Review of Brambles Warning Against the Scots Discipline, Chapter 2
CHAP. II.
No controver ſie in Scotland betwixt the King and the Church, about the convocating of Synods.The Preſbiterians aſſert poſitively, the Magiſtrats right to convocat Synods, to confirme their acts, to reforme the Churches within their dominions.
IN the ſecond Chapter the warner charges the Scotes preſbytery, with the overthrowing the Magiſtrats right in convocating of Synods. When he comes to prove this, he forgets his challenge: and digreſſes from it to the Magiſtrates power of choyſing elders and making Eccleſiaſtick lawes, avowing that theſe things are done in Scotland by Eccleſiaſtick perſons alone, without conſent of the king or his counſel. Anſ. It ſeemes our Warner is very ignorant of the way of the Scotes diſcipline, the ordinary and ſet meetings of all aſſemblies both nationall and provincionall ſince the firſt reformation are determined by acts of Parliament, with the Kings conſent, ſo betwixt the King and the Church of Scotland, there is no queſtion for the convocating of ordinary aſſemblies, for extraordinary, no man in Scotland did ever controvert the Kings power to call them when and where he pleaſed: as for the inhaerent power of the Church to meet for diſcipline, alſwell as for worship, the Warner fals on it heereafter, we muſt therefore paſſe it in this place.
What hee meanes to ſpeake of the Kings power in choyſing elders or making Eccleſiaſtick Lawes, himſelfe knowes: The warners Eraſtian and Tirannick principles, hated by the King.his Majeſtie in Scotland did never require any ſuch priviledge, as the election of elders, or Commiſſioners to Parliament, or members of any incorporation, civill or Eccleſiaſtick, where the Lawes did not expreſly provide the nomination to be in the crowne. The making of Eccleſiaſtick Lawes in England, alſwell as in Scotland, was ever with the Kings good contentment, referred to Eccleſiaſtick aſſemblies: but the Warner ſeemes to be in the mind of theſe his companions, who put the power of preaching, of adminiſtring the Sacraments and diſcipline in the ſupreame Magiſtrat alone, and derives it out of him as the head of the Church to what members he thinks expedient to communicat it: alſo that the legiſlative power alſwell in Eccleſiaſtick as civill affairs, is the property of the King alone. That the Parliaments and generall aſſemblies are but his arbitrary duplicate page duplicate page counſels, the one for matters of the ſtate, the other for matters of the Church, with whom or without whom hee makes acts of Parliament and Church cannons, according to his good pleaſure, that all the offices of the Kingdome, both of Church and State are from him, as he gives a Commiſſion to whom he will to be a sheriffe or juſtice of peace, ſo he ſends out whom he pleaſeth to preach & celebrate Sacraments by virtue of his regal miſſion. The Warner and his Eraſtian friends may well extend the royall ſupremacy to this largenes, but no King of Scotland was ever willing to accept of ſuch a power though by erroneous flaterers, ſometimes obtruded upon him, (ſee Canterburian ſelf conviction. cap. ult.)
The Warner will not leave this matter in generall, The Warners ignorant and falſe report of the Scotes proceedings.he diſcends to inſtance a number of particular incroatchments of the Scots Presbiters upon the royall authority: wee muſt diſpence in all his diſcourſe with a ſmall peckadillo in reaſoning, hee muſt bee permitted to lay all the faults of the Presbiterians in Scotland upon the back of the Preſbitery it ſelfe, as if the faylings of officers were naturall to, and inſeparable from their office: mis-kenning this little mote of unconſequentiall argumenting, we will goe through his particular charges, the firſt is, that King James anno 1579, required the generall aſſembly, to make no alteration in the Church-Policy, till the next Parliament, but they contemning their Kings command, determined poſitively all their diſcipline without delay, and queſtioned the Arch-Biſchop of Sainct Andrews for voting in Parliament according to the undoubted Lawes of the Land, yea twenty Presbiters did hold the generall aſſembly at Aberdeen after it was diſcharged by the King. Anſ. The Warner poſſibly may know, yet certainly he doth not care what he writes in theſe things to which hee is a meere ſtranger: the authentick regiſters of the Church of Scotland convinces him heire of falshood. Bishops were aboliſhed and Presby teries ſet up in Scotland with King Iames conſent.His Majeſtie did write from Stirling to the generall aſſembly at Edinburgh 1579, that they should ceaſſe from concluding any thing in the diſcipline of the Church, during the time of his minority; upon this deſire the aſſembly did abſtaine from all concluſions, only they named a committee to goe to Striveling for conference which his Majeſtie upon that ſubject. What followeth thereupon? I. Immediatly a Parliament is called in October 1579, and in the firſt act declares and grantes juriſdiction unto the Kirk, whilk conſiſtes in the true preaching of the word of Jeſus Chriſt, correction of manners, and adminiſtration of the true Sacraments, and declares that there is no other face of Kirk, nor other face of Religion then is preſently by the favour of God eſtablished within this realme, and that there be no other juriſdiction Eccleſiaſtical acknowledged within this realme then that whilk is, and shalbe within the ſamen Kirk, or that which flowes therfra, concerning the premiſſes. II. In Aprile 1580. Proclamation was made ex deliberatione Dominorum Conſilii in name of the King, charging all Superintendentes and Commiſſioners and Miniſters ſerving at Kirkes. To note the names of all the ſubjectes alſweel men as women ſuſpected to be Papiſtes or — and to admonish them — to give Confeſſion of their faith according to the Forme approved by the Parliament, and to ſubmitte unto the diſcipline of the true Kirk within a reaſonable ſpace —: and if they faile — that the Superintendents or Commiſſioners preſente a role or catalogue of their names unto the King and Lords of Secret Counſell whereby they shalbe for the time, between and the 15 day of Iulie nixt to come, to the end that the actes of Parliament made againſt ſuch perſones may be execute. III. The shorte Confeſſion wes drawen up at the Kings command, which was firſt ſubſcrived by his royall hand, and an act of Secret Counſell commanding all ſubjectes to ſubſcrive the ſame; as is to be ſeen by the Act printed with the Confeſſion, wherein Hierarchie is abjured, that is (as hath been ſince declared by Nationall aſſemblies and Parliamentes both called and held by the King) epiſcopacie is abjured. IV. In the aſſemblies 1580 and 1581 that Confeſſion of faith and the ſecond book of diſcipline (after debating many praeceding years) were approved (except one chapter de diaconatu) by the Aſſemblie, the Kings Commiſſioner being alwayes preſente, not finde we any thing oppoſed then by him: yea then at his Majeſties ſpeciall direction about fifty claſſical Presbyteries were ſet up over all Scotland which remaine unto this day, Was there heer any contempt of the roy all authority?
About that time ſome noble men had gote the revenues of the Biſſhop-rickes for their private uſe; and becauſe they could not enjoy them by any legal right, therefore for eluding the Law, they did effectuate that ſome Miniſters should have the title of this or that Bishopricke; and the revenues were gathered in the name of this titulare or tulchan Bishop, albeit hee had but little part: e. g. Robert Montgomerie Miniſter at Sterline was called Arch-Bishop of Glaſgow: and ſo it can bee inſtanced in other Bishop-rickes and abbacies. Now this kind of praelats pretended no right to any part of the Epiſcopall office, either in ordination or juriſdiction: when ſome of theſe men began to creep in to vote for the Church in Parliament, without any Law of the State, without any commiſſion from the Church, the generall aſſembly diſcharged them, being Miniſters, to practiſe any more ſuch illegall inſolencies, with this ordinance of the Church, after a little debate, King James at that time did shew his good ſatisfaction.
But the Warner heere jumps over noleſſe then twenty ſeven years time from the aſſembly at Edinburgh 1579, The innocency of the much maligned aſſembly of Aberdeen.to that at Aberdeen 1605, then was King James by the English Bishops perſwaſion reſolved to put down the generall aſſemblies of Scotland, contrary to the Lawes and conſtant practiſe of that Church, from the firſt reformation to that day. The act of Parliament did bear that once at leaſt a yeare the aſſembly should meet, and after their buſines was ended they should name time & place for the next aſſembly. When they had met in the yeare 1602, they were moved to adjourne without doing any thing for two whole yeares to 1604, when then they were conveened at the time and place agreed to by his Majeſtie, they were content upon his Majeſties deſire without doing any thing againe to adjourne to the nixt yeare 1605, at Aberdeen, when that dyet came his Majeſties Commiſſioner offered them a Letter: To the end they might be an Aſſembly and ſo in a Capacity to receave his Majeſties Letter, with the Commiſſioners good pleaſure they ſate downe, they named their Moderator and Clark they received and read the Kings letter commanding them to riſe, which they obeyed without any farther action at all but naming a dyet for the nixt meeting according to the Lawes and conſtant practiſe of Scotland, hereupon by the pernicious counſel of Arch-Bishop Banckroft at London, the King was ſtirred up to bring ſore trouble upon a number of gracious Miniſters. Chriſtmas and other ſuperſtitious feſtivals abolished in Scotland, both by Church and State.This is the whole matter which to the Warner heir is ſo tragick an inſolence, that never any Parliament durſt attempt the like. See more of this in the Hiſtoricall vindication.
The nixt inſtance of our Presbiteryes uſurpation upon the Magiſtrat is their abolition, (before any ſtatute of Parliament thereupon) of the Church feſtivals in their firſt book of diſcipline. Anſ. Conſider the grievouſneſſe of this crime, in the intervall of Parliaments, the great counſel of Scotland in the minority of the Prince entruſted by Parliament to rule the Kingdome, did charge the Church to give them in wryte their judgement about matters Eccleſiaſticall: in obedience to this charge the Church did preſent the counſel with a wryte named ſince the firſt book of diſciplin: which the Lords of counſel did approve, ſubſcribe and ratify by an Act of State: a part of the firſt head in that wryte was that Chriſtmas, Epiphany, purification, and other fond feaſts of the virgin Mary, as not warranted by the holy Scriptures, should bee laid aſide. Was it any encroachment upon the Magiſtrate for the Church to give this advice to the privy counſell when earneſtly they did crave it? the people of Scotland ever ſince have shewed their ready obedience to that direction of the Church founded upon Scripture, and backed from the beginning with an injunction of the ſtate.
His third inſtance of the Church of Scotlands uſurpation upon the Magiſtrat is, The friends of Epiſcopacy thryves not in Scotland.their abolition of Epiſcopacy in the aſſembly 1580, when the Law made it treaſon to impugne the authority of Bishops, being the third eſtate of the Kingdome. Anſ. The Warner ſeemes to have no more knowledge of the affairs of Scotland, then of Japan or Utopia, the Law hee ſpeakes of was not in being ſome yeares after 1580, how ever all the generall aſſemblyes of Scotland are authoriſed by act of Parliament, to determine finally without an appeale in all Eccleſiaſtick affaires: in the named aſſembly Lundie the Kings Commiſſioner did ſit and conſent in his Majeſties name to that act of abolition, as in the nixt aſſembly 1581, the Kings Commiſſioner Caprinton did erect in his Majeſties name the Presbiteryes in all the Land; it is true, three yeares thereafter a wicked Courtier Captaine James Stuart, in a shadow of a cloſſe and not ſummoned Parliament, did procure an act to abolish Presbiteries and erect Bishops, but for this and all the reſt of his crimes that evill man was quickly rewarded by God before the world, in a terrible deſtruction: theſe acts of his Parliament the very nixt yeare were diſclaimed by the King, the Bishops were put downe, and the Presbitry was ſet up again, and never more removed to this day.
The Warners digreſſion to the perpetuity of Bishops in Scotland, to the acts of the Church and State for their reſtitution, is but to shew his ignorance in the Scotes ſtory: what ever be the Epiſcopall boaſtings of other Nations, yet it is evident that from the firſt entrance of Chriſtian Religion into Scotland, Preſbiters alone without Bishops for ſome hundred yeares did governe that Church: and after the reformation their was no Bishop in that Land, but in tittle and benefice till the yeare 1610; when Bancroft did conſecrat three Scotes Miniſters, all of them men of evill report, whom that violent Commiſſioner the Earle of Dunbar in the corrupt and null aſſembly of Glaſgow, got authoriſed in ſome pairt of a Bishops office; which part only and no more was ratified in a poſterior Parliament. Superintendents are no where the ſame with Bishops much leſſe in Scotland where for a time only till the Churches were planted, they were uſed as ambulatory Commiſſioners, and viſitors to preach the word, and adminiſter the Sacraments for the ſupply of vacant and unſetled congregations.
The fourth inſtance is the Churches obtruding the ſecond book of diſcipline, without the ratification of the State. Anſ. The ſecond book of diſciplin why not al ratified in Parliament.For the Eccleſiaſtick enjoining of a generall aſſemblyes decrees a particular ratification of Parliament is unneceſſary; generall acts of Parliament commanding obedience to the acts of the Church, are a ſufficient warrant from the State, beſide, that ſecond book of diſciplin was much debated with the King, and at laſt in the generall aſſembly 1590, his conſent was obtained unto it: for in that aſſembly where unanimouſly the ſubſcription of the ſecond book of diſciplin by all the miniſters of the Kingdome was decried, his Majeſtie ſome time in perſon and alwayes by the chancelor his Commiſſioner was preſent, and in the act for ſubſcription Seſſ. 10. Auguſti 8. it is expreſly ſaid that not only all the Miniſters but alſo all the Commiſſioners praeſent did conſent, among which Commisſioners the chancelor, his Majeſties Commiſſioner was chief. But neither the King nor the Church could get it to paſſe the Parliament in regaird of the oppoſition, which ſome States-men did make unto theſe parts thereof, which touched on their owne intereſt of unjuſt advantage, this was the only ſtick.
The next inſtance of the Churches encroachement is their uſurpation of all the old rents of the clergy, The Warners hipocriſy, calling that a crime, which himſelfe counts a virtue.as the Churches patrimony, and their decerning in anaſſembly that nothing in the nixt Parliament should paſſe before the Church were fully reſtored to her rents. Anſ. Conſider heere the Warners hypocriſie and unjuſtice, he challenges the Preſbiterians for that which no praelate in the world did ever eſteem a fault, a meer declaration of their judgement that the Church had a juſt right to ſuch rents, as by law and long poſſesſion were theirs, and not taken away from them by any lawfull meanes. What if heere they had gone on with the moſt of the praelaticall party to advance that right to a jus divinum? what if they had put themſelves by a command from Court, into the poſſesſion of that right, without a proceſſe, as diverſe of the Warners friends were begun lately to doe in all the three Kingdomes? but all that he can here challenge the Scotes for, is a meere declaration of their ſimple right, with a ſupplication to the Regent his grace, that hee would indeavour in the nixt Parliament, to procure a ninth part of the Churches patrimony, for the mantainance of the miniſtry, and the poore of the country: for all the rent that the Churches then could obtaine or did petition, was but a third of the thirds of the benefices or tithes. That ever any aſſembly in Scotland did make any other addreſſe to the Parliament for ſtipends then by way of humble ſupplication, it is a great untruth.
The laſt inſtance is, the erecting of Presbyteries through al the Kingdome, by an act of the Church alone. Anſ. I have showne already the untruth of this alleadgeance; the proofe heere brought for it, is grounded only upon an ambiguous word which the Warners ignorance in the Scotish diſciplin and Presbitery (though the maine ſubject of his booke) permits him not to underſtand. The Presbyteries were ſet up by the King after the aſſembly 1580, but the ſecond booke of diſcipline of which alone the citation ſpeaks, how ever enjoind by many aſſemblies, yet it could never be gotten ratified in any Parliament, only becauſe of theſe parts of it which did ſpeake for the patrimony of the Church, and oppugne the right of patronages.
How well the Warner hath proven the Presbiterian practiſes to be injurious to the Magiſtrate we have conſidered, The Warner a groſſe Eraſtian.poſſibly he will bee more happy in his nixt undertaking, in his demonſtrations that their doctrinall principles doe trample on the Magiſtrats ſupremacy and Lawes; their firſt principle hee takes out of the ſecond book of diſciplin. Cap. 7. That no Magiſtrat nor any but Eccleſiaſtick perſons may vote in Synods. Anſ. Though I find nothing of this in the place cited, yet there is nothing in it that croſſeth either the Laws or the Kings ſupremacy: for according to the acts of Parliament of Scotland both old and late and the conſtant practiſe of that Church, the only members of Preſbyteries are Miniſters and ruling elders. Is it the Warners minde to vent here his ſuper-Eraſtianiſme, that all Eccleſiaſtick aſſemblies Claſſicall, Provinciall, nationall are but the arbitrary Courts of the Magiſtrat for to adviſe him in the execution of his inhaerent power about matters Eccleſiaſticall; and for this cauſe, that it is in his arbitrement to give a deciſive voyce in all Church aſſemblies, to whom and how many ſo ever hee will? Though this may bee the Warners minde, as it hath been ſome of his friends, yet the moſt of the praelaticall party will not man taine him heerein. How ever, ſuch principles are contrary to the Lawes of Scotland, to the profeſſions alſo and practiſes of all the Princes and Magiſtrats that ever have lived there.
But the Warner heere may poſſibly glaunce at another principle of his good friends, Praelatical principles impoſſibilitate alſolid peace, betwixt the King and his Kingdomswho have been willing lately to vent before al Britaine in print their Elevating the ſupremacy of Soveraignes ſo far above Lawes, that what ever people have obtained to bee eſtabliſhed by never ſo many aſſemblies and Parliaments and confirmed with never ſo many great ſeales of ratification, and peaceably injoyed by never ſo long a poſſeſſion, yet it is nothing but commendable wiſedome and juſtice for the ſame Prince who made the firſt conceſſions or any of his ſucceſſors when ever they find themſelfes ſtrong enough, to cancell all and make void what ever Parliaments, Aſſemblies, royall ratifications, and the longeſt poſſeſſion made foolish people beleeve to be moſt firme and unqueſtionable. To this purpoſe Bishop Maxwel (from whom much of this warning is borrowed) doth ſpeak in his Sacro-Sancta regum Majeſtas. Though this had been the Cabine divinity of our praelats, yet what can be their intentions in ſpeaking of it out in theſe times of confuſion, themſelves muſt declare: for the cleare conſequente of ſuch doctrine ſeemes to be a neceſſity either of ſuch Warners perpetuall banishment from the Courts and eares of Soveraignes, or elſe that ſubjects be kept up for ever in a ſtrong jealouſy, and feare that they can never be ſecure of their liberties, though never ſo well ratified by Lawes and promiſes of Princes any longer then the ſword and power remaines in their owne hand to preſerve what they have obtained. Such Warners ſo long as they are poſſeſſed with ſuch maximes of ſtate, are cleare everters of the firſt fundations of truſt betwixt Soveraignes and ſubjects, they take away all poſſibility of any ſolid peace of any confident ſetlement in any troubled ſtate, before both parties be totally ruined or one become ſo ſtrong that they need no more to feare the others malcontentment in any time to come.
Our ſecond challenged principle is that wee teach the whole power of convocating aſſemblies to be in the Church. Eraſtian praelats evert the legall foundations of all government.Anſ. The Warners citations prove not that we maintaine any ſuch aſſertion, our doctrin and conſtant practiſe hath been to aſcribe to the King a power of calling Synods, when and whereſoever he thought fit, but that which the Warner ſeemes to point at is, our tenet of an intrinſicall power in the Church to meet, as for the word and Sacraments ſo for diſciplin; in this all who are Chriſtians, old and late, the praelaticall and Popiſh party as well as others, goe along with us to mantaine in doctrine and practiſe, a neceſſity even in times of perſecution, that the Church muſt meet for the worship of God and execution of Eccleſiaſtick diſciplin among their owne members. In this the doctrine and practiſe of the Scots is according to their ſetled lawes, uncontroverted by his Majeſtie. If the Warner will mantaine, that in reaſon and conſcience al the Churches of the world are oblidged to diſſolve and never more to meet when an erroneous Magiſtrat by his Tyrannous edict commands them to doe ſo, let him call up Eraſtus from the dead to be diſciplined in this new doctrine of the praelats impious loyalty.
The third principle is that the judgment of true and falſe doctrine of ſuſpenſion and deprivation of Miniſters belongeth to the Church. The finall determination of all Eccleſiaſtick cauſes by the Lawes of Scotland, is in the generall aſſembly.Anſ. If this be a great hereſie it is to be charged as much upon the ſtate as upon the Church, for the acts of Parliament give all this power to the Church, neither did the lawes of England or of any Chriſtian ſtate, popish or proteſtant, refuſe to the Church the determination of ſuch Eccleſiaſtick cauſes; ſome indeed doe debate upon the power of appeales from the Church, but in Scotland by the law, as no appeale in things civill goes higher then the Parliament ſo in matters Eccleſiaſtick none goes above the generall aſſembly. Complaints indeed may goe to the King and Parliament for redreſſe of any wrong has been done in Eccleſiaſtick Courts, who being cuſtodes religionis may by their coercive power command Eccleſiaſtick Courts to rectifie any wrong done by them contraire to Scripture, or if they perſiſt take order with them. But that two or three praelats should become a Court of delegats, to receave appeales from a generall aſſembly, neither Law nor practiſe in Scotland did ever admit, nor can the word of God or any Equity require it. In the Scotes aſſemblies no cauſes are agitat but ſuch as the Parliament hath agreed to bee Eccleſiaſtick and of the Churches cogniſance: no Proceſſe about any Church rent was ever cognoſced upon in Scotland but in a civill Court: its very falſe that ever any Church cenſure, much leſſe the higheſt of excommunication did fall upon any for robbing the Church of its patrimony.The divine right of diſcipline, is the tenet of the moſt of praelats.
Our fourth challenged principle is that wee maintain Eccleſiaſtick juriſdiction by a divine right. Anſ. Is this a huge crime? is there divine in the world, either Papiſt or Poteſtant, except a few praelaticall Eraſtians, but they doe ſo? If the Warner will profeſse (as it ſeemes hee muſt) the contradiction of that which he aſcribes to us, his avowed tenet muſt bee that all Eccleſiaſtick power flowes from the Magiſtrat, that the Magiſtrat himſelf may execute all Church cenſures, that all the Officers appointed by Chriſt for the governement of his Church, may bee laid aſide, and ſuch a kind of governors bee put in their place, as the Magiſtrate shalbe pleaſed to appoint: that the ſpirituall ſword and Keies of heaven belong to the Magiſtrate by vertue of his ſupremacy, als wel as the temporall ſword and the Keies of his earthly Kingdome: our difference heere from the Warner will not (I hope) be found the greateſt hereſie.
Our laſt challenged principle is, All the power of the Church in Scotland is legall, and with the Magiſtrats conſente.that wee will have all our power againſt the Magiſtrat, that is, although hee diſſent. Anſ. It is an evill comentare that al muſt be againſt the Magiſtrate, which is done againſt his conſent: but in Scotland their is no ſuch caſe: for all the juriſdiction which the church there does enjoy, they have it with the conſent of the Magiſtrat: all is ratified to them by ſuch acts of Parliament as his Majeſtie doth not at all controvert. Concerning that odious caſe the Warner intimats, whither in time of perſecutiō, when the Magiſtrat claſsheth with the Church, any Eccleſiaſtick diſciplin be then to be exerciſed; himſelfe can better anſwer it then we, who with the auncient Chriſtians doe think, that on all hazards (even of life) the church may not be diſſolved, but muſt meet in dens and caves and in the wildernes for the word and Sacraments and keeping it ſelfe pure by the divine ordinance of diſcipline.The prelats rather then to lay aſide their owne intereſt, will keepe the King and his people in miſery for ever.
Having cleered all the pernicious practiſes and all the wicked Doctrines, which the Warner layes upon us, I think it needles to inſiſt upon theſe defenſes which he in his aboundant charity brings for us, but in his owne way, that he may with the greater advantage impugne them: only I touch one paſſage whereupon he make injurious exclamations: that which Mr. Gileſpie in his theoremes wryts; when the Magiſtrate abuſes his power unto Tyranny and makes havock of all, it is lawfull to reſiſt him by ſome extraordinary wayes and meanes, which are not ordinarily to bee allowed: ſee the principles from which all our miſeryes and the loſſe of our gracious Maſter have flowed. Anſ. Wee muſt heere yeeld to the Warner the great equity and neceſſity that every doctrine of a Presbyter, should be charged on the Presbytery it ſelfe, and that any Presbyter teaching the lawfulneſſe of a Parliaments defenſive armes is tantamont to the Churches taking of armes againſt the king. Theſe ſmall unconſequences wee muſt permit the Warner to ſwallow downe without any ſtick, however wee doe deny that the maxime in hand was the fountaine of any our miſeryes, or the cauſe at all of the loſſe of our late Soveraigne. Did ever his Majeſtie or any of his adviſed counſellers declare it ſimply unlawfull for a Parliament, to take armes for defence in ſome extraordinary caſes, however the unhappines of the Canterburian Prelats did put his Majeſtie on theſe courſes, which did begin and promote all our miſery, and to the very laſt theſe men were ſo wicked as to refuſe the louſing of theſe bands which their hands had tyed about his miſinformed conſcience, yea to this day they will not give their conſent, that his Majeſtie, who now is, should lay aſide Epiſcopacy, were it for the gayning the peaceable poſſeſſion of all his three Kingdomes, but are urgers of him night and day to adhaere to their errours, upon the hazard of all the miſeries that may come on his perſon, on his family and all his people: yet few of them to this day durſt be ſo bold as to print with this Warner, the unlawfulnes of a Parliaments armes againſt the Tyranny of a Prince in any imaginable caſe, how extraordinary ſoever.