pestem caveant qui salvam Ecclesiam cupiunt quum illam in Scotia in tempore profligaris ne quaeso illam unquam admittas quantumvis unitatis retinendae specie quae veteres etiam optimos multos fefellit blandiatur Bez Epist. 79. This is a great gift of God that you have brought into Scotland together pure Religion and good order which is the bond to hold fast the Doctrine I heartily pray and beseech for Gods sake Hold fast these two together so that you may remember that if one be lost the other cannot long remain So Bishops brought forth popery so false Bishops the reliques of popery shall bring into the world Epicureism Whosoever would have the Church safe let them beware of this pest and seeing you have timely dispatched it in Scotland I beseech you never admit it again albeit it flatter with shew of the preservation of unity which hath deceived many of the best of the Ancients A third of the body of Confessions of faith It is the rare priviledge of the Church of Scotland before many in which respect her name is famous even among strangers that about the space of four and fifty years without schisme let be heresie she hath kept and holden fast unity with purity of doctrine The greatest help of this unity through the mercy of God was that with the doctrine the discipline of Christ and the Apostles as it is prescribed in the Word of God was by little and little together received and according to that discipline so neer as might be the whole government of the Church was disposed By this means all the seeds of schismâ—s and errors so soon as they began to bud and shew themselves in the very breeding and birth were smothered and rooted out The Lord God of his infinite goodnesse grant unto the Kings most gracious Maiesty to all the rulers of the Church to the powers that are the Nursers of the Church that according to the Word of God they may keep perpetually that unity and purity of doctrine Amen Est illud Ecclesiae Scoticanae privilegium rarum prae multis in quo etiam ejus nomen apud exteros fùit celebre quod circiter annos plus minus 54. sine schismate nedum haeresi unitatem cum puritate doctrina servaverit retinuerit Hujus unitatis adminiculum ex Dei misericordia maximum fuit quod paulatim tum doctrina Christi Apostolorum disciplinam sicut ex verbo Dei est praaescripta una fuit recepta quam proixme fieri potuit secundum eam totum regimen Ecclesiasticum fuit administratum Hâ—e ratione omnia schismatum atque errorum semina quam prinum pullulare aut se exerere visa sunt in ipsa quasi herba partu sunt suffocata extirpata Det Dominus Deus pro immensa su a bonitate Regiae Majestati Serenissimo omnibusque Ecclesiarum gubernatoribus potestatibus Ecclesiae nutritiis ut ex Dei verbo illam unitatem doctrinae puritatem perpetuo conservent Amen Corp. Confess fidei pag. 6. The fourth of King Iames of happy memory The Religion professed in this Countrey wherein I was brought up and ever made profession of and wishes my son ever to continue in the same as the onely true form of Gods Worship c. I do equally love and honour the learned and grave men of either of these opinions that like better of the single form of policy in our Church than of the many Ceremonies of the Church of England c. I exhort my son to be beneficiall to the good men of the Ministry praising God that there is presently a sufficient number of good men of them in this Kingdom and yet are they all known to be against the form of the English Church Basildor To the Reader And in the Assembly 1590 his Majesty praised God for that he was born to be a King in the sincerest Church in the world c. The fift is of Brightman our own Countryman who joyneth the Churches of Helvetia Suevia Geneva France Holland SCOTLAND all together into one Church for the Counter-payn of the Church of Philadelphia because saith he they almost live by one and the same laws and manner of Government as touching any matter of moment Neither doth the distance of place break off that society which the Conjoyning of mindes and good will coupleth together having thus joyned them into one Church he subjoyneth concerning it Loth would I be to provoke any man to envy or to grieve him with my words yet this I must say there is no place where the doctrine soundeth not more purely the worship of God is exercised more uncorruptly where more faithfull diligence of the Pastors doth flourish or more free aud willing obedience is given by the people nor yet where there is greater reverencing of the whole Religion among all orders And afterward Neither doth it onely keep the doctrine of salvation free from corruption but it doth also both deliver in writing and exercise in practice that sincere manner of government whereby men are made partakers of salvation Revel of the Apocal. Chap. 37. To these may be added what upon the one hand is said by these of the separation in their first petition to to King Iames insert in their Apology to the Doctors of Oxford We are willing and ready to subscribe to these grounds of Religion published in the Confession of Faith made by the Church of Scotland hoping in the unity of the same Faith to be saved by Jesus Christ being also like minded for and with other Reformed Churches in points of greatest moment And upon the other hand That the meetings of Ministers for interpreting Scripture like unto their Presbyteries were allowed by Arundell Hutton and Matthew three Archbishops in England and proved very profitable in the Northern parts for increase of knowledge both in Ministers and People But all these and the like testimonies were to me but like the saying of the woman of Samaria to her Countrey-men till I did more fully understand the constitution and order of that Church Then did I believe not because of their testimonies but because I did see and know And from that which I have seen and do now know when I have walked and gone round about that Church when I have told the Towers thereof marked well her Bulwarks and considered her pallaces I may without offence affirm three things First That God hath not dealt so with every nation if envy would permit I might say any nation as he hath dealt with them Whereof no cause can be given but his own good pleasure he showeth mercy and maketh his Sunne to shine on whom and were he will and of him and through him and for him are all things Secondly that it is no marvail if that Nation stand to the defence of their Reformation had the Lord been pleased to blesse us with the like at the time of our Reformation we would
not have been so unwise as to make exchange of it with Prelacy we would have forsaken all things rather then have forsaken it It is more strange that any should have been found amongst them at any time to speak or to do against their own Church But after you have with your reason and minde made a generall survey of all societies there is none more grave more dear then that which each one of us hath with his Countrey Parents are dear Children Friends familiars are dear But our native Countrey alone taketh all these within her compasse for which what good man would doubt to die could his death serve her for good So much the more detestable is their barbarity who have with all kinde of wickednesse rent asunder their native Countrey and both are and have been exercised in overturning her from the very foundation If a Patriote spoke so of his Countrey a Citizen so of his Republike what should the Christian born baptized and bred in Scotland think and say if he have been borne there not only to this mortall but to that immortall and everlasting life No children on earth have better reason to say Wee are not ashamed of our Mother and it were to be wished that the saying were reciprocally true Thirdly having the pattern of all the Reformed Churches before us and this example so neer unto us what need we to stand amazed as not knowing what to choose To abide that which we have been is neither profitable nor possible To conjoyn the two in one is but the mixture of Iron with Clay and must needs make the distemper greater It were well for us and no other well for us can I see that laying aside our high conceit of our selves and the low esteem of other reformed Churches We would resolve to follow them as they follow Christ and not to despise the government of Christ because they seeme to be but Mole-hils But to conforme to them because they are conforme to Christ and to the pattern shewed in the Mountain What reciprocation of giving and receiving in matters of Religion hath beene betweene this and the Scottish Nation may be knowne by the words of Beda but speaking in his own idiome according to the grounds of popery Not long after the Monkes of the Scottish Nation who lived in the Iland Hii with the Monasteries under their power were brought into the rite of observing of Easter and of shaven Crownes The Lord bringing it so to passe he should have ascribed it to another spirit Which certainly was done by the marvellous dispensation of divine mercy that because that Nation who had the science of divine knowledge did willingly and without envy communicate the same to the people of England that the same Nation afterward should by the Nation of the English attain unto the perfect rule of living in these things which they had not before The Governement and Order OF The Church of Scotland A Description and not a Demonstration of the Church of Scotland is intended non jus sed factum their doing simply and not the reason of their so doing is desired The delineation therefore of the face of that Church without artificiall Colours and dispute of her comelinesse and beauty is nakedly expressed in two Parts The one of her Officers the other of her Assemblies The first part I. Of the Officers of the Church BEside the ordinary and perpetuall Officers which are Pastors Doctors Elders and Deacons The Church of Scotland hath no other at this time nor did at any time acknowledge any other These being warranted by Christ and his Apostles the extraordinary Ministers unto whom his will was revealed and being sufficient for all the necessary uses of the Churches as Exhortation Teaching administration of the Sacraments Government and distribution The Offices of Apostles Evangelists and Prophets were extraordinary and continued in the Christian Church so long as by the Will of God it was needfull for the well of the Church who although in regard of their order degree manner of Ministration and the places which they did hold which is called successio in gradum eundem They have properly none to succeed them yet in respect of their doctrine holinesse of life and substance of their Ministery which is successio in caput all faithfull Pastors lawfully called to their functions are their successors And in this sense not only their first reformers who had somewhat extraordinary but all their faithfull Ministers since who have laboured in the Word and Doctrine for the planting preserving and purging of Religion to the edification of the Church and no other are successors to the Apostles The Office of a Bishop consisting in power or priority above a Pastor as having no warrant in the Scripture as being a member of the wicked Hierarchy of the Pope for although this priority of Prelates had place in the Church before the Pope ascended to the top of his Ambition yet every corruption in doctrine worship but especially in government which since the mystery of iniquity began to work is retained by the Pope and by his authority is obtruded upon the Church they conceive to be His and as a cursed tree which amongst them hath brought forth no better fruits then heresie and errors in doctrine idolatry and superstition in worship Tyranny and persecution in Government and leudnesse and profanity of life both in Pastors and People They have abjured and removed out of their Church together with all the branches of that Hierarchy and all the offices titles dignities and courts depending thereupon as may be seen in their confession of faith Books of discipline and acts of assemblies of old and of late In the beginning of their reformation they had no constitute Presbyteries nor such provinciall and generall assemblies as they had afterward and upon the other part they had superintendents visiters of certain parts of the Countrey and Commissioners for Provinces But they who desire to know the constitution and condition of that Church must distinguish between her infancy and her riper age between her desires designes and endevours and her attainments proceedings and performances for how soon it was possible for them presbyteries and assemblies which from the beginning had been intended were erected and established And no sooner was this brought to passe But superintendents and all others of that kinde which at first were of necessary use in visiting the Country and in planting of Churches were declared to be neither necessary nor expedient for the Church The Church of Scotland hath been disquieted and much troubled with Episcopacy since the beginning and at last by the ambition of vain men by the power and working of civill authority and by the corrupt assemblies of Ministers had some footing and was in end raised to a great height and did become a mountain And yet the office of a Bishop was never received in that Church But when some Ministers who in regard of their
for the present that the whole Congregation powre forth their supplications that God would grant him repentance and to come out of the snare of the devill If nothing be objected or if none for him witnesse any appearance of repentance then is the danger of the person and the weight of the sentence laid open the next Sabbath and he the second time prayed for publickly If at last upon the next Sabbath there be no signe of repentance then is he praied for the third time and there being no meane unassaied nor remedy left to reclaime him hee is strucken with the terrible sentence of excommunication with calling upon the Name of God to ratifie the sentence in Heaven and the people warned to hold him as an Heathen or a Publican and to shun all communion with him except in naturall and civill duties to be still performed by such as are bound It is to bee understood that where the crimes are such that they cry to the heavens for revenge waste the conscience and by the law of God deserve death and the transgressor certainly knowne the processe may be more summarie excommunication more hastned as on the other part of absolution the time would be longer and the triall of repentance more exact After excommunication he is permitted to come to the preaching of the Word yet so as it may appeare that he commeth as one not having communion with the Church Neither is he debarred from private counsell instruction admonition and prayer that in end his spirit may be saved If after excommunication the Eldership finde the signes of repentance as the good life and behaviour of the excommunicate declaration of the griefe of his heart and his humble submission to the order of the Church in all things that may reconcile him to God and his people they shall with joy of heart make it knowne to the Congregation by the Minister that they may also have joy over their brother repenting or if they have ought to object against â—he â—uth of his repentance they may give notice thereof at the next meeting of the Eldership where if nothing be alleaged against him after he hath obeyd the injunctions of the Eldership for his further humiliation and the better tryall of his repentance he is either brought before the greater Presbyterie as all other penitents for great crimes or by relation from his owne Eldership is to give them satisfaction in the signes of his repentance that he may be absolved As all publick penitents are received so is the excoÌ„municate absolved in the face of the congregaâ—ion before whom being brought by the Elders at the time appointed he maketh free confession of his sinne and mourneth for it cryeth to God for mercie seeketh to be reconciled to the Church and promiseth new obedience with which all being satisfied and willing to receive him into their common and mutuall consolation the Minister who preacheth for that time pronounceth him upon his repentance to bee absolved in the Name of Christ from his sinne and free of the censurs of the Church and have right through faith to Christ and all his benefits and ordinances praising God for his grace and praying that he may be fully accepted to his favour loosed in Heaven and heare the voice of joy and gladnesse After the sentence of absolution the Minister speaketh to him as to a brother exhorting him to watch and pray or comforting him if he have need the Elders imbrace him and the whole congregation keepeth communion with him as if he had never offended As the Presbyterie excommunicateth profane professors so doth it also depose Preachers if they be teachers of corrupt Doctrine if their lives continue scandalous after admonition if they be busie in renting the Church a sunder by schisme and division if they be given to blasphemie profanation of the Lords day simonie perjurie drunkennesse fighting or any other sinne for which whether in respect of the greatnesse of the sinne or by reason of the contempt and obstinacie when the sinne is not so great private persons are excommunicated and although they be upon their repentance absolved from the sentence of excommunication yet in some cases especially where the crime inferreth a perpetuall infamie are they never readmitted to the Ministery except upon the unanimous and most earnest desire of the whole Church where they served before IV. Of greater Presbyteries or Classes THe Presbyterie or Classicall meeting doth consist of particular neighbouring Churches in such a circuite as may conveniently meet together to the number of ten sixteene twentie or so many as the vicinitie of the places and parishes may well accommodate It is supposed that the whole particular Elderships cannot well assemble in one place ordinarily neither is it necessarie There be therefore beside the Minister or Ministers of the Congregation who are supposed to be perpetuall members of the Presbyterie some of speciall note chosen out of the Elders by them who receiving from them commission may represent the whole from each particular Eldership one of the Elders with the Minister or Ministers repaireth to the place of meeting so that the members of this Presbyteriall meeting are all the Ministers within the Circuit and one Elder delegated from each particular Eldership None of the Ministers are permitted to be absent unlesse they be detainâ—d by necessarie impediments or extraordinarie imployments And therefore the day of the meeting of the Presbyterie may not be destinate to ordinarie preaching Nor are they to wait that day upon solemnizing of mariages The names are called by the Clerk and the absents are noted and examined the next day upon the reasons of their absence and if any happen to absent themselves many dayes without reasonable causes they are set apart and censured as guiltie of the contempt or neglect of the order of the Church But the Elders are not so strictlie tied to ordinarie attendance but if there be any matter of great weight to be handled they are all warned to be present And if hee who was formerly Commissioner may not assist another Commissioner in his place may bee chosen by the Eldership It is permitted to the expectants having entered before upon the publick exercise or prophesie to sit by the Ministers and Elders in the meeting of the Presbyterie and to give their judgement of the doctrine but they have no voice when matters of doctrine or discipline are debated And in the handling of some matters which are thought fit to be concealed and kept secret till they be by common consent published they use to be removed Because the whole discipline in a manner is in the hands of the Presbyterie they are to meet once a week or fortnight upon a certaine day and in a certain place but in some places through the length and deepnesse of the way in winter they do not meet so often The subject and matters treated in the Presbytery are all the Ecclesiasticall matters of weight which
their brightnesse the mists and mildewes gathered before were scattered and evanished And as by the order and power of these assemblies Foxes are taken that they spoile not the Vines and Gangrenes are prevented that they spread not against truth and unity all sorts of lewd and wicked men are discouraged and put to shame So is there excited among the Godly Ministers an holy emulation by acquaintance conference and by perceiving the gifts one of another which maketh them returne from the assemblies with a meane and humble conceipt of themselves and with new and strong resolutions for greater diligence in their studies and faithfulnesse in every Pastorall duty to the common benefit and edification of all the Churches all the Ministers are made more wise in matters of Governement and all the Congregations are affected with reverence to what is required of them by their particular Elderships as having the consent and approbation of the whole Church Many such fruits are reaped of these assemblies which without them no particular person or congregation can have any ground to hope for or expect They have no Arch-bishops Diocesan Bishops Suffraganes no Chapters no Curats dumbe nor idle Ministers no hirelings non-residents nor pluralists no Deanes nor Arch-Deacons no Chanters Sub-chanters nor Treasurers no Chancellors Officials nor Apparitors no Canons Peti-canons Prebends Singingmen nor boyes And yet without these and the like they have practise and use of all the ordinances of Christ all matters Ecclesiasticall determined remitting questions of tithes mariages divorcements c. to the civill Judge to whom they properlie do belong and all petitions complaints and Church grievances heard and redressed which they esteeme as the sweet yoke of Christ and think it a great ease both to their consciences and estates to be free of such bundles and burthens of trash and superfluities They conceive that to erect Presbyteries Synods and Nationall assemblies and still to keepe Prelates and the members of that Hierarchie is in the matter of Church government not unlike the Popish adding of Traditions to Scripture in the rule of faith or works unto faith in the point of justification c. additions to Christs institution being not only in respect of their author humane inventions and for any use they can have idlements vanities and follies but that they do also corrupt the purity and eat out the life of the ordinances of Christ. Here there is a superiority without tyrannie for no Minister hath a Papall or Monarchicall Jurisdiction over his own flock far lesse over other Pastors and over all the Congregations or a large Dioces Here there is a paritie without confusion and disorder for the Pastors are in order before the Elders and the Elders before the Deacons the Church is subordinate to the Presbyterie the Presbyterie to the Synod and the Synod to the Nationall assembly One Pastor also hath priority before another for age for zeale for gifts for his good deservings of the Church each one honouring him whom God hath honoured and as he beareth the image of God which was to bee seene amongst the Apostles themselves But none hath power or jurisdiction above others even as in nature one eye hath not power over another only the head hath power over all even as Christ over his Church The same may bee seene in the Common-wealth and in some of the offices of the Roman Church it selfe And lastly here there is a subjection without slaverie for the people are subject to the Pastors and Assemblies yet there is no Assemblie wherein everie particular Church hath not interest and power nor is there any thing done but they are if not actually yet virtually called to consent unto it As they have done and suffered much for vindicating and maintaining the libertie of their Religion that what belongeth unto God may be rendred unto God So do they desire that according to the rule of righteousnesse each man have his owne and above all men That the things which are Caesars be rendred unto him and to give him that which is Gods were a wronging both of God and Caesar. They have ever beene willing to taxes and to pay subsidies above that w ch they were able They joyne w th the inward reverence of their hearts externall honour and obedience in all things lawfull They powre forth their prayers to God in private and publick for all blessings spirituall and temporall upon his Royall Person and Government and upon his Progenie and for the same blessings upon the Queenes Majestie especially that God by his Spirit would give unto her the knowledge and love of the truth They long for her conversion as an happinesse to her selfe and a meane of great happinesse to the King to their Children and to all their Subjects And that the Lord may answer their praiers they think it incumbent to the Church of England nor can any bond whatsoever oblige them to the contrarie to use the best and most powerfull meanes and would most willingly in all humilitie love and respect joyne their endeavours for that blessed end And as they thus present their best desires and prayers so are they readie to sacrifice their lives to God for his Majesties good and in their hearts are grieved that their loyaltie which they account their no small glorie should have beene called in question Neither is this all But moreover they doe acknowledge that his Majestie as supreame Magistrate hath not onely charge over the Common-wealth but doth watch and hath inspection over the Church and Church matters but in a civill way Vos Episcopi in Ecclesia saith Constantine Ego extra Ecclesiam Episcopus à Deo constitutus sum And therefore that he is by his high calling and place Custos utriusque tabulae to command the precepts of the first table as well as of the second table to bee obeyed That he is Vindex Religionis by his sword as the Spirit of God in Scripture is Iudex and the Church is Index That hee hath power to turn the constitutions of the Church into lawes and to confirme them by the civill sanction in Parliament That he may constraine all his subjects to do dutie in matters of religion and may punish the transgressors That when debates arise about Religion hee hath power to call the Assemblies of the Church to be present and civilly preside in them and to examine their constitutions that he may discerne of them both as a Christian caring for his own soule and as supreame Magistrate watching over his people and that he may do all things which can prove him to be a kinde and carefull nursing Father They account all that is vomited out to the contrarie as that they liked Anarchie better then Monarchie and that they would turne a Kingdome into a democratie to be but the fictions and calumnies of the malitious enemies of God and his truth not unlike the lies which were devised against the Christians of old their consciences their words writings and actions even then when the world did put the worst constructions upon them were witnesses of the integritie of their hearts They doe still hold that there can bee no antipathy betwixt one ordinance of God and another By him Princes do reigne and hee hath also appointed the Officers and Government of his own house They do desire nothing more then that the Sonne of God may reigne and that with and under the Sonne of God the King may command and they as good subjects to Christ and the King may obey FINIS Sed quum omnia ratione animoque lustraris omnium societatum nulla est gravior nulla carior quum ea quae cum Repub. unicuique nostrum est Cari sunt Parentes Cari liberi propinqui familiares sed omnes omnium caritates patria una complexa est pro qua quis dubitet mortem oppetere si ei sit profuturus quo est detestabilior istorum immanitas qui lacerarunt omni scelere patriam in ea funditus delenda occupati sunt fuerunt Cicer. Offi. l. 1. Nec multo post illi quoque qui insulam Hii incolebant Monachi Scoticae Nationis cum bis quae sibi subdita erant monasteriis ad ritum paschae tonsurae Canonicum domino procurante perducti sunt c. And afterward Quod mira divinae factum constat dispensatione pietatis ut quoniam Gens illa qua noverat scientiam divinae cognitionis libenter ac sine invidia populo Anglorum communicare curavit ipsa quoque postmodum per Gentem Anglorum in eis quam minus habuerat ad perfectam vivendi norman perveniret Beda eccles hist. gentis Angl. l. 5. c. 23.