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Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
kingdom_n	parliament_n	power_n	sovereign_a	2,128	5	9.5338	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A88972	An answer by letter to a worthy gentleman who desired of a divine some reasons by which it might appeare how inconsistent presbyteriall government is with monarchy. In which the platforme of that government is briefly delineated, with the tenents and suitable practices thereof. And withall it is demonstrated, that it is inconsistent with any government whatsoever; is full of faction, sedition and treason; an enemy to all peace, domesticall, neighbourly, brotherly, &c. against soveraigne authority, authority of all iudges, and iudicatories, entrenching upon all so farre, as there can be no liberty of person, trade, commerce or propriety, but at their pleasure who bear sway therein.	Maxwell, John, 1590?-1647.	1644 (1644)	Wing M1377; Thomason E53_13; ESTC R20000	49,076	82

and highest Favourite and that justly for His most eminent Noble endowments These discontented Gentlemen layed downe a resolution to get the King into their hands and power and to thrust out that Noble Prince They watched an opportunity when the King came to His sport of hunting neare to Saint-Iohnstowne with an ordinary attendance the Noble Peere staying with others at Edenburgh for the King and Kingdomes better service surprised him fearing no ill seized his Person carried him along to the Castle of Ruthen kept him so that none could have accesse to him till he was forced to command the Duke of Lennox to depart the Kingdome which out of zeale and love to the King he did in Winter embarking at Dunbrittane came to France and dyed shortly after and to change all his servants they disliked and to surround him with themselves and their owne They kept their King in captivitie the space of nine monthes suffering none to come at him but such as they pleased The wise King put a good face upon a foule businesse seemed to like well of them and their courses Neverthelesse the best and most knowing of Subjects grumbled exceedingly to see their Prince so abused The Conspirators understanding it did advise upon the best course to satisfie the people and to bring them to approve their way They wrought with the chiefe Rulers of the Synagogue and prevailed At the next generall Assembly they give in a Remonstrance to them then sitting in Edenburgh declaring the Extraordinary reasons that moved them to secure His Majesties Person in the Castle of Ruthen their zeale to the Reformed Religion which was in imminent and apparent danger by the practices of the Duke who was sent from France to Scotland of purpose to corrupt the young King their care to secure the King's Royall Person whom the Duke intended to conveigh privately to France their desire to free the Subjects from the bloody tyranny and oppression both of their lives and goods by the malitious disposition and insatiable avarice of those who were about him and overruled him and a great many more specious pretences which are not much different from these of this time upon this Narrative the humble Petition to this Superlative Soveraignty was that the holy Brother-hood would be pleased to give an approbation to this their Heroick and Christian fact and whatsoever was their judgement they would obey it with this proviso that it should be made knowne to all good Christians within the Realme The demand was pious and just the holy Assembly secured from erring and error and not encroaching upon any thing meerly civill but in a case of so high concernment in ordine ad spiritualia as competent Iudges doe take the case into their consideration and after mature deliberation being assisted with a fansied infallible direction give out their verdict authorize and approve all in substance or circumstance to be holily and justly with much zeale and discretion done In all this they exceeded not their power and that because what was done was for the advancement of God's glory the honour and personall safety of the King and publique good of the Kingdome That all good People may rest content and be fully satisfied it was further ordained that all Ministers shall upon their returne to their Parishes intimate so much to all their flockes and withall exhort all People to esteem the actors as good Christians and Patriots that for the causes above mentioned were necessitated to take this course to preserve Religion to rectifie the errors of Court which were brought and wrought to that height that both Religion and Policie were in the greatest imaginable danger The Ordinance was accordingly performed to no small griefe of honest Subjects and Christians Sir if there were no more instances what doe you thinke of this It is worth your notice taking that this Noble Duke dying in France who before His comming to Scotland had been bred in Popery became a Protestant when He came thither and was King Iames his Convert While he was a dying Romish Priests were most earnest for accesse to reconcile him to that Church but he adhering to truth and protesting withall his Promise to his Cousine King Iames would admit none and dyed in the Communion of the Protestant reformed Church This high Court the generall Assembly in ordine ad spiritualia challengeth and practiseth a Soveraigne power above all civill Lawes and Statutes and Acts of Parliament And that with that power that of it selfe it may repeale and condemne standing Lawes and Acts of Parliament which are in practice and observed within the Kingdome To give you a recent example and instance of this Since this Assembly of late in this distemper hath recovered it's place and power the generall Assemblies of Glasgow and Edenburgh have damned Bishops as Anti-christian and against their Reformation I wave this More they have secluded Bishops or any Church-man from having any voyce in Parliament Conventions or Councell Thus by their owne most proper Ecclesiasticall authority they have made voyd many Acts of Parliament there which before were in force and practice As that in anno 1584. declaring it Treason to call in question the power and authority of any of the three Estates that is Bishops Lords and Commons or any one of them This act was made onely to preserve the priviledges of the Ecclesiasticall estate inviolable This is evident by the King's Declaration put forth the yeare following 1585. Again they have made voyd another Act of Parliament in anno 1597. Ordaining Ministers that should be provided by His Majesty to Prelacies to have Vote in Parliament as being the third Estate Another in anno 1606. The same Assemblies did declare the Acts of the Assemblies of Glasgow Perth c. null voyd and unlawfull which notwithstanding were enacted as Municipall Laws obedience commanded and practised in the greatest part of the Kingdome How much King Iames his happy memory is blasted by these supercilious new Orders of those Assemblies my Pen blusheth to expresse The same Assemblies have condemned the high Commission Court declared by Act of Parliament And this is done upon this ground which proveth their Soveraignty in spiritualibus because it was not consented to by the Church That is the vertuall Church the generall Assembly When I consider these things I cannot sufficiently wonder how the high Court of Parliament of England hath swallowed and sworne their Covenant which in it's right sense doth establish a Court above King and Parliament Iudge you Sir if this Oath be in Iudicio veritate justitiâ If King and Parliament be subordinate to this Court in spiritualibus or in temporalibus in ordine ad Ecclesiastica all the reason in the World will plead that it is most just that all Iudicatories whatsoever even the Supreamest from whom lyeth no appeale submit and subject themselves to it The holy Fathers of this Court have showen their Right in this point

Order of Episcopacy as Popish and Antichristian as M. Andrew Melvil and his disciples afterward maintained Nor were they so foolish to seclude all Church-men from voyce in Parliament onely their desire was that seeing the Popish Bishops were allowed to enjoy their Benefices and Rents during their life time this was more then our charitable glorious Reformers allowed to their Protestant Bishops now with all other Priviledges except spirituall jurisdiction that they should not sit in Parliament as the representative of the Church but in their places should sit the Superintendents and Commissioners of the Church Which indeed were somewhat like to Bishops but resembled more Arch-Presbyters then Bishops To returne againe thither from whence we digressed after that this platforme of discipline was so agreed and established as we told before M. Andrew Melvil comes to Scotland about the yeare 1574 or 75. ultra citra This man a good Hebrecian and Linguist and full of the Geneva Talmud which was now more refined beginneth to set Presbyterian discipline higher to make a second book of Policy or devout Imaginations acknowledgeth no more Orders in the Church then the foure above named A Bishop was no more in Scripture but the same identically with Presbyter and where Abbots and Priors to his time were nominated and admitted to the Abbies and Priories as Church-men gave their trialls and were collated as they speake by the superintendents This great Doctor found out another Divinity that there was no Bishop but a Parish Priest Scripture for Abbots and Priors there were none such in God's book At this time and from that they call Reformation to this time there was no Bishoprick nor Abbie annexed to the Crowne and consequently not impropriate to any Subject It is true Lay-men held them in commendam by the King's gift but as men able to doe the King and Church good service and before their right could be completed or perfected they were to returne to the King from the Superintendent a collation or certificate that he was of that ability to doe good service to the King and Church Men sacrilegiously disposed grasped greedily this doctrine and thanked God that their names as Abbots Priors were not in the book of God And to have these Church livings and dignities with Bishopricks annexed to the Crowne and from thence to impropriate them to them and their heires they deified M. Melvil and contributed their best wits and uttermost power to raise Presbyteriall government higher And by the sole authority of that they call the Church they began without the King Councell or Parliament's consent or authority to distribute the whole Kingdome into so many Presbyteries as they thought fit in their discretion and by the direction of the holy Spirit and did procure private subscriptions to their new Book of Policie and put it in practice Sir I hope you are the more apt to beleeve this because you know in England the disciplinarians in London meetings debated and established their orders in secret and not warrantable Conventicles and much about the same time and great correspondence was entertained betwixt the Scots and the English at that time How that book of Discipline was practised without any authority in Surrey and Northamptonshire and other places you know well enough Now I pray you when without Authority by their owne inherent radicall Right they make Orders reforme establish a Discipline doe these men imagine that the concurrence of Christian authority Soveraigne is absolutely necessary or that their demand is any thing else but an act of courtesie when by themselves and assistants they may establish and practise it This Second book of Policie Master Melvils reformation is the Epocha of our second Reformation The fruits of which I will tell you were the Annexation of all Bishopricks Abbyes Priories c. to the Crown which was effectuated anno 1587. If you will cast your eyes upon the third glorious reformation that makes the Popes knees shake like Belshazzars when he did see the handwriting on the Wall that is if we will speak truly this deformation which is the disgrace of reformed Catholike Religion and which threatneth Church and Religion King and Kingdom with ruine you will find these men have sung a note above Ela have ordered and practised more then all that went before them Hanc movere nolo Camarinam I hope a better wit and more elegant and eloquent pen shall some time Anatomise this Monster and so lay it open to the view of the world that it shall appeare to be no true brood of the Reformed Catholike Protestant Religion 2. Secondly another argument to prove that this Superlative Soveraignty in spiritualibus hath all its most naturall Subjects at its devotion and obedience is this that what they command to be Preached must sound alike in all their Synagogues And whosoever he be that is the Minister of the Kings family he must Preach the same There is no coequall corrivall or coordinate power that can doe so much as intercedere make the least sort of crossing opposing or interposing Is it not known that the Kings Minister in Scotland at the direction of this Conclave when his Councell have been to meet frequently for Treaty with Ambassadors from forrain Kings upon the Lord's day or Week-daies Sermon before the meeting {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} in great freedom of the Spirit hath told him all the Counsell of God from Heaven with a denunciation of Iudgements if he swerve from it And if the King had gone to the Church of Edenburgh a Beardlesse boy had told him more sound wisdome from Heaven how to article and conclude in matters of Highest concernment betwixt him and Spaine or him and France then all the wisest Councellors and greatest Nobles in the Land and this forsooth must be the King and Councell's rule 3. Thirdly doe they not challenge to themselves the sole power to appoynt publike fasts to give the reasons of it which ordinarily are that Gods judgements are incumbent and imminent upon Church and Kingdom for the sinnes of the Governour and Governours and that the Government is amisse And the consequent or effect of these fasts is too too frequently and ordinarily some Commotion Sedition Rebellion or at least some change of Court Councell or Session I cannot here passe by a storie as true as strange While King Iames was in Scotland two French Ambassadors had remained some months there with Him being ready to depart and take their leave of the King the King for His own and the French Kings greater Honour sent on a Satterday for the Major and Aldermen of Edenburgh commanding them the very next Monday to Feast the French Ambassadors The Ministers of Edenburgh to affront the King and the King of France too on Sunday intervening indict a solemne fast to be kept to morrow on Monday the day appoynted the Saterday before by His Majesty for the entertainment of the

regard the King had made defection from the true Religion He being the nearest of the blood should come and take the Government upon him I know the just Copy of this Letter is extant to this day They runne to Armes the word is The Sword of the Lord and Gideon The good King was in the place of Iustice the prime of the Octavians with him hearing something of the uproare and tumult by a secret passage he and some other goe up to the Exchequer house overhead A great Lord was head of the Congregation he and some others came Commissioners to the King were admitted demanded those ●●tavians to justice The King askes this Lord how durst he against His authority His Lawes His Proclamation keep unlawfull meetings at Edenburgh for the King before had discharged the meeting of those Commissioners of Assemblie or any other meeting whatsoever without his Royall warrand The Lord with courage in zeale to a good cause told the King that he should see ere long they durst to doe more The Lord or some other taketh hold of one of the Octavians Gowne who was President of Session but he pulleth his Gowne out of his hand and conveyeth himselfe downe to the house where the Lords did sit in judgement In fine the King and Lords were forced to shun the danger of this tumultuarie insurrection to close up the doores and some to stand with their swords drawne if any should offer violence to break up the doores Some good Subjects especially Alexander Home of Northborvick for the time Provost of Edenburgh and Roger Mackmath whom King Iames ordinarily called His Bailie with others well disposed and Loyally affected Subjects and namely the Hammer-men rise up in Armes for the King who partly by smooth words and partly by threats husht and housed the Factious and Seditious The King came out of the place of Iudicatorie and on foot attended with many Nobles Gentlemen and other good Subjects came to His Pallace at Halyrude-house in Peace where immediatly in the afternoon he convened his Privy-Councell and by his Wisdome and Authority so repressed and punished that insolencie that all the time of His Raigne the like Barbarous treacherous course was never attempted I hope you are the more apt to believe this when you remember what a Petition or Declaration was presented to Queen Elizabeth at Green●●ch anno 1582. to remove from her Service and Trust such as they know were not well affected to the Religion and Church Sir I could make it appeare how all Seditions almost and Rebellions in that Kingdom have been set a foot or fomented by this Government Presbyterian How neighbourly Feudes have been encreased and entertained How Moneys collected for the reliefe and support of Geneva were by the chiefe Gamaliels and Presbyters interverted employed to raise and pay Souldiers to ayde and assist the Earle of Bothvell and his complices in Rebellion against the King I feare I have wearied you already the Subject is everlasting and I am weary of it If I should give account of the late practices and tenets of this late Covenant it were possible to let you see that it hath farre exceeded all the mischiefe ever their forefathers did although they tread in the same footsteps The reason why I have spared it is not I feared it I hope to discover it sometime to the World by anatomising it fully Next I hope you have espyed the Noble passages of it and are sufficiently confirmed that nothing can be more destructive of Monarchie and the Peace of any government To shut up all give me leave in the close to give the Articles of their Apostaticall Creed inconsistent with Monarchie which they hold as the twelve Articles of the Apostolicall Symbole I will touch onely the prime of those for for their other Articles they are so many and of so vast an extent abounding in Negatives that as King Iames saith well he that would keep them is not able to keep them in his Braine but must keep them in a Table Booke The Articles of the Dogmaticall Presbyterian Faith inconsistent with Monarchie 1. AS I have said before They Preach and maintaine that the Church is the house of God the civill Policy and Government are onely the hangings 2. Next they beleeve all Ministers are pari consortio honoris potestatis praediti that there must be a parity in the Church Ioyne these two together and you have a faire way for Democracie 3. They vindicate to themselves and their Consistory a soveraigne complete universall independent power in all things spirituall that concerne Salvation they have not onely the directive power but the Legislative also and all temporall things in order to Salvation and Religion come within the verge of their Scepter All soveraigne Power wheresoever you fixe it whether in one as in a Monarchie or in few as in an Aristocracie or in many or all by vicissitudinarie turnes have onely the Executive power to doe as they command and is bound to preserve by it's Power Lawes and Armes their sacred and celestiall Priviledges and Soveraignty 4. Whatsoever Lawes civilly enacted by King or Parliament they conceive to be against the Lawes of the Kingdome of Christ by their native proper intrinsecall right immediately derived from Christ they may repeale and make voyd discharge the Subject to obey them They may decree not onely different Lawes of their owne from the standing Lawes of the Kingdome but contrary contradictory and destructive of them And have withall so much coactive power that if obedience be denyed to the Lawes of this Soveraignty they can destroy the Soules of the Subjects by delivering them over to Satan 5. No Minister Preaching in Pulpit Sedition or Treason or railing at King Councell the prime Iudges is accountable or punishable by King Parliament Councell or any Iudicatory whatsoever But from all he may appeale to the Sanhedrim and Consistorie as the sole and proper competent Iudge 6. What Corroboration or civill Confirmation or Sanction they demand of the King which he is able to doe civilly for they will give him no formall interest in any sacred or religious thing He is bound to Grant it and to obey them as Christ's immediate Vice-gerents otherwise they may Excommunicate him 7. Reformation and preservation of Religion especially to prescribe the way and Orders for Reformation is solely theirs 8. The King is bound to put their Orders in Execution but if neither He nor His Councell nor His Parliament will doe it the Inferiour Iudges the Nobles the Commons nay every individuall man to his utmost power at their direction are bound to doe it 9. That they may without warrant of supreame Authority Assemble where and when they will for God and Christ's cause and for the Liberty and Peace of Subject and Kingdome in ordine ad spiritualia and there they may Covenant together sweare and subscribe for the glory of God the advancement of Religion and conspire and combine

of Cooper in Fife A noble man there having one Maister Weymis an honest man a Preacher and Parson at one of the Churches the which whole parish belonged to the Noble-man used all the entreaties all the threatnings he could to perswade Master Weymis to make over to him and his house the Right of the benefice which if I mistake not was a Parsonage The good man refused it the Noble man finding the man immoveable having prepared the way with the Ring-leaders accuseth the honest man before the Presbyterie obtaineth sentence of removing Maister Weymis from that Church and benefice and bringeth in one M. Scrogie who with the consent of the Presbyterie sacrilegiously made over the Right of the Church to the Noble man and his Family M. Weymis was transplanted to another Church The Right made over by Scrogie was afterwards confirmed by Act of Parliament King Iames when this noble man came to him spoke to him to this sense My Lord I wonder how you have so much power with the Presbyterie to obtain such a thing and work so strange a matter I pray you teach me the way for I would gladly know it The Noble man answered to this sense or much about it Sir you take not the right way I prepared my businesse by gaining the prime men to my course I sent to A. B's house so much Malt and to C. D's house so much Meale to N. a Carcasse of Beeffe this got me the power to put away Weymis to bring in Scrogie and from him with the consent of the Presbyterie to have the right of the Parsonage impropriate to me and my house Sir this course you must take if you would work any thing by or with these men The Testament of a Gentleman of Wit and more then ordinary worth and esteeme is to this day extant although he dyed many years agoe wherein confessing his many Sinnes he was much guilty of uncleannesse and was of more then ordinary reach in Politicall and Subtile waies abhorring himselfe for them and earnestly begging pardon professed and protested that no sinne did wound his conscience so much as his deep Hypocrisie who without the true feare of God made great shew of Religion where none or little was and to cover his sinnes from the World to hide his shame and the better to effectuate his private designes he made much of some few prime leading Ministers by doing of which he was not challenged for his sinnes and was enabled to worke his other ends This hath been and is this day a constant course kept by all of that cutte and coate It is known that no Kingdom of the Kings was so much infested with Feuds as they call them as that of Scotland nor was there any thing more ordinary then Neighbourly Feuds in Parishes to be fought to the effusion of much blood partly beginning sometimes within the Church and ended in the Church-yard where many times some were killed And it was as ordinary to find each Presbyterie divided in their affection and course according as they affected the one or the other partie Nor was Scotland ever free of Feuds sheathing their Swords in their Neighbours bowells murthering one another till a little before King Iames came into England nor did ever that Kingdom enjoy such Peace and Plenty as during the time of Episcopacy Sir by the few instances I have given you of many you may see clearely that Presbyterian Government is not only inconsistent with Monaichie but destructive of the Liberty of the Subjects person and trade encroaching upon all Authority Soveraigne and delegate restraining at pleasure Causes and Suits commenced before Iudges forbidding Execution of Iudgements obtained before the ordinarie Iudges repealing Grants Letters-Patents Rights and Priviledges authorized by Law assuming to it selfe the Civill power exacting Civill fines pecuniary mulcts inflicting corporall punishments painfull and disgracefull defaming young disgracing married persons in briefe is against the peace of the Kingdom of Families and neighbours And for their Clergy or fellow Presbyters they tyrannize over their Conscience depose or transplant them at pleasure for reasons known to some few of the more active It is proper now to speak next of Provinciall Synods IN describing of which we need not to insist much for except that the Iurisdiction is of greater extent and latitude yet in its essentialls constitution and power with the exercise of it it is the very same A Provinciall Synod is the apish Imitation of a Provinciall Councell consisting of a Metropolitane and the Suffragan Bishops of his Province With them it is an associate body of the Commissioners chosen out of all the Individuall Presbyteries within the precinct of the Province How many there be of them in the Kingdom of Scotland at this instant I know not but the Kingdom is divided into so many Provinces as they in their prudence think it fittest for the Government of the Church If I remember right by their platforme of Discipline these Provinciall Synods are to meet twice a yeare or oftner pro re natâ These Synodall Assemblies have a superintending and overruling power over all the Presbyteries within the limits of that Province The cases proper to these Courts are 1. All matters which doe appertain to the whole Province 2. All ●●ferres from all Presbyteries within its verge 3. All cases of every severall Presbyterie which were difficult and could not there be determined 4. The due censure of all what is thought to be done amisse in any Presbyterie within its lash 5. What is ordered and decreed in those Provinciall Synods tyeth all within the particular Presbyteries and Parishes as well Lay as Clergy-men to obedience Any Presbytery else that moveth without the spheare of this Province is not tyed to obey what this decrees by virtue of any authority flowing from it The same course is holden in all things in the Provinciall Sanhedrim which is kept in the Presbyteriall Consistory so that I need not trouble you by resuming and repeating the like only here is some peece and use of good Policy which is this In a Province there may be some foure or five or six or more knowing leading Ministers who over-rule different distant Presbyteries so cannot formally fairely joyne their wits and power to compasse their common and private ends The meeting of this Provinciall Synod occasioneth the meeting of those leading men in the same place who after that they have communicated Counsells and agreed upon the course they are able to draw their brethren their pupils of their Faction as Sorvum pecus slavishly yet with much zeale to dispute debate and voyce for what they in their wisdome think fit for their own ends which course layed downe will be so prevalent that if it be against King Country Preacher or Lay-men in that concerneth the publike or any private mans interest to whom they stand engaged it is to as little purpose to some

authority of Soveraignty nay without the knowledge of it these confederates at the direction of their Ministery prescribe orders for Reformation of Religion to be observed and practised throughout the whole Kingdom See Knox storie pag. 217. 2●8 They goe farther they writ an Imperious Letter to the Religious houses in the name of the Congregation commanding all of them ●● remove from thence against such a day or then they would eject them by force Knox ib. Within very short time after a Parliament being holden by the Queen Regent Queen Maries mother and great Grandmother to our gratious Soveraign they make a Protestation that except they had their desires they would goe on in their intended course of Reformation that neither they nor any that joyned with them should incurre therefore any danger in life or lands or other Civill Penalties and that if any violence hapned in pursuit of those matters they should thank themselves It is very observable they were all bound in that confederacie to assist and strengthen each other in that course See Knox Hist. pag. 256. First here you have the direction of the Ministery Next you have a confederacy and bond of mutuall defence Thirdly you have Orders and Decrees agreed upon in common Fourthly you have warrants issued out to make or force all to be put in execution Fiftly you have a Protestation and that a threatning one too against the Queen Regent and whole Parliament Sir are those things consistent with Monarchie what Scripture what Father what practice of the Church doth warrant such a reformation Come on and you shall have them anon in open contemning Soveraign Authority The Queen Regent to suppresse these beginnings and to nip them in the bud cites them to appeare at Stirling They appeare not They are outlawed all men under pain of Treason are inhibited to assist them There is no obedience but all in the confederacie adhere to them I cannot for my part justify this divinity From disobedience and contempt they are guilty of usurping the Royall power for v●ry shortly after anno 1559. Immediatly after a Sermon Preached by Knox in Saint-Iohnstowne at his exhortation and direction they fall to the pulling downe of the Religious Houses and within two or three daies equall three of them to the ground Sir can it appeare that by Holy Writ or Reason such Popular tumultuary reformations are warrantable Is it not intrinsecally inherent in the Crown or wheresoever soveraignty is fixed And so they proceeded in Fife Angus Mornis Stirling Lowthian c. and through the whole Kingdom See Knox Hist. p. 263. Here were many goodly and Rich Churches Spoyled Robbed and cast downe After this they disclaim Soveraign authority except it be as they please and have their desires The Queen Regent threatned S. Iohnstowne where this disorder first was acted They of the confederacy writ to her in plain termes that except She stayed from that cruelty they should be compelled to take the Sword of Iust defence and protested that without the reformation which they desired they would never be Subject to any mortall man See Knox pag. 265. More followed By a Letter they cite all their Brethren to repaire unto them and that you may know that their Letters were authoritative commands and that all the authority is from the independent Soveraignty of the Church consider how they write to the Nobility upon paine of Excommunication to joyne with them Knox ibid. pag. 268 269 272. How much this Ecclesiasticall Soveraignty did exalt it selfe above the civill is more then apparent in this that when an Herald in his coat of armes commanded all men under pain of Treason to returne to their houses by publique sound of Trumpet in Glasgow no man obeyed that charge but went forward to their associates Habes confitentem reum Knox pag. 274. They denounce Warre too which was ever judged to be the peculiar specifick prerogative of Soveraignty for they writ to the Bishops and Clergy that except they desisted from dealing against them They would with all force and power execute just vengeance and punishment upon them and that they would begin the same warre which God commanded Israell to execute against the Cananites Which manner of proceeding they termed a resisting of the Enemy Knox Hist. 275 276. The poor Queen Regent was brought to an Accommodation and the Assembly at St-Iohnstowne was dismissed But there parting they entered into a League by Oath that if any one Member of their Congregation this in the Scottish is Equivalent to Ecclesia should be troubled they should all concurre assist and convene againe together for the defence of the same Knox pag. 283. The Queen Regent finding this Soveraignty overbeare Her 's and the Peace of the Kingdom shaken by a Declaration published and proclaimed testified her desire of Peace and descended so much that really it was onely a request They scorned it would none of it confuted it by another did exhort those of their Faction to encourage themselves in the Lord to stand upon their guard like to the re-builders of Hierusalem and the Temple with the Sword in one hand and the Bible in another wherein they gave the Queen many times the Lye and abused her with reproachfull and contumelious speeches The Subjects that continue their obedience are honoured with no better tearme then to be called the Queenes Faction You may read this at leisure and pleasure in Knox History pag. 330 333 362 364. Nay they renounce their obedience unto Her protested that whosoever should take Her part should be punished as Traitors whensoever God should put the Sword of Iustice into their hands Knox Hist. p. 364. At last they rise to the highest pitch of Rebellion and Anno. 1560. they depose the Queen Regent the predetermination being given that it was lawfull for them to do so by Mr Knox and Mr Wilcockes This is upon record yet in that Kingdome and is set downe by M. Knox himselfe Hist. pag. 372. 378. and it is observable that the Queen if I remember right lived but a month or little more after this pious act Sir you will now say that I speak too hardly of our first Reformers and Reformation and would know what is my opinion of them and it To deale clearly God is my witnesse I am no Papist but doe abhorre Popery as much as any and that I am no Puritane the other party wil witnesse for me I am bound to speak the truth in my heart and to give some satisfaction I say 1. First as I am able I blesse and praise God most heartily that we were delivered from the Popes Tyranny and that grosse Aegyptian darknesse we were under which I ascribe to the admirable wisedome and infinitely transcendent goodnesse of God 2. Next I leave the men to God's mercy but for the manner of proceeding the way they took I dare not I will not approve it

After the arising of the commotion to prevent more tumult and danger and when Service and Sermon were done the Bishops Major and Aldermen going home with the Lord Chancellor and some BB. attending his Grace the Bishop and Deane of Edenburgh with others were well nigh stoned in the streets when I say it was demanded of these Apostles why they did not condemne this unchristian Barbarous outrage voyd of Pietie and Reason and without any example in the Christian Church the summe of their answer was and to this day is that such a zealous people were to be left to their own warrand they knew not by what Spirit they were governed God worketh great workes many times by basest means and yet those Nobles those zealous those intelligent and knowing Christians whereof many of them in Edenburgh were knowne Coale-stealers and Whores were the first active instruments in this glorious reformation I confesse this Divinity is so transcendent and Metaphysicall that it exceeds my capacity and is so fruitfull upon any occasion to work all or the greatest of mischiefes that I doe not see how it can consist with peace or safety of King Kingdome Church or of any entrusted with greatest trust in Church or State Sir I believe any rationall man may see by this how superlatively this spirituall Signorie is above King and Royall Soveraignty I leave it to your own judgement and memory to recollect it and to bring home the conclusion that this government Ecclesiasticall is inconsistent with Monarchie with the Peace of a Kingdome and is or may be in time a Mother and Nurse of as much Rebellion and Treason as any Iesuitisme of the Highest dye if not more Certainly Rome although a Whore and hath a cup of abomination in her hand is not so bad nor so abominable I pray God to keep all good Christians cleane of both Let us goe on In Faith Worship and all spirituall things they vindicate to themselves such a Soveraignty that King Councell Parliament nay all together must not touch the Scepter of Christ they are to determine define take cognisance accuse sentence punish neither King nor King and Councell nor King and Parliament all must assume power here for otherwise it is to intrude upon Christ and his Right This Soveraignty is of so high a straine so large an extent that when they have decreed any thing in this supream infallible Iudicatorie that they may have the better obedience to demand the King and Parliament's approbation This is not demanded as a thing arbitrary which the King and Parliament may doe or not doe or leaving it to His Royall judgement with the advice of His Parliament to qualify or rectify their decrees and orders No no truly that is to betray the trust Christ hath given them they need not supplicate or Petition for it it is in them but an act of courtesie to shew dutifull obedience And if the King and Parliament will not grant it they are armed with as much power from Heaven as to force them to doe it by Excommunication and making all good Christians joyne with them in God's cause Sir I feare you think I speake Liberally God forbid I should doe it I doubt not but you have read the Scotish Pope's Sermon Preached at Westminster and Printed by Order of the House since you have it I will not spend time and Paper to cite his Words which giveth to the King no more But to make this appeare I give you some unanswerable reasons 1. It is certain in Scotland M. Knox and his complices set on their reformation without the Queen or Queen Regents authority or the authority of Parliament For anno 1558. they made their confederacy gave out their Orders for Reformation throughout the whole Kingdome anno 1559. they acted their Reformation by casting downe Churches Abbyes c. casting out Priests Friers c. and all this by their owne radicall and originall power Queen Mary their true and lawfull Soveraigne did authorize them in nothing she was then in France The Queen Dowager Queen Regent King Iames the fifth's Widdow having the Soveraignty by fiduciary trust in regard of the absence of the Queen her daughter did not authorize it nay she did by her authority oppose it contradict it came in Armes against it The Parliament was not till the yeare 1560. how holden for the present I cannot tell but in that Parliament they set out a confession of faith reformed Religion but when they sent to King and Queen beyond Seas Queen Mary was then Married to Francis the second in France to confirme or ratifie the acts thereof they denied When intelligence was given to the Confederates they professed they little regarded the deniall of King and Queene for say they Knox Hist. pag. 500. all we did was rather to shew our dutifull obedience then to begge of them any strength to our Religion Another in this kind you have In Anno 1571. King Iames then being King and the Earle of Marre being Regent an Assembly was holden at Leith where by the Order of the Assembly and Ordinance of the Regent and Councell some Commissioners were appointed from the Regent and Councell and some from the generall Assembly to condescend upon a platforme of discipline which was agreed to on both sides The platforme is that the Government of the Church shall be by Archbishops Bishops Deanes and Chapters c. the order and course of all their Nomination Election c. is just conforme to this in England at this day and as it was in Scotland before this new happy Reformation This was enrolled in the Councell Books of that Kingdom and stands there to this day this I know certainly and if I be not deceived and almost I dare say it except they have wronged their most famous and their most ancient Councells the platforme is upon Record in the Generall Assembly Books Give me leave to tell you by the way one thing that the Negative Faith which is sine rugâ sine maculâ was framed anno 1580. and it is believed that in that Negative faith Episcopacy is abjured as Antichristian yet anno 1581. this same Government is renewed ratified and ordained to continue constant and not to be changed till His Majesty come to perfect age and to be kept or changed then onely in what He and His great Councell the Parliament shall think fit and not otherwise Before this the King His Houshold and Councell had subscribed the Negative Faith can any man not voyd of judgement and discretion think that the King His Houshold and Councell in subscribing it did judge Episcopacy Popish and Antichristian Next it is worth your notice taking that as I honour the good parts which were in Knox and his fellow-labourers I never accounted them as Apostles men secured from error yet I will say so much for their justification that they were greater Enemies to Sacriledge than their after-disciples and were not against the

order to Prorogate it to another and longer day which was accordingly done by publike Proclamation authorized by His Honourable Privy Councell of that Kingdom Notwithstanding all which some Thirteen or Fourteen Godly zealous brethren must needs meet at Aberdine at the day appoynted for the Assembly They established and formalized the Iudicatorie by constituting a Moderator a Clerk and other essentiall Members of the Court The Lords of Councell understanding this contempt sent a Gentleman of good qualitie and place with an Herault at Armes to discharge and dissolve the Holy meeting The Commissioner and Herault were entertained with as much respect as before they had given reverence to the Proclamation issued out by the Soveraigne authoritie of the King with the advice of His Honourable Privy-Councell The Holy Fathers in the great Sanhedrim protested and professed that in Conscience and Duty to Almighty God they were bound to preserve the Churches right and could not would not give way to that power the King Sacrilegiously usurped which properly and natively belonged to the Church virtuall the Assembly They kept and continued the Assembly some dayes and finding that no more of the holy Brotherhood came to joyne with them they dissolved and to preserve the holy right of the Church appoynted the time and place of meeting for the next Assembly The King hearing this gave order to His Privy-Councell to cite convent them before them and to punish this High contempt The more zealous Champions of the Lord of Hostes appeared and with an undaunted courage gave in to the Lords of Councell a Protestation a Declinator from the Kings Councell and appealed to the next Generall Assembly as the sole and competent judge in this case and cause The Kings Atturney or Advocate by order from the Councell-Table was ordained to pursue them criminally before the Lord Iustice Generall and that upon the Act of Parliament mentioned before Anno 1584. upon which Order the one halfe confessed their fault and easily made their Peace and obtained pardon The zelots were convicted of Treason ad Terrorem exemplum more then for any other end or respect and only banished the Kingdom Of whom the most part thereafter upon their confession and submission were pardoned came home lived and enjoyed their own or at least as good if not better Benefices Sir are these things consistent with Monarchie or the obedience is due to Soveraignty and its Highest Courts So absolute and uncontroleable is this High Celestiall Court that it commandeth Conscience and Soule disposeth of body and estate in the poynt of Religion that if you conforme not in all neither Soule nor Body nor Estate can be in Peace nay no toleration can be allowed where this soveraignty domineereth And to make this power of the larger extent it is certain their faith and things necessary to Salvation are of greater latitude then that of the Councell of Trent If any doth not after a little time granted for information conforme and subscribe to their confession of Faith which is more in negatives and destructives then affirmatives and positives their rule of government their manner of Worship and what else in their opinion is necessary to Salvation and in this I am sure they are more rigorous then ever God or Catholike Church was for if you dissent but from them in a Theologicall tenet it is Heresie you are forthwith excommunicated and given over to the Divell after which upon the remonstrance of a Commissioner from the Presbyterie to the Civill Iudge there is a warrant from Supream authority given out to command you to conforme this is different from the Writ De excommunicato capiendo or then within few dayes to be put to the horne that is outlawed Vpon disobedience the tender conscience not conforming the outlawed's estate moveable Chattells we call it become proper to the King God knoweth little of this benefit commeth to the King's Thesaurer but a Donater to the escheit which ordinarily is the Convicted's mortall Enemy for a little composition hath the right made over and hath the benefit of the escheit If within yeare and day he give not obedience and conformity His whole Revenues and Rents of immoveable goods forfeit to the King during his life time Some Enemy of His or Favourite of the Thesaurer's obtaineth the King's Right and the King hath little or nothing of it Here you have him stript of all his Estate moveable immoveable Yet here is not an end but still upon Remonstrance of the Presbyteries or Church's Commissioner another writ goeth out which they call Letters of Caption that is if I mistake not the tant'amount of the writ de Excommunicato capiendo which is directed to all Sheriffes Stuards Provosts Bailies c. to seize secure his Person wheresoever it may be apprehended and to commit him to close Prison as a Rebell If he skulk and hide himselfe then upon the same Remonstrance goeth out a writ which there they call Letters of Intercommuning I know no thing in the Law like this the intent is that none of the Kings Subjects commune or conferre with him coram or personally or by Letter or interposed Person keep intelligence or correspondence with him otherwise the intercommuner is to be judged and reputed to be a Rebell of the same guiltinesse You will be pleased to remember this when the Church requireth all these of the civill Magistrate so they are pleased to terme Soveraignty he is bound to grant them Now Sir I pray you consider if this is not in many respects worse then the Inquisition when an opinion in a Theologicall tenet different from the assured faith of those Gamaliels may bring a man unto all those troubles Onely to make amendes for this remember this authoritative way preserveth a Church from Haeresie Error Superstition and Schisme There is another practice of the power of this Court that for the glory of God the honour of the King the good and preservation of Church and Religion it may assume to it selfe to be Iudge of what is Treason what is not who are fit Councellors for a King who not Practice is the most sure infallible and clear proofe and demonstration of power I will give you one in the case of Treason that none dare to say it is a Lye and which can be made good by the authentick and publique Records of Parliament and Councell of Scotland and their owne Noble acts of generall Assembly When King Iames about the age of Iosias when in holy writ it is recorded of him that he began to seeke the Lord with all his heart had taken the Government of the Kingdome in his owne hand and did Reigne and Rule with such prudence incomparable admirable that none could justly except against Him or His Government yet such was the restlesse ambition of some who could not with patience endure the trust of others especially of that Noble worthy Esme Duke of Lennox His Majesties nearest Kinsman

too To confirme this fearing I have wearied you I will bring but one instance and spare to trouble you with more This Story can be made good by Records which I am to tell you And first give me leave to informe you That the Lords of Session who by Act of Parliament are so are in all Civill causes the Supreame Iudicatorie of the Kingdome under the King No Iudgement passed there can be rectified or reduced by any Iudicatorie under the King and Parliament but by themselves which is onely by suspension of Execution of that is judged and decreed or by action of Reduction This is nothing but provocatio a Philippo malè edocto ad Philippum rectiùs edoctum This thus premised I come home Mr Iohn Graham one of the Iudges of that associate body had commenced an ordinary and proper suit before the Lords of Session obtained Decree and Iudgement according to his Libell After which a rumour was noysed abroad that the Writs and Evidences upon which his suit and the judgement upon it were founded were forged and false The generall Assembly took notice of this injust decree as they to whom the inspection of Religion and Iustice belongeth and who were bound not to suffer such an unjust judgement to take place and be executed They send for M. Iohn Graham commanding him by their authority to passe from his decree to make no use of it against the Party against whom it was obtained and that because it was purchased upon false grounds and it gave occasion of great scandall that he being a Iudge should make use of such writs His answer was if any would challenge his Decree or Iudgement upon any just ground he might have his recourse to the ordinary Iudge and take it away by way of reduction but so long as it was not reduced it concerned him to take the benefit of it Then seeing that they could not prevaile by admonition they threatned him with Excommunication if he did not what they enjoyned He appeales from them to the Lords of Session as the onely Competent Iudges in such cases notwithstanding they resolve to proceed against him The Lords of Session finding themselves interessed and the Assembly usurping upon them and their power in this proceeding against one of their owne number who had appealed to them in a civill cause already judged by them directed some of their number to the Assembly and desired them not to meddle any more in that businesse as being meerly civill and no wayes belonging to their jurisdiction This produced no other effect but incensed the holy Fathers to raile against the Iudges as wicked and corrupt men who sided one with another whether it were right or wrong The businesse at last came to this height that the Lords of Session who would not suffer them to encroach upon their Priviledges by vertue of that delegate power and authority they were invested with from the King threatned to out-law them and to proclaime them Rebells to the King if they proceeded any further and would not admit of the appeale The Assembly finding themselves too weake and not able to make their part good by power in which case onely they will be Martyrs fell from the pursuit and all was quieted Sir I pray you to consider in what condition are they that live under such a government that is boundlesse and universall will give Lawes to King Councell and Parliament Repeale theirs at pleasures reduce and make voyd Decrees and judgement of Highest Iudicatories c. What Peace or Tranquillity can there be in such a State or Kingdom Give me leave to tell you a true story It is known and lamented by all good men this day how King Iames His Soule was vexed with them that many times they have made Him fall out in teares A Noble man a most wise man then Chancellor seeing the King extreamly troubled at the miscarriage of the Ministerie said to Him Sir no man is to be blamed that you are so much troubled with the Ministers as yourselfe for when they doe any thing amisse you never cease till by Your Royall prudence and authority you set it aright againe but would you leave them to themselves the very body of the People would rise up against them and stone them out of the Kingdome His Majesty returned a most pious answer worthie to be written in letters of Gold in Marble that all Kings may learne it My Lord saith He your advice is shrewd Policie but your Counsell is not good piety If I had no more to doe but to serve my selfe of them for a Politick end your advice is good and I know it would prove so But God hath appoynted me a Nurse or Father of his Church it is my charge from my Lord and Master to preserve his Church and not to ruinate it Which if I doe God will ruinate me and my posterity King Iames in the Conference at Hampton Court hath well observed that this Ecclesiasticall Government prepareth way and ushereth in a Democraticall government And he telleth also that in His Mother Queen Maries absence and in his own Minority and non-age it was much thought upon and intended Their Maxims of Divinity lead to it for they say Respublica est in Ecclesiâ The Church and her Policy are the House the Civill government is but the Hangings which necessarily for decency and good order must be made conformable to the House Monarchy is enmity against the Church Catherwood in his book entitled Altare Damascenum gives you it in down right termes Naturâ insitum est omnibus Regibus in Christum odium and in his Preface or Epistle I have not the book by me he calls K. Iames Infens●ssimum infestissimum purioris Religionis hostem And that they may now exercise all their power and bring the Kingdom to a Popular State which was not so feisable before it is more then probable and much to be feared and with great prudence to be prevented because the Generall Assembly hath in it now the prime Noble men of the Kingdom Dukes Marquesses Earles Lords the most active and knowing Knights of Counties and Esquires the wisest Citizens and Corporations and this in the Capacity of Ruling-Elders who discontented are able here to make a Faction call King Session Councell or whom they please before them because of their supreame universall and independent jurisdiction And this Iudicatorie cannot erre in its determinations for it is undoubtedly secured from error and assisted with infallibility This divine policy hath another sacred trick to preserve its Soveraignty and to continue it which is this The Generall Assembly ordinarily meets but once a year yet at the end and close of every Generall Assembly there is a choice made of some Commissioners a Committee who are to reside or at least upon any necessary occasion to be at Edenburgh These are the virtuall Assembly and their power continueth till the next Generall Assembly They are in