The Pastor and the Prelate, Part 6
THE SIXTH PART.
The Pastor & Prelate compared by the good of the Common wealth, and of our outward estate.
ALbeit that sometimes the povver Ecclesiasticall be without the secular,It is best both for Kirk and State whē civill and ecclesiasticall authoritie joyne together. and the members of the Kirk make not any civill corporation, as in the Apostles times, & long after. And some times the secular power be vvithout the ecclesiasticall, and the members of kingdomes and corporations make not a Kirk, as amongst the Heathen of old, and many nations and societies this day; yet is it farre best, both for Religion and Justice, both for trueth and peace, both for Kirk and Commonvvealth, when both are joyned in one: vvhen the Magistrate hath both svvords, the use of the temporall svvord, and the benefite of the spirituall svvord, and vvhen the Kirk hath both svvords, the use of the spirituall sword, and the benefite of the temporall: When the two administrations civill and ecclesiasticall, like Moses and Aaron, help one another mutually, & neyther Aaron and Miriam murmur against Moses, nor Jeroboam stretcheth out his hand against the man of God. Upon the one part,Civill authoritie doeth good to religion. civill authoritie mainteyneth and defendeth religion, vvhere it is reformed, and reformeth religion vvhere it is corrupted. Kings shall be thy foster-fathers, and Queenes thy nurse mothers aEsa. 49. 23., Kings serue the Lord in fear bPsal. 2. 11.: And then serue they the Lord (sayth Augustine) vvhen they serue him not onelyonly faythfully as men, Quomodo ergo reges Domino serviunt in timore, nisi ea qua cōtra jussa Domini fiunt, religiosa severitate prohibendo, a… que plectendo? aliter enim servit quiahomo est, aliter quia etiā rex est: quia homo est ei servit fideliter vivendo, quia vero etiā rex est, servit leges justa praecipientes, & cōtraria prohibentes, convenienti rigore sanciendo sicut servivit Ezechias lucos, & templa idolorū, & illa excelsa quae contra praecepta Dei fuerant constructa, destruendo. Sicut servivit Iosias, talia & ipse faciendo. Sicut servivit rex Ninivitaru, universam civitatem ad placandū Dominis cō pellendo. Sicut servivit Darius, idolum frang…ndū in potestatem Danieli dado. & inimicos ejus leonibus ingerendo. Sicut servivit Nebuchad omnes in regno suo positos, a blasphemando, Dei lege terribili prohibendo. In hoc ergo serviunt Domino reges, in quantūsunt reges, cum … faciunt ad serviendū … quae non p…ssunt facere … reges, August. epist. ser … ad Bonifacium,but as Kings, and doe such things in serving him, as none can doe but kings, that is, vvhile they rest not till Religion be established, and God served in their dominions, according to his ovvne Word. It hath ever been the greatest commendation of Princes, that they hauehave begunne their government vvith the Reformation of Religion, as many vvorthy Princes hauehave done both before, and after the comming of Christ, for God preferreth Kings unto all others, and therefore Kings should haste to honour GOD aboue all others: Or that they hauehave exceeded all vvho vvent before them in this religious and Royall Chaire. AZA tooke avvay Idolatrie: but JEHOSHAPHAT removed the high-places also. EZEKIAH vvent further, and brake the Brazen Serpent, albeit a monument of Gods merciemercy: But this vvas the sinne of his Reformation, that he razed not the Idoll Temples, vvhichwhich vvas kept to good JOSIAH, vvho therefore hath this testimonie to the ende of the World, that like unto him there vvas no King before him, that turned to the LORD vvith all his heart, vvith all his soule, and vvith all his might. Upon the other part, true Religion, although it propone for the principall ends, the Glorie of GOD, and the Safetie of the KIRK,Religion doeth good to … the whole commonweal. yet it serveth many vvayes for the Civill good, and vvorldly benefite of Kings and Kingdomes. Because the true Religion, and no other, maketh Kings and Kingdomes to serue that GOD that giueth both Heauenly and Earthly Kingdomes.cHostis Herodes impie, Christum venire quid times? non cripit mortalia, qui regna dot coelesti…. Sedulius Hymn. Who looseth the Bands of Kings, and girdeth their loynes vvith a girdle: Who is the onelyonly Judge, that putteth dovvne one, and setteth up an other. And therefore godlynesse hath the promise, and true Religion hath many blessinges attending. It is a blessed thing, vvhen a King, or a Kingdome serveth that GOD, by vvhom kings reigne, and vvho giveth and taketh avvay kingdomes at his pleaure: Next because it qualifieth and disposeth every man for his ovvne place. It maketh rulers to know, that every Kingdome is under a greater Kingdome,dOmne sub regno gravioriregnum est Sonec. Traged. and as they are advanced aboue all others, that they hauehave so much the greater account to make. It maketh the subjects to obey for conscience sake, and subdueth the people under theyr Prince: which made Theodosius to acknowledge, that his empire consisted more by Christian religion, then by all other meanes. It keepeth true peace, both publick and private, and when peace can be no longer kept, it followeth after it to find it againe. Jt maketh men just and temperate in time of peace, not by restraint, vvhichwhich positiue lavves doe, but by mortification. With Christians to think that vvickednes is sinne, Whether of the tvvo commandeth more fully (sayth Tertullian) he vvho sayth, Thou shalt not kill, or he who sayth, thou shalt not be angry: vvhichwhich of the tvvo is more perfect to forbid adulterie, or to restraine the eyes from concupiscencs &c. It maketh every man to practise Christianitie in the particular duties of his calling. In the time of war it maketh men couragious, & to feare none but him that can kill the soule. In persecution it maketh invincible patience▪ Without confusion it giveth at all times unto God, that vvhichwhich is Gods, and unto Caesar that vvhichwhich is Caesars, and vvithout usurpation or injurie to any, it giveth unto Noblemen, Statesmen, Barons, Burgesses, and all from the highest to the lovvest in the Kingdome, their ovvn places, preferments and priviledges, according to the soveraigne lavv of justice. All estates hauehave neede of this divine influence,The best religion is best for the state and of all these comfortable effects, and every religion promiseth them all, but onelyonly Christian Religion is able to performe them, and the more Christian it is, that is, the more neare that it cometh to the puritie & simplicitie of Christ and his Apostles both in doctrine and discipline, and the more christianly, that is, the more povverfully it be urged upon the consciences of men, the more effectually it proveth for these happy ones. Let us then upon this ground proceede to our tryall, vvhether the Pastor or Prelate be more profitable for the Countrey and Common vvealth.
THE PASTOR preserveth the prosperous estate of the Kingdome and commonwealth,The Pastor preserveth the Commonwealth, which the prelate ruinateth. by labouring to preserue pietie, righteousnesse, and temperance in the Land, and by oppusing with al his might against Idolatrie and all sorts of impietie, against unrighteousnesse and all sorts of injurie, whether by craft or violence, and against intemperancie, incontinencie unlawfull mariages, divorces, and whatsoever kinde of impurities:eNon tam numerorum simulacra inania, aut Solis & syderum immutabilū ratio urbes & regna perdunt: quam impietas primum, deinde injustitia, & virtutum expu…trix luxuria, Dom. de la None. discurs. polit. 1. for these three where they reigne he knoweth to be more neare and certaine causes, first of the many calamities and judgements of God, and then of the alterations and periodes of states and Kingdomes, then eyther the intricate numbers of Plato, or the unchanged course of the heauens,Causas eversionis reipublicae quaerunt in ipsa reipublica. Arist. polit. 5. Bodian. de reipub. libr. 4. Daneus politi. cap. 5. foreign Xenoph. paed. Cyr. 8. Fulix respublica esse non potest, stantibus moenibus, ruentibus moribus. Chokier Haec nisi urbe ab…rant, centuplex murus rebus servandis parum est. Plaut. or what other cause is pretended by philosophers or politicks, because these where they raigne, they threatten a ruine from the true fatalitie of Gods providence & justice, & doe shake the pillars of all humane societie, as Idolatrie the pillars of the Kirk, unrighteousnes of the Cōmonwealth, and intemperance of the family, & one of the three falling, the other two cannot long endure.
The PRELATE upon the contrarie, by taking in his owne hands the power of the generall assembly, which was a great terror to sinne, by depriving some worthy pastors of their places, and others of their authoritie in censuring of sinne, by destroying the discipline of the Kirk, and by his owne many unlawfull practises and permissions, hath giuen way to Idolatrie, blaspbemie, and the prophanation of the Sabbath, to all sorts of Scandalous and notorious Sinnes of unrighteousnesse, uncleannes, and of the abuse of Gods creatures, for which the wrath of God commeth upon the world. But most of all by bringing a great part of the kingdome under the guiltines of the violation of the covenant of God, and of doing against their oath and Subscription hath drawne on many visitations from the hand of God, doeth dayly provoke the Lord to further wrath, stryketh at the pillars of all Societies, and posteth on the periods of State and Kingdome.
2. The PASTOR accounteth vertue,The pastor loveth Christian simplicitie, and not Machivels policie: the prelate liketh policie more then that simplicity. trueth, righteousnesse, Christian simplicitie, and prudence to be the best policie, not onelyonly for his owne practise, but for all that are in authoritie, and for all societies: and therefore pronounceth anathema upon the chiefest axiomes of Machiavels arte,fAnte omnia optandum principi ut pius videatur, non tamen ut sit. Oportet principem semper adversari… in se alere, ut eo oppresso potentior videatur. Religio animos hominum, primit, servitia subditos … officio continet. Tuta est civitas quae dissidia & f…ctiones nutrit. Machiv. de princ. & comment. in Livium. whom he judgeth to be as pernicious a master of policie, as Antichrist is for matters of Religion: and these two to be the principall supposts of Sathan, the direct enemy of Christian fayth and obedience, and the craftie subverters of Kirks and Commonwealths, unfitte for all, but most unfitte for us, whom grace hath favoured with the light of the trueth, and nature hath fashioned to be open and plaine.
The PRELATES practises doe proclaime what policie pleaseth him best. Simulation, dissimulation, falsehoode and Flattery are knowen to be the wayes of his promotion. He standeth in his grandeur and possesseth his peace, by promising good service in parliament to the King, against the Nobilitie, and blowing the bellowes of dissention betwixt them: he warmeth himselfe at the fire he hath raysed betwixt the King and Kirk. He beareth with men of every religion, providing they be not Antiepiscopall. He urgeth Ceremonies, which he himselfe otherwise careth nothing for, that they may be a band of obedience to the slavish, and a buckler of Episcopacie against the opposites, he suffereth papistrie to prevaile, and new heresies to arise, and giveth connivence to the Teachers of them, that there may be some other matter of disputation amongst learned men, then about his myter. If all would follow his arte and example, Antichrist & Machiavel would be our chiefest Maisters, and every Scottish man of spirit would proue another Caesar Borgia, or Ludovieus SfortiagAlter urbinatem, alter Mediolanensem Ducatum artibus Machiavellicis invasit, & ad tempus tenuit, uter que Machiavellicae politiae exemplar perfectissimum misero periit. Dane. polit. praef…t..
3. The PASTOR according to the nature of things distinguisheth betwixt the things of God and the things of Caesar,The Pastor distinguisheth betwixt things civill and ecclesiasticall, and holdeth him at his owne calling: the prelate confoundeth all, and will rule all. betwixt the soveraigntie of Christ, and the souveraigntie of man, betwixt the dignitie of the Statesman and honour of the Elder, that labours in the word and doctrine, betwixt the palace of the Prince, and the Ministers manse, the revenues of the Noble-man, and the Ministers stipend; and according to the grounds of policiehforeign. Aristot, polit. 4. holdeth, that many offices should be conferred upon one man, except rarely, by the speciall favour of Princes, upon some that are eminent, as miracles for engine, for wisedome, and dexteritie, by reason of mans infirmitie, the weight of authoritie, the order of the policie, and the peace of the people: that as everie thing in nature doeth the owne part, the …nne shyneth, and the wind bloweth, the water moysteneth, so every man should be set to his owne taske,iNemo sequens existimat se posse simul Aeneam & Hectorem, Catonem & Scipionem in thea…ro ci…itatis agere. Cas. polit… libr. 2. that one man cannot both be Aeneas and Hector, Cato and Scipio, farre lesse can one and the same person be sufficient for the greatest affaires, both of Kirk and policie. And therefore the Pastor keepeth himselfe within the bounds of his owne place and calling, and neyther medleth with civill causes, nor taketh upon him civill offices, nor seeketh after civill honour.
The PRELATE maketh no distinction, but confoundeth all, as compatible ynough, if he be the agent. And albeit for any good parts to be no miracle, but neighbourlike,kRomani, Macedones, Lacedamonij legem tulerunt, ut nemo duobus simul fungatur officis. Metiothus exercitū ducit. Metiothus vias …urat, Metiothus furinā tractat, Metiothus cū ctis aliis praest, Metiothus ita que plorabit. Plutarch. The Pastor assisteth the civill Magistrate, the prelat hindreth him. yet he findeth himself sufficient for everything in Kirk and Common-wealth, and telleth all for fish that commeth in his nette, whether Civill offices, Civill Honours, civill causes, or civill punishments: Like a Prince he hath his castle, his Lordship, his Regalitie, Vassalry, &c. He hath power to confyne, imprison &c. and taketh it hardly, when he is not preferred to Offices of estate, as to be Chancellor, President &c. which his predecessors had of old. And thus against all ground of good policie he stands in pompe, as a mightie Gyant, with one Foote in the Kirk upon the necks of the Ministers, and with another in the state, upon the heads of the Nobilitie and Gentrie.
4. The PASTOR assisteth the Civill Magistrate in planting of virtue, and rooting out of vice, partly by powerfull preaching home to the Consciences of sinners,lH…c coertio ad Christe norman dirigitur, latenter primum & amice, deinde paulo acerbius, tunc nisi paret sequitur interdictio sacrorum gravis & efficax, interdictionem animadversio magistratus. Ita sit ut quae legibus nusquavindicantur, illie sine vi & tumul tu coerceantur, igitur nulla meretricia, nullae ebrietates, nullae saltationes, nulli mendici, nulli otiosi in ea civitate reperiuntur. Bodin. de rep. Ge…nevens. meth. … cap. 6. partly by censuring lesser offences, which the Magistrate punisheth not, as lying, uncomelie jesting, rash and common swearing, rotten talking, brauling, drunckennesse &c. Wherethrough the passages to murther, adulterie, and other great offences are stopped, the people prevented in many mischiefs, and great enormities, and the Magistrate many waies eased, and partly in censuring of greater sinnes, and purging the Kingdome of foule offences: for he joyneth the Censures and the spirituall sword of the Kirk with the sword of the Magistrate, so unpartially, that none are spared, with such expedition and diligence, that sinne is censured, and not forgotten, with such authoritie, that the most ob…tin…e hauehave confessed, that the Kirk had power to binde and loose, with such sharpnesse and severitie that Malefactors hauehave beene affraide, and so universally, that, as there is no crime censurable by the Kirk, but the same is punishable by temporall Iurisdiction, so he holdeth no sinne punishable by Civill Authoritie, but the same is allo censurable by Spirituall power, the one punishing the offender in his bodye or goods, the other drawing him unto repentance, and to remoue the scandall.
The PRELATE is unprofitable to the Civill Magistrate in planting of virtue, and rooting out of vice: for where his government hath place, preaching hath more demonstration of Arte for the praise of the speaker, then of the Spirit for the censuring of sinne, and conversion of the sinner: He passeth small offences without any censure, & thereby openeth the way to the greatest sins of murther, adulterie &c. and giveth the Magistrate his hands full. He vendicates to his court and jurisdiction some crimes, as proper for his censure, which yet he passeth lightly. The censures of the Kirk and sword of excommunication in his hand serue for small use against greater sins. For eyther they are not used at all, or so partially, that the greatest sinners escape uncensured, or so superficially, that they are rather a matter of mocking and boldnesse in sinne, then of repentance to the sinner, or of removing the offence.
5. The PASTOR is chargeable to no man beside his sober and necessarie maintenance allotted unto him for his necessarie service,The pastor profitable to the commonwealth, but not chargeable: the prelate chargeable but not profitable. which the people can no more want, then they may want religion it selfe, or their owne temporall and eternall happines.
The PRELATE contrarie to the rules of policiemNon est studendum ut plurimi sint in repub. magistratus, sed ut quam cō modissime & optime gerant remp, ij qui erunt necessarij. against the multiplying and mainteyning of idle officebearers, hath for one office, serving for no good use neither to King, nor Kirk, nor Countrey, allowance of a large rent, is a great burthen, and is many waies chargeable to the Commonwealth, and to particular persons; by his great lands and Lordship, by actions of improbation, reductions of feiffes, declarator of esheits, entresses nonentresses &c. by selling of commissariats &c. by raysing and rigorously exacting the Quots of Testaments, by sommes of money giuen unto them, their sonnes or theyr servants, for presentations, collations, testimonials of ordination, or admission, sometimes by people who would be at a good Minister, and ordinarily by the cannie friends of the intrant, who can finde no entrie but by a golden port.
6. The PASTOR would hauehave learning to growe,The pastor a ma…ner of Schooles and learning, the Prelate of neither. & considering thatnQuales schola exhibet h…mines, tales habitura est respublica. Dan. pol. Hinc major pars salutis vel corruptionis reip. pendet, & ex scholarum fontibus, divini & humani …ur… praesidium vel expugnatio oritur; ibi enim discuntur prima literarum monumenta, artes ingenuae mores, jura divina & humana, quae omnia permaxi me interest incontaminata servari &c. Greg. Tholos. lib. 13. cap. 3. Plebeiis argenti, nobilibus auri, principibus gemmarum loco literas esse debere. Aeneas Syl. Platina, Indoctus Episcopus asino comparandus. idem. Schooles and Colledges are both the seminarie of the Commonwealth, & the Lebanon of God for building the Temple, desyreth earnestly, that there might be a Schoole in every congregation, that the people might be more civill, and might more easily learne the groundes of Religion, he would hauehave the best ingynes chosen & provided to the students places in universities, the worthyest & best men to the places of Teachers, who might faythfully keepe the Arts and Sciences from corruption, and especially the trueth of Religion, as the holy fire that came down from heauen was kept by the Levites. He desireth the rewards of learning to be giuen to the worthyest, and after they hauehave received them, that they be faythfull in their places, least by loytering and lazinesse, they become both unprofitable and unlearned.
The PRELATE is not so desirous of learning in himselfe, as of ignorance in others, that be onelyonly may be eminent both in Kirk and Commonwealth, and all others may render him blinde obedience and respect. He devoureth that himselfe which should entertaine particular schooles: he filleth the places of students without tryall of their ingines to pleasure his friends and suyters, contrarie to the will of the maisters and the Acts of the foundations; he filleth the places of learning not with the learnedst, but the welthiest sort, who for any vigilancie of his might both corrupt the humane sciences and bring strange fire into the house of God. If a learned man happen to attaine to one of their highest places; which they call the rewards of learning, incontinent their learning beginneth to decay, and their former gifts to wither away. So that their greate places and prelacies eyther finde them or make them unlearned.
7. The PASTOR by the gouvernment of the Kirk prescribed in the word,The Pastors governmēt by assemblies meeter for a Monarchie thē the episcopal gouvernment. oPossunt judicare, non possunt praejudicare, habent vim charitatis, non habent vim authoritatis. Hugo de S. victore de sacram. part. 2.is strong to resist or represse Schismes, heresies, corruptions, and all the spirituall power of sinne and Sathan, but hath no strength to withstand the temporall power and authoritie of Princes. The same gouvernment sorts with monarchie no lesse, then with Aristocrasie through the wisdome of the Sonne of God, who fitteth the same for all nations, and diverse formes of civill policie. The Pastor acknowledgeth his Prince to be his onelyonly Bishop, and overseer superintendent over the whole Kirk in his dominions, as being the preserver of the liberties of the Kirk and keeper of both tables, To whom also the generall assembly of the Kirk, of some few commissioners chosen by them and convened, when it is thought expedient by the Kings Commissioner, may giuegive his Majestie better and more speedy satisfaction in Kirk affaires, and with greater louelove and contentment of the whole Kirk, and of all his Majesties loving subjects, then can be giuen by the thirteene Prelates. All which may be done upon a small parte of the prelates rent, for bearing the charges of his Majesties Commissioner, who also may be changed at his Majesties pleasure.
The PRELATE and his gouvernment it weake to withstand the spirituall forces of sinne and Sathan, but is strong to oppose the temporall power of princes, and hath beene of all enemies the most dangerous to monarchie; for howsoever now, while opposition is made, he flatter & fawne upon the Prince for his owne standing, yet if all Ministers and the whole Kingdome did acknowledge his Superioritie of binde the conscience, the Primate of the Kirk would be powerfull then any Subject in the kingdome, pQuod si Christiani olim non deposuerunt Neronem & Dioclesianum, & Iulianum apostatam ac Valentem Arianum & similes, id fuit quia deerant vires temporales Christianis. Bellarm. de Rom. Pont. l. 5. c. 7. pessime sed ut Hierarchicum decebat.and might proue as terrible to Kings, whatsoever their Religion were, as Popes hauehave beene to Emperors, and Prelates hauehave beene to Kings in former times. He hath no power for all his credite and Lordly authority to get any thing done to his Majesties satisfaction, and with contentment of the Kirk, for all the craft and violence, that hath been so long bended, never one whole famous congregation within the Kingdome is eyther conquested, or like to be subdued to his Conformitie, but eyther the better or greater part, or both hauehave resisted. And yet for his Lordly maintenance he hath impayred the rent of the crowne, in so farre as it was aided by the collectorie, he pulleth from the King the rents of great benefices, the homage of Vassales with their commodities, Regalities, & other priviledges more proper for the Scepter then the Shepheards staffe.
8. The PASTOR desyreth no other title,The Pastor taketh no mans title, nor dignitie nor place: the Prelate taketh all these from the Nobles and Peeres of the Land. but to be called the minister of the towne or parish, he stryveth with no man for precedencie, he seekth no place in the Common wealth, neyther in Counsell, Session, nor Exchequor, but stirreth up, and soundeth the Trumpet in the eare of the generous spirits of the Kingdome, to shewe themselues worthy of their owne places, and whether he be Minister in brough or land, he is a Common servant to all, from the highest to the lowest, to parents and children, to Masters & fervants in all pastorall dueties: while he liveth he harmeth none, but helping all, procuring honour to the greater, & maintenance to the poorer sorte, & when his life is brought to a comfortable end, every soule blesseth him, and all mourne for him, as for a common parent,
The PRELATE according to the politicall axiome qVirtute decrescente crescit vanitas, & titulorum arrogantia proverbium de repub. Veneta cū usurparetur titulus, Domine, sim pliciter, tunc …acta est resp. cum Domine stabilita est: Magnifice Domine tunc eversa est. Plebeios ex humili. genere natos, si ad dignitates & honores pervenerint, immemires suae sortis, plerum que ambitione insolenter se efficere alios que deptimere conari cōstat. ijdē multo insolentiores & propemodum intollerabiliores magna cū actura reip. esse solent. quā qui nobili celebri & vetere stirpe geniti sunt, ita ut veterū ille rectè dixerit. Baiuli imperāt & mali sunt superiores bonis, …etuo ne navē fluctus opprimat. Camer. cent. 2. foreign. Epig. grac. The Pastor maketh the mindes, the bodies and estates of the people sit for warre: the prel. disableth all.When vertue waineth, Vanity waxeth, and many titles much vanitie, disdayning to he called any more the Minister of Christ, hath taken upon him the Titles of the Nobilitie, My Lord of Orknay, My Lord or Cathnes, My Lord of Murray, My Lord of Argyl, &c. with the title he taketh the place before them, and filleth their places in Councell and Session, and when risen up from his dunghill, he is set on high places, and is drunken with his new honours, he lefteth his eares like Isis Asse, aud as handmaides, when they become mistresses, he waxeth so insolent, that he can not be borne. In his owne citie he will hauehave momage of all, overtruleth the election of their Magistrates, harmeth both parents and children through the Countrey, by giving warrant far suddaine and secret mariages without proclamation, which the verye Counsell of Trent cannot but allow, he taketh the honour of the greater to himselfe, and spends that upon his pride, which should serue for the poorer sorte. And when after many wishes, his life at last is brought to an ende, the whole Diocie is filled with joy, and his owne familie and friends are filled with centempt, and disgrace.
9. The PASTOR maketh the Kingdome fitte for warre, against the time that necessities giuegive alarme: for, by labouring to make the people truly religious, he maketh them resolute for both parts of Christian fortitude, actiue and passiue, for doing valiantly, and suffering constantly. In the time of peace,rFortiter ille facit qui mi…ser esse potest he stirreth them up against softnesse and intemperancie, to diligence and labour, whereby their bodies are the more able and durable: He strengtheneth also the nerues of warre, by contenting himselfe with a meane estate, & by his doctrine and example teaching people to spare in peace, for the time of warre.
The PRELATE maketh the Kingdome unfitte for warre: for by his government the people loose true fortitude, with the louelove of Religion, that if they hauehave any kinde of Courage for battayle, it is not so much the invincible courage of Christian Religion, as the carnall and bastard Fortitude of Paganisme, which in comparison of the former hath ever been but pusillanimitie. By his oversight of ryoting and idlenes, their bodies become weake and effeminate, and by his owne large rents, and his example of prodigalitie, which to them is a law, he enervates the estate, and cutts asunder the sinewes of warre.
The Prelates objection.
THE Prelate will object,Object. The estates of parliament cannot bear the severitie of Pastors, nor want the prelates to be the third estate. that if you that are Pastors understoode eyther the manners of the people, or the grounds of policie, ye would see that neyther can Noblemen, and others giuen to their pleasure beare your simple and censorious forme of preaching, nor your austeere, and precise forme of discipline, and life, nor yet can the High Court of Parliament wante the Prelates, which make up one of the three estates: that ye are but shallowe, and considers not what depth this drawes.
The Pastors answer.
WE knowe,Ans. Shewing that the faythfull pastor will at some time be found comfortable to all estates, and that the parliament may be perfect without the Prelates. that of all rancks, there be some who louelove their pleasures more then God, and these, according to the first flattering parte of the objection, will say with the old verse:
Non mihi sit Servus, Medicus, Propheta, Sacerdos.
He is no servant fit for me,
Who Phisitian, Prophet, Priest will be.
For such may neyther abide to be cured of their spirituall evils by the Counsell of God, nor to heare of the evils that will come, if they refuse to be cured, nor to exhorted to repentance, when the calamities are turned upon them, that they may be turned away: but all are not such, and from which, while they are in their pleasures, we make appellation to themselues, while they are in the paines or terrors of death, & to be presented before the judge, whether thē the pastor or prelate pleaseth thē better? The other part of the objection, the wisdome of the King and of the honourable Estates of Parliament can answer, who know how a Parliament may be perfect without eyther Pastor or Prelate. If, by the name of a parliament, we understand a generall & nationall meeting of the whole Kingdome and Kirk by their Commissioners, with their supreame Magistrate, and King, every one to giuegive his advise and judgment respectiue, according to the nature of the societie civil, or ecclesiasticall, which he presents: commissioners of the Kirk, to giuegive resolution from the word of God, if neede be, concerning matters civill, but not to meddle with civill causes civilly, and to propone petitions to the King & estates for the good of the Kirk, to require their civill sanction, & to see that nothing be concluded in things civill, that may be a hinderance to the worship of God. The Nobilitie with Cōmissioners of Barons, and Burrowes for civill matters, & to add the civill sanction in the matters of Gods worship, Kirkmen chosen & instructed by the Kirk, may sit in Parliament after this sense, and are bound to cōtribute their best help for the honour of the King & good both of Kirk and Countrey. But if by a Parliament we understand the highest Court & supreame judicature civill, medling onelyonly with civill matters, or with matters of religion civilly, as to adde the civill sanction, and to ratifie by civill authoritie, what hath been put in Cannon by the Kirk before, thē the assembly of the Kirk or their Commissioners may, or should attend the High Court of parliament, as the Convocation house doth in our neighbour Kingdome, but can hauehave no place nor vote in parliament, neither in making lawes aboute things civill, nor in the civill authorising in matters of Religion: for Ministers should not judge of the right of inheritance, nor pronounce sentence aboute forfeyture, nor make lawes about weights, and measures &c. but should exhort the people to obey the civill powers. Without bishops or ministers lawes hauehave been made by Parliament, & may be made now no lesse then without Abbots, Priors &c. who had once vote in Parliament no lesse then they. Their benefices are Baronies, in respect whereof they claime vote in parliament; but they are not Barons or proprietars, & heretable possessors thereof to transmit them to their heirs, or to alienate them, but onelyonly are usufructuaries to hauehave the use of the fruits of them for their time. Neither doth it suite with the ministers calling, to hauehave such Baronies, nor are they to be reckoned for ecclesiasticall persons, but for civill, when they hauehave place in parliament in respect of these Baronies, and therefore cannot vote there in name of the Kirk.
TO conclude then,Conclusion. whether we looke to the word of God, or to the more pure and primitiue times of the Kirk, or to the nature & use of things indifferent, or to the Reformation and proceeding of our owne Kirk, or the good of the Kirk, and of the peoples soules, or to the happinesse of the Commonwealth, and the good of every one, from the King that sitteth upon the Throne, to him that heweth the woode, and draweth the water, we may see, whether the Pastor, or the Prelate, whether Reformation or Conformitie is to be followed by the true Christian and Countreyman. And that there is as greate difference betwixt the Bishops of our times, and the faythfull Pastors of the Reformed Kirks, as is from the light that commeth from the starres of heauen, and the thick darkenesse that ariseth from the bottomlesse pitte. And it may be made manifest, that since Bishops were cast in the moulde of the man of sinne, wheresoever they hauehave ruled, whether amongst the Papisticall and the Reformed (some fewe excepted, who when they ventured upon these places, wente out of their owne element) they hauehave been the greatest plagues both to Kirks, and Kingdomes, that ever had authoritie in the Christian world. Neither needeth any man to object,A generall objection answered. that the Comparison that we hauehave made, runneth all the way betwixt the good Pastor, and the evill Prelate, and therefore may be answered by the like unequall comparison, betwixt the good Prelate and the evill Pastor, as if the most part of the episcopall evils aboue mentioned were onelyonly the personall faults of the men, & not the corruptions necessarily accōpanying the estate and order of Prelates, and that if good men fill these places, there is no danger but the Kirk may be aswell, or better governed by prelates, then by Pastors: for the comparison is not so much betwixt the Pastor and Prelate, as betwixt the office of a Pastor and the office of a Prelate or Bishop.sAliud est injusta potestate justè velle uti, & aliud est justa potestate injustè velle uti. August. de bono conjug. cap. 14. It is one thing (as Augustine sayth) to use an unlawfull power lawfully, and an other thing to use a lawfull power unrighteously and unjustly. Pastors may hauehave their owne personal infirmities, and never so many as under the Prelates gouvernment: and Prelates may hauehave their owne good parts, and never so many as by the occasion of the Pastors opposition: but neyther the one nor the other are to be ascribed to their offices, nor is the lawfulnesse and unlawfulnesse of their offices to be judged by their persons. It is true, when an unlawful power and a lawlesse man meete together the case of those that are under his authoritie must be the worse, as we may see in the Papacie, which being alwaies evill for the Kirk, yet hauehave proved worse, when monsters in steade of men hauehave sitte in that seate. But it is evident, that the evils which Prelates and their Lordly government bring upon the Kirk, doe flowe from their sole jurisdiction, exorbitant power, medling in civill government, and the curse of God upon that unlawfull estate, all which are common to the whole order, and not peculiar to some persons. And the corruptions which are common to all in these places, although greater in some then in others, of necessitie must flowe from the unlawfulnesse of the state and office it selfe. It is so farre, that good men put in the places of Prelacie, can make the government good, that the places of prelacie hauehave ever corrupted the men, and made them worse. So it was with Aeneas Sylvius, who before his Popedome seemed sound and honest, mainteyning many points against the tyrannie of the seate, but being made Pope Pius the II, retreated all, and proved as impious and Antichristian as the rest: So many that hauehave beene of good account in the Ministerie, and giuen hope of great good by them to the Kirk, when they entred to be Bishops, yet wholly degenerated from their first works, and learned betime ululare cum lupis, to houle with the wolues: the experience whereof made Queene Elizabeth to say, When she made a Bishop, that she marred a good Minister.
FINIS.
GEntle Reader be intreated favourablie to passe by some slips in printing: as when one letter is put for another, as n for r Scacarium pag. 28. lin. à fine 6. or one letter is wanting as pag. 20. in margine Aerianum: or a letter abounds, as pag. 63. in margine Bodin. repi. or when a siliable is wanting pag. 26. lin. ult. became. pag. 41. in marg. Scoticana. or altered pag. 64. in marg. savitia. or a word is misplaced, pag. 25. med. & the daughter had devouted the mother. and some other the like.
End of the text · David Calderwood, The Pastor and the Prelate (1628)