LADENSIVM ἈΥΤΟΚΑΤΑΚΡΙΣΙS THE CANTERBVRIANS SELF-CONVICTION OR An evident demonstration of the avowed Arminianisme Poperie and tyrannie of that Faction by their owne confessions With a Post-script to the Personate Jesuite Lysimachus Nicanor a prime Canterburian Written in March and printed in April 1640 COR VNVM VIA VNA Summa Capitum THE Preface showeth the unreasonablenesse of this new warre That we have committed nothing against the late pacification That compassion hope and all reason call now for peace at home that at last we may get some order of our enemies abroad That the Canterburian faction deserveâ— not so well of England that armes in their favour ought to be taken against Scotland VVe offer to instruct their insupportable crimes by their owne writs If armes be needlesly taken in so evill a cause they cannot but end in an untimous repentance In this nicke of time very poore wits without presumption may venture to speake even to Parliaments The obstinate silence of the English Divines is prodigious CHAP. I. The delineation of the vvhole subsequent Treatise OUR Adversaries decline to answer our first and chiefe challenge The scope of this writt All our plea is but one cleare syllogisme the Major whereof is the sentence of our Iudge the Minor the confession of our partie the conclusion a cleare and necessary consequence from these two premisses CHAP. II. The Canterburians avovved Arminianisme ARminianisme is a great dangerous innovation of our Religion King Iames his judgment thereof The great increase of Arminianisme in Scotland by Canterburies meanes King Charles his name stolne by Canterburie to the defence of Arminianisme The Irish Church infected with Arminianisme by Canterburie The Canterburians in England teach the first second article of Arminius Why King James stiled Arminians Atheists They teach the third fourth article also the fifth The Arminians in England advanced Their opposites disgraced and persecuted Canterburie and his fellowes contrary to the Kings Proclamation goe on boldly to print let be to preach Arminian tenets A demonstration of Canterburies Arminianisme in the highest degree They make Arminianisme consonant to the articles of England and so not contrary to the Proclamation CHAP. III. The Canterburians professed affection towards the Pope Poperie in grosse ONce they were suspected of Lutheranisme but at last Poperie was found their marke To make way for their designes they cry down the Popes Antichristianisme they are content to have the Popes authoritie set up againe in England Their minde to the Cardinalat They affect much to be joyned with the Church of Rome as shee stands CHAP. IV. The Canterburians Ioyne vvith Rome in her grossest Idolatrie IN the middes of their denyalls yet they avow their giving of religious adoration to the very stock or stone of the altar As much adoration of the Elements they grant as the Papists require In the matter of Images their full agreement with Rome About relicts they agree with Papists They come neere to the invocation of Saints CHAP. V. The Canterburians avovv their embracing of the Popish heresies and grossest errours THey joyne with Rome in setting up traditions in prejudice of Scripture In the doctrine of faith Justification fulfilling of the Law merit they are fully Popish In the doctrine of the Sacraments behold their Poperie They are for the reerection of Monasteries and placing of Monkes and Nunnes therein as of old How neere they approach to Purgatory and prayer for the dead CHAP. VI. Anent their Superstitions FEW of all Romes superstitions are against their stomack They embrace the grossest not onely of their privat but also of their publick superstitions CHAP. II. The Canterburians embrace the Masse it selfe THey cry down so farre as they can all preaching They approve the Masse both for word matter The Scotish Leiturgie is much worse then English Many alterations into the Scotish specially about the offertorie the consecration the sacrifice the Communion CHAP. ULT. The Canterburians maximes of tyranny THE tyrannous usurpation of the Canterburians are as many and heavie as these of the Romish Clergie King Charles hates all tyrannie The Canterburians flatter him in much more power then ever he will take They enable the Prince without advice of the church to doe in all Eccelesiasticall affaires what he thinks meet They give to the King power to doe in the State what ever be will without the advice of his Parliament In no imaginable case they will have the greatest tyrants resisted What they give to Kings is not for any respect they have to Majestie but for their own ambitious covetous ends The Chiefe vvitnesses vvhich in the follovving action are brought into depone WIlliam Laud Arch-bishop of Canterburie in his speech before the Starre-chamber in his relation of his Conference with Iesuite Fisher as it was the last yeare amplified and reprinted by the Kings direction In Andrewes opuscula posthuma set out by him and dedicated to the King B. VVhyte of Eli in his treatise upon the Sabbath and his answer to the lawlesse Dialogue B. Montagu of Chichester in his answer to the gagger in his appeale in his antidiatribae in his apparatus in his origenes B. Hall of Exeter in his ould Religion set out with his owne apologie and the apologies of his Friends M. Chomley and M. Butterfield In his remedie of profanesse Peter Heylen Chaplan in ordinary in his answer to Burton set out as he sayes by the command of authoritie as a full and onely Reply to bee expected against all â—he exceptions which commonly are taken at my Lord of Canterburie his actions in his antidotum Lincolinense subscribed by Canterburies Chaplane D. Pottar Chaplan in ordinary in his charitie mistaken as he prints at the command of authoritie D. Laurence Chaplan in ordinary in his Sermon preached before the King and printed at the command of authoritie D. Pocklingtoune in his Sunday no Sabbath in his Altare Christianum both subscribed by Canterburies Chaplane Christopher Dow in his answer to Burtoune subscribed by Canterburies Chaplane Couzine in his devotions the fourth Edition subscribed by the B. of London my Lord high Treasuror his owne hand Chounaeus in his Collectiones Theologicae dedicated to my Lord of Canterburie and subscribed by his Chaplane Shelfoord in his five pious Sermons printed at Cambridge by the direction of the Vice Chanceler D. Beel set out with a number of Epigrames Latine and English by diverse of the Vniversitie fellowes defended yet still by Heylene and Dow in their bookes which Canterbury hath approven Antonie Stafford in his female glory printed at London and notwithstanding of all the challenges made against it yet still defended by Heylene and Dow in their approven writs William Wats in his Sermon of apostolicall mortification Giles Widowes in his Schismaticall Puritan Edward Boughen in his sermon of order and decencie Mr. Sp. of Queenes Colledge in Cambridge in his sermon of Confession Samuel Hoards in his sermon at the metrapolecall visitation Mr.
practise their lusts not any privat man may take the sword to redresse the prince but if the laws of the land appoint the nobles as next to the King to assist him in doing right and withhold him from doing wrong then be they licenced by mans law and so not prohibited by Gods law for to interpose themselves for the safegard of equity and innocencie and by all lawfull and needfull means to procure the prince to be reformed but in no case to deprive him where the scepter is inherited Ib. pag. 54. Spoiles mâ—ssacres conspiracies treasons even to the destruction and murther of Princes by their owne seâ—vants if a priest say the word you count in your selves to be just honourable and Godly war if others do but stand on their guaird to keep their lives and families from the blinded rage of their enemies seeking to put whole towns and provinces to the sword gainst all law and reason and to disturbe Kingdomes in the minoritie of the right governours or if they defend their Christian and ancient liberties covenanted and agreed upon by those princes to whom they first submitted themselves and ever since confirmed and allowed by the Kings that have succeeded If in neither of these two cases the Godly require their right and offer no wrong neither impugne their princes but only save their own lives you cry rebellious Hereticks rebellious Calvinist furie frenesie mutinie and I know not what ye may persue depose muther princes when the B. of Rome bids you and that without breach of duety law or conscience to God or man as you vant And that when neither life nor limme of you is touched we may not so much as beseech princes that we may be used like subjects not like slaves like men not like beasts that we may be convented by laws before judges not murthered by inquisirours in corners but incontinent the fume of your unclean mouth is ready to call us by all the names you can devise that his Majestie hath thought meet before all Europe after the example of his glorious Father and renowned predecesrix Elizabeth to give his countenance aid and powerfull assistance to them all when their just grievances and fears were laid out before his throne If so be King Charles had esteemed the late wars of France of the Protestants against their king the present wars of Holland and of the high Dutches against the Spaniard and Emperour an unlawfull defence let be a traiterous insurrection of subjects against their Soveraignes We presuppone his Majesties justice would have been loath ever to have defiled his scepter by supporting them all with men and moneys as oft he hath done and yet doth avow the deed The Canterburians flatter the King in much more power than ever he will take And inable him vvithout advice of the Clergie to do in the church what he pleaseth While our gracious Prince is so far inflamed with hatred against all tyrannie yet behold this wicked faction how carefully they go about by all the means they can to draw his royall minde to that which naturally it doth so much abhore For they tell us first that the power of all true Kings is so simply absolute and illimitate that for any man to reason what they may not is a crime no lesse than treason that they are far above all law (t) Heylens moderat answer pag. 28. VVhat spirit leads you that you are grieved vvith illimitat povver which men of better understanding than you have given to princes Ib. pag. 32. Princes are Gods de puts of whom should they bee limited if ye say by the laws of the land those themselves have made a prince in abctracto is above the laws though in concreto a just Prince will not break the laws which himself hath promised to observe otherwise we say of princes Principi lex non est posita that they do not governe only by the law but are above it that he is sure and hath an absolute authoritie Ibid. p. 179 I will be bold to tell you that as it is a kinde of Atheisme to dispute pro contra what God can do and what hee can not though such disputs are raised some times by unquiet wits so it is a kinde of disobedience and disloyalty to determine what a king can and what he can not Lysimachus p. 3. Hence it is that princes being Legislators are above their laws and dispense with them as they think expedient A prince is not bound to his own laws because no man can impose a law on himself Aberdeen duplyes p. 22. The king is above the law as both the author and giver of strength thereto 2. That the oath which a prince makes to keep the laws is but a personall deed which can not oblidge his successor that his oath and promise at his coronation to keep the laws is to be exponed of his resolution to make his laws to be keeped by others That all the oath and promises he makes at his coronation are but of his meer free-will and arbitrement that by theÌ„ all no true covenant or paction caÌ„ be inferred betwixt the King and his subjects (w) Dominus Ioannes Wemius de Craigioun a man advanced by our bishops to be a lord both of Councell and Session in his book de primatu Regis printed in Edinburgh 1623. And going among them to this day with applause p. 18. Sed quid si princeps leges statuat adhibito etiam iurisiurandi sacramento velin sua inauguratione promittat se leges non laturum absque populi ordinumque non modo consilio sed etiam consensu ac determinante sententia siquidem non fuerit haec in prima regni constitutione conditio imperii coaeva ac fundamentalis regni lex non sit quo casu dicerem non proprie esse regnum sed aristocratiam vel democratiam sed post regni constitutionem pactum tantummodo sit regis alicuius voluntarium etiamsi forsan pollicentum ipsum obliget quoniam praestanda est sides dat a ne sine fide licet non sine iure regnet successores tamen in regno quomodo constringet vix intelligimus etiamsi inhonesta quoque sit ut ait quidam illegittima omnis ea pactio quae inter patrem filium maritum uxorem dominum servum regem subditum celebratur quod dicto oportet hos audientes esse Ib. p. 39. Audemus dicere in monarchiis Reges supra leges esse iisque solutos nemo enim sibi legislator vindex aut iudex distinctio non probanda principem quoad vim Legum directivam Legum non coactivam legibus subditum esse non enim magis derigere quam cogere seipsum potest quis cum actio onmis sit inter agens patiens Ib. 41. Si leges suas se observaturum pacto obligaverit princeps Quod raro aut nanquam fit etiamsi soleat princeps quisque legum suarum
the King is to destroy his Monarchike government to dethrone him and make him no King to subject him to his people and make them his masters or at least collegs in the Empire (l) Joannes Wemius pag. 18. Quo casu dicerâ—m non proprie esse regnum sed aristocratiam vel democratiam Ibid. pag. 23. Hoc esset ex rege non regem eum facere Ibid. p. 38. Quod si alicubi non habeat rex potestatem leges serendi nisi ex populi in comitiis consensu sic fundamentaliter limitato propriè Rex non est ac non tam acceptans est populus quam cum Rege ut collega Regem ferens ibid. pag. 53. Non est imperium illud vere Monarchicum sed principatus quidam imperans ille non Monarcha aut Rex sed tantum Princeps ut Venetorum dux residente in optimatibus aut populo imperii summa But thanks be to God that our gratious Prince hath so oft declared himselfe to bee farre from all such thoughts yea that my lord of Canterburie himselfe is forced whiles to let drop from his fingers cleane contrare maximes (m) Relat. of the Conference pag. The statute Lawes which must binde all the Subjects can not bee made but in and by Parliament the supreame Magistrate in the civill state may not abrogat Lawes made in Parliament Ibid. pag. 158. Tiberius himself in the cause of Silanus when Dolabella would have flattered him into more power than in wisedome he thought fit then to take to himself he put him off thus No the Lawes grow lesse when such power enlargeth nor is absolute power to bee used where there may be an orderly proceeding by Law Even in no imaginable case they will have tyrants resisted Lastlie they teach us in the matter of resistance first that do the Prince what he will he may never be resisted by any or all his Subjects that not only a private man must give over all defence though most innocent of his own life against the Prince though his most unjust violence (n) Ioannes VVemius p. 21. Teneri videtur subditus seipsum fame perimere ut principem salvaret propter conservationem boni publici singulis a dempta est adversus principem quae naturalis dicitur iuris defensio seu iniuriae depulsio but the whole state can do nought without rebellion against God but flee or suffer when the Prince whether by him selfe or his officers doth destroy the true religion established by all Laws and the liberties of the land dear bought of old peaceably brooked in many ages also the lives of many thousands of the best Subjects without the pretence or colour of any just cause (o) Canterb. relat Pag. 205. vvhere the foundations of the faith are shaken by princes there their ought to be prayer and patience but no opposition by force Aberdeens duplys pag. 25. The way for all Christian Subjects to conquer tyrants and the remedy provided in the New Testament against all persecutions is not to resist powers which God hath ordained lest we be damned but with all meeknesse to suffer that we may be crowned It is evident by Scripture that it is unlawfull for Subjects in a Monarchicall estate to take armes for religion or for any other pretence without warrand from the Prince The renowned Thebaean legion of 6666. Christian souldiers without making resistance as they had strenth to have done suffered themselves rather to be slaine for their Christian profession by the Officers of Maximinian the Emperours executors of his cruell commandements against them Corbet pag. 42. For your examples from reformed churches since we live not by examples but by Lawes I will not stand upon them from facts to prove the lawfulnesse of resisting is ridiculous none of those by resisting gained so much as by suffering as experience too late doeth show Againe that all this subjection must be used not only to our native King but to any forraine usurper who can get footing among us and it were the Kings of Spaine as their predecessors the hereticall Gothish Kings got footing in the Romane Impyre (p) Aberdeens Duplys pag. 29. Such was the doctrine and practice of many other great lights which shined in the days of Iulian the Apostate and in the dayes of the Arrian Emperours and Gothick Arrian Kings That even against them the States of a Land with a good conscience could use no defence though before their eyes they should see them execut the cruell tyrannies of Nebuchadnezar put out the eyes of the King kill his children lead himself and his Nobles away to a far land in fetters Though with Nero (q) Corbet pag. 26. Qui Mario Cajo Casaeri qui Augusto ipse Nerom qui Vespasianis vel patrivel filio ipsi Domitiano crudelissimo ne per singulos ire necesse sit qui Constantino Christiano ipse apostatae Iuliano Ibid. pag. 36. If the Iewes in the dayes of Assuerus had beene of this new Scottish humour when an utter extirpation was intended by Haman both of themselves and their religion they would have taken Ames but their prayers and teares were their defence in their greatest extremity for their mere pleasure they should set the royall city in a faire fire or execute the plot of Haman by murthering all the seed of the Iewes all zealous Protestants up and downe the Land in one day Such maximes exceedingly opposite to the honour of God the safetie of the Kings person and crowne the welfare of the people these men cause to bee printed and let them go about without any censure at these times when by royall decreers they have pulled into their hands the full commandement of all the Presses and the absolute jurisdiction over all the Book-sellers shops in the Kingdome and kythes frequently their zeale against any Books that give but the least touch to their mitres by inflicting no lesse censure then fire upon the Books pilloring and nose-sliting on the Authors and whipping thorow the streets on the carriers All these extraordinary prerogatives VVat they give to Kings is not for any respect they have to Majestie but for their own ambitious and covetous ends whereby the faction advanceth supreame Magistrats so nere unto God and their favorits so far above the skyes (r) Ioannes VVemius in his preface to the Duke of Buckinghame Reges in diviniorem sortem transcripti cute specie tenus homines reipsa boni genii censendi sunt in quos ut humanos loves divini honoris offines pene consortes oculos animosque nostros defigi convenit Tu Heros nobilissime coruscas velut inter ignes Luna minores quem in summo augustioris gloriae solstitio divina prorsus virgula constitutum nemo potest diffiteri seeme to flow not from any love they carie either to their crownes or the royall heads that bear them but meerlie out of their self-respect
Tedders in his sermon at the visitation of the B. of Norwitch all subscribed by the hands of my L. of Canterburies Chaplane Bray Oliver Baker or some others THE PREFACE IT is fallen out much beside our expectation Wee did expect nothing lesse then warre that the storme of warre should now againe begin to blow when we did esteem that the mercy of GOD and justice of our Prince had setled our Land in a firme peace for many generations at least for many daies ever while some appearance of provocation should have arisen from us for the kindling of the wrath of our enraged enemies whose furie though we know well not to be quite extinguished yet we did surely think it would not breake forth in haste in any publick and open flame til some new matter had been furnished or some probable colour of a new quarrell could have beene alleadged against us When we have scattered that cloud of calumnies We have committed nothing that can bee pretended with any goodly colour for the breach of the late pacâ—fication which by their tongues and pens they had spread abroad of our rebellion many other odious crimes when by our frequent supplications informations remonstrances declarations and other writs wee have cleared aboundantly the justice of our cause the innocencie of our proceedings to all the ingenuous minde of the Yle and to so many of our neighbour nations as have beene desirous to cognosce of our affaires when our gracious and just Prince in the very heat of his wrath raised alone by their mis-informations even while armes were in his hand hath beene moved with the unanimous consent of all his English Counsell of all his Commanders and whole armie to acknowledge us good and loyall Subjects And after a full hearing of our cause in his Campe to professe his satisfaction to pronounce us free of those crimes which before were falsely blazed of us to send us all home in peace with the tokens of his favour with the heartie embracement of â—hat armie which came against us for our ruine When we in a generall Assembly of our Church with the knowledge and full consent of his Majesties high Commissioner whole Counsell have justified our opposition to the innovation of our Religion and Lawes by the Prelaâ—es our excommunication of them therefore the renewing of our Covenant and all the rest of our Ecclesiastâ—call proceedings when our States in Parliament were going on in a sweet harmonie to confirme the weaknesses set right the disorders of our Estate that no farther then clear equitie reason law yea the very words of the pacificatorie Edict did permit wheÌ„ our whole people were minding nothing but quietnesse having cast their neckes under the feet of our reconciled king put all their Castles Canons in his hand without any securitie but the royall Word and received heartily all those fugitives who had taken armes in the Prelates cause against their Countrie having no other minde but to sit down with joy gâ—e about our own long neglected businesse praising God and blessing the King The martiall mindes among us panting for languor to be imployed over sea for the honour of the Crowne in spending their bloud against the insolent enemies of his Majesties house While these are our only thoughts It was more then marveilous to us that first the dumbe and obscure whisperings and at once the loud blasts the open threats of a new more terrible and cruell warre then before should come to our eares that our Castles should be filled with straÌ„gers be provided with extra ordinarie victuals and munition as against a present assault or long siege Many of our Nobles tempted to leave our cause numbers of assayes made to breake the unitie of all our Estates and at last our Parliament commanded to arise the Commissioners thereof after a long and wearisome journey to Court for the clearing of some surmised mistakes about moods and formes of proceedings refused presence a Parliament in England indicted as the rumour goeth to perswade that Nation our dearest neighbours with whom our cause is common to imploy their meanes and armes against us that so our old nationall and immortall warres may be renewed to make sport to Prelates a bridge for the Spainyard or French to come over Sea and sit downe masters of the whole Yle when both Nations by mutuall wounds are disabled for defence against the force of an enemie so potent as either France or Spaine are this day of them selves without the assistance which too like shall bee made them by the Papists of the Yle and many more who will not faile to joyne for their owne ends with any apparent victory Wee admire how it is possible that intestine armes without any necessity should be takeÌ„ up at this season Compassion hope and all reason call now for peace at home that at last we may gett some order of our enemies abroad when all the Forces the whole Yle can spare are most earnestly called for by the tears of his Ma. only sister by the bloud long desolation of her most miserable Subjects by the captivitie and banishment of all her hopefull Children Prince Charles lying dayly under the hazard of the French hang man at Paris Prince Robert of the Austrian at Vienne the rest of that royall bloud lying so many yeares with their Mother banished in a strange Countrie Pietie would command us to put up all our homeward quarrels though they were both great and manie let be to forge any where none reall can be found Yea hope would allure us to try now if ever our Armes on those spitefull Nations the hereditary enemies of our Religion and of our Yle when God hath made them contemptible by the cleare successe hee giveth dayly to every one that riseth against them Banier with a wing of the Swedâ—sh Armie dwelling in spite of the Emperour all this yeare in the heart of his Countries a part of Weymers forces with a litle help froÌ„ France triumphing on the Rhene for all that Baviere Culen the Emperour or Spainiard can doe against them That very great and strong Armado all utterly crushed in our eyes by the Hollanders alone without the assistance of any The very French not the best sea men having lately beaten oftener then once the Spanish navies in the Mediterrian Shall we alone sit still for ever shal we send alwayes nought but base contemptible derided Supplications to these intractable Princes shall we feed our selves still with their scornfull promises which so oft wee have found to our great disgrace most false yea rather then to beate them by that aboundance of power which we have if God will give us an heart to imploy it rather then to pull downe those tyrants who have shed rivers of Protestants bloud who hath loÌ„g tred on the persons of our nearest friends and in them on our honour Is it now meet we should choose
to goe kill one another alone for the bearing up of Prelates tailes and that of Prelates as unworthie of respect as any that ever wore a Mytre Let our kindred let our friends let all the Protestant churches perish let our own lives estates run never so evident an hazard yet the Prelates pride must be borne up their furious desire of revenge must be satiate all their Mandamus in these dominions must be execute with greater severitie and rigour then those of their brethren are this day in Italy or Spaine or those of their grand-father at Rome To us surely it is a strange Paradox that a Parliament of England The Canterburian faction deserveth not so well of England that armes in their favour ought to be taken against Scotland so wise grave equitable a Court as in all bygone times it hath ever proven should bee thought in danger at any time let be now to be induced by any allurement by any terrour to submitt themselves as Varlets and Pages to the execution of the lusts the furies and outragious counsels of Canturberrie and his dependars for they know much better then we that the maine greevances both of their Church and State have no other originall no other fountaine on earth but those men Who other but they have keept our most gracous Prince at a distance from the Countrie almost ever since he came to the Crowne For whose cause have Parliaments these many yeares beene hindred to meet and when they haue met beene quickly raised to the unspeakable grief and prejudice of the whole land and of all our friends abroad By whose connivence is it that the idolatrous Chappels of both the Queenes in the most conspicuous places of the Court are so gorgeous and much frequented Whose tollerance is it that at London three Masse-priests are to bee found for one Minister that three hundreth of them reside in the cittie in ordinat and six thousand at least in the countrie If yee trust the Jesuites Catalogue to Rome Whence comes their immunitie from the Lawes who have sett up Cloysters for Monks Nuns let bee houses for open Masses in divers cities of the Kings dominions Why is our correspondence with the Pope no more secret but our Agents avowedly sent to Rome his Holinesse Nuntioes received here in state and that such ones as in publick writs have lately defamed with unspeakable reproaches the person and birth of that most sacred Queene Elizabeth Such actions or at least long permission of such abominations doe they flow from any other but his Grace the head heart of the Cabbine Counsell Did any other but hee his creatures his legs and armes hinder alwaies our effectual alliance with the Sweeds French when their armies did most flourish in Germanie for the relief of the oppressed Churches Why was that poore Prince the king of Boheme to his dying day keept from any considerable help from Britaine How was these young Princes the other yeare permitted to take the fields with so small forces that a very meane power of a silly commander beat them both tooke the one captive and put the other in his flight to an evident hazard of his life Who moved that innocent Prince after his escape to take so strange a counsell as the world now speake off and when he was engadged who did betray both his purpose and person to the French king could any without the Cabbine understand the convey of such matters and within that Cabbine does any come without his Graces permission Is not that man the evident author of all the Scotish broyles Are not his Letters extant his holy hands interlynings of the Scotish service to bee seene his other writtes also are in our hands making manifest that the beginning and continuance of that cursed worke hath no spring without his braine When the King himselfe after ripe advertisement and all about him both English and Scots had returned in peace who incontinent did change the face of the Court and revive that fire which in the heart of the Prince and all his good Subjects was once closse dead That a Parliament of England will not onely let such a man his complices goe free Wee offer to instruct by the writâ— of our partie their unsupportable crimes but to serve his humour will bee content to ingadge their lives and estates for the overthrow inslaving of us their best neighbours that over our carkases a path-way may be made for Bishops now and at once for the Pope and Spaniard â—o â—red on the neck both of their bodies and souls we canÌ„â—t beleeve Yet if any such things should be propâ—unded for what dare not effronted impudence attempt we would require that sage Senat before they passe any bloudy sentence of war against us to consider a little the quality of that party for whose cause they take arms we offer to instruct to the ful satisfaction of the whole world of free imprejudicat mindes not by flying reports not by probable likelihoods not by the sentences of the gravest most solemne judicatories of this land our two last generall assemblies late parliam who at far greater length with more mature advisement did cognosce of those causes then ever any assembly or parlia among us since the first foundation of our Church kingdom did resolve upon any matter whatsoever All those means of probation we shall set aside and take us alone to the mouth of our very adversaries If by their own testimonie we make it evident that beside bookes ceremonies and Bishops which make the proper particular quarrel of this nationall Kirk against them they are guilty of grosse Arminianisme plaine popery and of setting up of barbarous tyrannie which is the common quarrell of the Kirk of England of all the reformed Kirks and of all men who delite not to live dye in the fetters of slavery If we demonstrate not so much by their preachings and practises amongst us as by their maximes printed with priviledge among your selvs which to this day though oft pressed thereto they have never recanted If wee shew that yet still they stifly avow all the articles of Arminius a number of the grossest abominations of popery specially the authoritie of the Sea of Rome that they urge conclusioÌ„s that will force you without any reluctance so much as by a verball protestation not onely to give way unto any iniquitie whatsoever either in Kirk or State whereto they can get stollen the pretext of the kings name but also to lay down your neck under the yoke of the king of Spaine if once he had any sitting in this Yle without any further resistance though in your Church by force that Tyrant should set up the latine Masse in place of the Bible and in your State for your Magna-Charta and acts of Parliament the Lawes of Castile though in your eyes he should destroy the whole race of the royall familie
reward of his boldnesse had cast in his lap in a trace the Deanrie of Edinburgh the Bishoprick of Brechan and last of Galloway with full hopes in a short time of an Archbishops cloake In the North Doctour Forbes the onely Father of the most of those who fell away from the doctrine of our Church came to good speed in his evill labours and for his paines was honoured with the first seate in the new erected chayre of our principall citty Others about Glasgow made their preaching of the Arminian errours the pathway to their assured advancement In our generall Assembly we found that this cockle was comming up apace in verie manie furrowes of our field Some of it we were forced albeit to our great griefe to draw up cast over the dike which at once was received and replanted in England in too good a soyle We confesse that it happened not much beside our expectation that our Arminians The Kings names stolen by Canterburie to the defeÌ„ce of Arminians after the censure of our Church should at Court have beene to graciously received and sheltered in the sanctuarie of his Grace at Lambeth But this indeed did and doth astonish us all that any should have beene so bold as to have stolen King Charles name to a printed Declaration wherein not onely our generall Assembly is condemned for using any censure at all against any for the crime of Arminianisme (g) Large declar pag. 74. According to their weake and poore power they did determine coÌ„troversies concerning predestination universal grace irresistibilitie of grace concurrance in grace and other such like intricate points that some meÌ„ would be loath to live so long as they could make them understand them But also Arminius articles are all utterly slighted and pronounced to be of so obscure and intricate a nature that both our Assembly was to peart to make any determination about them and that many of our number were altogether unable by any teaching ever to winne so much as to the understanding of the very questions (h) Some Mininisters were dedeprâ—ved for Arminiâ—â—isme a course never heard off â—n any pâ—ace where any rule of justice was observed that a Min ster should bee deprived for holding any Tenet which is not against tâ—e doctri e of that Church wherin he liveth and that before it be prohibited condemned by that Church Now there is nothing in the confession of that Church against these Tenets Yea those articles are avowed to be consonant and in nothing to bee opposite to the Confession of our Church and are freely absolved of all Poperie (i) Pag. 303. They could no answer when it was told them th se Tenets could not bâ—e counted Popish concerning which or the chiefe of which as learned Papists as any in the world the Dominicans Iesuites did differ as much as thâ— Proâ—estants and thaâ— those which doe adhere to the Augustin confession did hold hat side of â—hose Tenets wâ—ich the Arminians did hold and yet they were very far rom beeing Papists beeing the first Proâ—estants and there ore it was aâ—ainst all senâ—e â—o condemne that for P perie wh câ— was held by many Proâ—ellaâ—ts Churches and reject by many learned Papists Because indeed for this is the onely reason some learned Papists finde divers of Arminius points to be so absurd that their stomackes cannot away with them and some of the Lutherian divines agree with the Arminians in certaine parcels of some of their articles They must be strangers in these questions who are ignorant in how many things the Dominicans and all Papists agree with Arminius and in how many the Lutherans disagree from him However wee were and are amazed to see Canterburie so malapeart as to proclame in the Kings name beside many other strange things the articles of Arminius to bee so farre above the capacitie of our generall Assembly that it deserves a Royall reproofe for minting to determine any thing in them and that they are no wayes contrary to the doctrine of our Church neither any wayes Popish and that for a reason which will exeeme from the note of Poperie every errour which is so grosly absurd that some learned Papists are forced to contradict it or some grosse Lutheran can gett his throat extended to swallow it downe This boldnesse can not in any reason bee imputed to our gracious Soveraigne For how is it possible that hee upon any tollerable information should ever have suffered himselfe to be induced to write or speake in such a straine of these things which so lately by his learned Father was declared in print and that in Latine to be no lesse then heresies worthie of burning yea damnable to the very infernall pitt whence as he sayes they did first come up Neither is it like that these Sentences come from the heart of D. Balcanquell the penman of them For hee was a member of Doâ—t Synod and brought up in the Church of Scotland the man is not unseene in the Popish Tenets How is it pâ—ssible that his conscience should absolve the Arminian errours of all Poperie and all contrarietie to the Scotish confession May any be so uncharitable as to suspect his late promotion in Durhame hath altered so soone his minde Sure not long since both in England and Scotland he did desire to be esteemed by his friends one of those whom Canterburie did maligne and hold downe for his certaine and knowne resolutions and reputed abilitie to oppose his Graces Arminian and Popish innovations His Majestie being certainly cleare of this imputation and readily also Balcanquell the amanuense on whom can the fault lye but Canterburie the directors back For the world knowes that on his shoulders for common alone the King doth devolve the trust of all Bookish and Ecclesiasticall affaires that concernes him that at his commandement hee hath written in the Kings name that part at the least of the declination which patronizeth the Arminians persons and cause we doe not conjecture but demonstrate by the constant avowed course of his Graces carriage in advancing Arminianisme at all occasions in all the Kings Dominions That this may appeare consider his practises not so much among us as in the Irish Church The Irish Church infected with Arminianisme by Canterburie where yet his hand is very nimble to set these ungratious plants and to nippe off all the overspreading branches of any tree that may overtop them For who else in a moment hath advanced D. Bramble not onely to the Sea of Derrie but to be the Kings Vicar Generall Who sent D. Chappell first to the Universitie of Dubline and then to his Episcopall Chaire Who holds downe the head of that Orthodox Pâ—imat and of all who have any zeale there to the truth of God Who caused not onely refuse the confirmation of these Antiarminian articles of Ireland in the last Parliament but threatned also to burne them by the hand of the hang-man Whose
autâ—m dicit author ille tuus dans gloriam Deo 8 That the temporall principalities which the Pope enjoyeth this day in Italie or elswhere are but his just possessions which none ought to invy him (p) Montag antid pag. 95. Habeat ille suas sibi opes facultates fundos habeat latifundia principatum dominium per Ecclesia terras Petri possessiones obtineat dummode contentus vetuctiorum principum liberalitate alienam non invadat possessionem 9. That the restitution of the Popes ancient authority in England and yeelding unto him all the power that this day he hath in Spaine or France would be many wayes advantageous and in nothing prejudiciall to the King (q) Cant. relat pag. 202 Hee that is not blinde may see if hee wil of what little value the popes power in France and Spaine is this day further then to serve the turns of their Kings therewith which they doe to their great advantage 10 The old constitution of the Emperour whereby all the westerne clergie is so farre subjected to the Bishop of Rome that without him they are disabled to make any Ecclesiasticall law and obliged to receave for lawes what he doth enjoyne was very reasonable Yea if the King would be pleased to command all the church men in his dominions to be that far subject to the Pope they would be unreasonable to refuse present obedience (r) Montag antid pag. 156. Quod è codice allegatur Theodosiano decernimus ne quid tam Episcopis Gallicanis quaÌ„ aliarum provinciarum contra consuetudinem veterem liceat sine viri venerabilis Papae urbis alternae authoritate tentare sed illis omnibusque legis loco sit quicquid sanxit sanxeritve sedis apostolicae authoritas Quicquid hic pontifici sayeth Montagow arrogatur id totum edicto debetur Theodosiano vel vetustae consuetudini quicquid autem per rescriptum tribuitur imperatoris ad occidentales credo solos pertinebat nec omnes quibus juxta veterem consuetudinem Pontifex praesidebat ut Patriarcha Decernat imperator de Gâ—rmanis episcopis Rex Angliâ— de Britannis suis Francorum de Gallicanis quod olim Theodosius decrevit dicto erunt omnes obedientes Onely by all meanes my Lord of Canterburies prerogative behoved to bee secured his ancient right to the patriarchat of the whole Isle of Britaine behoved to be made cleare that to his rod the whole clergie of the Isle might submit their shoulders as to their spirituall head and Monarch from whom to Rome there could bee no appeale (Å¿) Cant. relat pag. 171. It is plaine that in these ancient times in the Church government Britaine was neever subject to the Sea of Rome for it was one of the six diocies of the West Empire and had a pâ—â—mat of its own Nay Iohn Capgraw and William Mabinnesburrie tell us that Pope Vrbâ—n the second in the Councel at Bari in Apuleia accounâ—ed my worthie predecessor S. Anselme as his owne Compeer and said Hee was as the patriarch and apostolick of the other world quasi comparem veluti Apostolicum alterius orbis Patriarcham Now the Britains having a primate of their own which is greater then a Metropolitan yea a patriarch if yee wil he could not be appealed from to Rome in any cause which concerned onely the churches of the Kings dominions for in causes more universall of the whole catholicke Church willingly they are contented that the Patriarch of Britaine and all others should submit to their grand Apostolicke father of Rome (t) Montag Antid pag. 57. Rectè cautum erat olim per canones vetustae Ecclesiae ut Romanus ille primus Episcoporum cui tot per occidentem suffraganei adherebant suam sententiam rogatus adhiberet ubi fidei Ecclesiae universalis vel 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in rebus ad politiam spectantibus agitabatur supra Everie one of these pontificall positions since the midst of Henrie rhe eights raigne would have beene counted in England great paradoxes yet now all of them are avowed by Canterbuerie himself in that verie booke which the last yeare at the Kings direction hee set forth for to satisfie the world anent their suspition of his Poperie or else by D. Montagu in his books yet unrepealed and cleanged of all suspition of Poperie by M. Dow under the seal of his Graces licencing servant This much for the Pope About the Cardinalls they tell us that their office is an high and eminent dignitie in the Church of God Their minde to the Cardinalat for the which their persons are to be handled with great reverence and honour (w) Montag ap pag. 56 Penitere non potuit Baronium eruditissimuÌ„ laboriosissimum virum industriae suae ac deligentiae Cardinalitiame niminde merito quidem suo adeptus suscepit dignitateÌ„ ibid. pag. 75. Virum illustri adeo nominis celebritate eminentissima dignitate coÌ„stitutum honestum probum preterea in vita privata rigidem severum ac tantum non 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nusquam nisi honorificentissime compellavi that their office is a reward due to high graces and vertues that some of them though the greatest enemies that ever the reformed Churches have felt such as Baronius that spent all his time in opposing the trueth and advancing Antichristianisme and Barromaeus (x) Pokling Alt. pag. 34. The Linchonshire Minister it his jearing veine flouteth Cardinal Baromaeus whereas if he list to read his life he may not be ignorant that the Cardinall was a man of exemplarie holinesse and spent the greatest part of his life in fasting prayer almes-deeds preaching exhoration and doctrine and did detest both impietie and vanitie both in word and deed Me thinkes his conscience should checke him for his scornfull usage of a man who had the report of so vertuous and pious a Bishop a bloudy persecutor of our religion and one of the fathers of Trent that even such men are so full of grace and pietie that it is a great fault in any protestant to break so much as a jest on their red hattes Where the head and shoulders are so much affected it is hard to restraine charitie from the rest of the bodie These good men vent their passion no lesse towards the bodie of the present Church of Rome then towards the Pope and the Cardinalls Foâ— first his grace avowes over and over againe that the Papists and wee are of one and the same religion They affect much to be joyned with the Church of Rome as shee stands that to speak otherwayes as the Liturgie of England did all King Iames dayes were a matter of very dangerous consequent and therefore he confesseth his helping that part of the liturgie which puts a note of infamie upon the popish religion least that note should fall upon our owne religion which with the popish is but all one (y) Cant. relat p 36 The Church of Rome
more facilitating of their purposes they advance the secular power of Princes and of all soveraigne Estates above all that themselves either crave or desire alone for this end that their clerks may ride upon the shoulders of Soveraignitie to tread under the feet of their domination first the Subjects and then the Soveraignes themselves The tyrannous usurpation of the Canterburians are as many and heavie as these of the Romist Clergie How much our men are behinde the greatest tyrants that ever were in Rome let any pronounce when they have considered these their following maximes They tell us first that the making of all Ecclesiastick constitutions doth belong alone to the Bishop of the Diocesse no lesse out of Synod then in Synod That some of the inferior clergie may bee called if the Bishops please to give their advice and deliberative voice That the Prince may lend his power for confirming and executing of the constitutions made but for the work of their making it is the Bishops priviledge belonging to them alone by Divine right (a) Samuel Hoards sermons pag. 7. By the Chruch I meane the Churches Pilots who sit at the sterne Heads members divide all bodies Ecclesiasticall and civill what ever is to bee done in matters of direction and government hath alwayes beene and must be the sole prerogative of the heads of these bodies unlesse wee will have all common-wealths and churches broken in picees Ibid. pag. 8. The key of jurisdiction which is a power of binding and lousing men in foro exteriori in the coutts of justice and of making lawes and orders for the government of Gods house is peculiar to the heads and bishops of the church Ibid. p. 31. what was Ignatius and Ambrose if we look at their authoritie more than other bishops of the church That libertie therfore which they had to make new orders when they saw cause have all other prelats in their churches Edward Boughanes serm Pag. 17. Submit your selves to those that are put in authoritie by kings so then to Bishops because they are put in authoritie by Kings if they had no other clame But blessed bee God they hold not only by this but by a higher tenor since all powers are of God from him they have their spirituall jurisdiction what ever it be S. Paul therfore you see assumes this power unto himselfe of setting things in order in the kirk before any Prince become Christian 1 Cor. 11.34 The like power hee acknowledgeth to be in Titus 1.5 and in all bishops Heb. 15.17 Ibid. pag. 18. Kings make lawes and bishops make canons This indeed it was of necessitie in the beginning of Christianitie Kings made lawes for the State and bishops for the kirk because then there was no Christian Kings either to authorize them to make such lawes or who would countenance them when they were made But after that Kings became nourishing fathers to the Church in these pious and regular times bishops made no Canons without the assent and confirmation of Christian Kings and such are our Canons so made so confirmed Chounei collect pag. 53. Reges membra quidem filios Eccesiae se esse habitos reiecisse contempsisse nonnunquam audivimus obediunt simulque regnant Iura quibus gubernari se permittunt sua sunt vitalitatem nativam ex praepositis Ecclesiae tanquam ex corde recipiunt vivacitatem ex ipsis tanquam ex capitibus derivant Samuel Hoards pag. 9. Nor did they exercise this power when they were in Counsell only but when they were asunder also Speaking of apostles as they are paterns to all bishops 2. That in a whole Kingdome the Bishops alone without the privitie of any of the clergie of any of the laitie may abolish all the Ecclesiastick judicatories which the standing and unrepealled lawes which the constant customes ever since the reformation had setled and put in their rowme new forraigne courts which the kingdome had never known scarce so much as by their name (b) Our Chrurch Sessions our weekly presbyteries our yearly generall Assemblies whereof by our standing lawes wee have beene in possession are closse put downe by our book of Canons and in their rowme Church-wardens officiall courts synods for Episcopall visitation and generall Assemblies to bee called when they will to be constitute of what members they please to name are put in their place That at one stroke they may annull all the Acts of three or fourscore National Afsemblies and set up in their roome a Book of Canons of their own devysing (c) So is their book entituled Canons and Constitutions Ecclesiasticall gathered and put in forme for the governement of the Church of Scotland and ordained to bee observed by the clergie and all others whom they concerne That they may abolish all the formes used in the worship of God without any question for threescore yeares and above both in the publicke prayers in the administration of the Sacraments in singing of Psalmes in preaching the Word in celebrating of Marriage in visiting the sicke and in ordination of Ministers Neither this alone but that it is in their hand to impose in place of these accustomed formes foure new Bookes of their owne of Service of Psalmes of Ordination of Homilies All this our Bishops in Scotland have done and to this day not any of them to our knowledge can be moved to confesse in that deed any faile against the rules either of equitie or justice what ever slips of imprudence there may bee therein And all this they have done at my lord of Canterburies direction as wee shall make good by his owne hand if ever we shall be so happy as to be permitted to produce his owne authentick autographs before the Parliament of England or any other Judicatorie that his Majestie will command to cognosce upon this our alleadgance Readily Rome it self can not be able in any one age to paralell this worke which our faction did bring foorth in one yeare It is a bundel of so many so various and so heavie acts of tyrannie Certainly England was never acquaint with the like wee see what great trouble it hath cost his Grace to get thorow there one poore ceremonie of setting the Communion table altar-wayes for there themselves dar not deny that it is repugnant to the established Lawes of their church and state for any Bishop yea for all the Bishops being joined to make the poorest Canon without the voices of their convocation-house or Nationall Assemblie yea without the Parliaments good pleasure (d) VVhites examination of the dialogue pag 22. By the lawes of our kingdome and Canons of our Church many learned persons are appointed to be assistants unto bishops and in our nationall Synods in which all weightie matters concerning religion are determined nothing is or may be concluded but by the common vote and counsell of the major part of the convocation which consisteth of many other learned Divines besides Bishops Andrews sermons
King before Starchamber speach having magnified the Kings mercie for saving the life of Bourtoun and his companions is bold to advise the King not alwayes to bee so mercifull in these words Yet this I shall bee bold to say that your Majestie may consider of it in your wisedome that one way of government is not alwayes either fit or safe when the humours of the people are in a continuall change especially when such men as those shall work upon your people and labour to infuse into them such malignant principles to introduce a paritie in the Church or Commonwealth Etsi non satis sua sponte insaniant instigare Heylen in his moderat answer pag. 187. hath many reasons and examples to prove that Burtoun and his like deserved no lesse than publick execution And yet these men are so gentle to Papists that they glory in their meeknesse towards them professing that to the bitterest of the Iesuits they have never given so much as a course word So Canterburie in his Epistle the other yeare to the King before the relation of the conference God forbid that I should ever offer to perswade a persecution in any kinde against the Iesuits or practice it in the least for to my rememberance I have not given him or his so much as course language But alasse it is gone now beyond boasts when they are the second time upon the very point to kill millions of the Kings best Subjects to dash together all his dominions in a bloody warre as pitchers one upon another for the confirmation of their intollerable tyrannie where long it hath beene tottering and the reerection of it where it s owne unsupportable weight hath caused it to fall As for the power of princes King Charles hates all tyranny the most of those this day who are Christians and especially our gracious Soveraigne are very well content to be limited within the bounds of the laws which themselves and their predecessors have setled in the church and state of their dominions to make the preservation of those laws and of their subjects liberties ecclesiastick and civill according to them the greatest glorie of their prerogative royall (o) His majesties speach in Parliament 28. p. 75. The peoples liberties strengthen the Kings prerogative and the Kings prerogative is to defend the peoples liberties To give assurance of their resolution never to abolish any old or bring in any new act either in church or state without the concurrence of Assemblies and Parliaments p Neither to impose any taxation on their subjects goods without their free consent there to given by their Commissioners in Parliament (q) Proclam at Yorck April 25. 1639. VVe heartily declare and faithfully promise that althogh we be now in armes they shall be no wayes used either to force upon that our native Kingdome any innovation of religion or to infringe any of the civill liberties or the laws thereof accounting it our glory to preserve libertie and freedome among them according to their laws Therefore wee do once again by this renew our former promises for the mantenance of religion and laws and this we do in all sinceritie of heart we take God the searcher of all hearts to witnesse that as we are defender of the true Protestant religion which we from our heart professe so we trust we shall by his goodnesse continue in the same and never shall permit any innovation to creep in this or any other of our kingdomes One of the articles of Dunce pacification is this VVe are further graciously pleased that according to the petitioners humble desires all matters ecclesiasticall shall be determined by the Assemblies of the Church and matters civill by the Parliament and other inferior Iudicatories established by law which accordingly shall be keeped once a year or so oft as the affairs of the Church and kingdome shall require the extending of the prerogative to the making of new laws or abolishing of old to the imposing of taxes by simple proclamation without Parliament our Prince doth so far abhorre that he condemned a certaine writ for importing his Majesties intertainment of such motions Yea his Majestie by his Atturney generall called the Earl of Bedfoord and other noble personages to censure for keeping such a writ wherein did ly so pernicious positions (r) The which seditious discourse and writting the authors thereof intended should be dispersed as if the same had been intertained by your Majestie with purpose to put it in execution and to alter the ancient laws of this kingdome and to draw all things to your Majesties absolute will and plessure and to dispose of your Subiects goods without their consent and to make and repeale laws by your Maiestise proclamation only with out consent of parliament which if it should be beleeved by your people could not but raise infinit discontentment amongst them the consequence whereof might bee of extreame and almost inevitable danger to your Maiesties person and to the whole frame of the kingdome Where some Princes misled through passion mis-information have deviat so far from the path of justice as to intend by violence and armes the overthrow of the true religion and ancient (q) Cant. relat p. 112. In some kingdome there are diverse businesses of greatest consequence which cannot be finally and binedingly ordered but in and by Parliament and particulary the statute laws which must bind all the Subjects can not be made or ratified but there the supreme Magistrate in the civill state may not abrogat laws made in Parliament though he may dispense with the penaltie of the law quoad hic nunc liberties of their subjects the opposition which the subjects are forced to make in this case against the oppression of their Prince our gracious Soveraigne hath been so far ever from counting of it rebellion of which crime the greatest royallists in England wont alway to absolve it (Å¿) Bilson of subjection pag. 280. Neither will I rashly pronounce all that resist to be rebells Cases may fall out even in Christian kingdomes where people may plead their right against the Prince and not be charged with rebellion As for example if a Prince should go about to subject his Kingdome to a forraine realme or change the forme of the common wealth from imperie to tyranny or neglect the laws established by common consent of Prince and people to execute his own pleasure In those and other cases which might be named if the nobles and commons ioine together to defend their ancient and accustomed libertie regiment and laws they may not well be counted rebels Ib. By superior powers ordained of God we do not mean the Princes privat will against his laws but his precepts derived from his laws and agreeing with his laws which though it be wicked yet may it not be resisted by any subject with armed violence but when Princes offer their subjects no justice but force and despise all laws to
observationem hoc sensu promittere id est ut a subditis observentur se effecturum ad earum observationem teneri eum confitemur sed religionis potius quam iustitiae legalis observatione 3. That the prince alone is the lawgiver both in church and state (x) Iohannes Wemius pag. 26. Legum latio praecipuum est supremae dominationis ac maiestatis caput Ib. pag. 74 Legum ecclesiasticarum principes latores sunt nec differunta civilibus ecclesiastica natione cause efficientis 4. That in maters ecclesiasticall they themselves alone without the advice of any of the Cleargie may lawfully make what canons they please and compell their Cleargie to embrace them (y) Iohannes Wemius pag. 59. Potestatem in ecclesiasticis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 posse a princibus iure suo extra concilia exerceri docent quas ita tulerunt leges imperatores atque iis Regis legibus Ecclesiasticis quae legi devinae non repugnant nequit quit bona cum conscientia obedientiam detrestare quamvis non accessent ad earum constitutionem Pastorum ecclesiae consensus Ib. p. 93. Etiamsi extra concilia jubendi autoritatem habeat Princeps tamen libentius obsequuntur subditiillis principum statutis quibus pastorum in conciliis honorantur iudicia 5. That it is a part of the Kings prerogative to have power to impose upon all his subjects such confessions of faith such liturgies such canons as he thinks meetest without the advice of any church Assembly (z) Large declaration p. 222. Did not wee and our Councell be equall authority command these innovations of canons liturgie Was not then ye Prelats practice of then as well warranted as this confession of faith and the band annexed which were never brought in by acts of Parliament or Assembly but meerly by our royall Fathers prerogative and put in execution by the authority of his councell 6. When it is his pleasure to call an Assembly the members of that ecclesiastick court are onely such as he is pleased to call whether of the Clergie or of the Laitie ( ) Johannes Wemius pag. 66. Laicos saepe à principibus advocatos in Concilia videre est quibus non modo consultivam sed definitivam vocem permitterent Iste fuit electionis mittendorum ad Concilia modus ut Ecclesiarum presulibus quos vellent mittendi liberam plerumque potestatem permitteret princeps quod illis exploratius quam sibi esset qui ad eam provinciam aptiores Non quod principi penitus neganda sit quod autum aut nonnulli particularis personarum quae consilio eum leges Ecclesiasticas laturum adjuvent designatio Istud enim esset principum juri detrahere Ex singulis diaecesibus moderatus aliquis numerus eruditorum ac prudentiorum Presbyterorum Diaconorum Laicorum à principe aut metropolita principis delegate eligebatur 7. That when they are called only the Princes voice is decisive the voice of all the rest at most but consultive or if any of them become decisive it is by the Princes favour or at least permission (a) Iohannes Wemius pag. 89. Consultivam habent vocem Pastores tanquam juris divini consulti definitivam princeps ut judex dante illis consilii his judicii potestatem Legis latore Deo penes quem solum summa in spiritualibus imperii residet Ib. pag. 70. Vocem habere qui congregantur Presbyteros non qua Presbyteri sed qua Ecclesiarum sunt legatià principe vocati Ib. pag. 74. Definitiva sententiae dictio corum est qui à principe summo moderatore eos consulente vocemque decisivam iis dante vocantur Ib. Asserimus non agitato in conciliis fuisse saltem quae majoris momenti essent negotia nisi quatenus ea princeps per legatos proponeret aut patribus descripta traderet 8. That church Assemblies are only politick conventions not grounded upon any devine right and so to be used or disused as the prince shall think expedient (b) Iohannes Wemius pag. 126. Nullo in scriptura mandato nititur concilia celebrandimos sed à principibus Ecclesiae curam suscipientibus cum non essent principes à pastoribus ipsis volentibus ortum habuit 9. That it is in the power of all Soveraignes whihher Monarchick Aristocratick or democratick to appoint for the government of the church in their dominions such officers and spirituall courts as they finde most meet and agreable to their temporall estates to erect bishops and put down Presbyteries to erect Presbyteries and put down bishops (c) Iohannes VVemius p. 78. 79. Officiorum Ecclesiae modus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 est à principe pastoros Ecclesiae non consulente praescribi posse affirmamamus putantes cum serenissimo nostro Rege summis quibusque imperitantibus concessum esse externam in Ecclesiasticis regiminis formam suis praescribere quae ad civilis administrationis modum quam proxime accedat dummodo à fidei veraeque religionis fundamentis ne tantillum abscedat 10. That all this power to conclude every ecclesiastick affaire which can be subject to the jurisdiction of any ecclesiasticall synod doth belong alike to all soveraignes whether Turkish Iewish Pagan hereticall or Christian and Orthodox (d) Iohannes VVemius pag. 124. Regi omni confertur Ecclesiasticae jurisdictionis potestas per regium quod à Deo habet munus licet Regi tantum Christiano aptitudo oû recte utendi Christi gratia donetur Tamet si primatus ecclesiastici ius perfectius administret Rex Christianus Primatus tamen ius officii seu vocationis non facultatis aut exercitii ratione Rex obtinet Quae Regi supervenit gratia regiam in eo potestatem perficit non facit potestatem non repellit gratiae interna nedum professionis externae defectus Concerning the Kings power in matter of Stat They give to the King power to do in the State what ever he will without the advice of his parliament they teach first that a Parliaments is but his arbitrarie Councell which in making or annulling of his Lawes hee may use or not use as hee pleaseth (e) Ioannes VVemius p. 17. Neque verò putan dum est quia solet rex ex modesta prudenti virium suarum diffidentia non nisi de ordinum consensu leges ferre absolutam ideo ei imponi eiusque successoribus necessitatem illorum obtinendi consensus ac si nullo modo iis liceret perse sine eorundem suffragiis bonas edere constitutiones quibus qua quaeso conscientia non parebunt omnes Ibid. pag. 19. In Monarchia Regis sola voluntas de substantia legis est praevia cum populo consultatio si utilis imò ultilissimae sit necessaria tamen non est Itaque cum imperatore Iustiniano dicendum videtur explosis ridiculosis ambiguitatibus verum conditorem interpretem legum esse solum
notable deceaver while ye would make the world beleeve that the great questions betwixt you and us are alone about Bishops and Elders while as ye are very like if ye be not marred by the hands of Bishops to bring in upon us the whole bodie of Poperie and to overthrow the whole civill Priviledges of both the Nations without any possible remedie as your selfe in this same place doeth too evidently declare Upon your first parallell we make but one other remarke The CanterburiaÌ„s in all their lectures of tyrannie have the Jesuites for their Masters Yee wrong much the Iesuites in denying them the honour to be your adiuncts in the re-erection of a tyrannick and turkish Monarchie in Christendome Your ambition herein is too great it were better to admitt these pregnant wits to be copartners in your glorie then to venture you alone upon so high a designe The opposition which that worke can not but suffer may make it breake in your hands if ye be not supported with their effectuall assistance in this art they are your Masters yee are but meere novices it is unjustice to dissemble from whom ye have learned if ye deny your theifts from them the world about you is not blinde they see laugh at your poore and ill contrived cunning for who now is ignorant that the Jesuites above all men living have obtained long agoe the priviledge to sit in Machiavels chaire that from thence they may teach every where their lectures of tyrannie for the re-erection of a spirituall Monarchie in the whole Church for the pope in their owne societie for the generall in the whole universe in things temporall a Catholick Monarchie for the Spaniard And while these furthest ends may bee gotten and compassed an absolute Monarchie for the Prince in every countrie where they can gett footing What ever paines of old the Pope did take to weaken Emperours and Kings for the promoting of his owne greatnesse yet now being fully assured of their constant affection to beare his Yoake he hath this last age beene as busie as lay in his power in lifting up of their head by the hands chiefly of the Jesuites to the toppe of all Tyrannie with the extreame prejudice of their Subiects Liberties and Lawes Who else were the prime Counsellours of Philip the second for to spoile his ancient Kingdome of Arragon of their great priviledges and to bring them downe to the same basenesse of Subiection wherein his great grand father Ferdinand had putt the Mâ—ores of Granada Who else did stirre him up to begin that course of tirannie with Flanders which hath cost him more money alreadie then this day all Europe can command and more men then are living Spaniards Who else were the advisers of King Lues the 13. to spoile his ancient Kingdome of Navarre and his Fathers best friends the Protestants of these priviledges which they had long enjoyed peaceably under former Kings Who wakened the late King of Pole to present the Yoake of tirannie to the necke of his ancient Subiects in Swaine Had the late Emperour any other movers to these cruell oppressions which first in his own hereditarie Estates then in the Kingdome of Boheme and last in the whole Empire hee did practise to the very evident hazard of his Crowne to the infinite unspeakable afflictions of Germanie through the mids and all the foure corners thereof was not the maine and graund quarrell of all these Troubles the too great affection of a Monarchick tyrannie of an absolute domination without tye of Lawes Oaths Covenants wherewith the Jesuites inspired the heart of that man otherwise not the worst of Princes Though therefore it be your craft for your better lurking to professe your Separation from the Jesuits in this your great enterprise of erecting in Britaine a new Monarchicke tirannie Yet the world is not so blinde as you suppose but seeth you clearly linked hand in hand the Jesuites leading the ring and you but following and dancing to their measures Your second paralell is wholie Jesuitick 2 Paralell We are farr from subiecting the Crowne of our King to will of his people the throwing of holie Scriptures unto your wicked Scoffes at the gracious Servants of God the laying to our charge imputations which never entred in our thoughts Did anie of us ever teach that royall authoritie did depend upon the multitude and that it was in their power to give Crownes to whom they would When these men are bold to put in print before the Eyes of the world such slanders of us what doe they instill in the eares of our King and his Servants in their privie Conferences Shall anie wonder that so long as such men get leave to spread without a reply such horrible calumnies of us that the heart of our gracious Prince and manie about him should be much inflammed to our hatred What he speaketh of divine institution of Kings wee doe believe it that by God Kings doe reigne it is plaine Scriptures as also that all advancement is neither from the East nor the West but from the hand of the most High So that all who denie to any Superiour the obedience which is due to their Lawfull commands must sinne against God We grant that some of our Opposites have here a conceit which we doe not well understand they seeme to teach that royaltie alone and that most absolute without any limitation is of divine institution that all other governments whether of republick or aristocracies are but humane inventions opposite to the Law of nature and the first institution of God This state-speculiation seemeth to us a curiositie wherewith we have nothing to doe it is enough for us to beleeve that our King is set over us by God as his Deputy that since the time our old ancestours did choose Fergus for their King oblidging themselves by their oath to be ruled by his race alone according to the laws made and to be made with publick consent yea since the days of King Kenneth the third to be governed by his nearest heire Our subiection to the nearest heire of that race is now simplie unchangeable The least motion of any such change hath as little come in the minde of our Nation in these dayes of King Charles as in any age of the last two thousand Yeares wherein our Fathers have shewed more constant affection to the service of his Antecessours then any other Nation under the Heaven this day to their royall families Wâ—at here ye rechant of our minde to a resistance and defensive warre in some cases is nothing contrarie to this our profession Many bickerings have our predecessours had with misleading factions to which the Prince for a time hath given his countenance but they were ever willing to distinguish betwixt the Prince and his misinformers 3. Parallell The CanterburiaÌ„s give to the Prince much more power over the Church then the Iesuites give to the Pope to see them punished when their insolent tyrannie
become intolerable but the Prince setled in the full strength of his authoritie which for a time the cloud of these grassehoppers did eclipse in the hearts of his people The third point wherein ye joyne us with the Iesuites is our denying to the King the government of the Church In this ye doe us wrong as in all the rest for we reiect the Popish doctrine here They make Princes meer sheep they command them to follow the Pope their pastor where ever he leads were it to the bottome of Hell without asking so much as Domine quid facis but we esteeme it to be a chiefe part of the Magistrates office to command all Church-men to doe their dutie and when they will not be perswaded with cleare reasons to compell them by force to reforms the corruptions in the worship of God But ye skift out here much further to an extravagance wherein ye have no approved divine to be your patron Yee teach that all Soveraignes are the true heads of the Churches in their Dominions Such styles the Bishops of England since the beginning of Queene EliZabeths reigne have ever denyed to their Princes with their owne contentment Ye will have not only the Magistrate to command that which is right in the service of God as Austine and wee doe gladly grant but also ye make it his right were he a professed heretick or Pagan to give what lawes he will to the Church without her consent or so much as advice Ye give to the Prince much more then the Iesuites will grant to the Pope to doe in the Church even without a Counsell what he thinkes meetest and if it be his pleasure to call a Counsell ye make it his only right to call either of the laitie or the Cleargie whom he will to be members thereof and when these members are conveened ye give to the Prince alone the power of judging and deciding and to all others but of meere advice Except so farre as the Prince is pleased to communicate to so many of them as he thinkes meete his owne decisive voice In such a Counsell or without it ye make it the Princes right to destroy at his pleasure all Church-Canons Church-judicatories and formes of divine worship which by Lawes and long customes have been established and to impose new Confessions of Faith new Ecclesiasticke judicatories new Bookes of Canons Leiturgie Ordination Homilies Psalmes by meere authoritie All this by your perswasion yee moved our Prince to assay but upon better information his royall justice is now pleased to reiect all such your designes for his Majestie hath given to us assurance not only at his Campe but by his Commissioner in our last Assemblie and we hope also that at once this assurance shall be confirmed in Parliament that no ecclesiastick novation shal over be required by his Maj but that wherto a free generall Assemblie shall give their full assent In this point therefore betwixt us and our Prince there is no discrepance neither here had wee ever any difference with any reformed Divine 4. Paralell About convocation of Synods we have no questioÌ„ with the king Your fourth challenge that we deny to the King power to convocate Assemblies yet know the contrarie that we give to all Christian Soveraignes so much interesse in the affaires of the Church as to convocate Assemblies where and whensoever they please But we grant that we are no wayes of your minde in this point that the Church may never lawfully meere in any case though Heresie and Schisme were eating up her life and drinking her heart bloud without the call of the Magistrate that no Church meeting at all is lawfull no not for prayer or Sacraments without the Magistrates permission That all Churches must lye under an interdict and no publick meeting in them must bee till the Magistrates licence bee first obtained Is all opposition to you in these things Iesuitisme what ever difference we have here with you yet with our Prince in this point we are fully agreed Your gratious Brethren and Fathers when we had beene in possession continually after the reformation for common of two generall Assemblies yearlie by their wicked dealing spoiled us of all that Libertie so that for 38 Yeares space wee had no generall Assemblie to count of but two both which were thrust upon us against our heart for the advancement alone of their evill purposes Yet now thankes be to God our Prince being wel informed of the mischivous wrong your partie did to us in this matter hath granted our reasonable desires if so be the like of you make not this grant fruitlesse unto us as ye truely intend The old act of Parliament for yearlie generall Assemblies and ofter pro re nata is acknowledged by the Kings Commissioner to be very reasonable and with his consent hath past the articles of our late Parliament so that our Prince now is very well content that from the generall Assemblie the highest Ecclesiastick Court being so frequently to bee keept should come no appeale at all to him Your fift and sixt parallell are cast together The 5. 6. Paralell We have no question with our Prince about his presidencie and supremacie in counsels the Kings Presidencie in generall Assemblies Supremacie in Ecclesiastick affaires yee handle these so confusedlie with so many wicked scoffings and scurrilous abusing of scripture that your meaning can scarce be understood Wee are so faâ—re from denying to the Prince the place of royall presidencie and moderation in our Assemblies as Constantine used it at Nâ—oâ— and King Iames oft in Scotland that it is one of the things our hearts mâ—st desire to see King Charles possessing in his owne person that priviledge His royall Sâ—premacie we willingly yeel◠〈◊〉 so farre as the fundamentall Lawes of our Câ—urch and Kingdome extend it yea we make no question that in that sense Bilson and the old Bishops of England understood it But your late Commentarie of the Kâ—ngs Supremacie whereby ye ascrive to every Soveraigne much more then any Iesuite ever gave to the Pope wee doe reject it with the Kings good leave as before was said Your repeated cavills at our Elders Sessions Presbyteries and Assemblies is not worth the answering The frame of our Discipline established by the Lawes of our Church and State in Holland France practized peaceably in the happiest times of our Church and in daily use since the first reformation without any quarrell is now ratified by our Prince 7. Paralel We are much for ther then our opposites from the doctrine of the churches infallibilitie So your mouth should bee stopped and your tongue silent what ever boyling be in your breast In your seventh parallell ye lay upon the Iesuites and our back that which is your owne burden ye might have knowne that the Iesuites ascrive to no Counsell any infallibilitie without many distinctions And as for us none is ignorant that we beleeve all meetings of men since
the Apostles dayes to be fallible and subject to errour Wee did indeed in our Covenant promise to abstaine from the practise of these novations wherby yee had long keept our poore Church in a flaming fire till a generall Assemblie hath brought them to the touch stone of a new triall When the Assemblie of Glasgow had passed this tryall upon them according to our desire we embraced the Synodick Sentence and resolve to adhere thereto because we finde it agreeable to cleare reason else be sure that all the Assemblies of the world should never have obliged our consciences to have beleeved any thing which to us did appeare erroneous Such an inslaving of mens consciences was a part of your tyrannie among us No orders from your hands could be extorted till a man had sworne and subscribed simple obedience to all your decrees not only past but to come An expression of any condition of consonancie to the word of God or any other such limitation was a certaine note of Puritanisme and disaffection to the present government Yea such an infallibilitie ye wont to ascribe to a few of your Bishops let be generall Assemblies that ye made a Canon for the excommunication of all who should be bold to affirme the least errour in any of their workes whether of Canons Leiturgie Homilies◠or any thing else The Service-booke Episcopacie other corruptions which the King hath cōmanded us to abjure are still defended by our opposits that came through their holy hands What here ye cavill at our reiection of your manifold corruptions of the doctrine and discipline of our Church as if we did set up so many new articles of Faith as ye did lately errours which now we doe reiect is not worth a reply But that open declaration which here ye make of your great affection towards the articles of Perth Episcopacie bookes of Service and Canons and great disaffection to the very confession of Faith made by King Iames we cannot passe without observation The inclination of your mind to these articles we did truely suspect by many probable signes But that with your patron Canterburies permission ye should so soone have beene licenced to put these your thoughts in print wee did not expect Yee will we hope hereafter esteeme it no calumnie nor want of charitie in us to avow that notwithstanding our Assemblies ordinance and the Kings Majesties command with the consent of his Counsell to all this Nation to subscribe the abjuration of these novelties yet that our poore Church is in great danger to be pestered againe with them all since the like of you are countenanced to print even to this day such ample defences of all these corruptions and to give to the Service-booke so high a commendation that if it be true our refusing of it cannot be but a high sinne against God and as you told us before an intollerable insolence before the King whom ye teach to discipline us for that fault with a strange punishment Ye will have that rejected Booke resumed and stuffed with a new supplement of more Romish stuffe and then quickly thrust upon us with this peremptour alternative either quietly to beare that Yoake or presently to be banished the Land As for Episcopacie ye will have us embrace it with as great faith as we doe the Bookes of Canonicall Scripture Yee alleadge that Scripture is for neither of the two that Tradition is for both and that Tradition is to be received with no smaller assent then a divine and undoubted faith albeit Canterburie your patron permitt you to print all these things yet upon your word in this place we must take him for an arch-enemie to all poperie In your eight paralell 8. Parallell The Canterburiās offer many more disgraces to Kings thē their opposits ye object to us the excommunication of Kings This is but your slander We goe not so farre in following of Ambrose course with the Emperour Theodosus as Bilson alloweth Of our moderation in this point we have given good proofe For in all the troubles which your faction first and last hath moved our Princes to bring upon us ye cannot say without a manifest lie that ever any of us had the least thought of putting upon them any Church censure What ye might doe if Kings were turned your enemies we know not only now when they are your benefactours farre above your deserving we see how coursly ye serve them they must as profaine laicks be kept far aback with railes from that holy place where ye the Lords priests with your consecrate and anointed bodies doe stand at the Altar Emperours must light downe from their horse and adore you they must acknowledge their Crownes to be so farre subiect to your Miters as a bodie is to the Soule or a man to God Supra cap. 3. M. N. Readily so base persons might get a whip of your Spirituall rod if once ye were firmly established in your Episcopall Thrones as long agoe ye would have beene if these turbulent Puritanes who still have beene rocking and keeping your Chaires in motion had beene put out of the world What thornes Bishops have beene in the sides of Kings especially in England the Chronicles of that Nation doe record and above all other Bishops these of Canterburie the mischivous conspiracie of one of them with Henrie of Darbie against his great Benefactour Richard the second ought never to be out of King Charles eye No passage of the English storie is more worthie of his meditation 9. Paralel We are nothing opposite to the power of Parliaments but wee make Parliaments to be meere cyphers In the ninth Paralell your scoffing and railing veine floweth after the old manner ye obiect our annulling of the acts of Parliament by the decrees of our Assemblie and the extending of the power of our Synods to many secular affaires Doubtlesse ye are the men who by your shoulders most carefully will under-prop the decaying power of Parliaments It grieveth much your Soules to see Parliaments slighted in any of their due rights Alwayes remember your owne and your brethrens Tenets whereby ye make all Parliaments but meere ciphers the arbitrarie Counsels of the Prince to which by his Letters he hath right to call what Commissioners he will and hold back whom he pleaseth with whom or without whom as he thinketh meet it is his owne only right to make to interpret to abolish Lawes to publish them by himselfe alone and command them by a meere Proclamation to be received by all the Subiects without the consent or advice of any man further then is his pleasure to crave This your brethren oft in formall tearmes Supra cap. 8. E. E. F. F. G. G c. and your selfe in the same page sets downe in effect What ye speak of our encroaching upon Parliaments is no wayes true only some evill acts of your evidently corrupted Assemblies whereto ye had obtained by your familiar arts of fraud and force the ratification