forenamed Masters of the Court did much adde for the allaying whereof this Declaration was penned but to no purpose as Spotswood himself tels us m Spotswoods Story lib. 6. p. 177. This Declaration gave not much satisfaction so great was the discontent For no satisfaction was ever taken till both the Duke Chancellour Secretary and Archbishop Adamson were banished the Court and the acts of Parliament of their invention abolished as noxious and evill There was never any Warrant for Printing of this Writ What is here said of King James his command to publish this Declaration I do not find it verified in any Register either of the Church or Kingdome of Scotland that hath fallen in my hand but if any such command did come from him at that time of his minority and great tentation through the continuall evill offices of them that then managed his Counsels it were a case no more strange then these which often since we have seen in both Kingdomes many Proclamations and Declarations by false and wicked informations have been drawne from King James and King Charles and many other Princes which upon better advisement have been called in and buried the Proclamation concerning sports and playes upon the Sabbath the Service-Book and Book of Canons the Declarations of the Rebellion of the Parliaments of both Kingdomes we all know For my part I love not to rake out â—f the grave the carcases of these buried Writs for the infamy of the Prince or the prejudice of the Subject We shall sâ—y no more to the preface Pag 2. come to the interpretation of these offensive Acts of that Parliament at Edenburgh 1584. As for the first Act the explanation here made upon it did no way remove its offence for both the Act and its explanation attribute to the Ministers only the administation of the Word and Sacraments without any mention at all of any discipline this seems to have been one chiefe cause why the worshipfull Licenser was pressed with so much importunity to give his Imprimatur to this Writ as if this passage had been a demonstration of King James his Erastianisme but let the world take notice of the grossenesse of this mistake by this short information The Commissioners of the generall Assembly King James was far from Erastianisme were required by his Majesty at the Parliament of Lithgou 1585. to give him in the grounds of their grievances against the Acts of the Parliament at Edenbrugh 1584. here explained n Collection Master Andrew Melvill had been plaine with the King divers dayes at length the King desired the Ministers to exhibit in writ what exceptions they had against the Parliament held in Anno 1584. whereupon they exhibit to the King these animadversions following In their Animadversion upon the Act now in hand they did shew his Majesty that the power of Ecclesiasticall Jurisdiction and Church-Censures did belong to them by divine right no lesse then the power of preaching the Word and Celebrating the Sacraments o Animadversions The power of the Keyes of the Kingdome of Heaven consisteth not onely in preaching and administration of the Sacraments but also in jurisdiction and removing of offences out of the Kirk of God and excommunication of the disobedient to be pronounced by these that are officers of the Church our warrants out of the Word of God for this part of the liberty of the Church we are to bring forth when your Majesty pleaseth Also that the Lawes of the Kingdome ever fince the Reformation did ratifie that their right p Ibid. This Act restricted the liberty granted byother Acts of Parliament of before concerning discipline and correction of manners which were established by a Law in the first yeer of your Majesties Reigne and that hitherto they had bin in peaceable possessioÌ„ thereof q Ibid. There is a spirituall jurisdiction where of the Office-bearers within the Kirk in this Realm have been in peaceable possession and use these twenty four yeer by past whereof followed no trouble but great quietnesse in the Kirke and Common-wealth The King in his Reply to this animadversion does not deny any of these Alleageances yea he declares under his hand that he did not intend to take from Church Officers any part of the Ecclesiasticall Jurisdiction but onely so to regulate the execution of Discipline that some part thereof might be put in the hand of Prelates this was the onely point in controversie r The Kings Declaration the first Act maketh onely mention of the preaching of the Word Sacraments not thereby to abrogate any good further policy and jurisdiction in the Kirke but allanerly to remit a part thereof to the Acts ensuing and the most which as yet are not agreed upon nor concluded I intend God willing to cause to be perfected by a godly generall Assembly Whence it appeares how far his Majesty was from all Erastianisme though his affection to prelacy at that time was too great which yet he changed quickly thereafter as we shall see anon The explanation of the second Act The sum of the next Paragraph consists of a Narrative and Ordinance builded thereupon the Narrative has the alledged misbehaviours of some Ministers Master Andrew Melvile alone is named as joyning in conspiracies with Rebels against the King as Preaching seditious Doctrine and disclaining the King and Counsell of State for his Judges The Ordinance is concerning the Kings Supremacy divers things are here jumbled together confusedly and odiously to these two purposes by the Abbot of Dunfermeling Secretary for the time the Penner of this passage as Adamson the writer of the rest confesseth Å¿ Adamsons recantation The Secretary himselfe penned the second Act of Parliament concerning the power of Judicatories to be absolutely in the King and that it should not be lawfull for any Subject to reclame from the same under the penalty of the Act which I suppose was treason Concerning the first Master Melvill his worth Master Andrew Melvils case the Narrative is most untrue as I shall make good by undeniable evidence Master Melvil was an excellent Divine the principall professour of Divinity in the University first of Glasgow and then of S. Andrewes full of piety eloquence and learning of all sorts so eminent in zeale for the truth that his remembrance is yet very precious not in Scotland alone but in other reformed Churches his heroicke courage made him an eye-sore to the Masters of the Court whose wickednesse he and his Schollars according to their place and duty did masculously oppose From this it was and nothing else that an Accusation was invented against him as for seditious and treasonable words against the Kings Mother Queen Mary then prisoner in England When he came to his Answer upon his solemne Oath Cleer grounds for his justification he denied his Charge t The Collection I Master Andrew Melvill protest before God and his elect
parts of Spotswoods Story Ibid. The Church of Scotland gives no more power to Congregationall Elderships then the Independents and Erastians doe allow p. 15. the Prelats give much more ecclesiasticall power to Lay-men then we to ruling Elders p. 16 We give to Deacons no power of jurisdiction we wish there were Doctors in all populous Congregations Elders in some few Congregations for a time have a Dispensation p. 17. No Eldership inflicts any civill punishment Ibid. the Prelats confound miserably the spirituall and civill Offices p. 18. Princes plead not for exemption from Ecclesiastick jurisdiction p. 19. No Presbytery did ever enter in any processe with the supreame Magistrate p. 20. the Moderators of our Assembly are Preachers p. 21. Our expectants are not Lay-Preachers p. 22. the Presbytery of Edinborough usurps no power over any other Ibid. King James aversion from Presbytery and affection to Episcopacy makes not this the better nor that the worse Ibid. No Presbytery did ever keep any State with the King p. 23 The Presbytery doth not enquire in secret faults but knowne crimes it does not passe by p. 24. The Presbytery meddles not with matter of trade or debt or any thing civill p. 25. they never did dilapidat any Benefice p. 26. nor favour Gentlemen in their wickednesse they never did countenance any feud all these were the Prelats crimes p. 26 27. Ministers generally were ever and still are honoured more in Scotland then anywhere else p. 29. Master Robert Bruce vindicated p. 30 31. The reason of the Authors malice against the generall Assembly p. 32. His false and railing slanders against it p. 33. The generall Assembly exercises no power but what the King and the Lawes have authorized Ibid. the Commissioners of Burroughs and Vniversities are Elders Ibid. we a cribe to the King so much power in the Assembly as the Laws allow p. 34. the Assembly alters no Law onely it supplicates the King and Parliament to alter such Lawes as confirme evident errors p. 35. the Prelats quarrelling against ruling Elders is absurd Ibid. The Assembly and Parliament in Scotland use not to differ p. 36. The vindication of J. Knox the first reformers from base calumnies p. 37 The suspention of the Queen Regents authority was an Act meerly of the State which did nothing prejudge the Soveraignty p. 38. The Presbyterians have often supported but never hurt royalty p. 39. John Knox did never preach for the pulling downe of any Church p. 40. The armes of Scotland against the tyranny of the French were necessary and just p. 41. the Author very wicked and popish Ibid. Cardinall Beton by all Law and reason deserved death p. 42. An account of the tumult at Edinborough for the Service-book p. 43 44. Our Assemblies did ever defer all loyall subjection to the King p. 45. Master Henderson was ever free from all disloyall and Papall humours Ibid. Our first reformation was authorized by Parliament p. 46. Episcopacy was never approved by any lawfull Assembly in Scotland p. 47. the short confession of faith was subscribed by King James in the yeer 1580 the Presbyterial Government was fully agreed unto before that time ibid. the King and his Counsell did set up the Presbyteries over all the Land at the same time p. 48. The generall Assembly did never approve of Abbots and Pryors ibid. The Ministers of Scotland were wont to preach to the King and State free and seasonable Doctrine but in all wisdome and humility p. 49. Preachers of treason are censurable both by the Church and State p 50. The Erastian and Prelaticall principles brought great trouble on the Ministers of Scotland p. 51. The case of James Gibson p. 52. Mr. David Black his case ibid. A cleer vindication of the Assembly at Aberdeen in the yeer 1605. p. 53 54 55. Mr. Welsh and Mr. Forbes pittifully oppressed p. 56. Bancroft a persecutor of the Scottish Presbyterians ibid. Mr. Andrew and Mr. James Melvils oppressed p. 57. The Scottish Discipline is far from all rigour and tyranny p. 58. A Narration of the Roads of Ruthen and Stirling p. 60. The Assembly meddles not with Lawes nor with any civill Courts p. 61. Mr. John Graham his case p. 62 63. The great controversie betwixt the Church and the King was the infinite extent of the Prerogative p. 64. the Presbytery is a great bar to keep out Democracy and tyranny both from Church and State it is a singular help both to Kings and Parliaments p. 65. Mr. Catherwoods vindication p. 66. The Commissioners of the generall assembly unjustly slandered p. 67. A full account of the 17. day of December p. 68 69 70 71. Mr. James Melvile vindicated from assisting of Bothwell against the King p. 72. A Declaration upon all the twelve Articles imputed to us p. 73 74 75 76. No shadow of Episcopacy remaines in any well reformed Church p. 77 78. The Dutch Superintendents are very far from the English Bishps p. 79. The Contents of the second Treatise THe Opposites of Presbytery blinded with malice have hurt themselves and no other by the reprinting of this false Declaration p. 1. Adamson confesseth himself to be the Author thereof but King James did disclaime it p. 2. whatever in it is contrary to Presbytery is condemned by the Parliament of Scotland p. 3. It is hazardous for a Prince to take upon himselfe the faults of his Officers p. 4. the indignation of the people in Scotland was never against King James but oft against his Court and that upon just grounds p. 5. King James was far from Erastianisme p. 7. Cleer grounds for Mr. Melvils justification p. 9. his flight no argument of guiltinesse p. 11. A great cause of the rooting out of Episcopacy ibid. Mr. Melvils Declinator and Protestation cleered p. 12. What supremacy is lawfull p. 13. the Erastian supremacy is more then a Turkish tyranny p. 14. if either King or Parliament admit of it it will overthrow both and the whole Nation with them p. 15. King James revoked what here is published and King Charles also p. 17. The Presbyteriall Government was established in Scotland on a divine right with the allowance of K. James and K. Charles in divers Parliaments p. 18 The reprinters of this Declaration seem to be contemners of Oaths Lawes and all rights divine and bumane p. 20. A full account of the French Banquet p. 21. The Prelats and Erastians extreamly unjust against the Presbytery p. 24. The general Assemblies approbation of the Road of Ruthven very innocent p. 25 The Road of Stirling cleered p. 27. Episcopacy was not established at the Conference of Leeth 1572. p. 16. It was lawfull for the Assemblies to call to fasting p. 28. The reprinters of this Declaration make no conscience of their Covenant p. 29. King James his full and honest Declaration against Erastianisme p. 31. The pretended intentions were not the Kings but the Prelats p. 32. The reprinters of this Writ are either hypocrits or
are not void of Errours the greatest mistake of this wise Prince was in his too great affection towards Episcopacy the Presbyterian Nobles and Divines in Scotland set him in his Infancy upon his Throne when his life and Crown without their cordiall assistance was given by all men for gone in all his great feares from Spaine or any where else at home or abroad so long as he remained in Scotland his recourse was only to them and notwithstanding of the very hard measure which oft they had received and still feared from him yet did they never faile to support him in his need neither ever had they any difference with him but that which flowed from the unhappy fountaine in hand Had it been the will of God that this otherwise very wise Prince at his first comming into England had cast over the hedge of that Church the evill weed of Bishops and their Ceremonies he had certainly procured much greater peace to his own minde and in all probability prevented the huge mischiefes which from this neglect above all other causes doe this day overwhelme his house and all his Kingdomes What here you subjoyn to prove the pride of the Presbytery and the state it kept with King Iames is an ill conceived bob Page 7 8. No Presbytery did ever keep any state with the King when the Prince was pleased to honour them with a Message was it not better manners and greater civility for them to returne an answer by some of their owne number then by his Majesties owne Messengers had they sent their mindes otherwise how much more would the Prelatick Courtiers have cryed out upon their saucinesse and pedantick Rusticity The next Tale you tell us is The Presbytery is very tender of the fame of all persons though the Magistrate punish strumpets of the Presbyteries severity and unjustice in bringing shame upon many yong women on groundlesse suspicions of putting them in prison till they confesse their secret sins in forcing them to clear themselves by oathes in the Congregation of needlesse jealousies This tale is delated with many odious circumstances but consider first that you shoot your Arrowes at the wrong Butt You may remember the Classicall Presbytery uses not to meddle with any such matters its true the Congregationall Eldership by clear Divine Right and consent of all differing parties take notice of the manners of the whole flocke if pregnant presumptions of fornication be delated to the Eldership by any Officer they will send to admonish the parties deferred but first in private with all discretion and tendernesse if secret admonitions be contemned and persons willfully will continue in a scandalous behaviour then will they call them before the Eldership and after earnest request if nothing else can do it will at last ordaine them to eschew conversing together in private and suspect places but for calling of any before the Eldership upon light presumptions for prisons for feeding with bread and water for troubling of families it s but a Prelatical calumny This indeed is true some known whores and strumpets when they have brought forth children in fornication and refuse absolutely to name the Father or when they give up such men as all know to be innocent the Magistrate will put them in prison for some time and if a flagrant scandall of fornication arise upon persons who desire themselves to be cleered they will be admitted to purge themselves by their oath in the Eldership or in the Congregation as the flagrancy of the Scandal or the parties themselves do require but what is all this to these odious fables here related it seems you were angry at another matter which I will here speak out for you Scotland however subject to many sins It does not curiously inquire in secret faults but knowne crimes it doth not passe by yet I dare say is much more free of fornications and adulteries among people of any fashion then any Nation I know or have heard of this makes the conversation of persons there to be free and without all suâ—picion except on very good ground but if such crimes be clear there is no sparing of any person of what ever quality all are called to an account that is the matter which seems to burn you Your bosome companion Mr. Menteth having deboshed a prime Lady in his flock when no secret advertisement could break off that wickednesse though a child or two were brought forth the honourable friends of the Knight who was wronged could keep no longer patience but did openly crave justice whereby Menteth was cast out of the Church and Kingdome and the Adulteresse diâ—â—â—ced from her Husband at this and the like procedure you are grieved your meeknesse would have all such abominations covered and remedied only by Auricular confession That this Epiâ—copa l indulgence flowes from no merciful disposition it app ars well by their ordinary rigour pressing the most gracious Minister and others for the smalâ—est opposition to any of their Traditions with their Oaths ex Officio and casting them upon their meere pleasure into the closest prisons and greatest afflictions well may the malevolence of Enemies declame against the severity of Presbyteries and paint them out as most cruell and intollerable inquisitions but beleeve it they that know and have seen them either in France Holland or Scotland can assure that the fault if any be fals upon the other hand of too great indulgence no man is called before them but for a notorious fault persons of any tollerable civility or circumspection use not to be called all their life time to any account of their behaviour if the Presbytery were able to give so satisfactory an answer for its to great meeknesse unto the Sectaries challenge as it can to the Prelates for its too great strictnesse I should be very glad What is subjoynd of the Presbyteries medling with Trade and commerce of dischargeing men to persue for their debts Page 9 10. The Presbyteries meddle not with matters of trade or debt and Landlords to sue for their Rents are stories so true as the father of lies is wont to dite to his obedient children Possibly in the eighty eight yeare of God when the Spaniards were comming to destroy the Land some godly persons had disswaded their Neighbours to carry victuals to Spaine at that time and some men may have had scruple of conscience for sending of waxe and furnishing of immediate materials for Idolatry I beleeve also that gracious Ministers have given private counsel to rigorous exacters of their Rents and unmercifull persuers of their debts But that ever any Presbytery in Scotland did take cognizance of any such matters to the uttermost of my best knowledge is an Episcopall that is a manifest and malicious untruth The same I say of your next story They never took upon them to change a Market day the Munday markets in some chiefe Towns were an evident occasion of prophaning the Lords holy
in the Assemblies as the Lawes allow albeit not such a Tyranny as Prelats would flatter him into it is true it was ever our wish and oft our happinesse to have the King or his Commissioner amongst us at these meetings we never did dispute their capacity no more was craved then the place of a civil President and this no man did ever deny either to him or them nor a power to propound what ever they thought expedient but some of your flattering Prelates doe ascribe to the Prince a power which neither we nor our Laws may owne You give him a power to call so many as he will without all Commission from any Church to voice in all Assemblies and by the multitude of their voices to carry all You give him also a power to hinder the Assembly to debate any matter which he mislikes were it never so necessary for the very being of the Church You give him a Negative Vote to stop any conclusion were it never so consonant to the Word of God yea an affirmative Vote to carry all things in the Assembly absolutely according to his owne minde The Assembly being but his Arbitrary Court in things spirituall by whose advice the Prince who is the supream judge in all causes does determine as he findes it expedient sometimes according sometimes contrary to their judgement Such a power no ordinary either Erastian or Prelate will willingly grant to any Prince upon earth but this was one of the late Canterburian extravagancies wherein your singular zeale did much help you to your Bishoprick What you adde of our pressing the King to execute all our Acts under the paine of Excommunication we have oft told you it is a great untruth for all Scotland knowes that the furthest we went ever with any Prince in our Assembly Acts was humbly to supplicate for their civill Sanction iâ— we obtain it we blesse God and them if we cannot by any prayers perswade we sit down in grief and wait patiently upon their good pleasure Our taking in of all things temporall upon some spirituall relation The Assembly alters no Laws but only supplicates the King and Parliament to alter such â—aws as confirm evident errors and forcing the King to change his Laws though never so prejudiciall to the State your report in this will be beleeved when you have gotten grace to forsake in some measure the Spirit that now leads you The matter here you aime at but keeps it in the clouds is the proceeding of the Assembly at Glasgow against your offices and persons According to the Lawes of Popiâ—â— times The Bishops were Lords of Parliament of Councell of Exchequer of Session The Assembly did finde all this contrary to the Word of God and therefore did discharge under the paine of the censures of the Church any Minister of the Word to take upon him these civill imployments I hope the hindering of persons meerly Ecclesiastick to drowne themselves in a sea of temporall affaires is not to take cognisance of all things temporall in ordine ad spiritualia The Assembly did supplicate the King and Parliament for the abolition of the Popish and corrupt Lawes which did countenance the ambition of the Clergy the Parliament finding the Assemblies supplication just joyned with them to deale with the King to passe it his Majesty for a time misled by the flattery of Prelates refused but at last seeing the earnestnesse and cleer equity of the Assembly and Parliament their desires he was perswaded to consent to these Acts wherein all Churchmen are forbidden to take upon them civill places This is it that you call the forcing of the King and Parliament to change the Laws for the great trouble of the State this is all the Assemblies tyranizing over the King and Parliament a meer supplication to alter Popish and corrupt Lawes which both the King and the State after a little debate did finde necessary to be done To the absurdities which you call monstrously grosse Your oftrepeated quarrell against ruling Eâ—ders is absurd p. 21.22 we have spoken already you are impatient that any ruling Elder that any Commissioner from Burroughs or Vniversities should voice in Church Assemblies your expresse reason is because concilium est Episcoporum see the mans absurdity no Minister more then a ruling Elder must voice at any Assembly the decisive voice there belongs only to Bishops yet any Lay men vested with the Bishops commission may very lawfully exercise all Ecclesiasticall jurisdiction over the whole Clergy of the Diocesse neither is there any Gentleman of the Shire not any Burgesse of the City nor any Student in the Vniversity to whom a Prelate can purchase a Letter from the King but he may sit and voice decisively in all spirituall causes as a constituent Member of the Generall Assembly as well as the Bishop himself this is the doctrine and was the practise of our Prelates in Scotland You are angry p. 22. Page 22 23 24 25 26. The Assembly and Parliament with us use not to differ that the acts of our Assemblies should get so ready obedience but the matters themselves are so clear that none uses to refuse them and it is the Law of the kingdome that the Assemblies determination in matters proper to its cognisance should be obeyed if any thing new be acted which requires a civill sanction the Commissioners of the Assembly supplicate the next ensuing Parliament for their ratification which for common is easily obtained the cleer equity of the matter purchases a ready grant If there happen to be cause why the Parliament should not be satisfied the Aslembly by their reasons is perswaded to be of the Parliaments minde no such unanimous Courts in the Universe as the Parliament and Generall Assembly of Scotland they never had any difference but what bad Courtiers and Prelates procured for their owne interests put these pests of the Church and State to a corner the King Parliament and Assembly shall never differ but alwayes concurre for the strengthening and comforting one another From your 22. page to 31. Your invectives against our first Reformation are wicked you heap together what ever extream malice can invent to bring disgrace upon the first and cheife resormers of Religion from Popery you openly avow your dislike of the first Reformation in Scotland you are not ashamed to proclaim all the Reformation both of Scotland France Holland and Germany and wheresoever the work was not done by the hand of the Soveraign Prince to have been Sedition and Rebellion The first thing you undertake to prove is That we give our Assemblies power to depose and kill Kings The Vindication of Iohn Knoâ— and the first Reformers of Scotland from base calumnies for this you alledge Martin mar Prelate whoyet says no such thing and though hedid what is that to us then you cite a number of passages out of Iohn Knox his writings but is it just that John Knox Assertions long
there was no controversie in the year 1580 betwixt the Church and the Court The privie counsell had subscribed all that book with some reservation about Church rents the Generall Assemblies oft did agree to it without any exception his Majestie himselfe in the fore named year did send to the Assembly with an expresse commissioner the platform of all the Presbiteries which therafter were erected over all Scotland which against all the Prelats assaults have ever stood firme to this day so your alleagencies are exceeding false that the Presbiteries were erected without the Kings authority and that in the yeare 1580 the Government of our Church was Episcopall these are putide thredbare lyes The Generall Assembly did never allow of Abbots and Priors as Churchmen and though they pressed the great unjustice that Popish Bishops and lay Abbots should 〈◊〉 in Parliament in name of the Church to vote as the third estate The Generall Assembly did never approve of Abbots and Priors Estate without any Commission from the Church yet it was never their intention to have any of their owne number appointed by themselves to vote in Parliament in name of the Church of Scotland For when King Iames a little before his going to England was very earnest with the generall Assembly to accept of that as a favour they forseeing the snare did resolutely reject it ever til his Maje by very great dealing did draw a plurality of an unadvised Assembly to embrace that power of voting in Parliament but with a nuÌ„ber of Caveats which wise men foresaw would never be kept That Master Melvil or any Presbitery of that Land had ever any hand in impropriating or disapidating any part of the Church Rent is farre from truth But that your good Colleagues the Prelats in the Parliament 1606. made a bargaine for alienating from the Church for ever no fewer then 16. Abbays at one time I declared before About that time what the practises of the disciplinarians aâ— London might be I doe not know but this is certaine that Mr. Cartwright and all the old nonconformists in England were our deare Brethren and made a waies the Government of the Church of Scotland the measure of their desires that betwixt us and the Antiepiscopall party here was never any difference till the unhappy Separatists and their Children the Independents did make it Your invenomed invective against the present Reformation of both Kingdomes as a monstrous deformation we let it lye in your owne bosome to keep you warme till you be pâ—eased to bring all of it abroad in that Anatomie which here you promise but we expect no performance till you first have had leasure as likewise you stand engaged by your word to put the foure Limbes unto that Gorgons head of your Turkish Monarchy which some yeares agoe you set up at Oxford P. 36. The Ministers in Scotland were wont to give the King seasonable Counsell but in all wisdome and humility In your 36. p. you run upon our Assemblies for appointing Ministers to Preach pertinent doctrine and advising them who did Preach to the King and State to speake a word in season for the wee ll of Sion at that time as I shew before their was a mighty designe to advance the Catholick League for the overthrow of Queene Elizabeth and all Protestants the prime Courtiers were diligent Agents herein the men who were trusted to be watchmen to the Kings person and Family if at such a time they should have beene silent they could not have answered it either to God or man You and your gracious companions who never had a mouth to divert a Prince from any evill course were yet loud trumpets of fury in the most of your Sermons and Prayers to inflame him against his two Puritan Parliaments of Britaine but to calme him towards his innocent and Catholick trusty Subjects of Ireland That any Assembly in Scotland ever challenged the sole power of indicting fasts is in the ordinary predicament of your assertions under the spece of palpable untruths P. 37.38 No affront was offered to the King by the fast at Edinburgh Of the feast at Edinburgh p. 37. I have given in the other Treatise a full accompt only I add here that in this your relation you makeit more false then any other of your friends who write thereof the King was neither invited nor present the originall of the motion was not from the King but the French Merchants for their owne ends the Magistrates of Edinburgh did not countenance the feast for of their foure Bailies three kept the fast the appointers of that abstinence were not the Ministers but the Magistrates and the Congregationall Eldership not the supreame but the lowest judicatory of the Church the Processe against the Magistrates and the Kings great Solicitation that it might be Superceeded ar meerly fabulous I have also given a large account of your next calumnie in the other Treatis If any should Preach Treason with us he is censurable both by Church and state no man in Scotland did ever maintaine that a Minister Preaching Treason might not be conveened and punished by the Magistrate according to the Lawes All Mr. Melvils plea was that a Minister of the Church of Scotland and a member of the University of St. Andrews being priviledged by the antient and late Lawes of the Kingdome was not necessitate at the first instance to answer before the privy counsell for a passage of his Sermon which most falsly was said to be treasonable The whole case I have opened at large else where The acts of Parliament you speake of warranting an unreasonable Supremacy were procured in the yeare 1584. by that insolent Tyrant Captain Iames and the Declaration upon them was penned by Bishop Adamson also both the Acts and the Declaration were recalled by the King and Parliament That any invectives against his Majesties person for these acts were spread abroad we doe deny it we think it very possible that much might both have been spoken and written against the matter of these acts but that any man was so unmannerly as to fall upon the King himselfe before we beleeve it we must have a greater evidence then a Prelates Testimony What you say of the fugitive Ministers The Erastian and Prelaticall principles brought great trouble on the Ministers of Scotland as Spotswood relates it was thus The acts of that Parliament 1584. were so bitter and grievous to all the gracious Ministers of Scotland that many of them fled out of the Kingdome and diverse of the prime laid downe their life as it seemes of meere greife Mr. Smeeton Principall Mr. of the Uniuersity of Glasgow and Mr. Arbuthnot of the University of Aberdeen both dyed that yeare all the Ministers of Edinburgh fled to England and the cheife of them Mr. Lawson went to London Adamson Arch-Bishop of St. Andrews at that time kept great correspondence with the Bishops of England who without any
they were not in a capacity to receave it till once they were an Assembly so with Lauristons good liking they did pray and chose their Moderator and Clerke thereafter they did receive and read the Letters discharging the Assembly to which they gave present obedience and did no more at all but appointed the next meeting according to the expresse act of Parliament Lauriston after the Assembly was dissolved was so officious as by a Lyon herauld with a publike Proclamation to command them to be gone this Proclamation most falsly he did antidate as if it had beene used before the Ministers sat downe hereupon the Ministers were convened before the secret Counsell for keeping of a Conventicle contrary to the Kings command they answered as Spotswood says that they had done nothing but according to the Laws both divine and humane That the Generall Assembly had right to meet in the great necessities of the Church and the Laws of Scotland gave them expresse warrant to meet Lauriston told them that the King might delay all meetings both of Church and State Parliaments and Assemblies so long as he pleased they replyed that they could doe nothing against the Kings mind so long as they followed the expresse order of his standing Lawes When the King and state has past an act for Trienniall Parliaments and the Commissioners of shires doe meet at the day appointed to fence a Parâ—iament according to Law and long uncontroverted custome if by evill Counsell the King should not only delay but by a Proclamation put of the meeting to an uncertaine and infinite time ought these Commissioners for following the instructions of their shires according to Law and custome be lyable to any censure the case now in hand is just the same The Ministers did plead further that the privie Councell was not a competent Judicatorie to the question what was a lawfull or unlawfull Assembly that by the Lawes of the Kingdome such questions were to be decided by a lawfull Generall Assembly and not elsewhere At that time Doctor Bancroft was Patron to the naughty Preacher of Scotland who were panting for Bishopricks and as after the conference at Hampton Court he had moved the King to crush the most of the gracious Brethren of England who could not submit to Episcopacie and its Ceremonies So then did he hasten a Message to the Councell of Scotland for the condemning all who adhered to the Assembly of Aberdeen of high Treason To maintaine a power in the Church to keep an Assembly or in the State to keep a Parliament whether to begin or to continue it when the King did discharge though the Law did expresly warrant it was to oppose the Royall prerogative and could be no lesse then the highest treason especially if any did decline the Judgement of the Privy Counsell or any other Judicatorie to which the King was pleased to referre the decision of this case though the nature of the thing and the Law did require the question to bee determined in another Court For this plea a number of gracious Ministers were condemned by an Assize to be executed as Traitours but thereafter as it were of great favour and speciall grace their lives were spared yet were they all presently banished never to returne to any of the Kings Dominions while they lived All the godly and wise in the Land did cry out upon this Act of the Candidats of Episcopacie as of the highest unjustice and Tyranny All the sufferers were men exceedingly beloved Mr. Welsh and Master Forbes their oppression but some of them were very eminent Master Forbes was a man of so great learning and prudence that in Germany both higher and lower yea with King Iames himselfe and King Charles he was held while he lived in singular reputation Master Welsh was a man altogether Apostolike of rare both learning and piety The fame of this mans zeale was so great that not only the Protestants of France but the very Popish Priests and Souldiers yea the prophanest of the Court and King Lewis himselfe at the very time of his hottest persecutions did much prize and reverence him yet so great was the rage of the Bishops against him that when in his old age and great sicknesse he came over to England and according to the direction of his Phisitians did supplicate to be permitted to breath a little in his naturall aire though he was altogether unable for preaching or making any more sturre in the world it was peremptorily denyed him unlesse he should give assurance of putting his necke under the Episcopall yoke not being able to doe this he was forced to dye out of hâ—â— Country a banished man Who would not have thâ—â—â—ht that the ruine of so many gracious men might haâ—â—â—â—lly satiate the malice of a few ambitious persons Bancroft a persecutor of the Scottish Presbiterians buâ—â—â— they were not content they proceeded farther in their cruelty they moved the King to call up to London a number of more Divines who for piety zeale and learning were of greatest reputation The pretext was faire and his Majesties Letter to them courteous he required them to come up to give him their best advice how the Church of Scotland might best be settled in peace but behold Bancrofts and the Scottish Episcopaturians fraud they are brought before the King and Councell and there are posed with a number of dangerous and insnaring questions to which they declined to answer yet being much pressed they gave in their mind in writing so humbly and prudently as was possible no quarrell could be picked against any of their words yet were they all arrested to stay at London till contrary to Law and the order of the Church and the heart of all the godly their adversaries were set downe in Scotland upon their Episcopall Thrones Mr. Andrew Melvil The undoing of Mr. Andrew and Mr. James Melvils a great Light to the Scottish Nation for his free speeches after great provocation against the English Bishops and Ceremonies to which he a stranger called up by the Kings friendly Letter did owe no subjection was kept prisoner three whole yeares and then was sent over to Sedan where he lived to his death a banished man His Nephew Mr. Iames Melvil for his excellent parts in great favour with the King but unable to comply with Episcopall designes was kept out of Scotland till his dying day the rest were at last sent home but all of them as Prisoners confined to certaine places These were the first fruits of the English Prelacie in Scotland but yearly thereafter that tree did bring forth such grapes of Gomorrha among us that the Land could be at no peace till it was cut downe yea plucked up by the rootes It might have satisfied the unnaturall malice of a very wicked child P. 41. Prelaticall calumnies to have bespattered the face of his innocent mother with the halfe of the former very injurious and false calumnies yet you
shedding of teares I take it for your meere invention P. 47. The greaâ— controversie betwixt the King and the Church was about the infinite extent of the Prerogative for Spotswood the fountaine of all your stories who never failes to relate to the full what ever is meete to draw any envy upon the good Ministers who opposed the Episcopall designes makes no mention at all of King Iames teares I grant he reports that advice of the Chancellour and some such reply to it as you speake of but how tâ—uly I cannot tell onely this is most certaine that what ever difference King Iames had with the Ministers it was alone about the great Idoll of his Prerogative to do as a Monarch in Church and State what he thought convenient with his prerogative in matters of State they did never meddle but his designe to bring Bishops and Ceremonies in the Church as they conceived against law and reason the most honest of the Ministry did ever oppose it to their power albeit in a humble and warrantable way others for their own gain and advancement did yeeld to his desires and assisted him with all their power to advance his Prerogative so high as to do without any resistance all his pleasure both in Church and State But the Lord now has cleered that controversie and has made the righteousnesse of these oppressed men shine as the light and the basenesse of these flatterers appeare in its owne base and vile colours Concerning his Majesties discourses at the Conference of Hampton Court The Presbiterie is a great barre to keep out Democracy and Tyrannie both from Church and State we confesse they cannot be very favourable to any who opposed Episcopacy which these of your Coat long before that time had made him believe was the maine pillar of his Throne and had perswaded him to looke upon all that was disaffected thereunto as enemies to his Crowne But how farre you are here mistaken in fastning upon Presbiteriall government any furtherance of Democracy not reason alone but now also ample experience makes it evident there is not such a barre this day as both friends and foes doe well know against the Sectaries designes to bring in a popular government in the Church as Presbitery And if your rules be right enemies to Democracie in the Church will never be instruments to bring it in to the State If Presbitery could be partiall towards any one civill Government more then another It is 〈◊〉 singular help both to Parliaments Iust Monarchie its similitude and consanguinity with the constitution of a Parliament might make it suspected to be inclinable to the rights of that Court more then a Prince or the multitude could desire but the truth is it medles not to the prejudice of any civill Government which it finds established by Law but what ever that be it supports it to its power and how serviceable it has ever been to Monarchy in Scotland examples both of old and late doe demonstrate Who were the prime instruments of settling King Iames in his infancy upon his Throne who kept him into his Throne against all the assaults of his potent enemies to whom in all his great straits had he ever his recourse during his abode in Scotland to no other but to the Presbiterian Nobles Gentry Ministers if these had been disposed to have changed the government of the state there was oft no considerable impediments upon earth to have opposed them but such a desire never entered into their thoughts And of later times when the Presbitery in Scotland hath attained its highest aimes and is in capacity as you say to make what factions it will when its provocations to aâ—ger were as great as readily can be againe and the madnes of you Malignant Prelates had laid the Crowne in Scotland very low at such a season did the least disloyalty appeare in any of the Presbiterian side were not they and they only the men which setâ—ed that throne which you had caused to shake and astened the Crowne upon that head from whence you hands by your extreame unjustice pride and folly had weâ— nere pulled it away And at this very houre when you and all your friends are able to make no helpe at all to releive not only the King and his house but the Royalty it selfe from that extreame hazard of ruine wherein you alone both have cast them and with all your hearts would stil continue them upon some phantastick hope which yet you have of attaining all your former desires or else to revenge your disappointments though all the world should perish At this time when you have cast the Crown the Throne and Scepter in the dust who is able who now is willing to save the King or to keepe Monarchy on foote I hope albeit your dementation be great yet even you must see and confesse that it is the Presbiterians and these alone by whose hearts and hands this worke must be done which indeed your goodnes and wisdome has made extreamely difficult and well nere unfeasible You fall very needlesly on Mr. Catherwood the Author of that Booke altare darna scenum P. 18. Mr. Catherwoods vindication a man of greater worth then all the Prelates that ever Scotland bred put them all in one Durst ever any or all of you looke that man or his Booke in the face you had long twenty yeares leasure to answer but was ever the courage among you all to assay it I doe not love to speake or when it is spoken by others to defend any thing that may rub upon authority yet when sycophanticall Prelates make it their worke to bring most honest and gracious men in disgrace with Princes for some incomodious phrases which in the heat and current of large discourses have escaped their pens who shall but vindicate their innocency from such flaterers accusations Is it a crime for Master Catherwood to write that in all Kings naturally their is a hatred to Christ what doe you here intend to censure are not all men naturally enemies to God unto this natural Corruption that is CoÌ„mon to all flesh does not great places in the world especially Crowns and Throns adde many provocations from which poverty and meannes gives exemption what would you here reprove speake out plainly your Pelagian tenet deny originall sin make it one of the Royall Prerogatives in vertue of the Crowne to be naturally gracious and an advancer of Christs Kingdome The other word you make your adversary to say albeit you professe you speake per cur is that King Iames was a most insense enemy to the purity of Religion If such tearmes were ever expressed of what thinke you must they be understood what is the subject of that speech and of the whole Booke wherein you say it stands Is it not of the Government of the Church and the English Ceremonies alone to say that King Iames was a great friend to these and agreat
Pope to take in his hand both the Swords nnn Animadversions To confound the Jurisdiction Civill and Ecclesiasticall is that thing wherein all men of good judgement have justly found fault with the Pope of Rome who claimeth to himselfe the power of both the swords which is as great a fault to a Civill Magistrate to claime or usurpe and especially to judge upon doctrine errours and heresies he not being placed in Ecclesiasticall function to interpret the Scriptures the warrant hereof out of the Word of God we are ready to bring forth his Majesty did put it under his own hand that these things were far from his thoughts that he was no Judge either of doctrine or heresie or of the interpretation of Scripture that neither he nor his Parliament did meddle w th Excommunication that they had pronoūced the excommunication of Mountgomery to be null not as Judges of the cause but as witnesses of the informality of the processe he confessed that Jesus Christ was the onely head and Law-giver of his Church and that if he should claime to himself or his heirs any thing meerly Ecclefiastick which the Word of God has put in the hands of Church officers that if he or any man should suspend or alter any thing which the Word of God did remit onely to them he avowed that these attempts in himselfe or any other would be nothing else but as he speaks the sinne of Idolatry and a transgression against all the three Persons of the Trinity against the Father in not trusting the words of his Son against the Son in not obeying him but taking his place over his head ooo Kings Declaration Never shall I nor ever ought my Posterity acclaime any power or Jurisdiction in a matter meerly Ecclesiasticall as to the Commissioners not Ecclesiasticall they are joyned to give their advices and not to interpose their authority while Christ sayes Dic Ecclefias and one onely man did steale that dint against the Bishop of Glasgow in a quiet holl the Act of Parliament reduceth the sentence for informality and nullity of processe not as Judges whether the excommunication was grounded on good and just causes or not but as witnesses that it was unformally proceeded and to end shortly this my Declaration I mind not to cut away any liberty granted by God to his Church I acclaime not to my selfe to be judge of doctrine or true interpretation of Scripture my intention is not to discharge any Jurisdiction in the Kirke that is conforme to Gods Word nor to discharge any Assembly but onely that these shall be holden by my License and Counsellours my intention is not to meddle with excommunication neither acclaime I to my selfe or my heirs power in any thing that is meere Ecclesiasticall and not adiaphoron nor with any thing that Gods Word hath simply devolved in the hands of his Ecclesiasticall Kirk and to conclude I confesse and acknowledge Christ Jesus to be head of his Church and Lawgiver to the same and whatsoever persons doe attribute to themselves as head of the Church and not as members to suspend or alter any thing that the Word of God hath onely remitted to them That man I say committeth manifest Idolatry and sinneth against the Father in not trusting the words of his Son against the Son in not obeying him and taking his place against the holy Ghost the said holy spirit bearing the contrary record to his conscience against the holy Ghost because against the Spirits Testimony in his own conscience I hope they who are so earnest to have King James heard in this cause though in a false and suppositious Writ will be content to hear him in his true Declaration under his own hand The third part of the Writ containes an enumeration of his Majesties intentions The pretended intentions were not the Kings but the Prelats concerning them we need adde little to what is said onely consider first that Adamson the Author of the Writ assures us that there is nothing or little here of the Kings intentions ppp Recantation I have enterprized of meere remorse of conscience to write against a Book called The Declaration of the Kings Majesties intentions albeit it containeth little or nothing of the Kings intentions but of my own in the time of the writing thereof and the corrupt intentions of such as for the time were about the King and abused his minority in the whole Book is nothing contained but assertions of lyes ascribing to the Kings Majesty that whereof he was not culpable I grant I was more busie with some Bishops in England in prejudice of the discipline of our Kirke partly when I was there and partly since by mutuall intelligence then became a good Christian much lesse a faithfull Pastor being that he did here set downe onely his owne intentions and these of the Courtiers and Prelates at that time of their highest pride and greatest oppression of the religious party Secondly The Reprinters of this Writ seeme to bee perjured men and either hypocrits or Apostates the errours and faults that appeare in these intentiōs are of two kinds Prelaticall and Erastian For the first not onely the Author did recant them but also as we have now often said King James with the States Assembled in Parliament did expresly condemne them and at this time they stand condemned in the whole Isle by King Charles in his Parliament of Scotland and by both the Houses of the Parliament of England who ever now wil tak the patrociny of the Prelaticall war doth set his face against the King and Parliaments of both Nations and if he be a member of Parlia in either Nation whoaccording to his place must needs have sworn the National Covenant for his endeavor to establish what by his Covenāt he was boūd to his power to have extirpated Let him be cast with ignominy out of these honourable Senates as a false and perjured hypocrite planting by deed what by Oath and Covenant he promised to eradicat or else an Apostate repenting and retracting while now he is set in Parliament what at his entry upon oath he promised that he might be permitted to sit downe such perjured whether hypocrisie or apostacy cannot but be abominable both to God and all ingenuous men As for the Erastianisme of these intentions Cesaro-Papisme is Antichristianisme worse then that of the Pope whereby the Bishops are made pleni-potentiaries in the Church by vertue of a Commission from the Magistrate we have shewed at length how farre King James disclaimed this errour as a grievous sinne against the Father Son and holy Ghost for the thing it selfe makes the Magistrate head of the Church and fountaine of all Ecclesiastick Jurisdiction This Cesaro-papisme is an Antichristianisme so much worse then that of the Pope as more uncontrolable and remedilesse the servants of God in their wrastlings against the Antichistianisme of the Pope and Prelats had often times great
compared page with page if they find not a satisfactory reply to every materiall passage then with my good leave let them rejoyce in their work and goe on to recommend to more hands the serious perusall of these two notable peices but if so it fall out that they find it demonstrate to their owne hearts satisfaction that these imputations whereby they esteemed the honour of the Scottish Presbytery to be most grievously and irrecoverably wounded to be nothing but most impudent calumnies then I trust they will be entreated to repent of their rashnesse and hereafter to be more slow in publishing or recommending infamous Libels against Nations and Churches to whom justice though piety and charity had both been lost did oblige them to be friendly before they have tryed from some who can informe what truth may be in these things which onely enemies in the heat of their rage and revenge of supposed and mis-apprehended wrongs have invented and spread It had indeed been convenient that this Answer had come sooner abroad and followed the lyars closer at the heels but the delay was none of my fault The Work for some time was in another far fitter hand when necessary diversions had hindred it there to be so much as begun and I was called unto it before I could purchase and cast over a good many Writs whereupon my discourse was necessarily to be grounded time did slide over when I came to be ready I found the Presse so much in work or the work-men in idlenesse that I was much dis-appointed of my hopes of so quick a dispatch as sometimes I have found but if what I have done be well it will not I hope come so late as to be quite out of season I may confesse to you to whom I was wont to communicate the greatest of my secrets that although at the beginning I was much averse from medling at all with this taske yet when once I entred upon it it became to me a very pleasant labour not onely in regard of the pregnant occasion it put in my hand to make the lyes and malice of the malignants the impudence and rashnesse of the Sectaries against us cleere as the noon day but specially for the opportunity which divine providence did offer so faire as I could have wished of bringing to light before the whole Isle the oppressed innocency of many most precious Divines who had been halfe martyred in Scotland and lay still buried too much in oblivion under their sufferings also of rectifying the mis-apprehensions which the Prelaticall party had bred in many well meaning minds both in this Isle and over Sea by their grosse mis-representations of all the opposition which in the Church of Scotland had heen made to their tyrannous oppressions I was glad to be drawn by unadvisednesse of adversaries to let the world know the plaine truth of that 17. day of December of the Assembly at Aberdeen 1505. of the tumult at Edinborough 1637. and of many more remarkable passages of our Ecclesiastick History which the Prelats during their Reigne and lately also in their rage for their ruine were wont to set out in no other habit then of monstrous tragedies I was also glad of this nick of time when the Presbyteriall Government was comming to be set up over all England and when a little stumbling-block was apt to make many fall to be put to the cleering of a number of practicall passages in all the parts of that government wherein the experience of Scotland cannot but give light to all who will follow not them so much as the Word of God and sound reason which first led them into their way of Presbytery and still has kept them therein notwithstanding of all the fraud of all the force which the Court and clergy has imployed sometime to cheat sometime to beat them out of that path It was to me a pleasant service and abundantly recompensive of it selfe to open the prisons wherein the unjustice of Prelats had too too long inclosed the names and reputations of the most gracious instruments in our Church condemning them so far as was in their power to lye in darknesse and stink unto the worlds end I was not a little glad to be imployed in bringing forth and ushering up to the stage of this vast theater whereupon now we stand those great and noble names of John Knox John Willock Andrew and James Melvils Robert Bruce John Welsh Thomas Smeiton Iames Lauson David Black and divers others from whose saces a great light does shine and from their fame a most fragrant odour for the refreshing of all that comes neer them whose senses are not either very dull or much corrupted I was also content with another part of my taske to throw downe to the dust of just contempt and wel-deserved disgrace the unhappy and infamous wretches Adamson Spotswood Maxwell Balcanquell and others who by the steps of very evill actions and great disservices to their mother Church and Country had all of them at least in hope perked themselves up upon the pinacles of the highest honours both of our Church and State that in the indignation of God whom they had greatly provoked they might be tumbled downe into the more fearfull and exemplary pits of ruine Many of these stories I learned from your loving and kind discourse in my very childhood of late I have endeavored to my power to encrease and make certaine that part of my knowledge by searching the chiefe Fountaines thereof as I had opportunity for all that I say in my answer I beleeve if I be put to it I can give good enough authorities and if any more be needfull to be said if I were beside you and that living magazine of our whole Ecclesiastick History most Reverend Master Catherwood I know whence I should be abundantly furnished however what here I subjoine out of the little store I had at hand I submit it to your judgement and rest Your most deservedly loving Brother and Scholler R. BAILY Worster-House Iuly 29. 1646. The Contents of the first Treatise Issachars Burden will stumble no solid and advised mind p. 1. The Author of it is an excommunicate Prelat and Incendiary obstinate in wickednesse p. 2. The most malicious enemy to the Parliament of England that ever yet has written p. 3. A favourer of grosse Popery and Arminianisme p. 4 5 6. Scotlands old Obligations to England p. 7. Englands late Obligations to Scotland p. 8 9. The Independents and Erastians in publishing this Book are many wayes faulty p. 10. The Title Issachars Burden is a doltish reproach of this present Parliament p. 11. the groundlesse calumnies of the title Page p. 12. the discordall concord of Prelats Erastians and Independents in the point of Supremacy ibid. the publishing of this Book is a grievous injury to the Parliament p. 13. a false and mad prophesie p. 14. the whole Treatise is but an extract of the most false and venomous
Apostates ibid. Caesaro papisme is an Antichristianisme worse then that of the Pope p. 33. Prelats and Erastians their Sympathy and Antipathy p. 34. King James against all toleration of heresies or schismes p. 35. Also much contrary to our present Anarchy p. 36. The retarders of government are enemies to themselves and to the welfare of England p. 37. The Recantaâ—ion of Patrick Adamson pretended Archbi of St. Andrews p. 37 Mr. Patrick Adamson's owne Answer and refutation of the Booke falsly called The Kings Declaration p. 41. Two pious and propheticall Letters of Mr. Jo. Welsh which he wrote out of his prison after the sentence of death was pronounced against him and other gracious Ministers for their testimony against Erastianisme Prelacy p. 45. The Authors out of which the chiefe testimonies of the subsequent Vindication are taken The Acts of Parliament printed at Edinborough by Robert Walgrave in the yeer 1597. The Acts of the second Parliament of King Charles printed at Edinborough by Robert Young 1641. The Acts of the generall Assembly at Edinborough 1632. printed at Edinborough by Evan Tyler 1642. One of the Registers of the Church of Scotland Manuscript A collection out of the Registers of the Church of Scotland by Mr. David Catherwood wherein beside other things are Mr. Andrew Melvils processe the Animadversions of the Commissioners of the generall Assembly upon Adamsons Declaration delivered to the King Also a Reverend Divines censure at that time upon the same Declaration Also King James his true Declaration Knox History Altare Damascenum Adamsons Recantation Mr. Welsh his Letters The Ecclesiastick History of Scotland written by John Spotswood pretended Archbishop of St. Andrewes licensed for the Presse under the hands of Secretary Stirling and Windebank Issachars Burden under the name of an Answer to a Letter c. Also Sacrâ— Sancta Regum Majestas both printed at Oxford 1644. by Mr. John Max well pretended Bishop of Rosse THE UNLOADING OF ISSACHARS BURTHEN WHen from divers good hands it was brought to me Issâ—chars burthen will stuâ—ble no solide and advised minde that Presbyteriall Government began to be evil spoken of by many to be suspected by some who hitherto had not been unfriends to it through the occasion of a late Pamphlet Intituled Issachars burthen which some Sectaries with all care and diligence doe put in the hands of the prime Members of both Houses of Parliament and others whom they conceive to have any influence in the affaires either of Church or State either of City or Countrey The word of the old Philosopher came in my mind a short sighted man is a quick judge who sees few things does soone and rashly give out his sentence That this namelesse Pamphlet printed by a Malignant at Oxford and reprinted by the industry of Sectaries at London should be able to open the mouth or touch the heart of any considerate man with the least suspition against the Government of the Reformed Churches seemes to me a little strange and will doe so as I suppose to others who shall be pleased to consider with me some circumstances of that writ first the Author secondly those whom he professes to taxe thirdly its Publishers fourthly the matters contained therein The Author of it is a man infamous an Excommunicate Prelate and inâ—endiagy The Author as uncontroverted fame since its first publication at Oxford makes manifest is Mr Iohn Maxwell late Bishop of Rosse from whose gracious pen a little after this did drop another piece of the like benigne quality Sacro-Sancta-Regum majestas they must be of a greater then ordinary credulity who can admit this mans testimony-against the Church of Scotland for by the most solemn judicatories of that Land he is declared infamous by the generall Assembly for many grievous offences he with some other Prelates were delivered into the hands of Satan but for more treasonable crimes this man by the Parliament of that Kingdome was declared an incendiary a Censure put upon no other Prelate but him alone These no more heavie then just sentences were so farre from bringing him to any shew of repentance A man obstinate and obdured in wickednesse that they filled his heart with bitternesse and rage to doe speak and write what ever masice hightned to the uttermost could dictate In that most scurrilous and invenomed Satyre Lysimachus Nicanor his pen was thought to be principall for this he got a warning from heaven so distinct and loud as any uses to be given upon earth to reclaime him from his former errours with his eyes did he see the miserable man Iohn Corbet who took upon him the shame of penning that rable of contumelious lies against his Mother Church hewed in pieces in the very armes of his poore wife this Prelate himselfe in the meane time was striken down and left with many wounds as dead by the hand of the Irish with whom he had been but too familiar All this did not humble his stout spirit so dangerous is it to be put in the hands of the Devill by the servants of God according to their Masters warrant for no sooner did he recover of his wounds but he went for Oxford of purpose to cast â—oyl in that flame in the first kindling whereof he had beene a prime instrument How little faith ought to be given to this man I might shew by seven years old Stories A man very corrupt in doctrine it s well known that he above all men living did move and encourage Canterbury to force upon Scotland the Liturgy and Canons what ever Popery or Tiranny is found in either he was a prime Author and full consenter thereto the erroneous Tenents of the Canterburian party especially their grosse Popery in the heads of Transubstantiation Iustification and Purgatory were according to his minde as the supplement of Ladensium Autocatacrisis demonstrates how neare he and his two most intimate friends Forbes and Synserfe were to the open profession of Popery does appeare by the avowed defection to Rome of their chiefe Scholars and most familiar dependents Forbes his Sonne Synserfe his brother Menteith the great Achates of all the three Bishops But leaving these elder stories The most malicious enemy to the Parliament of England that ever yet has written behold what new stuffe he layes out in his two Pamphlets in matters of State these are his maximes all resistance to Kings in any imaginable case of the most extreame Tyranny is simply unlawfull though the Religion Lawes Liberties of whole Kingdomes were totally subverted Let Princes doe what ever miseniese can come in the heart of the worst men subjects are to suffer all and have no right allowed by God to make any opposition farther then by teares and prayers (a) Sacro-Sanct p. 19. All opposition by force resisting of Kings by Armes whether in a defensive or offensive way is against God and unlawfull ibid. p. 66. They commit the highest Treasons against God man
evills with so great unkindnesse they were loadned with so many calumnious and contumelious aspersions the Reformation of Religion their greatest aime went so farre back before their eyes that their provocations were great to provide at last for themselves while something yet at home did remain to them to be preserved But beholding visibly in their retreat and provision for themselves the certain ruine of their unadvised friends they chused rather to put up with patience all their sufferings and quietly to wait on till the ruine of the Enemy and setling of their brethrens estate by their help might open the eyes of all and bring the most perverse to Repentance for their misbehaviour towards the instruments of their welfare especially when they did see the invincible fidelity of the Scots unbrangled with the greatest temptations Though in all their late unexpressible extremities they had received no assistance at all from England nor much importuned them for it though to their greatest griefe they did see the Gangren of Heresie and Schisme without the application of any true remedy overspreading all England so fast that the infection of Scotland with this Pestilence seemed unavoidable though the current of affaires did seem to run in that channell that the person and family of the King the authority of the Parliament the Liberties of the City and Kingdome might be cast ere long into no mall hazard our Army also and Nation for no other cause but their constant resolutions to keep to their first principles did seem to stand in a very neer possibility to be to ally destroyed yet for all this they were farre from any rash or unjust conclusion their eyes were towards the Lord they did wait for his deliverance and when by him an opportunity was put in their hands to right themselves with the disadvantage of others yet they did mannage that occasion with so much justice wisedome dexterity and successe that all the world they hope is satisfied with their honesty as of men who minded nothing more then the saving of the whole Isle from these calamities that visibly were imminent the re-establishing of the King in his throne the confirming of the Parliament City and Country in all their rights the setling of Religion and peace according to the word of God and the Lawes of the Land and their owne quick returne to their homes in very easie and equitable termes enriched with nothing so much a with a conscience of well deserving with the blessings of all England with the commendation of Neighbour nations and with the hopes of the Posterities favourable construction of their whole deportment in this great action That such a people as this should be traduced and defamed by contumelious Libels in England and that at London with the contentment or patience of any it would seeme a matter very strange if the most absurd and strange things were not here long agoe become common The third circumstance considerable The Independents and Erastians in printing and publishing this book are many waies faulty is the instruments and present publishers of this writâ— That a Bishop at Oxford should have been countenanced in writing a Satyre against the Scots whom all the Malignants did hare as the chiefe and first Authors of the miscarriage of their great designe we doe not marvaile but that at London our sworn and covenanted Brethren should be avowed proclaimers of Scotlands disgrace it is a peece of singular and unexpected unkindnesse Our Brethren whether Independents or Erastians or both who have procured this Edition and with so much sedulity make it passe from hand to hand though they had been pleased to cast behind their backs all the good offices which this last century of yeares have past betwixt the Kingdomes though they had banished all gratitude towards the Scots for their late actions and sufferings though their conscience had permitted them to have trod under foot all the Oaths and Covenants whereby they stand expresly tyed to defend the Reformation of the Church of Scotland against the common Enemy Yet I would know of them how they are become thus unadvised to let their indignation against the Scottish Presbytery swell up so high as for their hatred thereunto to venture the destruction of the Parliament of England to declare all the Members of both Houses at Westminster damnable Traitors because dying in the act of Rebellion without Repentance but all who have perished on the Malignant side to be a kinde of Martyrs as being unjustly killed for their duty to God and the King to bring back Bishops to the house of Lords to put into their hands alone and that by Divine Right all the Ecclesiasticall jurisdiction of the whole Church of England And if they were resolute in their hatred of Presbytery thus far to miscarry I would further know if either the Erastians or Independents have any principles for the reduction of Poperty for the re-erection in England of Abbots Cardinals and Popes And if men against their owne principles must needs run thus mad yet that they should be permitted to act according to their madnes in the day-light under the eye and nose of so wise just and prudent a Parliament it is and will be long hereafter a matter of very great admiration especially to them who at the same time did behold some other writs for much smaller reflections purged with the hand of the Hangman by fire in many publique places and their publishers how well deserving soever otherwise both of Church and State stigmatized with notes of high infamy These three considerations are but proemicall the fourth concerning the particular matter of the Treatise is the principall If I should examine every thing it would be tedious yet shall I touch upon every passage that I conceive to be materiall This second Edition has a new Title Page The title Issachars burthen is a doltish reproach of this present Paliament and some additions in the Preface In the very inscription Issachars burthen there is a salt Gybe at the present Government that which the Proverbe wont to appropriate to the Peasants of France that they were strong Asses willing to beare all Burthens so they might live in peace in that fat soyle by this good Patriot is contumeliously applyed to England it now is the Asse crouching under two burthens if Presbyterie be the one the Parliament must be the other these be the two unsupportable burthens pointed at along all the Authors Writs the two light burthens which he every where cryes up are Monarchy scrued up to the highest pinne of Tyrannicall Prerogative and Episcopacy in all its Papall Priviledges both well fastned upon the Asses back by the cords of a Divine Right who ever for the love of peace in a plentifull Land will set their shoulders under this double burthen are Issachars Asses indeed but truly the Scots have not merited this commendation for their Land is not among the most plentifull nor have their
Church does proceed not onely in foro interiori conscientsae but also exteriori â—cclâ—siae to censure as it finds cause Thus far you and the most Monarchik of the Prelates goe No Presbytery did ever enter in any process with a supream Magistrate that in doctrine any Presbyterian Divine went ever further I doe not know but in practise never one of them went so far Some Bishops have actually excommunicate the best of the Emperours upon their enormous Scandalls but that any Presbyterian did ever so much as begin a processe with any Prince when they had the greatest provocations thereto it cannot be shewed to this day The Church of Scotland notwithstanding all the crosse actions of King Iames or King Charles against them in overturning not only the accidentalls but many of the substantials of their Religion and in persecuting them without all cause with fire and sword and all the calamities of a bloody warre yet did they never so much as bethink themselves of drawing against any of them or any of their kindred or speciall servants the sword of Church censures The Church of France alwaies wholly Presbyterian when Henry the fourth one of their Members apostatised from them to the Pope did never so much as enter into a consultation of delivering him into the hands of Satan Without all peradventure Presbyterians are much more tender then any other Christians of what ever name to meddle with Magistrates by the censures of the Church In the next Paragraph you flee out againe upon the ruling Elders as if it were absurd for any of their coat to sit in Ecclesiasticall Judicatories all the ground of your quarrell is their want of an Episcopall Commission with this qualification you can admit any Lay-man not onely to sit in Ecclesiasticall Iudicatories but to sit there as sole and onely judge you can make them your Vicar generalls before whom all the Clergy of your Diocesse must stand to be examined and judged for the discharge of their duty in all Ecclesiastick administrations The Prelates have no question with the Presbyterians about the persons of Laymen as they call them whether they may be Members of Spirituall Courts but about their calling both grant the lawfulness of the thing but the Prelats doe found it upon a Commission from themselves The Presbyterians presse their calling from God and the Church according to Scripture What you object of Lay men moderating our Presbyteries and Assemblies All the moderat is of 〈◊〉 â—â—â—embly are preachers is no more then the ordinary practise of our Prelates how often has Sir Nathaniel Brent and other Gentlemen meerly Civilians sitting not only as Prolocutors but aâ— Vicar generalls and so only Iudges before whom the whole Clergy of the Diocesse of London or of Canterbury have appeared as my Lord Bishops subjects for their tryall and censure albeit in Scotland we never had any such custome as you object for the Moderators of our Church meetings doe begin and end with solemn prayers now ruling Elders have not a calling to pray publickly in the Church also they are but assistants in Discipline the principall charge lies upon the labourers in the Word and Doctrine we doe not allow to an Assistant the place of the Principall As for the men whom you name we grant none of them was in the Orders you speak of neither of Deacon Priest nor Bishop you meane preaching Deacons Orthodox men in Scotland as now in England doe reject all these Orders as Popish further I did never heare that any of the three persons you name did ever moderate any of our Assemblies their is no reason that for this or any thing else we should take your bare assertion or the word of any of your Coleagues for a sufficient proofe but giving all you alledge to be true the first man you name you confesse was a Reader now ye know at the beginning of our Reformation our Readers were Ordained to be truly Ministers to be Priests in your dialect for they did exhort and preach as they were able and celebrate the Sacraments The second man you name Mr Melvil was a Doctor of Divinity and so long as Episcopall persecution permitted did sit with great renoune in the prime chaire we had of that faculty George Buchanan had sometimes as I have heard beene a Preacher at St Andrewes after his long travells he was employed by our Church and State to be a Teacher to King James and his Family of his saithfu nesse in this charge he lest I believe to the world good andisati factory tokens the eminency of this person was so great that no society of men need bee ashamed to have been moderated by his wised me Your next exception against the Presbytery is for their Expectants Expectants are not Lay-Preachers these be the Sonnes of the Prophers who in their preparations for the Ministery at their first exercises for assay and tryall are heard in the Presbytery with this practise no reasonable man can finde fault it is naturally impossible for any without a miracle to attaine the habite of preaching but by divers Initiall and preparatory actions where can these be so fitly performed as in the Classes The Expectants are present in the Classes for their training not as Members for they doe not voyce in any matters of Discipline The true mystery of this controversie is that the Expectants are permitted to preach before the holy hands of a Bishop have conferred upon them the Order of a Deacon and so power to preach and baptize The Church of Scotland did alwayes reject this corruption as clearly contrary to Scripture Your gird at the Presbytery of Edenburgh is weak and unconsiderable The Presbytery of Edingburgh usurp no power over any other for that meeting has no power at all above the meanest Presbytery in the Kingdome notwithstanding of all the service which the gifts of the Members thereof may performe to any who are pleased to crave their advice It s not to be supposed but men of eminent gifts where ever they live must have an influence upon many others we doe remember it to our griefe that you and your Companions while you lived in that Presbytery which you mock did send forth your Episcopall Arminian and Popish poyson to all the corners of the Land East West South and North. That King Iames at Hampton Court Pag. 6. King Iames aversion from Presbytery and affliction to Episcopacy makes not this the better not that the worse and elsewhere did speak his pleasure of the Presbytery makes it nothing the worse his resolution to keep up Eiscopacy in England for his own ends moved him to discountenance what ever opposed it yet so that in his Basilicon doron at divers other occasions he gave luculent Testimonies to many Presbyterian Divines of his own acquaintance preferring them for grace and honesty before all those whom he could make willing to accept of Bishopricks The best Princes
best Governour that any King of Scotland did ever injoy this man did Huntly kill without any cause at all but his owne meere envy and malice for these crimes he was againe excommunicate the Earle of Argile at the Kings intreaty and direction persued him with an Army of ten thousand men many hundreds of these good subjects were killed by that Rebell when after Argiles deseat the King himselfe with his prime Nobles went out against him he with displayed banner went to the fields against the King all this Spotswood reports at length Let any conscientious man here be judge King Iames for his owne respects requires a conscientious Minister to consent and concurre with him to obtain from the next ensuing Assembly the absolution of such a man from the censure of Excommunication for this was the main question the honest Minister could not be perswaded to consent unto the relaxation of such a bloody obstinate Apostate confessed by all to be still imponitent from the censures either of Church or State As for the inconveniences his Majesty did alledge the dangers from the Papists of England if Huntly and the Popish party in Scotland were too much irritate was it any great crime for Mr. Bruce to differ in this from his Majesty and to tell him plainly that which was the opinion of all the good Ministers of Scotland though the ground of the Kings quarrell with them That it would prove his best policy to make fast with the Protestant party of England and over-sea renouncing all correspondency either with Papists or Prelates that if he walked upon this ground God and his right would carry him through all both seen and imagined difficulties The world long agoe is satisfied with the wisedome of this advice for it was quickly found that too much connivence and compliance with Papists did bring that Prince upon the very brinke of ruine for the Popish party of England finding themselves disappointed of their great hopes did run to the desperate attempts of the Powder-plot and other Treasons Also the keeping up of the Bishops was a great cause of all the mischiefes which since that time to this day have fallen either upon our Church or State It is true the words you ascribe to Mr. Bruce are very unmannerly but who will beleeve that ever any such phrases proceeded from the mouth of so grave and wise a man your only Author is Spotswood His testimony in this case ought not to be trusted but if you will looke to the matter of Mr. Bruce his counsell I subject it to the touchstone of the severest censurers Upon the fourth head of Generall Assemblies Page 18 19 20 21. The reason of the Authors malice against the generall Assembly you spew out the whole remnant of your gall the wrath of a child does kindle against the whip that scourges him I will not remember you of the dogs snarling at the stone that hath hit him The Generall Assembly for just causes did chastise you with their sharpest rod of Excommunication they did deliver you into the hands of the Father of lyes and Blasphemies if there were no more then what here you write it is a demonstration that the sentence of that Reverend Assembly against you is ratified in heaven and that God in his justice according to the word of his faithfull servant hath delivered your obstinate soule to be acted by that evill spirit who else could move you to blaspheme the crowne of Christ and the holy One of Israel by name and to make the holy Scriptures the ordinary channell through which your profane girds at the Generall Assembly must run What you bring the most of it is so impertinent and so remote from all relation to any Assembly and set downe in such confusion that the very effects though the cause were not knowne may evidence the distraction of your Spirit I shall handle the fieryest of your darts as they come from your furious hands You make us to ascribe to our General Assembly False and rayling slanders against the generall Assembly a jurisdiction universall and infallible you will have it to meddle with all affaires both Spirituall and Temporall you would make the world beleeve that all disobedience thereto is censured with excommunication and that it commands the King to punish iâ— estate body and life all who disobey otherwise that it causes the King himselfe to be dethroned and killed this often you repeat moreover you call this Assembly an untamed furious Beast you advise the King much rather to submit himself to the Pope then to be in the reverence therof what spirit makes you break out into such discourses your selfe will see if ever God give you repentance however it is evident that lyes and malice do here strive which shall predominate The Generall Assembly in Scotland hath no more power then what the Parliaments since the first Reformation have heartily allowed unto them they meddle with no temporall case at all It exercises no power but what the King and the Laws authorize and all the spirituall cases which to this day they have touched may be reduced to a few heads That every disobedience brings with it Excommunication is a wide slander we doe not excommunicate but for a grievous transgression joyned with extraordinary obstinacy This censure is so rare with us that a man may live long and before his death never be witnesse to it What civil punishment the State in their wisedome findes meet to impose on a person who contemnes the Ordinances of God let themselves be answerable But that the Assembly medles with any mans life or goods is like the rest of your Assertions and yet no more false then the other lye you have here That ever any Assembly of the reformed Churches upon the highest provocations did take it so much as in debate to excommunicate much lesse to dethrone any King its most false but the Spirit that leads you must be permitted to breath out his naturall aire and to lye according to his very ancient custome You object it once and againe that the Commissioners of Burroughs and Universities are received as Members in our generall Assemblies behold the greatnesse of this crime The Commissioners of Burroughs and Vniversities are all Elders out of every Classicall Presbytery we allow one ruling Elder to goe as Commissioner to that Nationall meeting and if there be a royall Burgh within the bounds we allow two and three if there be an University What would you say to the Parliament of England who appoints foure ruling Elders out of every Classis to accompany two Ministers to the Assembly though there be neither Burrough not University in the bounds of this we are carefull that whoever comes either from Cities or Universities be not only ruling Elders but also have an expresse approbation from the Eldership What you speak of the Kings presence in our Assemblies We ascribe to the King so much power
before any Assemblies were in Scotland should be laid to their charge But what may those absurd asserions of Iohn Knox be he sayes as you alledge that the Nobility of Scotland who are borne Counsellours of the Kingdom and by the Laws have great priviledges may represse the fury and madnesse of a misled Prince I grant this to you must be a great Heresie who makes it one of the Articles of your faith that though Princes were as mad as ever Nero and should openly avow their desires to overturn all the sworn Lawes of their State and to kill without any cause all their Subjects yet for the Nobility or whole States of Parliament to make the smallest opposition or to goe one haires breadth beyond a naked supplication were no lesse then a damnable Rebellion and Treason but beleeve it the subjects of Scotland will not take off your hand such maximes without some Argument for their truth Iohn Knox is alledged to say that the Commonalty may bridle the cruell beasts and resorme Religion but what does it concerne the generall Assembly whatever power the Lords or Commons have by the Law or usurpe against the Law The matter whereof Iohn Knox is speaking is this The body of Scotland in the yeare 1557. were true and zealous Protestants the Masse and Images were to them Idols long before the governour and protector of the Kingdom Duke Hamilton was for the Religion At his first Parliament he did authorize some good beginnings of Reformation the Cardinall and Clergy at this grew mad and found means to translate the government from the Duke to the Queens Mother sister to the Duke of Guize and Cardinall of Lorain in the time both of the Duke and Queen Mothers Regency the cruelty of the Bishops was unsufferable They took divers of the most zealous Preachers and Professors men and women and publikely without any Commission from the Magistrate onely for their zeale to the truth of God did burne them quick as Hereticks After many yeers patience the people at last seeing no end of the Prelates fury did cause write Letters to some of their most wicked persecutors telling them that if they gave not over to murther their Brethren themselves should taste of that Cup of which they forced others to drink All the Reformation which the people at that time practised was to keep themselves pure from most vile Idolatry and in private to heare the Word of God purely preached They made no publike Reformation till first they had openly supplicated the Queen and gotten her allowance and a promise of an Act of Parliament in the yeare 1558. which promise when the Protestant Nobility Gentry and Commons did presse in face of Parliament it was not denyed by the Queen but cunningly put off upon assurance that all their desires at the first conveniency should be granted in the meane time she received their Protestation for a Liberty to live in their reformed Churches separate from Popish Idolaters and promised in due time to give to the Protesters full satisfaction Though you have brought together all the malicious a persions which your predecestors the Popish Prelates and Priests were wont at these very times to heap upon the heads of our blessed Reformers yet shall you never be able to leave any stain upon that happy work though here and elsewhere you spue out your dispight against it The Reformation of Scotland was begun by publique Authority in the first Parliament of Queen Mary the yeare 1542. holden by the Governour the Earle of Arran a Protestant for the time the setting up of it in publique was avowed and protested for in face of Parliament 1558. with the Queen Regents evident allowance and without the opposition of any but in the next Paâ—liament 1560. the whole Estates without the contradiction of any but three Popish Lords did set up by Law the whole body of that Religion which since by Gods mercy we have ever peaceably possessed except so farre as wicked Prelates have troubled us It is true The suspension of the Queene Regenâ—s authority was an act of the State which did nothing I rejudice the Soveraignty that Queen Regent notwithstanding of her good countenance and faire promises was forced by the privy Instructions of her wicked Brethren Guize and the Cardinall of Loraine to oppose Reformation wherein fore against her own minde as at her death shee professed shee went so farre as to bring in many thousands of the French to conquer and subdue the Land They began to the terror of the whole Isle to fortifie Leith and other Maritime places they exercised an evident tyranny both in Church and State and overthrew the Laws and liberties of the Nation which forced the cheise of the Nobility for the casting off of this yoak of stavery from the Church and State and preventing the danger which threatned the whole Isle to enter in a covenant of defence both among themselvs and with the Queen of England but without the least prejudice to the just authority of their Soveraign then Queen of France as it after appeared for when by the blessing of God and the helpe of the English they had ejected the French usurpers they did heartily receive and obey the Queen so soon as she came from France For the justification of all this I could bring formall testimonies out of Spotswood himselfe What you say of the deposition of Queen Regent from her Authority it is false that any Church Assembly did ever meddle with it lesse or more it was the Act of the three Estates how just let any judge She was the first woman as I remember that ever in Britain had the government of the State it belonged not to her by any right the Lawes provided that charge for Duke Hamilton but she and the Prelates couzend him out of his right and long possession she became not only a violent persecuter of all the faithful against the Law and her own promises but also went about evidently by violence and force of Arms to subdue the land to the tyranny of strangers much of this shee did albeit at the direction of her Brethren of Loraine yet without all commission from our Soveraigne her daughter When no supplication nor remonstrance could stop her the Estates of the Land being all denounced Rebels and Traitors by her did passe an Act not for depriving her of her Regency but for the suspending of her Authority till the next Parliament or till shee altered the course of her tyrannous government with an expresse protestation that the authority and power of the King and Queen of France their Soveraignes should remain to them sacred and inviolable This act of the Statewhether right or wrong what does it concerne the generall Assembly of the Church be it so that a Minister or two being called for advice did give their assent to this action which is the furthest our Enemies alledge yet what hath this to doe with our Church government
Generall Assembly were these actions either decreed or allowed by any Church meeting but the truth is you are gathering togither a confused masse of all the odious fables which you can either find or invent to the prejudice of Protestant Religion since it came first in Scotland to this day As for the Cardinalls slaughter Cardinall Beton by all Law and reason deserved death yet Knox did not defend the way of his slaughter all good men who heard it did heartily rejoyce at the judgement of God in taking away that cruell persecuter a most vicious wretch as Spotswood himselfe relates the story his crimes were many for which his life by all Law and reason was forfeit the suborning of a false Testament to King Iames the fifth for his owne advancement the burning quick by his owne Ecclesiastick authority the most holy Martyrs the marring with all his might the Reformation of Religion that such a man was removed in the indignation of God according to Mr. Wisheard the martyrs prophesie the whole Land did greatly rejoyce As for the manner of his slaughter that it was by the hands of privat men and not of the publick executiooner this no man did defend of Mr. Knox disallowing thereof Spotswood testifies expresly but that which troubles you is not the killing of a man but as you speake of a Preist of an Arch-Bishop of high dignity that is a Cardinall of Rome these circumstances are but poore agravations of that fact The other horrible fact at Edinburgh how detestable it was P. 31. An account of the tumult at Edinburgh for the Service-booke Let all the Isle judge When a company of base men were come to that height of insolency as to tread on the necks of the whole Kingdome as to make it an Act of high treason for the greatest of the Nobility to keep albeit very secretly in their Cabins a Copy of a Petition presented to his Majesty in person Vide the large Declaration against some new illegall usurpations of the Prelats to get Noblemen condemned to lose their heads only for this action and to avow in print the great Justice of such a sentence and the extraordinary favour in pardoning so high and treasonable an attempt When they became so extreamly malapert without so much as once acquainting the Church to bring in three or foure whole books full of Novations in Religion and withal to proclaime the absolute unlawfulnesse for the whole Land to make the smallest opposition if to morrow they should bring in upon the back of their former Novations the Masse in Latine or the A coran in Arabick when they came with a high hand to put in practice this their lawlesse Tyrannie that good zealous people whom you maliciously and falsly stile whoores and coale stealers should have their patience so far tempted as to break out in violence against you was it any wonder when atrocious injuries are multiplyed upon a Nation and by a few openly vicious and corrupt persons the current of Justice is stopped all the world will not be able to hold the passions of a people not totally subdued from breaking out into unjustifiable insolencies which a little Justice might easily have prevented What ever wrong might accompany the zeale of that very good people the reverend Answerers to the corrupt Doctors of Aberdeen doe openly disavow it and all of us were ever very well content that the whole action of that famous infamous day might have come to a perfect tryall That all persons according to their demerits might have suffered legall punishments That you and your associats the professed Authors of these popish books and violent introducers of them in our Church against all our Laws and Customes might have been brought to answer before your Judge competent a lawfull generall Assembly also that the interrupters of your shamefull usurpation might have come to an accompt for all their words deeds that day but you and your Colleagues knowing well your legall deserts would never bee pleased to come to any tryal You pressed very hard for some dayes that a number of very honest men and women might have bin put to bodily tortures and that all your abominable Novations might have been quietly without any scruple every where thereafter received upon these conditions your clemencie was content to intercede with his Majestie That the horrible and monstrous uprore might be pardoned but when this your overture was not hearkened unto your Antichristian furie broke out so high that nothing could satiate your rage but the destruction with an English Army of all your opposites in the whole Nation and the fastning upon the neck of the Country with undissoluble bands the yoke of a perpetuall slavery Though in opposition to this your horrid designe many thousands in both Nations be already destroyed though the King himselfe be brought in extream danger both of his Crown and person yet so matchlesse is your rage and that of your friends that unlesse your pride avarice and errors may be satisfied except Bishops books and a Turkish royaltie may be gotten established you are willing the King his Family the remnant of his people should all bee destroyed with you and turned into water to quench the fire of your ashes It 's a great mercy of God to these Lands that such unparalelled furies are not buried below the ground or beaten off to so remote corners that they may no more bee seene in the societies of men either of Church or State From your 32. page P. 32. Our Assemblies did ever deferre all loyall subjection to the King as a man distracted ye ramble up and downe backward and forward you rayell in so many things old and new that to follow you with any orderly cleere and distinct answer I think it impossible Your first gybe is at the power of the Generall Assembly which the King and Parliament has allowed unto it and whereof they are in a quiet possession to wit that in matters meerely Spirituall they are the last ordinary Iudges but if they should miscarry that the King and Parliament should not have power to make them reforme their errours it never came in any of our minds Your next calumny is that wee count it but a curtesie and no necessary duty to Petition for the civill sanction to our Acts and that if our Petitions bee not granted we are ready by Excommunication and rebellion to force the King and the State to our will These are but Symptomes of a spirit in which Excommunication has wrought its first effect I wish it might worke farther for your repentance and salvation For proofe of the Assemblies usurping over the King Mr. Hinderson is farr from all disloyall and papall humours you alledge first the late Sermon of the Scottish Pope at Westminister and then you run backe upon our first reformation It is true that Scottish Pope was the man whom the Generall Assembly made their instrument to deliver
you over to the Divel and therfore your rage against him for that necessary and good service is great out of his Sermon you dare cite nothing and it is well known that no or thodox Divine in any of the reformed Churches is more willing to give to Soveraign Princes all their due then that most worthy man is and ever has been In your scoffe of a Scottish Pope the smoke of ignorance goes up with the fire of malice these many years for your old stinging you have bin removed to dark Cavernes though sometimes for a Breathing you have cropen out to Oxford Dublin but had your crimes permitted you to have walked a little either at Lond. or Edinburgh or any where in this Isle where the Sun of Truth Justice did shine or any where over Sea where the affaires of this Isle with any ingenuity use to be represented you would not have called that most gracious man a Pope For how ever you have declared your selfe for Scottish Cardinalls and a Pope over the whole Church Catholick through al the world and all who know you will beare you witnesse that in Scotland so proud and arrogant a Prelate did not breath in our dayes yet the venerable divine whom you slander is so farre from the note you would put upon him that a more modest and humble spirit of so great parts and deserved authority with all the greatest of the Isle lives not this day in the reformed Churches But it is our first Reformation that chiefely grieves you Our first reformation was authorized by Parliament you continually breake out upon that and repeate very oft the same most bitter slanders The reformation in Scotland as has been said began long before the yeare 1558. when the Queens Mother was not yet come to the government in the yeare 1542. the Protestant Regent Duke Hamilton with the consent of Parliament did then authorize it and set it on foot albeit the compleat and publick Reformation of the whole Land was not till the yeare 1560. when the Parliament convened by the authority of our Soveraigne and after ratified by her did authorize it fully Her delay for a little to ratifie that Parliament makes nothing against its validity especially since now for fourscore and five yeares it has stood firme as one of our most happy Parliaments not questioned by any but some few eminently malignant Papists and Prelates That which here you scorne in Knox is a truth uncontroverted by any reasonable man that Religion has its own proper intrinsecall strength from God its only Author that Princes and states may and ought as servants to God their Lord make way for it in their Dominions by their good Lawes but this does not adde any more internall truth and strength to Religion then it has of it selfe before the Magistrate confirmed it and which it cannot lose although the Magistrate doe cry it downe and persecute it for errour Concerning the debates in the yeares 1558. and 1559. betwixt Queen Regent and the States for the just Liberties of the Kingdome for both agreed that this was the chiefe quarrell we repeat not what we have said before What you being from the thirty third p. to 39. P. 33.34.35 Episcopaâ—â—e was never â—pproved by any lawfull Assembly in Scotland I have met with it a most all in my answer to the other Treatise In the yeare 1571. a Committee of the generall Assembly at Leeth deceived by some prime Courtiers too much engaged unto the Prelates of England did advise to set up Bishops in the Church of Scotland with the name and some shadow of the things which then were in England but the thing it selfe a sole power of Ordination and Jurisdiction over the whole Diocesse in one mans hand they never dreamed of Yea the very name and shadow whereto that Committee was drawne was never allowed of by any act of a lawfull generall Assembly for the very next Assembly did disclaime it and ever after the matter was in debate till both name and thing was totally exploded Your discourse of the Negative confession and Church-government in the yeare 1580. and 1581. and of the platforme of Presbiteries as set up by Mr. Melvil without the Kings Authority with much stuffe of this kind demonstrates your mind to calumniate with a great deale either of ignorance of the times or malicious resolution to lye In the yeare 1580. some prime Courtiers The short confession of Faith was subscribed by King James 〈◊〉 the year 1 〈◊〉 and others truly popish in their heart yet for their own ends was content to dissemble and to abjure popery with their owne equivocations and mentall reservations The King desiring to stop all starting holes caused Mr. Craige the Pastor of his Familie to draw up a confession every particular rejecting expresly the most of the Romish errours this King James himselfe did Signe and permitted none to live at his Court who did not sweare it he ordained it also to goe through the whole Land Towards this confession scornfully called negative the Prelaticall party did ever carry an evill eye for it was a stronger barr against popery and their intended innovations then their designes could well admit The whole sixe yeares before that Confession The Presbiterian government was fully agreed to before that 〈◊〉 the Generall and provinciall Assemblies were much exercised in perfiting the second booke of discipline wherein the whole body of the Presbiterian Government is fully set downe nothing in our Church did ever passe with so great deliberation nor with greater unanimity In the year 1578. it was all agreed unto in the Generall Assembly Mr. Melvill was a gracious instrument in that worke but all the Divines of the Kingdome did joyne with him therein With the states they had some controversie but not for the matter of Government in this the Harmony betwixt the Church and State was full but for the Church Patrimony wherein the King did joyne heartily with the Assembly against the Court and wherein your selfe cannot but beare witnes to the honesty of the Divines at that time For it was their mind that Church rents ought not to be impropriat to Courtiers nor given to Prelats nor serve the ambition and avarice of any Church-men but ought to be imployed for the Honorable and comfortable maintenance of all that served at the Altar and for the reliefe of the poore and strangers and what was above to go to the publicke uses of the state But in this gracious designe the cunning first of the Court and after of the Prelates did Crosse both the King and the Assembly so that for peace they behoved to yeild albeit upon occasion both his Majesty and the Church did often protest for their rights The King and his Counsell did set up the Presbyteries over all the Land at the same time But for any parts of the Presbiteriall Government which in that Booke of discipline was set downe
their abolishing of Episcopacy their indicting of solemne Fasts the desert of these crimes we will see when the particulars are opened The Road of Ruthven was a Remonstrance made to his Majesty by a number of the prime and best affected of the Nobility The generall Assemblies approbation of the Road of Ruthven very innocent against the insupportable tyrannies of some few Courtiers to the extream hazard of the Kings person the Church and whole Kingdome His Majesty yet minor was content to follow the Remonstrants advice the men complained of were removed from Court the action of the Noble-men was declared by the King and his Counsell to have been good and acceptable service bbb Collection His Majesty seemed to be well pleased and gave sundry significations of his good liking of that action as of good service done to him by attestations in his Princely word they should never be challenged by Act of Privy Counsell by Act of solemn convention of Estates by publike Proclamations at Market Crosses needfull by desiring the English Ambassadours to testifie to the Queene his owne and his Estates good liking by two legations sent to her Majesty signed by his owne hand and the Counsels by his command to the Ministers in chiefe places to signifie his consent and apprsbation to the people the convention of estates made that same Declaration ccc Vide supra bbb the Kings the Counsels the States approbation of this fact was solemnly proclaimed in the next Market places of the chiefe Burroughs ddd Vide supra bbb at his Majesties desire the Ambassadours of England and France did write so much to their Masters eee Vide supra bbb and it was also promised that the next generall Assembly and Parliament for the Noblemens greater security should give their ample approbations When the generall Assembly came the Noblemen petitioned them for their approbation at the first the Assembly declined to meddle with that matter fff Collection When the Authors of the enterprize sought the approbation of the generall Assembly it was answered that the matter was civill nothing pertaining to them It was replyed that the King and Counsell Estates had approved it and that the King had agreed an Act of approbation should be made in the Assembly whereupon Master James Lauson and Master David Lindsay were directed to his Majesty who after conference with his Majesty and Counsell reported their approbation and the Kings contentment that an Act should passe as was desired but when the Petitioners insisted alleaging it was the Kings pleasure they should take that matter into consideration they sent two of their number to the King to understand his mind his Majesty did not onely fignifie to those Messengers his defire that the Assembly should declare their approbation of that Action at Ruthven ggg Vide fff but also he did send two Commissioners of his owne to require the Assembly in his name to declare so much hhh The Collection The Tutor of Pitcur and Colonell Stuart Commissioners from the King reported that they had speciall command to assent in his name and so the Assembly approved but not till approved before and desired to approve Could the Assemblies obedience to the Kings expresse command be a treason of so high a nature as did merit not onely the persecution of their persons but the abolition of the Court it selfe for ever yet the Prelats and Courtiers rage did intend no lesse for when Captaine James had got againe into the Court whence he had been banished he wrought so upon the minor King that the Noblemen and Gentlemen who had procured his removall at Ruthven were some of them executed as Traitors others forfeit and banished many of the best Ministers were forced to flee for their life not one Pastor durst stay in Edenborough but all fled out of the Kingdome iii Vide supra Such stormes has Satan oft stirred up in Scotland by his instruments yet gracious men there by faith and patience by wisdome and active courage did wrestle through and alwayes in the end prevailed they got the Church the Kingdome the person of the Prince ever at last rescued from the bonds and snares of oppressing Sycophants The memory of our Predecessors sufferings and successes does much encourage us in these evill dayes and permits us not in the greatest tempests to faint but makes us to walk with hope in the midst of despaire for the like glorious issue however this was the sad condition of Scotland for some time till the oppressed Nobility did come to Stirling in a greater number and with a sharper Remonstrance then they had used at Ruthven At their first appearing before the Towne The Road of Stirling the instruments of mischiefe did flee the King and his good people Noblemen Gentlemen Ministers and others were presently reconciled though the authors of these frequent misunderstandings did escape by flight the sword of publick Justice yet did the private judgements of God quickly find them out and sweep them off the face of the earth with their ruine peace and prosperity did flow in both upon Church and Kingdome The other great crime imputed to the generall Assembly It could be necrime in the generall Assembly to vote down Episcopacy is That they had voted downe Episcopacy and had professed the unlawfulnesse of prelaticall Jurisdiction both in the Church and State which prior Assemblies had approved of To this I answer that the crime cannot be very great for any Church meeting especially a generall Assembly to declare their judgement in a point of Religion of great and generall concernment and whether this their judgement was erroneous when they condemned the office of Episcopacy affirming it to be unlawfull for a Minister of the Gospell to be a Lord of Parliament and Counsell to be a Chancellour Secretary Treasurer of a Kingdome or any Officer of State or to take upon him alone the power of Ordination and spirituall Jurisdiction which the Word of God never gives to one ordinary Officer but alwayes to a number joined in a Presbytery the whole Isle thanks be to God now does cleerly see That ever the Church of Scotland or any lawfull Assembly thereof did approve of Episcopall jurisdiction What favour the Earle of Morton procured to Episcopacy at the conference at Lâ—eth 1572. was by the generall Assemblies disclaimed it is alleaged without any ground We grant the Earl of Morton in that necessary correspondence which he did always keep with Queen Elizabeth was entangled in a greater familiarity and affection to the English Prelats then was convenient and at their desire did assay in a conference of some Statesmen and Ministers of his speciall acquaintance in the yeer 1572 at Leeth to have set up in Scotland a kind of Episcopacy but that plant was so strange to our climate that it could take no root in our ground for so much offence was taken in the very next