Treatise of Civil Policy, Title page – Preface
A TREATISE OF Civil Policy: Being a Reſolution of Forty three QUESTIONS Concerning PREROGATIVE, Right and Priviledge, In reference to the Supream Prince AND THE PEOPLE.
By SAMUEL RUTHERFORD Profeſſor of Divinity of St Audrews in Scotland.
LONDON, Printed and are to be ſold by Simon Miller at the Star in St Pauls Church-yard near the Weſt end. 1657.
L. An. Senecae Octavia. Nero, Seneca.
Sen.
NIhil in propinquos temerè conſtitui decet.
Ner.
Iuſtum eſſe facile eſt, cui vacat pectus metu.
Sen.
Magnum timoris remedium clementia eſt.
Ner.
Extinguere hoſtem, maxima eſt virtus ducis.
Sen.
Servare cives major eſt patriae patri.
Ner.
Praecipere mitem convenit pueris ſenem.
Sen.
Regenda magis eſt fervida adoleſcentia.
Ner.
Aetate in hac ſatis eſſe conſilii reor.
Sen.
Vt facta ſuperi comprobent ſemper tua.
Ner.
Stultè verebor, eſſe cum faciam, Deos.
Sen.
Hoc plus verere, quod licet tantum tibi.
Ner.
Fortuna noſtra cuncta permittit mihi.
Sen.
Crede obſequenti parciùs: levis eſt Dea.
Ner.
Inertis eſt neſcire quod liceat ſibi.
Sen.
Id facere laus eſt, quod decet, non quod licet.
Ner.
Calcat jacentem vulgus.
Sen.
Inviſum opprimit.
Ner.
Ferrum tuetur principem.
Sen.
Meliùs fides.
Ner.
Decet timeri Caeſarem.
Sen.
At plus diligi.
Ner.
Metuant neceſſe eſt.
Sen.
Quicquid exprimitur grave eſt.
Ner.
Iuſſiſque noſtris pareant.
Sen.
Iuſta impera.
Ner.
Statuam ipſe.
Sen.
Quae conſenſus efficiat rata.
Ner.
Deſpectus enſis faciet.
Sen.
Hoc abſit nefas.
The PREFACE.
VVHo doubteth (Chriſtian Reader) but innocencie muſt be under the courteſie and mercy of malice, and that it is a reall martyrdome, to be brought under the lawleſſe Inquiſition of the bloody tongue? Chriſt, the Prophets and Apoſtles of our Lord, went to Heaven with the note of Traytors, Seditious men, and ſuch as turned the world upſide down: calumnies of treaſon to Caeſar, were an ingredient in Chriſts cup, and therefore the author is the more willing to drink of that cup that touched his lip, who is our glorious forerunner: what if conſcience toward God, and credit with men, cannot both go to heaven with the Saints, the author is ſatiſfied with the former companion, and is willing to diſmiſſe the other. Truth to Chriſt, cannot be treaſon to Caeſar, and for his choiſe he judgeth truth to have a nearer relation to Chriſt Jeſus, then the tranſcendent and boundleſſe power of a mortall Prince.
He conſidered that Popery and defection had made a large ſtep in Britain, and that Arbitrary Government had over-ſwelled all banks of Law, that it was now at the higheſt float, and that this ſea approaching the fartheſt border of fancied abſolutenes, was at the ſcore of ebbing: and the naked truth is, Prelats, a wild and puſhing cattle to the lambs and flock of Chriſt, had made a hideous noyſe, the wheeles of their chariot did run an equall pace with the blood-thirſty mind of the Daughter of Babell. Prelacie, the daughter planted in her mothers blood, muſt verifie that word, As is the mother, ſo is the daughter: why, but do not the Prelates now ſuffer? True, but their ſuffrings are not of blood, or kindred, to the calamities of theſe of whom Lactantius ſaith, l. 5. c. 19. O quam honeſta voluntate miſeri erant. The cauſes of their ſuffring are, 1. Hope of gain and glory, ſtirring their Helme to a ſhoare they much affect; even to a Church of Gold, of Purple, yet really of clay and earth. 2. The lye is more active upon the ſpirits of men, not becauſe of its own weakneſſe, but becauſe men are more paſſive in receiving the impreſſions of error, then truth; and opinions lying in the worlds fat wombe, are of a conquering nature, what ever notions ſide with the world, to Prelates and men of their make are very efficacious.
There is another cauſe of the ſickneſſe of our time; God plagued Hereſie, to beget Atheiſme and ſecurity, as Atheiſme and ſecurity had begotten Hereſie, even as clouds through reciprocation of cauſes engender rain, rain begate vapours, vapours clouds, and clouds rain, ſo do ſins overſpread our ſad times in a circular generation.
And now judgement preſſeth the kingdoms, and of all the heavieſt judgements the ſword, and of ſwords the civill ſword, threatneth vaſtation, yet not, I hope, like the Roman civill ſword, of which it was ſaid,
Bella geri placuit nullos habitura triumphos.
I hope this war ſhalbe Chriſts Triumph, Babylons ruine.
That which moved the author, was not as my excommunicateSacr. ſan. Epiſt. …edi…. adverſary, like a Thraſo, ſaith, the eſcapes of ſome pens, which neceſſitated him to write, for many before me hath learnedly trodden in this path; but that I might adde a new teſtimony to the times.
I have not time to examine the P. Prelates Preface, only, I give a taſt of his gall in this preface, and of a virulent peece, of his (agnoſco ſtylum et genium Thraſonis) In which he laboureth to prove how inconſiſtent presbyteriall government is with Monarchy, or any other government.
1 He denyeth that the Crown and Scepter is under any coactive power of Pope, or Presbiterie, or cenſurable, or dethroneable: to which we ſay, Presbyteries profeſſe that Kings are under the coactive power of Chriſts keyes of diſcipline, and that Prophets and Paſtors, as Ambaſſadors of Chriſt, have the keyes of the kingdom of God, to open and let in beleeving Princes, and alſo to ſhut them out, if they rebel againſt Chriſt; the law of Chriſt excepteth none, Mat. 16. 19. Mat. 18. 15, 16. 2 Cor. 10. 6. Jer. 1. 9. 18. if the Kings ſins may be remitted in a miniſteriall way, as Joh. 20. 23, 24. as Prelates and their Prieſts abſolve Kings; we think they may be bound by the hand that looſed, Preſbyteries never dethroned Kings, never uſurped that power; Your father P. Prelate, hath dethroned many Kings; Sacr. ſan. reg. maj. c. 5.I mean the Pope, whoſe power, by your own confeſſion cap. 5. pag. 58. differeth from yours by divine right, only in extent.
2 When ſacred Hierarchy, the order inſtituted by Chriſt, is overthrown, what is the condition of Soveraignty? Anſ. Surer then before, when Prelates depoſed Kings. 2. I fear Chriſt ſhall never own this order.
3 The Mitre cannot ſuffer, and the Diadem be ſecured. Anſ. Have Kings no pillars to their thrones, but Antichriſtian Prelates? Prelates have trampled Diadem and Scepter under their feet, as hiſtories teach us.
4 Doe they not (Puritans) magiſterially determine, that Kings are not of Gods creation by Authoritative Commiſſion; but only by permiſſion, extorted by importunity, and way given, that they may be a ſcourge to a ſinfull people? Anſ. Any unclean ſpirit from Hell, could not ſpeak a blacker lye, we hold that the King, by office, is the Churches nurſe father, a ſacred Ordinance, the deputed power of God; but by P. P. his way, all inferior Judges, and Gods Deputies on earth, who are alſo our fathers in the fifth Commandements ſtile, are to be obeyed by no Divine law; the King miſled by P. Prelates, ſhall forbid to obey them, who is, in right-down truth, a mortall civill Pope, may looſe and liberate ſubjects from the tye of a Divine law.
5 His inveying againſt ruling Elders, and the rooting out of Antichriſtian Prelacie, without any word of Scripture on the contrary, I paſſe as the extravagancy of a malecontent, becauſe he is deſervedly excommunicated for Perjury, Popery, Socinianiſme, Tyranny over mens conſcience, and invading places of civill dignity, and deſerting his calling, and the camp of Chriſt, &c.
6 None were of old anoynted, but Kings, Prieſts and Prophets, who then more obliged, to maintain the Lords Anoynted, then Prieſts and Prophets? The Church hath never more beauty and plenty under any government, then Monarchy, which is moſt countenanced by God, and magnified by Scripture.
Anſ. Paſtors are to maintain the rights of people, and a true Church, no leſſe then the right of Kings; but Prelates the Court Paraſites, and creatures of the King, that are born for the Glory of their King, can do no leſſe then profeſſe this in words, yet it is true, that Tacitus writeth of ſuch, Hiſt. l. 1. Libentius cum fortuna principis, quam cum principe loquuntur: and it is true, that the Church hath had plenty under Kings, not ſo much, becauſe they were Kings, as becauſe they were godly and zealous: except the P. P. ſay, That the oppreſſing Kings of Iſraell and Judah, and the bloody horns that made war with the Lamb, are not Kings. In the reſt of the Epiſtle, he extols the Marques of Ormond with baſe flattery, from his Loyalty to the King, and his more then Admirable prudence in the Treaty of Ceſſation with the Rebells; a woe is due to this falſe prophet, who calleth Darkneſſe Light, for the former was abominable, and perfidious Apoſtacy from the Lords cauſe, and people of God, whom he once defended, and the Ceſſation was a ſelling of the blood of many hundred thouſand proteſtants, Men, Women, and ſucking Children.
This curſed P. hath written of late a Treatiſe againſtA refutation of the P. P. Pamphlet, touching the inconſiſtency of the Presbytery with Monarchy. The pretended Prelates lies and calumnies of the Presbyterits of Scotland. the Presbyteriall government of Scotland, in which there is a bundle of lyes, helliſh calumnies, and groſſe errors.
The firſt lye is, that we have Lay-Elders, whereas, they are ſuch as rule, But labour not in the word and doctrine, 1 Tim. 5. 7. pag. 3.
2. The ſecond lye, that Deacons who only attend Tables, are joynt Rulers with Paſtors, pag. 3.
3. That we never, or little uſe the leſſer excommunication, that is, debarring from the Lords Supper. Pag. 4.
4. That any Church judicature in Scotland, exactethPag. 6. pecuniary mulcts, and threaten excommunication to the non-payers, and refuſeth to accept the repentance of any who are not able to pay: the civill magiſtrate only fineth for Drunkenneſſe, and Adultery, Blaſpheming of God, which are frequent ſins in Prelates.
5 A calumnie it is to ſay, That ruling Elders are of equall authority to Preach the Word, as Paſtors, Pag. 7.
6. That Lay-men are members of Presbyteries or generall6. Aſſemblies; Buchanan, and Mr. Melvin, were Doctors of Divinity: and could have taught ſuch an Aſſe as Jo. Maxwell.
7. That exſpectants are intruders upon the ſacred function,7. Pag. 9. becauſe as ſons of the Prophets, they exerciſe their gifts for tryall in Preaching.
8. That the Presbytery of Edinbrough hath a ſuperintendingPag. 10. power, becauſe they communicate the affaires of the Church, and writ to the Churches, what they hear Prelates and Hell deviſe againſt Chriſt and his Church.
9. That the King muſt ſubmit his Scepter to the Presbytery; the Kings Scepter is his Royal office, which is not ſubject to any judicature, no more then any lawfull ordinance of10. Chriſt; but if the King as a man, blaſpheme God, murther the innocent, advance Belly-gods, (ſuch as our Prelates for the moſt part were) above the Lords inheritance, the Miniſters of Chriſt are to ſay, The King troubleth Jſraell, and they have the keyes to open and ſhut heaven to, and upon the King, if he can offend.
10. That King James ſaid, a Scottiſh Presbytery, and a 10, 11.Monarchy, agreeth as well as God and the Devill, is true, but King James meant of a wicked King; elſe he ſpake as a man.
11. That the presbytery out of pride refuſed to anſwer King Pag. 11.James his Honourable meſſengers, is a lye, they could not in buſineſſe of high concernment, return a preſent anſwer to a Prince, ſeeking ſtill to aboliſh Presbyteries.
12. Its a lye, that all ſins, even all civil buſineſſe, come under the cognizance of the Church, for only ſins, as publikely ſcandalous, fall under their power, Mat. 18. 15, 16, 17. &c. 2 Theſſ. 3. 11. 1 Tim. 5. 20. It is a calumnie that they ſearch out ſecret crimes, or that ever they diſgraced the innocent, or devided families, where there be flagrant ſcandals, and pregnant ſuſpitions; of ſcandalous crimes, they ſearch out theſe, as the inceſt of Spotſwood, P. P. of Saint Andrewes, with his own daughter; the adulteries of Whiteford, P. P. of Brichen, whoſe Baſtard came weeping to the Aſſembly of Glaſgow in the armes ofPa. 11, 12, 13. the whore: theſe they ſearched out, but not with the damnable oath ex officio, that the High Commiſſion put upon innocents, to cauſe them accuſe themſelves, againſt the Law of nature.
13. The Presbytery hinder not lawfull merchandize;14. ſcandalous exhortation, unjuſt ſuits of Law, they may forbid: and ſo doth the Scripture, as ſcandalous to Chriſtians, 2 Cor. 6.
14. They repeal no civill Lawes, they Preach againſt15. unjuſt and grievous lawes, as, Eſa. cap. 10. 1. doth, and cenſure the violation of Gods Holyday, which Prelates prophaned.
15. We know no Parochiall Popes, we turn out no holy Miniſters, but only dumbe dogs, non-reſidents, ſcandalous, wretched, and Apoſtate Prelates.
16. Our Moderator hath no dominion, the P. P. abſolvethPag. 7. him, while he ſaith, All is done in our Church by common conſent, p. 7.
17. It is true, we have no Popiſh conſecration, ſuch as P. P. contendeth for in the Maſſe, but we have ſuchPag. 9. as Chriſt and his Apoſtles uſed, in Conſecrating the Elements.
18. …f any ſell the Patrimony of the Church, the Presbytery cenſures him; if any take buds of Malt, Meale, Pag. 18.Be…ffe, it is no law with us, no more then the Biſhops five hundred markes, or a yeares ſtipend that the intrant gave to the Lord Biſhop for a church. And who ever took buds in theſe dayes, (as King James by the Earl of Dumbar, did buy Epiſcopacie at a pretended Aſſembly, by foule budding) they were either men for the Epiſcopall way, or perfidiouſly againſt their oath became Biſhops, all perſonall faults of this kind, imputed to Presbyters, agree to them, under the reduplication of Epiſcopall men.
19. The leading men, that covered the ſins of the dying man and ſo loſed his ſoul, were Epiſcopall men: and though ſome of them were presbyterians, the faults of men cannot prejudice the truth of God; but the Prelates alwayesPa. 17, 18. cry out againſt the rigor of Presbyteries, in cenſuring ſcandals, becauſe they themſelves do ill, they hate the light; now here the Prelate condemneth them of remiſſeneſſe in Diſcipline.
20. Satan, a lier from the beginning, ſaith, The Presbyterie Pag. 18.was a ſeminary and nurſery of fiends, and contentions, & bloods: becauſe they excommunicated murtherers againſt King James his will: which is all one as to ſay. Prophecying is a nurſe of bloods, becauſe the Prophets cryed out againſt King Achab, and the murtherers of innocent Naboth: the men of God muſt be either on the one ſide, or the other, or then preach againſt reciprocation of injuries.
21. It is falſe, that Presbyteries uſurp both ſwords: becauſe they cenſure ſins, which the civill Magiſtrate ſhould cenſure and puniſh. Elias might be ſaid then to mix himſelfe with the civill buſineſſe of the Kingdom, becauſe he prophecied againſt Idolators killing of the Lords Prophets, which crime the civill Magiſtrate was to puniſh. But the truth is, the Aſſembly of Glaſgow, 1637. condemned the Prelates, becauſe they being Paſtors, would be alſo Lords of Parliament, of Seſſion, of Secret Counſell, of Exchequer, Judges, Barons, and in their lawleſſe High Commiſſion, would Fine, Impriſon, and uſe the ſword.
22. It is his ignorance, that he ſaith, A provinciall ſynodPag. 19. is an aſſociate body choſen out of all judiciall Presbyteries; for all Paſtors, and Doctors, without delegation, by vertue of their place and office, repaire to the Provinciall Synods, and without any choice at all, conſult and voice there.Pag. 22.
23. It is a lye, That ſome Leading men rule all here; indeed Epiſcopall men made factions to rent the Synods: and though men abuſe their power to factions, this cannot prove that Presbyteries are inconſiſtent with Monarchie; for then the Prelate, the Monarch of his Dioceſian rout, ſhould be Anti-Monarchiall in a higher manner, for he ruleth all at his will.
24. The prime men, as Mr. R. Bruce the faithfull ſervant of Chriſt, was honoured and attended by all, becauſe of his Suffering, Zeal, Holineſſe, his fruitfull Miniſtery in gaining many thouſand ſouls to Chriſt: So, though King James caſt him off, and did ſwear, By Gods name he intended to be King, (the Prelate maketh Blaſphemy a vertue in the King) yet King James ſware he could not find an honeſt Miniſter in Scotland to be a Biſhop, and therefore he was neceſſitated to promote falſe knaves; but he ſaid ſometimes, and wrote it under his hand, that Mr. R. Bruce was worthy of the half of his kingdom: but will this prove Presbyteries inconſiſtent with Monarchies? I ſhould rather think, that Knave Biſhops, by King James his judgement, were inconſiſtent with Monarchies.
25. His lyes of Mr. R. Bruce, excerpted out of the lying Manuſcript of Apoſtat Spotſwood, in that he would not but preach againſt the Kings recalling from exile ſome Bloody Popiſh Lords, to undo all, are nothing comparable to the Inceſts, Adulteries, Blaſphemies,P. 22, 23, 24. Perjuries, Sabbath-breaches, Drunkenneſſe, Prophanity, &c. committed by Prelates before the Sun.
26. Our Generall Aſſembly is no other then Chriſts Court, Act. 15. made up of Paſtors, Doctors, and Brethren or Elders.
27. They ought to have no negative vote, to impede the concluſions of Chriſt in his ſervants.
28. It is a lye, that the King hath no power to appoint time and place for the Generall Aſſembly; but his power is not privative to deſtroy the free Courts of Chriſt, but accumulative to ayd and aſſiſt them.
29. It is a lye, That our generall Aſſembly may repeal Laws, command and expect performance of the King, or then excommunicate, ſubject to them, force & compell King, Judges, and all, to ſubmit to them. They may not force the conſcience of the pooreſt begger, nor is any Aſſembly infallible, nor can it lay bounds upon ſouls of Iudges, which they are to obey with blind obedience, their power is miniſteriall, ſubordinate to Chriſts Law; and what civill Laws Parliaments make againſt Gods word, they may Authoritatively declare them to be unlawfull; as though the Emperour, Act. 15. had commanded Fornication and eating of blood, might not the Aſſembly forbid theſe in the Synod? I conceive the Prelates, if they had power, would repeal the Act of Parliament made, An. 1641. in Scotland, by his Majeſtie perſonally preſent, and the three Eſtates concerning the anulling of theſe Acts of Parliament, and Laws, which eſtabliſhed Biſhops in Scotland. Erg. Biſhops ſet themſelves as independent Monarchs, above Kings and Laws: and what they damne in Presbyteries and Aſſemblies, that they practiſe themſelves.
30. Commiſſioners from Burroughs, and Two fromPag. 31. Edinbrough, becauſe of the largeneſſe of that Church, not for Cathedrall ſupereminence, ſit in Aſſemblies, not as ſent from Burroughs, but as ſent and Authorized by the Church Seſſion, of the Burrough, and ſo they ſit there in a Church capacity.
31. Doctors both in Accademies, and in Pariſhes, wePag. 31. deſire, and our Book of Diſcipline holdeth forth ſuch.
32. They hold (I beleeve with warrant of Gods word) if the King refuſe to reform Religion, the inferior Iudges and Aſſembly of Godly Paſtors, and other Church Officers may reform; if the King will not kiſſe the Sun, andPag. 33, 34, 35. do his duty in purging the Houſe of the Lord, may not Eliah and the people do their duty, and caſt out Baals Prieſts? Reformation of Religion is a perſonall act that belongeth to all, even to any one private perſon according to his place.
33. They may ſwear a Covenant without the King, if he refuſe; and Build the Lords Houſe, 2 Chron. 15. 9. themſelves: and relieve and defend one another, when they are oppreſſed. For my acts and duties of defending my ſelf and the oppreſſed, do not tye my conſcience conditionally, ſo the King conſent, but abſolutely, as all duties of the Law of nature doe, Jer. 22. 3. Prov. 24. 11. Eſa. 58. 6. Eſa. 1. 17.
34. The P. P. condemneth our Reformation, becauſe it was done againſt the will of our Popiſh Queen. This ſheweth what eſtimation he hath of Popery, and how he abhorreth Proteſtant Religion.
35. They depoſed the Queen for Her Tyranny, but Crowned her Son; all this is vindicated in the following Treatiſe.
36. The killing of the monſtrous and prodigious wicked Cardinall in the Caſtle of St. Andrews, and the violence done to the Prelates, who againſt all Law of God and man obtruded a Maſſe ſervice upon their own private motion, in Edinbrough An. 1637. can conclude nothing againſt Presbyteriall Government, except our Doctrine commend theſe acts as lawfull.
37. What was preached by the ſervant of Chriſt, whom p. 46. he calleth the Scottiſh Pope, is Printed, and the P. P. durſt not, could not, cite any thing thereof as Popiſh or unſound, he knoweth that the man whom he ſo ſlandereth, knocked down the Pope and the Prelates.
38. The making away the fat Abbacies and Biſhopricks, is a bloody Hereſie to the earthly minded Prelate: the Confeſſion of Faith commended, by all the Proteſtant Churches, as a ſtrong bar againſt Popety, and the book of Diſcipline, in which the ſervants of God laboured twenty yeares, with faſting and praying, and frequent advice and counſell, from the whole Reformed Churches, are to the P. P. a negative faith, and devote imaginations; its a lye, that Epiſcopacie by both ſides was ever agreed on by Law in Scotland.
39. And was it a hereſie that M. Melvin taught, that Presbyter and Biſhop are one function in Scripture? and that Abbots and Priors were not in Gods book? dic ubi legis: and is this a proof of inconſiſtency of Presbyteries with a Monarchie?
40 It is a hereſie to the P. P. that the Church appoynt a Faſt, when King James appoynted an unſeaſonable Feaſt, when Gods wrath was upon the Land, contrary to Gods word, Eſa. 22. 12, 13, 14. and what, will this prove Presbyteries to be inconſiſtent with Monarchies?
41. This Aſſembly is to judge, what Doctrine is treaſonable;His lies of the generall Aſſemblies of Scotland. what then? Surely the ſecret Counſell and King, in a conſtitute Church is not Synodically to determine what is true or falſe Doctrine, more then the Roman Emperor could make the Church Canon, Act. 15.
42. M. Gibſon, M. Black, preached againſt King James his maintaining the Tyranny of Biſhops, his ſympathizing with Papiſts and other crying ſins, and were abſolved in a generall Aſſembly, ſhal this make Presbyteries inconſiſtent with Monarchie? Nay, but it proveth only, that they are inconſiſtent with the wickedneſſe of ſome Monarchies; and that Prelates have been like the four hundred falſe prophets that …lattered King Achab; and theſe men that preached againſt the ſins of the King, and Court, by Prelates in both Kingdomes, have been impriſoned, Baniſhed, their Noſes ript, their che…ks burnt, their eares cut.
43. The Godly men that kept the Aſſembly of Aberdeen, An. 1603. did ſtand for Chriſts Prerogative when K. James took away all generall Aſſemblies, as the event proved; and the King may with as good warrant inhibit all Aſſemblies for Word and Sacraments, as for Church Diſcipline.
44. They excommunicate not for light faults and trifles as the Lyar ſaith: our Diſcipline ſaith the contrary.
45. This Aſſembly never took on them to choſe the Kings Counſellours, but theſe who were in authority took K. James, when he was a child, out of the Company of a corrupt and ſeducing Papiſt, Eſme Duke of Lennox, whom the P. P. nameth, Noble, Worthy, of eminent indowments.
46. It is true, Glaſgow Aſſembly 1637. voted down the High Commiſſion, becauſe it was not conſented unto by the Church, and yet was a Church Judicature, which took upon them to judge of the Doctrine of Miniſters, and deprive them, and did incroach upon the Liberties of the eſtabliſhed lawfull Church judicatures.
47. This Aſſembly might well forbid M. John Graham Miniſter, to make uſe of an unjuſt decree, it being ſcandalous in a Miniſter to oppreſſe.
48. Though Nobles, Barons, and Burgeſſes, that profeſſe the truth, be Elders, and ſo Members of the generall Aſſembly, this is not to make the Church the Houſe, and the Common-wealth the Hangings; for the conſtiſtuent Members, we are content to be examined by the patern of Synods, Act. 15. v. 22, 23. Is this inconſiſtent with Monarchie?
49. The Commiſſioners of the generall Aſſembly, ar… 1. A meer occaſionall judicature. 2. Appointed by, and ſubordinate to the Generall Aſſembly. 3. They have the ſame warrant of Gods Word, that Meſſengers of the Synod, Act. 15. v. 22. 27. hath.
50. The hiſtoricall calumnie of the 17. day of December, is known to all; 1. That the Miniſters had any purpoſe to dethrone King James, and that they wrote to John L. Marqueſſe of Hamilton to be King, becauſe K. James had made defection from the true Religion: Satan deviſed, Spotſwood and this P. P. vented this, I hope the true hiſtory of this is known to all. The holieſt Paſtors, and profeſſors in the Kingdom, aſſerted this Government, ſuffered for it, contended with authority only for ſin, never for the power and Office; Theſe on the contrary ſide were men of another ſtamp, who minded earthly things, whoſe God was the world. 2. All the forged inconſiſtency betwixt Presbyteries and Monarchies, is an oppoſition with abſolute Monarchie; and concludeth with alike ſtrength, againſt Parliaments, and all Synods of either ſide, againſt the Law, and Goſpell, preached, to which Kings and Kingdoms are ſubordinate. Lord eſtabliſh Peace and Truth.
Farewell.