The Pastor and the Prelate, Part 4
THE FOURTH PART.
The Pastor & Prelate compared by the Reformation, and proceedings of our owne Kirk.
AS no familie or civill societie, vvhere the fundamentall lawes are neglected, and the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life are followed, can continew long, except it be reformed. Euen so the Kirk of God, through the misregard of the lavves of God & …irection of Scripture, and through the ambition and cove…ousnes of Kirkmen did fall avvay so farre from the first inte…itie, that there vvas a necessitie of Reformation, & nothing more certainly looked for, and more plainly foretold a long time before any of our reformers,How Reformation was …rought. or Luther himselfe come in the world. This reformation that could no longer be delayed vvas often urged, but never likely to be obteyned in a generall Counsell, nor vvith consent of the Clergie & Court of Rome, to vvhom Reformation vvas a certaine ruine. And therefore in severall kingdomes, countries and states of the christian vvorld, it vvas vvonderfully vvrought by the Lords mighty povver in his vveake servants. Such vvere amongst others Baldus of Franco, Hus of Bohem, Jerome of Prage, Luther of of Germanie, Wickleife of England, and our Knox of Scotland. Whereupon it came to passe, that although one part of Christendome knewe not what another was doing, yet they all agreed (as may be seene in the Harmonie of Confessions published to the vvorld) in the most essentiall and fundamentall matters of fayth: because the Lord vvas maister of that vvorke: but had also their own differences and degrees of Reformation, because men vvere the instruments, and they vvere not Angels, but men that vvere to be vvrought upon. For vvhose divers dispositions in sundry nations there behooved to be divers disadvantages to the vvork. We are not riged censurers of other Reformed Kirks, nor are vve Separatists from them: but this vve thinke that a tvvofold duetie lyeth upon us,A twofold duetie of the reformed Kirks. and them all, vvhatsoever be the measure of Reformation: One is (albeit there be ever some Catholick moderators, that vvill be Trysters betvvixte us and Rome, and thinke to agree Christ and Antichrist) that vve all vvith one heart prayse God for separating us from Sodome, resolving never to returne againe, vvhere there be so many heresies, both against the common principles and particular articles of fayth, so manifold idolatrie both against the first and second commandement, so proude a Hierarchie as can neyther stande vvith the spirituall Kingdome of Christ, nor the civill Kingdomes of Princes, and so bloudy a tyranny against all vvho refuse to belieue theire heresies, to practise their idolatrie, and to be slavish to their hierarchie. Returning to any point of theit profession is an approbatiō of their crueltie against them that hauehave denied it. And vvhosoever approue their vvorship, they bringe upon themselues the bloud of so many Saincts, and faythfull martyrs of Christ, vvho hauehave testified the vvord of God, & hauehave vvashed their Robes in the bloud of the Lambe. The other duetie is, that albeit there be ever some adiaphorists, vvho for their ovvne particular make many things, and shevve moe things to be indifferent in the vvorship of God, that under this pretext they may bring them back, that hauehave been advanced before them in the worke of Reformation: that we all praise God vvith one heart for the measure that everie one hath atteyned unto,The Reformation of our kirk. and they that are behinde in reformation, whatsoever their outvvard splendor be, envye not them vvo hauehave runne before, or studie to dravv them back to their degree, least both returne to Rome: but that all against all impediments presse forvvard to further perfection, ever reforming some vvhat according to the patterne, there being no staying neither for the Christian nor for the Kirk. The Kirk of Scotland hath litle cause to be pleased vvith herselfe, vvhē she looketh upon her late suddain and shamefull defection, but greate and singular cause to praise God, vvhen she looketh to his gracious dispensation. For as Scotland, albeit far from Ierusalem, vvas one of the first nations, that the light of the Gospel shyned on, vvhen it appeared to the Gentils, and one of the last that kept the light, vvhen the shadovves of the hilles of Rome began to darken the earth. So vvhen the sun came aboute againe at the Reformation, if this blessed light shyned first upō others, all that had eyes to see both at home and abroade, hauehave seene and sayd, that it shyned fairest upō us, Divine providence delighting to supply the defect of nature vvith aboundance of grace, and to make this backside of the earth, lying behind the visible sunne, by the cleare and comforting beames of the Sunne of righteousnes, to be the sunnie side of the Christian vvorld, vvhereof these follovving testimonies are sufficient proofe.
One of M. George Wishart martyr:
This Realme shall be illuminated with the light of Christs gospel, as clearly as ever was Realme since the dayes of the Apostles. The house of God shall be builded in it, yea it shall not lack (what soever the enemie imagin to the contrarie) the very top-stone; the glorie of God shall evidently appeare, and shall once tryumph in despight of Sathan. But alas, if the people shall be after unthankefull, then fearefull and terrible shall the plagues be, that after shal follow.Hist. of the Kirk of Scotland pag. 108.
Another of Beza.
aMagnū est hoc Dei munus quod una & religionem puram, & foreign, doctrinae viz. retinendae vinculum in Scotiam intulistis, Sic obsccro & oltcstor haec duo simul retinete, ut uno amisso, alterū diu permanere nō posse semper-memineritis. Sicut episcopi papatū pepererūt, it a pseudoepiscopos. papatus reliquias, epicureismū terru invecturos: hanc pestem caveant, qui salvā ecclesiam cupiunt, & quū illā in Scotia in tempore profligaris, ne qu…so illā unquā admittas, quantumvis unitatis retinendae specie, quae veteres etiā optimos multos fefellit blandiatur. Bez. epist. 79.This is a greate gift of God, that ye hauehave brought into Scotland togither pure religion and good order, which is the band to hold fast the doctrine: I hartily pray and beseech for Gods sake, Hold fast those two together, so that ye may remember, that if the one be lost, the other can not long remaine. So Bishops brought forth poperie, so false bishops, the relicks of poperie, shall bring into the world Epicureisme: Whosoever would hauehave the Kirk safe, let them beware of this pest, and seeing ye hauehave tymely dispatched it in Scotland, I beseech you, never admitte it againe, albeit it flatter with shew of the preservation of unitie, which hath deceived many of the best of the ancients.
A third of the body of Confessions of fayth:
bEst illud Ecclesiae Scotanae privilegium rarum prae multis, in quo etiam ejus nomen apud exteros fuit celebre, quod circiter annos plus minus 54 sine schismate nedum heresi, unitatem cum puritate doctrinae servaverit & retinuerit. Hujus unitatis adminiculum ex Dei miscricordia maximum fuit; quod paulatim cum doctrina Christi & Apostolorum disciplinam, sicut ex verbo Dei est praescripta, una fuit recepta, & quam proxime fieri potuit, secundum eam totum regimen Ecclesiasticum, fuit administratum. Hac rati…ne omnia schismatum, atque errorum semina quā primum pullulare, aut so exerere visa sunt, in ipsa quasi herba & partu sunt suffocata, & extirpata. Det Dominus Deus pro immensa sua bon…tate Regiae Majestati serenis…ima, omnibusque ecclesiarum gubernatoribus, potestatibus ecclesiae nutritiis, ut ex Dei verbo illam unitatem, & doctrinae puritatem perpetuo conservent. Amen. Corpus Conf…s. fidei pag. 6.It is the rare priviledge of the Kirk of Scotland before many in which respect her name is famous euen among strangers, that about the space of four and fiftie yeares, without schisme, let be heresie, she hath kept and holden fast unitie with puritie of doctrine. The greatect helpe of this unitie of the merciemercy of God, was that with the doctrine the discipline of Christ and his Apostles, as it is prescribed in the Word of God, was by litle and litle together resumed, and according to that discipline, so neare as might be, the whole government of the Kirk was disposed. By this meanes all the seedes of Schismes and errors, so soone as they beganne to budde, and shewe themselues, in the very breeding and byrth were smothered and rooted out. The Lord God of his infinite goodnes grant unto the Kings most gracious Majestie, to all the rulers of the Kirk, to the powers that are nurcers of the Kirk, that according to the word of God, they may keepe perpetually that unitie and puritie of doctrine. Amen.
The fourth is of King James our late Soveraine:
cBa…llc. Doron.The religion professed in this countrey wherein I was brought up, and ever made profession of, and wishes my sonne ever to continew in the same, as the only trew forme of Gods worship &c. I doe equally louelove and honour the learned and graue men of eyther of these opinions, that like better of the single forme of policie in our Kirk, then of the many ceremonies in the Kirk of England &c. I exhort my Sonne to be beneficiall to the good men of the ministerie, praysing God, that there is presently a sufficient number of good men of them in this kingdome, & yet are they all knowē to be against the forme of the English Kirk.
Basilic. Doron to the Reader: He praysed God, for that he vvas borne to be a King in the sincearest Kirk in the vvorld, &c. Assemblie anno 1590. The Prelates themselues and the mainteyners of conformitie dare not for shame open their mouthes against the worke of God in the Reformation, and against the puritie of their mother Kirk, & therefore would hauehave her to open her mouth in their defence of ther Hierarchie and ceremonies, and do wrest her authoritie and proceedings to that sense. Let us then aske of herselfe, whether shee liketh better of the Pastor or of the Prelate.
1. THE PASTOR and men of God at the acceptable time of Reformation,The discipline & government of the Kirk at the first, began to be reformed, and the prelate to be cast out. as they were moved by the spirit of God, laboured to reform, not onelyonly the doctrine sacraments, and whole worship of God, but also the discipline and whole government of the house of God by abolishing the jurisdiction of prelates, and all that Roman Hierarchie: as is manifestdBooks of discipl. by their acknowledging no other ordinarie and perpetuall officebearers in the Kirk, but Pastors, doctors, Elders, and Deacons: by their petitioning, that the rents of the Prelates, & of their traine should be converted to other uses. eAn. 1566.By their subscribing the Helvetick Confession, which censureth prelacie for the invention of man,fBeza to Knox an. 1571. and by the letters which they received from forraine Kirks, gratulating, that they had timely purged the Kirk of this proude prelacie, that they had received with the doctrine, the discipline of Christ & his Apostles, & willing and obtesting them to beware of the pest of prelacie, as they loved the weale of the Kirk.
The PRELATE not onelyonly in respect of his popish Religion, but also in respect of his papall and episcopall jurisdiction, was one of the greate evils, that cryed for reformation of the Kirk: and therefore, albeit he kept still the title, the rent and civill place of the prelate (which the Kirk could not take from him, and which maketh many to mistake his descent) his ecclesiasticall authority was so far abolished, that neither were their Successors designed to such prelates as cōtinued obstinate Papists, nor was Episcopal authoritie continued in their persons that were converted, nor were Superintendents ordeyned to be new prelates: onelyonly some of the converted prelates, for want of meanes to furnish others, were designed to be commissioners of the Kirk, as other ordinarie Pastors were, but with bad successe. For never one of them did good to the Kirk.
2. The PASTOR and men of God proceeding in the work of reformation,The pastor proceedeth in this point of reform… tion, and the prel. in his avarice and ambition. acknowledged no government of the Kirk by the Lordly domination of Prelates, but by the common consent and authoritie of assemblies, which were of four sorts, Nationall, Provinciall, Parishionall, and Presbyteriall.gTo these the Superintendents were subject by an act of the assembly anno 1562. The lineaments of the last were drawen at the first, when the weekely assemblies were appointed for exercise of discipline, and interpretation of Scriptures, but were not, nor could not be accomplished, and perfectly established, till the light was spreade, and particular Kirks were planted in the severall quarters and corners of the Land, that they might make a number, and conveniently assemble in presbyteriall meetings.
The PRELATE is restlesse, proceedes whither his avarice and ambition carrie him, and willing in those times rather to be a Titular or ahLeith 1571. Tulchan (as he was then named) then to be no bodie aboue his brethren. He taketh upon him the Title Bishop, with a small parte of the rent, permitting the greater parte to my Lord, whose bishop he was, and proudly againe arrogates anthoritie over the Kirk.
3. The PASTOR and men of God learning,At last prelacie is rooted out with consent of the whole Kirk. not from Geneva, but from Scripture and dayly experience, that the government of Prelates was full of usurpation, and of all sorts of corruption, whereof many did complaine,iEdenburgh anno 1575. that it had no warrant, and was never like to hauehave any blessing from God, resolue at last to strike at the roote, & therefore after many disputations in private and publick, consultations with the greatest divines of other reformed Kirks, and after long and mature deliberation, the second Booke of Discipline, pronuoncing the jurisdiction and office of the Prelate to be unlawfull, was resumed by consent of the whole Kirk, an ordinance made that Bishops betake them to the charge of one Congregation, that they exercise no civill Iurisdiction. The Confession of Fayth sworne and subscribed, wherein they oblige themselues to continew in the doctrine & discipline of this Kirk. The same yeerekDundie. an. 1580 it was declared in the generall assemblie, that the office of the Prelate was unlawfull in it selfe, and had no warrant in the Word of God, thereafter renued in covenant.
The PRELATE and men of that disposition, having in the ende nothing to oppone, professed that they agreed in their consciences, consented to the Acts of the Kirk, swore and subscribed the Confession of fayth, renewed the covenant with the Kirk, and helped to put on the coap-stone of the Kirk of God with their owne hands,lTrenent. anno 1604. Like as the same Confession of fayth was subscribed by those that are now in the proudest places of prelacie, and who hauehave proved since the chiefest instruments of all the alterations in the Discipline and externall worship of God, and ring-leaders in the defection of the Kirk, with what consciene may be seene by their unhonest excuses, their poore shifts, and shamelesse raylings, against that which they did once so much reverence, all to be seene, as they are published in print.
4. The PASTOR and men of God desyring to testifie their thankfulnesse,The Kirk now reformed in doctrine & discipline useth hee authoritie against all sorts of finne, till men of episcopall disposition make a new division againe. for so singular favour vouchsafed upon this Kirk and nation, & to employ the benefite of the discipline now established for the libertie of the kingdome of Christ, and against the tyrannie of sinne and Sathan, addressed themselues all as one man with greate fidelitie & courage for the work of God, urged residence and diligence in ministers, kept with successe from heaven their publike and solemne humiliations, made the pulpits to sounde against papistrie and profanenesse, & set all men on work, as they had grace or place, for purging the countrie of all corruptions, and defending the Kirk against her profest enemies, who never ceased by negociating with the Pope & Spanish King unnaturally to labour for their owne and her ruyne, whereof the divine providence had disappointed them in 88.
The PRELATES authoritie at this time lay deade, and men of that disposition made no greate Dinne. But the Kirk then (unlike that which she is now) comely as Ierusalem, terrible, as an armie with banners, against all her enemies did stand whole and sound in unitie and concord of her ministers, authoritie of her assemblies, divine order of her ministerie, & puritie of externall worship, with greate power and presence of the Spirit of God in many congregations of the land, till at last, for unitie division entred into the Kirk, prelacie that had slepte before, as wakened againe, and this mysterie beginneth to worke of new, neyther by any cause offered by the pastors of the Kirk at the 17 of December (as the enemie calumniates) for after long tryall they were founde faultlesse, and faythfull by his Majesties owne testimonie. Nor yet upon that occasion,mPerth. 1596. for the meeting of the Kirk for making that charge was indicted before that 17 day. But the cause was a plot contryved before, for procuring peace to the popish Lords, to make warre amongst the ministerie, and to divide them amongst themselues. For this effect 55 Problems were framed, to call the established discipline of the Kirk in question, and as one and the same time way was made for reconciliation of the Popish Lords, and for restitution of the popish prelates. And the Schisme of our Kirk so well compacted before, began at that time, not upon their parte who stande for the discipline, but by some of the Prelates disposition, that is, of flattering and worldly mynded Ministers, who gaue other answers to thirteene of the fiftie fiue articles concerning the government of the Kirk, then their worthy brethren desired: So that, if the cause or occasion maketh the Schismatick, the Prelate is the Schismatick and not the Pastor.
5. The PASTOR and men of God as they had been diligent to establish the government of the Kirk,The pastor stādeth to the reformation against Episcopar…s which the Prela… attaineth unto … last by many degrees, and much working. according to the will of Christ, and after it was by the blessing of God established were faythfull in using it for the honour of God, and good of the Kirk: so now, when it beganne craftily to be called in question, were carefull, according to their office and oath, to stand to the defence thereof, both against professed enemies, and against the Schisme begunne by their owne brethren: albeit they could not at the first hauehave beene perswaded, that their brethren would ever so foully forget themselues, as against their greate oath in the sight of God and the world, to take upon them the dominion of Prelates, and for their owne back and belly to trouble the Kirk, and marre all the worship of God as they hauehave done.
The PRELATE through the Schisme at that time begunne by himselfe, savouring the sweetnesse of wealth and honour, forgetteth his oath, his office and all, followeth greedily upon the Sent, and clymbeth craftily by degrees, and betime to the heigth that he could not advance himselfe to at once.nDundie anno 1597. May, and March following, Falkland a. 1598. Halyrudhouse anno 1599. Montrosen annò 1600. First with much adoe, and many protestations, that he meaned nothing against the discipline established, but desires to vindicate the Ministerie from povertie and contempt, gets libertie for to vote in parliament for the Kirk, but with such caveats, as would hauehave kept him from his present prelacie, if he had kept them as he was obliged.oLinlithgo 1606. Secondly, fiue yeres thereafter he was made constant moderator, & that of the presbyterie onelyonly where he was resident, and not of the Synods, upon as faire precepts, and with the like protestations and cautions.pAn. 1610 Febr: Thirdly, being Lord of Parliament, Lord of Councell, patrone of beneficens, Modifier of Ministers stipends, he was armed also with the power of the High commission, and having two swords, might doe against the Kirk what he pleased.qGlasgow 1610. Iune. Thereafter incontinent he usurped the power of ordination and jurisdiction. rAn. 1610. November.And at last, albeit without consent or knowledge of the Kirk of Scotland wente and resumed consecration in England, and since that time hath taken upon him, and hath exercised the plenarie power and office of a bishop in the Kirk, no lesse, then if the assemblie of this Kirk had chosen him to the name and office of a Bishop, which as yet they hauehave never done, the most corrupt of their owne assemblies granting onelyonly the negatiue power of ordination and Iurisdiction to them, who were never called Bishops by any warrant from the Kirk, but onelyonly in the vulgar speach, frō the titles they had to benefices, in which respect civill persons beneficed were called Bishops in former times.
6. The PASTOR and men of God seeking neither profit nor preferment to themselues,The way of the Pastors reformation and the prelates defection very cō trary. expelled the Prelate & all his Ceremonies out of the Kirk of Christ by no other meanes, but such as became the faythfull Ministers of Iesus Christ, as preaching, praying, penning, advising with the best reformed Kirks, reasoning in assemblies, and after libertie granted to all to oppone, the consente, oath and subscription of the Adversaries.
The PRELATE seeking nothing but his owne prosit and preferment, is restored againe by such meanes, as better beseeme his Ministers, who hath beene a murtherer and lyar from the beginning, then the sincere Ministers of Iesus Christ: For crafte and crueltie hath been their wayes, Their craft was to remoue their strongest opponents out of the Countrie, that they might not be present in assemblies, to espye their proceedings, and to reason against them, to abolish the true libertie and authoritie of assemblies, to protest that they were seeking no prelacie, neyther of the Popish nor English kinde, and that they had no purpose to subverte the Discipline received, but to deliver the Kirk from disgrace, and to be the more mightie to oppose her enemies, Iesuites and Papists,, to falsifie the acts of the Kirk, to promise to keepe all the cautions and conditions, made to hold them in order, which now they professe, they never minded to doe, &c. Their cruelty hath beene to boast, to banish, imprison, depriue, confine, silence, &c.
7. The PASTOR and men of God all this time of defection gaue testimonie to the trueth,The past. beareth witnes against the severall degrees of defection, and feareth a change in the worship of God, which the prel. entereth upō so soone as the government is altered, and he come to his power. opposed against the severall steppes of the prelates ambition, by all the meanes that became him to use, as publick preaching, supplicating, reasoning, protesting, and suffring, and when the prelate was triumphing in the height of his dignitie, they could not, comparing the first temple with the second, but declare the griefe of their hearts for the change, and their greate feare of alteration to be made in the worship of God, when now the hedge of the Kirk was broken downe, and an open way made for all corruption.
The PRELATE is of the Clergie, that seldome is seene penitent, and therefore as against all the meanes used by the Pastor, he had altered the government of the Kirk, so he enters next upon the worship & Service of God.fAberdein 1616. Sanctandr. anno 1617. and will hauehave a new confession of Fayth, new Catechisme, new formes of prayer, new observation of dayes, new Formes of ministration of the Sacraments, which he first practised himselfe, against the acts and order of the Kirk.tPerth 1618. And since convened an assembly of his owne making to drawe on the practise of others.vEdenburgh anno 1621. And thirdly he hath involved the honorable estates of the Kingdome into his greate guiltinesse by their ratification in parliament, which hath brought an inundation of evils into this Kirk and countrey.
8. The PASTOR and men of God considering, what the Kirk was before,The past. resolveth to be constāt to the end, against al heresie and corruption, which is entering every day by the prelates misgovernment. what the reformation was, and what conformitie is, what the proceedings of the one and of the other hauehave beene, seeth Religion wearing away, pityeth the young ones, that never hauehave seene better times, laments ever the multitude, that can not see the evils of the present, and resolveth for himselfe to hold constant to the ende against Papists, prelates, Arminians, and whatsoever can arise, to waite with patience, what the Lord will doe for his people, and when he is gone to leaue a testimonie behinde him of the twofold miserie of impietie and iniquitie, that he hath seene in this land.
The PRELATE hath forgotten what himselfe and the kirk was once, he hath wrought a greater defection in this kirk in the shorte tyme of his Episcopacie, then was in the primitiue kirk for some hundreths of yeares, and is so farre yet blinded with the louelove of his place in the world, that he maketh his worldly credite the Canon, and his prelacie the touchstone of the tryall of all Religion. The Pope shall no more be Antichrist, Papistrie may be borne with, Arminianisme may be brought in, because they can keepe company with Prelacie. The Reformation is Puritanisme, precisenesse, Separation and intollerable, because it can not cohabitate with prelacie. The Gods of the Nations were sociall, and could liue togither, but the God of Israel is a jealous God.
The Prelates objection.
THE PRELATE will objest,Obj. The Superintendents in the beginning were prelates. that albeit he can neither justifie all his owne proceedings of late, nor yours of old, as all men hauehave their owne infirmities, yet that ye doe him wronge by your deduction, in confounding times that would be distinguished: Because from the Reformation to the comming of some Scollars from Geneva with presbyterall discipline, this kirk was ruled by prelates, and the Superintendents in the beginning were the same in substance, that the prelates are now.
The Pastors answer.
ALL men hauehave their owne infirmities, but good men are not presumpteously bold for the louelove of the world, to hold on in a course of defection against so many obligations frō themselues, and so many warnings frō good men. Infirmitie one thing and presumption another. The pastors of the Kirk of Scotland had begunne to roote out bishoprie, and to condemne it in their assemblies, before these Scollers came from Geneve: but never condemned but allowed the charge of Superintendents, appointed for a time in the beginnings of the Kirk, the one and the other being different in substance:Answ. Shewing particularly, that the Superintendents were not prelates. For
The Superintendent according to the Canon of the Kirk was admitted as an other Minister, without consecration af any bishop.
The Prelate is chosen for fashion by Deane and Chapter, without any Canon of the Kirk, & with solemne consecration of the Metropolitane and their bishops.
The Superintendent appropriated not the power of ordination and jurisdiction, but both remayned common to other ministers.
The Prelate hath taken to himselfe the power, to ordeyne and depose Ministers, and to decree excommunication.
The Superintendents made not a Hierarchie of Archsuperintendents and others inferior, some generall, and some provinciall, some Primates and some Suffraganes, some Archdeanes, and some Deanes &c.
The Prelates hauehave set up a Hierarchie of all these.
The Su…erintendent was subject to the censure not onelyonly of the nationall, but of the provinciall Kirk, where he superintended
The Prelate is subject to no censure, hut may doe what, and may goe whither he will, and no man aske him, why he hath done so.
The Superintendents charge was meerely ecclesiasticall, and more in preaching then in government.
The Prelate is more in ruling then in preaching, & more in the world then in the Kirk.
The Sup. acknowledged his charge to be but temporarie, & oftē desired to lay it downe before the general assembly.
The Prel. thinketh his office to be perpetuall, by reason & vertue of his consecration.
The Sup. had no greater power thē the commissioners of provinces, & in respect of his superintēdencie was rather a cō missioner of the Kirk, then an officebearer essentially different from the pastor.
The prel. neyther hath received commission from the Kirk, nor meaneth to render a reckoning to them, nor account of himselfe, as of a commissioner, but thinketh his office essentially diverse from the office of the pastor, as the pastors office is from the deacons. The pope may as well say that the Euangelists were popes, as the prelate, that the Superintendents were prelates.