The Canterburians Self-Conviction, Postscript
A Poſt-ſcript for the perſonate Ieſuite Lyſimachus Nicanor.
GOod Father Lies-maker, It is the common ſtratageme of the Canterburiās to ſlander all their oppoſites with Ieſuitiſme.you doe no new thing to paralell the Scotiſh Covenanters with Jeſuites, it is the old and oft rechanted ſong of your fellows, to put Jeſuites and Puritanes (which name all muſt be content to beare, who will not under your conduct be led back to Rome) in one categorie, to make them but two ſingulars under one ſpece, both moſt furious rebels, and by open prof…ſſion moſt ſeditious traitours, yet with this difference; that the one, becauſe more oppoſite to you, muſt partake more of the nature of the ſpece; The Puritane (as ye muſt have leave in this ſeaſon of your Kingdome to play the nomenclat…rs) is growne ſo big a traitour, that ſcarce any roome is left for the Ieſuite to ſtand beſide him: Not long agoe it was the equitie of your brother Montagu, to grant the Ieſuite the favour to march with the Puritane under the ſame colours, in the ſame ranke, as devils equally furious unhappily borne and foſtered to keepe Rome and England aſunder.
(a)Supra chap 7. A. A.But now it is the wiſedome of your grand-father Laud to marſhall them much better, the Puritane muſt be farre advanced, the Ieſuite muſt ſtand at his back, that ſo all ſtroakes, all darts, may light in the bodie of the one, while the other eſcapeth without any wound, ſo much as of a word.
In the very face of that honourable court of the Star-chamber, his Grace dare be bold to avow his advice to the King to goe with the Puritanes beyond noſe-ſlitting, cheek-burning, fining above their worth, perpetuall priſoni…g; But for the Ieſuites, his moderation, his Chriſtian patience muſt be proclaimed to the world, hee muſt glorie before the King, that hee counts it unbeſeeming his Grace, to ſerve them with ſo much as courſe …guage, let be to intēd their perſecutiō in the leaſt meaſure.
(b)Chap. L.M. N. For hatred to the Puritanes, the Canterburians are content to turne Jeſuites.Yee muſt therefore Maſter Lies maker bee content to want the honour of the invention, of this parallell, for the ſtrategeme is old, and now become triviall, onelyonly in this, the rare quickneſſe of your wit is to be applauded, and the glory of ſome new invention here, is not to be denyed to the ſingular dexteritie of your engine; Yee are the firſt of the Canterburiane I know, who for the hatred of their party was content avowedly to enter the Ieſuites order, and put on their habite, that from under the maske of their broad hatt, might bee ſpewed out on the face of the Covenanters, ſuch a ſpet of peſtiferous venome, as none would ſuſpect could flow from any other fountaine, then the heart of a very Ieſuite: Surely ye act the Ieſuites part ſo well, tha… it ſeemeth ye have much more of him then his hatt and habit: By too curio…s imitation of his behaviour, ye are ſo habituate in his nature, that ye are not like in haſte, though ye would, to lay it aſide.
In this your pamphlet yee …ent ſo much impudencie, ſo many lies and ſlanders, ſo much ſpight & crueltie, ſo high and diſdainefull pride, ſo ſalt and bitter ſcoffings, mockings, raiſings, and which is worſt of all, ſo profane and blaſphemous abuſe of holy Scripture, for yee make it alway the channell where through your wicked humours muſt runne, for the overwhelming of your enemies; In theſe Ieſuiticke arts yee prove ſo excelent, that in the very firſt ye are of your noviciat, yee may put in for promotions per ſaltum: Sundrie Provincials have not all their dayes ſhewed ſuch cunning as you already, if yee make a proportionall progreſſe, a few yeares may make you generall of the order, if ſo be your minde can ſerve you to change your nation the third time; And as ye have turned from Scottiſh to Engliſh, from Engliſh to Iriſh, yee can be content to ſweare your ſelfe full Spaniard, at leaſt a devoute Servant to Philip the fourth,The deciphering of the name Liſimachus Nicanor. for advancement of his Catholick Monarchie, though never ſo much to the prejudice of your old. Maſter K. Charles, and all Chriſtendome beſide.
Your name demonſtrates your vanitie and pride, qualities familiar to your order: Yee muſt be no leſſe then the c…der of the plea, and that by a victorie; Truely ye come in good time to the Canterburian troupes, no Chriſtian can be ſo welcome to them as you, if a Lyſimachus will convoy them, & break the battell of the poore Covenanters without ſtroake; or if ſome ſtroakes muſt be diſtribute, yet it Nicanor be on their ſide, it is the top of their deſires. But things are not alwayes correſpondent to their names; Etymologies are ſometimes antiphraſtick: who before the fight, muſt needs ſtamp their enſignes with ſtiles of victorie and triumph, are compelled ſometimes to ſee their too precipitat joy and gloriation end in diſgracefull diſpleaſure.
Or is this onelyonly your vanitie in hiding of your name to proclaime it, in Lyſimachus to tell us you are D. Leſlie, in Nicanor, that yee are B. of D…nn and Conor, though this had not beene put in the Frontiſpiece of your booke, yet any who had peruſed your former ſchenick writs, that comedie of your ſeven Sages, that tragick harrang to your ſillie prieſts, which for the glorie of your name behoved to walk over-ſea in a Latine gown, might eaſily have gueſſed at your ſtile and humour in this your laſt writ: Your profeſſed abode over Sea, your impotencie even without all occaſion to keepe your ſelfe off the Iriſh oath, …ff theſe Scottiſh Miniſters whom yee did baniſh from Ireland, off the exceſſive praiſes of your patron the Deputie.
Theſe and ſuch other paſſages of your booke, lift up your maske, and lead any who will, under the ſhaddow of the Jeſuites hart, to behold D. Leſlies head, that upon it, without mistaking, may be caſt all the garlants of honour, which the penning of ſo brave a piece in ſo neceſſary a time doth deſerve.
But whoever you bee, whether Leſlie, or Maxwell, or Michell, The lāds griefe is the Canterburiās joy.or who elſe of the faction, certainly yee are a mirrie man in a very unſeaſonable time; When the whole Yle is in ſadneſſe and dule, in feare and trembling, ye are upon your congratularie Epiſtles; And why not? Theſe are the dayes yee have panted long for, fire and Sword is your Element, rather then Epiſcopall honour ſhould lye in the duſt; fire & water, heavē & hel muſt all goe thorow other: yet who knoweth but your ſinging in ſo foule weather may end in mourning to you, and jot to all thoſe who now are weeping for that black ſtorme which ye & his Grace your Prince, have raiſed in our clemat.
If wee in one point our adverſaries in an hundreth are Ieſuited.The onelyonly point wherein yee make Covenanters, draw neare to Ieſuitiſme is in their doctrine of the civill Magiſtrate, which ye branch out in 16 particulars; Is it not then your mind that whoever leaveth the Proteſtants in one head of doctrine, doth give to the Ieſuites matter of congratulation, and a good ground to expect their totall apoſtaſie to the popiſh religion; This is the onelyonly ſcope of your whole booke: What then doe you thinke of your fellowes, whom I have aſſayed to convince by their owne teſtimonies of a defection from the Proteſtant… to the worſt of the Ieſuites, not in one head, but ſo exceeding many, that very few contraverted heads doe remaine, wherein they are not joyned long agoe with the Jeſuites: Shall partialitie ſo farre predomine with you, that we Covenanters for conformitie with Jeſuites in one point alone, muſt be reputed Apoſtates from the reformed church of Rome, yet ye Canterburians though ye declare your conformitie with Rome in twentie, in an hundreth, yea, well neare in all the contraverted heads of Doctrine, yet no man without a great daſh to a charitie, may begin ſo much as to doubt of your full Proteſtaniſme.
That one point wherein ye make us Ieſuited, is the doctrine of the Magistrate: This to you is the head of the Proteſtant Faith, and all their other teners but members following that head, your practice is very conſonant to this your profeſſion; for your new doctrine of the Magiſtrate is the firſt and moſt beloved article of your Creed, which above all other ye preach and preſſe with extreame violence: Your new ſtamped oath of alleadgeance and Supremacie whereby yee would ſet up the King in a place ſo farre above the ty of all Lawes, divine and humane, as his royall heart hath ever abhorred to be ma…e ſuch an idol. Good Princes in this are like the Saints in glory, all which giveth to them a degree of honour, exceeding the Sphere of man, and entrenſhing upon Gods proper glorie, they eſteeme them as they are indeed, nothing but flattering effronters of their ſacred perſons.
That which ye call the head of all Proteſtant Religion,The bounds of Princes power, and peoples ſubiectiō are points of ſtate, not o… Religion. readily doth not concerne Religion at all: Religion indeed doth oblige the conſcience to give unto all Magiſtrates their due honour and obedience, but the bounds and limits of that obedience, which is the onelyonly point ye ſpeake off, Religion meddleth not with them till the civill Lawes of States & Empires have clearly defined them.
No Religion will oblige a Spaniard to be ſo farre ſubject to King Philip, as a Grecian ſlave muſt be to the Great Turke, neither doth any Religion equall the Poloniſh Subjection to their King, with the Spaniſh to theirs.
Doth any Religion oblige the Electours of Germanie to be ſo much ſubiect to their Emperour, as the Nobles in Pole are to their King, or ſo little ſubject as the Venetian Senate is to their Duke, or the States of Holland is to the Prince of Orange?
The civill Lawes and Cuſtomes, ſet downe the limites both of the Soveraignes commanding, and the ſubjects obedience: Religion cauſeth theſe march-ſtones conſcienciouſly to bee kept when once Policie hath fixed them.
It ſeemeth ye intend to make England quit their Priviledg…, and burn their magna charta; to make Scotland bury their Aſſemblies & Parliaments, that a blank may be put in Canterburies hand to write down what Lawes he will for the Church and State of both the Nations: But thankes be to God that King Charles doth live, to be judge betwixt you and us in ſo materiall a queſtion.
Yee tell us further in your preambles,The preſent danger of this Yle to fall in hands of the Pope & Spaniard. before ye come to your firſt paralell of Pope Ʋrbans hope, to make Scotland return to Rome, yee might have told us further from your companion Con, who is more acquainted with Ʋrbans ſecrets then other men, that the Pope hath a pretty confidence to joyne England to Scotland, that ſo the reduction of the whole Yle, & your I…eland with it, to the Sea of Rome, may be ſet up as an eternall trophee to the honour of this p…pes family; Surely the ground-ſtones of this hope are laid on ſo deepe plots, that except the hand of God and the king in this preſent Parliament pull them up, Pope Ʋrban for all his age, may yet live to putt the triumphall cope ſtone upon that building.
We grant you alſo, that the Pope and Jeſuites, as yee ſay, …re hovering above the head of us all, to fall upon the prey of …ll Britaine, when both parties, which your mallice will compell to fight, are wearied with mutuall wounds; in this prophecie we thinke you but too true divines, ſpecially if ye will adde, which all without the gift of prophecie may ſee to be conſequent, that when the Pope hath gotten the ſoules of thoſe who out-live this warre for his part, his Sons the French or Catholik King, will not be quiet, except for their ſhare they gett the bodies,The moſt hated of the covenanters proceedings, their covenant it ſelf, is approved by the king. the goods, and liberties of all this poore Yle.
Your other gybes at the Covenanters proceedings yee might have holden in, if the honour of the King had any wayes been deare unto you; the worſt of all our actions, even that which ye were wont to proclaime our moſt vile, and helliſh rebellion, Sedition, Treaſon, and what elſe ye could deviſe, is now by our gracious Prince after a full ſearch of it to the very bottome, not onelyonly abſolved of all crime, but ſo farre approved, that by act of Aſſembly, Counſell, articles of Parliament, it is commanded to be ſubſcribed by the hearts and hands of all in this Kingdome without exception; So that new there ſtands at the back of that long blaſphemed Covenant among the firſt and moſt conſpicuous hands, not onelyonly Roxburgh, Lawder-dale, South…ke, and others of the prime Counſellours, but alſo Traquair the Kings great Commiſſioner for that effect; We hope then that you and your like, if there remaine any ſparke of reverence in your breaſt towards that authoritie, which oft yee pretend to adore, will not onelyonly for ever hereafter bridle your very looſe tongues, but alſo eate in againe, or at laſt cover ſo farre as ye can, for hidding of your ſhame, theſe moſt falſe lies, and unchriſtian railings, which theſe two yeares by-gone in word, writ, Print, ye have vomitted out againſt our proceedings, eſpecially that moſt hatred & ſlandered paſſage of them, the renewing of our Covenant.
The fi ſt point wherein ye parallell us with Jeſuites, 1. paralel Wee are for Monarchie, but againſt Monarchical tyranny.is in our oppoſition to Monarchicall government. By Monarchicall government yee expreſl… enough declare that ye underſtand ſuch an abſolute and illimitate power, as exeemeth the Prince from the tye of all Law▪ and puts in his hand the full libertie to make what Lawes he w…ll, with…ut the advice, let bee conſent of Parliament, of Counſell, or of any others, and taketh abſolutely all Liberty from his Subjects, though met together in Parliament to defend them elves by Armes in any imaginable oppreſſion, even ſuch a M…narchie as the great Turke, or the M…gor of I…dia, or the Ch…m of Ta…tarie, this day doth enjoy over their ſlaves even that ſtrange kinde of government, which in my laſt Chapter I deſcrived in the words of your brethren. We confeſſe freely; that our heart is much oppoſite to ſuch a M…narchie; yet no more then our gracious Prince king Charles & his glorious Father king Iames give us expreſſe warrant: The one in his fore-cited writ of his Atturney(c)Supr… chap 8. Q.R. abhorring theſe injurious flatterers, who would impute unto him the making of Lawes without his Parliament; the other in his Parliamentary Speach(d)Page 531. A king governing in a ſetled kingdome, leaveth to bee a King, & degenerateth in to a tirāt as ſoone as hee leaveth off to rule according to his Lawes. Therefore all Kings that are no tyrants, or perjured, will be glad to bound themſelves within the limits of their Lawes: They that perſwade them the contrarie, are vipers, and poſts▪ both againſt them and the Common-wealth. making that Prince a perjured tyrant, who would not gladly bound himſelf within the limits of his laws, and theſe men to be taken for vipers, peſts, and common enemies to Princes and people, who would aſſay by their flatteries to looſe Princes from their pactions made with their people at their Coronation, and the ſetled lawes of their Kingdome, yea, we ſhow that your own great Biſhop Laud (poſſibly as great a Royaliſt as is needfull) goeth before us with his own mouth, what ever he directeth you and many other of his followers to the contrary, to teach that no ſtatute(e)Supra. Cap. …. Q Law can bee made any where but in Parliament, even in England, let bee …cotland, where to this day never any conquerour did dwell.
But as for true Monarchie ſo high as the lowable lawes any where do make it, we are in nothing oppoſite thereto, for what have we to doe to condemne the ſetled ſtate & Lawes of any other Nation? Certainly the royall authority of our owne gratious Soveraigne, ſo far as the lowable lawes of our Kingdome doe extend it, we are ſworne in our Covenant heartily to the uttermoſt of our power to maintaine.
As for the lawfulneſſeThe lawfulneſſe of defenſive Arms of reſiſtance in the preſent caſe of our invaſion, I may not enter in this ſhort poſtſcript in any ſuch queſtion; onelyonly ye may, if ye pleaſe underſtand, that it hath been the tenet of our Church ſince the reformation, it hath been the right and practice of our Kingdome ſince the firſt foundation, a number of inſtances thereof are approved in our ſtanding acts of Parliament unrepealed to this day, it hath been the practice of all the reformed Churches abroad, wherein, by Queen Elizabeth, King Iames, & King Charles they have been all allowed, and the moſt of them countenanced with powerfull aſſiſtance of men and money. Your ſelf cannot deny, but in the judgement of reformed Divines, reſiſtance in many caſes is lawfull, even in Kingdomes where the Prince is tyed in the fundamentall lawes by paction to his people: That this is the State of the kingdome of Scotland, though ye may deny it, yet King James, who is like to have as great underſtanding in the rights of the Crowne and Kingdome of Scotland as you, or your like, gives us aſſurance that by a fundamentall law the King of Scotland is obliged at his coronation to paction under his great oath the preſervation of the eſtabliſhed Religion, of the Lawes of the Kingdome, of the Liberties, and priviledges of the Subjects.(f)P. 105 In the Coronation, our Kings give their oath, firſt to maintaine the Religion preſently profeſſed, & puniſh al thoſe that ſhould alter or diſturbe the profeſſion thereof: and next to maintaine the lowable & good lawes made by their predeceſſours; & laſtly, to maintain the whole Countrie and every ſtate therein. And this oath in the Coronation is the cleareſt, civill & fundamentall Law, whereby the Kings office is properly defined. However we love your ingenuity, who doe not diſſemble but profeſſe openly your minde, that when a faction about a Prince by divine providence is permitted to take courſes for the evident overthrow both of the Religion, of the Lawes, of the Liberties, of the goods, of the lives, and all that is deare to an whole kingdome; that in thoſe or any other imaginable caſes of tyrannie, whole Parliaments may not proceed for their defence one ſtep beyond teares, prayers, and flight: That what ever is done more by whole and conſentient nations againſt a faction of Court miſleading the Prince, is ſimplie unlawfull.
Your ſcoffes about the queſtions of Biſhops and Elders deſerve no anſwer;Our Tenets about biſhops and ruling Elders, the king hath approved. nothing doe we maintaine in them but what the aſſemblies of our church at our firſt reformation ordained, and was in peaceable practice among us ever, till men of your coat by fraudulent and violent wayes for their owne ambition and avarice, ſet up their novations: We have no other minde in thoſe queſtions then the Church of Holland and France: All our tenets are ſo well cleared by that Learned Hollander, Gerſome Bucerus, as none of your partie, hath yet beene bold, after 22. yeares adviſement, to make any reply; yea, we maintaine no more in theſe queſtions then that wherewith our gracious Prince by his Commiſſioner and act of Counſell in our laſt generall aſſemblie hath declared himſelfe to be well pleaſed; but ye are a notable deceaver, while ye would make the world beleeve that the great queſtions betwixt you and us are alone about Biſhops and Elders, while as ye are very like (if ye be not marred) by the hands of Biſhops to bring in upon us the whole bodie of Poperie, and to overthrow the whole civill Priviledges of both the Nations without any poſſible remedie as your ſelfe in this ſame place doeth too evidently declare.
Upon your firſt parallell we make but one other remarke:The Canterburiās in all their lectures of tyrannie, have the Jeſuites for their Maſters. Yee wrong much the Ieſuites in denying them the honour to be your adiuncts in the re-erection of a tyrannick and turkiſh Monarchie in Chriſtendome: Your ambition herein is too great, it were better to admitt theſe pregnant wits to be copartners in your glorie, then to venture you alone upon ſo high a deſigne.
The oppoſition, which that worke can not but ſuffer, may make it breake in your hands, if ye be not ſupported with their effectuall aſſiſtance, in this art they are your Maſters, yee are but meere novices; it is unjuſtice to diſſemble from whom ye have learned, if ye deny your theifts from them, the world about you is not blinde, they ſee & laugh at your poore and ill contrived cunning, for who now is ignorant, that the Jeſuites above all men living, have obtained long agoe the priviledge to ſit in Machiavels chaire, that from thence they may teach every where their lectures of tyrannie, for the re-erection of a ſpirituall Monarchie in the whole Church for the pope, in their owne ſocietie for the generall, in the whole univerſe, in things temporall, a Catholick Monarchie for the Spaniard; And while theſe furtheſt ends may bee gotten and compaſſed, an abſolute Monarchie for the Prince in every countrie where they can gett footing. What ever paines of old the Pope did take to weaken Emperours and Kings, for the promoting of his owne greatneſſe, yet now, being fully aſſured of their conſtant affection to beare his Yoake, he hath this laſt age beene as buſie as lay in his power, in lifting up of their head by the hands, chiefly of the Jeſuites, to the toppe of all Tyrannie, with the extreame prejudice of their Subiects, Liberties and Lawes.
Who elſe were the prime Counſellours of Philip the ſecond, for to ſpoile his ancient Kingdome of Arragon of their great priviledges, and to bring them downe to the ſame baſeneſſe of Subiection, wherein his great grand father Ferdinand had putt the M…ores of Granada? Who elſe did ſtirre him up to begin that courſe of tirannie with Flanders, which hath coſt him more money alreadie, then this day all Europe can command, and more men then are living Spaniards?
Who elſe were the adviſers of King Lues the 13. to ſpoile his ancient Kingdome of Navarre, and his Fathers beſt friends the Proteſtants, of theſe priviledges which they had long enjoyed peaceably under former Kings?
Who wakened the late King of Pole, to preſent the Yoake of tirannie to the necke of his ancient Subiects in Swaine?
Had the late Emperour any other movers to theſe cruell oppreſſions, which firſt in his own hereditarie Eſtates, then in the Kingdome of Boheme, and laſt in the whole Empire, hee did practiſe to the very evident hazard of his Crowne, to the infinite & unſpeakable afflictions of Germanie, through the mids and all the foure corners thereof; was not the maine and graund quarrell of all theſe Troubles, the too great affection of a Monarchick tyrannie, of an abſolute domination without tye of Lawes, Oaths, Covenants, wherewith the Jeſuites inſpired the heart of that man, otherwiſe not the worſt of Princes? Though therefore it be your craft for your better lurking to profeſſe your Separation from the Jeſuits in this your great enterpriſe of erecting in Britaine a new Monarchicke tirannie; Yet the world is not ſo blinde as you ſuppoſe, but ſeeth you clearly linked hand in hand, the Jeſuites leading the ring, and you but following and dancing to their meaſures.
Your ſecond paralell is wholie Jeſuitick, 2 Paralell. We are farr from ſubiecting the Crowne of our King, to will of his people.the throwing of holie Scriptures unto your wicked Scoffes at the gracious Servants of God, the laying to our charge imputations, which never entred in our thoughts; Did anie of us ever teach that royall authoritie did depend upon the multitude, and that it was in their power to give Crownes to whom they would? When theſe men are bold to put in print before the Eyes of the world ſuch ſlanders of us, what doe they inſtill in the eares of our King and his Servants in their privie Conferences? Shall anie wonder that ſo long as ſuch men get leave to ſpread, without a reply, ſuch horrible calumnies of us, that the heart of our gracious Prince, and manie about him ſhould be much inflammed to our hatred?
What he ſpeaketh of divine inſtitution of Kings, wee doe believe it, that by God Kings doe reigne, it is plaine Scriptures; as alſo that all advancement is neither from the Eaſt, nor the Weſt, but from the hand of the moſt High: So that all who denie to any Superiour the obedience which is due to their Lawfull commands, muſt ſinne againſt God: We grant that ſome of our Oppoſites have here a conceit which we doe not well underſtand, they ſeeme to teach that royaltie alone, and that moſt abſolute, without any limitation, is of divine inſtitution, that all other governments whether of republick or ariſtocracies are but humane inventions, oppoſite to the Law of nature and the firſt inſtitution of God; This ſtate-ſpeculiation ſeemeth to us a curioſitie, wherewith we have nothing to doe; it is enough for us to beleeve that our King is ſet over us by God as his Deputy; that ſince the time our old anceſtours did chooſe Fergus for their King, oblidging themſelves by their oath to be ruled by his race alone, according to the laws made, and to be made with publick conſent, yea, ſince the days of King Kenneth the third, to be governed by his neareſt heire: Our ſubiection to the neareſt heire of that race is now ſimplie unchangeable:
The leaſt motion of any ſuch change hath as little come in the minde of our Nation in theſe dayes of King Charles, as in any age of the laſt two thouſand Yeares, wherein our Fathers have ſhewed more conſtant affection to the ſervice of his Anteceſſours, then any other Nation under the Heaven this day to their royall families. W…at here ye rechant of our minde to a reſiſtance and defenſive warre in ſome caſes, is nothing contrarie to this our profeſſion; Many bickerings have our predeceſſours had with miſleading factions, to which the Prince for a time hath given his countenance, but they were ever willing to diſtinguiſh betwixt the Prince and his misinformers,3. Parallell, The Canterburiās give to the Prince much more power over the Church, then the Ieſuites give to the Pope. to ſee them puniſhed when their inſolent tyrannie become intolerable; but the Prince ſetled in the full ſtrength of his authoritie, which for a time the cloud of theſe graſſehoppers did eclipſe in the hearts of his people.
The third point wherein ye joyne us with the Ieſuites is our denying to the King the government of the Church: In this ye doe us wrong, as in all the reſt, for we reiect the Popiſh doctrine here; They make Princes meer ſheep, they command them to follow the Pope their paſtor, where ever he leads, were it to the bottome of Hell, without asking ſo much as Domine quid facis, but we eſteeme it to be a chiefe part of the Magiſtrates office to command all Church-men to doe their dutie, and when they will not be perſwaded with cleare reaſons, to compell them by force to reforms the corruptions in the worſhip of God; But ye skift out here much further to an extravagance, wherein ye have no approved divine to be your patron.
Yee teach, that all Soveraignes are the true heads of the Churches in their Dominions; Such ſtyles the Biſhops of England ſince the beginning of Queene EliZabeths reigne, have ever denyed to their Princes, with their owne contentment; Ye will have not only the Magiſtrate to command that which is right in the ſervice of God, as Austine and wee doe gladly grant, but alſo ye make it his right, were he a profeſſed heretick, or Pagan, to give what lawes he will to the Church, without her conſent, or ſo much as advice: Ye give to the Prince much more, then the Ieſuites will grant to the Pope, to doe in the Church even without a Counſell, what he thinkes meeteſt, and if it be his pleaſure to call a Counſell, ye make it his only right to call either of the laitie or the Cleargie, whom he will, to be members thereof, and when theſe members are conveened, ye give to the Prince alone the power of judging and deciding, and to all others but of meere advice; Except ſo farre as the Prince is pleaſed to communicate to ſo many of them as he thinkes meete his owne deciſive voice. In ſuch a Counſell, or without it, ye make it the Princes right, to deſtroy at his pleaſure all Church-Canons, Church-judicatories, and formes of divine worſhip, which by Lawes and long cuſtomes have been eſtabliſhed, and to impoſe new Confeſſions of Faith, new Eccleſiaſticke judicatories, new Bookes of Canons, Leiturgie, Ordination, Homilies, Pſalmes, by meere authoritie.
All this by your perſwaſion yee moved our Prince to aſſay, but upon better information his royall juſtice is now pleaſed to reiect all ſuch your deſignes, for his Majeſtie hath given to us aſſurance, not only at his Campe, but by his Commiſſioner in our laſt Aſſemblie; and we hope alſo that at once this aſſurance ſhall be confirmed in Parliament, that no eccleſiaſtick novation ſhal over be required by his Maj: but that wherto a free generall Aſſemblie ſhall give their full aſſent. In this point therefore betwixt us and our Prince there is no diſcrepance, neither here had wee ever any difference with any reformed Divine:
4. Paralell. About convocation of Synods we have no queſtiō with the king.Your fourth challenge, that we deny to the King power to convocate Aſſemblies, yet know the contrarie, that we give to all Chriſtian Soveraignes ſo much intereſſe in the affaires of the Church as to convocate Aſſemblies where and whenſoever they pleaſe: But we grant that we are no wayes of your minde in this point, that the Church may never lawfully meere in any caſe, though Hereſie and Schiſme were eating up her life, and drinking her heart bloud, without the call of the Magiſtrate, that no Church meeting at all is lawfull, no, not for prayer or Sacraments without the Magiſtrates permiſſion: That all Churches muſt lye under an interdict and no publick meeting in them muſt bee, till the Magiſtrates, licence bee firſt obtained.
Is all oppoſition to you in theſe things Ieſuitiſme? what ever difference we have here with you, yet with our Prince in this point we are fully agreed.
Your gratious Brethren and Fathers when we had beene in poſſeſſion continually after the reformation, for common, of two generall Aſſemblies yearlie, by their wicked dealing ſpoiled us of all that Libertie, ſo that for 38 Yeares ſpace wee had no generall Aſſemblie to count of but two, both which were thruſt upon us againſt our heart for the advancement alone of their evill purpoſes: Yet now, thankes be to God, our Prince being wel informed of the miſchivous wrong your partie did to us in this matter, hath granted our reaſonable deſires, if ſo be the like of you, make not this grant fruitleſſe unto us, as ye truely intend; The old act of Parliament for yearlie generall Aſſemblies, and ofter pro re nata, is acknowledged by the Kings Commiſſioner to be very reaſonable, and with his conſent hath paſt the articles of our late Parliament, ſo that our Prince now is very well content that from the generall Aſſemblie the higheſt Eccleſiaſtick Court, being ſo frequently to bee keept, ſhould come no appeale at all to him.
Your fift and ſixt parallell are caſt together,The 5. & 6. Paralell. We have no queſtion with our Prince, about his preſidencie, and ſupremacie in counſels. the Kings Preſidencie in generall Aſſemblies, & Supremacie in Eccleſiaſtick affaires yee handle theſe ſo confuſedlie with ſo many wicked ſcoffings and ſcurrilous abuſing of ſcripture, that your meaning can ſcarce be underſtood.
Wee are ſo fa…re from denying to the Prince the place of royall preſidencie and moderation in our Aſſemblies, as Constantine uſed it at N…o…, and King Iames oft in Scotland, that it is one of the things our hearts m…ſt deſire to ſee King Charles poſſeſſing in his owne perſon that priviledge. His royall S…premacie we willingly yeel… …, ſo farre as the fundamentall Lawes of our C…urch and Kingdome extend it, yea we make no queſtion that in that ſenſe Bilſon, and the old Biſhops of England underſtood it. But your late Commentarie of the K…ngs Supremacie, whereby ye aſcrive to every Soveraigne much more then any Ieſuite ever gave to the Pope, wee doe reject it with the Kings good leave, as before was ſaid,
Your repeated cavills at our Elders, Seſſions, Preſbyteries, and Aſſemblies is not worth the anſwering: The frame of our Diſcipline eſtabliſhed by the Lawes of our Church and State, in Holland & France, practized peaceably in the happieſt times of our Church, and in daily uſe ſince the firſt reformation without any quarrell is now ratified by our Prince:7. Paralel. We are much for ther then our oppoſites from the doctrine of the churches infallibilitie. So your mouth ſhould bee ſtopped and your tongue ſilent what ever boyling be in your breaſt.
In your ſeventh parallell, ye lay upon the Ieſuites and our back, that which is your owne burden, ye might have knowne that the Ieſuites aſcrive to no Counſell any infallibilitie without many diſtinctions: And as for us, none is ignorant that we beleeve all meetings of men ſince the Apoſtles dayes to be fallible and ſubject to errour. Wee did indeed in our Covenant promiſe to abſtaine from the practiſe of theſe novations, wherby yee had long keept our poore Church in a flaming fire, till a generall Aſſemblie hath brought them to the touch ſtone of a new triall: When the Aſſemblie of Glaſgow had paſſed this tryall upon them according to our deſire, we embraced the Synodick Sentence, and reſolve to adhere thereto, becauſe we finde it agreeable to cleare reaſon, elſe be ſure, that all the Aſſemblies of the world ſhould never have obliged our conſciences to have beleeved any thing which to us did appeare erroneous.
Such an inſlaving of mens conſciences was a part of your tyrannie among us: No orders from your hands could be extorted, till a man had ſworne and ſubſcribed ſimple obedience to all your decrees, not only paſt, but to come: An expreſſion of any condition of conſonancie to the word of God, or any other ſuch limitation, was a certaine note of Puritaniſme and diſaffection to the preſent government. Yea ſuch an infallibilitie ye wont to aſcribe to a few of your Biſhops, let be generall Aſſemblies, that ye made a Canon for the excommunication of all, who ſhould be bold to affirme the leaſt errour in any of their workes, whether of Canons, Leiturgie, Homilies… or any thing elſe,The Service-booke, Epiſcopacie, & other corruptions, which the King hath cō manded us to abjure, are ſtill defended by our oppoſits. that came through their holy hands.
What here ye cavill at our reiection of your manifold corruptions of the doctrine and diſcipline of our Church, as if we did ſet up ſo many new articles of Faith, as ye did lately, errours which now we doe reiect, is not worth a reply: But that open declaration which here ye make of your great affection towards the articles of Perth, Epiſcopacie, bookes of Service, and Canons, and great diſaffection to the very confeſſion of Faith, made by King Iames, we cannot paſſe without obſervation. The inclination of your mind to theſe articles, we did truely ſuſpect by many probable ſignes; But that with your patron, Canterburies permiſſion, ye ſhould ſo ſoone have beene licenced to put theſe, your thoughts in print wee did not expect: Yee will we hope hereafter eſteeme it no calumnie nor want of charitie in us, to avow, that notwithſtanding our Aſſemblies ordinance, and the Kings Majeſties command with the conſent of his Counſell, to all this Nation, to ſubſcribe the abjuration of theſe novelties, yet that our poore Church is in great danger to be peſtered againe with them all, ſince the like of you are countenanced to print, even to this day, ſuch ample defences of all theſe corruptions, and to give to the Service-booke ſo high a commendation, that if it be true, our refuſing of it cannot be but a high ſinne againſt God, and as you told us before, an intollerable inſolence before the King, whom ye teach, to diſcipline us for that fault with a ſtrange puniſhment; Ye will have that rejected Booke reſumed and ſtuffed with a new ſupplement of more Romiſh ſtuffe, and then quickly thruſt upon us with this peremptour alternative, either quietly to beare that Yoake, or preſently to be baniſhed the Land.
As for Epiſcopacie, ye will have us embrace it with as great faith as we doe the Bookes of Canonicall Scripture. Yee alleadge, that Scripture is for neither of the two, that Tradition is for both; and that Tradition is to be received with no ſmaller aſſent then a divine and undoubted faith, albeit Canterburie your patron permitt you to print all theſe things, yet upon your word in this place, we muſt take him for an arch-enemie to all poperie.
In your eight paralell,8. Parallell. The Canterburiās offer many more diſgraces to Kings, thē their oppoſits. ye object to us the excommunication of Kings; This is but your ſlander; We goe not ſo farre in following of Ambroſe courſe with the Emperour Theodoſus, as Bilſon alloweth. Of our moderation in this point we have given good proofe; For in all the troubles which your faction firſt and laſt hath moved our Princes to bring upon us, ye cannot ſay without a manifeſt lie, that ever any of us had the leaſt thought of putting upon them any Church cenſure: What ye might doe, if Kings were turned your enemies, we know not, only now when they are your benefactours, farre above your deſerving, we ſee how courſly ye ſerve them; they muſt as profaine laicks be kept far aback with railes from that holy place, where ye, the Lords prieſts with your conſecrate and anointed bodies doe ſtand at the Altar: Emperours muſt light downe from their horſe and adore you, they muſt acknowledge their Crownes to be ſo farre ſubiect to your Miters as a bodie is to the Soule, or a man to God.
(g)Supra cap. 3. M. N.Readily ſo baſe perſons might get a whip of your Spirituall rod, if once ye were firmly eſtabliſhed in your Epiſcopall Thrones, as long agoe ye would have beene, if theſe turbulent Puritanes, who ſtill have beene rocking and keeping your Chaires in motion, had beene put out of the world.
What thornes Biſhops have beene in the ſides of Kings, eſpecially in England, the Chronicles of that Nation doe record, and above all other Biſhops, theſe of Canterburie, the miſchivous conſpiracie of one of them with Henrie of Darbie againſt his great Benefactour Richard the ſecond, ought never to be out of King Charles eye: No paſſage of the Engliſh ſtorie is more worthie of his meditation.
9. Paralel. We are nothing oppoſite to the power of Parliaments, but wee make Parliaments to be meere cyphers.In the ninth Paralell, your ſcoffing and railing veine floweth after the old manner; ye obiect our annulling of the acts of Parliament by the decrees of our Aſſemblie, and the extending of the power of our Synods to many ſecular affaires: Doubtleſſe ye are the men, who by your ſhoulders moſt carefully will under-prop the decaying power of Parliaments: It grieveth much your Soules to ſee Parliaments ſlighted in any of their due rights; Alwayes remember your owne, and your brethrens Tenets, whereby ye make all Parliaments but meere ciphers the arbitrarie Counſels of the Prince, to which by his Letters he hath right to call what Commiſſioners he will, and hold back whom he pleaſeth; with whom or without whom as he thinketh meet, it is his owne only right to make, to interpret, to aboliſh Lawes, to publiſh them by himſelfe alone, and command them by a meere Proclamation to be received by all the Subiects, without the conſent or advice of any man, further then is his pleaſure to crave:
This your brethren oft in formall tearmes,(h)Supra cap. 8. E. E. F. F. G. G, &c. and your ſelfe in the ſame page ſets downe in effect. What ye ſpeak of our encroaching upon Parliaments, is no wayes true, only ſome evill acts of your evidently corrupted Aſſemblies, whereto ye had obtained by your familiar arts of fraud and force: the ratification of ſome Parliaments, we did recognoſce, and that alone in their Eccleſiaſtick part, with the good leave of the Kings Commiſſioner: As for the civill ſanction of Parliament, according to the ordinary Eccleſiaſtick proceeding of our Church in all by gone times, wee did appoint Commiſſioners from our Aſſembly, to ſupplicate the Parliament for the abolition thereof. Neither doe we meddle at all in our Synods with ſecular affaires, remember what your ſelfe in your Canons doe pronounce, to be the due and lawfull Subject of Eccleſiaſtick juriſdiction, ye will finde that our generall Aſſemblies did never take in ſo much matter as ye appropriate to any of your officiall Courts.
Our act anent the going of Mills and Salt-pans upon the Sabbath-day, was but a renovation, and that with the Commiſſioners conſent, of an old act in a former Aſſemblie, whereat King Iames was preſent; It ſeemeth it grieveth you to ſee the Sabbath ſanctified among us, that yee are but like your brother, to whom Sunday is no Sabbath, but a day wherein games of all kinde, alſo diverſe kindes of Husband labour ſhould publickly be allowed, for the croſſing of that Jewiſh Superſtition, whereby Puritanes abuſe that Feſtivall. What further here ye obiect of our unwillingneſſe to ſubſcribe at the Counſels direction the Covenant, at it was dated in the yeare 1581. without the application of it to your later corruptions, which addition we had ſworne before, yee will finde that we had good reaſon ſo to doe, your ſelfe being judge; for ye tell us that all theſe your corruptions, even the Service-Booke it ſelfe, are very conſonant with that Covenant, and that the main end why the Subſcription thereof was urged, was the cleane quiting of theſe additions formerly ſworne, and now by the mercy of God fully approved by the King, by his Commiſſioner, by his Counſell, by the Aſſemblie, by the articles of Parliament, and all, but men of your ſtuffe, who reſolve to die, let all the world about you be never ſo fickle, with the untainted glorie of conſtant obſtinacie.
In your tenth Paralell, Yee act the Ieſuite ſo perfectly,10. Paralell. Both out Covenāt and poſteriour proceedings ſhew us no wayes to be oppoſite to the oath of alleageance. that few hereafter will hope for the praiſe of going beyond you in their arts: your pen drops ſo many Sentences, ſo many curſed lyes, ſo many blaſphemous wreſtings of mens words and writs. Deny we the Oath of alleadgeance, the words of our Covenant and mutuall defence, whereupon yee would build that denyall, let be that they are approved by our King as ſaid is, doe not they ſtand expreſly in King James Covenant, yea in the vesy firſt Confeſſion of our Fait…?
Is not our late Covenant an expreſſe renewing of our oath of alleadgeance in ſo ſtrict tearmes as is poſſible?
Did our armed defence, in that deſperate extremitie which your faction put us unto, import any danger to the Kings perſon or Crowne? Did we not then before all the world give a ſufficient proofe of our humble loyaltie and practice of our Covenant?
At the very hight of all our advantages and your too well knowne unreadineſſe at that time for fighting, at the leaſt appearance of his Maj…ſties minde, to lay by armes, to leave the proſecution of your bloudy deſires, were we not content to caſt our ſelves at his feete, to put our Munition in his hand, and all our Caſtles in his power, to be ſtockes to our feet, and roaps to our neckes; had our hearts been in the leaſt meaſure ſo treaſonable as you ſlander, would theſe have been our actions?
What ye ſpeake of our Forfathers actions in Queen Regent and Queen Maries dayes, ye are into it, but anſwerable to your name a true Jeſuite. The defence of the Religion and Liberties of the Kingdome againſt the Guiſian uſurpations in the minoritie of our Queen, and our Queens voluntary dimiſſion of the government to her Sonne King James, after many unſpeakable miſaccidents: Theſe and ſuch like proceedings of our Forfathers, confirmed by our ſtanding acts of Parliament, Ieſuites of old wont to blaſpheme, but all the reformed, and none more then the Biſhops of England, eſpecially Doctor Bilſon, doe vindicate from their wicked aſperſions, which yet ye have a ſtomach to reſorbe; to ſpew them out once againe upon our face: But ye… are priviledged to ſpeake all your pleaſure, for yee are here on a Stage under the maske of a furious phrentick Ieſuite, at the back of this curtaine, yee may belch out what yee will, all is conforme to the perſon yee ſuſtaine.
In your eleventh, twelve, and thirteenth parellel,11. 12, 13. Para. Blinde obedience to mens Lawes, binding of the conſciē …e by them, works of Supererogation are not ours, but your tenets. ye doe but toy; the three faults ye object to us of blinde obedience, of binding the conſcience, workes of Supererogation, we are free of them all: But ſee if ye can free your owne faction of any one thereof, for your brethren teach, that all men muſt give quicke obedience unto all their injunctions, not only in the midſt of their deepeſt ignorance of any reaſon for theſe injunctions, but alſo in the midſt of never ſo many doubts and perplexities and ſtrong inclinations to thinke your acts moſt unlawfull. Ye will admitt neither ignorance nor the greateſt doubtings to bee any impediment to the preſent obedience of your Epiſcopall injunctions, how farre is this from that yee pronounce in us, blinde obedience.
Againe, yee make all the commandements of the Church to be branches of the fift command, and to be obeyed as the precepts of God, which we ſuppoſe doe binde the conſcience.
For the third, yee teach more merite of workes then Bellarmine, yea, yee proclaime that the following of the counſels of perfection, that the keeping of the three Monaſtick vowes doth deſerve an augmentation, as ye call it, an Aureola above common happineſſe.
In your fourteenth alſo yee caſt upon us your owne domeſtick fault of Equivocation:14. Paralell. No equivocation uſed by us in any of our proceedings. Are you ignorant how your brethren the Biſhops of Scotland did ſwear their famous caveats: In the very time while they were dreſſing for our Church, their Canons and Leiturgie, which the large declaration tells us, were alwayes in hand from the 16 yeare to the 38, how oft did they ſwear to many who proponed to them their feares of their underminding practices, that they were utterly ignorant of all further novations to bee brought into our Church: As for theſe matters, wherein yee make us equivocators, we were farre in any of them from that Crime.
We truely without any equivocation doe thinke our Covenant to be for the King, and no wayes againſt either his perſo… or authoritie, we thinke in our minde, that in ſome caſes reſiſtance to Princes is much better ſervice, and one day will be ſo acknowledged, then preſent obedience: How oft have Princes profeſſed at laſt themſelves much more beholden to thoſe who with diſplayed banners hath come againſt their Campe, then to others, who by their flattering ſervice and wicked perſwaſions, moved them to take up their unjuſt armes.
Ye doe well by the paſſages of King James writs which hee let fall in paſſion againſt ſome few perſons as himſelfe profeſſeth to incite King Charles to deſtroy the whole generation of your oppoſits.
For that equivocation which ye obiect to ſome in their ſubſcribing of the Covenant at the Commiſſioners and Counſels direction; ſufficient ſatisfaction is given long agoe to all reaſonable men by publiſhed writs: The matter ſhortly was this, one of your factious ingines, to draw us ſubtilie from that Covenant, wherein we did abiure Biſhops, Bookes, and the reſt of your novations, which were contrarie to the doctrine and diſcipline of our Church, was, a new ſubſcription to the firſt part of this Covenant, as it was firſt ſet downe in the yeare 1580, without our late addition, wherein it was applyed to your newly obtruded novations: Upon hope by this new ſubſcription, that not only, the formerly ſubſcribed addition and abjuration of theſe novelties expreſſed in that addition, ſhould be forgotten; but alſo that meanes ſhould be gotten to perſwade that theſe once abiured novations were in nothing contrary to the Kings Covenant, yea that all of them were ſo much conforme to it, and virtually contained therein, that all the ſubſcrivers ſhould finde themſelves oblidged by that oath and ſubſcription, to embrace the articles of Perth, the Canons, the Leiturgie, and all the intended novations, at leaſt, without all doubt Epiſcopacie, the Fountaine whence the reſt had proceeded; and from which they knew they would flow againe in due time, if it alone could be gotten preſerved.
This was the true intention of the Commiſſioner in preſſing that new ſubſcription, as his Grace did publiſh thereafter in print, but in the firſt propoſition of that new oath, all ſuch deſigne was carefully concealed, yet wiſe men among us, fearing and foreſeing the plot, did carefully diſwade that new ſubſcription, as a dangerous maſter piece, invented for the utter deſtruction of the true ſenſe of our firſt ſubſcribed Covenant.
Their advice was heard by the moſt part, who thereupon refuſed that new ſubſcription, yet ſome knowing perfectly well, that the Covenant in the 1581, did not include Epiſcopacie, or any of the late novations, but clearely enough excluded them; Since the Commiſſioner his Grace in the proponing that ſubſcription, did make no declaration at all, neither of his owne, nor of his Maſter the Kings minde, to have Epiſcopacie, or any of theſe novations included in that Covenant, they were content at his deſire to ſubſcribe it, but with this expreſſe declaration, which they required and obtained to be acted in the Counſell Bookes (ſo farre were they from any Equivocation) that they did ſubſcribe that Covenant in that ſame ſenſe and no other, wherein it was underſtood at the firſt framing in the 1580.
What that ſenſe was, we had for a time too much diſpute, but at laſt the Regiſters of our Church in the generall Aſſembly, being carefully caſt over, it was found that the doctrine and diſcipline of our Church in that 80. yeare, did runne ſo croſſe to Epiſcopacie, to Perth articles, to the Leiturgie, and all the reſt of our troubleſome novelties, that whoſoever did heartily ſubſcribe the Covenant of our Church in that ſenſe, it behoved to have in the yeare of his firſt framing, did ſtand no leſſe oblidged thereby to renounce the poſteriour novations, then thoſe who had ſubſcribed the other Covenant with the addition, wherein all theſe novations were expreſſely named: It was found even in our laſt Aſſembly, whereto Traquaire according to his commiſſion from the King did conſent, that both theſe Covenants, that with the application, and that without the application were but both one. So that your equivocation, whereupon your brethren alſo have too much tinkled, is cleared without the diſgrace of any, but the like of you, who were the authours of all the miſtake that for a time was in this matter.
15. Paralell.The fifteenth paralell of your piae fraudes is but like the reſt, the ground of this great commotion could not be the malcontentment of any man, for loſſe of what they poſſeſſed in the tyths, or any thing elſe of the Church patrimonie, or for want of ſuch favour they deſired to have with their Prince: All theſe are but ſillie fables: Theſe whoſe hand hath beene prime in this high affaire from the beginning, hath had very little, or no entreſſe at all in any part of the Church patrimonie, ye may know that the moſt of the tithes were in the hands of the not covenanting Lords, and that the ſmall portion which remained with Covenanters, was made ſo ſure to them as the King and his Lawes were able to make it.
Alſo it is very well knowne that the chiefe in the Covenant had ſo much favour of their Prince, as their heart could wiſh, which they conſtantly did brook, till their zeale unto this cauſe did crack their credit: Yee are exceedingly injurious to ſay, that we did ever ſlander our King with any idolatrie, with any poperie; Our thoughts of that gracious Prince… are farre more conſiderate, and our words of ſo ſacred perſon more full of due regard: But indeed though we both ſay, preach, and print that ſo long as the like of you gett leave to poſſeſſe his eare, we can have little hope that any true Proteſtant, ſo farre as ye are able, ſhall ever gett living in quiet in this Ile, and though we avow that by the Service-booke and other novations yee intended, to make us all trot backe againe unto Rome, believe us, that in thoſe Speeches we wrong not our minde, that we ſpeake no other then we thinke, and we hope now have given tolerable evidence for theſe our thoughts and Speeches, though ye and the Pope both ſhould laugh in the Sardonian faſhion, when ye are like to loſe your game.
In your laſt paralellThe laſt paralell. The paterne of a perfect Ieſuite. your motion that it may appeare to be naturall, is ſwifter then at the beginning, ye …ere overcome your very ſelfe, & any Ieſuite J have ever read in vileneſſe of lies, ſlanders, filthie Speeches, railings, ſc…ffings, and blaſphemous abuſe of the holy Scripture to all this ſtuffe.
Ye prove a good Scholler to your Maſters Petroneus Arbiter, Lucian, Rabelais, none that come in your way whether men or w…men, whether living or dead, Nobles, Paſtors, Commanders, People may eſcape the fire and filth of your envenomed tongue: All your oppoſites, if the King can be perſwaded to follow your advice, muſt quickly be packing out of theſe dominions, as the vileſt ſtraitours, but to our nobles and leaders ye will not ſhew ſuch favour; they, as ye, tel us, with R…villiack & Coppinger muſt be hanged, drawen, quartered, and buried with the buriall of an aſſe. That Jeſuite Abernethy ſhould have become Proteſtant, ye can not abide with patience, for ſo is the doctrine of your Society, that ſeparation from Rome is needleſſe.
That noble gentle-man Generall Leſlie Generall Leſlies vindication.cannot eſcape the ſcrapes of your empoyſoned pe…; Ye are on a ſtage playing the part of a Fu…ioſo, who ever commeth in your way, the firſt dirt and ſtones ye can grip muſt flie at their faces. When ye have ſearched that great perſonage from his birth, to his old age, nothing can yee eſpy in all his life whereupon to faſten your tuske, but that which among all Nations, as well barbarous as civill, hath ever beene reputed a marke of honour and matter of gloriation: When ye have curiouſly eyed that excellent piece, from top to toe, your malice can eſpy no blemiſh, but a skar of an old moſt honourable wound, which maketh him the more glorious, with all who underſtand the tearmes of true honour, and the dearer to every one who hath any ſpark of affection toward that ſervice wherin that wound among many more was received by him: But ye & your like cannot hold in the paſſion of your ſoule, but muſt vent your hatred & malice, your diſdainfull indignation againſt all the valarous acts of any in the reformed religion, againſt the popiſh partie, whether in theſe dayes, or the dayes of our forfathers. Ye cannot diſſemble your paſſionate affection to the ſide of Q. Marie at our firſt reformation; rather ere your loyal heart had played the pranks of the rebellion, the treaſon, and what not of our anceſtours, ye would have joyned with the enemies of our Churc… & State, for the cutting off of the bleſſed root of King Charles race, for the ſetling upon the throne of Britaine after the diſpatch of Q. Elizabeth & K. Iames, theſe hereticall Schiſmaticks, the poſteritie of Iohn of Austria, of the Duke of Northfolke, or of any whom it ſhould have pleaſed the Pope, the Catholick King, & the Duke of Guiſe to have matched with Q Marie: Thus d…e ye and your faction ſtand affected toward the former age, neither is your minde any better toward this preſent: The D…tch Princes & the head of their league that true Hero…, …hat wonder of the world, the K. of Swaine, muſt all be to you but villanes & traitours, who for their zeale to the reformed Religion & Liberties of Germanie, durſt be ſo peart as to lift up armes to ſtop that very far advanced reformation of Ferdinand: The wounds that famous Leſl…e did get in this cauſe, muſt be ſlandered and made a matter of reproach to you & your like; but it is good that men of honour doe think of you & your language as it is. Who is acquainted with the world abroad, they know full well that Leſlies moſt valarous, very wiſe, & happie deportments in the wars over Sea, have brought more true glorie to our Natiō then the cariage of any man, who went out of our Land theſe manie ages; Certainly, this brave Souldiers late conduct of our Nation in the time of the greateſt danger that our land did ſee this hundreth yeares, was ſo full of wiſedome, ſtoutneſſe, moderation, ſucceſſe, that his memory will be fragrant & bleſſed in all generations to our poſteritie. This ſight of that mans vertues, did draw to him ſo much love from all that followed his Campe, & ſo much honour from all the Engliſh Nobilitie, that ſerved in the oppoſite armie, that we may ſay truely, There liveth not in this Yle a gentle-man of comparable reputation with all ſorts of men, except alone of you in the faction, by whoſe hearts to be hated, by whoſe pens to be defamed, it is an increaſe of contentment & praile of all honeſt men.
But being unable to ſtand any longer upon your dung hill, leaſt I be ſuffocat with the ſtink therof, I muſt turn my back, & flie, leaving you to dwell upon theſe your excrements; & if ſo be ye cannot be drawn from them, to die & be buried; therin only my parting a little of one purpoſe which ſo oft in your whole writ ye inculcate.
Ye will have us in the doctrine of Epiſcopaciewe agree in our Tenets of Epiſcopacie with all the reformed abroad. to differ from all other reformed Churches, yet it will appeare to thoſe who goe not beyond the very paſſages, your ſelfe doth bring in this matter, that betwixt us & any reformed Church there is no diſcrepance at all. For that Epiſcopacie which ye maintaine, beſide the manifold unhappy accidents that uſe to hang both upō the perſons and office which your ſelfe will ſcarce defend, hath into it eſſentially, the power of ordination & all Eccleſiaſtick j…riſdiction annexed, & that by a divine right to the perſon of one man in a whole dioceſſe: that ever any reformed divine, except ſome few, & that but lately in England, did approve let be commend ſuch an office, it is ſo falſe as any thing can be: That kind of epiſcopacie, wherof the divines ye alleadge ſpeak off, is ſo farre from the preſent Engliſh and late Scotiſh one, as light is from darkneſſe, as reformed doctrine from groſſe Poperie, contrarie both to the word of God, & all ſound antiquitie. Beſide, even that kinde of Epiſcopacie which they ſeem not much to oppoſe, is ſuch an office as they make to be no way neceſſary in any Church but removeable out of all, to which they thought never meet to give any footing in their own churches, but at the beginning did caſt it out, and to this day have carefullie holden it at the doore; This, ye cannot be ignorant, is the known practice let be the doctrin of al the reformed churches over Sea, & of all their divines without the exception of one man. Doe ye think that any of them will be offended with us for following their owne example for caſting out that which they have rej…cted before us upon leſſe occaſions; For it is certain that Epiſcopacie is no way ſo oppoſite to the diſcipline of any reformed church, as to that diſcipline which many Aſſemblies & Parliaments have ſetled in our land; it is certain that no church over Sea, hath ever been halfe ſo much grieved with that unhappie office, as ours oft times hath beene; we all know that from it alone hath flowed all the miſeries ſchiſms dangers wherwith our church ſince the reformation hath been vexed, none of us is ignorant that this …ffice was the only horſe wherupon our later novations of Perth articles, high Cōmiſſion, Leiturgie, Canons came riding unto us; And now the world may ſee that it is only Biſhops that threaten this whole Yle with the danger of the moſt cruell warre it ſaw theſe 500 yeares. That any reaſonable man will blame us for our firm reſolution to oppoſe their re-entrie among us for ever, we doe not …ear, for beſide that our whole land is al utterly impatient of their but thē, our laſt two generall Aſſemblies, & articles of our late P…rliament, with our Princes approbatiō, have ordained their office to be abjured by our whole nation with ſolemne oa…h & ſubſcriptiō. As for our neighbour churches in Eng…ād & Ire…ād, though hitherto we have been m…ſt ſparing to meddle with any thing which concerneth them, yet now ſince ye put us ſo hardly to it we can̄ot diſſemble any lōger our hearty wiſhes, that ſince the biſhops there, beſide the manifold evils, that is in t…e …ffice, which they doe uſe & defend, & the needleſnes of i…; ſince I ſay, their biſhops have been the firſt fountain of all our churches trouble, ſince they are the prime inſtrumēts, which now infect this Yle with Arminianiſme & popery; ſince they have raiſed, & yet doe further, ſo hot a perſecutiō againſt our whole nat…ō in I…land, as no reformed church to this day hath ever beē acquainted with; ſince after our full agreemēt with our gratious king, & neighbour natiō of Eng ād they without any cauſe, that yet we know or can hear tel of, have been the bellows to kindle the wrath of our king againſt us, to ſtir up a moſt blodie war for the undoing (if God prevent it not) firſt of the moſt flouriſhing churches in theſe dominiōs, & thē of the whole reformed el…where; we profeſſe it our wiſh to God, that the king & his preſent parliamēt might ſeriouſly cōſider, if it were not for the good of the crown for the welfare of their natiō, for the peace of their church, that Englād after the exāple of all the reformed ſhould rid thēſelvs at leaſt of their biſhops trouble, as they did of old, without any repentance to this day, of their Abbots & Monks: This we conceive would much increaſe the joy and proſperitie of all the three Dominions.
FINIS.
End of the text · Robert Baillie, The Canterburians Self-Conviction (1640)