not to be rged or received by any He that drinkes povsen out ofa goulden cup kils himselfe assoon as if he tooke it our of an Iron or Wodden Vessell So Superstition brought into the Church in a plausible and peaceable way is as deadly a poyson vnto the receivers of it as if they were compelled and forced to take it c. And for the High Commission he will rectifie it (c) It is as possible to wash the Black-moore vvhite As by any rectifications to make the high commission a lawfull court If his Majestie doe take the advise of his Council about it I am sure if they be not Bb or Athests or Papists they wil Counsell him to pull it all down for there is not one stone in that building which God allowes with the helpe and advile of the privy Counsell c. And for geuerall Assemblies and Parliament it shal be indicted and called with his conveniency In conclusion he requires and hartely wisheth all is good Subjects not to suffer themselves to be seduced and misled under Religion into disobedience and draw on infinitely to his greefe their owne ruine Which he hath and still shall strive to save them from so long as he sees not Royall authority shaken off The Kings Proclamation beeing published the Noblemen Barrons Gentlemen Burrowes Ministers and Commons made a Protestation against it to this effect 1. That they will constantly adhere according to their vocation and power to their Reformation at first Notwithstanding of any innovations introduced either of old or late 2. That they will adhere to their supplications given in at Assemblies and Parliaments against the Service-booke Booke of Cannons the High Commission c. 3. That they will adhere with their hearts (a) As I rejoyce to see such constancy in the Scotsmen so it greeves me to the heart to think what reeds shaken with the wind our people generally are As Ioab after he had fought many battles bravely stoutly yet died himselse at last in shame digrace Even so many Preachers Professors having a while refused conformitie to the Beast have afterwards basely yeelded to the Bb. and so gone to their graves with shame dishonour to their Oath and subscription of the Confession of Faith 4. That this Proclamation or Act of Councill or any other Act or Proclamation c. shall no wayes be prejudiciall (b) If it be held a base thing among men not to keepe a mans Word Promise it is much worse to breake Covenant with the Lord yet so doe all those who promise to feare God and doe his worke in his owne way and yet doe the commaundements of the Prelates to the Confession of Faith Lawes and Liberties of their Kingdome nor to their supplications Lawfull meetings c. 5. Seeing their Supplications for Reformation are delayed and in effect refused whatsoever trouble or inconvenience fall out in the Land in the meane time for want of those ordinary remedies not to be imputed to them In short they protest that it shal be Lawfulll for them to defend and maintaine that Religion Lawes and Liberties of their Kingdome the Kings authority in defence thereof and every one of them one another in that cause of meantaining the Religion and the Kings fore-said authority according to their power vocation and Covenant with bodies lives meanes c. against all persuits whatsoever or against all externall or internall invasions menaced in this Proclamation 6. They protest that their former Supplications meeting and mutual defences are to be commended as real duties of faithfull subjects (c) Que. Whether England hath not as much Previledge to reject the Service-book Canons High Commission and all other such like Idolitries and to establish maintaine the true worship of God as hath Scotland and not to be stiled great disorders misdeamenours blinde disobedience under pretext of Religion and running headlong into ruine c. In conclusion they exspect that his Majesty will presently indict these ordinary remedies of a free Assemblie and Parliament to their iust supplications which may be exspected from so iust and gracious a King (a) When the men of Isreel were offended with their Brethren for that they had brought the K. his Household over Iordan Iudah answered the K. is neere of Kin to us Wherefore then be yee angry for this matter This may serve as a reason why the Scots are first in bringing the King home from his enemies the Bb. the K. is neere of kin to them Now for the State of England if they have any zeale of God and love to the King they will further this good worke of Iudah so happily begunne for the Kings safety and honour This don Iohn Earle of Caffles c in the name of the Noblemen Master Alexander Gipson younger of Durie in name of the Barrones Master Iohn Ker Minister at Salt Prestoun in name of the Ministers and Master Archbald Iohnston Reader hereof in name of all who adheres to the Confession of Faith Covenant lately renewed within this Kingdome Tooke Instruments in the Hands of three Notars present at the said mercat crosse in Edenburgh beeing invironed with Numbers of the aforesaid Noblemen Barons Gentlemen Borrows Ministers and Commons Before many Hundred witnesses craved the extract thereof And in token of their dutifull respect to his Majesty confidence of the equity of their cause and innocencie of their carriage and hope of his Majesties gratious acceptance They offred in humility with submise reverence a Copy thereof to the Herauld These things being ended the Marquesse leaves Eden and goes back to London now what followed touching those afaires you shall-know in the next part Rev. 18.9 Reward her even as shee rewardeth you and double vnto her double according to her workes in the cup which shee hath filled fill to her double FINIS
it is answered 1. Seeing the band and union is for the maintenance of true Religion the Kings Authoritie and Lawes and for the publick welfaire and peace of the whole Realme against such as seeke the ruine thereof It cannot be justly tear med such a league among subjects as by the foresaid act is prohibited 2. Ours is no private band of some particular persons but a publick one of the collective bodie of the whole Land Now it may not be thought that they who made the Act intended to prohibite themselves from entering into Covenant with God and for God and the King 3. This is no band against Law but a renuing only of a Confession of Faith which King lames authorized both by proclamation and his practice too But admitt there were some inform alitie in it in regard they craved not his Majeties consent before they made the Covenant Notwithstanding rebus sic stantibus considering to what extreame miseries (a) What Mariners a case either they can not crane the maisters ayd or if they craue it cannot optaine it I say in such a case what mariners will not indeauour to preserve the vessel from drowning rather then sit still so maister men peerish together I leaue the application to the wise reader many wayes the Bb. had brought them it was as necessarie and lawfull for them to doe wnat they did for the good of the Church as was Hesters approaching to King Assuerus before he held out his goulden Scepter made necessarie and lawfull by reason of the eminent daunger that they were in through Hammous suggestion to the King Another thing objected by the Adversarie is that all such as subscribe to this Covenant oblidge themselves to practice such things as by the act of Perth Assembly was appointed to be used To this they answer 1. For Perth Assembly they say as Ambrose said of the Councill he 'd at Ariminum illud ago concilium exhorreo That Convocation was not Lawfull For the moderators and other members thereof were not rightly chosen Againe the carriages of all businesses went by craft and guile (b) After such a manner are their innovations brought into the English Church that is either by craft or violence or both For the Bb. know that they are so wel beloved in England that it is not possible that any thing should be don for their meantenance in a faire legall way As Wolves take the advantage of the darke night for to kill deuour the Sheepe so these Wolves make use of in justice violence for to praey upon Christe poore lambes and not legallie and impartially Besides seeing their cheife pretence for the introduction of genu-cultus then ordained was because the memory of superstition was past It must follow that they who forbeare the practice have as good or rather a better reason for it Namelie because the practice of it will revive thememory of superstition Lastly it is well knowne that sundry of the innovations concluded at Perth have not been by the Prelates themselves yet practised (c) Howsoever the Prelates doe presse conformitie yet it must not be thought that they doe it of any conscience but they invent certaine Ceremonies Canons Articles c. Unto which they thinke no honest man will subscribe so hope by keeping out all able faithfull men from the ministerie giving others just occasion to leaue their Churches they hope I say in a little time to bring the whole nation to be Athests and Papists they omnia samilia as birds of a feather they will agree well enought Now by the same reason and ground that they omitt some of those innovations the subscribers may forbeare the practice both of them and the others also And the rather seeing most Churches (d) As the Lyon in the Greek fable would needs have the Asse and fox to be of his Councill because he knew they would doe any thing that he should command them so the Bb. place abroad in the parish Churches of the Land either Knaves or Fooles for they know that such fellowes like Foxes Asses will doe any thing at their courmaund I say any thing so that it be for advantage As that lewd fellow professeth in the poet Dorio the Baud non pudet vanitatis minime dum ad rem Had we such in the Kingdome have not to this day acknowledged the things there concluded for the constitutions of a lawfull assembly It is further objected that Perth Assembly was ratified by an Act of Parliament Ann. 1621. and therefore the Subscribers obleidge themselves to forbeare to practice that which by Parliament they are commaunded to practice To answer it 1. Parliamentarie Ratifications can no way alter Church Canons concerning the worship of God For it beeing but a Counsell the Parliament cannot turne it into a precept No more then it can change precepts into Counsels For that were rather to make Lawes and Canons in matters of Religion then to confirme them 2. There are no commanding words in the ratification which can simplie bind the greater and better sort of subjects to a literall obedience of the Articles made in that assimbly the reason is because there was a supplication given to the members of that Parliament before they sate that they would be pleased to heare such grounds and reasons as should be exhibited to them against the ratification of Perth Assembly Moreover when the Supplicators were suppresd they made their protestation in due time and place according to order of law Besides his Majesty Commissioners in that Parliament solemnly promised never to presse (a) They have had more fauour shewen them then we have had for Ceremonic here are so vrged as that the Omission of them is more seve relie punished the the breach of any law of God yea the truth is so men we be Ceremonioush supestitious It is aâ— the religion the Bb care or and it is aâ— much religioÌ„ as the have themselves the execution of the act no penalty should bee exacted and that there should not be any further of conformity to the English Ceremenies in short the a foresaid Subscribers have protested against iurisdiction of Prelates and inparticular against their high Commission (b) The City of Alexandria in Aegypt nourished the greaâ— bird this to denoâ— garbage offall â—â— it and to cleanse thâ— streets but he left 〈◊〉 his own fithines at beaslines morâ— noysome behind him the high Comissiâ—â— Court is allowed under a pretence cleanse the hand the Offals of sinn but the truth is thâ—â— it doth not but bâ—â—ther like that bâ— voyds so much duâ—â— filthines as 〈◊〉 the whole Kingdome is annoyed therewith our state therfore shall doe wel to 〈◊〉 downe this house of Baal as losiah did the house of the Sodomites turne it to a laâ— or draught-house and so it shall keepe still its nature and kind and all other their Courts Canons Articles and proceedings
published the Prelates hereat were so daunted as their courage began to faile (b) So will the hearts faile of our Bb. if the State deale roundly with them For they may be well compared to the Crocodile who is feirce and terrible to such as feare her run from her But of no courage in standing out against strong oppostion Or rather like the Asse that wrapt himselfe in the Lyons skin and marched a farre of to strike terrour in the hearts of the Beasts but when the Fox drew neere he not only perceived his long ears but likewise discovered him made him a jest to all the Beasts of the forrest them what to doe they know not for they perceive that their Kingdome of Darknes is now falling (c) Mise perceiving that the House wherin they are is about to fall do incontently leave the place These Bb. shewed the wit of a Mouse in running away in time and for my part I cannot blame them much for it neither would be very sory if ours would doe so too considering they know that their cause is so ill as they cannot with comfort stay and suffer for it and out they must Hereupon some of them secretly fled away into England and these poore hearts being full of greefe used sundry episcopall meanes or antidotes to expell the venemous desease which they brought with them from Scotland and among other chose helpes as fitting best their place and calling two or three of them made themselves starke drunke and in one night brake 12 or 14 dozen of venice glasses in drinking healths over and over to the confusion of their enemies Others of them in the mean time imployed themselves in the affaires of their state and craued his Majesties ayd and assistance and to prevaile this way they made greevious complaints against the Scotts and perswaded the King to take up armes against them (a) The Peast Duron perceiving her selfe almost takē avoyds a great deal of dung thinking by the noy somnes thereof to hinder the hunters from following her This filthy shift d ee the Bb. use for when they see that the State hath almost eatch them they seeke to eseape by avoiding their dung that is secrerly reporting to the King many lies and vile slaunders against the hunters of them for seeing faire meanes would not doe it fowl meanes might moreover they would perswade him that it could not stand with his honour (b) I know not any Honour or good Service that ever his Majesty had by them but rather Iosse prejudice for as the ivie claspes the oake only to suck out sap from it for her leaves her ries so these seeke to be in Princes favour only thereby to rayse themselves and for nothing else safety to suffer (c) The finer parts being severed from the grosser there followes clearenes sweetnes purenes c. So when our Land is once purged from the infection of the Prelacie both King and Subjects will doe the better after that Kingdome to bee without Bb. Great joy (d) The like cause of rejoycing the Lord send to England For I am sure they have occasioned sorrow greife to her these many yeares there was in Scotland when they heard the Bitesheepes had left them and the saying every where was The Lord hath don great things for vs. And now they found that true in Prav and that in the Poes Venit post multos vnaserenae dies And because they resolved to keepe peace (e) Our Prelates are like Nahash the Ammonite who would not be at peace with Iabesh Gilead unlesse he might trust out all their right eyes So they cannot abide any man neither will have accord with him but persecute him to the death Who will not sinne against knowedge conscience in yeelding to their filthy baggage trash with holines among them they tooke counsell what was best to bee don for the effecting hereof If was at last by mutially consent agreed vpon to renew their ancient Covenant with God one with another the which band or Covenant being composed it was generally subscribed too by all the better sort in the Kingdome And as I have heard one maine reason wherefore they were so carefull to take such a course as the Prelates should no more come among them was in regard they saw such cruelty and basenese in the English Bb. (f) Such is there basenes that they are spoken of everywhere and in truth sorraigne nations doe admire that so generous a nation as the English can suffer such Dunghill Wormes to exercise the crueltie that they doe over them But I beleeve England will vindicate her Honour shortly this way and like Scotland will drive away these Locusts from her Coast And then it will truely be said of both Kingdomes what is commonly said Great Brittaine the most renovvne and famous I le in the World for said they howsoever hetherto Ours have not don so wickedly as they yet who knowes what they may doe in time therefore it is good to keepe them out whiles they are The Confession followes THis Covenant beeing made and order given for subscription to it throughout the Land the Bb. hereat reged beyond measure And like Athaliah cryed out Treason Treason (a) The Prelates are like him who beeing only guilty of follome Yet in the persuru cries out as mainly as he can stop the theefe stop the theefe not caring who is apprehended so himselfe may escape without daunger So they howl it the Arch traitors to God and the King notwithstaning are so impudent as to chardge others with such crimes as themselves only are guilty of And because they saw it was in vaine for them to use the courses which they had done before viz. of silencing banishing imprisoning fining c. for no man now would be so used by them b We doe much dishonour the Gospell to obey any of the Bb. Articles Canons Censures c. the same beeing against Gods Law and Acts of Parliament Bur rather stand fast as the brave Scots in our Christian Libertie and say to those workers of iniquitie as Christ will say one day to them depart yee cursed of the Lord we know you not they be ganne to make ojbections against the Covenant as thus (c) If the Prelates could not helpe themselves mere by their Pursevants Iayles Pillaries c. then they can by disputation as no man now loves them so then no bodie woald feare them For assoon may a man perswade ihem to hang themselves in their Courts as to reason by the Word of God with any godly man that comes before them All their abilitie lies in this terrible argument Take him away Jaylor 1. They produce an Act of Parliament An. 1585. which prohibited all leagues and bands made by subjects without the Kings consent under paine as beeing holden and punished as movers of Sedition and such is this Covenant and subscription to this