not up to the starres but downe into the depth of hell where that maxime was hammer'd before ever Gilespie fild it over see whether it were not the fountaine of all our miseries the cause of the losse of our late Soveraigne The quaestion that followes about defensive armes though there hath been no such thing as a free Parliament without freedome 't is none I returne on himselve demand Did ever his Majestie or any of his advised Counsellers I adde Did ever loyal Parliament in England or Scotland declare or intimate in what cases how extraordinarie so ever they thought it lawfull I retort this The unhappinesse of the Disciplinarian Presbyters did put the seditious part of the Parliament on these courses which did begin promote all our miserie And were so wicked as to the very last to endeavour to breake the bands asunder of reason justice honour a well informed conscience wherein His Majestie professed to the world the hand of God the lawes of the land had bound him The peaceable possession of His Majesties Kingdomes depends not upon his Clergies conditionate consent to have Episcopacie layd aside A handfull of Scots with an hypocritical Assemblies beâ—…ediction in their knapsackes could they hold their wind when they got over Tweed swell up to the picture of Boreas in the face would not be mistaken for probable Vmpires or over-ruling Elders in the quarell Nor can Mr. Baylie possesse any prudent men of the loyallay partie that that order obstructs the King from his happinesse Why it may not be layd aside the unanswerable reasons in the 9. 17. chapters of Eik Basil. His Royal fathers booke will abundantlie satisfie any man that will rest in what he can not denie Where he will finde enough of such devout Rhetorike Religious logike as this I must now in charitie be thought desirous to praeserve that Government in its right constitution as a mater of Religion wherein both my judgement is sullie satisfied that it hath of all other the fullest Scriptures grounds also the constant practice of all Christan Churches till of late yeares the tumultuarinesse of people or the factioâ—…siresse pride of Presbyters Reviewe that Mr. Baylie or the covetousnesse of some States Princes gave occasion to some menâ—… wits to invent new modells propose them under specious titles of Christs Government Scepter Kingdome which are the Scotish titles as I take it the better to serve their turnes to whom the change was beneficial The reasons that convinc'd the Royal Father have so confirm'd the Royal Sonne His Majestie now being that Mr. Baylie dares not say what he so praesumptuouslie intimates that he ever asked the consent of his Canterburian Praelates to the alteration of that government If without asking they spontaneouslie spake their conscience in due season there was litle boldnesse in it as litle in printing which hath been often as much more at large in volumes about the unlawfullnesse of subjects taking up of armes where Parliaments have unanswerablie been proved to be such though the name of tyrannie is very unhandsomelie unjustie maliciouslie used in this case let him speake out if he meanes to attribute it to the King CHAPTER III. The last appeale to the supreme Magistrate justifiable in Scotland THe Bishop consider'd that the Kings supremacie is the same in Scotland as in England upon that grounds the aequitie of ultimate appeale The altissimò either of the Parliament or Assemblie puts them not above the capacitie of Courts so makes them not coordinate with the King What allayes you have for government I know not therefore can not close with you in the terme till you give me an undisputable definition of the thing which you call a moderate Monarchie tell me in what part of the world I may finde it I know of none any where yet that inhibites appeales to the Kings person If the Empire may be the standerd to the rest the learned
Aderton his slander against the two reverend Bishops of Downe London Derric The Ministers rigour vindictive pleading hath ever multiplied in Scotland the widowes fatherlesse the deadlie feuds having been ever continued received by them when they saw it tend to their advantage so that the bloud shed by murderers of their making may be trulie aesteem'd the seed of their Church Which duelie considered demonstrable in their storie should deterre any cautelouc Christian from their communion who by that partaking in their guilt can exspect from heaven no benefit of his prayers Gods curse in the Prophet concerning them nearer then any ministrie in the world When ye spread forth your hands I will hide mine eyes from you yea when ye make many prayers I will not heare Your hands are full of bloud The historie of that time though very partiallie falselie related by the Reviener were it not can not justifie the insolence in their discipline wherein they do not occurre to the inconvenience praetended the impunitie of murder procur'd then by some importunate powerfull solicitours but despightfullie scratch out the image of God in his Anoynted pull downe his praerogative attribute of mercie which hath a season of priviledge above justice if that passe with Mr. Baylie for any of his workes What I meane I collect from this clause In the feare of God we signifie unto your Honours that whosoever perswades you that ye may pardon where God commandeth death deceives your souls provokes you to offend Gods Majestie where not onelie the act of impunitie is condemn'd but all power to pardon in any case denied Which God never practis'd himselfe nor exacted in the rigour from his Kings Beside the case hath been know'n when the Presbyters themselves became the powerfull sollicitours to the King drew a pardon for murder from his hand against his heart as they did from K. Ch. 1. for Mr. Thomas Lambe a preaching brother who stab'd a young man of Leith with a ponyard betwixt Leith the Abbey of Haliryd House upon the Lords day in the afternoon in the time of the Assemblie Parliaments sitting To whom the King used this speach Ministers must be pardoned though slaughterors 〈◊〉 other men must suffer for a words speaking reflecting upon one Mr. Iohn Stuart who suffer'd for saying that Argile had spoken about deposing the King How they professed their Church to be reformed by the murder of David Rizio the King called a weake man because he would not vouch it I have shewed more particularlie in their storie Yet I hope Mr. Baylie who is too rigid when he comes next in the Rebell-Commission will be no sollicitour for any act of oblivion That if the King gives not what satisfaction they finde necessarie due he the other bloud-hounds will articulate their crie into justice justice or lie downe in their armes to execute it themselves even upon His Majestie himselfe for he hath allreadie encircled him within the object of the Discipline may be fairlie collected from hence as from what he told us in his Epistle That you may preach unto Magistrates that according to Scriptures murderers â—…ught to die even Erastus will grant you Yea that in some cases you may rebuke exhort admonish threaten denounce judgements aswell as preach promises according to the examples of the Prophets But he puts you in minde that this they did onelie under impious Kings no Davids no Salomons no more must you assume this libertie under Iame's Charle's pious prudent just Kings If you should have an unhappie occasion to exercise it under other you must goe no faâ—…ther no excommunication which is order'd in your Discipline He calls for your texts he answers your arguments he helpes you to instances of Ioab whose murder could not safelie be punished of Absalom whose for some reason was neglected He demands whether these men went not into the Temple nor communicated in the Sacraments with this impunitie about them I have no way to be rid of you but as Mr. Selden they say was of the whole packe of your clamouring brethren at London who layd Erastus booke open before them bid them answer him Which dismounted their tailes put a gag in their mouthes so that I heare he was never troubled with them afterward E. Huntley's case hath been caried to the mint comes now out with a new stampe of the Assemblie at a losse till their Father behind them scatters his kindnesse among his prodigal sonnes bids them lavish out his inexhaustible stocke of calumnies as they please What the Bishop hath granted you about the guilt of the three Lords I have no commission to retract What you aggravate about E. Huntley's apostacie after seeming repentance frequent relapses doth at the worst but argue his adhaerence in heart to the Romish religion This added to his banding with the King of Spain which you pricke into some blanke papers subseribed with his hand the rest taken out of Dr. Kerre's pocket as he was shiping over upon your excommunicating banning picke out of some other such as litle could be made of at that time when it should have been most advantageous is not enough to justifie that rigour alleadged by the Bishop The truth of what followes shall be left to the ingenuitie of your judicious aequitable comparers by laying your relation to that of more authentike historians whose record is this Bothwell after many murders misdemeanours having broke prison endeavours to get the King Chancellar Maitland into his power to which end he sets fire to both their chambers by violence makes his entrance into the Queenes For this some of his complices were hang'd the Kings proclamation publish'd against him prohibites any man to harbour him The Earle Huntley upon the Chancellars intreatie raiseth some power to surprice him with which he besets Earle Murray's house where Bothwell was entertaind Murray in defense of him slaine For this soon after was E. Huntley imprison'd till having put in caution to appeare at a publike trial he had his libertie given him to goe home Murray's friends had not patience to wait the leisure of the law but worke revenge upon all advantages they could get Bothwell having been this while conceal'd in England enters Scotland in armes assaults the King in his palace at Fawlkland but being beaten off makes another escape The Assemblie failing of the successe they hop'd for in Bothwells attempt praevaile for the banishing of Papists confiscation of their goods Bothwell finding no good welcome in England gets away gaines a private opportunitie by his friends to be secretlie conveigh'd into the Kings chamber where he begs his pardon upon his knees obtaines it yet the next day makes a tumult in the Court caries away diverse of the Kings servants The King which may seem strange for the safetie of
his person was faine to put away his friends of greatest trust the Chancellor Treasurer Baron Humes c. but within a moneth repents him appeales to his Nobles by their advice recalls them yet permits Bothwell to depart The Ministers are angrie that the Papists are not persecuted by fire sword They assemble without the Kings order call together the Barons Burgers Bothwell enters againe with 400. Horse as farre as Leith makes proclamation summons all in to defen'd religion put away evil Counsellers sends it to the Synod at Dunbar which favour'd it The same day he marcheth against 3000. of the Kings forces neare Edenburgh fainteth in his businesse and gets away to the borders Queen Elizabeth sets out a proclamation against him yet presseth the King for proscription of Papists The Lords are but few that meet expresse some reluctance at it The Ministers Burgers are many which vote it take their armes downe out of the windowes c. Argile is sent against them beaten The King drawes toword them permits three of Huntley's houses to be pull'd downe Huntley escapes to his Aunt in Sutherland thence into France These were Huntley's notorious crimes multiplied outrages which cryed up to the God of heaven Out of which let the world judge what reason the Ministers those mercifull men of God had to give such warning crie to the Iudges of the earth to shed his bloud That appearance with display'd banner against the King in person should be made an article against him by Mr. Baylie a loyal peaceable assertour of ten yeares armed rebellion in three Kingdomes I dare not adventure my spleen to discourse on but in Mr. Baylies language hope by his good advise the Prelates will no more Lull ' Princes asleep in such a sinfull neglect of their charge but breake off their slumber by wholesome seasonable admonitions from the word of God such as that Prov. 10. A wise King seatercth the wicked bringeth the wheel over them Or what other texts their Lordships better know applicable to the most just necessarie chastisment of schismatikes Rebells About E. Angus Errol you thinke your selfe not concern'd to make answer because your brother Presbyter Mr. Rob. Bruce gave King Iames leave to recall them but with this considerable sentence against E. Huntley Well Sir you may doe as you list But chuse you you shall not have me the E. Huntley both for you Pretie humble soules who can weigh downe the chiefest Earles in the ballancing of a state In the next paragraph you dawbe with untemper'd morter such as can never keep the Kings right to any Ecclesiastike revenue the claime of the Discipline together For having comprehended in the patrimonie of the Kirke all things without exception given or to be given to that the service of God All such things as by law or custome or use of Countreys have been applied to the use utilitie of the Kirke 2. book Disc. ch 9 And call'd them theeves murderers without exception of persons that alienate any part of this patrimonie 1. books Disc 6. head you are the innocent dove that here bring us newes That the Church never spoyld the King of any tithes while those birds of spoyle your forefathers have left him neither eare nor straw to possesse But to deale with you at your owne weapon in your words If the King never had any first fruits then as the Bishop sayth you are the Popes that with-held it by you that were the Reformers was that point of papacie maintained If he neither had nor demanded to what purpose toke you such paines to obtaine in favour of the Church to have it declar'd in Parliament That all benesices of cure under Praelacies shall in all time coming be fee of the first yeares fruits fift penie the Ministers have their significations of presentation past at the Privie seale upon His Majesties owne subscription his secretaries onelie without any payment or caution to his Treasurer for the sayd first fruits fift penie About tithes you say His Majestie the Church had never any controversie in Scotland How agrees this with your Declaratour in his appendix to the maintenance of your sanctuarie When the minor-age of a good King had been abused to the making of a law whereby the most of these rents first fruits Tithes the lands belonging to Bishoprikes were annexed to the crowne the Church very earnestlie do labour for restitution never gave over till these lawes were repealed If you review your records you will finde in the yeare 1588. that you had a plea with which you call an earnest suit to His Majestie about patronages such considerable opposition as put you upon inhibiting all commissioners Presbyteries to give collation or admission to any person praesented by authoritie from the King And to omit many a greater you had before with the Queen Anno 1565 The Nobilitie Gentrie were more beholding to your impotencie then patience for peace What gracious men yon have shewd your selves since your Rebell-Parliament got that incumbent power into your hands your congregations would speake if they durst whom you feed with the bread of violence with that you cover them as a garment So that whether the Presbyterie be not as good patrons of the people as they are vassals to the King need never more be quaestion'd in Scotland Whether by the wickednesse of Praelates or Presbyters the King Church were cousin'd of the tither will appeare by them that bragg'd most when they were most endanger'd by the sequestring the other patrimonie from the Church which I finde to be the Presbyters that could not keep councel but boasted they had given a seasonable blow unto the Bishops That legitimate power in the Magistrate the Bishop pleades for King James never declared to be a sinne against Father Son or Holy Ghost nor did ever the patrons of Episcopacâ—…e oppose it That changeling you here substitute in the roome calls you Father by the ridiculous posture in which it stands your friend Didoclave had more ingenuitie then to inferre a claime to the power of preaching celebrating the Sacraments upon the power of iurisdiction over Ecclesiastical persons derived upon the King from his praedecessours in England given them by a statute Verba statuti de jurisdictione non de simplici functionum sacrarum administratione intelligenda esse quis dubitat The well grounded consequences which you call Castles in the aire will hereafter batter your Presbyterie to the ground when Princes shal retract their too liberal indulgence take a courageous resolution to claime their own relie upon Gods providence to maintaine it King Iames had given you the practical meaning of his wise sentence seven yeares before he spake it at St. Andrews For as you may very well remember when His
which all the rest of your treason 's contrived there being no fraudulent possibilitie Ecclesâ—…astike nor Politike which your Sinon Assemblie hath not cunninglie lodg'd in the bellie the winding entrailes the maeanders of the Covenant Your clause in the parenthesis when the bolts are off set at libertie tells us your meaning is this Let the Kings person children continue imprison'd His Queen Prince c. banished His revenue sequester'd his life be irrecoverablie endanger'd rather then those of the Scottish Presbyterian partie for the rest you can not excommunicate out of your nation though not in your covenant should run the hazard of their lives estates Which was the true result of your debate agreement That you heard no complaint when many of the thirtie propositions were pressed was because your eares were stopt against the lamentations of everie English Jeremic that wept for the slaine of the daughter of his people being such an Assemblie as the nextâ—…verse describes you That an out crie as you call it is made when onelie one proposition is stucke upon is because that one streightneth the bands of your wickednesse layes heavier burdens upon the shoulders of innocencie will not let the oppressed goe free And then Gods Prophets are call'd upon to crie aloud not to spare to lift up their voyce like a trumpet c. This one was that the yeilding to which would most of all have violated His Majesties conscience in reference to which he tells you 'tis strange there can be no method of peace but by making warre upon his soul. Yet let the case be disputable your tender excusable at least in respect of the time which you say was not to be before His Majesties rescue but onelie before his bringing to London c. If so why was not His Majestie first rescued delivered out of the hands of the Sectaries then your proposition insisted on The Bishop tells you the reason out of Humble advice Edenb Jun. 10. 1648. viz. lest his libertie might bring your by gone proceedings about the league Covenant into quaestion All honest Christians loyal subjects though heathen are of the same beliefe with his Lordship whatsoever is their opinion in generall expect that you prove the innocence or justice of conditioning in this particular with your confess'd captive King Concerning the absolute soveraignitie of Kings you are other where answer'd if not satisfied may finde more worke made you by the famous Grotius whose booke was manifestlie penned against you your usurping brother-Rebells of England bids defiance to all your Didoclaves Buchanans Brutus's of both nations till replied to But away with your counterfeit inclination to treaties which you ever abhorred like death fearing in that peace there could be no peace for your wicked selves therefore gave publike thankes to God for delaying your torments in the disappointment of that at the Isle of Wight aswell by your plots devices as by the Sectaries armed-force The holinesse of this religious proposition was but the blinde under favour of which you stalked made safer approaches to His Majesties murder by another never hitherto repeald immutablie design'd Nor are there many of your publike papers but forespake the destruction of his Royal Person and Familie unlesse he submitted to the tyrannie of your tearmes and whether that had quitted him as much from your judgement as it assuredlie had from his supremacie and crownes may be guessed by the experiment he made in his first too full fatal concessions which your own Parliament Acts have registred completelie satisfactorie to the demands or desires of all sorts of people in Scotland which too indulgent paternal goodnesse having turn'd into poison you regorg'd in his face by a foreigne invasion and a base mercenarie rebellion till like evening wolves you rent in peices and prey'd upon his person in the darke The proposition I meane is that for which one of your sectarian brethren calls God Angels and Men to judge of your dissembling in pressing a personal treatie when His Majestie formerlie desiring one you told him There having been so much innocent bloud of his good subjects shed in this warre by His Majesties commands and commissions … you conceive that untill satisfaction and securitie be first given to both his Kingdomes His Majesties coming to London could not be convenient nor by you assented to What satisfaction you meane we know by your Discipline which makes murder unpardonable and then I pray what securitie could be taken but his life If the granting this one proposition you stand upon concerning Religion and the Covenant had draw'n after it as it seemes by your silence the satisfaction for bloud and securitie for your peace We may clearlie conclude your Religion was murder and no resting Canaan for your Covenant but in His Majesties death Which in effect was thus foretold him by that bold Henderson My soul trembleth to thinke and to foresee what may be the event if this opportunitie be neglested He would not use he said the words of Mordecai to Esther because he hoped beter things Whereas if his hopes faild him we may well argue he had us'd them as you doe that survive him in your endeavour that he and his fathers house should be destroy'd But that you take confession to be the Doctrine of Antichrist you mâ—…ght without an ironie put an â—…ce to your own being criminous to the purpose in declaring against the Parliaments debates which if therfore needlesse and impertinent because you thinke or will have them thought to be so the Great Councel you make but a subordinate Eldership or Classe to the supreme Assemblie of your Kiâ—…ke You are not allwayes so modest as to keep your distance from your English Parliaments affaires We have for many yeares found you like loving beagles upon eithers concernment so closelie coupled in the slip of your Covenant as if when the game should be lost upon eithers default you meant to be truss'd up together for companie If it be proper to have any King in Scotland the proper place of debate about his negative voice is as well a free Parliament there as in England If your lawes admit not of that they admit of no King whose Regalitie consisteth in that nor hath he any legislative authoritie without it It is the argument of your own Commissioners who use to fetch their Syllogismes from the Assemblie therfore you that made it are best able to solve it Their or your words are these The quaestion is where in his the Kings Royal authoritie and just power doth consist And we affirme and hope it can not be denied That Regal power and authoritie is chieslie in making and enaciing lawes and in protecting and desending their subjects which are of the very essence and being of all Kings And the exercise of that power are the chiefe parts and duties of their Royal
office and function And the scepter and sword are the badges of that power Yet the new praeface compared with other parts of these new propositions takes away the Kings negative voice and cuts off all Royall power and right in the making of lawes contrarie to the constant practice of this and all other Kingdomes For the legislative power in some Monarchies is penes Principem solum … in other … by compact between the Prince and the People … In the last the power of the King is least but best regulated where neither the King alone without his Parliament nor the Parliament without the King can make lawes … which likewise is cleare by the expressions of the Kings answers Le Royle vent and Le Roys ' avisera So as it is cleare from the words of assent when Statutes are made and from the words of dissent that the Kings power in the making of lawes is one of the chiefest jewels of the cronne and an essential part of Soveraignitie … somet mes the Kings denial had been beter then his assent to the desires of the Houses of Parliament … If I had transscribed all the Reader had found the argument more full Out of this compared with what you write he may rest assured that in declaring at that time against the Parliaments debate which in truth was vindicating the Kings negative voice you were resolved against Regal Government And whatsoever since you have publish'd in a mocke proclamation had your Covenanting brethren kept their station in England the Crowne and Scepter if not condemn'd to the coyning house had been kept perpetual prisoners in Edenburgh Castle whither with funeral solemnitie you have caried them nor had there been any Royal head or hand kept above ground for their investment while your Rebells could catch them and procure sword or axe to cut them off But to follow you in your tracke If your lawes admitted not absolute reprobation by a negative voice they did praeterition by a privative silence which was all together as damnable to your Parliament bills they being made Acts by His Majesties touch with the top of his Scepter and those irrefragablie null'd which he pass'd by In what followes you shew more ingenuitie then prudence by acknowledging the ground whereupon you built your censure of this debate in Parliament as needlesse and impertinent because of the power it might put in the hand of the King to denie your covenanted propositions But alasse you graspe the wind in your fist and embrace an anie cloud within your armes and like some fond Platonike are jealous over that jewel you never had The King of blessed memorie told you when he spake it to your brethren He would never foregoe his reason as man his Royaltie as King Though with Samson he consented to binde his hands and cut off his haire he would not put out his eyet himselfe to make you sport much lesse cut out his tongue to give you the legislative priviledge of this voice That you at best sit in Parliament as his subjects not superiours were call'd to be his Counsellers not Dictatours summond to recommend your advice not to command his dutie And what pretie puppets thinke you have you made your selves for so many yeares together to the scorne of all nations when you so formallie propounded to His Majestie to grant what you professe he had never any power to denie What comes next is one of the many springes you set to catch cockes but your lucke is bad or you mistaken in your sport I see if you were to make an harmonie of confessions you would be as liberal of other mens faith as of your own What the beliefe is of the warner and his faction about the absolute affirmative voice of any King you had heard more at large if you had fetchd your authoritie from any line in His Ld. booke for that demand Yet to keep up your credit that you may not mount to no purpose I will bring one who in spiritualibus at least shall take off this sublimate from your hands and pay you with more mysterie of reason then you have it may be found in any other of the faction Nulla in re magis ciucescit vis summi Imperii quà m quod in ejus sit arbitrio quaenam religio publicè exerceatur idque praecipuum inter Majestatis jura ponunt omnes qui politica scripserunt Docet idem experientia Si enim quaeras cur in Anglia Maria regnante Romanae Religio Elizabetha verò Imâ—…rante Evangelica viguerit causa proxima reddi non poterit nisi ex arbitrio Reginarum Going on in the Religion of the Spaniard Dane Swede he tells you ad voluntatem dominantium recurretur Though I shall onelie give you this quaestion in exchange for your language of concluding and impeding If Parliaments have power ad placitum to conclude or impede any thing by their votes what part of making or refusing lawes is to the King If the Bishop had challeng'd you for nominating officers of the armie you are not without some such parrot-praters abroad as can tattle more truth then that out of your Assemblies Nor need you be so nice in a mater so often exemplified in Knox his spiritual brethren who as appeares manifestlie by their leters c. Were the chiese modellers of all the militia in their time and His Ldp. having shewed you when your pulpit Ardelios incourag'd the seditious to send for though in vaine L. Hamilton by name and Robert Bruce dispatched an Expresse for him to be their head You are here charged onelie with not allowing such as the Parliament had named because not so qualified as you praetended That the State ever sent the officers they had chosen to doe over all the postures of their soules to discipline either their men or affections before you and to have your Consistorian judgement of their several qualifications and abilities is more I confesse then hitherto I have heard of That you put it to the last part of your answer relating to no part of the quaeltion was but to shew what you beare in your armes That as plaine as you looke the crosse on the top of the crowne is the proper embleme of your Assemblie whom no civile mater can escape having a birthright from Christ or deputation at least to overrule both his Kingdomes upon the earth Your Ifs And 's about the necessitie of a warre in that moment of time when the British Monarchie Lay gasping for life demonstrates what good meaning you had to praeserve the Person or Government of Kings The constant proofe of that integritie you required in the officers must have been the covenant-proofe of their rebellion and wickednesse which if blemished from the beginning of the warres with no religious nor loyal impression no sincere pietie toward God nor real dutie to the King had marck'd them out for your Mammon Champions and Goliahs
Religion the ordinarie reformation whereof is referred to your Ecclesiastical Assemblies are such onelie as appeare to be peccant against the ordinarie rule or canon by just authoritie established But that the Canon it selfe should be alterable at the pleasure of subjects in a combined Assemblies declining their subordination to a superiour power in King and Parliament and making them selves not onelie absolute to act but supreme to praescribe is contradictorie to all law and aequitie nor can any necessitie countenance it What you finde wrong in the Church according to your method must be no other then that which had been formerlie decreed in some of your Assemblies which must implie a fallibilitie in their application of the rule This errour when you goe about to rectifie from the word of God you may chance to have no clearer evidence then your praedecessours nor the people assurance that your eyesight is better So that for ought they know one blinde Assemblle may leade another by the hand and both with their followers fall into the ditch Beside It may so hapen that religious Acts answerable to the word may be offensive to some wicked Assemblie that have not the feare of God before their eyes These if they have the power to be sure they want not perversenesse to abolish for which I finde no cautionarie restraint in your discipline For after you have praetended to rectifie if upon your dissembling petition a following Parliament refuseth to ratifie that you have power to abolish and establish what you please I finde every where confessd by your faction And this indeed as you say is your ordinarie method of proceeding in Scotland but in no other Reformed Countrey who every where attribute to the Magistrate an Architectonike power in the Church and but a ministerical or instrumental to any Synod or Assemblie Videlius and other your brethren of note on this subject making you Bellarmines papists though when your Kings stand publikelie in opposition against you for the maintenance of their right 't is quaestionable whether his most plausible reasons will as well priviledge you in his doctrine The legal method of England you know well enough is otherwise and therfore can not ad mit of your Discipline without altering the fundamental lawes the most essential part of gouverment in our kingdome The three foolish unlearned quaestions that follow tell us you are in the mind to gender strises rather then according to Saint Pauls counsel follow righteousnesse fayth charitie or peace To the first I answer Christians of old before the Emperial lawes for paganisme were revoked were more or lesse hindred from embracing the Gospell according to the zeale rigour remissenesse or clemencie of the Emperours that reigned Those that obeyd not their commands suffer'd their punishments resisted no powers reversed no lawes Nay it s as high a trial as can well be instanc'd when Maximilian Diocletian publishd an edict to demolish their Churches and burne their Bibles because one was found that in great in dignation tore the paper in peices being condemned to die all Christians that heard it approved the sentence and commended the justice of the pagan Magistrate in his execution To the second thus The oecumenical and National Sâ—…nods of the ancients had ever the praesence or authoritie of the Emperour without which they reformed no haeresies nor corruptions in religion Who by ratifying their canons did cancel all the lawes of state which did protect those errours When this could not behad but with praejudice to religion the Emperours them selves being draw'n in by the haeretikes to their partie they onelie declared their different opinion submitted to censure were disspersed in exile nor did they countermand by the terrour of excommunication and cursing but when summond by the Emperour to rectifie any abuses in the Church This may be seen in the time of Constantius addicted to the Arians To your third I answer thus The civile lawes in Britanie I meane for our part in it whereby Poperie was established were annull'd by the King whom we make absolute in that power If the reformation begun by Hen 8. be thought clogg'd with any seeming violence sacriledge or schisme which some ties on his conscience that requir'd a more deliberate solution and some indirect passionate procedings give the Papists a kinde of coloural argument to object I see not how you are justified that imitate it nor we bound to susteine the inconveniences that attend it who may fairlie make the reigne of K. Edward our epoch and from him in his first Parliament fetch our authoritie for the change On your side of Britain I finde naught but a continued rebellion in the reforming partie as you meane it till K. Iames grew up to a judgement of discerning and some resolution of restraining Nor till that time though I hope well of many thousand persons under a Presbyterian persecution can I in reason quit the praevalent part of your Church from a succession in schisme For Germanie and France I have no more to do at this time to be their judge then their advocate seeing no where His Lp. joyning with his brother Issachar in impleading then for rebellion All you can logicallie collect is such a major as this They who reforme according to the Presbyterian Scotish metâ—…od by abolishing Acts of Parliament in a surreptious or violent Synod by framing Assemblie Acts for religion and giving them the authoritie of Ecclesiastical lawes without or against the consent of the Magistrate cheate the Magistrate of his civile power in order to religion If you will needs be assuming in behalfe of your brethren in Germanie and France they must put you to prove it or quit them selves of your conclusion as they can In the meane time I see your pasture is bad that you turne your catell so often grazing abroad For the foole in the next line you send to the Bishop I guesse it may be his minde to have him return'd by the creature that caries his brother Issachaâ—… burden expecting a wiser answer by the next paper Mercurie you imploy which can not be without bringing to light that law that praeauthoriz'd the Ministers protestation against the Acts of Parliament 1584. And that Act of Parliament since the null Assemblie of Glasgow yet standing in force that made Bishops and ceremonies vnlaw full The former beside the contradiction it caries with it devolving the legislative power upon the Kirke which according to you can keep the Parliament in awe not by petitioning but protesting and so ratifie or null all lawes declared at her pleasure The latter beside the long perseverance in sinne it imputes to the Latin and Greek Churches as well before as after the corruption in either the late warmnesse to all Reformed Churches abroad which never hitherto in any National Assemblie declared regular Episcopacie and ceremonies unlawfull outdoing the very Act of abolishing which his Majestie in Parliament ratified
Scottish Presbyterie in practice and such they would have it in law too if they could with all their Scripture collusions but once corrupt His Majesties judgement or by their sharpe-pointed swords two edged tongues affright him from a well grounded resolution into what his Royal Father esteem'd it a faint servile ungodlie and unkinglie consent The treasure you call for hath hitherto had God for its defense who hath made know'n and distributed those talents in Scripture which maintain'd the litle familie of the Church and discharg'd the itinerant Gospell of that time The greater mine hath been often discovered by them whose divina virgula hath stouped and put them upon the search of the veine that caried the Episcopal government through the 800. yeares of your account Your soon-shot bolts in many frivolous quaestions have been better feather'd with many wise mens answers and for all the horned impudence you hold out returned very often upon your heads one of whom I shall send you to who not to derogate from the happie endeavours of many others aswell of the learned Laitie as Reverend Clergie hath alone anticipated and fullie with much acutenesse and judgement answered allmost every particular you object Shewing that Christ himselfe hath made the office of Apostle or Bishop distinct from Presbyters Given them power to do some offices perpetuallie necessarie which to others he gave not Asof Ordination and confirmation And superioritie of jurisdiction Bishops by vertue of their office more then called observed as Lords in a more sublime sense then you mention And commended to the service of Kings Saint Chrysostom others imployed in Embassies Saint Ambrose a Praefect and Dorotheus a Chamberlaine to the Emperour Many of them Councellers to Princes and Iudges aswell in ordinarie secular affaires as Chanellors in extraordinarie by appeale Treasurers at least of the Church revenue and undergoing what ever civile charge the conscientious favour of Princes put upon them which was not in gradu impedimenti â—…lericalis Bishops with sole power of ordination and jurisdiction otherwise then as they thought good to call into their subordinate assistance or deputed Presbyters in their Dioceses Of officials and Commissaries I thinke he makes litle mention because he bends his discourse against all interest of Lay elders yet I doe not thinke he would denie that Civilians such as are our Officials and Commissaries might be instrumental to the Bishops especiallie having some learned Presbyter authorized in cases to which the others lay propertie extends not Bishops when necessitie may require using solitarie ordination which is good in nature rci as may be taken for granted by that Canon of the Apostles which as it enjoines no more then one Bishop so makes no mention of any Presbyter which it had quaestionlesse done if of absolute necessitie to the businesse Bishops ordaining not with the fashional but canonical assistance of any two Presbyters that they please by choyce of their owne chaplaines or others where are many or taking any two that chance otherwise to be neare Bishops principal pastours of their whole Dioceses when commanded or countenanc'd by the King to waite at Court not obliged to feed their flockes in their persons which they doe by many learned and religious proxies themselves in the meane time feeding by word or sacrament or ghostlie counsel the great shepheard whose Royal soul is worth 10000. of the peoples All this in effect a great deale more then your Parkers or Didoclaves could have answered hath this one learned Doctour defended as know'n long before the Pope gave over to say his creed which he did surelie when he became the Anti-Christ you call him I could goe up yet once againe helpe you to a third turne from the top of your demands Shew you that the Warner and his friends give the King the same assurance that erthey did that what they stand upon as unalterable in their order hath Scripture and Antiquitie for its warrant That upon the conversion of England to Christianitie the Ecclesiastike government there constituted was not Anti-Christian That a Bishop there is not a Lord in Parliament by vertue of his office as it may be to resolve spiritual doubts he ought to be but by the Baronie call which the favour of Kings hath annex'd unto it That in Scotland when it was decreed that Bishops should have no voyces in Parliament these your selfe-denying men desired of the King that such Commissioners as they should send to the Parliament and councel might from thence forth be authorized in the Bishops places for the Estate That not many protestant English Bishops have been High Treasurers not many Chancellars some that have you have litle reason to finde faultwith That they are not bound in law to devolve all jurisdiction That all which in practice did it are not to be condemned where they found able honest men to exercise it in their names That those which erre must not praejudice the care and deligence in government of the rest That solitarie ordinations were very rare therefore not to be objected as so common Nor did halfe the Bishops live at Court nor most that did halfe their time All these particulars could I enlarge on but that I beleeve the Reader satisfied with the execution done before and hath some what else to doe then to stay to see you stript In what followes you take a great deaie more then is given you naming that a donation from the Court divines conscience for which the Citie Divines chieflie of Edenburgh London forced the temple of God by such sacriledge to furnish the two tabernacles of robbers that then prospered too well in England and Scotland That Royal Saint that upon this most impious violence yeilded up so great a portion of his Ecclesiastike inheritance the Bishops avile imployment Arch-Bishops Arch-deacons with the c which might have been better spar'd did it in angusto comprchensus not upon any compunction of conscience Sed difficulter sed subductis supercilijs… vix exeuntibus verbis And had not his paternal affection prompted him to what your unnatural disobedience litle deserved he had given you not onelie panem lapidosum as Fabius was wont to call a gift very hardlie bestowed upon an hungrie beggar but pro pane lapidem without our saviours censure a stone instead of that bread which was never ordained to stuffe the insataite stomach of every gaping Rebell that call'd for 't Yet whatsoever you had was you know but for a triennal experiment which being exspired in the yeare of libertie that was to succeed according to Gods paterne in Ezekiel if you could then praetend no better title then you had done it was to returne to your Prince and the inheritance of such an inseparable right to be his sonnes who of your adversaries gave this unseasonable advice I know not nor who have acknowledg'd and recanted for errours those divine
no calumnie to conjecture what spirit gave them wings and directed their flight to the rebellious meeting at Mauchlin moor Their growing number and abiding there in a bodie for the securitie of their persons made no partie for nothing toward the deliverance of the Kings and their danger being onelie to be forced by the Parliament to goe souldiers into England for that purpose the quaestion is what violence was therein offered to their conscience and if any by what law or praecept divine or humane the Assembliecan countenance them in armes though but in a defensive posture to withstand it In which had that part of the Armie that sodainly came upon them cut them off it might have stood for an act of civile justice more then militarie furie kept the rest in peace and much conduc'd toward an after securitie to themselves The communion at Mauchlin layd to the publike Fast appointed in termiuis for the apostacie of the Parliament might occasion some of your Ministers coming thither to as good a purpose as his to the Kirke of St. Andro who pray'd to Allmightie God that he would carie through the good cause against all his enemies especiallie against Kings Devills and Parliaments Coloured clothes and pistols were no proper accoutrement for your Kirke-men wherein to celebrate the Sacrament of Christian charitie and peace Nor were they the good instruments with the people to goe away to run away they might be afterward that had lead them in bands and troupes into the battail For Presbyterian Scotish Ministers to protest against any rebellion wherein they act needes no eagle ey'd Parliament man to discover it at the bottome as a peice of effronterie very common among them and proper to their profession which is very ridiculouslie diss mbled in this case when diverse of them were taken prisoners fighting desperatelie for the cause complain'd of to the Commissioners of the Kirke who were so farre from inflicting any censure or giving them admonition that they approved what they had done and justified them in the fact Which I see here you dare not ex professo but fawlter in your iudgement about the meeting pleading the securitie of their persons as a faire apologie for the yeomens a biding in a bodie and yet mentioning the Ministers protestation which is litle beter then a condemnation of their convening fighting in the field The Bishops parallel betwixt the Generall Assemblie and Parliament casts the cloake of maliciousnesse upon your owne shoulders in the abuse of your libertie whereby you refuse to submit your selfe to the ordinance of manâ—… sor the Lordssake otherwise then as it is ratified in your Synods for when the Presbyterians lay the authoritie of both Courts upon a divine foundation they make themselves the chiefe corner stone usurping the proper place of Jesus Christ in the one and of his anoynted in the other telling him and all Magistrates among whom Parliaments are to be numbred he ought to be subject to the Kirke spirituallie and in Ecclesiasticall government… that be ought to submit himselfe to the discipline of the Kirke if he transgresse in maters of conscience and Religion So that when they talke of obedience sor conscience sake to their lawfull commands they take cognizance what is conscience and law and at their owne arbitrement many times oblige subjects on the same principles to rebell calling this the justifiable revenge of the Magistrates contempt against the authorite of God resident in them The Bishop mockes not at Ministers that carie themselves at the Ambassadours of Christ that deliver not more then is in the Commission or instructions they receiv'd but thinkes they have no priviledge above the Angels who are not dominantes but ministrantes spiritus That they are a flame rather to warme indiscreet zeale and devotion then consume in the fervour of violence and passion That God rarelie tempers brimstone with the breath of his messengers That he sets the time names the extraordinarie case when his words shall be fire in the mouthes of his prophets his people wo d that it should devoure them He likes you should judge according to the rule of Scripture so you follow that rule and keepe in subjection to good lawes He commends your caring for life aeternal not your leaguing and covenanting in order to that for the death temporal of your brethren He judgeth you according to the rule of Scripture to be shamelcsselie impious that counterfeit a care of life aeternal whither bloodthirstie Presbyters are never likelie to enter but have a portion with their fellow hypocrites otherwhere That make holie Sripture not onelie of private but perverse interpretation and God the authour of all the wickednesse you act by the authoritie of his word who boast of an Ambassie from Christ when who so blinde as these servants who so dease as these messengers you say he sent who are lead by a Spirit that doth the workes of the flesh from top to botome mention'd by St. Paul Galat. 4. Who would gull the world out of all but a forme or propertie of religion who make your selves not Ministers but Masters of Christ commanding imperiouslie the spirit he sends downe who make a trade of Scripture and for wordlie gaine parsel out eternal life to whom you please The second part of the Bishops parallel I see puts you to a stand and the quaestion What shall be made … argues you some what suspended in your thoughts whether as much should be made of it as you meane and the people commended for obeying their Ministers how seditious soever more then their Magistrates that command them If all the power such Ministers have with the people be built on their love to God what pitie is it that rebellious structure should have such a religious foundation When it riseth high he is no good states man that doth not demolish it knowing that what God and conscience constraine not but perswade to imploy to his good the Divel without any or with one that 's erroneous may tempt them to aedifie to his ruine It is not amisse sayd applied by him that writ of the spanish Monarchie Priâ—…um instrumentum bone imperandi lingua est secundum vero gladius The sword is but the left hand instrument in the governing Kingdomes The tongue of the preacher is dextra terribilis that of the right hand that teacheth terrible things that by the menace of death which the sword can not reach to keepes subjects in obedience to their Soveraignes Therefore when once it hath a power with the people such as that of St. Bernard it had need be endued with the spirit of Saint Bernard sor there is a tongue Quae conterit spiritum the perversenesse wherein is a breach in the spirit Prov. 1. 5. 4. And the proud men in the Psalmist promise themselves a victorie over Princes by the tongue We will praevaile Who
uttered by Bruce lookes more like a calumnie then their relation to a fable And yet such a superstitious reverence is payd by your fond brother Didoclave to the memorie of his name that he could be content to pin his fayth on his sleeve and hang his soul at his girdle Anima meâ—… cumanima tua Bruci si ex aliena â—…ide esset pendendum and were there to be but one priviledge of aeternal residence in heaven he thinkes neither Patriach nor Prophet Apostle nor Martyr no nor the Virgin Mary her selfe were likelie to carie it from Bruce Which compar'd with King Iames's opinion of him as a perfidious madman that had a whirligigge in his head delivered after to many experiments of his rebellious zeale and frantike restivenesse is enough to condemne both saint and votarie to some bedlam purgatorie before imposture can fixe or facilitie of fancie finde these new imaginarie lights among the starres Your following invective is writ with Arrius's quill and by such scribling you gaine the title that Constantine gave him patroctonos epiâ—…iceias discovering your selfe to be a parricide of aequitie murdering truth in your relation and justice in your parallel His Lordship takes himselfe not concern'd in this case to recollect 800. yeares Historie of Europe to picke out of the pietie humilitie of many Reverend Bishops the pride and passionate errours of some few Noâ—… hath he malice enough with you to make that the nature of their office which hath been some litle monstrositie of minde by ill habits accidental to their persons Beside what among the Papists the nobilitiâ—… by birth of many Bishops concurring with the received dominion and large revenve of their Spiritual pâ—…aeferment may elevate their thoughts and enhaunce their owne opinion of themselves if impaâ—…donable addes litle to the condemnation of ours which partake in litle with them but their titles The universal supremacie which the Pope arrogates aswell over Kings as Bishops may puffe up a litle Cardinal that is neare him in his purple possesse him with a conceit that he may Write himselfe companion to a King whom he thinkes but is mistaken oblig'd in Spiritual humilitie to lie prostrate at his holinesse foot and kisse his slippeâ—… But the same Kings soveraigntie in Ecclesiasticiâ—… at home secur'd him from all such conâ—…estation with his Bishops Though had it not the argument from a Cardinal in Rome to a Praelate in England will hardliâ—… finde a topike Those in Scotland take themselves as capable of honour conferr'd upon their order as their Popish praedecessours Nor are such legal establishments if not of right of Princelie favour to becast away in complement Nor were they to make an unnecessarie distance out of forme when the material meaning of their vicinitie to the throne was the neare concernment of their counsel to the King Orthodoxe Monarchs as well as Papists having doubting consciences and orthodoxe Bishops as good abilities to resolve them I have not heard they crowded much or quickened their pace to get the doore of the Earles c. Their Provincial that with much humilitie and respect unto their H. H. tooke it was lead to it by the hand that had exalted them or their progernitours But for the reason of praecedence which I guesse to be your meaning you were best review the Heralds office and reforme it Poor podants are not to be reproached for making a litle diocese of their Schooles Priests being charged to make such of their houses and from the experimental regiment of boyes raising their abilities by honest endeavours to the meriting an higher Episcopate of men Nor their conscientious demeanour in that office to be aesteemed the arroganciâ—… of their order if it move Kings to commit the white staves to the crosiar and great seales to be under the keyes of the Church The most capricious of them all and most contentious for the honour which I thinke were none but such as did you too much service when they had it were many straines below your Presbyterie of Knoxes Bruces c Who have contested with Kings for their Scepters which with white staves and seales they brought under the pedantike jurisdiction of their rod. Never have Bishops so ruâ—…led it as many base borno Presbyters with the secret Counsel To whose Consistories all Courts of Iustice were faine to doe homage the greatest Lords of the land become subordinate Elders to the parson of their parish It 's not so long that yet it can be forgoten since a most violent and malicious man call'd the Goodman of Earlstounne a client of the E. Argile for interrupting of divine service forceable overturning the Communion Table in his Parish Kirke thâ—…eatning and abusing the Minister with many other such enormous crimes was fined but the fine never exacted by the High Commission and confined for a season The E. Argile complain'd of his hard usâ—…ge to the Lords of Counsell and enformed against the Bishop of Galloway that he promised to him somewhat which he had not perfâ—…rmed The Bishop denied the promise gainsayd what the Earle alledged whereupon sayd the Earle If you say so 't is as much as if I liâ—… The Bishop modestlie replied I doe not say so but I beseech your Lp. to call your selfe beter to minde you will finde it as I say This is giving the lie because he would not take it on himselfe and ruâ—…ling with a great Lord because he would not be ruâ—…led out of a just vindication of the truth yeild his consent that a Counsel Table should approve turning the communion table out of the Church The Reviewers should doe well to bring in his accounts fuller when he reckons with Bishops for braving of Noblemen All Presbyterians are heterodoxe to all good Catholike Christians with whom Episcopacie is so necessarie a truth as next to the divine institution Vniversalitie Vbiquitie and perpetuitie can render it Confingant tale aliquid haeretici … nihil promovebunt Could your invention seigne such authoritie to Presbyterie yet your doctrine would diversifie you into a sect What the Bishops following words cleare shall not one whit be clouded by any obscuritie in my replie though the strongest eradiations that come from them would sinke themselves silentlie in the deep playd you not the malignant Archimede though no such exact Mathematical Divine to reflect them into a flame that may set the ship of the Church on fire about our earâ—…s some coales of this fire I shall heape on your head cast backe into your bosome which if you meane not to quench you may blow up to what faâ—…ther mischief you thinke good The Apostles were Bishops who did undoubtedlie delegate the power of ordination to none but such as were constituted Bishops by them to that purpose This power appeares not undoubtedlie to have been exerciz'd by any but Bishops in the Historie of the Scripture This power was
of the Kingdomes They subjoining in that oath their best endeavour to disclose to His Majestie c all treasons and traitourous conspiracies c. You having not a syllable to that effect in your covenant lest you should be obliged to betray your selves who are resolved to continue principals in such practices against him and his Royal familie to the last They charitablie forgeting all revenge against any of His Majesties partie that had fought against their confoederacie you cruellie combining expresselie to bring to publike triall all such as had been any way instrumental opposers of your Covenant They embracing in the armes of Christian communion their quondam enemies now fellow subjects of a different religion you baselie butchering them with unexemplified crueltie 1. with your material sword axe or halter in their bodies your civile in their estates your spirituall what may be by your excommunication in their soules The aggravations you bring against His Majesties agreementare First That it was with persons so bloudie which as it can not be wholelie excused in them so ought it of all men least to be objected by you whose religion hath passed from the Castle of Saint Andrewes to the House at Westminster in a red sea path made for you neither by Moses's rod nor Eliah's mantle under the conduct of no civile no prophetical power fenced on both sides with bloud of different complexions the bloud of Popish and orthodoxe Praelates the bloud of Princes addicted to several Religions So that God doubtlesse will have a controversic with you who as the Prophet Hose speakes by swearing and lying have broke out into rebellim and bloud toucheth bloud The bloud of the Cardinal hath touched the bloud of the Arch-Bishop The bloud of Queen Mary the bloud of King Charles and more then that which you may heare of otherwhere Touching the crueltie of the Irish I remit you to what our Royal Martyr hath writ with much Christian indifference Ch. 12. of Eâ—… Buoâ—… where you may take notice principallie of these clauses I would to God the Iâ—…ish had nothing to alledge for their imitation against those whose blame must needeâ—… be the greater by how much protestant principles are more against all rebellimagainst Princes then those of Papists … I beleeve it will at last appeare that they who first began to embroyle my other Kingdomes and who 〈◊〉 pray you were they are in great part guiltie if not of the first leting out Yet of the not timelie stopping those horr'd essusions of bloud in Irland To omit what â—…is Majestie intimated before That their oppressive feares rather then their malice engaged them and you know how profuse you are of bloud when you treate of the doctrine of selfe praeservation Secondlie you are troubled at the full libertie of Religion he granted them which if you er saw the articles extended no farther them the remission of poenal statutes not to the restitution of Churches Church Livings but what they had then in possession not to any jurisdiction but what they exerciz'd at that time for which an expresse caution was taken in the very first article of the treatie And in the last but one their Regular Clergie were restrain'd to their pensions and confind to the praecincts of their Abbâ—…ys and Monasteries which are explain'd to be within the Walls Mures and ancient fences of the same No charitable benefactour having libertie to exercize one maine point of their Religion by laying a foot of land unto their Convents But had it been as full as you fâ—…ncie iâ—… because you make your owne case many times the same with that of your brethren abroad I pray directlie answer me Why a Papist may not have as free libertie as a Iew And Whether according to your conscience be more Antiâ—…Christian a Cloyster or a Synagogue Thirdlie You object the Armes Castles and prime places of trust in the state he put in their hands Whereas if the case were politicallie disputed Whether the Militia were safer in the hands of Papists or Presbyterians I beleeve the former would carie it upon the greater securitie though not generallie the greatest they give in their principles and the greater experimentall assurance in many places of trust they have often rendred Princes in their discharge And had the prime Castle and place of Trust in that Kingdome been theirs and no armes nor command in the Armie been the others a tolerablee freedome of religion being granted them it is not improbable that Noble Marquesse last yeare had either not been forc'd to hazard a siege for his reentrance or at least not betrayd into an inevitable unhapie necessitie of retreat What they demanded or had the 9. Article of agreement will informe you That upon the distribution conferring and disposing of the places of command honour profit and trust … no difference should be made between them and other his Majestie subjects Here 's no exception against Malignants nor persons disafected to the cause but that such distribution should be made with aequal indifferencie according to their respective merits and abiliues By which qualification all disloyal demeriting persons are made obnoxious to a just exception at any time Those that continued in possession of His Majesties Cities Garrisons within their quarters are to be commanded ruled and governed in chiefe upon occasion of necessitie as to the Martial and militaire affaires by such as His Majestie or his chiefe Governer or Governers of that Kingdome for the time being should appoint And where any garrison c. might be endangerd by restoring to their possessions estates the Litizens freemen Burgesses former inhabitans they were not to be admitted but allowed a valuable annual rent for the same as in the 7. Article was provided touching those of Corke Youghall and Dungarvan Finallie in all that agâ—…eement no condition is found That His Majestie or His Lieutenant should be governed by a Popish Parliament at Dublin when it might be in Civile nor by a Clerical councel or Assemblie at Kilkennie in Ecclesiastical affaires Fourthlie That the King gave assurance of his endeavour to get the articles ratisied in the next Parliament of England was to ratifie at praesent their confidence in him for which he can not be blamed unlesse you would have Kings sport like boyes with changeable knots in their treaties or what you scornefullie charge them all with when you thinke on 't like children play at checkstone with their promises and oathes That His Majestie did this of himselfe is false if mean'd exclusive of his Councel That he did it without a Parliament which he could not have and before it which his urgent necessities could not stay for is justifiable by that law which will never pleade for your pardon Salus populi suprema lex Nor is that currant law contraire to any standing law in such an exigence as his unlesse there be one as there is none that injoines him
their negligence is inexcusable and their dulnesse pitiable yet that your act of cruel jurisdiction is justified by no divine command nor Catholike example If never any for simple ignorance were excommunicated in Scotland You must be rebuk'd for transgressing your rule and failing in your dutie as your Kirke pleaseth thus to declare it In sufferable we judge it that men be permitted to live and continue in ignorance as Members of the Kirke Whether greater tyrannie were exerciz'd in the High Commission Courts or your Consistories your aequitable comparers by this time are not to seeke What excesse on your side hath been evidenc'd is here resumed onelie to aggravate your floud of boundlesse crueltie by the many heads from which it issues and the cataracts it powres upon the poor people in every parish The Bishops playd indeed the Rex in that their Court because they acted in it by authoritie and deputation from the King But you and your Brethren playd the Rebells to the purpose when you first rioted then rebell'd and covenanted before er you supplicated to suppresse it K. Ch. 1. by his grace and too fluent charitie praevented the violence intended by your Parliament though he found no thankes nor yet acceptance at your hands His proclamation being rudelie encountred with a rebellious protestation read by Iohnston The King Anticlerical Parliament in England that alasse joind hands in a maner yet searce agreed to throw downe the other about their eares without which the Praelates had no power lesse then no reason if it might be to let it fall have not onelie covered the poor Bishops with the ruine of that Court but since hands and hearts were divided the laborious Lords and Commons without him have pull'd the Fabrike of both Houses and of Monarchie upon themselves The Congregational Eldership a thing wheresoever more to be jeerd at and lesse endured then a Commission is enjoy'd with so much more comfort among other of the Reformed then in Scotland as we are eye witnesses of lesse authoritie rigour in it And while I am writing this Replie one of the Reformed Presbyters your Countreyman ingenuouslie confesseth to me that he thinkes in his conscience the present Kirke tyranniem Scotland he speakes it indeed rather of the practice then rule ofâ—…se â—…se Scotish Elderships taken out of Holie scripture can not be very Particâ—… 〈◊〉 many cases Their Acts of superiour judicatories doe not can nâ—… 〈◊〉 â—…pecific interpretative Scandals nor in all occurring pofsibiâ—… proportion corporal punishments or pecuniarie mulcts in the arbitrement of which lies the tyrannie of this petie Aristocratie and most ridiculouslie many times used in cutting haifethe haire shaving beards c. as before now hath been objected by others that having I beleeve seen it better know it In the abuses by such censures and difficultie of some cases when appeale is made to a Synod the Biâ—…op tells you which you observe not that the shortnesse of its continuance can afford the condition of the persons will afford litle reliefe Your dozen of the most able pious plow men in many parishes with an unexperienc'd illiterate Pastour praesiding in their Councel are no very reverend Iudges in many cases Aud what pitifull creatures they must be of necessitie in some places may be guessed untill this quaestion be answer'd which is sent you from another Countreyman of yours an honest able Divine Whether you have not heard of Câ—…untres Churches in Scotland especiallie amongst the Saints of Argiâ—…e where not three hapâ—…e not one in the whole parish could reade Amphictyonum consessus A very honourable bench A Senate that no doubt would strike greater amazement but upon other reasons then the Romane if any foraigner should behold them In that you say the Episcopal way is to have no discipline at all in any congregation you are somewhat more hard hearted then your brethren Who acknowledge some of the functional rubbish of your Temple building Elders and Deacons upon the shoulders of our Church wardens Sidemen and Collectours part of whose charge is to observe maners inquire out ill livers admonish the scandalous and praesent them to the ordinarie To direct them in this dutie the Bishops articles are disspersed and an Audit held of their account at every visitation The officials pleasure regulates not their information which is to be as impartial as an oath can make it His conscience commonlie is not to large though his learning and wisdome be of greater extension then the Elders What power he exerciseth is by law and custome In correctionis negotijs alia quidem sacient omnia excommunication is more niselie and conscientiouslie excepted quae de jure possunt solent fieri Constit. 1571 To the Presbyterian tendernesse of medling with domestike infirmities some what is sayd allreadie which the Answerer by leter thus avoucheth It is certaine that a foolish man revealing foolishlic his faults to his wise the zealous wife upon some quarelling betwixt her and her husband hath gone to a good Minister revealed what was told her and the honest impertial Minister hath convented the man charged him with his sinne and made him confesse satisfie and doe penance publikelie Here the flagrant scandal was onelie the fire or furie that broke out of a weake womans breast into a pragmatical Presbyters eares whose heade is no sanctuarie for spiritual secrecies but his curiositie the mine that under workes the foundation of private families and palaces too where of that of Mary Queen of Scots may be a formidable and lamentable example and when jealousies faile of materiall truth in the discoverie to blow them up with malicious calumnies what they can For suits and differences incident between Pastour and flocke Lay Elder and his neighbour the passion upon which perverts blindes the eyes of the wisest men that are your Congregational or Classical Iudges you passe quietlie by it as having nothing to say for it These are the great injuries and hurts which make the Scotish Discipline Scandalous to all the Reformed world being prov'd destructive to the just praerogative of Kings the power of Parliaments the libertie of subjects enslaving all orders of men where it takes place to the arbitrarie jurisdiction of a corrupt Synod and that commonlie moderated by the usurped Papacie of a Knox a Buchanan a Melvin an Henderson such meeke lambes as no misbeleeving Iew can misdoubt them to be fore runners of his Messias who hath prae-inspired this good principle into their heads To bring their Kings rather then goe themselves to the slaughter And wheresoe'r they get power to teare out the throat of the thearers and make them dumbe never more able to open their mouthes against the know'n Deitie of their Presbyterie CHAPTER XIII The Bishops exceptions against the Covenant made good and this proved That no man is obliged to keep it who hath taken it IF I had not found the Reviewer a
aâ—… much abjured Presbyterie that praetends for Royaltie by the engagement that hath renounc'd it as you Episcopacie by the Covenant may they condition for their owne confused Jndependencie three yeares and as much longer as till you and they agree may they tell you that can never be because they are engag'd and in no hazard to reerect the roten stooles of English Scotizing repentance the corrupt classes of your Presbyters which the same sword hath ten times more justlie cut downe then it set them up But I see your full and formal consent findes no such good footing in your fallacie and therefore falls at length to a possibilitie of defect which you praesume with much facilitie to have supplied His Majestie that now is hath much to thanke you for that at the first you will make him as glorious a King as you made not his Royal father but after so many yeares experience of his reigne That being at libertie not onelie in his person from your prisons but in his reputation from the clogges of those calumnies you cast upon the guiltnesse innocencie of his Praedecessour you will advance him beyond all those sufferances that were Solemne praeparations to his murder and in primo imperij momento as in ultimo you did before hold him by the haire onelie not as yet permit the Independent hand to cut his throat untill forsooth he hath taken breath to supplie that wherein his too scrupulous too pusillanimous father fainted And then crowne him with ribbons and flowers for the fater sacrifice of the two by the giving up his honour and salvation beyond a life the onelie leane oblation of Charles the first But may His Majestie say you easilie supplie what his father travaild for without satisfaction to the uttermost limits of reason and conscience beyond the farthest excusable adventures of any Praedecessours in his three Kingdomes or out of them hazarding allmost to despaire his memorie with pious posteritie especiallie at that distance as shall not repraesent distinctlie every angle of the necessitie he was driven to and his soul to no other assurance of pardon then what the integritie of his repentance not so infalliblie haereditarie as his miseries and his glorious martyrdom afterwards helpt him to Would he thinke you so readilie but for a whisper of pernicious counsel in his eares passe by unregarded his fathers charge to persevere in the orthodoxe religion of England and hearken to the Devill of Rebellion whom he knowes well enough though turnd into a Angel of Reformation Can he so easilie after three or fower weekes conference at the Haghe with two ignorant Presbyters and but twice as many leaden headed Laikes have his reason convinc'd his consience satisfied which is Royal Father could not in so many yeares conversation with the ablest Divinâ—…s devout consultations had with the Living God himselfe by his prayers and his dead Yet livelie oracles of the Holie Word in his watches Or would he so readilie without it give up his Fathers invincible reserve to the irrcparable injurie of the Church his people his heire or successour in his Kingdomes Was he requir'd and intreated by Charles the first as his Father and his King in case he should never see his face againe not to suffer his heart to receive the least checke against or disaffection from the true Religion established in the Church of England And can he so easilie even while that pretious bloud hath dyed his garments in purple and being the Defender's of the fayth speakes the same language and calls every morning he puts them on for the same vengeance as once did the firstborne of the faythfull cast such requests and requisites behind him quit the true Christian guard he is charg'd with and desert all his constant subjects that must persevere in their religious profession according to the puritie of our canon Will he rather then want weare a crowne which is not wortb taking up or enjoining upon such dishonourable unconscionable termes And will he so readilie beare the infamous brand to all posteritie of being the first Christian King in his Kingdome who consented to the oppression of Gods Church and the Fathers of it exposing their persons to penvrie and their sacred functions to vulgar contempt Will he so easilie because his treasure exhausted his revenâ—…e deteind be tempted to use such prosane reparations if not acting consenting to perjurious and sacriligious rapines Or will he so readilie instead of huckes give holy things unto sivine and the Church's bread not onelie the crumbes of it unto dogs This his Royal Father durst not for feare a coale from Gods alter should set such a sire on his throne and his consience as could hardlie be quenched Nor in all likelihood will this ever obsequious sonne whom you call I hope in expectation of no such concessions the most sweet and ingenious of Princes unlesse such furies as you fright his conscience away while his tongue doubleth in an uncertaine consent having from your pens practices nothing but insuperable horrour and inevitable destruction in his sight Where in if ever you unhapilie praevaile may the same Royal tongue be seasonablie touch'd with a coale of a beter temper before the unquenchable fire of despaire catch hold of his soul or that of vengeance of his throne May it call for the fountaine of living waters to wash away the bloud of his slame subjects whose soules lie under the altar crying aloud for judgement and quaestioning its delay May that ountaine deriue it selve into the head and heart of this otherwise innocent King and day and night flow out at his eyes in torrents of teares for himselfe in no soloecisine the Virgin Father of his people And may at last his robes be wash'd white in the bloud of the Lambe and God wipe away all teares from his eyes Having payd in dutie this conditional devotion which I wish as frivolous and needlesse as your praesumption is malicious unlikelie I proceed to vindicate the Bishops discourse which J can not see how in sense may be sayd to fright the Kings conscience by asserting his right and undeniable praerogative the sinewes whereof you would shrinke up into nothing The Legislative power is not here stated or determined by his Lordship onelie the King call'd supreme Legislatour which he is What comment tries have been made of it to the praejudice of the right and custome of Parliaments shall be spoken to when you tell us which of his brethren and what in their writings it is you meane No right nor custome can be adjusted to them in your case which is vowing to God and sweating one unto another to change the lawes of the Realme c. by the sword without and against the King different from the sense of your Commissioners who would have the Legislative power aswell as the Militia to be the Kings For that power
that can not constitute can abrogate no lawes But they will tell you in constituting the King can not be excluded And we inferre that no more he can be in repealing If your minde serve you to engage farther in this dispute you were best answer the learned Grotius 8. chap. De Imper. Sum. Pot. to which I promise you my replie In the next place as if you were moderating a matachin dance from seting the King and Parliament atoddes you turne both their faces and powers agaâ—…nst the Praelates whom I doe not finde His Lordship puting in competition with the King about the right of making lawes but aggravating the injurie done them by your partie in the Parliament and appealing to their conjcience with what justice they could covenant against the rights of a third order of the Kingdome without either their satisfaction or consent If the whole Repraesentative of the Kingdome have thus priviledg'd the Bishops one lame part can not deprive them of it Their prioritie and superioritie hath been so ancient that no Lords no Commons would scruple at it but such as likewise at the original supremacie of their King And therefore you may know the bill against their priviledges was five times rejected in the upper House the beter Court of honour of the two and when the sixt time it was caried by a few voyces it was when the most honourable persons were forced to be absent Their share in the Legislative power hath been so great that since any was allotted them your forefathers never heard of a law made in Parliament without them The King may passe what he pleaseth and what he doth so is a â—…an The two Temporal States with his baâ—…e name without his power can make none nor yet having it as they account it derived from his Regalitie not his person Ius enim serendarum legum sive generalium sive spâ—…ciaiium samma poteslas communicare alteri potest a se abdicare non potest What one orth ' other passe to the injurie of persons fundamentallie concern'd be it law can not be justified in conscience which is all J take to be urged by the Bishop But what would you have sayd if there had been such a law in behalfe of Episcopacie in England as there hath been in spaine That no King could reigneâ—… which is more then a Parliament sit and vote without the suffrage of the Bishops Which made Ervigius upon the resignation of Bamba that turn'd Monke call a Councel of them at Toledo to have a confirmation of his crowne And the time hath been in England when a difference fell between Edward and Ethelred about succession to K. Edgar a devolution of it unto the arbitrement of the Bishops The humble protestation of the twelve Bishops rudelie menaced and affronted did not pronounce the lawes acts after their recesse null and of none effect in derogation to the praerogative of the King either solitarie or in conjunction with what persons soever he pleas'd to make his Legislative Councel but in saving to themselves their rights and interests of siting and voting in the House of Peeres the violation of which they conceived to invalidate a Parliament at least without the Kings passing a rescissorie Act and an Act of new constitution Because in law and practice it is usual to any who conceive themselves praejudg'd even in those things where Acts of Parliament passe against them to protest Which if you remember were the words and part of a long plea to another purpose though upon the same advantage of the Bishops right in Scotland used by those your Countreymen that alike intended their ruine but could not colourablie offer at it without the Act anext the constitution of the Parliament Whether the Bishops being a third order of the Kingdome and by that craving their share in the Legislative power be more humble then the Presbyters who take themselves to be absolute without King and two states in making all Ecclestastike lawes and against King two states in abrogating all civile statutes Ordinances concerning Ecclestastical maters that are sound noysome and unprofitable and agree not with the time … And censuring punishing all persons King and Parliament not excepted I file up with the other references to your aequitable comparers let them be the Lords and Commons you here pleade for You may chuse whether you will grant what the Bishop takes as demonstrable That his brethren had harder measure from the thing call'd King and Parliament then the Abbots and Friars from Henry 8. When he devested them of their estates Your consecutorie Beleese hath no article made up out of any of the Bishops words Who though he could not keepe intruder out of his palace and possessions meanes to have no such troublesome inmates in his minde And since you have sequestred him from his gardens keepes out of your reach a Tarasse to exspatiate in his thoughts He commends your eyes that can see so distinctlie such Platonical Idea's as never had existence yet when you draw too neare commands you to your distance with the same answer that Bacchus did Hercules in the Comoedie for all his club Meton â—…mon oikei noun echeis gar oikeian The Bishops last reasoning is as sound as those before and in all is there a connexion of those parts which any demonstrative integral can require To your first impeachment by quaestion I answer That article of the Covenant beares the seting up of the Scotish Presbyterian government in England which is for a uniformitie in both Kingdomes if taken with the next that extirpates praelacie viz. Church government by Bishops For when Praelacie is downe I pray what remaines according to your principles but Presbyterie to set up As for Scotish Presbyterie you have often told us 't is the same with that of all Reformed Churches And if alltogether be not according to the Word of God after so many yeares Synods Conferences and Letters what blinde Covenanters you are to sweare a league of life death upon the like or more uncertanitie of future discoverie by a few unskilfull persons whose petie phantastike lights put together must be made a new imaginarie milkie way surpassing in a fermed singularitie of splendour any among the greater truer luminaries in the firmament of the Church But I have allreadie shewed how in vaine you aequivocate about that clause which hath cost your friend Rutherford and others so much paines What the oath of supremacie imports is evident by the words in it The varietie of sences to catch advantages like side windes in paper sailes which are subject to rend in pieces being the poor policie of Presbyters that dare not stand to the adventure of plaine dealing supreme Governer of this Realme c. Aswell in all spiritual or Ecclesiastical things or causes as temporal Which the Bishops you see conceald not though you gratâ—…e your selfe with the observation
among the heathen such as this in Plutarch cheironeinai monarchias paranomou polemon emphylion and that of Plinie in his Panegyrike Quanto libertate dis◅ordi servientibu◅ s◅tilius unum esse cui serviant The other horne of the Bishops dilemma is as sharpe and it need be no sharper then the former The danger whereof makes the Reviewer keep his distance first not daring positavelie to assert the lan fullnesse of taking up armes for religion And then muffling himselfe in his cloake invaine hoping he shall not by this argument de gored unto the quicke His spitting Atheisme in the face of Reason the native image we beare of God will set no wisemē on gaping for extraordinarie revelat ◅s nor his false translating the Bishops sense into mere apprehensions and uncertaine conceptions make him or theirs of his minde worse then Pagan Secptikes in Religion His Lordship I beleeve grants no such postvlate as the Reviewer seemes to looke for That every Scotish Ma◅ is a Moses every persecuting Presbyter before Gods ju◅gemen's have humbled him to his conversion a Saint Paul He conceives their Cat◅chisme or Directorie can passe for no Pentateuch nor Ap◅al Epissles and say◅h they beg the qu◅ that take it to be the Gosp◅ He argues That in asserting the lawfu◅lenes of taking armes they justifie the Ird◅pendents that supplanted themselves whose new light s◅ines as much like that from Moses's face as they Presbyterians new doctrine sounds like the oracles he received in the mount That the Anabaptists in Germanie were no more Enthusiasts then the Anabaptists in Scotland who null the powerfull operation of the sacrament and for ought we know may be nulls in the missionarie power to administer it That Iohn of Leyden his crue could not be more mad then Iohn Knox and his nor could they have lesse reason for their militarie proceedings His Lordship is so farre from placing the summe of Religion in every simple apprehension that he desires the authoritie of the Chuch should take place of his conceptions untill the truth if different from that doctrine which is unlikelie were seald to him by some internal impression of Gods spirit What every man is perswaded in his conscience to be divine truth he would have him praeferre before other mens apprehensions of a contrarie religion Yet if that perswasion be dissonant from what was generallie among the primitive Christians he would not that he should mistake himselfe to have a singular infallibilitie nor a transscendent commission above that of Christ and his Apostles to take armes force all men to his beleefe The most certain truths even these divine ones in religion if His Lordship doth not which I did not aske him I doe thinke to be in many men that praetēd to that supernatural grace called fayth were uncertaine conceptions or inadvertent praesumptions finding few so considerate of their very principles in Religion as to build them upon any so much as that subordinatie moral certanitie they might doe with good endeavour fewer live so devoutlie as without it can reasonablie suppose God miraculouslie infuseth his revelatious to assure them Therefore though all the truths of Christian Religion wherein controverted are reveal'd from heaven Yet I thinke we are to looke a great way backe for the persons by and unto whom immediate inspirations being now adayes very rare nor doe we live much like the holie mortified men that were wont to have them of old You know what Saint Ma◅tin told the Divel when he appear'd arrayed like a King and would be taken for Christ come in triumph upon the earth Ego Christum nisi in eo habitu formaque qua passus est nisi or◅ stigmata proforensem venisse non credam He would not beleeue him to be come till he saw him in the habit of his sufferings So when we see you qualified like his disciples wise as Serpents not craftie as foxes harmelesse as doves not rapacious as harpies patient like sheep not ravening like wolves Delivered up to Councels not excommunicating in Synods scourg'd in Synagogues not disciplining without mercie in your Churches Brought before Governers and Kings for Christs sake not bringing Governers and Kings to mooke-tribunals for your owne Then tell us of Divine truths the beleefe of Moses and Saint Pauls revelation from heaven and we will hearken to you as Angels whom now we take to be no beter then the haereti◅es who Vincet sayth are ran◅quaedam cyniphes muscae moriturae such contemptable creatures as croking frogs gnats and dying flies that would buzze what mischiefe you can before you leave us and make the oyntment of the Apothecarie stinke with the corruption of your writings when you are dead The second part of your apologie is most false both thesei kai hypothesei 1. Because subjects have no armes while the Magistrate is in being to hold the sword put into their hands to defend their religion and liberties how legallie soeuer established They have onelie pleas by that law to claime them and petitions of right or aequitie to put up unto the Magistrate to maintaine them 2. If they goe beyond defending themselves in their religion and force others to enter into their league covenant though contrarie to their conscience this is no other then planting of religion by armes And if the difference in any point of religion be such as to state the Magistrate in a condition to be put to death by his subjects as it doth in your sense when he joines in worship with Papists Praelates whom you make idolaters and idolatrie death unpardonable this is cutting the throates of all Magistartes And this is maintained to be just and to have the ground of Gods ordinarie judgement by your Patriarch Knox. And to be imitated of all those that praeferre the true honour of the true worship and glory of God to the affection of flesh and wicked Princes Your hypothesis is false because the religion and liberties of your Covenant in England were never established by law and what was so established was never usurped by Papists Praelates and Malignants And if it had been from so good a King redresse had probablie been procured upon just complaint without taking armes To your third I replie That the Bishop gives no judgement makes no mention of the Protestants Armes in France Holland and Iermanie compares them not with the Anabaptists in Munster or Sectaries in England If you can once perswade them to espouse your quarell for which you have begg'd long enough at their gates by this time or publish a parallel between your taking up armes and their owne the praelatical partie will make no difference between you but give alike judgement against you all In the meane time the maximes they give are rational and divine they are brutes or Atheists divested allreadie of all religion and reason who praeferre them not to the Presbyterian
E Huntley's case truelie related 61 I. K. Iames a greater Anti-Presbyterian then Anti-Erastian 64 The Praelates title to Impropriations and Abbey lands beter then that of Presbyters 137 Presbyterian indulgence in cases of sedition and rebellion 47 Their monstrous ingratitude for the too liberal graces of K. Ch. I. 104 The Kings concessions to the Irish more justifiable then the other could be to the Scotish Presbyterian demands 146 The Pr. Scots endeavours to impose their Discipline upon England 5 The Assemblie at Westminster having no power to authorize it 6 Many of the Presbyteries in Scotland have very unfit unable Iudges 174 Iurisdiction Ecclesiastical sloweth from the Magistrate 34 Sc. Presbyters usurpe Civile jurisdiction 69 No power of jurisdiction in what the Reviwer misse interprets the Church 108 Nor in a companic mot together 109 K. THe election of a King not originallie justifiable in any people 164 K. Ch. I. not inclinable though by counterseit promises praevail'd with to cast himselfe upon the Presbyterian Scots Ans. to Ep. Ded. 12 His writings not interlined by the Bishops The Reviewers commendation of them unawares Ibid. 〈◊〉 K. Ch. II. hath expressed no inelination to the Covenant If any praeventive disswasion of His Majesties from it hath been used by the Praelatical pattie it was a dutifull act of conscience and prudence 149 His Majestie can not so easilie will not so readilie grant what his Royall Father denied 191 Scots Presbyterians never seriouslie asscribed any good intentions to K. Ch I. nor 2. 197 L. MOre learning under Episcopacie then Presbyterie 150 The King supreme Legislatour 193 The Bishops share in making lawes as great as any one of the three Estates Ibid. Our Liturgie why read A parallel of it with primitive formes fiter then with the Breviarie 156 The Church of Scotland hath had a liturgie not onelie for helpe but practice 160 The Presbyterians hypocritical use of it 161 M. THe Magistrates definitive judgement in Synods owned by the Reformed Divines both Praelatical and Presbyterian 28 Sc. Presbytetie will have Magistrates subject to the Kirke 120 Presbyters why against clandestine marriages 166 Consent of Parents how to be required Ibid. No obedience due to them commanding an unjust marriage 169 The Bishops cautelous in giving license for clandestine marriages 170 Gods mercie in praeserving Arch-Bishop Maxwel falsified by the Reviewer 3 The businesse about the Spanish Merchants sophisticated 80 Sc. Presbyters controllers in the Militia 79 The power of it in the King 186 Pr. Ministers rebellious meeting at Mauchlin moore 119 They exceed their commission 121 Their power with the people dangerous to the government 122 Their rebellious proceeding in the persecution of Arch-Bishop Montgomerie and Arch-Bishop Adamson 43 The murders other prodigious impieties acted by the Sc. Presbyterians in prosecution of their ends 82 The scale of degrees whereby they asscended to the murder of K. Ch. I. 38 Which might have been foreseen by their propositions never repealed 76 Murder may be pardoned by the King who hath been petitioned in that case by the Disciplinarians themselves 60 N. THe King 's negative voyce justified as well in Scotland as England 77 What is the power of his affirmative 78 The Sc. Presbyters gave the occasion and opportunitie for the Nobles to get the Ecclesiastike revenue The Episcopacie more then titular they kept up 15 Presbyterie more oppressive to the Nobilitie Gentrie then Praelacie 130 Noblemen why chosen Elders 〈◊〉 131 Where such how slighted by the Presbyters 139 O. SC. Presbyters assume the arbitration of oeconomical differences 68 The Officers appointed by Christ in his Church need not be restrained to the number of five Nor those taken to be the same the Presbyterians would have them 106 The Officials Court a more competent Iudicatoric then the Classical Presbyterie 132 No power of ordination in the Presbybyterie 108. 142 No comfortable assurance but from Apostolical succession Episcopal ordination which Presbyterians want Ibi. The Sc. Presbyterians trial before ordination more formal then truelie experimental of abilitie in the persons 150 The qualification different from that required by the Bishops 152 The original of the pretended oath taken by the King for securitie of the Sc. Discipline 163 P. THe Sc. Assemblies decrees to be ratified by Parliament 24 As those of our Convocations 32 Presbyterie makes Parliaments subject to Assemblies 120 The Parliament of Scotland in no capacitie to make demands after the murder of the King 163 Presbyterie hath no claime to the Church patrimonie given by Episcopal founders and benefactours 25 Their disputes with Princes about Church revenue 63 The original right of patronage in Lay persons 136 Peirth Assemblie 1596. 111 Provision under Episcopacie against the povertie of such as are ordained 153 The Praelats still of the same minde rhey were about the rights and priviledges of Bishops 103 Reason of bidding prayer before sermon 159 In the Canon forme is no prayer for the dead 160 Set formes of no use to beginers that pray by the spirit 161 The gift of prayer in the Pater Noster Ibid. Presbyterians divided about prayer 162 The injuries by extemporarie prayer Ibi. Presbyteries when and how erected in Scotland Bishops to praeside in them 20 Christianitie at its first entrance into Scotland brought not Presbyterie with it 22 Fallacie in the immediate division of religion into Presbyterian Popish 53 No authoritie of Scripture for the many practices of Scotish Presbyterie 101 Litle knowledge labour or conscience shewed in Presbyterian preaching 154 Scotish Presbyterians beter conceited of themselves then of any other Reformed Church to which yet they praetend a conformitie in their new model 198 K. Iames's speach concerning Scotish Presbyterie 30 How a King may and when exercise the office of a Priest 195 Sc. Presbyteries processe for Church rents 33 The same fault under a different formalitie not to be twice punished 126 Q. K. Iames's 55. Quaestions 111 R. REading Ministers usefull and justifiable in our Church 154 The Praelats doe not annull the being of all Reformed Churches 143 Though they have no full assurance 144 The Reviewers speach of Bishops and Peirth articles 199 The Church of Rome true though not most true 145 A rigid separation from her in many things needlesse 146 Assemblies can reforme onelie according to canon not the canon 84 The Primitive Christians reformation different from that of Sc. Presbyterians 85 That of the Church of England began rather at K. Edw. VI. then Henr. VIII 86 The Parliament can noâ—… reforme without the King 188 Resistance against the person of the Magistrate can not be made inobedience to his office 35 Reviewer willfullie missetakes the scope of the Bishops booke 45 His barbarous implacable malice against the dead 49 A riot under praetense of taking a Priest at Masse 91 Abetted by Knoxe with his confessed interest in many more 92 The Pr. Scots must bring beter markes then their bare words for revelations 201 S. FOraigne
Presbyterians tolerate more libertie on their Sabbath then the Bishops on our Sunday 50. 125 The hypocritical superstition of the Sc. Presbyters in the sanctification of their Sabbath 81 Offenders quitted to be admitted to the H. Sacrament without publike satisfaction in the Church 126 False measures c under colour of scandal not to be brought into the cognizance of the Church 66 All civile causes are brought before the Presbyterie under the pretense of scandal 170 The Pr. Scotish partie inconsiderable 2 They gave beter language to our Bishops heretofore then of late 8 Carefull Christians will finde litle leisure on weeke dayes to heare many sermons 157 Sermons not to exceed an houre 158 Those that are Rhetorical may be as usefull as many meerlie Textuarie 159 St. Claud Somais no Countenancer of the late Kirke proceedings Ans. to Ep. Ded. 4. 111 The Sc. Presbyterians coordinate two Soveraignities in one State 113 Two Scotish Kings at one time avouched by A Melvin 114 Capt. Iames Stuart vindicated at large 87 Superintendents aequivalent to Bishops 23 Imperious supplicates from the Presbyterie 26 Rebellion the subject of most 165. 179 The Kings supremacie impaired by Presbyterie 27. 195 Placed upon the People 29 Scotish Presbyterie overthrowes the right of the Magistrates convocating Synods 10. 30 Synods where the Magistrate prohibited them 31. 36 Receiving appeales not the principal end of calling Synods 132 Noblemen to have no suffrages in them but when sent thither by the King 134 T. THe by-tenets of the Discipline 3 The Texts of Scripture urged against Episcopacie for Presbyterie answered 105 c The Presbyterians treason at Ruthuen 88 At Striveling 89 V. FAmilie visitations commendable aswell in orthodoxe Priest as Presbyters 173 The Reviewer much in love with the uncleanlie metaphore of a vomit 176 W. ACcording to the Word of God a more dubious and frivolous limitation in the Covenant them heretosore in the oath for Episcopacie 181 FINIS 1 Sâ—…n Gâ—…r 16. 7. Dâ—…ar Parl. 1648. c. Assemb Gâ—… Aâ—…no 1556. Can. 50. Ench. cand S. min. ex decrâ—…o sal The Edit Gron. 1645. pag. 161. Los ordiuâ—… Eccles. printed at Geneva 1562. pag. 66. pag. 20. Pagin 20. Pag 9. Pag 11. Octob. 20. 1597. Assâ—… Abberd 1600 1 Book dise 1. held Ass Dun. 1580. Patl. 1584 1 Book discip 4. and 6. head Anno 203. 1606. Ass. Glasg 1610. Parl. Edenb 1612. Ass. Edenb 1590. 2 Book disc Chap. 9. 1 Book disc 6. head Ibidem Ibidem Ibidem Ass. Edenb 1 6 4 7. Ass. Glasg 1 5 8 1 Ass. Edenb 1 5 9 0 Ass. Edenb 1 5 9 1. 1 〈◊〉 Book disc Chap. 7. 2 Chap. 12. 3 Ass. Edenb 1 7 0. a Book disc Chap. 7. Chap. 12. 2 Book disc Chap. 1. Theoremaâ—… III. imp Edenb 1 6 4 7. decreto Synodi Theor. 4 Theor. 8. Theâ—…r â—…2 Information from Sâ—…t â—…nd p. 19 Theor 98. Theor. 82. Theor. 96. Tâ—…r 50. 5â—… Ibid. 2 Book of disc châ—… 10. Theor. 84. and 85. Ibidâ—… Theor. 43. Theor. 97. Theor. 88. Theor. 82. 2. Theor. 82. 3. Theor. 91. 92. 2. 1582. Ass. Saint Andrâ—…ws 1582. Ass. Saint-Andrâ—…ws 1582. 〈◊〉 Eccl. Ord. pag. 14. Dâ—…c 15â—… a Book diâ—…c châ—…p 11. At Edâ—… 1587. Minster â—…vid Bâ—… 1596. 4 1 Book dâ—… 7 heâ—…d 2 Book dâ—…c Chap. 〈◊〉 Thâ—… 〈◊〉 9 1 Book disc â—…d 9. Ibid. Ass Edenb 1594. Parl. Ed. 1594. Gen. 79. 7. Vindication of Commissioners Jun. 6 1648. 6 1 Book dise 7. head 2 Book dise Chap. 7. 1 Book disc 〈◊〉 head and Thâ—…r â—…3 Theor. 47. 4â—… Vindicat. com p. 6. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 knowledge 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1648. Theor. 63. vindication p. 5. Humble advise Edchb. Iune 10. 2â—…48 vindication p. 8. Ass. Dund 1593. Ass. Fdâ—…b 1567. 〈◊〉 Book dise â—…h 7. Vindication pâ—…g 11. 〈◊〉 10. 1582. 1583. Ass. Edenb 1582. Sept. 27. 1648. Ar. 3 Theor. 84. Ann. 1562. Ass. Edenburg 1593. An. 1596. 1 Cor. 1â—… 1. 1 Kin. 3. 25. 1582. Febr. 16. At Saint Giles Church March 22. Declar. Scot. Leit p. 57. 58. 1 Book dis 7. head Theor. 63. 1 Book 9. head p. 44. Scot lit 48 47. 1 Book dis 7. h aâ—… 55. Articl 1596. Scot. Liâ—… 49 Motus Brtanici 171 1 Book dis 9. head 1 Book dis 9 head The Authorâ—… reasons of his wryting The Praelats are unable by reason to defend Episco pacy Cheir strongeâ—… 〈◊〉 are 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 The 〈…〉 in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The only crane of the Covenant is that it extirpate praelacy The Bishops are most justly cast out of England The Scots were never injurious to their King The Scotes selling of the King is a most false calumnie The reason of the dediâ—…ation The unseasonablenes of Doctor Brambles warning The irrational way of the warners writing The most of his stuffe is borrowed and long agoe confuted The conâ—… bitternes of the warners spirit The warner stricks at the Scotes discipline through the Kings sides In the threshold hee stumbles on the Kings conscience The Scots never offered to impose any thing uâ—… on England The elder praelats of England were Erastians and more but the younger are as much an i-Erastian as the most riged of the Presbytery The Scotes first and greatest crime is irreconciliablenes with Rome The Scotes were ever anti episcopall The Praelates lately were found in the act of introducing Popery into the Church and Tiranny into the Kingdom No controversie in Scotland betwixt the King and the Church about the convocating of Synods The warners Erastian and Tirannick principles hated by the King The Warners ignorant and false report of the Scotes proceedings Bishops were abolished and Presbyteries set up in Scotland with King Iames consent The innocency of the much maligned assembly of Aberdeen Christmas and other superstitious festivals abolished in Scotland both by Church and State The friends of Episcopacy thryves not in Scotland The second book of disciplin why not al ratified in Parliament The Warners hipocrisy calling that a crime which himselfe counts a virtue The Warner a grosse Erastian Praelatical principles impossibilitate alsolid peace betwixt the King and his Kingdoms Erastian praelats evert the legall foundations of all government The finall determination of all Ecclesiastick causes by the Lawes of Scotland is in the generall assembly The divine right of discipline is the tenet of the most of praelats All the power of the Church in Scotland is legall and with the Magistrats consente The prelats rather then to lay aside their owne interest will keepe the King and his people in misery for ever Appeals in Scotland from a generall assembly were no lesse irrationall then illegall The Churches just severity against Montgomery and Adamson was approven by the King and the parties themselfe The pride of prelats lately but never the Presbitery did exempt their fellows from punishment for their civil faults The Warner is injurious to the Ministers of Holland The pretended declaration of King Iames was
Scotland hath had a liturgie not onelie for helpe but practice Knox Hist. 1. B. Ib. B. 2. 1. B. 9. head Decl. Ch. Sc Praeâ—… The hypocritical use of the Common prayer booke in Scotland Set formes of no use to beginners that pray by the spirit The gift of prayer in the Pater Noâ—…ter 5. Iud. v. 13. Presbyterians divided about praâ—…er Hist. 4. B. Synod Holland Zoland 1574 Artic. 38. Herm. Synod Belgic cap. 11. The injuries by extemporie prayer Fâ—…x Bâ—… cap. 16. Sâ—…n Ep. 40 〈◊〉 1. 5. â—… of Ecâ—…l Pol. Heb. 12. 1. The Parliament of Scotl. in no câ—…pacitie to demand after then urder of K. Ch. 〈◊〉 Ps. 51. Haâ—…ak 1. 13. Review changeth the words of the Procl The original of the oath for securitie of disscipline Kâ—… Doâ—… Row Craig 〈◊〉 Hist. B. 5. Dial. D e Iur Regâ—… ap Scot. The choyce of a King originallic not justifiable in any perpl Cum sit ordini naturae conscntaâ—…eum â—…bus propé omnium gentium Historijs tesâ—…sicatum De Iur Reg. M. Mâ—…ntr Deâ—… 1650 Abolition of Episcopacie will not give the scott satisfaction Sen. Heâ—… fur P. Iun. 1. may 22 Henders 1. Pap. to K. Ch 〈◊〉 1. B. Disc. 9. head Nature robbed of her Praerogative by Prosbyterie Inclina tions to marrie not all wayes devine motions Consent of parents †〈◊〉 in Scripturis determinatum sit jure Civili de consensu parentum In Ecclesiasticâ—… tamen curijs obtinet jus Papale Canonicum quâ—… definitur consensus parentum dehouestate non de necessitate Et quod Matrimonia debent esse libera non pâ—…ndere exaliâ—… no arbitrio Assert Pol. Christ. * Lib. 2. De Regn Christ. Dordorac 1574. artic 81. 1578. The injurie done to Parents by Presbyterie not justisiable in reason Bucâ—…an Ta catheconta hoos epipantais schesesi parametreitai Enchir. c. 37 Terent Andr. act 1. Sc. 5. Act. 5. Sc. 3. 1. B. 9. head No obedience due to parents requiring a injust marâ—… Ep. S. Iâ—…d v. 9. Prov. 14. 5. 2. Cor. 12. 14. 1. Tim. 4. 8. Poenitent Adulterers not to be put to death S. Iohn 8. 2. Cor. 12 7. 1. Book Disopl 9. I Head The Bishops cautelous in their warrants for clandestine marriages In nuperis constitndinibus anni 1603. videntur praesules Anglicane abunde cavise Alter Dam. c. 70 Ao 1588 Schulting Reprehens Synod Middelb The Revieners sâ—…amelesse denial of aknow'n truth about impeding civile proceedings Contr. E. pilam Philadelph Publike ca techizing of Masters Mistresses indecent 1. Cor 11. 28. Lit. Ch. c. p. 215. 13. 5. De Praeser c. 10. If they know not how to pray neithern berein their rightcousnesse sands or consists they ought not to be admitted to the Lords table 1. Book Disc. 9 head Ibid. Excommunication of the ignorant without warrant Ibid. Exetauesâ—…ho de me micropsycâ—…a e philoneikia e fini toiause aedia tou episcopou aposynagogo egegenentas Can. I. Chr. Iustel Familievisitations commendable aswell in orthodoxe Priests as Presbyters Ib. Disc 9. Head Riot in Scotland to get downe the High Commission Iarg Decl. The Kings palace and Parliament fallen with that in England More comfort because lesse rigiour in the reformed Elderships abroad Answer by Letter Many of those in Scotland have very unfit unable Iudges Episcopacio want no aequivalent in Discipline Oeconomis testibus Synodalibus Collectoribus in Ecclesiastcke paroeciana rudera quaedam functionum diaconorum seniorum relicta vel potius imposita sunt Alter Dam c. 12. Synodales aestes quos sidem eavocant qui in inquestionibus morum visitationibus adjungumur Oeconomis Oeconomi five Gardiani Ecclesiastikae quorum minus est pro eo anno … inordinateviventes inquirere monere scandalosos ordinario praesentare c. Ibid. Ex. Aagl Pol. Isai 53 7. Reasons why the Reviewer is so much indined to the metaphor op a vomit Tous ischnous kai evemeas ano pharmacevein… tous de dysemeas kai mcsoos eusarcous ca 10. 4. Aph. 6. 7. G. moching Compend Instiâ—… Med disc 5. Vn lawfull Covenants not to be keept-Ouc epiorkein phoboâ—… menous tente para â—…on theoontimovian kai ten paratois anthropots aischynta Egar one omeitai e hotan omnysin euorkesei Per hoc juramentum spirationes conjurationes pleraque in iqua aequa consirmari solent Cardan Terein autou ten chreian on tois anagcaiois hama kai timioir Hiorocl in Carm. Pythag Prov. 30. 19. Covenants ordinarilie nâ—…inted in Scotland not in England Nor can such aftercoâ—…tracts devised imposed by a fewmeniâ—… a declared partie without my consent and without any like power or praecedent from Gods or mans lawes c. Eix Baâ—… Ch. 14. proque bus arduis urgenâ—… negoâ—… slatum defensionem Regni â—…stri Angl. Eccles. Anglie concernentibus … Cum Praelatis Maguatib c. colloquium habere tractatum The extract of a letter-shewing by whom the Covenant was devised The Rebells desires were impositions Nullum privilegium Parlamenti concedi potest proprâ—…ditione felonia aut ruptura pacis 17. Ed. 4. Rot. Parâ—…um 39. The Covenant dishonourable to the English The nullitie of it Ioan. Gutierrez De Iuram â—…onfirm part 2. cap. 2. ex Alciat The Reviewers Abominable falshood Iudic. Oxon De sol lig seci 2. Ps. 145. 1. 7. Covenanters take the Discipline for Christs institution Ans. to the Declar. by the Parl. angl Aug. 25. Let. to the Gen. Assemb S. Iul. 22. it 4. Vindic. Ep. Philadelph Protest of the Noblemen Barons c. 1638. According to the word of God a more dubious frivolous limitationing the Covenant then heretofore in the oath for Episcâ—…pacie 1548. Ministri Regia authoritate compulsi aut subscribere Epali tyrannidi aut in carceres aut exâ—…lia abire Multarum ministrorum tuncse prodidit imbecillitas instauratae Ecclae tyrannidi homonymus subscribentiam adjecta limitatione anbigua vel potius futiâ—…i nempe secundum verbum Dei c. Ep. Phil. Vind. â—…o Gutiervez De Iuâ—…am Conâ—…mpar 1. â—…p 71. Suâ—… 5. See Surv. of the praet holie Disc. Vid. Discus Eccles. Disc. Rupel edit 1584. The Covenant how the same with that of K. 1. 1580. K. Ch 〈◊〉 Larg declâ—… 1639 pag 177 Protest ag Kings Proclam 1638 How it differs from it Epiphyllides taut csti kai stomylmata chelidonoon momseia Eâ—…x Buâ—… Ch. 14. K. Ch. 1. Larg decâ—… p. 15. c. The English Discipline long since setled by law in Scotland and the Liturgie there used The Pr. Scotish never so in England but obtruded Mot. Brit. Vix audebat rex eis de postulaâ—…o abnucre propâ—…r Scotos c. p. 28. Vocatioâ—…em lubenti animo amplectuntur ut pote adidem prius proclives pag. 4. Answ. to the let sent by the Ministers of Engl Aug. 5. Ps. 62. 9. The power of the Militia is the Kings 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ch. 10. H. Grot. lib. DeAnciq Reip. â—…atav Answ to both Houses 1647. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ch. 10. Bishops and ceremonies no burden See Treat of Cerem besore Com. prayer booke Hookers Eâ—…l Polit. Dr. Tayl of Episc. Bishop Andr. let to Mâ—…lin c. To paronaâ—…i bari tois hâ—…pecoois Thâ—…c Salusi Bell Catil Parliament can not reforme without the King Isai. 50 11 The concessâ—…ons of Ch. 〈◊〉 not so â—…arge 〈◊〉 praetended K. Ch. 2. not obliged to confirmâ—… them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ch. 17. Ibid. Nov. 18. 1648. at Newport K. Ch. 1. Immovâ—…able from Primitive Episcopaâ—… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ch. 17. Answ. Nov. 18. 1648 Newport Nov. 20. Vna opera ebur atramento candefacere postules Pl. Mostel The Reviewers sophistrie K. Ch. 2 much beholding to the Reviewer He can noâ—… so easilie will not so readilie grant what his Father denied 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ch. 27. Ibid. Ib ib. Ibid. Ibid. Ch. 17. Ch. 14. Ibid. â—…r 19. 1. Rev. 〈◊〉 14. 17. The King supreme Legislatour Answ. to both Houses 1647. The Bishops proâ—… not injurious to Kings Lords nor Commons 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ch. 9. H. Grot. Ano. 681. Lnd. Aur. Peras See True Repraesent of the Proceed of the Kingd of Scoth since the late Paâ—…is c. pag. 31. 2. Book Disâ—…ipl 7. Ch. The Reviewers beiâ—…fe is no confesâ—…n of the Biâ—…hops Aristoph Ran. Scotish Presbytâ—…rie is that meant in the Covenant though dissembled Which detracts from the Kings supremaâ—…ie 2. B Dise 1. Ch. Statutum Parliamenâ—…â—…sse solum quidaâ—… cvilem apprâ—…â—…sse tantum Christiani Prinâ—…pis ofsicium subjectionem suam Christâ—… Ecclesiae debitam tesianus Phil. Eplae â—…ind Foraigae Presbyterianâ—…ashemed to justifie the Scotish Covenant The Scotish Pr. never seriouslie assâ—…rib'd any good intentione to the King Naturâ—… insitum est omnibus Regibus in Christum odium Altar Dam. praet…Cosque Deo Creatori non Redemptori imperium accepnm debere non obseure praedicârunt Refut Epil 〈◊〉 Siquis non obscure praedicavit…Non longe aberavit Vindic cjustd…Non solume longinquo non impediens connivens vel plenariam potestatem…concedens…sed â—…oram intuens talis facinoris asspectu delectatus The Reviewer dares not speake out to the Bishops quaestion about taking armes for religion Vide quidem pende tamen improba dixit Mot. 6. fab 3. The ambiguitie in the Covenanters words leaves religion to the libertie of their conceits Se short Causes begin Nulla unquam gens in quovis seculo… Opus Resormationis feliciore prudentia animo suecessu administravit quam Scoti in sua patria Mot. Brit. Ver. Custin Vincent advers haeres c. 14. Their allegeance conditional They fight against 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ch. 9. Their Creed in words the same with ours but not in sense Henderson and the Reviewers speaches about Bishops Religion libertie no good pretenses for taking armes Simons's Vindicat p. 30. In Brut. The Scotish Presbyterians as enthusiastike as the Anabaptists no more excusable by their religion for taking arâ—…es Fayth noâ—… so comon if such as commonlie defined Sulpit. Sever in vita S. Matâ—…h 10. 16. The Pr. Scots must bring beter markes then â—…eir baâ—…t words for revelations Advers haeres cap. 14. They are cut throtes of Magistrates planters of Religion by armes Hist. Lib. 4. We say nothing to foraigne protestants taking armes till they justific yours theirs by yours The Praelates decline not the judgement of Councels Presbyterian crueltie may by Gods providence be restrained Admon ad Gent.
men most likelie to make good the interest you aim'd at This you were before practising in England where your Sectarian Masters that had set you on horsebacke mean'd not to take your bridle in their mouthes and be rid by your ambition to their ruine Though you advis'd them faire for 't in your Papers March 3. 1644. requiring to have the officers in their armie qualified to your purpose… men know'n to be zealous of the reformation of religion and of that uniformitie Which both Kingdomes are obiiged to promote and maintaine c. As in September the yeare before you told them you could not conside in such persons to have or execute place and authoritie in the armie raised by them who did not approve and consent to the Covenant Which I sinde by one well acquanted with your meaning interpreted thus You desired to have zeaious hardic men out of the North whose judgement about the Covenant and treatie had concurred so as to introduce your Nation to be one of the Estates of England to have a negative voice in all things who would have pleaded your cointerest with the Parliament of England in the Militia of the Kingdome disposal of places and officies of trust c. Having faild there of your cointerest with the Parliament you straine here for your cointerest with the King and would have the commanding power of his militant Kingdome in their hands that should have held His Majestie like a bird in a string which if he once stretch'd for recovering his own just liberties or his peoples they could have pluck'd him in to clip his troublesome wings or cage him at their pleasure The firmnesse of your Covenanting Commanders to the interest of God the Dispeller reveales in his experience of their striking hands with hell in cursing and swearing plundering and slealing which might have sill'd the hearts of the people had your poison not been administred under the guilt of wholesome advice with more rational jelausies and feares then any by past miscariages of them whose designe at that time was very hopefull and honourable otherwise then as it caried the fatal praetext of your Covenant before it To let the world know how long your mysterie of iniquitie hath been working in the bowells of the State the Bishop alledgeth ancient praecedents of So. yeares standing from more impartial more credible relations then those in yourRomance falselie intitled An Historical Vindication What you shovell in here about treacherous correspondence with Spaine is but an handfull of sand without lime adhaeres not at all to the Inquisitours troubling the Merchants in their religion nor that to your admonishing the people to be warie in their trade nor all at all to the truth which the Bishop tells you was a Synodical Act prohibiting their traffique under the rigid poenaltie of excommunication which all the art you have can not melt into a friendlie advertisement Those of the Merchants whom you say the Inquisitours seduced required no relaxation Nor were the rest so persecuted as to be discourag'd in their trade when they petition'd the King to maintaine that libertie where of your spiritual chaines had depriv'd them Therfore all your courteous mediation was but a disguis'd Imperious prohibition whereby you checkt the King and in ordine ad spiritualia tooke it for granted you mated him by the Merchants weake submission to your Censure Could we but once take it your Church in agrieving fit for her owne so publike profanesse in the daylie breach of the 5 6 other commandaments that follow we would tolerate her zeale though not commend her discretion in her will worship superstitious nicitie touching the violation of the fourth But when we finde her enlarging her conscience to laugh at rebellion murder c. We guesse her crocodiles teares to be more out of designe then compastion her mouth open for the destruction of them that are not through knowledge of her hypocritie delivered The profanation of the Sabbath is not so in conjunction with à Monday mercate but that à Saterdays journey with some sixpeenie losse or à Sunday nights watch and labour might separate them Your holie supplications were leven'd with Iudaisme which had not the Bishops in Christian libertie eluded as your advantage might lie the Parliament might have next been importund to Dositheus's follie to erect à rediculous statuarie Sabbath in your Countrey Though I heare all were not so hard hearted as you make them but that Patrike Forbes Bishop of Aberdene did translate the mercates which are none of the least in his diocese to wednesday as the provincial records of that place will testifie From the obstruction made by the rest to your petitions you cannot inferre what you have formd in a calumnie about their doctrine example on that day What sorts of playes which were not all if you reckon right the most emminent Bishops either us'd or tolerated were such as consisted with and spirited the Dominical dutie of publike and private devotion wherein they had the authoritie and praecedent of otherguesse Christians then any scotish Assemblie praecisians and seconded with reason such as hitherto you never seriouslie and solidelie answered If they endeavoured to make the Sunday no Sabbath they did it in a farre better sense and on better grounds then Rob. Bruce could have changd it as you know he endeavoured to Wednesday or Friday and Lent from spring to Autumne on purpose to priviledge the pure brethren ' in the singularitie of their worship and free them from a profane communion though not in the time with Papists and Praelates If the Bishops had a designe to advance their Kingdome by such old licentiousnesse and ignorance as this innocent libertie might be feard to reduce We know to whom the Presbyters somewhere are beholding at least for their Sabbath policie though they thinke good to enlarge it beyond Episcopal sports and playes to publike mercates to brewing fulling grinding carying beer corne dung and indeed what not except opening whole shops and wearing old clothes For redressing which I doe not finde your compassionate prayers to god or advice to them which I remember you us'd so effectual as to make any amendment or gaine any proselytes to your circumcised severitie Therefore till you praevaile I pray let the Bishops be troubled no more with what all your flintie fac'd malice can not appropriate to the times or places of their government What hath been granted since you cast them out of the Parliament was by them that had no more power in one sense to giue then in another to denie Yet had all your demands meant no worse then you spake in that about the due sanctification of the day you might have let them sit still have had the Souters your friends reconcil'd and made a better mercate of those Royal concessions which met too farre unlesse your gratitude had been greater your unlimited reguests For the
not a proposition is there in prosyllogisme or syllogisme that is seemes you can denie though you scarce any where shew ingenuitie to grant For the second which you thinke so hard to prove let it be adventur'd thus He that by covenant disposeth of himselfe and armes contrarie to the established lawes which by the Kings right in him he is obliged to maintaine disposeth of them against that rights But every Covenanter disposeth c. For the established lawes enjoine him to defend the Kings person without limitation or reference to religion at least not to fight against it which the Covenant by your practike interpretation doth oblige to Where the power of the Militia resides His Maâ—…esties unanswerable Declaration for the Commission of array will best satisfie you And himselfe tells you trulie it is no lesse his undoubted right then is the crowne In the exercise of it though the Parliament be not excluded yet their power is never legallie considerable but when they are as the bodie with the soul in stain conjunctâ—… with the King Defense of liberties hath no law to arme them against praerogative nor is there a cause imaginable impowering them to take up armes against a partic countenanced by the Kings praesence which can be according to no law but what is call'd such by rebellious people that offer violence to Royal right If any such there be let us have but one impraegnable instance and we 'll shake hands I beleeve you are not much in love with that old custome of the Frisians long before they became Presbyters who chose their Earle carying him upon their bucklers and crying alowd Haecest potestas Frisiae You can now adayes beter indoctrinate them according to the custome of yourfaction when praevalent which is to admit no new King but at the swords point and there to keepe him crying after this maner or somewhat like it in your proclamational libells Haec est libertas Presbyteriales Scotiae Yet your Commissioners when in the mood can praesent the hilt to his hand and argue with both houses as they did upon the new propositions why the power of the militia should be in the crowne asking How Kingâ—… otherwise can be able to resist their enemies and the enemies of the Kingdome protect their subjects keep friendship or correspondence with their allies … asserting that the depriving them of this power rootes up the strongest foundations of honour and sasctie which the crowne affords will be interpreted in the eyes of the world to be a wresting of the scepter and sword out of their hands So that the Bishops friends may take from yours aswell as from him the same demonstrable conclusion he layd downe And this for all the Kings acknowledgement which was never any of the Parliaments joint interest in his authoritie against his person which is the true case though you shamefullie conceale it Nor did His Majestie so put the whole Militia in their hands as to part with his right when he bound his owne from the exercise Nor was he sure he was not or might not seeme to be perjur'd for his courtesie which all Kings will not hazard though he layd the guilt or dishonour at their doores whither God hath brought allreadie a portion of their just punishment that constraind him saying I conceive those men are guiltic of the enforced persurie if so it may seem who compell me to take this new and strange way of discharging my trust by seeming to desert it of protecting my subjects by exposing my selfe to danger or dishonour for their safetie and quiet Therefore what thoughts he had of your parties medling with the Militia may be best judg'd by his words How great invasion in that kinde will state rebellion in a Parliament when there 's any as there was none at that time nor since shall be told you when the Bishop gives you occasion to demand it Or if you can not stay so long I must send you againe to the judicious Digges to satiate your too curious and greedie appetite of such fare as will not well be digested in many stomackes To the nulling yourCovenant by His Majesties proclamation you say nothing because it separates him from the partie to which you attribute all malignance and you know you can not securelie medle with him but in a croud In the Bishops second demonstration we must be beholding to you for giving what you can not keep with any credit which more awes you then conscience That where the mater is evidentlic unlawfull the oath is not binding The application of which up to your covenant will be justified when brought to the touch by Gods lawe or the Kingdome 's But you first summon it before reason which helpes you with no rule To lay aside what might be otherwise rectified were there cause for 't Nor any evidence that the burden of Bishops and ceremonies was so heavie as to presse you into the necessitie of a Covenant This his Lordship need not offer to dispute since the King ever offerd a regulation of that order and those rites by the primitive paterne wherein it otherwise differed then in a necessarie innocent compliance with the politike constitution of his Kingdome And the Church had render'd all rational satisfaction aswell for the ceremonies reteined as those abolish'd And both by particular men most eminent in learning and judgement had been unanswerablie maintained in every graine or scruple that could be quaestion'd or complaind of Yet the praesent government how light soever is burdensome especiallie to men that looke for advantages by the change And the worst of men can seeme as serious in complaint as if their vertues had been the onelie martyrs to crueltie and the very common hackneyes for oppression Quid reliqui habemus praeter miseram animam came out which a sad sigh from Catiline before his bankrupt Comrades who had left no such subject for rebellion to thetoricate on if their lives had been as good pawnes in the midst of their prodigalitie as their lands This your method of reformation whereof the Bishop complaines for which you plead custome failes not onelie in the maner but of the power the most material requisite to effect it And the high path way is not so ordinarie as you can name the Parliament that ever trod in it before We in England having no such custome nor indeed any where the true Churches of God as to alter religion and government without the King To your quaestion which ever shelters fraud in universals I particularlie answer and to our purpose 1. That the Houses of Parliament are not to begin with an ordinance for a covenant or oath to change the lawes of the Realme to abolish the Discipline of the Church and the Liturgie lawfullie established by the sword which are the Bishops words before the Kings consent be sought to that beginning much lesse when his dissent is foreknow'n of that