A Historical Vindication of the Government of the Church of Scotland, To the reader – Answer

A Historical Vindication of the Government of the Church of Scotland · To the reader – Answer

Good Reader,

BEE intreated to pardon ſundry literall faults, and many miſpunctations, and ſome other groſſer typographicall faults which corrupt the ſence.

p. 1An ANSWER to the DECLARATION.

AS Every paſſion when too much ſtirred, The oppoſites of Presbytery blinded with malice, have hurt themſelves and no others, by the reprinting of this Declaration.has a power to ſend up vapours and miſts for darkning the light of the minde, ſo eſpecially anger and malice doe dazle and blinde the eye of reaſon: Too much wrath deveſts men ſo farre of underſtanding, as to make them take up ſuch Armes againſt an Enemy, which cannot hurt him, but fail not to pierce themſelves and their beſt friends with dangerous wounds.

The oppoſites of Presbyteriall government (be they Independents, or Eraſtians, or who ever) when after all other devices, they thinke fit for the helpe of their cauſe, to reprint here, and put in the hand of people, the old and forgotten calumnies formerly invented, and ſpread, by the SCOTS excommunicate Prelates, by ſuch weapons they will not be able to effect what they intend; yet by ſuch practiſes, they cannot faile (in the heart of intelligent beholders) to wound their owne reputation, proclaiming either groſſe ignorance, or very malicious fraud in this their offer to abuſe the ſimplicity of people, with writs, which are fraughted with moſt notorious lyes.

Concerning the Title; This writ of Adamſons is paralell to Balcanquals large Declaration.A Declaration made by King JAMES in Scotland: They who have acquaintance with the SCOTS affaires of that time, doe know this writ to have no more relation unto King JAMES, then the late large Declaration had to King CHARLES; both carry the name of Kings, but the ſpecious pretence of a royal title was not able to ſave the true Authors of either, from the juſt cenſure which they deſerved, by ſuch falſe and malicious ſlandering of their Mother-Church and native Country. Doctor Balcanquall, for his wicked ſervice in penning that large Declaration, in King CHARLE's name, was condemned as a Lyar, and Incendiary, and ſo ſtands regiſtred, both in that generall p. 2Aſſembly aaThe Generall Aſſembly at Edinburgh, 1639. p. 9. the Aſſembly reſenting the great diſhonour done to God, our King, this Church, and …ole Kingdome, by the Book called A larg Declaration, have collected ſome amongſt many, of its falſe, groſſ… and abſurd paſſages. They did ſupplicate to have To…or Balcanquall, the knowne Author cited, for exemplary puniſhment.and Parliament of Scotland bbThe ſecord Parliament of Kin, Charles, p. 29. the Booke called Al arge D…craration was found to be full of lyes and known untruths, and therefore the Parliament ordaines the Autho…s and ſpreaders thereof to be moſt ſeverely puniſhed, to diſcourage all ſuch underminers of his Majesties throne, and abuſers of his royall name, by prefixing the ſame to ſuch ſcandalous and diſhonourable Treatiſes, ibi. p. 126. the Act againſt the five incendiaries Doctor Walter Balcanquall, &c., which King CHARLES by the advice of his Houſes here, did lately ratifie ccSecond Parliament of King Charles, p. 72. whereunto it was an wered by the Engliſh Commiſſioners, that his Majesty doth in the name of a King promiſe to publiſh the ſaid Acts, as is above ſpecified..

The Biſhop Adamſor, for the like diſſervice in King James pretended Declaration, does not alſo remaine in the Records of the Aſſemblies and Parliaments of Scotland, …ignmatized with the ſame Note of perpetuall infamy, nothing impeded, but his publicke Declaration of repentance.

That King James, Adamſon confeſſeth himſelf to be the Author.notwithſtanding of all his favour to Epiſcopacy, was neither the Author nor approver of this Declaration, I demonſtrate thus: Firſt, Maſter Patricke Adamſon, upon his death-bed, put it under his hand with a ſolemn Oath, that he himſelfe was the Author of that Wryt, which hee had drawne by the direction of the Chancellour and Secretary (two very wicked Courtiers) ddThe recantation of Patrick Adamſon, Biſhop of St. Andrewes; Whereas I am burdened to be the ſetter forth of the Booke called the Kings Declaration; wherein the whole order of the Church is condemned and traduced; I proteſt before God that I was commanded to write the ſame, by the Chancellour for the time, but chiefly by the Secretary, another great Courtier.contrary to the minde of the King. ooKing Iames did diſclaim itSecondly, when the Commiſſioners of the generall Aſſembly, the very next yeere at the Parliament of Lithgow, did complaine to the King, of the many falſe p. 3and wicked aſperſions of that Declaration. His Majeſty did take ſuch notice of their grievances, that with his owne hand he did write a new Declaration, much differing from the former, which he told them was not his, but the Archbiſhops eeTheſe animadverſions and ſupplications being preſented to his Majestie by the Ministers, the King tooke paines himſelfe, by the ſpace of foure and twenty houres, to take him to his Cabinet, and with his owne hand, both wrote and penned this Declaration following, word by word. Ibid. the Biſhop of St. Andrewes his own Declaration, &c..

Thirdly, What ever in it is contrary to Presbytery is condemned by poſterior Parliaments.the Acts of Parliament upon which this Declaration is grounded, and which it doth interpret, were all annulled ſome few years thereafter; and the Presbiterian government, which this writ tendeth to diſgrace, was compleatly ſet up by the King, and States of Parliament, to the great joy of the whole Land ffTwelfth Parli. of King James the 6. 1592. Act 1. our Soveraigne Lord and Estates of this preſent Parliament, ratifies and approves the generall Aſſembly appointed by the ſaid Kirke, and declares that it ſhall be lawfull to the Kirk and Ministers every yeere at the leaſt, and ofter pro re nata, as occaſion and neceſſity ſhall require, to hold and keepe generall Aſſemblies, and alſo ratifies and approves the Synodall and Provinciall Aſſemblies, to be holden by the ſaid Kirk and Ministers, twice every yeere, as they have beene and are preſently in uſe to doe, within every Province of this Realm; as alſo ratifies and approves the Preſbyteries and particular Seſſions appointed by the ſaid Kirke, with the whole Juriſdiction and diſcipline of the ſame Kirke agreed upon by his Majesty in conference had by his Highneſſe with certaine of the Miniſters conveened to that effect: alſo determines and declares the ſaid Aſſemblies, Presbiteries and Seſſions, their juriſdiction and diſcipline, to be in all times comming moſt juſt and good, notwithstanding of whatſomever Statutes, Acts, Canons civill or municipall Lawes, made in the contrary. Item, the Kings Majestie and Estates declares, that the 129. Act of the Parliament holden at Edinbrough, the 22. of May 1584. ſhall no wayes be prejudiciall, nor derogate any thing to the priviledge that God has given to the Spirituall Officers in the Kirke, concerning heads of Religion, matters of Hereſie, Ezcommunication, collation, deprivation of Ministers, or any ſuch like eſſentiall Cenſures, ſpecially grounded and having warrant of the Word of God. Alſo abrogates, Caſſis and Annuls, the Act of the ſame Parliament 1584. yeere, granting Commiſſion to Biſhops and other Judges constitute in Eccleſiasticall cauſes to receive his Highneſſe Preſentations to Benefices, to give collation hereupon, and to put order in all Eccleſiasticall cauſes; his Majestie and Estates declares this Act to be expired, and in time comming to be null; and therefore ordains all Preſentations to be directed to the particular Presbiteries.Acts 1.

More needs not be ſaid for the confounding and filling with ſhame the faces of them, No more is needfull for a ſatisfactory Anſwer.who in the reprinting of this Pamphlet could have no other intention, but to grieve and diſgrace them, whom by word they call Brethren; but in heart and workes, they evidently maligne as enemies, without any cauſe. Adamſon (the true Father) confeſſeth it to be a Baſtard, and ſuppoſititious birth wholly compoſed of lyes and ſlanders. p. 4King James diſclaimes it, and puts a new Declaration in its place; the States of Parliament in King James his preſence, and with his open allowance, aboliſhed the Acts whereupon it was founded; rooting out Epiſcopacy, which it dothplant, and building up Presbyteries and Synods, which it profeſſeth to demoliſh.

Yet for more abundant ſatisfaction, The points of the wryt.let us conſider its particular parts: It containes firſt a Preface: Secondly, an explanation of foure Acts of the Parliament at Edinbrough, Pag. 1. It is hazardous for a … Prince to take …pon himſelf …the faults of …his Officers.1584. Thirdly, an enumeration of ſome foureteene intentions aſcribed to the King.

In the Preface, there is a narrative of the cauſes of the ſubſequent Declaration; all reſolves upon the alledged Lyes of ſome evill affected perſons, labouring to impaire his Majeſties honour and fame: Upon this we remark that the late unhappy tricke of Courtiers and Prel…tes, is no leſſe ancient then this Declaration; it was the ordinary cuſtome of theſe ungrate and imprudent men, to charge the backe of the King with their owne faults; the bones of Kings are ſuppoſed by Sycophants to be ſo ſtrong, that no burden is able to bow, much leſſe to breake them. As King Charles has ever been …o ready and willing to take upon himſelfe the p. 5guilt of his ſervants, upon what ever hazard; the ſame was his Fathers condition, yet with this difference, King James was willing to beare his Servants burdens, till he found they pinched, but ſo ſoone as they began to preſſe him any thing ſore, he was ſo wiſe and juſt to himſelfe and others, that he laid them alwayes over upon the neck of thoſe whom in reaſon it concerned to beare them.The people had an high eſteeme of Ki. Iames his vertues.

About that time, the fame of Kings James his Learning, Piety, and perſonall vertues did floriſh at home and abroad; the wel-affected, who chiefly are aymed at, were ſo far from impairing his perſonall reputation, that in their very cenſure of this Declaration, they give unto him an excellent teſtimony ggVide An Anſwer to the Declaration. Their indignation was onelyonly againſt the Court, and upon juſt grounds.. But at that ſame time, his Court was ſo exceedingly corrupted, that the good men in the whole Iſle, both Engliſh and Scots did lament it; Captain James Stuart by his cunning crept up to be Chancellour, became ſo inſolent a Tyrant, that neither the greateſt nor the moſt innocent had ſecurity either of their life or Eſtate hhSpotſwoods History, lib. 6, p. 179. …eere 1584. this ſeverity was univerſally diſliked, but that which ſhortly enſued, was much more hatefull! Ibid. Maines and Drumwhaſſill were hanged the ſame day in the publick ſtreet of Edenborough, the Gentlemens caſe was much pittied, Maines his caſe eſpecially; all that were preſent, in their hearts did pronounce him innocent; theſe cruell and rigorous proceedings cauſed ſuch a feare, as all fami…iar ſociety was in a manner left, no man knowing to whom be might ſafely ſpeake: Arran in the meane time went on, drawing into his owne hand the managing of affairs, for he would be ſole and ſupream over all. Ibid. p. 177. Master Andrew Pullert, Master Patrick Galloway, Master James Carmichal Ministers, were denounced Rebels, and fled into England, Master Andrew Hay compeered, and nothing being qualified againſt him, was upon ſuſpition confined to the North; the Ministers ſent Master David Lindſay to the King, with their ſupplication, but Arran ſent him priſoner to Blackneſſe, where he was detained forty ſeven weeks: The Ministers of Edenborough hearing of this, for ſook their charge and fled into England, ſo as Edenbrugh was left without any Preachers; Master Robert Pont likewiſe flying, was denounced Rebell.. The beſt Miniſters were forced to leave the Kingdome. The Duke of Lennox, whoſe power with the King was greateſt, had lately come over from the Guiſians in France, though the man himſelf was of a very good and meeke nature, yet he had his inſtructions and dependance from the Authors and inſtruments of the French Maſſacres; he made it his worke to further the intereſt of France, to the prejudice of England: he correſponded with the French and Scots Traffiquers for Queene Maries deliverance out of priſon; yea, p. 6for her returne to the throne of Scotland in an aſſociation with her Son kkThe Collection, Sir Eſme Stuart was ſent by Queen Mother of France and the Guiſians to ſeduce the young King, to ſubvert Religion, violate the amity between England and Scotland, to procure an invaſion for the delivery of the Queen of Scots then in captivity, to make the King content to be aſſociate with her in the government, to alienate his heart from the Miniſtry: he had his continuall intelligence and inſtructions from France.. Theſe things which all the Writers of that time do record, did ſo fill the hearts of all good people with feares, for changes both of Religion and Lawes, that neither Engliſh nor Scots did ſpare to expreſſe them in their ordinary diſcourſes llVide ſupra h.. Unto this frightment of the people, the Acts of Parliament, procured by the forenamed Maſters of the Court, did much adde; for the allaying whereof, this Declaration was penned, but to no purpoſe, as Spotſwood himſelf tels us mmSpotſwoods Story, lib. 6. p. 177. This Declaration gave not much ſatisfaction, ſo great was the diſcontent..

For no ſatisfaction was ever taken, till both the Duke, Chancellour, Secretary and Archbiſhop Adamſon were baniſhed the Court, and the acts of Parliament of their invention aboliſhed as noxious and evill.There was never any Warrant for Printing of this Writ.

What is here ſaid of King James his command to publiſh this Declaration, I do not find it verified in any Regiſter, either of the Church or Kingdome of Scotland that hath fallen in my hand; but if any ſuch command did come from him at that time of his minority and great tentation▪ through the continuall p. 7evill offices of them that then managed his Counſels, it were a caſe no more ſtrange then theſe which often ſince we have ſeen in both Kingdomes: many Proclamations and Declarations by falſe and wicked informations, have been drawne from King James and King Charles, and many other Princes, which upon better adviſement have been called in and buried; the Proclamation concerning ſports and playes upon the Sabbath, the Service-Book and Book of Canons, the Declarations of the Rebellion of the Parliaments of both Kingdomes, we all know. For my part, I love not to rake out …f the grave, the carcaſes of theſe buried Writs, for the infamy of the Prince, or the prejudice of the Subject.

We ſhall ſ…y no more to the preface, Pag 2.come to the interpretation of theſe offenſive Acts of that Parliament at Edenburgh, 1584. As for the firſt Act, the explanation here made upon it did no way remove its offence, for both the Act and its explanation attribute to the Miniſters only the adminiſtation of the Word and Sacraments, without any mention at all of any diſcipline; this ſeems to have been one chiefe cauſe why the worſhipfull Licenſer was preſſed with ſo much importunity, to give his Imprimatur to this Writ, as if this paſſage had been a demonſtration of King James his Eraſtianiſme; but let the world take notice of the groſſeneſſe of this miſtake by this ſhort information.

The Commiſſioners of the generall Aſſembly, King James was far from Eraſtianiſme.were required by his Majeſty at the Parliament of Lithgou, 1585. to give him in the grounds of their grievances againſt the Acts of the Parliament at Edenbrugh, 1584. here explained nnCollection, Maſter Andrew Melvill had been plaine with the King divers dayes; at length the King deſired the Miniſters to exhibit in writ, what exceptions they had againſt the Parliament held in Anno 1584. whereupon they exhibit to the King theſe animadverſions following.: In their Animadverſion upon the Act now in hand, they did ſhew his Majeſty that the power of Eccleſiaſticall Juriſdiction and Church-Cenſures, did belong to them by divine right, no leſſe then the power of preaching the Word, and Celebrating the Sacraments ooAnimadverſions: The power of the Keyes of the Kingdome of Heaven, conſisteth not onelyonly in preaching and adminiſtration of the Sacraments but alſo in juriſdiction and removing of offences out of the Kirk of God, and excommunication of the diſobedient, to be pronounced by theſe that are officers of the Church: our warrants out of the Word of God, for this part of the liberty of the Church we are to bring forth when your Majeſty pleaſeth..

p. 8Alſo that the Lawes of the Kingdome, ever fince the Reformation, did ratifie that their right ppIbid. This Act reſtricted the liberty granted byother Acts of Parliament of before, concerning diſcipline and correction of manners, which were eſtabliſhed by a Law in the firſt yeer of your Majeſties Reigne.; and that hitherto they had bin in peaceable poſſeſſiō thereof qqIbid. There is a ſpirituall juriſdiction, where of the Office-bearers within the Kirk in this Realm, have been in peaceable poſſeſſion and uſe theſe twenty four yeer by paſt, whereof followed no trouble, but great quietneſſe in the Kirke and Commonwealth.: The King in his Reply to this animadverſion, does not deny any of theſe Alleageances. yea, he declares under his hand, that he did not intend to take from Church Officers any part of the Eccleſiaſticall Juriſdiction, but onelyonly ſo to regulate the execution of Diſcipline, that ſome part thereof might be put in the hand of Prelates, this was the onelyonly point in controverſie rrThe Kings Declaration, the firſt Act maketh onelyonly mention of the preaching of the Word & Sacraments, not thereby to abrogate any good further policy and juriſdiction in the Kirke, but allanerly to remit a part thereof to the Acts enſuing, and the moſt which as yet are not agreed upon nor concluded, I intend God willing, to cauſe to be perfected by a godly generall Aſſembly.: Whence it appeares, how far his Majeſty was from all Eraſtianiſme, though his affection to prelacy at that time was too great, which yet he changed quickly thereafter as we ſhall ſee anon.

The explanation of the ſecond Act, The ſum of the next Paragraph.conſiſts of a Narrative and Ordinance builded thereupon: the Narrative has the alledged misbehaviours of ſome Miniſters; Maſter Andrew Melvile alone is named, as joyning in conſpiracies with Rebels againſt the King, as Preaching ſeditious Doctrine, and diſclaining the King and Counſell of State, for his p. 9Judges. The Ordinance is concerning the Kings Supremacy; divers things are here jumbled together confuſedly and odiouſly, to theſe two purpoſes, by the Abbot of Dunfermeling (Secretary for the time) the Penner of this paſſage, as Adamſon the writer of the reſt confeſſeth ſſAdamſons recantation, The Secretary himſelfe penned the ſecond Act of Parliament concerning the power of Judicatories to be abſolutely in the King; and that it ſhould not be lawfull for any Subject to reclame from the ſame, under the penalty of the Act, which I ſuppoſe was treaſon..

Concerning the firſt, Maſter Melvill his worth.Maſter Andrew Melvils caſe, the Narrative is moſt untrue, as I ſhall make good by undeniable evidence. Maſter Melvil was an excellent Divine, the principall profeſſour of Divinity in the Univerſity firſt of Glaſgow, and then of S. Andrewes, full of piety, eloquence and learning of all ſorts; ſo eminent in zeale for the truth, that his remembrance is yet very precious, not in Scotland alone, but in other reformed Churches; his heroicke courage made him an eye-ſore to the Maſters of the Court, whoſe wickedneſſe he and his Schollars, according to their place and duty, did maſculouſly oppoſe. From this it was, and nothing elſe, that an Accuſation was invented againſt him, as for ſeditious and treaſonable words againſt the Kings Mother Queen Mary, then priſoner in England.

When he came to his Anſwer upon his ſolemne Oath, Cleer grounds for his juſtification.he denied his Charge; ttThe Collection: I Maſter Andrew Melvill proteſt before God and his elect Angels, that I ſpoke nothing in that Sermon, or any other Sermon made by me, tending to the ſlander or diſhonour of the Kings Majeſty, my Sovereigne, any wayes, but in the contrary, exhorted always all his highneſſe Subjects to obedience and reverence of his Majeſty, whom God in his mercy hath placed lawfull King and ſupream Magiſtrate in the Civill government of the Country, and moſt earneſtly have prayed at all times, and ſpecially in the foreſaid Sermon, for the preſervation and proſperous eſtate of his Majeſty; alſo I proteſt before God, that neither in that Sermon, nor any other, I ſpoke theſe words, [the King is unlawfully promoted to the Crown] or any words ſounding thereunto, for I put never in queſtion his Majeſties lawfull Authority.and for his cleering, he produced three famous teſtificats; the firſt under the hand of all the Maſters and Regents of the Univerſity; the ſecond under the hand of all the Magiſtrates and Common counſell of Saint Andrewes; the third under the hands of the whole Claſſicall Presbytery of the bounds, who all were his frequent hearers, and the p. 10moſt of them had been preſent at the challenged Sermon, all of them did teſtifie the Charge to be a vile calumny, and that he had ſpoken no ſuch words as were alleaged; wwThe Collection, Whatſoever is laid to our Brothers charge, as it is falſe and fained of it ſelfe, ſo it is forged of the Devill and his inſtruments, to bring the faithfull ſervants of God in contempt, for as we were continuall and diligent Auditors of his Doctrine, ſo we beare him faithfull record in God and in conſcience, that we heard nothing out of his mouth, neither in Doctrine nor Application, which tended not directly to the glory of God, and to the eſtabliſhment of your Majeſties Crowne, and whenſoever the occaſion offered it ſelfe in ſpeciall to ſpeake of your Majeſty, we heard him never but in great zeale and earneſt prayer, recommend your Majeſty unto his protection, exhorting alwayes all manner of Subjects to acknowledge their obedience even to the meaneſt Magiſtrate.alſo that both in his Pulpit and Chaire and ordinary diſcouſe, it was his cuſtome to preſſe ſo much loyalty and obedience, as any duty did require xxVide ſupra ^w..

The witneſſe brought in againſt him did depoſe nothing to his prejudice, though the Chancellour, Captaine James, his ſpightfull enemy did ſit in the Counſell as his Judge.

Yea, if Spotſwood may be truſted, he was not found guilty of any the leaſt part of his challeng, but the ſentence againſt him proceeded alone upon ſome alleaged raſh words to the King in the heat of his defence yySpotſwoods Hiſtory, yeer 1583. fol. 175. be burſt forth in undutifull ſpeeches, which unreverend words did greatly offend the Counſell, thereupon was he charged to enter his perſon in Blackneſſe..

As for his conſcience of any conſpiracy, he denied it upon Oath, neither was any witneſſe brought in to ſay any thing upon that alleageance; if any more were needfull for the p. 11cleering of his innocence, Adamſous Oath and Subſcription is extant, wherein he condemnes this part of the Narative of falſhood, and juſtifies Maſter Melvill, as a moſt juſt and honeſt man; zzAdamſons Recantation, in the ſecond Act there is mention made of Maſter Andrew Melvill and his Sermon wrongfully condemned, as factious and ſeditious, albeit his Majeſty hath had a lively tryall of that mans fidelity from time to time; true it is, he is earneſt and zealous, and can abide no corruption (which moſt unadviſedly I attribute to a fiery and ſalt humour) which his Majeſty findeth by experience to be true; for he alloweth well of him, and knoweth the things that were alleaged upon him to have been falſe and contrived treacheries.His flight no Argument of guiltineſſe.yea King James himſelf when the Commiſsſioners of the Church did complaine to him of theſe ſlanderous imputations, did promiſe them under his hand, that they ſhould be reſcinded: aaKings Declaration, always how ſoone the whole Miniſters of Scotland ſhal amend their manners the foreſaid Act ſhall be reſcinded.It is true, that Maſter Melvill when he was ſentenced, did flee to England for his life, the time being ſo evill, that according to Spotſwoods Relation, the King by the practiſes of the Courtiers in his minority, was forced bbSpotſwoods Story, lib. 6. fol. 244. yeer 1600. Your Father (ſaid the King) I was not the cauſe of his death, it was done in my minority, and by a forme of juſtice.to permit and overſee too often the execution of divers good & innocent men, yet how little diſpleaſing Maſter Melvils flight was to the King, a ſhort time did declare, for within a few moneths he returned, and was reſtored both to his Charge and the Kings favour, ccVide ſupra, the Collection and Recantation ^z.wherein he did conſtantly continue, till the death of Queen Elizabeth did call his Majeſty to the Throne of England, A maine cauſe of the extirpation of Prelacyin Englanda day very joyfull to both Kingdomes, but moſt ſorrowfull to the Church of Scotland; for ſo ſoon as the Engliſh Prelates got King James amongſt them, they did not reſt till Maſter Melvill and the prime of the Scots Divines were called up to London, and onelyonly for their neceſſary and juſt defence of the truth of God and liberties of the Church of Scotland, againſt Epiſcopall p. 12uſurpations, were either baniſhed or confined, or ſo ſore oppreſſed, that griefe did break their heart, and brought the moſt of them to their graves with ſorrow; the whole Diſcipline of the Church of Scotland was overthrowne, to the very great trouble and diſquieting of the Church and Kingdome: This violence did lye ſilent under the Prelates Chaires for many yeers, but at laſt, bleſſed be God, it has ſpoken to purpoſe, it has moved the Heavens and ſhaken the earth, to the tumbling of all theſe Antichriſtian Tyrants in the three Kingdomes, with their ſeats of pride, into the gulph of ruine, whence we hope there ſhall be no more emerſion.Maſter Melvils Declinator and Proteſtation clee…ed.

The laſt thing objected to Maſter Mervill, is his declinator of the King; when the ſtate of the Queſtion is knowne, this will appeare no great crime; for the Queſtion was not, Whether Miniſters be exempt from the Magiſtrates juriſdiction, nor, Whether the Pulpit puts men in a liberty to teach treaſon without any civill cognizance and puniſhment, ſince the Reformation of Religion, ddSecond Book of Diſcipline, cap. 1. The Miniſters ſhould aſſiſt their Princes in all things agreeable to the Word; Ministers are ſubject to the judgement and puniſhment of the Magiſtrate in externall things, if they offend; The Anſwer to the Declaration, whereas it is ſaid, it is his Majesties intention to correct and puniſh ſuch as ſeditiouſly abuſe the Chaire of truth, and factiouſly apply the Scripture to the disturbing of the Common-wealth, ſurely his Majeſties intention is good, providing, true tryall goe before, unlawfull correction follow after according to the Word of God.no man in Scotland did ever aſſert ſuch things; but the Queſtion was, as Spotſwood himſelfe ſtates it, Whether the Counſell was a competent Judge to Malter Melvils doctrine in prima inſtantia, theſe were the expreſſe tearmes; eeSpotſwoods Story fol. 175. yeer 1583. l. 6. he affirmed that what was ſpoken in Pulpit, ought firſt to be tryed by the Presbytery and that neither the King nor Counſell might in prima inſtantia meddle therewith.Maſter Melvill did proteſt for the liberties of the Church ratified by law avowing that as civil actiōs could not be called from before the ordinary Judicato ies to the Counſell Table, though the King by his Letters ſhould command it; ſo cauſes meerly Eccleſiaſticall ſhould not be p. 13brought from the Presbyteries and Synods, at leaſt in the firſt inſtance: He did alſo proteſt, that the liberties of the Ʋniverſity ſhould not be violate, for it was a priviledge of old, conferred and very lately confirmed both by King and Parliament, that no member of the Univerſity ſhould be called before any Judicatory, to the time their cauſe was heard and diſcuſſed within the Univerſity it ſelfe; ffSecond Book of Diſcipline p. 25. Although Kings and Princes that be godly, ſometimes by their owne authority, when the Kirk is corrupted, and all things out of order, place Miniſters, and reſtore the true ſervice of the Lord, after the example of ſome godly Kings of Juda, and divers godly Emperours and Kings alſo, in the light of the new Teſtament, yet where the Miniſtry, &c.whether theſe Proteſtations were treaſonable and diſſonant from the Lawes and conſtant practice of Scotland, will appeare more anon; ſo much of the narrative.

The Ordinance pretended to be made upon occaſion of Maſter Melvils miſbehaviour, What Supremacy is Irwfull.was the Act of the Kings Supremacy over all perſons, That none ſhould decline his Highneſſe Authority: Where it is to be obſerved, that the contrivers of this Declaration, while they endeavour to ſhew the occaſion and riſe of that ſecond Act from Maſter Meloil and other Miniſters, their ſtirring up of people to Rebellion againſt their native King, and their refuling to acknowledge the Soveraigne judgement for a godly quietneſſe and order in the Common-wealth, to appertaine to his Highneſſe care and ſolicitude: And it being profeſſed in the ſame Declaration concerning that Act, that his Majeſties intention was onelyonly to repreſſe that immunity, priviledge and exemption invented by the Pope to exempt himſelfe and his Clergie from all judgement of Princes: Yea, the Declaration expreſſy waveth th Queſtion of the Kings Supremacy in judging of cauſe Eccleſiaſticall, as not belonging to that preſent condition of affaires, the Queſtion being neither concerning hereſies, interpretation of Scripture, the lawfull and ordinary Eccleſiaſticall Judgement p. 14for preſerving and maintaining Church Diſcipline; nor concerning the power of Synods, but concerning ſome of the Miniſtry joyning themſelves (as is there pretended) to Rebels, and diſquieting the State: Theſe things conſidered, it will appeare, that as this Declaration infinitely wrongeth theſe learned and godly Miniſters (who were far from any diſloyall doctrines or popiſh tenents, concerning the immunity of Miniſters from all judgement of Princes, in matters belonging to quietneſſe and order in the Common-wealth, ſo it doth not cleerly hold forth that which peradventure was intended and is endeavoured (in point of the Magiſtrate his ſupremacy in Eccleſiasticis) by ſome who were very ſolicitous to have this Declaration reprinted; whoſe principles ſuffer them not to reſt ſatisfied with that meaſure of power, which in a reformed and well conſtructed Church doth (by the Word of God, and by the Doctrine of the ancient and reformed Churches) belong to the civill Magiſtrate in reference to Religion and cauſes Eccleſiaſticall (wherein alſo their power is further enlarged in extraordinary caſes, when the ordinary wayes and meanes of reformation cannot be had: Some hopes (it ſeemes) there were to find in this Declaration another kind of Supremacy, which is now the idol of many mifinformed minds, which is alſo hightned farre above the moderate interpretations which were given by Doctor Bilſon and Doctor Ʋſher.

I meane ſuch a ſupremacy, The Eraſtian Supremacy is more then a Turkiſh tyranny.as makes the Magiſtrate the head and fountaine of all Juriſdiction Civill and Eccleſiaſtick, which makes all powers within His Dominions to be but rivolets and ſtreames derived from his Ocean, making all the members of all Courts Spirituall and Civill to be but Commiſſioners at pleaſure of the Prince, putting all Lawes under his arbitrement, and the Legiſlative power in his breſt alone, changing Parliaments into his arbitrary Counſels for matters of State, as generall Aſſemblies for matters of the Church: putting it in his free will to lay aſide for ever both Parliaments and Aſſemblies, and to ſet up in their places, what Courts they thinke expedient, for all cauſes of all perſons, that they may (if ſo it be their pleaſure, commit the finall deciſion of all Eccleſiaſtick cauſes to ſome few Church p. 15and Stateſmen of their owne nomination, under the title of a High Commiſſion, or to two or three either of the Church or State, under the name of Delegats, or to any one Gentleman alone, under the name of a Vicar generall; alſo they may devolve the laſt determination of all civill cauſes upon a few favourites, whether of the long or ſhort Robe, under the ſtile of a Star Chamber, or Counſell Table, or Cabinet counſell, or private Juncto.

If this be the ſupremacy which the reprinters of the Declaration aime at, we grant that many Prelats and Courtiers have alwayes been of their mind; but I aſſure them, the Scots Divines did ever abhorre ſuch ſlaviſh maximes; ſuch a ſupremacy has alwayes been the fundamentall Law in the grand Segniors Port at Conſtantinople, it has been for many yeers the poſſeſſed Prerogative of the French and Spaniſh Monarchs; alſo from their example, it has been the aime and endeavour not onelyonly of other Kings, but almoſt of all Princes and Soveraigne States, how pettie ſoever; ſo much is a ſovereigne deſpotick and uncontroleable Domination, naturally beloved by all who are in any neerneſſe or hope to attaine it: But it is a morſell that has ſtuck with ſo many in the ſwallowing, and poyſoned ſo many in the digeſtion, though ſwallowed downe, that few who are wiſe, will adventure any more to taſte of it; notwithſtanding if the appetite of the publiſhers of this Writ will not be ſatisfied with any thing leſſe then ſuch a Supremacy, let them be pleaſed to conſider:

Firſt, If either King or Parliament admit of it, it wil overthrow both, and the whole Nation with them.that this kind of ſupremacy will fall upon a ſubject where their harts wil be loath it ſhould lodg, it wil be found rather a part of the royall Prerogative, then any Priviledge of Parliament; and although according to their good friends laſt warning to the City, the Crowne were broken in pieces, and the whole royall Prerogative devolved upon the head of the Parliament, yet the aforementioned ſupremacy is ſo high an injuſtice, that no gracious member of either Houſe would ever be perſwaded to touch it though it were put in their fingers; for beſide the everting of all the Lawes whereupon Monarchy ſince the firſt foundation has ſtood, it would ſo ſhake the groundſtones of all the Lawes of the Kingdome, as p. 16would hazard the overthrow no leſſe of the Parliament, then of the King, and with them all the Judicatories and rights of the Land, our unhappy Brovilons, fit for nothing ſo much as to confound all things, would be in a faire way to bring the whole Church and State to ſuch a Chaos and hodge podge, as no creature without Gods extraordinary aſſiſtance, ſhould ever againe be able to bring their confuſions to any tolerable order.

Secondly, The Supremacy here mentioned favours Epiſcopacy, but not Eraſtianiſme.they ſhould doe well to conſider, that whatever ſupremacy is aimed at in the Writ, yet the Eraſtian deſigne will not be much helped thereby, for it is expreſly provided therein, that the ordinary Eccleſiaſtick Judicatories ſhall cognoſce all Eccleſiaſticke cauſes, ggPrinted Declaration, p. 3. Neiis it his Majeſties intention to take away the lawfull and ordinary judgment of the Church, but rather to preſerve, encreaſe, and maintaine the ſame; and as there is in the Realme Juſtices, Conſtables, Sheriffes, Provoſts, Bailiffes, and other Judges in temporall matters, ſo his Majeſty alloweth that all things may be done in order, and a godly order may be preſerved in the whole Eſtate; the Synodall Aſſemblies by the Biſhops or Commiſſioners for the places vacand, to be convened twice in the yeere, to have the Ordering of matters belonging to the Miniſtry and their eſtate.no word at all to import that any civil Commiſſioners may determine upon any affaires meerly Eccleſiaſticall; it is true, that the ordinary Judicatories here named, are put under the foule feet of the Prelats; and this ſeems to have been the maine aime both of the Act and of its interpretation, yet hereby the Eraſtian principles are nothing furthered; for as by the Covenant and Laws of both Kingdomes the roots of Epiſcopacy are now pluked up, ſo its well knowne that neither Preſbiterians nor Independents were ever more zealous for the eſtabliſhing of Eccleſiaſtick juriſdiction by a divine right in the hand of Church Officers, then the Epiſcopall party, at leaſt thoſe of them who underſtood and minded their owne principles.

Thirdly, King James againſt the Eraſtians.if all this will not ſatisfie, we deſire thoſe who hold out this paſſage as advantageous for the Eccleſiaſtick p. 17power of the Magiſtrate in prejudice of the Presbytery, to know that when the Miniſters did complaine to King James of this ſeeming prejudice, he gave them his owne Declaration which he promiſed ſhould be as authentick as that Act of Parliament hhhhKings Declaration: Now I ſay and declare, which Declaration ſhall be as authentick as the Act it ſelfe; that I for my part ſhall never, neither my Posterity, ought ever cite, ſummon or apprehend any Paſtor or Preacher for matters of Doctrine in Religion, ſalvation, bereſies, or true interpretation of the Scriptures, but according to my firſt Act, which confirmeth the liberty of Preaching the Word, Ministration of the Sacraments; I avow the ſame to be a matter meere Eccleſiasticall and altogether impertinent to my calling, therefore never ſhall I, nor never ought they, I meane my Posterity, to acclaime any power of juriſdiction of the foreſaid.which cauſed their griefe, and much more authentick then Adamſons Interpretation of that Act; aſſuring them that neither himſelfe nor any of his ſucceſſors ſhould ever claime the Cognizance nor the power to determine in any cauſe meerly Eccleſiaſticall, iiiiVide ſapra ^hh.avowing that Eccleſiaſtick Juriſdiction did belong onelyonly to the Church officers, which neither himſelfe nor any of his heires ſhould ever crave nor ever ought to crave as belonging to them.King James revoked what here is publiſhed.

Finally, we deſire them to know, if Princes promiſes and Declarations under their hands ſeeme not to them ſufficient ſecurity, that whatever in the preſent paſſage does appeare, to ſpoile the Church Aſſemblies of a full and plenary Juriſdiction, was all recalled and paſt from by King James the very next yeer for he did conſent unto that tranſaction of Archbiſhop Adamſons, whereby the Arch-prelate deveſts himſelfe of all juriſdiction, and ſubmits himſelfe to the authority of the Aſſembly, renouncing all liberty of appeale to any other perſon or Judicatory in the earth kkkkSpotſwoods Hiſtory, lib. 6. p. 184. yeer 1586. A tranſaction was made in this ſort, That the Biſhop by his hand writing ſhould labour to carry himſelfe as a moderate Pastor ought, labouring to be the Biſhop deſcribed by Saint Paul, ſubmitting his life and Doctrine to the Judgement and cenſure of the generall Aſſembly, without any reclamation, provocation or appellation from the ſame in any time comming, what ſhould have moved the King to hearken to a mediation ſo prejudiciall both to his owne authority and the Epiſcopall juriſdiction cannot well be conjectured; whatſoever the reaſon was, the Biſhop did ſet his hand to the things propoſed by the Aſſembly..

But to ſtop all mouths which from Scotland would bring any colour of warrant p. 18King Charles alſo.for an Eraſtian Supremacy, in the laſt Parliament of Scotland, which was ratified by King Charles, with the hearty conſent of his good Subjects of England; the finall determination of all Eccleſiaſticke Cauſes whatſoever is referred to the Nationall Aſſembly as to the onelyonly proper and competent Judge; llllSecond Parliament of K. Charles Act 4. p. 6. & 8. The Kings Majesty having graciouſly declared that it is his royall will and pleaſure that all questions about Religion and matters Eccleſiasticall, be determined by the Aſſemblies of the Church, and that for preſervation of Religion, generall Aſſemblies rightly constitute, as the proper and competent judge of all matters Eccleſiasticall hereafter be kept yeerly, and oftner pro renata; as alſo that Kirk Seſſions, Presbyteries and Synodall Aſſemblies be constitute and obſerved, according to the order of this Kirk; which Act, the estates now convened by his Majesties indiction, ra…ifies, approves and confirmes in all points, and gives thereunto the ſtrength of a Law and Act of Parliament.Acts 4whoever will call this Act of Parliament into queſtion muſt be content to have the King and his Parliaments of both Kingdoms for their firſt and chiefe oppoſites.

The explanation of the next Act is alſo large and confuſed, The ſum of. the next Paragraph.it contains a diſcharge of all Church Aſſemblies and meetings not authorized by Law; particularly, it diſcharges the Nationall Aſſemblie, and Claſſicall Presbytery upon the allegeance of ſome enormous practiſes of theſe two meetings: Conſider firſt the diſcharge, and then its reaſons.Church-aſſemblies eſtabliſhed in Scotland on a Divine Right, with the allowance of King James and K. Charles in divers Parliaments.

Concerning the diſcharge of Church meetings not authorized by Law, the Commiſſioners did ſhew the King that Church meetings were neceſſary to be kept, being mmmmAnimadverſions we offer Ʋs to prove by good Warrants of the Word of God, that it is lawfull to the Eccleſiastiall Estate, to Convocate Aſſemblies, and to hold the ſame, and to appoint and order place and time for convening of the ſame, to troat upon ſuch matters as concerne the Kirk affaires, which no wayes impaireth your Majesties civill and royall juriſdiction, but rather fortifieth and decoreth the fame.cōmanded of p. 19God; and being ſuch means without which the Churches and ſocieties of the Saints could not ſubſiſt in their neceſſary purity and order: in the time of the greateſt perſecutions Chriſtians did meet in their Aſſemblies both for worſhip and diſcipline, though the imperiall Lawes did diſcharge ſuch conventions: In France and Poland where the Princes are enemies to Religion, yet the Proteſtants are permitted to keep their Aſſemblies for Diſcipline, greater and ſmaller, of all ſorts as they have occaſion, no leſſe then their meetings for the Word and Sacraments: His Majeſty in his reply does not deny the Commiſſioners allegeance, onelyonly he required a intermiſſion of the named meetings for a ſhort time, till the whole plat-forme of Church government according to the Word of God, might be finiſhed; hereby nnnnThe Kings Declaration: My meaning and Declaration is, that they ſhall ceaſe while a ſetled Policie and Juriſdiction be eſtabliſhed according to the Commiſſion and line of Gods Word.yeelding that he beleeved the Church ought to have its owne government, according to the preſcription of the holy Scripture, to which he purpoſed to ſubmit and agree, as indeed he did the yeer following, agreeing to that courſe which the Aſſembly at Saint Andrewes tooke with Biſhop Adamſon without all contradiction, and ever thereafter permitting the Miniſters without any interruption, to enjoy all their Eccleſiaſtick meetings in peace; yea ſome few yeeres after (as oft I have ſaid) he did eſtabliſh by Act of Parliament the whole plat-forme of government according to their mind, which abode untouched till the evill advice of the Engliſh Prelats moved him to make ſome breaches in that wall, which (thanks be to God) are now fully repaired; King Charles in perſon having lately ratified in Parliament the meeting of all our Aſſemblies, from the loweſt to the higheſt, ſo fully as our hearts could wiſh.

p. 20Beſide the divine right of our Church meetings for Diſcipline, the Commiſhoners did demonſtrate to the King the good humane right thereof in Scotland, producing to him an Act of his owne firſt Parliament, for the nationall Aſſembly and finall determination of all Eccleſiaſticall appeales therein; ooooAnamadverſions concerning the generall Aſſembly of the Kirke, there is an Act the firſt year of your highneſſe reigne, ratifying the authority thereof, and decerning appellations to be devolved thereto, as to the laſt judgement of matters concerning the Kirk.his Majeſty likewiſe could not but well remember that the whole modell of Presbyteries and their proceedings had been oft in debate before him and the Counſell Table; alſo, that ſome few yeeres before he had ſent to the generall Aſſembly at Claſgow, his expreſſe order for the erection of Presbyteries in all the Shires of the Kingdome; ppppThe Acts of the generall Aſſembly Inſtructions to our truſty and welbeloved William Cunningham of Caprinton, directed by us with the advice of the Lords of our ſecret Counſell to the generall Aſſembly conveend at Gaſgow, April 20. 1581. followes the Liſt of 50. Presbiteries, 12. Pariſhes or thereabouts, making up one Preſbitry.whence the Church came to be in a very peaceable poſſeſſion of all her Aſſemblies nationall, provincial, claſſicall and congregationall, without any controlment; onelyonly in that houre of darkneſſe (as generally then it was called) there was a ſhort eclipſe, but that did quickly paſſe over; neither did any interruption of theſe Church meetings come thereupon.

However, The reprinters of this Declaration ſeem to be contemners of Oaths Lawes, and al rights divine and humane.we cannot but obſerve the diſpoſition of thoſe who with ſo great care and zeale, ſet out in this paper to the world for imitation, the example of a Prince (although in the hour of tentation, out of the which he was immediately delivered) for pulling down and diſcharging of Presbyteries and Aſſemblies, when eſtabliſhed by Law, and quietly poſſeſſed by a cleere Right both divine and humane: We truſt the honourable Houſes of Parliament are farre from their mind, elſe we ſhould have but ſmall comfort, though we p. 21ſhould ſee the Ghurch government here ſetled both by Law and poſſeſſion; for it ſeems that the publiſhers of this Writ would have us to deſpaire of any ſecurity to keep whatever now may be gotten; Oaths, Covenants, Lawes, Poſſeſſions muſt be no ſtronger then bonds of flax and ropes of ſtraw, which the fire of theſe mens wrath, when ever it comes upon them, will eaſily burne and burſt aſunder; but it is well that Princes and Parliaments are not capable to be miſcarried by the private paſſions of ſo unconſtant and perfidious perſons.

The reaſons of the Act doe follow, for the putting downe of the Claſſicall Presbytery, a great misbehaviour is alledged; The Presbytery of Edinburgh took upon them to diſwade the Feaſting of the French Embaſſadour, and did enter in Proceſſe with the Magiſtrates, who at the Kings deſire contrary to their advice did keepe that Feaſt; a long and odious ſtory of that matter is here deduced and borrowed from hence, both by Spotſwood in his Hiſtory, and Maxwell in his Iſſachars burthen; but the truth is this, A full account of the French Banquet.as I finde it extracted out of the Records of the Church of Scotland, by a very reverend and faithfull hand: That time was one of the moſt ſad and dangerous ſeaſons, that this Iſſe hath ſeene; it was but a little after the Maſſacres of France, and a little before the Spaniſh Armada, about the very inſtant when the Catholicke League was hatched, for the rooting out of Proteſtant Religion, and all Proteſtant Princes, eſpecially Queene Elizabeth. At this time it was when two or three French Embaſſadours one after another came over from France to Scotland, with Inſtructions from the chief contrivers of that unholy League. qqqqVide ſupra: Alſo Spotſwoods history lib. 6. fo. 180. year 1585. then came that holy League, as they called it, to be diſcovered, which the Pope, the Spaniſh King, with the Guiſes and others had made to extirpate reformed Religion; the Queene of England underſtanding her ſelfe to be principally aymed at, &c. Alſo the Collection Monſieur de la Motfenellon and Maningvill were ſent from the King of France to ſtrengthen the Kings faction to procure Lenox his returne, to withdraw the King from the Lords.The Court was then very corrupt, exceeding tyrannous and oppreſſive both of the Nobility and Miniſters; Jeſuites and Prieſts did flocke from beyond Sea, in greater numbers then ever; rrrrCollection: hee procured Protections for Jeſuites and trafficking Papiſts, St. Andrews ſtory, li. 3. fol. 165. yeare 1579. this diſſention betwixt the King and the Church brought with it many evils; for upon the notice of it, divers Jeſuites and Prieſts did reſort into the Country, and at home ſuch as were Popiſhly affected, began openly to avow their profeſſion.the profeſſed negotiation of p. 22the French Agents was to reſtore Queen Mary; the trafiquers in that buſineſſe were received with extraordinary curtefies: All this did fill the hearts of the people both with griefe and feare, for the undermining of their Religion, for the deſtruction of their King, and ruine of the Kingdome. Theſe paſſions increaſed when they did ſee the Engliſh Embaſſadors at that ſame time uſed in a much divers faſhion; railed upon by raſcals in the ſtreets, vexed with infamous Libels fixed upon the doores of their Lodgings, endangered in their perſons by Piſtols ſhot in at their windowes; ſſſſSpotſwoods Hiſtory, lib. 6. fol. 173. yeare 1582. La Mot came by England, having the ſame Inſtructions to renew the purpoſe of the Aſſociation which was ſet on foot the yeere before, and almoſt concluded in this ſort, that the Queene of Scots ſhould communicate the Crowne with her Son, and both be joyned in the administration of affaires; but upon the Dukes ſequeſtring from Court, it was left off, and not mentioned againe till now: The Collection; The Queen of Englands Ambaſſadour, Master Randall, was abuſed with infamous Libels affixed upon the doore of his Lodging, the chiefe Courtiers withdrew their countenance from him, ſuch as reſorted to him were obſerved, an Harquebus charged with two bullets, was ſhot in at his chamber window, where he uſually ſate.and all this without any puniſhment upon the authors of ſuch atrocious contumilies: In this poſture of affaires, to tempt yet further the patience of honeſt people, ſome French Merchants did move the King to deſire the Magiſtrates of Edenborough to invite the French Agent to a publick Feaſt; ttttCollection: While La Mot is thus practiſing, ſome French Merchants in Edenborough for their owne commodity, cauſed it to be motioned to the King to ſend one to the Counſell of Edenborough, to give the French Ambaſſadour a Banquet; the Counſell refuſing, the King was offended, and alleaged the motion came from themſelves; the matter was againe debated in Counſell, in end the beſt part of the Counſell contradicting, it was concluded, the Banquet ſhould be made; whereupon the Seſſion of the Kirke reſolved upon a Faſt, or rather abstinence that day; the Presbytery knew nothing of it.the unſeaſonableneſſe of the time made the deſire grievous to the Magiſtrates, and therefore they declined it with a faire excuſe; yet the p. 23King was moved to preſſe them againe; the motion being brought to the Common Counſell of the Town the Plurality yeelded, though the moſt of the Magiſtrates and beſt part of the Counſellours were diſſenting: wwVide ſupra ^tt.This matter being offenſive to the Church Seſſion, or Congregational Elderſhip, the day of the French Feſtival by the joint advice of the Magiſtrates, Miniſters, and the reſt who were preſent, was appointed to be a day of Preaching and prayer; xxxxThe Cenſure: The Allegeance that the Presbytery of Edenbrough did appoint a Faſt to be kept upon the day that the French Ambaſſadour was Banqueted by the Towne of Edenborough is falſe, for not the Towne, but ſome French factioners in the Towne Banqueted the Ambaſſadours, three Bailies, the greateſt part of the Counſell, and ſome of the Kings Privy Counſell were in the Church in the time of the Banquet, not the Presbytery, but the particular Seſſion of the Kirke of Edinborough, with the advice of ſo many Magistrates and Counſellours, as were not contrivers of the Banquet, appointed a voluntary abstinence.this was thought to be the faireſt way, with the leaſt offence to hinder (if it might be) that offenſive and unſeaſonable Banquet; as for any proceſſe of excommunication intended againſt them, who chooſed rather to feaſt with the French, then to pray with the City and moſt of the Magiſtrates, I take it but for a meer fable; for albeit the Author therof, Adamſon, had not acknowledged his Narration of the Banquet to be falſe (as he does expreſly yyyyAdamſons Recantation: My good will was, I proteſt, to have condemned every point, yea even to the falſe Narration of the Banquet, and all the reſt contained in that little Treatiſe, called the Declaration of the Kings Majesties intentions, as I acknowledge they deſerve to be condemned by the cenſure and judgment of the Kirk.) yet why ſhould we have taken it in any other ſenſe, then the other paſſages of the ſame Pamphlet; wherein p. 24he avowes the Presbyteries to have put out innumerable Orders directly oppoſite to the King, and have ſent Lawes and Commands to his Majeſty, under the paine of Excommunication zzzzVide the printed Declaration.; which all the world ſees (ſetting aſide the Authors confeſſion) to be meer lyes, and notorious calumnies aaaaaaThe Cenſure: that the Aſſembly was accustomed to preſcribe Lawes to the King and Counſell, under paine of Excommunication: to appoint no Biſhops in time to come: ſuch calumnies are not worthy to be anſwered; for to draw out of the pure fountaines of Gods word an Eccleſiasticall Canon agreeable to the ſame, and to ſuit like humble Suppliants, the approbation of the ſame, is the dutie of the Kirke: this is not a preſcribing of Lawes to the King and Estates..

But ſuppoſe that all the alledged circumſtances of that ſad feſtivall: The extreame unjuſtice of the Prelats of old, and Era… now againſt the Presbytery.had beene all true, yet could this treſpaſſe be no otherwiſe expiate then by the very abolition, not onelyonly of that Judicatory, whence the overture did proceed; but alſo of all the Judicatories of that kinde in the whole Kingdome, being altogether ignorant and innocent of the tranſgreſſion: and though the Epiſcopall rigour ſhould have been thus tranſcendent: yet what ſhadow of reaſon could be brought for the overthrow of the Claſſes, for the treſpaſſe of the Congregadonall Elderſhip. It was not the Claſſicall Presbytery of Edinborough, but the Towne Seſſion that was alledged to be the delinquent: We wonder not when Prelates are Counſellors to ſee ſtrange and unheard of rules of Juſtice; but of this we marvaile, that the Leaders of the Independent or Eraſtian party ſhould be ſo well pleaſed with ſuch patternes, as not to have patience to have them at this time concealed, but will needs have them brought forth of the grave of oblivion where long they lay buried, to be looked upon by the State at this time, as ruled caſes for their imitation.

As for the abolition of the generall Aſſembly, three of p. 25their offences are named, their approbation of the road of Ruthven, their aboliſhing of Epiſcopacy, their indicting of ſolemne Faſts; the deſert of theſe crimes we will ſee when the particulars are opened.

The Road of Ruthven was a Remonſtrance made to his Majeſty by a number of the prime and beſt affected of the Nobility, The generall Aſſemblies approbation of the Road of Ruthven, very innocent.againſt the inſupportable tyrannies of ſome few Courtiers, to the extream hazard of the Kings perſon, the Church and whole Kingdome. His Majeſty, yet minor, was content to follow the Remonſtrants advice; the men complained of, were removed from Court, the action of the Noble-men was declared by the King and his Counſell to have been good and acceptable ſervice; bbbbbbCollection: His Majesty ſeemed to be well pleaſed, and gave ſundry ſignifications of his good liking of that action, as of good ſervice done to him, by attestations in his Princely word, they ſhould never be challenged, by Act of Privy Counſell, by Act of ſolemn convention of Estates, by publike Proclamations at Market Croſſes needfull, by deſiring the Engliſh Ambaſſadours to teſtifie to the Queene his owne and his Eſtates good liking, by two legations ſent to her Majeſty ſigned by his owne hand and the Counſels, by his command to the Miniſters in chiefe places, to ſignifie his conſent and apprsbation to the people.the convention of eſtates made that ſame Declaration: ccccccVide ſupra ^bbb.the Kings, the Counſels, the States approbation of this fact was ſolemnly proclaimed in the next Market places of the chiefe Burroughs ddddddVide ſupra ^bbb.at his Majeſties deſire, the Ambaſſadours of England and France did write ſo much to their Maſters eeeeeeVide ſupra ^bbb.: and it was alſo promiſed that the next generall Aſſembly and Parliament (for the Noblemens greater ſecurity) ſhould give their ample approbations. When the generall Aſſembly came the Noblemen petitioned them for their approbation; at the firſt the Aſſembly declined to meddle with that matter, ffffffCollection: When the Authors of the enterprize ſought the approbation of the generall Aſſembly, it was anſwered, that the matter was civill, nothing pertaining to them: It was replyed, that the King and Counſell & Eſtates had approved it, and that the King had agreed an Act of approbation ſhould be made in the Aſſembly; whereupon Maſter James Lauſon and Maſter David Lindſay were directed to his Majeſty; who after conference with his Majeſty and Counſell, reported their approbation and the Kings contentment that an Act ſhould paſſe as was deſiredbut when the Petitioners inſiſted, alleaging p. 26it was the Kings pleaſure they ſhould take that matter into conſideration, they ſent two of their number to the King to underſtand his mind, his Majeſty did not onelyonly fignifie to thoſe Meſſengers his defire, that the Aſſembly ſhould declare their approbation of that Action at Ruthven, ggggggVide ^fff.but alſo he did ſend two Commiſſioners of his owne to require the Aſſembly in his name to declare ſo much hhhhhhThe Collection: The Tutor of Pitcur and Colonell Stuart, Commiſſioners from the King, reported, that they had ſpeciall command to aſſent in his name; and ſo the Aſſembly approved, but not till approved before, and deſired to approve..

Could the Aſſemblies obedience to the Kings expreſſe command be a treaſon of ſo high a nature, as did merit not onelyonly the perſecution of their perſons, but the abolition of the Court it ſelfe for ever, yet the Prelats and Courtiers rage did intend no leſſe; for when Captaine James had got againe into the Court, whence he had been baniſhed, he wrought ſo upon the minor King, that the Noblemen and Gentlemen who had procured his removall at Ruthven, were ſome of them executed as Traitors, others forfeit and baniſhed, many of the beſt Miniſters were forced to flee for their life, not one Paſtor durſt ſtay in Edenborough, but all fled out of the Kingdome iiiiiiVide ſupra..

Such ſtormes has Satan oft ſtirred up in Scotland by his inſtruments, yet gracious men there by faith and patience, by wiſdome and active courage, did wreſtle through and alwayes in the end prevailed, they got the Church, the Kingdome, the perſon of the Prince, ever at laſt reſcued from the bonds and ſnares of oppreſſing Sycophants. The memory of our Predeceſſors ſufferings and ſucceſſes does much encourage us in theſe evill dayes, and permits us not in the greateſt tempeſts to faint, but makes us to walk with hope in the midſt of deſpaire for the like glorious iſſue; however this p. 27was the ſad condition of Scotland for ſome time, till the oppreſſed Nobility did come to Stirling, in a greater number, and with a ſharper Remonſtrance then they had uſed at Ruthven.

At their firſt appearing before the Towne, The Road of Stirling.the inſtruments of miſchiefe did flee, the King and his good people, Noblemen Gentlemen Miniſters and others, were preſently reconciled, though the authors of theſe frequent miſunderſtandings did eſcape by flight the ſword of publick Juſtice, yet did the private judgements of God quickly find them out, and ſweep them off the face of the earth: with their ruine, peace and proſperity did flow in both upon Church and Kingdome.

The other great crime imputed to the generall Aſſembly, It could be necrime in the generall Aſſembly to vote down Epiſcopacy.is, That they had voted downe Epiſcopacy, and had profeſſed the unlawfulneſſe of prelaticall Juriſdiction both in the Church and State, which prior Aſſemblies had approved of. To this I anſwer, that the crime cannot be very great, for any Church meeting, eſpecially a generall Aſſembly, to declare their judgement in a point of Religion of great and generall concernment; and whether this their judgement was erroneous when they condemned the office of Epiſcopacy, affirming it to be unlawfull for a Miniſter of the Goſpell to be a Lord of Parliament and Counſell, to be a Chancellour, Secretary, Treaſurer of a Kingdome, or any Officer of State, or to take upon him alone the power of Ordination and ſpirituall Juriſdiction (which the Word of God never gives to one ordinary Officer, but alwayes to a number joined in a Presbytery) the whole Iſle (thanks be to God) now does cleerly ſee.

That ever the Church of Scotland or any lawfull Aſſembly thereof did approve of Epiſcopall juriſdiction, What favour the Earle of Morton procured to Epiſcopacy at the conference at L…eth, 1572. was by the generall Aſſemblies diſclaimed.it is alleaged without any ground: We grant the Earl of Morton in that neceſſary correſpondence which he did always keep with Queen Elizabeth, was entangled in a greater familiarity and affection to the Engliſh Prelats, then was convenient, and at their deſire did aſſay, in a conference of ſome Stateſmen and Miniſters of his ſpeciall acquaintance, in the yeer 1572, at Leeth to have ſet up in Scotland a kind of Epiſcopacy, but that plant p. 28was ſo ſtrange to our climate, that it could take no root in our ground, for ſo much offence was taken in the very next generall Aſſembly after that conference, at the name of Epiſcopacy, kkkkkkThe Acts of the Aſſembly, third Seſſion of the Aſſembly at Perth 1572. In the heads agreed upon at Leeth are found certaine names, as Archbiſhop, &c. which were thought ſcandalous and offenſive to the ears of many of the Brethren, appearing to ſound towards Popery, therefore the whole Aſſembly with one voice proteſts, that they intend not by the uſing of any ſuch names, to conſent to any kind of Popery or Superstition, and wiſhes rather the ſaid names to be changed into others that are not ſlanderous nor offenſive: And likewiſe proteſts, That the ſaid heads agreed upon, be onelyonly received as an interim, till further and more perfect Order may be obtained at the hands of the Kings Majesty, Regent and Nobility, for the which they will preſſe as occaſion ſhall ſerve.and ever after at any ſhadow of the thing, that the following Aſſemblies did not reſt till both …e name and thing, till both the ſhadow and all the parts of the ſubſtāce were diſavowed. They had indeed for a time ſome wraſtling with the Court about this matter; yet at laſt (as I have ſaid) in the yeer 1592. they got the King and Parliament perſwaded to paſſe ſuch Acts, as did caſt out of our Church and State, Epiſcopacy both root and branch, ſubſtance and ſhadow. As theſe Acts of Parliament were firſt made by King James, and the States of Scotland, and now alſo ratified by King Charles, ſo both the Houſes of the Parliament of England cannot but approve thereof, having joyned themſelves by Oath and Covenant with Scotland, to extirpate the unhappy root of Epiſcopacy, which has been the great cauſe of the moſt miſchiefes which in this laſt Age hath befallen Brittaine.

The third crime for which the general Aſſembly behoved to be put down, It was no fault in the Aſſemblies that they called to Faſting.was their indicting of ſoleme Faſts; in which, ſeditions & tumults againſt the King were promoved; conſider that the quarrell is not ſimply for the Faſts, but their evill uſe, to raiſe ſeditions and tumults; certainly that cuſtome of our Church, wherby from the beginning of the Reformation p. 29to this day, every Church meeting from the general Aſſembly to the ſmalleſt Congregationall Elderſhip, had power as they found cauſe, to indict a publick Faſt within their owne bounds, is very innocent and neceſſary for the well being of the Church.

As for the alleaged abuſe of theſe Faſts to ſedition and tumults, Guilty Conſciences hate Faſts without cauſe.it is a meer calumny; the matter I beleeve was this: About the time of the penning of this Writ, the …alous Miniſters in all their exerciſes, eſpecially in the day… of publick Faſting, did make mention in their Sermons and Prayers, of the wickedneſſe of the Land, for which the wrath of God was much feared by the godly; the Leaders of the Court conſcious of their owne guiltineſſe, took themſelves to be particularly pointed at, and for this did hate extreamly every zealous Preacher, as if all their Sermons and Prayers had been invectives for ſtirring up of the people againſt them, while in truth theſe gracious men did nothing but their duty, containing themſelves within the lines of all needfull moderation; but to wicked men in their pride and impatience, the leaſt touch of the Word of God is an intolerable wound.

The explanation of the laſt Act, The ſum of the next Paragraph.containes the maintainance of Epiſcopacy in the higheſt degree, it puts in the hand of the Biſhop, the whole ſpirituall Juriſdiction of his Dioceſſe to be exerciſed by him alone, although with the advice of ſome few whom he ſhall pleaſe to chooſe for his Counſellours; it imports, that all his Juriſdiction flowes from the King, and in the exerciſe thereof, it makes the Biſhop anſwerable onelyonly to the King, and them whom his Majeſty ſhall appoint in an Aſſembly of his owne framing; it makes the Biſhops alſo Lords of Counſell and Parliament.

Upon this paſſage I marke firſt, The Reprinters of this De claration make no conſcience of their Covenant.the conſcience and honour of theſe men, who with ſo great importunity required the reprinting of this Declaration, and to make its operation the more effectual in the hearts of ſimple people, would be at the coſt to change the language thereof, to ſet it downe firſt in Scotch and then in Engliſh, a piece of paines ſo farre as I know never taken with any other Writ; this diligence demonſtrates the mens humour; I can hardly ſay, whether p. 30more ſcornfull of the Scots and their language, or paſſionately deſirous to diſgrace that Church, though it were with the exalting of Epiſcopacy; and if (as I ſuppoſe) they have taken the Covenant, this encreaſeth my wonder, how any who have ſolemnly ſworne to defend the reformation of the Church of Scotland, and to endeavour the extirpation of Prelacy, can in a ſudden become ſo zealous and put themſelves to ſo great pains, in diſgrace of the Scottiſh reformation to advance Preſacy. If either Independency or Eraſtianiſme have power to let looſe the Reines of conſcience ſo far; we confeſſe the Scots have been too ſimple, in beleeving that Oathes and Covenants in plaine matters, which admit no ambiguity nor plurality of ſenſes, had beene farre ſtraiter bonds among all who had the eſtimation of honeſt men, and in whom there could be found the leaſt ſparkle of any ingenuity or truth.

Conſider ſecondly, that King James (as I have ſaid) did give it under his hand to the Commiſſioners of the Church the yeer following, that this Declaration was none of his, but the work of Adamſon of Saint Andrewes, llllllVide ſupra.and that this man at laſt was convinced of his errour, confeſſing upon Oath and ſubſcription, Epiſcopacy to be a groſſe corruption, a ſtirrop for the Pope to aſcend to his Antichriſtian ſaddle, an errour which he had learned, and wherein from time to time, he was entertained by the Engliſh Prelates mmmmmmAdamſons Recantation: The laſt Article contained the eſtabliſhing of a Biſhop, which hath no warrant in the Word of God, but is grounded upon the policy and invention of man, whereupon the primacy of the Pope or Antichriſt is riſen, which is worthy to be diſallowed and and forbidden..

Thirdly, whatever here is ſaid of Biſhops, is not now controverted in the Parliaments of both Kingdomes, and in the ſolemne League of both Nations, it is expreſly condemned, as all doe confeſſe; if any anti-covenanting Malignant require a further debate, when they will, they may have a hearing and an anſwer.

Fourthly, when the Commiſſioners of the church did declare p. 31to King James, King James his ful and honeſt Declaration againſt Eraſtianiſme.that the government of the Church was not a Matter civill, which did belong to the Magiſtrate to exerciſe, and that it was unlawfull for his Majeſty to appoint any of his Commiſſioners to governe the Houſe of God, that this were with the Pope to take in his hand both the Swords; nnnnnnAnimadverſions; To confound the Juriſdiction Civill and Eccleſiasticall, is that thing wherein all men of good judgement have juſtly found fault with the Pope of Rome, who claimeth to himſelfe the power of both the ſwords, which is as great a fault to a Civill Magiſtrate to claime or uſurpe, and eſpecially to judge upon doctrine, errours and hereſies, he not being placed in Eccleſiaſticall function, to interpret the Scriptures: the warrant hereof out of the Word of God, we are ready to bring forth.his Majeſty did put it under his own hand, that theſe things were far from his thoughts, that he was no Judge either of doctrine or hereſie, or of the interpretation of Scripture, that neither he nor his Parliament did meddle w^th Excommunication, that they had pronoūced the excommunication of Mountgomery to be null, not as Judges of the cauſe, but as witneſſes of the informality of the proceſſe, he confeſſed that Jeſus Chriſt was the onelyonly head and Law-giver of his Church, and that if he ſhould claime to himſelf or his heirs any thing meerly Ecclefiaſtick, which the Word of God has put in the hands of Church officers, that if he or any man ſhould ſuſpend or alter any thing which the Word of God did remit onelyonly to them, he avowed that theſe attempts in himſelfe or any other, would be nothing elſe but (as he ſpeaks) the ſinne of Idolatry, and a tranſgreſſion againſt all the three Perſons of the Trinity; againſt the Father, in not truſting the words of his Son; againſt the Son, in not obeying him, but taking his place over his head; ooooooKings Declaration: Never ſhall I, nor ever ought my Poſterity acclaime any power or Juriſdiction in a matter meerly Eccleſiaſticall, as to the Commiſſioners not Eccleſiaſticall, they are joyned to give their advices, and not to interpoſe their authority, while Chriſt ſayes Dic Ecclefias, and one onelyonly man did ſteale that dint againſt the Biſhop of Glaſgow, in a quiet holl, the Act of Parliament reduceth the ſentence for informality and nullity of proceſſe, not as Judges, whether the excommunication was grounded on good and juſt cauſes or not, but as witneſſes that it was unformally proceeded; and to end ſhortly this my Declaration, I mind not to cut away any liberty granted by God to his Church, I acclaime not to my ſelfe to be judge of doctrine or true interpretation of Scripture, my intention is not to diſcharge any Juriſdiction in the Kirke, that is conforme to Gods Word, nor to diſcharge any Aſſembly but onelyonly that theſe ſhall be holden by my Licenſe and Counſellours; my intention is not to meddle with excommunication, neither acclaime I to my ſelfe or my heirs, power in any thing that is meere Eccleſiaſticall and not adiaphoron, nor with any thing that Gods Word hath ſimply devolved in the hands of his Eccleſiaſticall Kirk; and to conclude, I confeſſe and acknowledge Chriſt Jeſus to be head of his Church and Lawgiver to the ſame; and whatſoever perſons doe attribute to themſelves as head of the Church, and not as members to ſuſpend or alter any thing that the Word of God hath onelyonly remitted to them; That man, I ſay, committeth manifeſt Idolatry, and ſinneth againſt the Father, in not truſting the words of his Son; againſt the Son, in not obeying him, and taking his place; againſt the holy Ghoſt, the ſaid holy ſpirit bearing the contrary record to his conſcience.againſt the holy Ghoſt, becauſe againſt the Spirits Teſtimony in his own conſcience. p. 32I hope they who are ſo earneſt to have King James heard in this cauſe, though in a falſe and ſuppoſitious Writ, will be content to hear him in his true Declaration under his own hand.

The third part of the Writ containes an enumeration of his Majeſties intentions; The pretended intentions were not the Kings, but the Prelats.concerning them we need adde little to what is ſaid, onelyonly conſider, firſt, that Adamſon the Author of the Writ, aſſures us, that there is nothing or little here of the Kings intentions, ppppppRecantation: I have enterprized of meere remorſe of conſcience, to write againſt a Book, called, The Declaration of the Kings Majeſties intentions; albeit it containeth little or nothing of the Kings intentions, but of my own, in the time of the writing thereof, and the corrupt intentions of ſuch as for the time were about the King, and abuſed his minority; in the whole Book is nothing contained but aſſertions of lyes, aſcribing to the Kings Majesty that whereof he was not culpable; I grant I was more buſie with ſome Biſhops in England, in prejudice of the diſcipline of our Kirke, partly when I was there, and partly ſince, by mutuall intelligence then became a good Christian, much leſſe a faithfull Pastor.being that he did here ſet downe onelyonly his owne intentions, and theſe of the Courtiers and Prelates, at that time of their higheſt pride and greateſt oppreſſion of the religious party.

Secondly, The Reprinters of this Writ ſeeme to bee perjured men, and either hypocrits or Apoſtates.the errours and faults that appeare in theſe intentiōs are of two kinds, Prelaticall and Eraſtian: For the firſt, not onelyonly the Author did recant them, but alſo as we have now often ſaid, King James with the States Aſſembled in Parliament, did expreſly condemne them, and at this time they ſtand condemned p. 33in the whole Iſle by King Charles in his Parliament of Scotland, and by both the Houſes of the Parliament of England, who ever now wil tak the patrociny of the Prelaticall war, doth ſet his face againſt the King and Parliaments of both Nations; and if he be a member of Parlia. in either Nation (whoaccording to his place muſt needs have ſworn the National Covenant) for his endeavor to eſtabliſh what by his Covenāt he was boūd to his power, to have extirpated; Let him be caſt with ignominy out of theſe honourable Senates as a falſe and perjured hypocrite, planting by deed what by Oath and Covenant he promiſed to eradicat; or elſe an Apoſtate, repenting and retracting while now he is ſet in Parliament, what at his entry upon oath he promiſed, that he might be permitted to ſit downe; ſuch perjured, whether hypocriſie or apoſtacy, cannot but be abominable both to God and all ingenuous men.

As for the Eraſtianiſme of theſe intentions, Ceſaro-Papiſme is Antichriſtianiſme worſe then that of the Pope.whereby the Biſhops are made pleni-potentiaries in the Church, by vertue of a Commiſſion from the Magiſtrate, we have ſhewed at length how farre King James diſclaimed this errour as a grievous ſinne againſt the Father, Son and holy Ghoſt; for the thing it ſelfe makes the Magiſtrate head of the Church, and fountaine of all Eccleſiaſtick Juriſdiction: This Ceſaropapiſme is an Antichriſtianiſme, ſo much worſe then that of the Pope, as more uncontrolable and remedileſſe; the ſervants of God in their wraſtlings againſt the Antichiſtianiſme p. 34of the Pope and Prelats, had often times great aſſiſtance, and were ever in a poſſibility to be aſſiſted by their Princes and Magiſtrates; but if the Magiſtrate himſelf will turn Pope, and take upon him to diſpence the ſpirituall Juriſdiction, one part thereof to civill Commiſſioners, another part to the Congregationall Elderſhip, a third to the Claſſis, a fourth to whom he will, and in the end, as all did flow from him, make all againe to returne by a finall appeale to himſelfe, when the ſervants of Chriſt are neceſſitate to oppoſe and preach againſt this uſurpation of their Maſters royall Prerogative, and for their labour are perſecute as oppoſers of the Magiſtrate, to whom ſhall they flee for defence?

Thirdly, The ſimpathy and antipathy of Biſhops & Eraſtians.conſider how in theſe intentions Prelacy and Eraſtianiſm are linked together; it is true, the genuine principles of Epiſcopacy doe overturne Eraſtianiſme, and Prelats where ever they conceive themſelves bottomed and rooted in a Land, will be loath to fetch their pedegree from any Princes will and Commiſſion, but will ſtand upon a divine inſtitution, or at leaſt ſuch an Eccleſiaſticke right, as depends not upon the Magiſtrates pleaſure; this was the caſe of the Engliſh Hierarchy of late: Yet where Epiſcopacy is not ſo firmly grounded as it conceives it ſelfe immoveable and ſecure, it is a very devout handmaid to Eraſtianiſme; and this was the condition of Prelacy in England, when theſe intentions were written, for at that time the Biſhops were glad to keepe not onelyonly their Civill, but all their Eccleſiaſtick Courts in the name and by the Commiſſion onelyonly of the Prince, deriving all their Juriſdiction, and whatever they had peculiar, above and differing from any Miniſter of their Dioceſſe, from the Prince onelyonly, aſcribing to him not onelyonly an Architectonick, but a truly Eccleſiaſtick power, as a chiefe part of the royall Supremacy and Prerogative of the Crowne.

Adamſon the very yeer before he wrote his intentions, learned theſe Leſſons in England from the Prelats and Courtiers of the Queen; with whom, he confeſſed at laſt to his griefe, he had been too intimate; albeit when he came to Scotland, he thought it not expedient to vent to that people, or poſſibly he was not perſwaded in his owne mind of the whole body either p. 35of the Eraſtian or of the Epiſcopall maximes; for in this Writ the Presbyterian, Eraſtian and Epiſcopall maximes are ſo inconſiderately intermixed, that the man ſeems not to have been very carefull, how their contrary qualities ſhould be ſo contemperated as the whol lump might not be diſſolved by repugnancies. It can be pretty well demonſtrate how Epiſcopacy, as it was for a long time in England, may well ſtand upon an Eraſtian bottome: alſo how handſomly the Eraſtian principles may in a ſhort time bring back the Biſhops, Deanes and Chapters from their baniſhment; Both agree againſt the Presbyterians.but how a true and ſolid Apoſtolick Presbytery is compatible either with Epiſcopacy, or a Magiſtraticall Popedome (though there were not a Covenant) I doe not conceive.

Our laſt remark upon the intentions is, King James againſt all toleration either of hereſie or ſchiſme.that however they be ſpotted with many and groſſe both Prelaticall and Eraſtian errours, yet they demonſtrate ſo much orthodoxie and zeale remaining in theſe worſt times among the Courtiers and Prelats of Scotland, as will beare witneſſe if it be not imitate, againſt our times where much more piety, and that upon ſtronger obligations, is profeſt; for firſt, the King is made to avow his reſolution to ſet up in the whole Kingdome Eccleſiaſticall Aſſemblies for the ſuppreſſing of whatever by the Word of God ſhould be found either hereſie or ſchiſm; qqqqqqKings Declaration, p. 22. His Majesties intention is, if any question of faith and doctrine ariſe to convocate the moſt learned, godly, wiſe and experimented Pastors, that by conference of Scriptures the verity may be tryed, and all hereſie and ſchiſme by that meanes be repreſſed.but how many yeers ſhal we ſee both begin and end, before the pittifull complaints of the godly, both here & abroad ſhall procure the leaſt reſtraint to hereſies or ſchiſms which now in this Kingdom are become more groſſe and impudent then ever in any Kingdome before, or at this day in all the Kingdomes of the earth together. This monſtrous toleration cannot eſchew to draw the diſpleaſure of the God of truth upon the Authors, fomenters and favourers thereof; ſuch a long indifferency and lukewarmneſſe, ſuch a miſregard of the truth of God, ſuch a connivence and compliance with errours of all kind p. 36in a people, ever before famous for zeale, is moſt mervailous.

Secondly, Alſo contrary to our preſent hatefull Anatchy.the King in that very houre of his darkneſſe is made to profeſſe his intention to countenance all the ordinary Judicatories of the Church, and in no wiſe to hinder any good order which from the Word of God in theſe meetings, ſhould be eſtabliſhed; rrrrrrIbid. His Majesties intention is not to derogate unto the ordinary judgement of matters of the Church by the ordinary Biſhops, their Counſels and Synods, nor to hinder or ſtay any godly ſolid order grounded upon the Word of God.Why then in our dayes of ſo great light, ſhould the whole Church lye ſtill in a totall Anarchy? did ever any Chriſtian Nation for ſeven yeers without any compulſion, abide without all Eccleſiaſtick government? If men had taken a Commiſſion from the Father of lyes, and author of wickedneſſe, to be his avowed agents in propagating errours, vice and all miſchiefes, could they for their life invent a better meanes for furthering theſe deſignes, then to continue this Anarchy, then to be pragmatick and pregnantly inſtrumentall in putting one impediment after another in the way; I hope there are many in the Parliament, Aſſembly and Kingdome, whoſe heart bleeds in their breſt to ſee their hands ſo long tyed, that they cannot get the hedge of the Church ſet up, to keep out the devouring Beaſts from the flock.

Thirdly, Further he promiſes all aſſiſtance and …untenance … Church-Aſſemblies.by theſe intentions we may ſee King James his reſolution, which ſo long as he was in Scotland, he did indeed performe. Not onelyonly was he content that Eccleſiaſtick judicatories ſhould proceed in all ſpirituall cauſes, as the Word of God did warrant them, but alſo he promiſes to countenance the ſuperiour Aſſemblies of the Church, with his owne royall preſence, and allowes to the meaneſt Church-meetings the aſſiſtance of the inferiour Magiſtrates and Church officers, that their religious and juſt orders might not be contemned without deſerved puniſhment ſſſſſſIbid. It is his Majesties intention to aſſiſt this Aſſembly himſelf, or by a Noble man of his Counſell, his Deputy, and for the keeping of good order in every Pariſh, there ſhall be certaine appointed to be Cenſors of the manners of the reſt, who ſhall have his Majeſties authority and Officers of Armes concurring for the puniſhment of vice..

Theſe men are afraid of their owne happineſſe, who p. 37retard & impedit the erection of ſuch a government, The retarders of goverment are enemies to themſelves & welfare of England.nothing will more conduce for the honour and welfare of the Land, no mean will be more effectuall to keep all people in peace and obedience to the Lawes; to promove the comfort of all who are truly pious, then the hearty concurrence of the Church and State, in ſetting up at laſt, and maintaining the government of the reformed Churches according to the Word of God: Beleeve it, this diſcipline is neither hatefull nor terrible to any, but to theſe alone, who know it not, or elſe are conſcious to themſelves of a wilfull and obſtinate reſolution to abide in ſome errour or vice without the controlement of any cenſure.

The Recantation of PATRICK ADAMSON ſometime pretended Biſhop of St. Andrewes, directed to the Synod conveened at S^t. Andrewes, April 8. 1591.

BRETHREN,

UNderſtanding the proceedings of the Aſſembly in my contrair, and being now with-holden by ſickneſſe from preſenting my ſelfe before you, that I might give confeſſion of that Doctrine wherein I hope God ſhall call me: And that at his pleaſure I might depart in the unity of Chriſtian Faith; I thought good by Writ to utter the ſame unto your wiſdomes, and to crave your godly wiſdomes aſſiſtance, not for the reſtitution of any worldly pompe or preheminence, which I little reſpect; but to remove from me the ſlanders which are raiſed in this Countrey concerning the variance of Doctrine, eſpecially on my part; wherein I proteſt before God, that I have onelyonly a ſingle reſpect to his glory, and by his grace I ſhall abide herein unto my lives end.

Firſt, I confeſſe the true Doctrine of Chriſtian Religion p. 38to be publickly taught and rightly announced within this Realme, and deteſt all Popery and Superſtition: Like as (bleſſed be God) I have deteſted the ſame in my heart the ſpace of thirty yeeres, ſince it pleaſed God to give me the knowledge of the truth, wherein I have walked uprightly as well here as in other Countries, as the Lord beareth me record, untill theſe laſt dayes, wherein partly for Ambition and vain-glory to be preferred before my Brethren, and partly for Covetouſneſſe, to poſſeſſe the pelfe of the Kirk, I did undertake this Office of an Archbiſhop, wherewith juſtly the fincereſt Profeſſours of the Word have found fault, and have condemned the ſame as impertinent to the office of a ſincere Paſtor of Gods Word. And albeit men would colour the ſame and imperfections thereof with divers cloaks, yet the ſame cannot be concealed from the ſpirituall eyes of the faithfull; neither yet can the men of God, when they are put to their conſcience, diſſemble the ſame.

Next, I confeſſe that I was in an erronious opinion, that I beleeved the Government of the Kirk to be like unto the Kingdomes of the earth, plaine contrary to the command of our Maſter Chriſt, and the Monarchy whereby the Kirk is Governed; not only to be in the perſon of our Saviour Chriſt (as it is) but in the Miniſters, who are nothing but vaſſals under him, in an equality amongſt themſelves.

Thirdly, that I married the Earle of Huntlie contrary to the command of the Kirk, without the confeſſion of his Faith and profeſſion of the ſincere Doctrine of the Word: I repent, and crave pardon of God.

That I travelled both by reaſoning and otherwiſe, to ſubject the Kirk-men to the Kings Ordinance in things that appertaine unto Eccleſiaſticall matters, and things of conſcience: I aske God mercy; whereupon great enormities have falne forth in this Countrey.

That I beleeved, and ſo taught, the Presbyteries to be a fooliſh invention, and ſo would have it eſteemed of all men; which is an Ordinance of Chriſt: I crave God mercy.

Further, I ſubmit my ſelfe to the mercy of God, and judgment of the Aſſembly, not meaſuring my offences by my owne ſelfe, nor by the infirmities of my owne ingyne; but p. 39by the good judgement of the Kirk, to the which alwayes I ſubject my ſelfe, and beſeech you to make interceſſion to God for me, and to the King, that I may have ſome meanes to live and conſume the reſt of this my wretched time; for winning of whoſe favours (which fooliſhly I thought thereby to obtaine) I committed all theſe errors.

As where I am burthened to be the ſetter forth of the Book called The Kings Declaration, wherein the whole order of the Kirk is condemned and traduced; I proteſt before God that I was commanded to write the ſame by the Chancellour for the time, but chiefly by the Secretary, another great Courtier, who himſelfe penned the ſecond Act of Parliament concerning the Power and Authority of Judicature to be abſolutely in the King; and that it ſhould not be lawfull for any Subject to reclaime from the ſame under the penalty of the Act: which I ſuppoſe was treaſon.

Item, Where it is alledged, that I ſhould have condemned the Doctrine anounced and taught by the Miniſtry of Edinbrough, concerning obedience to the Prince: I confeſſe and proteſt before God, that I never underſtood nor yet knew any thing, but ſincerity and uprightneſſe in the Doctrine of the Miniſtry of Edinbrough, in that point nor in any other.

Further, I confeſſe I was the Authour of the Act diſcharging the Miniſters Stipends that did not Subſcribe theſe Acts of Parliament, wherewith God has juſtly recompenced my ſelfe.

As for any violent courſe, it is knowne well enough who was the Author thereof, and my part was tryed at the impriſonment of Maſter Nicholl Dalgleiſh, Maſter Thomas Jack, and others.

Moreover, I grant I was more buſie with ſome Biſhops in England, in prejudice of the Diſcipline of our Kirk; partly when I was there, and partly by our mutuall intelligence ſince, then became a good Chriſtian, much leſſe a faithful Paſtor. Neither is there any thing that more aſhameth me, then my often deceiving and abuſing of the Kirk heretofore by Confeſſions, Subſcriptions, Proteſtations, &c. which be farre from me now and ever hereafter, Amen.

Sic ſubſcribitur Your brother in the Lord, M. PATRICK ADAMSON.

p. 40As where your wiſdomes deſire to have my owne opinion concerning the Booke of the Declaration of the Kings intentions; the ſame is at more length declared in the Confeſſion, which I have exhibited already; wherein I have condemned all the whole Articles therein contained: like as by theſe preſents I doe condemne them.

As where ye require what became of the Books of the Aſſembly, all which I had preſerved whole unto the returning of the Lords and Miniſtry out of England: And if I had not preſerved them, my Lord Arran intended to have made them be caſt into the fire; and upon a certaine day in Falkland they were delivered to the Kings Majeſty; the Biſhop of N. accompanied with Maſter Henry Hamilton rent out ſome leaves, and deſtroyed ſuch things as made againſt our Eſtate, and that not without my owne ſpeciall allowance.

As for the Books which I have ſet forth; I have ſet forth nothing except a Commentary upon the firſt Epiſtle of Paul to Timothy, which I did direct to the Kings Majeſty, and kept no example beſide me, and underſtand that Maſter John Geddy got the ſame from the King, and lent it to Maſter Robert Hepburne.

Further, I wrote nothing, but onelyonly made mention in my Preface upon the Apocalips; that I ſhould write a Booke called Pſyllas, which (being prevented by diſeaſe) God would not ſuffer me to finiſh; and the little thing that was done, I cauſed to deſtroy it. And likewiſe I have ſet forth the Book of Job with the Apocalyps, and the Lamentations of Ieremy, all in Verſe to be printed in Engliſh.

As for my intention, I am not diſpoſed or in ability to write any thing at this time; and if it pleaſe God I were reſtored to my health, I would change my Style, as Cajetanus did at the Councell of Trent.

As for Sutlivins Booke againſt the forme and order of the Presbyteries, ſo far am I from being partner in that worke, that as I know not the Man, nor ever had any intelligence of the Worke, before it was done; ſo, if it pleaſe God to give me dayes, I will write in his contrary, to the maintenance of the contrary confeſſion.

Prayes the Brethren to be at unity and peace with me; and p. 41in token of their forgiveneſſe, becauſe health ſuffereth me not to goe over to the Colledge where preſently ye are aſſembled, which I would gladly doe, to aske God and you forgiveneſſe, that it would pleaſe you to repaire hither that I may doe it here.

Moreover I condemne by this my ſubſcription, whatſoever is contained in the Epiſtle Dedicatory to the Kings Majeſty, before my Book on the Revelation, that is either ſlanderous or offenſive to the Brethren: Alſo, I promiſe to ſatisfie the Brethren of Edinborough, or any other Kirk within this Realm, according to good conſcience in whatſoever they find themſelves juſtly offended, and for what is contrary to the Word of God, in any ſpeeches, actions or proceedings which have paſt from me.

And concerning the Commentary upon the firſt Epiſtle of Paul to Timothy, becauſe there are divers things therein contained offenſive, and that tend to allow of the eſtate of Biſhops, otherwiſe then Gods Word can ſuffer, I condemne the ſame.

The pages before written directed by me M^r Patrick Adamſon, and written at my commandement by my ſervant M^r Samuel Cunninghame, and by his hand drawne in the blanks, I ſubſcribe with my own hand, as acknowledged by me in ſincerity of conſcience as in the preſence of God, before theſe witneſſes, directed to me from the Synodall Aſſembly, becauſe of my inability to repaire toward them; James Monypenny younger of Pitmilly, Andrew Wood of Strawthy, David Murray Portioner of Ardet, M^r David Ruſſell, M^r William Murray Miniſter of Dyſart, M^r Robert Wilkie, David Forgiſon, with divers others.

Sic ſubſcribitur

M^r PATRICK ADAMSON.

David Forgiſon witneſſe.

Maſter Nicol Dalgleiſh.

James Monypenny of Pitmilly witneſſe.

Andrew Wood witneſſe.

Maſter Ro. Wilkie witneſſe.

David Murray witneſſe.

Maſter David Ruſſell.

Maſter David Spence.

Maſter John Caldcleuch.

Maſter William Murray.

Master Patricks owne Anſwer and Refutation of the Bookfalſly called, The Kings Declaration.

I Have enterprized of meere remorſe of conſcience to write againſt a Booke called, A Declaration of the Kings Majesties intentions; p. 42Albeit it containeth little or nothing of the Kings intentions, but my owne, at the time of the writing thereof, and the corrupt intentions of ſuch as were for the time about the King, and abuſed his Minority: Of the which Booke and contents thereof compiled by me, at the command of ſome chiefe Courtiers for the time (as is before written.) I ſhall ſhortly declare my opinion, as the infirmity of ſickneſſe and weakneſſe of Memory will permit.

Firſt, in the whole booke is nothing contained but aſſertions of lyes, aſcribing to the Kings Majeſty that, whereof he was not culpable; For albeit, as the times went, his Majeſty could have ſuffered theſe things to have been publiſhed in his Realme; yet his Majeſty was never of that nature to have reviled any mans perſon, or to upbraid any man with calumnies, whereof there is a number contained in that Book

Secondly, in the Declaration of the ſecond Act of Parliament there is mention made of Maſter Andrew Melvill and his preaching wrongfully condemned, in ſpeciall as factious and ſeditious, albeit his Majeſty hath had a lively tryall of that mans fidelity and truth in all proceedings from time to time: True it is, he is earneſt and zealous who can abide no corruption (which moſt unadviſedly I attribute to a fiery and ſalt humour) which his Majeſty findeth by experience to be moſt true, for he alloweth well of him, and knoweth things that were alleaged upon him to have been falſe and contrived treacheries.

There are contained in that ſecond Act of Parliament diverſe other falſe inventions for to defame the Miniſtry, and to bring the Kirk of God in hatred and envy with their Prince and Nobility, burthening and accuſing the Miniſters falſly of ſedition and other crimes, whereof they were innocent: As likewiſe it is written in the ſame act and Declaration thereof, that ſoveraigne and ſupreame power pertaineth to the King in matters Eccleſiaſticall, which is worthy to be condemned and not to be contained among Chriſtian acts, where the power of the Word is to be extolled above all the power of Princes, and they to be brought under ſubjection to the ſame.

The fourth act condemned the Presbyteries, as a judgement not allowed by the Kings Lawes, which is a very ſlender argument; p. 43for as concerning the authority of the Presbytery, we have the ſame expreſt in the Goſpell of Matthew, chap. 18. where Chriſt commandeth to ſhew the Kirk, which authority being commanded by Chriſt, and the Acts of Parliament forbidding it, we ſhould rather obey God then man; and yet the Presbytery lacked never the Kings authority for the allowance thereof from the beginning, ſave onelyonly in that hour of darkneſſe when he was abuſed through evill company.

As for any other thing that is contained in this Act againſt any Order or proceedings of the Presbytery, it is to be eſteemed that nothing was done by the Presbytery without wiſdome, judgement and diſcretion. And ſo hath received approbation againe by the Kirk, whereunto alſo I underſtand, his Majeſty hath given allowance, ratifyed, and approved the ſame, which ſhould be a ſufficient reaſon to repreſſe all mens curioſity that either have or would yet finde fault with the ſame.

The laſt Article containeth the eſtabliſhing of Biſhops, which hath no warrant of the Word of God, but is grounded upon the Policy of the invention of Man; whereupon the Primacy of the Pope or Antichriſt has riſen, which is worthy to be diſallowed and forbidden, becauſe the number of Elderſhips that have juriſdiction and overſight as well of viſitation as admiſſion, will doe the ſame farre more Authentickly, godly, and with greater zeale then a Biſhop, whoſe care commonly is not upon God and and his duty, but upon the world, whereupon his chiefe attendance is. Conſider how that Office hath been uſed theſe five hundreth yeeres by gon, with what cruelty and tyranny it hath been exerciſed; ye ſhall finde it to have been the chiefe cauſe that hath in every Countrey ſuppreſſed the Word of God, which ſhall be evident to all that read the Hiſtory of the Kirk. As for my own opinion, it ſeemeth to be neereſt the truth, and fartheſt from all kind of ambition, that the Brethren in equall degree aſſemble themſelves under their Head Chriſt; and there every man diſcharge his Office carefully, as he is commanded. And becauſe weakneſſe of memory and ſickneſſe ſuffereth me not at length to diſcourſe on theſe matters as I would, I muſt requeſt the good Reader to aſſure himſelfe, that I have written this without co… pulſion p. 44or perſwaſion of any Man, with an upright heart, and have delivered the ſame with a perfect fincerity of minde, ſo far as infirmity of fleſh and blood did ſuffer; As God ſhall judge me at the latter day. And that the ſame Reader account of whatſoever things are omitted, that they are to be imputed to my imbecility of memory & the preſent fickneſſe and not to any good will, which was (I proteſt) to have condemned every poynt, yea, even to the falſe Narration of the Banket, and all the reſt contained in that little Treatiſe, called, The Declar tion of the Kings Majesties intentions. As (I acknowledge) they deſerve to be condemned by the cenſure and judgement of the Kick, to the which alſo I ſubmit my ſelfe in whatſomever thing I have either in word or writ attempted either in that foreſaid Declaration or otherwiſe, by theſe preſents ſubſcribed with my hand at S^t. Andrewes the 12. of May 1591. before theſe witneſſes, Maſter Davi… Blake Miniſter at S^t. Andrewes, Maſter Robert Wilkie Principall of S^t. Leonards Colledge, Maſter John Aiton of Enmath, Maſter William Rufiell.

Sic Subſeribitur

PATRICK ADAMSON.

Maſter David Black witneſſe.

George Ramſay.

M^r. John Auchinfleck.

William Lermonth.

Patrick Guthrie.

Charles Watſon Scribe.

I Maſter Patrick Adamſon declare, that this Confeſſion and Declaration before written, is my owne Confeſſion; given with my heart, and ſubſcribed with my hand, before the witneſſes underwritten, underſcribing with me at my requeſt and deſire at S^t. Andrewes the 10. day of June 1591.

M. PATRICK ADAMSON.

David Carnegie of Colluthie witneſſe.

William Scott of Abbotſhall witneſſe

Alexander Bruce of Earleſhall witneſſe.

Borthick of Gordounſhall witnes.

William Buſſell.

William Lermouth.

Thomas King.

M^r. Robert Wilkie.

M^r. Andro Moncreif.

M^r. David Black.

M^r. Andro Hunter, Scribe of the Provinciall Aſſembly.

p. 45Two pious and Propheticall LETTERS of Maſter Jo. Welch, which he wrote out of his Priſon, after the ſentence of Death was pronounced againſt him; onelyonly for his teſtimony againſt Erastianiſme and Prelacy.

The firſt to the Lady Flemming aaThis was Dame I…alias Graham Counteſſe of Wigton one of the moſt gracious ſoules of that Age..

The conſolation of the holy Ghoſt be multiplyed upon you in Chriſt.

OFten and many times, Chriſtian and Elect Lady, have I deſired the opportunity to be comforted and refreſhed with that conſolation wherewith it hath pleaſed God of his free grace and mercy to fill and furniſh you.

Your rememberance is very ſweet and comfortable to my ſoule, ſince the firſt time I knew you in Chriſt, I have ever been mindfull of you to the Lord; and now not being able to refraine any longer, I could not omit this occaſion; not knowing how long it may pleaſe the Lord to continue my being in this Tabernacle, or give me further occaſion of writing to any.

Although I have not great matter at this time; yet in the remembrance of your labour of Love, Hope and Patience, I muſt needs ſalute your Ladiſhip; knowing aſſuredly ye are the choſen of God, ſet apart before ever the world was, to that glorious and eternall inheritance. Being thus comforted in your Faith and Hope, I am fully aſſured, though we never have the occaſion of meeting here, yet we ſhall reigne together in the world to come.

My deſire to remaine here is not great, knowing that ſo long as I am in this houſe of clay, I am abſent from God; 2 Cor. 5.2 Cor 5and if it were diſſolved, I looke for a building not made with hands, eternall in the heavens. In this I groane, deftering to he cloathed upon with my houſe which is in heaven; if ſo be that being cloathed, I ſhall not p. 46found naked; for I that am within this tabernacle, doe oft-times groane and ſigh within my ſelfe, being often-times burdened, not that I would be uncloathed, but cloathed upon that mortalitie might be ſwallowed up of life. I long to eat of the fruit of that tree, which is planted in the midſt of the Paradiſe of God; Revel. 22.Rev 22and to drinke of the pure river, cleere as Criſtall, that runs through the ſtreet of the new Jeruſalem, Job 19.25.Job 19:25I know that my redeemer liveth, and that he ſhall ſtand at the laſt day upon the earth; and that though after my skinne wormes destroy my body, yet in my fleſh ſhall I ſee God, whom. I ſhall ſee for my ſelfe, and not another for me. and my eyes ſhall behold him, though my reines be conſumed within me. I long to be refreſhed with the ſoules of them that are under the Altar, Revel. 6.9.Rev 6:9who were ſlaine for the word of God, and the testimony they held. And to have theſe long white robes given me, that I may walke in white rayment with thoſe glorious Saints who have waſhed their garments, Revel. 7.14.Rev 7:14and have made them white in the blood of the Lambe.

Why ſhould I thinke it a ſtrange thing to be removed from this place, to that wherein is my hope, my joy, my crowne, my eldeſt Brother, my head, my Father, my comforter, and all the glorified Saints; and where the Song of Moſes and the Lambe are ſung joyfully; where we ſhall not be compelled to ſit by the rivers of Babylon, nor to hang up our Harpes on Willow-trees, but ſhall take …em and ſing the new Halelujah, Revel. 5.13.Rev 5:13bleffing, honour, glory, and power, to him that ſits upon the throne, and to the Lambe for ever and ever. What is there under this old vault of the heavens, and in this old worne earth, which is under the bondage of corruption groaning and travailing in paine, and as it were ſtill ſhooting out the head, looking, waiting, and longing for the redemption of the Sonnes of God; what is there, I ſay, 2 Pet. 3.13.2 Pet 3:13that ſhould make me remaine here? I expect that new heaven, and that new earth, where righteouſneſſe dwelleth, wherein I ſhall reſt for ever more. I looke to get entrie into the new Jeruſalem; at one of thoſe twelve Gates, whereupon are written the names of their welve. Trybes of the children of Iſrael; I know Chriſt Jeſus hath prepared them for me: p. 47may I not then with boldneſſe, in his blood, ſtep in into that glory, where my head and Lord hath gone before me? Jeſus Chriſt is the doore and the Porter, Who then ſhall hold me out? will he let them periſh for whom he hath dyed? will he let that poore Sheepe be pluckt out of his hand, for whom he hath laid downe his owne life? Who ſhall condemne the man whom God hath juſtified? who ſhall lay any thing to the charge of the man for whom Chriſt hath dyed, or rather riſen againe? I know I have grievouſly tranſgreſſed, but where ſtane aboundeth, grace will ſuperabound. Rom. 9. 20.Rom 9:20I know my ſinnes are red as ſcarlet and crimſon, yet the red blood of Chriſt my Lord, can make them as white as Snow or Wooll. Whom have I in heaven but him, Pſal. 73.26.Ps 73:26or whom deſire I in earth beſides him? O thou the faireſt among the children of men; the light of the Gentiles; the glory of the Jewes; the life of the dead; the joy of Angels and Saints; my ſoule panteth to be with thee bbMaſter Welſh in his greateſt proſperity, ſpent every day more time in prayer and ſoliloquies with God, then men in this prophane Age can beleeve. John 1.14.John 1:14. I will put my ſpirit into thy hands, and thou wilt not put it out of thy preſence: I will come unto thee, for thou caſts none away that comes unto thee. O thou the onelyonly delight of Mankinde, thou camſt to ſeeke and to ſave that which was loſt; thou ſeeking me haſt found me; and now being found by thee, I hope, O Lord, thou wilt not let me periſh. I defire to be with thee, and doe long for the fruition of thy bleſſed preſence, and joy of thy countenance. Thou the onelyonly good Shepheard art full of grace and truth; therefore I truſt thou wilt not thruſt me out of the doore of thy grace. The Law was given by Moſes, John 1.17.John 1:17but grace and truth by thee: Who ſhall ſeparate me from thy love? Rom. 8.35.Rom 8:35ſhall tribulation or diſtreſſe, or perſecution, or famine, or nakedneſſe, or perill, or ſword? Nay, in all theſe things I am more then conqueror, through thy Majesty that hath loved me; for I am perſwaded, that neither death nor life, nor principalities, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor things prefent, nor things to come, nor any other creature is able to ſeparate me from the love of thy Majesty, which is in Chriſt Jeſus my Lord. I refuſe not to dye with thee, that I may live with thee; I refuſe not to ſuff… with thee, that I may rejoyce with thee. Shall not all things be pleaſant to me p. 48which may be my laſt ſteepe ccHe points at the ſentence for he and the reſt of the Miniſters were all condemned to be hanged as Traitors.by which or upon which I may come unto thee? When ſhall I be ſatiate with thy face? when ſhall I be drunke with thy pleaſures? Come Lord Jeſus and tarry not: the ſpirit ſayes come; the Bride ſayes come; even ſo Lord Jeſus come quickly, and tarry not. Why ſhould the multitude of my iniquities, or the greatneſſe of them afright me? Why ſhould I fe…nt in this my deſire to be with thee? Rev. 22.17.20.Rev 22:17Rev 22:20The greater ſinner I have beene, the greater glory will thy grace be to me unto all eternity. Oh unſpeakable joy, Eph…ſ. 3.18.endleſſe, infinite, and bottomeleſſe compaſſion! O Ocean of never fading pleaſure! O love of loves! O the breadth and height, and depth, and length of that love of thine that paſſeth knowledge. The love of Jonathan was great indeed unto David, it paſſeth the love of women. O uncreated love! beginning without beginning, and ending without end: thou art my glory, my joy and my gaine, and my crowne; thou haſt ſet me under thy ſhadow, Cant. 1.3. Cant. 2.4, 5.Song 1:3Song 2:4Song 2:5with great delight, and thy fruit is ſweet unto my taste; thou haſt brought me to thy banquetting-houſe, and placed mei… thy Orchard; ſtay me with thy flagons, and comfort me with thy Apples, for I am ſicke, and my ſoule is wounded with thy love. Cant. 2.15.Song 2:15Behold, thou art faire, my love; behold, thou art faire; thou haſt Doves eyes; behold, thou art faire my beloved, yea pleaſant; alſo our bed is greene, the beames of our houſe are Cedars, Cant. 7.6.Song 7:6and our rafters are of Firre. How faire and how pleaſant art thou, O love for delights. My heart is raviſhed with thee; oh, when ſhall I ſee thy face! How long wilt thou delay to be to me as a Roe, Cant. 2.8, 9. Cant. 1.13. Cant. 1.3.Song 2:8Song 2:9Song 1:13Song 1:3or a young Hart leaping upon the Mountaines, and skipping upon the hils; as a bundle of Myrrhe be thou to me; and lye all night betwixt my breasts: becauſe of the ſavour of thy good oyntments: thy name is as oyn ment fowred forth; therefore deſire I to goe out of the Deſert, and come to the place where thou firſt at thy repoſe, Cant. 1.7.Song 1:7and where thou makeſt thy flockes to reſt at noon. When ſhall I be ſilled with thy love; ſurely if a man knew how precious it were, he would count all things droſſe and dung to gaine it: truly I would long for that Scaffold, or that Axe, or that Cord, that might be to me that laſt ſtep of this my weariſome jeurney, to goe to thee my Lord. Thou p. 49who knowes the meaning of the ſpirit, give anſwer to the ſpeaking, ſighing and groaning of the ſpirit; thou who haſt enflamed my heart to ſpeak to thee in this filent, yet love-language of ardent and fervent defires; ſpeak againe unto my heart, and anſwer my deſires, which thou haſt made me ſpeak to thee; O Death where is thy ſting, 1 Cor. 15.55.1 Cor 15:55O Grave where is thy victory! the ſting of Death is ſinne, the ſtrength of ſin is the Law; but thanks be to God which giveth me Victory through Jeſus Chriſt.

What can be troubleſome to me, ſince my Lord looks upon me with ſo loving and amiable a countenance, and how greatly doe I long for theſe embracements of my Lord; O that he would kiſſe me with the kiſſes of his mouth, Cant. 1.2.Song 1:2for his love is better then wine: O that my ſoule were the throne wherein he might dwell eternally! O that my heart were the Temple wherein he might be magnified and dwell for ever; all glory be unto my God, Angels and Saints praiſe ye him; O thou earth, ye hils and mountaines be glad, ye ſhall not be wearied any more with the burthen of corruption, whereunto ye have been ſubject through the wickedneſſe of mankind: lift up your hearts and be glad, for a fire ſhall make you cleane from all your corruption and vanity, wherewith for the ſpace of many yeers, you have been infected; let all the Saints rejoice, for the day of the marriage with the Bridegroom (even the Lambe of God) is at hand, and her faire white robes ſhall be given her, ſhe ſhall be arrayed with the golden veſture and the needle-work of his manifold graces that ſhall be put upon her; he who is life ſhall quickly appeare, and ſhe ſhall quickly appeare with him, in the glory and happineſſe of a conſummate Marriage.

But I muſt remember my ſelfe, I know I have been greatly ſtrengthned and ſuſtained by your prayers (honourable Lady, and dearly beloved in our Lord Jeſus) continue I pray you, as ye have begun, in wreſtling with the Lord for me, that Chriſt may be magnified in my mortall body whether living or dead, that my ſoule may be lifted up to thoſe third heavens, that I may taſte of thoſe joyes that are at the right hand of my heavenly Father, and that with gladneſſe I may p. 50let my ſpirit goe thither where my body ſhall ſhortly follow: Who am I, that he ſhould firſt have called me, and then conſtitute me a Miniſter of glad tidings of the Goſpell of ſalvation, theſe ſixteen yeers already, and now laſt of all, to be a ſufferer for his cauſe and Kingdome.

To witneſſe that good confeſſion, The matter of this gracious mans ſuffering was the very controverfie now in hand betwixt us and the Eraſtian Stateſmen.that Jeſus Chriſt is the King of Saints, and that his Church is a moſt free Kingdome; yea, as free as any Kingdome under heaven, not onelyonly to convocate, hold and keep her meetings, Conventions and Aſſemblies, but alſo to judge of all her affaires in all her meetings and conventions amongſt her members and Subjects ^d.

Theſe two points, firſt, that Chriſt is the head of his Church; ſecondly, that ſhe is free in her government from all other juriſdiction except Chriſts: Theſe two points, I ſay, are the ſpeciall cauſe of our impriſonmēt, being now convict as traitors for their maintainance; we have been waiting with joyfulneſſe to give the laſt teſtimony of our blood in confirmation thereof; if it would pleaſe our God to be ſo favourable as to honour us with that dignity: yea, I doe affirme that theſe two points above written, and all other things which belong to Chriſts Crowne, Scepter and Kingdome, are not ſubject, nor cannot be to any other authority but to his owne altogether, ſo that I would be moſt glad to be offered up upon the ſacrifice of ſo glorious a truth.

But alas, I feare that my ſinnes, and the abuſe of ſo glorious things as I have found, deprive me of ſo faire a Crowne; yet my Lord doth know, if he would call me to, and ſtrengthen me in it, it would be the moſt glorious day and gladdeſt houre I ever ſaw in this life; but I am in his hand to doe with me whatſoever ſhall pleaſe his Majeſty. It may ſuffice me that I have had ſo long a time in the knowledge of the Goſpell, and that I have ſeen the things I have ſeen, and heard the things I have heard, and that through Gods grace I have been ſo long a witneſſe of thoſe glorious and good newes in my weak miniſtery, and that my witneſſing hath not been altogether without fruit and bleſſing, ſo that I p. 51hope at that great day I ſhall have him to be my Crown, my glory, my joy and my reward, and therefore boldly I ſay with Simeon, Lord now letteſt thou thy ſervant depart in peace, not in a peaceable dying, but by rendring up to him my ſpirit in ſtamping of this his verity, and in ſealing the ſame with my blood; I have fought a good fight, and have finiſhed my courſe, 2 Tim. 9.7.I have kept the faith, henceforth is laid up for me a Crowne of righteouſneſſe, which the Lord the righteous Judge ſhall give me at that day, and not to me onelyonly, but to all them alſo that love his comming.

Now is the propheſie at hand to be fulfilled, which theſe two worthy ſervants of the Lord, Maſter George Wiſhart and Maſter John Knox, my Father in Law ſpake; which was, That Chriſt ſhould be crucified in this Kingdome againe, but glorious ſhould his reſurrection be, eeThis ſtrange Propheſie of Knox and Wiſhart is here explicat and mervailouſly enlarged by this divine man; the firſt part thereof, whereupon alone be here infists, has been performed lately in every tittle before our eyes; the ſecond part of Chriſts glorious reſurrection, and our glorious deliverance, we expect ſhall be as punctually performed in the Lords good time.as Maſter Knox with his owne hand upon the Margin of Calvins Harmony upon the Paſſion, did write, which is yet extant.

But alas, for the Kingdome, my teſtimony now doth not differ from that of many before this time, who ſaid, That the Judgement of Scotland ſhould be blood, this Kingdome ſhall be drowned in blood, a furbiſhed and glittering ſword is already drawne out of the ſcabbard, which ſhall not returne untill it be made drunke with the blood of the men within this Land; ffMore blood ſhed by the ſword in Scotland the other yeere, then for many Generations before.firſt, the heavy inteſtine ſword, and then the ſword of the ſtranger ggThis indeed was the Lords method with us, the blood ſhed in our firſt troubles at the Bridge of Die, and divers parts of the North, from the Castles of Edinborough and Dunbartan and in the South, was onelyonly by the intestine ſword, but the great bloodſhed in our preſent troubles was for the moſt part by the ſword of ſtrangers, the barbarous Iriſh Rebels having their Commiſſion from Ireland..

O dolefull Scotland well were he that were removed far from thee, that his p. 52eyes might not ſee nor his eares heare all theſe evils that are to come upon thee; hhNever ſo great a flight in Scotland as the other yeer, the m…ſt conſiderable perſons fled away to England or Ireland or ſome corners and ſtrong holds of the Land for the ſafety of their lives.neither the ſtrong man by his ſtrength, nor the rich man by his riches, nor the Noble man by his blood, ſhall be delivered from the judgements; there is a great ſacrifice to be made in Boſrah; in thee O Scotland, of the blood of all ſorts in the Land; Vide ^f.Ephraim ſhall conſume Manaſſeh, and Manaſſeh Ephraim: Jſaiah 9.21.Isa 9:21Brother againſt brother, and every man in the judgement of the Lord ſhall be armed to thruſt his ſword in the fide of his neighbour; kkThus indeed it was among us, under the ſtandard of the enemy, many of our Brethren, Kinſmen and Neighbours did fight, and by their hands much of our blood was ſpilt.and all for the contempt of the moſt glorious Goſpell, and that blood which was offered to thee O Scotland in ſo plentifull a manner, that the like thereof hath not been offered to any Nation.

Therefore thy judgement ſhall be the greater, but the Sanctuary muſt be begun at, and the meaſure is not yet fulfilled, till the blood of the Saints be ſhed; then the cryes will be great, and will not ſtay, tili they bring the Lord downe from Heaven his Throne, to ſee if the ſinnes of Scotland be according to the cry thereof, neither ſhall there be any Subject in the Land, from the greateſt to the meaneſt, guiltleſſe. The guilt of our blood ſhall not onelyonly lie upon the Prince, but alſo upon our own Brethren, Biſhops, Counſellours and Commiſſioners; it is they, even they that have ſtirred our Prince againſt us, we muſt therefore lay the blame and burden of our blood upon them eſpecially, however p. 53the reſt above written be alſo partakers of their fins with them.

And as to the reſt of our Brethen, who either by ſilence approve, or by crying Peace Peace, ſtrengthen the arme of the wicked, that they cannot returne; in the meane time, make the hearts of the righteous ſad, they ſhall all in like manner be guilty of our blood, and of high treaſon againſt the King of Kings, the Lord Jeſus Chriſt his Crowne and Kingdome.

Next unto them all Counſellours, Chancellour, Preſident, Comptroller, Advocate, and next unto them, all that firſt or laſt ſate in Counſell, and did not beare plaine teſtimony of Jeſus Chriſt and his Kingdome, for which we doe ſuffer: and next unto them, all theſe who ſhould have been preſent and ſupplied, who ſhould at ſuch times have come and made open teſtimony of Chriſt faithfully, although it had been contrary to plaine Law and hazard of their lives; when the poor Jewes were in ſuch danger, that nothing was expected but utter deſtruction, Queen Eſter after three days faſting, concluded thus with her ſelfe; Eſter 9.16.I will (ſaid ſhe) goe in to the King (though it be not according to Law) and if I periſh, I periſh: with this reſolution, ſuch as are borne Counſellours ſhould have ſaid, Chriſts Kingdome is now in my hand, and I am bound alſo and ſworne by a ſpeciall Covenant, to maintaine the Doctrine and Diſcipline thereof according to my vocation and power all the dayes of my life, under all the paines contained in the Book of God, and danger both of body and ſoule in the day of Gods fearfull judgement; and therefore though I ſhould periſh in the cauſe, yet will I ſpeak for it, and to my power defend it according to my vocation. Finally, all thoſe that counſels, commands, conſents and allowes, are guilty in the ſight of God: but the mourners for theſe evils, and the faithfull of the Land, and they who are unfainedly grieved in heart for all the abominations; theſe are marked as not being guilty, Ezek. 9.

I know not whether I ſhall ever have occaſion to write againe, and therefore by this Leteer as my latter will and teſtament I give teſtimony and warning and knowledge of p. 54thoſe things to all men according to the Lords direction to the Prophet, Son of man I have made &c. therefore I give warning to all men hereby, Ezek. 33.7.Ezek 33:7that no mans blood be required at my hand. Thus deſiring the help of your prayers, with my humble commendations and ſervice in Chriſt to my Lord your Husband, and to all the Saints there; the Meſſenger of peace be with you all for evermore, Amen.

Yours to my full power, for the time Chriſts Priſoner, JOHN WELSCH. From Blackneſſe Jan. 16. 1606.

This ſecond Letter was written before the firſt to Sir William Levinstone of Kilſyth, one of the Lords of the Colledge of Iuſtice.

RIght honorable Sir; after my hearty ſalutations: Your love and care towards us uttered many wayes hath certainly comforted me; and having no other thing to requite, as I am able, I ſhall deſire the Lord who is mighty, and hath taken upon him ſo to doe, to meet you and yours with conſolations in his good time.

As for the matter it ſelfe, the bearer will ſhew you, that what is required is ſuch a thing as in the ſight of our Lord we may not doe, without both the hazard of our conſciences, and liberty of Chriſts Kingdome, which ſhould be deerer to us then any thing elſe; What a ſlavery were it for us to binde our conſciences in the ſervice of our God in the meaneſt point of our callings, to the will of man or Angels. And we are fully reſolved, that which we did, was acceptable ſervice to our God, who hath put it up as ſervice done to him, and has allowed and ſealed it to us by many tokens; ſo that it were more then high impiety and apoſtacy to teſtifie the ruine or undoing of any thing which our God hath ordained to be done, and has accepted of us being done aaThis Letter is an Anſwer of Maſter Welſh to Kilſyth; it ſeemes Spotſwood then Archbiſhop of Glaſgow, had moved Kilſyth to tempt the priſoners after their condemnation, to acknowledge a fault, and crave pardon for their actions at Aberdeen, upon aſſurance of libertie: this overture Master Welſh rejects as unlawfull, and withall denounces the judgement of God againſt Spotſwood, the chiefe instrument of the gracious Ministers oppreſſion, in a mervailous and altogether Propheticall manner..

p. 55Wee, Sir (if the Lord will) are yet ready to doe more in our callings, and to ſuffer more for the ſame, if ſo be it wil pleaſe our God to call us to it, and ſtrengthen us in it; for in our ſelves we dare promiſe nothing, but in our God all things.

As for that inſtrument Spotſwood, we are ſure the Lord will never bleſſe that man, but a malediction lyes upon him, and ſhall accompany all his doings; and it may be Sir, your eyes ſhall ſee as great confuſion covering him ere he goe to the grave, as did his predeceſſours. Now ſurely Sir, I am farre from bitterneſſe; but here I denounce the wrath of an everlaſting God againſt him, which aſſuredly ſhall fall, except it be prevented; Sir, Dagon ſhall not ſtand before the Arke of the Lord, and thoſe names of blaſphemy that he weares of Lord Biſhop and Archbiſhop will have a fearfull end aaThis Propheſie of the aboliſhing of Epiſcopacy is now accompliſhed in our eyes.. Not one beck is to be given to Haman; ſuppoſe he were as great a Courtier as ever he was; ſuppoſe the Decree were given out, and ſealed with the Kings Ring, Deliverance will come to us elſewhere, and not by him that hath been ſo ſore an inſtrument, not againſt our perſons (that were nothing, and I proteſt to you Sir in the fight of my God, I forgive him all the evill that ever he hath done, or can doe to me) but unto Chriſts poore Kirk, in ſtamping underfoot ſo glorious a Kingdome and beauty as was once in this Land: he has helped to cut Sampſons haire, and to expoſe him to mocks; but the Lord will not be mocked; he p. 56ſhall be caſt away as out of a ſling-ſtone; his name ſhall rot, and a malediction ſhall fall upon his poſterity after he is gone ccNot a word of this is fallen to the ground; Spotſwood in the top of all his honours, when he had come up to be Archbiſhop of St. Andrewes and Chancellour of the Kingdome, he was caſt out of Scotland, and dyed a poore miſerable man at London, having not a ſixpence of his own to buy Bread, or to put him in his grave, but as it was begged at Court; the evident hand of God lighted on his poſterity; his Lands of Darſie (all the conqueſſe he was able to make to his eldeſt Son Sir Jo. Spotſwood) is ready to be ſold, and that branch of his poſterity to goe a begging: his ſecond Son Sir Robert Spotſwood Preſident of the Colledge of Juſtice, for his treaſon againſt Scotland, did dye miſerably on a ſcaffold at St. Andrews, an obdured impenitent man: his brother the Biſhop of Clogher was caſt out of his great eſtates in Ireland, and here in extreame old age was put, as he told us, to teach children for his Bread; and being unfit for that imployment, he was long a ſuitor here at London for the meaneſt place in the Miniſtry, that he might be kept from ſtarving, but could not obtaine it..

Let this Letter Sir, be a Monument of it, that it was told before, that whē it ſhall come to paſſe, it may be ſeene there was warning given him, and therfore Sir, ſeeing I have not the acceſſe my ſelfe, if it would pleaſe God to move you, I wiſh you did deliver this hard Meſſage unto him, not as from me I aſſure you, but as from the Lord; that except he repent, he ſhall be made a fearfull ſpectacle of Gods wrath in this LandddTheſe things were Propheſied in the yeer 1605. forty yeers before their full performance, contrary to al worldly appearance; for then and many yeeres after Maſter Welſh his death it was more improbable that the Epiſcopall thrones in the King of Britains Dominions could ever have been overthrown by any humane force, then that the See of the Pope at Rome, and the Seats of all the Antichriſtian Prelates in Italy, France and Spain, or any where this day in the Earth, ſhould be overturned in deſpight of all their Defenders.

I have kept the matter onelyonly to my ſelfe, as our Brother will ſhew you: Now the grace of God be multiplyed upon you:

Yours, from my heart to be commanded in the Lord. JOHN WELSH. From Blackneſſe, Oct. 9. 1605.

End of the text · Robert Baillie, A Historical Vindication of the Government of the Church of Scotland (1646)