Common-Counsell of London the Houses of Parliament the Kings Majesty himselfe and whosoever else lyes crosse in their way large as uncivilly as they have done us the companions we have in our sufferings make our other wayes insupportable injuries the more tolerable But of all the kinds of injustice whereby they have been pleased to deal against us this now in hand seems to be most strange they rest not satisfied with all they are able of themselves to speak write or print for the disgrace of our Church unlesse they scrape together and with their owne hands cast upon our face the falsest of the most wicked calumnies which our common enemies the Prelats either of old or of late have invented against us We esteemed our selves secure of this kind of dealing from those whom we knew to have solemnly sworne the defence of our Church-Government against the common enemy I professe I cannot deny myamazement to see men who pretend to more then ordinary piety fall upon their wel-deserving Brethren so openly before the Sun in contempt of God and his solemn Oath to enforce upon them old rotten calumnies which cannot but fall back upon the head not onely of the first Authors but also with encrease of shame upon the face of the malicious repeaters so much against all piety charity and wisdome You know that one of the most false and wicked pieces that of old was written against the Church of Scotland was Adamsons Declaration in the yeer 1584. it was so vile that the Author was brought to an ingenuous confession of the shamefull and wicked lyes whereof it was full King James at that very time did disclaime it under his hand divers of our Parliaments did condemne the matter of it as erroneous and wrong That pestiferous carcasse which with all possible infamy was buried so soon as borne and did lye quiet in its grave of shame till a full Climaterick of three score and three yeers our good friends have been so wise for themselves and kind to us as to dig up its stinking bones and to carry it from house to house from shire to shire over all England and where over else a printed pamphlet can goe serving their Brethren of Scotland with this curtesie according to their Covenant And least the antick face of so long buried a body should not have been looked upon by the multitude with any contentment they did choice to be at the cost of putting it in a fine new English dresse and setting upon its head the Cape of a royall title All to draw the eyes of the vulgar upon it who otherwise might have passed by it wiâ—h neglect and disdaine In this they have put themselves to a peece of pains which I never knew or heard used with any other book they do print it first in Master Adamsons owne old Scottish language and thereafter translated it in good moderne English setting before both the Title of A Declaration made by King James in Scotland concerning Church-government and Presbyters When all this was told us we made our addresse to the worshipfull Lycenser intreating that a Pamphlet so extreamly injurious to our whol Church and Nation might be smothered upon the Presse and returned to its pit where so long it had lyen in infamy we were told by him that divers persons of eminency at least for their place and present Station had strongly moved him with great importunity to give his License for its reprinting Yet that upon our so just and reasonable desires he would doe his best to stop it hereupon we rested satisfied being assured of its suppression notwithstanding within two dayes after this promise it came abroad the importunity and eminency of the persons who had drawne from the Licenser his Imprimatur with greater ease did draw from the Presse some thousands of the printed Copies and made them to be sold publikely to our small contentment While this not very pleasant morsell is lying in our stomack scarce halfe digested behold a second dish is presented to us for to helpe our concoction of the first Master Jo. Maxwell late Bishop of Rosse Excommunicate by our generall Assembly declared Incendiary by our Parliament and made unpardonable in the Propositions of Peace did write in the gall of his bitternesse a wicked Satyre against all the parts of the Government of our Church This some three yeeres agoe the Author did print at Oxford under the Title of an Answer by Letter shewing how inconsistent Presbyteriall government is with Monarchy The Cavaliers there received it with great joy being extreamly satisfactory to their spight and revengefull humour against Scotland which they did ordinarily damne and curse as the first and greatest Fountaine of all their woes In this the Lord gave testimony for us against them for by a sudden and unexpected fire almost all the Copies of that wicked Booke were destroyed before they were brought from the Printers Shoppe by the strange and remarkable accident the mouth of the Author and of his malignant friends at Oxford were so stopped that we heard very little more of that Booke from them But behold our Covenanting Brethren at London I meane some of our Antipresbyterian friends tooke the courage and charity to plucke out of the fire the remainder of the Prelats labours and misregarding not onely the sentence of men the Acts of the generall Assembly of Scotland and of the Parliaments of both Kingdomes making the man an excommunicate and unpardonable Incendiary but also the judgement of God from Heaven who to their knowledge had burnt the most of that Impression to ashes notwithstanding they will gather what was left out of the fire as a holy relict and hug it in their bosome till by a new Impression at London of some thousand copies they be enabled to make it run over all the Kingdome and so much farther as a Pamphlet hugely cryed up by their voices could flee Our diligence to search and find out the Presse the Licenser and if we had pleased the Solicitors of their former Writ made them a little more cautious in the reprinting and publishing of this but for all their warinesse it was visible enough by whose industry the Books were dispersed to the Members of Parliament and over all the City it was knowne by whose serious recommendations wings were set to the sides of that Fowle that it might flee with all diligence much farther and more quickly then the art and malice of the Malignants at Oxford were able to have carried it For my part all the revenge I wish of so grievous a wrong all the penance I would put upon the Authors and Actors therein beside the weight of that sin and shame which they have drawne upon themselves by spreading so false and so wicked lyes of them who by solemne oath they were obliged to have defended against such injuries shall be onely to collation at their conveniency my subsequent Answer with their owne beloved Writs when they have
ever aimed at was most immoderate and the most moderate Episcopacie that can be conceived is a meere human invention which has no ground at all in the word of God which in all times and places has proved unhappy to the Church and which at this time is talked of by some for no other end but to be a new beginning and step to such a Prelacie as may be serviceable to the Prince as before for the advanceing of his Prerogative in Church and State above all Law and reason How ridiculous is it to heare most immoderate spirits talke of moderation to speake of a moderate Episcopacie a moderate Popedome a moderate Tyranny is to tell us of a chast Bordell an honest cousinage a meeke murther and such like repugnancies men now are no more childish to be couzened by your distinctions out of their Covenant FINIS Good Reader BEE intreated to pardon sundry literall faults and many mispunctations and some other grosser typographicall faults which corrupt the sence An ANSWER to the DECLARATION AS Every passion when too much stirred The opposites of Presbytery blinded with malice have hurt themselves and no others by the reprinting of this Declaration has a power to send up vapours and mists for darkning the light of the minde so especially anger and malice doe dazle and blinde the eye of reason Too much wrath devests men so farre of understanding as to make them take up such Armes against an Enemy which cannot hurt him but fail not to pierce themselves and their best friends with dangerous wounds The opposites of Presbyteriall government be they Independents or Erastians or who ever when after all other devices they thinke fit for the helpe of their cause to reprint here and put in the hand of people the old and forgotten calumnies formerly invented and spread by the SCOTS excommunicate Prelates by such weapons they will not be able to effect what they intend yet by such practises they cannot faile in the heart of intelligent beholders to wound their owne reputation proclaiming either grosse ignorance or very malicious fraud in this their offer to abuse the simplicity of people with writs which are fraughted with most notorious lyes Concerning the Title This writ of Adamsons is paralell to Balcanquals large Declaration A Declaration made by King JAMES in Scotland They who have acquaintance with the SCOTS affaires of that time doe know this writ to have no more relation unto King JAMES then the late large Declaration had to King CHARLES both carry the name of Kings but the specious pretence of a royal title was not able to save the true Authors of either from the just censure which they deserved by such false and malicious slandering of their Mother-Church and native Country Doctor Balcanquall for his wicked service in penning that large Declaration in King CHARLE's name was condemned as a Lyar and Incendiary and so stands registred both in that generall Assembly a The Generall Assembly at Edinburgh 1639. p. 9. the Assembly resenting the great dishonour done to God our King this Church and â—â—â—ole Kingdome by the Book called A larg Declaration have collected some amongst many of its false grossâ— and absurd passages They did supplicate to have Toâ—â—or Balcanquall the knowne Author cited for exemplary punishment and Parliament of Scotland b The secord Parliament of Kin Charles p. 29. the Booke called Al arge Dâ—craration was found to be full of lyes and known untruths and therefore the Parliament ordaines the Authoâ—s and spreaders thereof to be most severely punished to discourage all such underminers of his Majesties throne and abusers of his royall name by prefixing the same to such scandalous and dishonourable Treatises ibi p. 126. the Act against the five incendiaries Doctor Walter Balcanquall c. which King CHARLES by the advice of his Houses here did lately ratifie c Second Parliament of King Charles p. 72. whereunto it was an wered by the English Commissioners that his Majesty doth in the name of a King promise to publish the said Acts as is above specified The Bishop Adamsor for the like disservice in King James pretended Declaration does not also remaine in the Records of the Assemblies and Parliaments of Scotland â—ignmatized with the same Note of perpetuall infamy nothing impeded but his publicke Declaration of repentance That King James Adamson confesseth himself to be the Author notwithstanding of all his favour to Episcopacy was neither the Author nor approver of this Declaration I demonstrate thus First Master Patricke Adamson upon his death-bed put it under his hand with a solemn Oath that he himselfe was the Author of that Wryt which hee had drawne by the direction of the Chancellour and Secretary two very wicked Courtiers d The recantation of Patrick Adamson Bishop of St. Andrewes Whereas I am burdened to be the setter forth of the Booke called the Kings Declaration wherein the whole order of the Church is condemned and traduced I protest before God that I was commanded to write the same by the Chancellour for the time but chiefly by the Secretary another great Courtier contrary to the minde of the King o King Iames did disclaim it Secondly when the Commissioners of the generall Assembly the very next yeere at the Parliament of Lithgow did complaine to the King of the many false and wicked aspersions of that Declaration His Majesty did take such notice of their grievances that with his owne hand he did write a new Declaration much differing from the former which he told them was not his but the Archbishops e These animadversions and supplications being presented to his Majestie by the Ministers the King tooke paines himselfe by the space of foure and twenty houres to take him to his Cabinet and with his owne hand both wrote and penned this Declaration following word by word Ibid. the Bishop of St. Andrewes his own Declaration c. Thirdly What ever in it is contrary to Presbytery is condemned by posterior Parliaments the Acts of Parliament upon which this Declaration is grounded and which it doth interpret were all annulled some few years thereafter and the Presbiterian government which this writ tendeth to disgrace was compleatly set up by the King and States of Parliament to the great joy of the whole Land f Twelfth Parli of King James the 6. 1592. Act 1. our Soveraigne Lord and Estates of this present Parliament ratifies and approves the generall Assembly appointed by the said Kirke and declares that it shall be lawfull to the Kirk and Ministers every yeere at the least and ofter pro re nata as occasion and necessity shall require to hold and keepe generall Assemblies and also ratifies and approves the Synodall and Provinciall Assemblies to be holden by the said Kirk and Ministers twice every yeere as they have beene and are presently in use to doe within every Province of this Realm as also
AN HISTORICALL VINDICATION OF THE Government of the Church of Scotland From the manifold base calumnies which the most Malignant of the Prelats did invent of old and now lately have been published with great industry in two Pamphlets at LONDON The one intituled Issachars burden c. written and published at Oxford by John Maxwell a Scottish Prelate Excommunicate by the Church of Scotland and declared an unpardonable Incendiary by the Parliaments of both KINGDOMS The other falsly intituled A Declaration made by King James in Scotland concerning Church-government and Presbyteries but indeed written by Patrick Alamson pretended Archbishop of St. Andrews contrary to his own conscience as himselfe on his Death-bed did confesse and subscribe before many Witnesses in a Write hereunto annexed By ROBERT BAYLIE Minister at Glasgow Published according to Order London Printed for Samuel Gellibrand at the Brasen-Serpent in Pauls-Churchyard 1646. For his Reverend and wel beloved Brother Master ROBERT BLAIRE Minister of St. Andrewes THat I give to you an account of this my present taske it is no more then what often I have done in my other studies with your good acceptance and my great profit When I look back as frequently I doe with a delightfull remembrance towards those yeers of my childhood and youth wherein I did sit under your Discipline my heart blesses the goodnesse of God who in a very rich mercy to me did put almost the white and razed table of my spirit under your hand after my domestick instructions which were from mine infancy to be engraven by your labours and example with my first most sensible and remaining impressions whether of piety or of good letters or of morall vertue What little portion in any of these it hath pleased the Lord of his high and undeserved favour to bestow upon me I were ungratefull if I should not acknowledge you after my Parents the first and principall instrument thereof I cannot deny that since the eleventh yeer of mine age to this day in my inmost sense I have alwayes found my selfe more in your debt then in any other mans upon earth Among the many blessings wherein God kath made you instrumentall towards me this was one not the least that by your gracious and most loving discourses you so seasoned my childish heart with an early love towards the ancient oppressed Discipline of our Church and the Patrons therof that no after tentations were ever able totally to extinguish it You did so replenish me with narrations of the more then ordinary graces of many both in Scotland and England who had lived and dyed in opposition to Episcopall usurpations that my spirit was ever thereafter kept in a reluctancy and a kind of aversnesse from the Prelaticall wayes I confesse after you to my exceeding great griefe and losse were taken away from my head and I came to be set at the feet of other Masters especally Mr. Cameron and Mr. Struthers my very singular friends and excellent Divines as our Nation has bred I was gained by them to some parts of conformity which if the Lords mercy had not prevented might have led me as many my betters to have run on in all the errours and defections of these bad times but thanks to his glorious name who held me by the hand and stopped me at the beginning and first entry of that unlucky course who before I had put my hand to any subscription or was engaged in any promise or had practised any the least Ceremony in my Flock did call me to a retreat The remainder of your ancient instructions and the sight of your sufferings the happy fellowship and sweet society of that most precious man Master Dickson of old yours and now my most gracious Colleague were to me strong retractives and wholesome antidotes against all the infections of the ayre wherein I did live till the Lord sent to me and many others that soveraigne remedy of all the Episcopal Gangreen the gracious ungracious Service-book So soon as that came into my lands together with some late writs of the Canterburian and Court Divines which I did carefully look into as the true and just Commentaries both of that Book and all the rest of the proceedings of that party which then did manage the publick Counsels both Ecclesiastick and Civill of Britaine I did conclude that their Designe was wicked that their intentions were cleer to corrupt the Church and to enslave the State that all their former innovations were but introductory meanes and adminicles for these ends Whereupon I resolved by the grace of God upon all hazards to contradict and oppose so far as it was lawfull for me to move in my spheare all not onely their late grosser but also their former more subtill and plausible corruptions This ever since has been the greatest part of my labour and thanks to God not without some fruit especially to such who had stumbled more or lesse upon the block of conconformity which was the condition as you know of the farre most part in the whole Isle At this time I did not think of any farther contest with that party the hand of God by the Counsels and Forces of the Parliaments and by the labours of many gracious Divines of both Kingdomes having so broken and defeated that enemy that there was no more feare and scarce any thought of him among us yet behold an unexpected necessity of one bout more with him The wofull Anarchy wherein the perversnesse of some few men by the permission and heavy plague of God has for too many yeers kept the Church of England has produced such a multitude of heresies and schismes as no heart in the which is the least sparkle of love to God or of zeale to his truth can behold without a great deale of griefe and compassion and now also with some piece of indignation For to many of those seduced soules upon their feare and presage of some controlement and restraint of their liberty to beleeve what they list and preach what they beleeve if once any government were set up in the Church they become angry with all whose conscience pousses them after so long patience to presse for some setling of our so great and unheard of confusions And because in this desire the Scots are with the first according to their interest which they have bought at a very deare rate there ore upon them with the first the passions of those misled people does oftentimes break out It were long to tell you of the manisold not onely unexpected unkindnesses but very injurious contumelies which from this fountaine have flowed out upon our whole Nation all which we have entertained with so great wisdome and meeknesse as the Lord did furnish so much the rather that we did find this folly and unjustice as much resented by the wiser of their own Country-men as we could have wished Beside that this generation of men have served the Assembly of Divines at Westminster the
Apostates ibid. Caesaro papisme is an Antichristianisme worse then that of the Pope p. 33. Prelats and Erastians their Sympathy and Antipathy p. 34. King James against all toleration of heresies or schismes p. 35. Also much contrary to our present Anarchy p. 36. The retarders of government are enemies to themselves and to the welfare of England p. 37. The Recantaâ—ion of Patrick Adamson pretended Archbi of St. Andrews p. 37 Mr. Patrick Adamson's owne Answer and refutation of the Booke falsly called The Kings Declaration p. 41. Two pious and propheticall Letters of Mr. Jo. Welsh which he wrote out of his prison after the sentence of death was pronounced against him and other gracious Ministers for their testimony against Erastianisme Prelacy p. 45. The Authors out of which the chiefe testimonies of the subsequent Vindication are taken The Acts of Parliament printed at Edinborough by Robert Walgrave in the yeer 1597. The Acts of the second Parliament of King Charles printed at Edinborough by Robert Young 1641. The Acts of the generall Assembly at Edinborough 1632. printed at Edinborough by Evan Tyler 1642. One of the Registers of the Church of Scotland Manuscript A collection out of the Registers of the Church of Scotland by Mr. David Catherwood wherein beside other things are Mr. Andrew Melvils processe the Animadversions of the Commissioners of the generall Assembly upon Adamsons Declaration delivered to the King Also a Reverend Divines censure at that time upon the same Declaration Also King James his true Declaration Knox History Altare Damascenum Adamsons Recantation Mr. Welsh his Letters The Ecclesiastick History of Scotland written by John Spotswood pretended Archbishop of St. Andrewes licensed for the Presse under the hands of Secretary Stirling and Windebank Issachars Burden under the name of an Answer to a Letter c. Also Sacrâ— Sancta Regum Majestas both printed at Oxford 1644. by Mr. John Max well pretended Bishop of Rosse THE UNLOADING OF ISSACHARS BURTHEN WHen from divers good hands it was brought to me Issâ—chars burthen will stuâ—ble no solide and advised minde that Presbyteriall Government began to be evil spoken of by many to be suspected by some who hitherto had not been unfriends to it through the occasion of a late Pamphlet Intituled Issachars burthen which some Sectaries with all care and diligence doe put in the hands of the prime Members of both Houses of Parliament and others whom they conceive to have any influence in the affaires either of Church or State either of City or Countrey The word of the old Philosopher came in my mind a short sighted man is a quick judge who sees few things does soone and rashly give out his sentence That this namelesse Pamphlet printed by a Malignant at Oxford and reprinted by the industry of Sectaries at London should be able to open the mouth or touch the heart of any considerate man with the least suspition against the Government of the Reformed Churches seemes to me a little strange and will doe so as I suppose to others who shall be pleased to consider with me some circumstances of that writ first the Author secondly those whom he professes to taxe thirdly its Publishers fourthly the matters contained therein The Author of it is a man infamous an Excommunicate Prelate and inâ—endiagy The Author as uncontroverted fame since its first publication at Oxford makes manifest is Mr Iohn Maxwell late Bishop of Rosse from whose gracious pen a little after this did drop another piece of the like benigne quality Sacro-Sancta-Regum majestas they must be of a greater then ordinary credulity who can admit this mans testimony-against the Church of Scotland for by the most solemn judicatories of that Land he is declared infamous by the generall Assembly for many grievous offences he with some other Prelates were delivered into the hands of Satan but for more treasonable crimes this man by the Parliament of that Kingdome was declared an incendiary a Censure put upon no other Prelate but him alone These no more heavie then just sentences were so farre from bringing him to any shew of repentance A man obstinate and obdured in wickednesse that they filled his heart with bitternesse and rage to doe speak and write what ever masice hightned to the uttermost could dictate In that most scurrilous and invenomed Satyre Lysimachus Nicanor his pen was thought to be principall for this he got a warning from heaven so distinct and loud as any uses to be given upon earth to reclaime him from his former errours with his eyes did he see the miserable man Iohn Corbet who took upon him the shame of penning that rable of contumelious lies against his Mother Church hewed in pieces in the very armes of his poore wife this Prelate himselfe in the meane time was striken down and left with many wounds as dead by the hand of the Irish with whom he had been but too familiar All this did not humble his stout spirit so dangerous is it to be put in the hands of the Devill by the servants of God according to their Masters warrant for no sooner did he recover of his wounds but he went for Oxford of purpose to cast â—oyl in that flame in the first kindling whereof he had beene a prime instrument How little faith ought to be given to this man I might shew by seven years old Stories A man very corrupt in doctrine it s well known that he above all men living did move and encourage Canterbury to force upon Scotland the Liturgy and Canons what ever Popery or Tiranny is found in either he was a prime Author and full consenter thereto the erroneous Tenents of the Canterburian party especially their grosse Popery in the heads of Transubstantiation Iustification and Purgatory were according to his minde as the supplement of Ladensium Autocatacrisis demonstrates how neare he and his two most intimate friends Forbes and Synserfe were to the open profession of Popery does appeare by the avowed defection to Rome of their chiefe Scholars and most familiar dependents Forbes his Sonne Synserfe his brother Menteith the great Achates of all the three Bishops But leaving these elder stories The most malicious enemy to the Parliament of England that ever yet has written behold what new stuffe he layes out in his two Pamphlets in matters of State these are his maximes all resistance to Kings in any imaginable case of the most extreame Tyranny is simply unlawfull though the Religion Lawes Liberties of whole Kingdomes were totally subverted Let Princes doe what ever miseniese can come in the heart of the worst men subjects are to suffer all and have no right allowed by God to make any opposition farther then by teares and prayers (a) Sacro-Sanct p. 19. All opposition by force resisting of Kings by Armes whether in a defensive or offensive way is against God and unlawfull ibid. p. 66. They commit the highest Treasons against God man
make poor people die Traytors to both ibid. p. 68. fancying to themselves that they fight the Lords battels for Religion Liberties they dream they die Martyrs when they die Traytors to God and his Anoynted ibid. p. 132. They set the simple people upon Rebellion against God and his Anoynted to the destruction of State soul and body temporally and eternally That the defensive war of the Parliaments of both Kingdomes is a most reall Rebellion and Treason that all who have dyed in that quared are certainly damned that the Covenant is a damnable Conspiracy that all Covenanters are Traytors and Rebels both to God and the King that their Covenant puts them upon the principles of Ravtitack and Faux to kill Kings and blow up Parliaments (b) Vide supra a. also ibid. 63. This Covenant maketh every man to be armed with power and the way left to himselfe for ought wee know it may be Raviliacks way or Guido Faux his way ibid p. 7. For as bad as the Iesuite is in my conceiving the Puritan is worse That the Armes of the Irish Rebels were no more unjust then these of the British who opposed them that the Irish Cessation was lawfull and commendable (c) Ibid. Preface to Ormond you were assaulted with two of the worst extreames of opinions enraged both of them with the same degrees of madnesse That the Marquesse of Ormond for piety and prudence has not his match upon earth (d) Ibid. You whose piety is admirable whose wisdom and prudence is above the ordinary and all your equals so experienced in matters of State that it is a wonder to them who know you and incredible to them who have not been eye witnesses That for military vertue he is equall to Scipio Hannibal and Caesar (e) Ibid. Your heroicall Acts are worthy of the greatest Caesar you gained so much as their valiant Hannibâ—s and Scipios That the Legislative power is in the King alone That his Monarchy makes him above all Lawes and lets him be tyed to none but gives him power to alter and abolish them at his pleasure (f) Sacro Sanct. p. 180. One of the Sectaries principles wherby they intoxicate the Vulgar is that in a Monarchy the Legislative power is communicable to the subject ibid. p. 94. At the admittance of Saul God giveth to the subject Legem parendi Soveraignity is an undivided entity how can you share it among more To diminish any thing of this Pretogative is to destroy Monarchy to dethrone the King and to take his Crowne from him (g) Ibid p. 141. You totally destroy Monarchy and must say down right our gracious Soveragne is no Monarch p. 142. An impotent King is the same with no King For Parliamâ—nâ—s to meddle with any part of this power is a sacriledge which God will revenge (h) Ibid. p. 144. The worst bargaine ever subject made was at any rate to purchase a possession of the sacred Rights of Kings till these Kingdomes be purged of sacriledge so highly committed against God by wronging his Anointed and he be restored to his sacred Rights we need look for no effectuall blessings of God When through weaknesse or imprudence a Prince is cheated or enforced to give away to his Parliament any part of his power himselfe or any of his posterity when ever occasion offereth may lawfully take it back notwithstanding of any promise oath or law made to the contrary (i) Ibid p. 142. I doubt not to affirme but if any good Prince or his Royall Ancestors have been or are cheated out of their sacred Right by fraud or force he may at the first opportunity when God in his wise providence offereth occasion resume it You see with what a Statesman we have to doe A favorer of â—rosse Popery â—nd Arminiaâ—isme for his Religion heare a part of it Episcopacy is a necessary and fundamentall truth of Divine Institution and Commandement (k) Issachar p. 1. In the Edition of Oxford Episcopacy is the true necessary and perpetuall Government of the Church institute by Christ wee deceive our selves to expect deliverance from our troubles if wee subordinate fundamentals in Religion necessary truths to our civill good All Ecclesiasticall Iurisdiction belongs to the Bishops alone by Divine Right no Presbyter ought to bee a member so much as of a Provinciall Assembly (l) Ibid p. 31. Now is forgotten that of the councel of Chalcedon concilium est Episcoporum and that old barbarous but Christian enough verse Ite foras laici non est vobis locus ici That the Kings consent to the abolition of Episcopacy in Scotland is the true and great cause of all the troubles which since that time hath befallen him and his subjects (m) Ibid p. 2. What peace hath King or Kingdome enjoyed here or in Ireland since Episcopacy by Law in Scotland was damned That Abots Priors and their Religious Houses of Monks and Fryers are lawfull in the Church (n) Ibid. p. 49. Abbots and Priors to Melvils time were nominate and admitted to Abbeys and Priories as Church men but this great Doctor found out another Divinity that for Abbots and Priors there was none such in the Word of God That Patriarcks and Cardina's are Church Dignities highly to be reverenced (o) Ibid p. 43. Cardinall Beton a Priest and Archbishop of so high Dignity That the Pope by Divine Right is as true a Bishop as any other Bishop in the world but by humane Ecclesiastick Right he is greater then any other (p) Sacro Sanct. p. 58. The Pope the Bishop of Rome hath no more by Divine Right except it bee in extent then the meanest Bishop in his Diocesse what hee may have by positive Ecclesiasticall right it s not pertinent for us now to examine Hierome compareth three of the meanest Bishops with three of the greatest Patriarcks Priviledged at that time by Ecclesiasticall Canons That Presbytery is worie then Popery and Iesuitisme that it were much better for any King to put his Dominions under the yoak of the Pope and Iesuites then of Presbyteries and Synods (q) Issachar Edition Oxford p. 30. The â—ing is in a worse condition under this soveraignty then under the Pope ibid p. 45. The Presbytery it or may be in time a mother of as much rebellion and treason as any Iesuitisme of the highest die if not more certainly Rome although a whore is not so bad nor so abominable That the first Reformation in Scotland France Holland Germany and where ever the supream Magistrate was not the Author and Actor of the worke was unorderly and sin ull an action seditious and treasonable a great cause of all the mischiefes that from that time to this have come upon the Churches (r) Ibid. p. 36. This gave life to that tumultuary Reformation we will never wrong Reformed Religion so much as to count of that as an orderly Reformation We
there was no controversie in the year 1580 betwixt the Church and the Court The privie counsell had subscribed all that book with some reservation about Church rents the Generall Assemblies oft did agree to it without any exception his Majestie himselfe in the fore named year did send to the Assembly with an expresse commissioner the platform of all the Presbiteries which therafter were erected over all Scotland which against all the Prelats assaults have ever stood firme to this day so your alleagencies are exceeding false that the Presbiteries were erected without the Kings authority and that in the yeare 1580 the Government of our Church was Episcopall these are putide thredbare lyes The Generall Assembly did never allow of Abbots and Priors as Churchmen and though they pressed the great unjustice that Popish Bishops and lay Abbots should 〈◊〉 in Parliament in name of the Church to vote as the third estate The Generall Assembly did never approve of Abbots and Priors Estate without any Commission from the Church yet it was never their intention to have any of their owne number appointed by themselves to vote in Parliament in name of the Church of Scotland For when King Iames a little before his going to England was very earnest with the generall Assembly to accept of that as a favour they forseeing the snare did resolutely reject it ever til his Maje by very great dealing did draw a plurality of an unadvised Assembly to embrace that power of voting in Parliament but with a nuÌ„ber of Caveats which wise men foresaw would never be kept That Master Melvil or any Presbitery of that Land had ever any hand in impropriating or disapidating any part of the Church Rent is farre from truth But that your good Colleagues the Prelats in the Parliament 1606. made a bargaine for alienating from the Church for ever no fewer then 16. Abbays at one time I declared before About that time what the practises of the disciplinarians aâ— London might be I doe not know but this is certaine that Mr. Cartwright and all the old nonconformists in England were our deare Brethren and made a waies the Government of the Church of Scotland the measure of their desires that betwixt us and the Antiepiscopall party here was never any difference till the unhappy Separatists and their Children the Independents did make it Your invenomed invective against the present Reformation of both Kingdomes as a monstrous deformation we let it lye in your owne bosome to keep you warme till you be pâ—eased to bring all of it abroad in that Anatomie which here you promise but we expect no performance till you first have had leasure as likewise you stand engaged by your word to put the foure Limbes unto that Gorgons head of your Turkish Monarchy which some yeares agoe you set up at Oxford P. 36. The Ministers in Scotland were wont to give the King seasonable Counsell but in all wisdome and humility In your 36. p. you run upon our Assemblies for appointing Ministers to Preach pertinent doctrine and advising them who did Preach to the King and State to speake a word in season for the wee ll of Sion at that time as I shew before their was a mighty designe to advance the Catholick League for the overthrow of Queene Elizabeth and all Protestants the prime Courtiers were diligent Agents herein the men who were trusted to be watchmen to the Kings person and Family if at such a time they should have beene silent they could not have answered it either to God or man You and your gracious companions who never had a mouth to divert a Prince from any evill course were yet loud trumpets of fury in the most of your Sermons and Prayers to inflame him against his two Puritan Parliaments of Britaine but to calme him towards his innocent and Catholick trusty Subjects of Ireland That any Assembly in Scotland ever challenged the sole power of indicting fasts is in the ordinary predicament of your assertions under the spece of palpable untruths P. 37.38 No affront was offered to the King by the fast at Edinburgh Of the feast at Edinburgh p. 37. I have given in the other Treatise a full accompt only I add here that in this your relation you makeit more false then any other of your friends who write thereof the King was neither invited nor present the originall of the motion was not from the King but the French Merchants for their owne ends the Magistrates of Edinburgh did not countenance the feast for of their foure Bailies three kept the fast the appointers of that abstinence were not the Ministers but the Magistrates and the Congregationall Eldership not the supreame but the lowest judicatory of the Church the Processe against the Magistrates and the Kings great Solicitation that it might be Superceeded ar meerly fabulous I have also given a large account of your next calumnie in the other Treatis If any should Preach Treason with us he is censurable both by Church and state no man in Scotland did ever maintaine that a Minister Preaching Treason might not be conveened and punished by the Magistrate according to the Lawes All Mr. Melvils plea was that a Minister of the Church of Scotland and a member of the University of St. Andrews being priviledged by the antient and late Lawes of the Kingdome was not necessitate at the first instance to answer before the privy counsell for a passage of his Sermon which most falsly was said to be treasonable The whole case I have opened at large else where The acts of Parliament you speake of warranting an unreasonable Supremacy were procured in the yeare 1584. by that insolent Tyrant Captain Iames and the Declaration upon them was penned by Bishop Adamson also both the Acts and the Declaration were recalled by the King and Parliament That any invectives against his Majesties person for these acts were spread abroad we doe deny it we think it very possible that much might both have been spoken and written against the matter of these acts but that any man was so unmannerly as to fall upon the King himselfe before we beleeve it we must have a greater evidence then a Prelates Testimony What you say of the fugitive Ministers The Erastian and Prelaticall principles brought great trouble on the Ministers of Scotland as Spotswood relates it was thus The acts of that Parliament 1584. were so bitter and grievous to all the gracious Ministers of Scotland that many of them fled out of the Kingdome and diverse of the prime laid downe their life as it seemes of meere greife Mr. Smeeton Principall Mr. of the Uniuersity of Glasgow and Mr. Arbuthnot of the University of Aberdeen both dyed that yeare all the Ministers of Edinburgh fled to England and the cheife of them Mr. Lawson went to London Adamson Arch-Bishop of St. Andrews at that time kept great correspondence with the Bishops of England who without any
shedding of teares I take it for your meere invention P. 47. The greaâ— controversie betwixt the King and the Church was about the infinite extent of the Prerogative for Spotswood the fountaine of all your stories who never failes to relate to the full what ever is meete to draw any envy upon the good Ministers who opposed the Episcopall designes makes no mention at all of King Iames teares I grant he reports that advice of the Chancellour and some such reply to it as you speake of but how tâ—uly I cannot tell onely this is most certaine that what ever difference King Iames had with the Ministers it was alone about the great Idoll of his Prerogative to do as a Monarch in Church and State what he thought convenient with his prerogative in matters of State they did never meddle but his designe to bring Bishops and Ceremonies in the Church as they conceived against law and reason the most honest of the Ministry did ever oppose it to their power albeit in a humble and warrantable way others for their own gain and advancement did yeeld to his desires and assisted him with all their power to advance his Prerogative so high as to do without any resistance all his pleasure both in Church and State But the Lord now has cleered that controversie and has made the righteousnesse of these oppressed men shine as the light and the basenesse of these flatterers appeare in its owne base and vile colours Concerning his Majesties discourses at the Conference of Hampton Court The Presbiterie is a great barre to keep out Democracy and Tyrannie both from Church and State we confesse they cannot be very favourable to any who opposed Episcopacy which these of your Coat long before that time had made him believe was the maine pillar of his Throne and had perswaded him to looke upon all that was disaffected thereunto as enemies to his Crowne But how farre you are here mistaken in fastning upon Presbiteriall government any furtherance of Democracy not reason alone but now also ample experience makes it evident there is not such a barre this day as both friends and foes doe well know against the Sectaries designes to bring in a popular government in the Church as Presbitery And if your rules be right enemies to Democracie in the Church will never be instruments to bring it in to the State If Presbitery could be partiall towards any one civill Government more then another It is 〈◊〉 singular help both to Parliaments Iust Monarchie its similitude and consanguinity with the constitution of a Parliament might make it suspected to be inclinable to the rights of that Court more then a Prince or the multitude could desire but the truth is it medles not to the prejudice of any civill Government which it finds established by Law but what ever that be it supports it to its power and how serviceable it has ever been to Monarchy in Scotland examples both of old and late doe demonstrate Who were the prime instruments of settling King Iames in his infancy upon his Throne who kept him into his Throne against all the assaults of his potent enemies to whom in all his great straits had he ever his recourse during his abode in Scotland to no other but to the Presbiterian Nobles Gentry Ministers if these had been disposed to have changed the government of the state there was oft no considerable impediments upon earth to have opposed them but such a desire never entered into their thoughts And of later times when the Presbitery in Scotland hath attained its highest aimes and is in capacity as you say to make what factions it will when its provocations to aâ—ger were as great as readily can be againe and the madnes of you Malignant Prelates had laid the Crowne in Scotland very low at such a season did the least disloyalty appeare in any of the Presbiterian side were not they and they only the men which setâ—ed that throne which you had caused to shake and astened the Crowne upon that head from whence you hands by your extreame unjustice pride and folly had weâ— nere pulled it away And at this very houre when you and all your friends are able to make no helpe at all to releive not only the King and his house but the Royalty it selfe from that extreame hazard of ruine wherein you alone both have cast them and with all your hearts would stil continue them upon some phantastick hope which yet you have of attaining all your former desires or else to revenge your disappointments though all the world should perish At this time when you have cast the Crown the Throne and Scepter in the dust who is able who now is willing to save the King or to keepe Monarchy on foote I hope albeit your dementation be great yet even you must see and confesse that it is the Presbiterians and these alone by whose hearts and hands this worke must be done which indeed your goodnes and wisdome has made extreamely difficult and well nere unfeasible You fall very needlesly on Mr. Catherwood the Author of that Booke altare darna scenum P. 18. Mr. Catherwoods vindication a man of greater worth then all the Prelates that ever Scotland bred put them all in one Durst ever any or all of you looke that man or his Booke in the face you had long twenty yeares leasure to answer but was ever the courage among you all to assay it I doe not love to speake or when it is spoken by others to defend any thing that may rub upon authority yet when sycophanticall Prelates make it their worke to bring most honest and gracious men in disgrace with Princes for some incomodious phrases which in the heat and current of large discourses have escaped their pens who shall but vindicate their innocency from such flaterers accusations Is it a crime for Master Catherwood to write that in all Kings naturally their is a hatred to Christ what doe you here intend to censure are not all men naturally enemies to God unto this natural Corruption that is CoÌ„mon to all flesh does not great places in the world especially Crowns and Throns adde many provocations from which poverty and meannes gives exemption what would you here reprove speake out plainly your Pelagian tenet deny originall sin make it one of the Royall Prerogatives in vertue of the Crowne to be naturally gracious and an advancer of Christs Kingdome The other word you make your adversary to say albeit you professe you speake per cur is that King Iames was a most insense enemy to the purity of Religion If such tearmes were ever expressed of what thinke you must they be understood what is the subject of that speech and of the whole Booke wherein you say it stands Is it not of the Government of the Church and the English Ceremonies alone to say that King Iames was a great friend to these and agreat
in pieces and the whole royall Prerogative devolved upon the head of the Parliament yet the aforementioned supremacy is so high an injustice that no gracious member of either House would ever be perswaded to touch it though it were put in their fingers for beside the everting of all the Lawes whereupon Monarchy since the first foundation has stood it would so shake the groundstones of all the Lawes of the Kingdome as would hazard the overthrow no lesse of the Parliament then of the King and with them all the Judicatories and rights of the Land our unhappy Brovilons fit for nothing so much as to confound all things would be in a faire way to bring the whole Church and State to such a Chaos and hodge podge as no creature without Gods extraordinary assistance should ever againe be able to bring their confusions to any tolerable order Secondly The Supremacy here mentioned favours Episcopacy but not Erastianisme they should doe well to consider that whatever supremacy is aimed at in the Writ yet the Erastian designe will not be much helped thereby for it is expresly provided therein that the ordinary Ecclesiastick Judicatories shall cognosce all Ecclesiasticke causes g Printed Declaration p. 3. Neiis it his Majesties intention to take away the lawfull and ordinary judgment of the Church but rather to preserve encrease and maintaine the same and as there is in the Realme Justices Constables Sheriffes Provosts Bailiffes and other Judges in temporall matters so his Majesty alloweth that all things may be done in order and a godly order may be preserved in the whole Estate the Synodall Assemblies by the Bishops or Commissioners for the places vacand to be convened twice in the yeere to have the Ordering of matters belonging to the Ministry and their estate no word at all to import that any civil Commissioners may determine upon any affaires meerly Ecclesiasticall it is true that the ordinary Judicatories here named are put under the foule feet of the Prelats and this seems to have been the maine aime both of the Act and of its interpretation yet hereby the Erastian principles are nothing furthered for as by the Covenant and Laws of both Kingdomes the roots of Episcopacy are now pluked up so it s well knowne that neither Presbiterians nor Independents were ever more zealous for the establishing of Ecclesiastick jurisdiction by a divine right in the hand of Church Officers then the Episcopall party at least those of them who understood and minded their owne principles Thirdly King James against the Erastians if all this will not satisfie we desire those who hold out this passage as advantageous for the Ecclesiastick power of the Magistrate in prejudice of the Presbytery to know that when the Ministers did complaine to King James of this seeming prejudice he gave them his owne Declaration which he promised should be as authentick as that Act of Parliament hh Kings Declaration Now I say and declare which Declaration shall be as authentick as the Act it selfe that I for my part shall never neither my Posterity ought ever cite summon or apprehend any Pastor or Preacher for matters of Doctrine in Religion salvation beresies or true interpretation of the Scriptures but according to my first Act which confirmeth the liberty of Preaching the Word Ministration of the Sacraments I avow the same to be a matter meere Ecclesiasticall and altogether impertinent to my calling therefore never shall I nor never ought they I meane my Posterity to acclaime any power of jurisdiction of the foresaid which caused their griefe and much more authentick then Adamsons Interpretation of that Act assuring them that neither himselfe nor any of his successors should ever claime the Cognizance nor the power to determine in any cause meerly Ecclesiasticall ii Vide sapra hh avowing that Ecclesiastick Jurisdiction did belong onely to the Church officers which neither himselfe nor any of his heires should ever crave nor ever ought to crave as belonging to them King James revoked what here is published Finally we desire them to know if Princes promises and Declarations under their hands seeme not to them sufficient security that whatever in the present passage does appeare to spoile the Church Assemblies of a full and plenary Jurisdiction was all recalled and past from by King James the very next yeer for he did consent unto that transaction of Archbishop Adamsons whereby the Arch-prelate devests himselfe of all jurisdiction and submits himselfe to the authority of the Assembly renouncing all liberty of appeale to any other person or Judicatory in the earth kk Spotswoods History lib. 6. p. 184. yeer 1586. A transaction was made in this sort That the Bishop by his hand writing should labour to carry himselfe as a moderate Pastor ought labouring to be the Bishop described by Saint Paul submitting his life and Doctrine to the Judgement and censure of the generall Assembly without any reclamation provocation or appellation from the same in any time comming what should have moved the King to hearken to a mediation so prejudiciall both to his owne authority and the Episcopall jurisdiction cannot well be conjectured whatsoever the reason was the Bishop did set his hand to the things proposed by the Assembly But to stop all mouths which from Scotland would bring any colour of warrant King Charles also for an Erastian Supremacy in the last Parliament of Scotland which was ratified by King Charles with the hearty consent of his good Subjects of England the finall determination of all Ecclesiasticke Causes whatsoever is referred to the Nationall Assembly as to the onely proper and competent Judge ll Second Parliament of K. Charles Act 4. p. 6. 8. The Kings Majesty having graciously declared that it is his royall will and pleasure that all questions about Religion and matters Ecclesiasticall be determined by the Assemblies of the Church and that for preservation of Religion generall Assemblies rightly constitute as the proper and competent judge of all matters Ecclesiasticall hereafter be kept yeerly and oftner pro renata as also that Kirk Sessions Presbyteries and Synodall Assemblies be constitute and observed according to the order of this Kirk which Act the estates now convened by his Majesties indiction raâ—ifies approves and confirmes in all points and gives thereunto the strength of a Law and Act of Parliament whoever will call this Act of Parliament into question must be content to have the King and his Parliaments of both Kingdoms for their first and chiefe opposites The explanation of the next Act is also large and confused The sum of the next Paragraph it contains a discharge of all Church Assemblies and meetings not authorized by Law particularly it discharges the Nationall Assemblie and Classicall Presbytery upon the allegeance of some enormous practises of these two meetings Consider first the discharge and then its reasons Church-assemblies established in Scotland on a
Pope to take in his hand both the Swords nnn Animadversions To confound the Jurisdiction Civill and Ecclesiasticall is that thing wherein all men of good judgement have justly found fault with the Pope of Rome who claimeth to himselfe the power of both the swords which is as great a fault to a Civill Magistrate to claime or usurpe and especially to judge upon doctrine errours and heresies he not being placed in Ecclesiasticall function to interpret the Scriptures the warrant hereof out of the Word of God we are ready to bring forth his Majesty did put it under his own hand that these things were far from his thoughts that he was no Judge either of doctrine or heresie or of the interpretation of Scripture that neither he nor his Parliament did meddle w th Excommunication that they had pronoūced the excommunication of Mountgomery to be null not as Judges of the cause but as witnesses of the informality of the processe he confessed that Jesus Christ was the onely head and Law-giver of his Church and that if he should claime to himself or his heirs any thing meerly Ecclefiastick which the Word of God has put in the hands of Church officers that if he or any man should suspend or alter any thing which the Word of God did remit onely to them he avowed that these attempts in himselfe or any other would be nothing else but as he speaks the sinne of Idolatry and a transgression against all the three Persons of the Trinity against the Father in not trusting the words of his Son against the Son in not obeying him but taking his place over his head ooo Kings Declaration Never shall I nor ever ought my Posterity acclaime any power or Jurisdiction in a matter meerly Ecclesiasticall as to the Commissioners not Ecclesiasticall they are joyned to give their advices and not to interpose their authority while Christ sayes Dic Ecclefias and one onely man did steale that dint against the Bishop of Glasgow in a quiet holl the Act of Parliament reduceth the sentence for informality and nullity of processe not as Judges whether the excommunication was grounded on good and just causes or not but as witnesses that it was unformally proceeded and to end shortly this my Declaration I mind not to cut away any liberty granted by God to his Church I acclaime not to my selfe to be judge of doctrine or true interpretation of Scripture my intention is not to discharge any Jurisdiction in the Kirke that is conforme to Gods Word nor to discharge any Assembly but onely that these shall be holden by my License and Counsellours my intention is not to meddle with excommunication neither acclaime I to my selfe or my heirs power in any thing that is meere Ecclesiasticall and not adiaphoron nor with any thing that Gods Word hath simply devolved in the hands of his Ecclesiasticall Kirk and to conclude I confesse and acknowledge Christ Jesus to be head of his Church and Lawgiver to the same and whatsoever persons doe attribute to themselves as head of the Church and not as members to suspend or alter any thing that the Word of God hath onely remitted to them That man I say committeth manifest Idolatry and sinneth against the Father in not trusting the words of his Son against the Son in not obeying him and taking his place against the holy Ghost the said holy spirit bearing the contrary record to his conscience against the holy Ghost because against the Spirits Testimony in his own conscience I hope they who are so earnest to have King James heard in this cause though in a false and suppositious Writ will be content to hear him in his true Declaration under his own hand The third part of the Writ containes an enumeration of his Majesties intentions The pretended intentions were not the Kings but the Prelats concerning them we need adde little to what is said onely consider first that Adamson the Author of the Writ assures us that there is nothing or little here of the Kings intentions ppp Recantation I have enterprized of meere remorse of conscience to write against a Book called The Declaration of the Kings Majesties intentions albeit it containeth little or nothing of the Kings intentions but of my own in the time of the writing thereof and the corrupt intentions of such as for the time were about the King and abused his minority in the whole Book is nothing contained but assertions of lyes ascribing to the Kings Majesty that whereof he was not culpable I grant I was more busie with some Bishops in England in prejudice of the discipline of our Kirke partly when I was there and partly since by mutuall intelligence then became a good Christian much lesse a faithfull Pastor being that he did here set downe onely his owne intentions and these of the Courtiers and Prelates at that time of their highest pride and greatest oppression of the religious party Secondly The Reprinters of this Writ seeme to bee perjured men and either hypocrits or Apostates the errours and faults that appeare in these intentiōs are of two kinds Prelaticall and Erastian For the first not onely the Author did recant them but also as we have now often said King James with the States Assembled in Parliament did expresly condemne them and at this time they stand condemned in the whole Isle by King Charles in his Parliament of Scotland and by both the Houses of the Parliament of England who ever now wil tak the patrociny of the Prelaticall war doth set his face against the King and Parliaments of both Nations and if he be a member of Parlia in either Nation whoaccording to his place must needs have sworn the National Covenant for his endeavor to establish what by his Covenāt he was boūd to his power to have extirpated Let him be cast with ignominy out of these honourable Senates as a false and perjured hypocrite planting by deed what by Oath and Covenant he promised to eradicat or else an Apostate repenting and retracting while now he is set in Parliament what at his entry upon oath he promised that he might be permitted to sit downe such perjured whether hypocrisie or apostacy cannot but be abominable both to God and all ingenuous men As for the Erastianisme of these intentions Cesaro-Papisme is Antichristianisme worse then that of the Pope whereby the Bishops are made pleni-potentiaries in the Church by vertue of a Commission from the Magistrate we have shewed at length how farre King James disclaimed this errour as a grievous sinne against the Father Son and holy Ghost for the thing it selfe makes the Magistrate head of the Church and fountaine of all Ecclesiastick Jurisdiction This Cesaro-papisme is an Antichristianisme so much worse then that of the Pope as more uncontrolable and remedilesse the servants of God in their wrastlings against the Antichistianisme of the Pope and Prelats had often times great
happinesse who retard impedit the erection of such a government The retarders of goverment are enemies to themselves welfare of England nothing will more conduce for the honour and welfare of the Land no mean will be more effectuall to keep all people in peace and obedience to the Lawes to promove the comfort of all who are truly pious then the hearty concurrence of the Church and State in setting up at last and maintaining the government of the reformed Churches according to the Word of God Beleeve it this discipline is neither hatefull nor terrible to any but to these alone who know it not or else are conscious to themselves of a wilfull and obstinate resolution to abide in some errour or vice without the controlement of any censure The Recantation of PATRICK ADAMSON sometime pretended Bishop of St. Andrewes directed to the Synod conveened at St. Andrewes April 8. 1591. BRETHREN UNderstanding the proceedings of the Assembly in my contrair and being now with-holden by sicknesse from presenting my selfe before you that I might give confession of that Doctrine wherein I hope God shall call me And that at his pleasure I might depart in the unity of Christian Faith I thought good by Writ to utter the same unto your wisdomes and to crave your godly wisdomes assistance not for the restitution of any worldly pompe or preheminence which I little respect but to remove from me the slanders which are raised in this Countrey concerning the variance of Doctrine especially on my part wherein I protest before God that I have onely a single respect to his glory and by his grace I shall abide herein unto my lives end First I confesse the true Doctrine of Christian Religion to be publickly taught and rightly announced within this Realme and detest all Popery and Superstition Like as blessed be God I have detested the same in my heart the space of thirty yeeres since it pleased God to give me the knowledge of the truth wherein I have walked uprightly as well here as in other Countries as the Lord beareth me record untill these last dayes wherein partly for Ambition and vain-glory to be preferred before my Brethren and partly for Covetousnesse to possesse the pelfe of the Kirk I did undertake this Office of an Archbishop wherewith justly the fincerest Professours of the Word have found fault and have condemned the same as impertinent to the office of a sincere Pastor of Gods Word And albeit men would colour the same and imperfections thereof with divers cloaks yet the same cannot be concealed from the spirituall eyes of the faithfull neither yet can the men of God when they are put to their conscience dissemble the same Next I confesse that I was in an erronious opinion that I beleeved the Government of the Kirk to be like unto the Kingdomes of the earth plaine contrary to the command of our Master Christ and the Monarchy whereby the Kirk is Governed not only to be in the person of our Saviour Christ as it is but in the Ministers who are nothing but vassals under him in an equality amongst themselves Thirdly that I married the Earle of Huntlie contrary to the command of the Kirk without the confession of his Faith and profession of the sincere Doctrine of the Word I repent and crave pardon of God That I travelled both by reasoning and otherwise to subject the Kirk-men to the Kings Ordinance in things that appertaine unto Ecclesiasticall matters and things of conscience I aske God mercy whereupon great enormities have falne forth in this Countrey That I beleeved and so taught the Presbyteries to be a foolish invention and so would have it esteemed of all men which is an Ordinance of Christ I crave God mercy Further I submit my selfe to the mercy of God and judgment of the Assembly not measuring my offences by my owne selfe nor by the infirmities of my owne ingyne but by the good judgement of the Kirk to the which alwayes I subject my selfe and beseech you to make intercession to God for me and to the King that I may have some meanes to live and consume the rest of this my wretched time for winning of whose favours which foolishly I thought thereby to obtaine I committed all these errors As where I am burthened to be the setter forth of the Book called The Kings Declaration wherein the whole order of the Kirk is condemned and traduced I protest before God that I was commanded to write the same by the Chancellour for the time but chiefly by the Secretary another great Courtier who himselfe penned the second Act of Parliament concerning the Power and Authority of Judicature to be absolutely in the King and that it should not be lawfull for any Subject to reclaime from the same under the penalty of the Act which I suppose was treason Item Where it is alledged that I should have condemned the Doctrine anounced and taught by the Ministry of Edinbrough concerning obedience to the Prince I confesse and protest before God that I never understood nor yet knew any thing but sincerity and uprightnesse in the Doctrine of the Ministry of Edinbrough in that point nor in any other Further I confesse I was the Authour of the Act discharging the Ministers Stipends that did not Subscribe these Acts of Parliament wherewith God has justly recompenced my selfe As for any violent course it is knowne well enough who was the Author thereof and my part was tryed at the imprisonment of Master Nicholl Dalgleish Master Thomas Jack and others Moreover I grant I was more busie with some Bishops in England in prejudice of the Discipline of our Kirk partly when I was there and partly by our mutuall intelligence since then became a good Christian much lesse a faithful Pastor Neither is there any thing that more ashameth me then my often deceiving and abusing of the Kirk heretofore by Confessions Subscriptions Protestations c. which be farre from me now and ever hereafter Amen Sic subscribitur Your brother in the Lord M. PATRICK ADAMSON As where your wisdomes desire to have my owne opinion concerning the Booke of the Declaration of the Kings intentions the same is at more length declared in the Confession which I have exhibited already wherein I have condemned all the whole Articles therein contained like as by these presents I doe condemne them As where ye require what became of the Books of the Assembly all which I had preserved whole unto the returning of the Lords and Ministry out of England And if I had not preserved them my Lord Arran intended to have made them be cast into the fire and upon a certaine day in Falkland they were delivered to the Kings Majesty the Bishop of N. accompanied with Master Henry Hamilton rent out some leaves and destroyed such things as made against our Estate and that not without my owne speciall allowance As for the Books which I have set forth I have set forth
nothing except a Commentary upon the first Epistle of Paul to Timothy which I did direct to the Kings Majesty and kept no example beside me and understand that Master John Geddy got the same from the King and lent it to Master Robert Hepburne Further I wrote nothing but onely made mention in my Preface upon the Apocalips that I should write a Booke called Psyllas which being prevented by disease God would not suffer me to finish and the little thing that was done I caused to destroy it And likewise I have set forth the Book of Job with the Apocalyps and the Lamentations of Ieremy all in Verse to be printed in English As for my intention I am not disposed or in ability to write any thing at this time and if it please God I were restored to my health I would change my Style as Cajetanus did at the Councell of Trent As for Sutlivins Booke against the forme and order of the Presbyteries so far am I from being partner in that worke that as I know not the Man nor ever had any intelligence of the Worke before it was done so if it please God to give me dayes I will write in his contrary to the maintenance of the contrary confession Prayes the Brethren to be at unity and peace with me and in token of their forgivenesse because health suffereth me not to goe over to the Colledge where presently ye are assembled which I would gladly doe to aske God and you forgivenesse that it would please you to repaire hither that I may doe it here Moreover I condemne by this my subscription whatsoever is contained in the Epistle Dedicatory to the Kings Majesty before my Book on the Revelation that is either slanderous or offensive to the Brethren Also I promise to satisfie the Brethren of Edinborough or any other Kirk within this Realm according to good conscience in whatsoever they find themselves justly offended and for what is contrary to the Word of God in any speeches actions or proceedings which have past from me And concerning the Commentary upon the first Epistle of Paul to Timothy because there are divers things therein contained offensive and that tend to allow of the estate of Bishops otherwise then Gods Word can suffer I condemne the same The pages before written directed by me Mr Patrick Adamson and written at my commandement by my servant Mr Samuel Cunninghame and by his hand drawne in the blanks I subscribe with my own hand as acknowledged by me in sincerity of conscience as in the presence of God before these witnesses directed to me from the Synodall Assembly because of my inability to repaire toward them James Monypenny younger of Pitmilly Andrew Wood of Strawthy David Murray Portioner of Ardet Mr David Russell Mr William Murray Minister of Dysart Mr Robert Wilkie David Forgison with divers others Sic subscribitur Mr PATRICK ADAMSON David Forgison witnesse Master Nicol Dalgleish James Monypenny of Pitmilly witnesse Andrew Wood witnesse Master Ro. Wilkie witnesse David Murray witnesse Master David Russell Master David Spence Master John Caldcleuch Master William Murray Master Patricks owne Answer and Refutation of the Bookfalsly called The Kings Declaration I Have enterprized of meere remorse of conscience to write against a Booke called A Declaration of the Kings Majesties intentions Albeit it containeth little or nothing of the Kings intentions but my owne at the time of the writing thereof and the corrupt intentions of such as were for the time about the King and abused his Minority Of the which Booke and contents thereof compiled by me at the command of some chiefe Courtiers for the time as is before written I shall shortly declare my opinion as the infirmity of sicknesse and weaknesse of Memory will permit First in the whole booke is nothing contained but assertions of lyes ascribing to the Kings Majesty that whereof he was not culpable For albeit as the times went his Majesty could have suffered these things to have been published in his Realme yet his Majesty was never of that nature to have reviled any mans person or to upbraid any man with calumnies whereof there is a number contained in that Book Secondly in the Declaration of the second Act of Parliament there is mention made of Master Andrew Melvill and his preaching wrongfully condemned in speciall as factious and seditious albeit his Majesty hath had a lively tryall of that mans fidelity and truth in all proceedings from time to time True it is he is earnest and zealous who can abide no corruption which most unadvisedly I attribute to a fiery and salt humour which his Majesty findeth by experience to be most true for he alloweth well of him and knoweth things that were alleaged upon him to have been false and contrived treacheries There are contained in that second Act of Parliament diverse other false inventions for to defame the Ministry and to bring the Kirk of God in hatred and envy with their Prince and Nobility burthening and accusing the Ministers falsly of sedition and other crimes whereof they were innocent As likewise it is written in the same act and Declaration thereof that soveraigne and supreame power pertaineth to the King in matters Ecclesiasticall which is worthy to be condemned and not to be contained among Christian acts where the power of the Word is to be extolled above all the power of Princes and they to be brought under subjection to the same The fourth act condemned the Presbyteries as a judgement not allowed by the Kings Lawes which is a very slender argument for as concerning the authority of the Presbytery we have the same exprest in the Gospell of Matthew chap. 18. where Christ commandeth to shew the Kirk which authority being commanded by Christ and the Acts of Parliament forbidding it we should rather obey God then man and yet the Presbytery lacked never the Kings authority for the allowance thereof from the beginning save onely in that hour of darknesse when he was abused through evill company As for any other thing that is contained in this Act against any Order or proceedings of the Presbytery it is to be esteemed that nothing was done by the Presbytery without wisdome judgement and discretion And so hath received approbation againe by the Kirk whereunto also I understand his Majesty hath given allowance ratifyed and approved the same which should be a sufficient reason to represse all mens curiosity that either have or would yet finde fault with the same The last Article containeth the establishing of Bishops which hath no warrant of the Word of God but is grounded upon the Policy of the invention of Man whereupon the Primacy of the Pope or Antichrist has risen which is worthy to be disallowed and forbidden because the number of Elderships that have jurisdiction and oversight as well of visitation as admission will doe the same farre more Authentickly godly and with greater zeale then a Bishop whose care commonly is not upon God and