Declaration Concerning the Late Tumults in Scotland, Floating text 14 – Floating text 16
THat all Ministers deposed or suspended by the Presbyteries since the first of Februarie last, without warrant of the Ordinarie, shall be restored to their owne places, till such time as they shall be legally convicted.
That all Moderators of Presbyteries, deposed since the foresaid day by the Presbyteries, without warrant of the Ordinarie, be restored, and all Moderators appointed by the said Presbyteries without warrant foresaid, to desist from executing the office of Moderator.
That all Ministers admitted by the Presbyteries since the foresaid day, without warrant from the Ordinarie, shall desist from exercising the function of their ministerie in that place to which they have beene so presented and admitted.
That all Parishioners shall frequent their owne Churches, and heare their owne Minister, and that the Elders assist the Minister in the Session, and other exercises of the discipline of the Church, as formerly they were used to do.
That all Bishops and Ministers, have their rents and stipends duely and thankfully paied them.
That all Ministers bee appointed presently to repaire to their owne Churches, that none of them come to the Assemblie, or to the place where the same shall bee held, but such as shall bee chosen Commissioners from the Presbyteries.
That according to the Act of Assemblie 1606. Moderators of Presbyteries being found necessarie members of the Assemblie, everie one of the said Moderators bee appointed to bee Commissioner from that Presbyterie where he is Moderator.
That Bishops and other Ministers who shall attend the Assemblie, may be secured in their persons from all trouble and molestation.
That the Commissioners from Presbyteries, be chosen by the Ministers of that Presbyterie onelyonly: And that no lay-person whatsoever, meddle in the choice, nor no Minister without his owne Presbyterie.
That all Convocations and meetings be dissolved, and that everie man repaire to his owne house, and that the Countrey not onelyonly be made peaceable, but also that all such Acts be forborne, as may make it appeare to be otherwayes.
And since his Majestie is still displeased with the Covenant, wisdome and our dutifull obedience to our Soveraigne require, that some such course should be taken, whereby his Majestie may receive satisfaction therein; and in the mean time, that there be no pressing, threatning, or perswading of men to subscribe the Covenant, nor no mention be made thereof any more in Pulpits.
To these (according to their usuall manner) they would no way condescend, but returned to Our Commissioner these most unjust and unreasonable answers.
Answers to the particulars propounded by his Majesties Commissioner.
HAving seriously considered with our selves, that nothing in this world is so precious, and ought to be so deare unto us as our Religion, that the diseases of the Church after long toleration did threaten no lesse then her utter ruine, and the expiring of the truth of Religion at last, and that a free Generall Assemblie was the ordinarie remedie appointed by divine Authoritie, and blessed by divine providence in other Churches, and after a speciall manner in the Church of Scotland; wee have often, and earnestly supplicated for the same, and have laboured to remove what was objected, or what wee could conceive to be any hinderance to the obtaining of our desire, like as we have now for the same good end resolved to returne this answer to the particulars propounded, to bee performed by us before any Assemblie be indicted.
The particulars propounded, are either concerning matters Ecclesiasticall, or Civill: Ecclesiasticall, or Church matters are, The first, concerning Ministers deposed or suspended by the Presbyteries, since the first of Februarie last, without warrant of the Ordinarie, that they bee restored to their owne places. The second, concerning Moderators of Presbyteries deposed since the foresaid day, to bee restored, and all Moderators appointed by the said Presbyteries without warrant aforesaid, to desist from executing the office of Moderator. The third, concerning Ministers admitted since the foresaid day, that they desist from exercising the function of the Ministerie in that place, to which they have beene admitted. These three particulars do concerne the power, dutie, and particular facts, or faults of Presbyteries, wherein we have no power to judge or determine, whether they have proceeded lawfully or not, farre lesse can we urge or command them to recall what they have determined or done, in the suspending, deposing, or admitting of Ministers, or Moderators; they being properly subject to the superior Assemblies of the Church; and in this case and condition of the Church, to the Generall Assemblie, where, if they shall not after tryall justifie their proceedings, from the good warrants of Scripture, reason, and the acts and praclices of the Church, they ought to sustaine their owne deserved censure. And since on the one side, there be many complaints against the Prelats for their usurpation over Presbyteries in the like particulars; and on the other side, there be such complaints of the doings and disorders of the Presbyteries, to the offence of the Prelats; we trust that his Majesties Commissioner will not esteeme this to be any hinderance of the indiction of a Generall Assemblie, but rather a powerfull and principall motive with speed to conveene the same, as the proper Judicatorie wherein to determine such dangerous and universall differences of the Church. Neither do wee heare that any Ministers are deposed, but onelyonly suspended, during this Interim till a Generall Assemblie, for their erroneous doctrine and flagitious life; So that it were most *Is it not rather an offence to God, to thrust men out of their places before they be tried?offensive to God, disgracefull to Religion, and scandalous to the people, to restore them to their places till they be tried, and censured. And concerning Moderators, none of them (as we understand) are deposed, but some onelyonly changed, which is verie ordinarie in this Church. The fourth, concerning the repairing of Parishioners to their owne Church, and that Elders assist the Ministers in the discipline of the Church, ought to be cognosced and judged by the particular Presbyteries, to which the Parishioners and Elders are subject, since the cause may bee in the Ministers no lesse then in the Parishioners and Elders. And in case they finde no redresse there, to assent till they come to a Generall Assemblie, the want whereof maketh disorders to bee multiplied, both in Presbyteries and particular Parishes.
To the sixth, That ministers wait upon their owne Churches, and that none of them come to the Assemblie, or place where the same is kept, but such as shall bee chosen Commissioners from Presbyteries, we answer, That none are to come to the place of the Assemblie, *And yet afterward, in their last instructions they injoyned the severall Commissioners to bring Assessors with them, who were to have no voyce in the Assemblie.but such as are either allowed by Commission to have voice, or otherwise have such interesse as they can justifie to his Majesties Commissioner, and the Assemblie conveened.
To the seventh, Concerning the appointing of Moderators of Presbyteries to bee Commissioners to the Generall Assemblie, onelyonly constant Moderators, who have ceased long since, were found in the Assemblie 1606. (which yet was never reputed by the Church to be a lawfull nationall Assemblie) to be necessarie members of the Generall Assemblie. And if both the Moderators, who if they be necessarie members need not to bee chosen, and the chosen Commissioners repaire to the Assemblie, the Assemblie it selfe can judge best of the members whereof it ought to consist.
To the ninth, That no lay-person whatsoever meddle with the choosing of Commissioners from the Presbyteries, and no Minister without his owne Presbyterie, we say, That according to the order of our Church discipline, none but Ministers, and Elders of Churches ought to have voice in choosing Commissioners from Presbyteries, and that no Minister, or Elder should have voice in Election, but in his owne Presbyterie.
The rest of the particulars are concerning civill matters: As the fifth concerning the paying of Rents and Stipends to Ministers and Bishops, concerning which we can say no further, but that the lawes are patent for them, as for his Majesties other subjects, and that the General Assemblie ought not to be delaied upon any complaint in that kinde.
The eighth, requiring that Bishops, and Ministers be secured in their persons, we think so reasonable, that wee will promise everie one of us for our own parts, they shall suffer no violence from us, and that we shall hinder others so farre as wee may; And if any trouble them otherwise, or make them any kinde of molestation in that attendance but by order of Law, the parties are justly punishable according to the degree of their fault as other subjects are.
To the tenth, concerning the dissolving of all Convocations and meetings, and the peaceablenesse of the Countrie; These meetings being kept for no other end, but for consulting about lawfull remedies against such pressing grievances as threaten the desolation of this Church and State, cannot be dissolved till the evils be removed. And *The contrarie is most true.we trust, that nothing in these our meetings hath escaped us, which carrieth in it the smallest appearance of undutifulnesse, or which may seeme to tend to the breach of the common peace: But although our adversaries have herein calumniated us, yet we have alwayes so behaved our selves, as beseemed his Majesties most humble and loyall subjects, petitioning his Majestie for a legall redresse of our just grievances.
To the last, concerning the Covenant; the Commissioner his Grace having many times and most instantly pressed us with that point, we did first by *Our Commissioner never heard any argument to that purpose which could convince a child.invincible arguments make manifest, that wee could not, without sinning against God, and our owne consciences, and without doing wrong to this Nationall Church, and all posteritie, rescind or alter the same: And thereafter did at large cleare the same of all unlawfull combination against Authoritie, by our last Supplication and Declaration, which his Majesties Commissioner *Our Commissioner never accepted of it, nor conceived it could give satisfaction to any.accepted, as the most readie and powerfull of all other meanes, which could come within the compasse of our thought to give his Majestie satisfaction, The subscription of this our confession of Faith, and Covenant being an act so evidently tending to the*It doth most evidently tend to the dishonour of God. glorie of God, the Kings honour, and happinesse of the Kingdome: And having alreadie proved so comfortable to us in the inward of our hearts, It is our ardent and constant desire, and readie wish, that both his Majestie and all his good subjects may be partakers of the same comfort, Like as we finde our selves bound by conscience, and by the Covenant it selfe, to perswade all his Majesties good subjects to joyne with us for the good of Religion, his Majestes honour, and the quietnesse of the Kingdome: which being modestly used by us without pressing, or threatning of the meanest, we hope shall never give his Majestie the least cause of discontent.
Seeing therefore, according to our power and interesse, wee are most willing to remove all hinderances, that things may bee carried in a peaceable manner, worthy our Profession, and Covenant, doe aime at nothing but the good of the Kingdome, and preservation of the Church, which by consumption, or combustion, is like to be desperately diseased, except remedy some way bee speedily provided; And wee delight to use no other meanes, but such as are legall, and have beene ordinarie in this Church, since the Reformation: Wee are confident that without further delay, for preventing of greater evils and miseries then wee can expresse, our just desires shall be granted. So shall we be encouraged in the peace of our souls, still to pray for his Majestie, all encrease of true honour, and happinesse.
UPon their refusall, he sent for some of the chiefe Lords Covenanters, and told them of his resolution for a new journey; that he found their wayes such as he could not goe along with them; that he had power to grant them a free Generall Assembly, but that he could not conceive that to be a free one, in which they should bring in everie man to have a voice whom they had a minde to: If they would let him know what manner of persons should sit there, and what they intended to doe there, he would give his best concurrence, if he found their intentions to be agreeable to the lawes and customes of that Church and Kingdome; if they rejected these motions, he knew nothing left for him, but to return back againe to Us, yet he desired them before his journey they would let him know what it was they would have, and that they would expresse what was the uttermost of that which they desired from Us, without which they would not rest satisfied; that with their desires he would make Us acquainted, and that within a few dayes he would either returne to them himselfe with Our answer, or otherwise it should be speedily sent unto them.
Their answer to Our Commissioner was, that they would make their Tables acquainted with his proposition, and he should shortly receive their answer: At their Tables it was much debated, whether he should have any further time allowed him for a new journey, and a speedie returne, or if they should leave him to his owne choice and counsels, and they in the meane time to indict a Generall Assembly, and goe on with the prosecution of their intended resolutions: At last, not without contrarietie of suffrages in this also, it was by most voices concluded, that to give the people satisfaction, they would yet forbeare the indicting of the Assembly untill the 21. day of September, before which time, if he or some other did not returne with such answer as should content them, then they would hold themselves free to goe on with their designes: And for expressing their desires, or what satisfaction they expected from Us, they would not descend to particulars, onelyonly they looked for a free Generall Assembly, and a Parliament, in which two great Courts their desires should be made knowne; And this being all the answer Our Commissioner could obtaine from them, he told them that he would report it to Us, and intended presently to begin his journey.
No sooner were they parted from him, but they betooke themselves to their old courses, both of incensing the people, and dashing in Our Commissioner all hope of doing any good in this service: The first they did by scattering a report amongst their followers, that Our Commissioner neither had power from Us, nor any intention in himselfe to give them any satisfaction, but that he onelyonly delayed time, untill all things might be in a ripenesse and readinesse for their ruine, an evident argument whereof was, that now he had taken two journies thither, & yet had never offered any thing, nor were they in better case then before he was sent unto them: A thing which they knew to be most untrue, both because in Our last Declaration We had granted them verie many things concerning their pretended grievances, which We had not granted before, being the same things which at first they onelyonly desired; as likewise because Our Commissioner had now lately tendered them in writing ten propositions, upon the yeelding to which he would presently indict an Assembly: But that was all one with them, for so they could perswade the people that nothing yet had been offered at all to content them, they cared not by what reports (true or false) that perswasion were wrought in them: Our Commissioner, to assure the people that he intended really, and endevoured their content, if possibly it might be effected upon any reasonable termes, contracted his former propositions into these two (which We here insert) and caused many copies of them to be dispersed through the Citie, that so the people might not bee kept from the knowledge of Our favour towards them.
IF the Lords and the rest will undertake for themselves and the rest, that no Laicks shall have voyces in choosing the Ministers to bee sent from the severall Presbyteries to the Generall Assembly, nor none else but the Ministers of the same Presbyterie:
If they will undertake that at the Assemblie they shall not goe about to determine of things established by Acts of Parliament, otherwise then by remonstrance or petition to the Parliament, leaving the determining of things Ecclesiasticall to the generall Assembly, and things settled by Act of Parliament, to the Parliament:
Then I will presently indict a Generall Assembly, and promise, upon my Honour, immediately after the Assembly to indict a Parliament, which shall cognosce of all their complaints.
THis did so irritate their Leaders, that they presently entred upon a course that should put Our Commissioner out of hope of ever doing any good in this service; for they presently gave order, even before the beginning of his journy, for the election of the Commissioners to the General Assembly throughout the whole Kingdome, to be made before his returne, or the indicting of an Assembly; which caused him presently to send for the chiefe of the Covenanters, and absolutely to tell them, That if they did proceed to the election of any Commissioners for the Assembly before his returne, he would not goe his journey at all; he would not move Us for a Generall Assembly, nor for any thing else; he would leave them to their owne wayes; as a private man he would stay in the Kingdome and expect the issue of their counsels: Which resolution of his, because it should not be concealed from the people, he caused likewise by many copies of it in writing to be divulged amongst them: This his determination these Lords Covenanters to whom he delivered it, communicated to their Tables, who were very stiffe in their former conclusion for the present election of Commissioners; yet because they could not well perceive how to satisfie the people, if they should breake off all treatie upon such a nice point, it was at the last agreed unto, and talked of as a singular favour done to Our Commissioner, that the election of the Commissioners to the Assembly should be delayed untill his returne, which We pray the Reader to observe, because it shalbe knowne at his returne, with what a horrible equivocation they did elude this their promise.
Before Our Commissioner begun his journey towards Us, he entred into a serious consultation with Our chiefe officers of State and principall Councellors there, what further advice they had to recommend by him unto Us, for the setling of the peace of that Kingdome, since they clearely perceived that all Our royall and gracious intentions to that people were frustrated, by the rebellious and obstinate courses of some few who misse-led the rest; and since he could not possibly draw from the Covenanters their designes, nay, nor their desires, whereby he might learne what they expected for their satisfaction, he desired of them their best counsell, and that he with them might conceive in writing what they supposed would reduce the Kingdome to peace and quietnesse, and without which they thought it could not be effected, but by force and armes, which he was sure We would never use, but in an unavoidable extremitie, and for the preservation of Our Crowne and dignitie. This Our Commissioner did not adventure to communicate with the whole Councell, because he did know that some of Our Councellours were Covenanters in their hearts, though for dangerous ends, they had forborne the subscribing of the Covenant with their hands, and that they would acquaint the Covenanters with it, with whom they kept private meetings.
This proposition being much debated amongst these Councellours, they fell upon that way which they conceived would fully satisfie, or else none could; which was this: Since the Covenanters would not expresse their owne desires in particulars, they thought best to take an exact view of all their petitions, remonstrances, grievances, declarations, protestations either written or printed, which they had since the first beginning of these troubles exhibited to Our selves, Our Commissioner, Our Councell; and to extract out of them the particulars of all their grievances and desires, and to represent them unto Us.
And besides all these, We being assured by Our Commissioner, that the principall motive which the heads of the Covenanters had used to Our people for alienating their minds from Us, was that false opinion of Our aversnesse from the Religion Reformed, and of Our inclination to Popery: We resolved, above all that was desired, to take a course which should give Our subjects full and unquestionable satisfaction in that point; and therefore propounding unto Our selfe, the example of Our Royall Father, We concluded to command and urge the renewing of that Confession of Faith, which was first framed and afterward renewed in His name, by which meanes Wee made account that We should both benefit Our Subjects and right Our selfe: For perceiving that they had grounded and fathered their spurious Covenant upon that Confession and Covenant urged by Our Father; Wee resolved, by this Act of Our authoritie to legitimate it, that it being commanded by Us, might save Our people who were to sweare it, from incurring the danger of Our Lawes, which have made it very criminall to enter into any Covenant without Our authority: As also, to vindicate Our selfe from that false and wicked aspersion, which the heads of their Covenant had most seditiously laid upon Us, viz. that Wee had a resolution either to bring in Poperie, or at least to tolerate it in Our Kingdomes, which though they themselves did not beleeve, yet they beleeved that this was the most powerfull meanes of alienating the minds of Our people from Us (which they only intended) if they could possibly worke them to that beliefe. And so both Wee and Our Commissioner, who had lately come from them, were perswaded that not onelyonly Our people, but all people in the World, to whose notice it should come, must rest satisfied; that Wee could not possibly be that way inclined, if Wee should command, and by Our authority effect a new subscription and swearing of that confession of Faith, which is more directly opposite to Poperie then any Confession besides extant in the World. This being added to the former advice of Our Councell, which was to ease them of all those things which they pretended to bee their principall grievances, Wee well hoped should have settled the peace of that Church and Kingdome. For by granting the removing of those former grievances, without this last superaddition of Our favour, Our Councellours were perswaded that Our subjects for the most part would be satisfied, desert their Leaders, and adhere to Us with their lives and fortunes, as they themselves would doe who signed this their Councell with their hands, and sent it up to Us by Our Commissioner.
No sooner was he come to Us at Oatlands, but We were astonished with his relation of their proceedings; and when he presented unto Us, not only the improbability, but also the impossibility that ever the Ring-leaders of that Rebellion would desist, untill they had obtained their wicked ends, and that the onelyonly hope of peace was placed in dividing the people from them, by proffering unto the people such gracious favours, as in all likelyhood they neither could nor would reject; and well weighing the advice given unto Us by Our principall Councellours and Officers of State there, After mature deliberation with such as We were pleased to call unto Us, and especially at the humble and earnest importunity of Our Commissioner, so zealously affected to the peace of Our and his native Countrey, We did resolve to pursue that advice of his and Our other Councellours, and did againe make a very exact survey of whatsoever they had petitioned for, from the very first, either of Us, Our Commissioner, or Councell, and resolved to grant them all, and besides all these, to renew the former Confession of Faith and the Band annexed, which We made account would have given them satisfaction above all things, especially in that wherein they had been most wickedly abused, that is, in their opinion of Our inclination to Poperie. The particulars of Our gracious grants unto them you shall finde in Our next Proclamation made after Our Commissioners returne to that Kingdome; whom, within eight dayes after his comming to Us, We dispatched back againe, overjoyed with Our gracious grants, as making full accompt, that he should be received this last time as an Angell of God, bringing in his mouth the branch both of piety and peace: But how farre both We and he and Our Councellours, and all Our good, religious, loyall, and peaceable subjects of that Kingdom were deceived herein, the next ensuing narration (which is almost above credit) will sufficiently declare.
For Our Commissioner, returning before the day agreed upon, he found all things in the time of his absence so perplexed and imbroyled by the heads of the Covenanters, who were afraid of nothing so much, as that he should returne with an answer satisfactorie to Our people, that he begun most clearely to perceive, that these men were resolved that nothing should satisfie them; which appeared by their whole proceedings in the time of his absence, and especially in these two particulars: First, whereas they had promised that no election of Commissioners for the Assembly should be made before the 21. day of September, the day agreed upon for his returne, they gave order that the election should be made the 22. day of September, being the next day after that, which they knew was to be passed before he could possibly returne Our answer to them: According to which resolution of theirs, Commissioners for the Assembly were elected in many Presbyteries upon that day, before any of the Covenanters did, or could come to know Our answer from Our Commissioner, or before the Assembly was indicted, which was not untill some dayes after these elections were past: Now, We desire to know whether ever there were heard a more grosse, absurd, and palpable equivocation then this, and that from men, who would be accounted the greatest opposites in the world to Popish tenets, and to none more then that of equivocation. They promise that no election shall be made untill Our Commissioners returne, and before such a day; and that promise grounded upon Our Commissioners resolution before his departure from them, that unlesse they would give him that assurance, hee would not undertake his journey, nor move Us any more in this business; but if they would expect his returne and Our answer by that time, he would doe both. These holy men resolve to expect that time before any election shall be actually made, but give order that it shall be made the next day after, before it could be knowne in most parts of the kingdome whether he were returned, or in any part of the kingdome, or by any person of the kingdome, what answer he had returned from Us: The insinceritie of which proceedings (condemned by many Covenanting Ministers at their meeting at Edinburgh for a most desperate equivocation) We are confident every man will detest, especially in those men who boast themselves to be the onelyonly sincere Professours of these times.
Besides, Our Commissioner found that these men (who would not so much as hear him speak of any precedent conference of any thing concerning the Assembly, nor of any directions to be agreed upon for the more orderly proceeding in it, but cried out against them as unsufferable prelimitations and prejudgings of the liberties of Christ and his Church) had in the time of his absence at their Tables agreeed upon certaine directions comprehended in eight Articles, which they had dispersed through the whole kingdome, and commanded to be observed by the severall Presbyteries thereof in their elections; the true copie whereof here followeth.