A FAIR WARNING, FOR ENGLAND To take heed of the PRESBYTERIAN GOVERNMENT OF SCOTLAND; As being of all others most Injurious to the Civil Magistrate, most Oppressive to the Subject, most Pernicious to both. Also the sinfulness and wickedness of the COVENANT, to Introduce that Government upon the Church of England. By Dr john Brumhall Lord Archbishop of Armagh, and Primate of all Ireland.  LUKE 9.35. No man having drank old wine straightway desireth new, for he saith the old is better. 
Now reprinted for the good and benefit of all his Majesty's Subjects.   

THE CONTENTS.  
CHAP. I. THe Occasion and Subject of this Treatise. 
pag. 1  CHAP. II. That this new Discipline doth utterly overthrow the Rights of Magistrates, to convocate Synods, to confirm their Acts, to order Ecclesiastical Affairs, and reform the Church within their Dominions. 
p. 3  CHAP. III. That this Discipline robs the Magistrate of the last appeal of his Subjects. 
p. 12  CHAP. IV. That it exempts the Ministers from due Punishment. 
p. 13  CHAP. V. That it subjects the Supreme Magistrate to their Censures, etc. 
p. 16  CHAP. VI That it robs the Magistrate of his Dispensative Power. 
p. 17  CHAP. VII. That the Disciplinarians cheat the Magistrate of his Civil Power in order to Religion. 
p. 1●  CHAP. VIII. That the Disciplinarians challenge this exorbitant Power 〈◊〉 Divine Right. 
p. 24  CHAP. IX. That this Discipline makes a monster of the Commonwealth. 
p. 26  CHAP. X. That this Discipline is most prejudicial to the Parliament. 
p. 2●  CHAP. XI. That this Discipline is oppressive to particular persons. 
p. 30  CHAP. XII. That this Discipline is hurtful to all orders of men. 
p. 32  CHAP. XIII. That the Covenant to introduce this Discipline is void and wicked, with a short Conclusion. 
p. 3●    
A FAIR WARNING, To take heed of the Presbyterian Government, as being of all others most Injurious to the Civil Magistrate, most Oppressive to the Subject, most Pernicious to both.  

CHAP. I. The Occasion and Subject of this Treatise.  
IF the Disciplinarians in Scotland could rest contented to dote upon their own inventions, and magnify at home that Diana which themselves have canonised, I should leave them to the best School-Mistris, that is Experience, to feel where their shoe wrings them, and to purchase Repentance. What have I to do with the regulation of foreign Churches to burn mine own fingers with snuffing other men's Candles? Let them stand or fall to their own Master: It is charity to judge well of others, and piety to look well to ourselves.  
But to see those very men who plead to vehemently against all kinds of tyranny, attempt to obtrude their own dreams not only upon their fellow-Subjects, but upon their Sovereign himself, contrary to the dictates of his own conscience, contrary to all Laws of God and Man, yea to compel foreign Churches to dance af●er their pipe, to worship that counterfeit image which they seign to have fallen down from jupiter, and by force of arms to turn their neighbours out of a possession of above 1400 years, to make room for their Trojan horse of Ecclesiastical Discipline, (A practice never justified in the world but either by the Turk or by the ●ope). This put us upon the defensive part, They must not think that other men are so cowed or grown so tame, as to stand still blowing of their noses, whilst they bridle them and ride them at their pleasure. It is time to let the world see that this Discipline which they so much adore, is the very quintessence of refined Popery, or a greater Tyranny than ever Rome brought forth, inconsistent with all forms of civil Government, destructive to all sorts of Policy, a ra●k to the conscience, the heaviest pressure that can fall upon a people, and so much more dangerous, because by the specious pretence of Divine Institution, it takes away the sight, but not the burden of slavery. Have patience Reader, and I shall discover unto thee more pride and arrogancy through the holes of a threadbare coat, than was ever found under a Cardinal's Cap or a tripple-Crown. All this▪ I undertake to demonstrate, not by some extraordinary practices justified only by the pretence of invincible necessity, (a weak patrociny for general Doctrine,) not by the single opinions of some Capricious fellows, but by their books of Discipline, by the acts of their general and provincial Assemblies, but the concurrent votes and writings of their Commissioners.  
I foresee that they will suggest that through their sides I seek to wound foreign Churches. No, there is nothing which I shall convict them of here, but I hope will be disavowed, though not by all Protestant authors, yet by all the Protestant Churches in the world. But I must take leave to demand of our Disciplinarians, 
Syn. Gen. 1647. Declar. Parl. 1648. etc.  who it is they brand with the odious name of Erastians', in the Acts of their Parliaments and Assemblies, and in the Writings of their Commissioners, and reckon them with Papists, Anabaptists, and Independents; Is it those Churches, who disarm their Presbyteries of the Sword of Excommunication, which they are not able to wield? so did Erastus; or is it those who attribute a much greater power to the Christian Magistrate, in the managery of Ecclesiastical affairs than themselves? So did Erastus, and so do all Protestant Churches. The Disciplinarians will sooner endure a Bishop or a Superintendent to govern them, than the Civil Magistrate. And when the Magistrate shall be rightly informed, what a dangerous edged tool their Discipline is, he will ten times sooner admit of a moderate Episcopacy, then fall into the hands of such hucksters.  
If it were not for this Disciplinarian humour, which will admit so latitude in Religion, but makes each nicety a fundamental, and every private opinion an Article of faith, which prefers particular errors before general truths. I doubt not but all reformed Churches might easily be reconciled. Before these unhappy troubles in England, all Protestants both Lutherans and Calvinists did give unto the English Church the right hand of fellowship; the Disciplinarians themselves, though they preferred their own Church as more pure, (else they were hardhearted) yet they did not, they durst not condemn the Church of England, either as defective in any necessary point of Christian Piety, or redundant in any thing that might virtually or by consequence overthrow the foundation.  
Witness that Letter which their General Assembly of Superintendents, 
Assemb Gen. Anno. 1556.  Pastors and Elders, sent by Mr john Knox to the English Bishops, wherein they style them Reverend Pastors, fellow-Preachers, and joint opposers of the Roman Antichrist. They themselves were then far from a party, or from making the calling of Bishops to be Antichristian.  
But to leave these velitations and come home to the point. I will show first how this Discipline entrencheth most extremely upon the right of the civil Magistrate, secondly that it is as grievous and intolerable to the Subject.   

CHAP. II. That this new Discipline doth utterly overthrow the Rights of Magistrates, to convocate Synods, to confirm their Acts, to order Ecclesiastical Affairs, and reform the Church within their Dominions.  
ALl Princes and States invested with Sovereignty of power, do justly challenge to themselves the right of Convocating national Synods of their own Subjects, and ratifying their constitution.  
And although pious Princes may tolerate or privilege the Church to convene within their territories annually or triennially, for the exercise of Discipline, and execution of constitutions already confirmed, (nevertheless we see how wary the Synod of Dort was in this particular, 
Can. 50. ) yet he is a Magistrate of straw, that will permit the Church to convene within his territories, whensoever, wheresoever they list, to convocate before them whomsoever they please, all the Nobles, all the Subjects of the Kingdom, to change the whole Ecclesiastical policy of a Commonwealth, to alter the▪ Doctrine and Religion established, to take away the legal Rights and Privileges of the Subjects, to erect new Tribunals and Courts of Justice, to which Sovereign's themselves must submit, and all this of their own heads, by virtue of a pretended power given them from Heaven, contrary to known Laws and lawful Customs, the Supreme Magistrate dissenting and disclaiming. 
Ench. cand. S. min. ex decreto fall. The Edit. Gron. 1645. pag. 161.  Synods ought to be called by the Supreme Magistrate if he be a Christian, etc. And either by himself, or by such as he shall please to choose for that purpose, he ought to preside over them. This power the Emperors of old did challenge over General Counsels, Christian Monarches in the blindness of Popery over national Synods, the Kings of England over their great Counsels of old, and their Convocation of later times, The Estates of the united Provinces in the Synod of Dort, this power neither Roman Catholic or Protestant in France dare deny to his King. None have been more punctual in this case then the State of Geneva, where it is expressly provided, 
Les ordium Eccles. printed at Geneva 1562. pag. 66.  that no Synod or Presbytery shall alter the Ecclesiastical policy, or add any thing to it, without the consent of the civil Magistrate. Their Elders do not challenge an uncontrollable power as the Commissioners of Christ, 
●ag. 20.  but are still called the Commissioners of the Signiory. 
Pagin. 20.  The lesser Council names them with the advice of the Ministry, (their consent is not necessary) The great Council of 200. doth approve them or reject them. At the end of the year they are presented to the Signiory, who continue them or discharge them as they see cause. At their admission they take an Oath, to keep the Ecclesiastical Ordinances of the civil Magistrate. 
Pag. 9  The final determination of doctrinal differences in Religion, (after conference of, and with the ecclesiastics,) is referred to the Magistrate. 
Pag. 11.  The Proclamations published with the sound of Trumpet registered in the same Book, do plainly show, that the ordering of all Ecclesiastical affairs, is assumed by the Signiory.  
But in Scotland all things are quite contrary, the civil Magistrate hath no more to do with the placing or displacing of Ecclesiastical Elders, than he hath in the Electoral College, about the Election of an Emperor. The King hath no more legislative Power in Ecclesiastical causes, than a Cobbler, that is a single Vote in case he be chosen an Elder, otherwise none at all. In Scotland Ecclesiastical persons make repeal, alter their Sanctions every day, without consent of King or Council. King james proclaimed a Parliament to be held at Edinburgh, and a little before by his Letter required the Assembly to abstain from making any Innovations in the Policy of the Church, 
Octob. 10. 1597.  and from prejudging the decisions of the States by their conclusions, and to suffer all th●ngs to conti●ue in the condition they were until the approaching Parliament. What did they hereupon? They neglected the King's Letter, by their own Authority they determined all things positively, questioned the Archbishop of St Andrews upon their own Canons, For collating to benefices, and Voting in Parliament, according to the ●ndoubted Laws of the Land. Yea to that degree of sauciness they arrived, and into that contempt they reduced Sovereign Power, 
Assemb. Abherd. 1600.  that twenty Presbyters (no more at the highest, sometimes but thirteen, sometimes but seven or eight) dared to hold and maintain a General Assembly, (as they miscalled it,) after it was discharged by the King, against his Authority, an Insolence which never any Parliament durst yet attempt.  
By their own Authority, 
1. Book disc. 1. head.  long before there was any Statute made to that purpose; they abolished all the Festivals of the Church, even those which were observed in memory of the Birth, Circumcision, Resurrection, and Ascension of our Saviour.  
By their own Authority they decreed the abolition of Bishops, 
Ass. D●n. 1580.  requiring them to resign their offices, as not having any calling from God's Word, under pain of Excommunication. And to desist from Preaching, until they had a new Admission from the General Assembly. And to complete their own folly, added further, that they would dispose of their possessions as the Church's Patrimony in the next Assembly, which ridiculous Ordinance was maintained stiffly by the succeeding Synods, notwithstanding the Statute, that it should be Treason to impugn the Authority of the three Estates, 
Parl. 1584.  or to procure the innovation or diminution of ●●y of them. Which was made on purpose to control their vain presumption. Notwithstanding that themselves had formerly approved, and as much as in them lay established Superintendents, to endure for term of life with their numbers, bounds, salaries, larger than those of other Ministers, 
1. Book discip. 4. and 6. head.  endued with Episcopal power, to plant Churches, ordain Ministers, assign Stipends, preside in Synods, direct the censures of the Church, without whom there was no Excommunication. The world is much mistaken concerning Episcopacy in Scotland: for though the King and Parliament were compelled by the clamours and impetuous violence of the Presbyters to annex the temporalities of Bishops to the Crown, 
Anno. 203.  yet the Function itself was never taken away in Scotland, from their first conversion to Christianity, until these unhappy troubles. And these very temporalities were restored by the Ad of restitution, 
1606. Ass. Glasg. 1610. Parl. Edenb. 1612.  and their full power was first established Synodically, and afterwards confirmed by the three Estates of the Kingdom in Parliament.  
By their own Authority when they saw they could not prevail with all their iterated endeavours and attempts to have their book of discipline ratified, they obtruded it upon the Church themselves, ordaining that all those who had born, or did then bea●● any office in the Church, 
Ass. Edenb. 1590.  should subscribe it, under pain of Excommunication.  
By their own Authority, or rather by the like unwarrantable boldness they adopted themselves to be heirs of the Prelates and and other dignities and orders of the Church, suppressed by their tumultuous violence, and decreed that all tithes, rents, lands, oblations, yea whatsoever had been given in former times, a should be given in future times to the service of God, was th● Patrimony of the Church; 
2. Book disc. Chap. 9  and aught to be collected and distributed by the Deacons, as the Word of God appoints. That to convert any of this, to their particular or profane use of any people, is detestable Sacrilege before God. 
1. Book disc. 6. head.  And elsewhere, Gentle●●●, Barons, Earls, Lords, and others must be content to live 〈◊〉 their just rents, and suffer the Kirk to be restored to her Liberty. 
Ibidem.  What this Liberty is, follows in the same place, all things given in hospitality, all rents pertaining to Priests, Chanteries, Colleges, 
Ibidem.  Chappetries, Friaries of all orders, the Sisters of the Seens, all which ought to be retained still in the use of the Kir●. Give them but leave to take their breath and expect the rest. T●● whole reven●es of the temporalities of Bishops, Deans, and An●Deans Lands, and all rents pertaining to Cathedral Kirks. Then supposing an Objection, that the Possessors had Leases and Estates, they answer, That those who made them were thiefs and murderers, and had no power to alienate the common Good of the Kirk. 
Ibidem.  They desire that all such Estates may be annulled and avoided, that all Collectors appointed by the King or others, may be discharged from intermeddling therewith, and the Deacons permitted to collect the same: yea to that height of madness were th●y come, as to define and determine in their Assembly, (judge whether it be not a modest constitution for a Synod. 
Ass. Edenb. 1647. ) That the next Parliament the Church should be fully restored to its Patrimony, and that nothing should be p●st in Parliament until that was first considered and approved. Let all Estates take notice of these pretensions and designs. If their project have not yet taken effect, it is only because they wanted sufficient strength hitherto to accomplish it.  
Lastly by their own Authority, under the specious title of jesus Christ, King of Kings, and Lord of Lords, the only Monarch of his Church, and under pretence of his Prerogative Royal, they erected their own Courts and Presbyteries in the most parts of Scotland, long before th●y were legally approved or received, as appeareth by their own Act, alleging that many suits had been made to the Magistrate for approbation of the Policy of the Kirk, 
Ass. Glasg. 1581. Ass. Edenb. 1590. Ass. Edenb. 1591.  which had not taken that happy effect which good men would crave: And by another Act acknowledging that Presbyteries were then established (Synodically) in most parts of the Kingdom. And lastly by the Act of another General Assembly at Edenburg, ordaining that the Discipline contained in the Acts of the General Assembly should be kept, as well in Agnus and Mernis as in the rest of the Kingdom.  
You see sufficiently in point of practice how the Disciplinarians have trampled upon the Laws, and justled the civil Magistrate out of his Supremacy in Ecclesiastical Affairs. My next ●ask shall be, to show that this proceeds not from Inanimadvertence or Passion, but from their Doctrine and Principles.  
First, They teach that no persons, Magistrates nor others, have power to Vote in their Synods, 
2. Book disc. Chap. 7.  but only Ecclesiastical.  
Secondly, They teach, that Ecclesiastical person's have ●he sole power of convening and convocating such Assembles, All Ecclesiastical Assemblies have power to convene lawfully together, for treating of things concerning the Kirk. They have power to appoint times and places. 
Chap. 12.  Again, national Assemblies of thi● Country ought always to be retained in their own Liberties, with power to the Kirk to appoint times and places. Thus they make it a Liberty, that is a Privilege of the Church, a part of its Patrimony, not only to convene, but to convocate, whomsoever, whensoever, wheresoever.  
Thirdly, For point of Power, they teach, that Synods have the judgement of true and false Religion, 
Ass. Edenb. 1570.  of Doctrine, Heresies, etc. the election, admission, suspension, deprivation of Ministers, th● determination of all things that pertain to the Discipline of the Church. The judgement of Ecclesiastical matters, causes beneficiary, matrimonial and others. jurisdiction to proceed to excommunication against those that rob the Church of its Patrimony. 
●. Book disc. Chap. 7.  They have legislative Power to make rules and constitutions for keeping good order in the Kirk. They have power to abrogate and abolish all Statutes and Ordinances concerning Ecclesiastical matters, that are found noisome and unprofitable, and agree not with the time, 
Chap. 12.  or are abused by the people. And all this without any Reclamation, or Apellation to any judge, Civil 〈◊〉 Ecclesiastical.  

●. Book disc. Chap. 1.  Fourthly, They teach that they have these privileges not from the Magistrate or People, or particular Laws of any other Country. The Magistrate can not execute the censures of the Church, nor prescribe any rule how it should be done, but Ecclesiastical power floweth immediately from God, and from the Mediator jesus Christ 
Theoremata III. imp. Edenb. 1647. decreto Synodi Theor. 4. Theor. 9  And yet further, The Church cannot be governed by others, than those Ministers and Stewards set over it by Christ, nor otherwise than by his Laws. And therefore there is no power on earth that can challenge to itself a Command or Domini●● upon the Church. And again, It is prohibited by the Law of God and of Christ, for the Christian Magistrate to invade the Government of the Church, and consequently to challenge to himself the right of both Swords, spiritual and temporal. And if any Magistrate do arrogate so much to himself, the Church shall have cause to complain and exclaim, that the Pope is changed, but the Papacy remains. So if Kings and Magistrates stand in their way, they are Political Popes, as well as Bishops are Ecclesiastical. Whatsoever these men do, 
Theor. 68  is in the Name of our Lord jesus, and by Authority delegated from him alone.  
Lastly, They teach that they have all this Power, not only without the Magistrate, but against the Magistrate, that is, although he descent, 
Informatio●. ●r●m S●otland pag. 1●.  and send out his prohibitions to the contrary, Parliamentary ratifications can no way alter Church Canons concerning the Worship of God. For Eccclesiasticall Discipline ought to be exercised, whether it be ratified by the civill-Magistrate or not. 
Theor. 98.  The want of a civil Sanction to the Church, is but like Lucrum cessans, non damnum emergens. As it adds nothing to it, so it takes nothing away from it. If there be any clashing of Jurisdictions, or defect in this kind, they lay the fault at the Magistrate's door. It is a great sin or wickedness, for the Magistrate to hinder the exercise, 
Theor. 82.  or execution of Ecclesiastical Discipline.  
Now we have seen the pernicious practices of their Synods, with the Doctrines from which they flow; it remains to dispel umbrages, wherewith they seek to hide the ugliness of their proceedings and principles from the eyes of the world. We (say they) do give the Christian Magistrate a political Power to convocate Synods, to preside in Synods, to ratify the Acts of Synods, to reform the Church. We make him the keeper of both Tables. Take nothing and hold it fast, here are good words, but they signify nothing. Trust me whatsoever the Disciplinarians do give to the Magistrate, it is always with a saving of their own stakes, not giving for his advantage, but their own. For they teach that this power of the Christian Magistrate is not private and destructive to the power of the Church but cumulative, 
Theor. 〈◊〉  and only auxiliary or assisting.  
Besides the power which they call abusively authoritative, but is indeed ministerial, of executing their decrees, and contributing to their settlement, they ascribe to the Magistrate concerning the Acts of Synods that which every private man hath, a judgement of discretion, but they retain to themselves the judgement of jurisdiction. And if he judge not as they would have him, but suspend out of conscience th● influence of his political power, where they would have him exercise it, they will either teach him another point of Popery, that is an implicit faith, or he may perchance ●eel the weight of their Church-censures, and find quickly what manner of men they be, as our late Gracious King Charles and before him his Father, his Grandmother, and his great Grandmother did all to their cost.  
Then in plain English, what is this political Power to call Synods to preside in Synods, and to ratify Synods, which these good men give to the Magistrate, and magnify so much? I shall tell the truth. It is a duty which the Magistrate owes to the Kirk, when they think necessary to have a Synod convocated, to strengthen their summons by a civil Sanction, 
Theor. 50, ●1.  to secure them in coming to the Synod, and returning from the Synod, to provide them good accommodation, to protect them from dangers, to defend their Rights and Privileges. To compel obstinate persons by civil Laws and punishments, to submit to their censures and decrees. What gets the Magistrate by all this to himself? He may put it all in his eye, 
Ibid.  and see never a whit the worse. For they declare expressly, that neither all the power, nor any part of the power, which Synods have to deliberate of, or to define Ecclesiastical things, (though it be in relation to their own Subjects) doth flow from the Magistrate, but because in those things which belong to the outward man, (mark the reason) the Church stands in need of the help of the Magistrate. Fair fall a● ingenuous confession, they attribute nothing to the Magistrate, but only what may render him able to serve their own turns, and supply their needs. I wish these men would think a little more of the distinction, between habitual and actual Jurisdiction. After a Schoolmaster hath his Licence to teach, yet his actual Jurisdiction doth proceed from the Parents of his Scholars. And though he enjoy a kind of Supremacy among them, he must not think that this extinguisheth, either his own filial duty, o● theirs.  
Like this power of presiding politically in Synods is the other power which they give him of reforming the Church, that is when the State of the Church is corrupted, but not when it is pure, as they take it for granted, that it is, when the Jurisdiction is in their own hands. Although godly Kings and Princes, sometime by their own Authority, 
1. Book disc. ●hap. 10.  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 Iud●●, and divers godly Emperors and Kings also in the light of the New Testament; yet where the Ministry of the Kirk is once lawfully constituted, and they that are placed, do their office faithfully, all godly Princes and Magistrates ought to hear and obey their voice, and reverence the Majesty of the Son of God speaking in them. Leave this juggling; who shall judge, when the Church is corrupted; the Magistrates or Churchmen? if the Magistrates, why not over you, as well as others? If the Churchmen, why not others as well as you? here is nothing to be answered, but to beg the question, that they only are the true Church. Hear another witness, in evil and troublesome times, and in a lapsed state of affairs; when the order instituted by God in the Church, 
Theor 84, and ●5.  is degenerated to Tyranny, to the trampling upon the true Religion, and oppressing the professors of it, when nothing is sound, the godly Magistrate may do some things, which ordinarily are not lawful, etc. But ordinarily and of common right, in Churches already constituted, if a man fly to the Magistrate complaining that he is injured, by the abuse of Ecclesiastical Discipline, or if the Sentence of the Presbyteries displease the Magistrate, either in point of Discipline or of Faith, he must not therefore draw such causes to a civil tribunal, nor introduce a Political Papacy. 
Ibidem.  And as the Magistrate hath power in extraordinary causes, when the Church is wholly corrupted, to reform Ecclesiastical abuses; so if the Magistrate shall Tyrannize, over the Church, it is lawful to oppose him, by certain ways and means, extraordinarily; how ever ordinarily not to be allowed. This is plain dealing, the Magistrate cannot lawfully reform them, but in cases extraordinary; and in cases extraordinary they may lawfully reform the Magistrate, ●y means not to be ordinarily allowed, that is by force of arms, See the principles from whence all our miseries; and the loss of our gracious Master, hath flowed; and learn to detest them; They give the Magistrate the custody of both Tables, 
Theo●. 48.  so they do give the same to themselves, they keep the second Table, by admonishing him; he keeps the first Table by assisting them: they reform the abuses, of the first Table by ordinary right, of the s●cond Table extraordinarily. He reforms the abuses against the second Table; by ordinary right: and the abuses against the first Table extraordinarily.  
But can the Magistrate, according to their learning call the Synod to an account for any thing they do, can he remedy the erto●rs of a Synod either in Doctrine or Discipline? 
Theor. 97.  No, if Magistrates had power to change, or diminish, or restrain the Rights of the Church; the Condition of the Church, should be worse, and their Liberties less, under a Christian Magistrate, than under an Heathen. For (say they) Parliaments and supreme Senates, are no more infallible th●n Synods, 
Theor. 88  and in matters of Faith and Discipline more apt to ●rre; And again, the Magistrate is ●ot judge of Spiritual caus●s controverted in the Church. 
Theor. 82.  And if he decree any thing in such businesses; according to the wisdom of the flesh, and not according to the rule of God's Word, and the wisdom which is from above, he must give an account of i● unto God.  
Or may the Supreme Magistrate oppose the execution of their discipline practised in their Presbyteries, or Synods, by Laws o● prohibitions? 
Theor. 82.  No, it is wickedness, If he do so far abuse his Authority, good Christians must rather suffer extremities, th●● obey him.  
Then what remedy hath the Magistrate, if he find himself grieved in this case? He may desire and procure a review in another national Synod, 
Theor. 91, 92.  that the matter may be lawfully determined by Ecclesiastical judgement. Yet upon this condition, the notwithstanding the future review, the first sentence of the Synod be executed without delay, This is one main branch of Popery, and agrosse incrochment, upon the right of the Magistrate.   

CHAP. III. That this Discipline robs the Magistrate of the last appeal of ●i● Subjects.  
THe second flows from this. The last appeal aught to be the Supreme Magistrate, or Magistrates, within his or their Dominions, as to the highest Power under God. And where it is not so ordered, the Commonwealth can enjoy no tranquillity, ●s we shall see in the second part of this discourse. By the Laws of England, if any man find himself grieved with the sentence o● consistorial proceedings of a Bishop, or of his Officers, he may appeal from the highest judicatory of the Church to the King i● Chancery, who useth in that case to grant Commissions under the great Seal, to Delegates expert in the Laws of the Realm, wh● have power to give him remedy, and to see Justice done. In Scotland this would be taken in great scorn, as an high indignity upon the Commissioners of Christ, to appeal from his Tribunal, to the judgement of a mortal man. 
1582.  In the year 1582. King james by his Letter by his Messenger, the Master of Requests, and by an Herald at Arms, 
A●●. Saint Andrews, 1532.  prohibited the Assembly at Saint Andrews to proceed in the case of one Mongomery, and Mongomery himself appealed to Caesar, or to King and Council. What did our new Matters upon this? They slighted the King's Letter, his Messenger, his Herald, rejected the Appeal, as made to an incompetent Judge, and proceeded most violently in the cause. About four years after this, 
Ass. Saint Andrews, 15●●.  another Synod held at Saint Andrews, proceeded in like manner against the Bishop of that Se●, for Voting in Parliament according to his conscience, and for being suspected to have penned a Declaration, published by the King and Parliament at the end of the Statutes; notwithstanding that he declined their judicature, and appealed to the King and Parliament. When did any Bishops dare to do such acts? There need no more instances, their Book of Discipline it s●lf being so full in the case, From the Kirk there is no reclamation, or appellation, to any Judge Civil or Ecclesiastical, within the Realm.   

CHAP. IU. That it exempts the Ministers from due Punishment.  
THirdly, If Ecclesiastic Persons in their Pulpits or Assemblies, shall leave their Text and proper work to turn Incendiaries, Trumpeters of sedition, stirring up the people to tumults and disloyal attempts in all well-ordered Kingdoms and Commonwealths, they are punishable by the Civil Magistrate, whose proper office it is to take cognizance of Treason and Sedition. It was well said by a King of France to some such seditious Sheba's, That if they would not let him alone in their Pulpits, he would send them to preach in another climate. In the United Provinces there want not examples of seditious Orators, who for controlling their Magistrates too saucily in the Pulpit, have been turned both out of their Churches and Cities, without any fear of wresting Christ's Sceptre out of his hand. In Geneva itself, the correction of Ecclesiastical persons (qua tales, 
Eccl. Ord. p 14. ) is expressly reserved to the Signiory. So much our Disciplinarians have outdone their pattern, as the passionate writings of heady men outdo the calmer decrees of a stayed Senate.  
But the Ministers of Scotland have exempted themselves in this case from all secular judgement, 
Declare 1581.  as King james (who knew them best of any man living) witnesseth. They said, He was an incompetent judge in such cases, and that matters of the Pulpit ought to be exempted from the judgement and correction of Princes. They themselves speak plain enough. It is an absurd thing, that sundry of them, 
2 Book disc. chap. 11.  (Commissaries) having no function of the Kirk, should be judges to Ministers, and depose them from their rooms. The reason holds as well against Magistrates as Commissaries. To pass by the saucy and seditious expressions of Mr Dury, Mr Mellvill, Mr B●lcanqu●ll, 
At Fdenb. 1567.  and their impunity. Mr james Gibson in his Sermon taxed the King for a Persecutor, and threatened him with a curse, that he should die childless, and be the last of his race; for which being convented before the Assembly, and not appearing, he was only suspended during the pleasure of his brethren, (he should have been suspended indeed, that is hanged.) But at another Assembly, in August following, upon his all●gation, that his not appearing was out of his tender care of the Rights of the Church, he was purged from his contumacy, without once so much as acquainting his Majesty.  

Master David Blake, 1596.  The case is famous of Mr David Blake Minister of St Andrews, who had said in his Sermon, That the King had discovered the treachery of his heart, in admitting the Popish Lords into the Country. That all Kings were the Devils barns, that the Devil was in the Court, and in the guiders of it. And in his prayer for the Queen, he used these words, We must pray for her for fashion sake, but we have no cause, she will never do us any good. He said, that the Queen of England (Queen Elizabeth) was an Atheist, that the Lords of the Session were miscreants and bribers, that the Nobility were degenerated, godless, dissemblers, and enemies to the Church, that the Council were holly glasses, Cormorants and men of no Religion. I appeal to all the Estates in Europe, what punishment could be severe enough for such audacious virulence? The English Ambassador complains of it; Blake is cited before the Council. The Commissioners of the Church plead, That it will be ill taken, to bring Ministers in question upon such trifling delations, as inconsistent with the liberties of the Church. They conclude, that a Declinatour should be used, and a Protestation made against those proceedings, saying, It was God's cause, wherein they ought to stand to all hazards. Accordingly a Declinatour was framed and presented. Blake desires to be remitted to the Presbytery, as his Ordinary. The Commissioners send the Copy of the Declinatour to all the Presbyteries, requiring them for the greater corroboration of their doings, to subscribe the same, and to commend the cause in hand in their private and public prayers to God, using their best credit with their flocks for the maintenance thereof. The King justly incensed herewith, dischargeth the Commissioners. Notwithstanding this Injunction, they stay still, and send Delegates to the King, to represent the inconveniences that might ensue. The King more desirous to decline their envy, than they his judgement, offers peace. The Commissioners refuse it, and present an insolent Petition, which the King rejects deservedly, and the cause was heard th● very day that the Princes Elizabeth (now Queen of Bohemia) w●s Christened. The witnesses were produced, Mr Robert Ponte in the name of the Church makes a Pretestation. Blake presents a second D●clinatour. The Council decree that the cause being treasonable, is cognoscible before them. The good King still seeks peace, sends Messengers, treats, offers to remit: but it is labour in vain. The Ministers answer peremptorily by Mr Robert Bruce their Prolocutor, That the liberty of Christ's Kingdom had received such a wound, by this usurpation of the Rights of the Church, that if the lives of Mr Blake, and twenty others had been taken, it would not have grieved the hearts of good people so much, as these injurious proceedings. The King still woos and confers. At last the matter is concluded, That the King shall make a Declaration in favour of the Church, that Mr Blake shall only make an acknowledgement to the Queen, and be pardoned: But Mr Blake refuseth to confess any fault, or to acknowledge the King and Council to be any Judges of his Sermon. Hereupon he is convicted and sentenced to be guilty of false and treasonable slanders, and his punishment referred to the King. Still the King treats, makes Propositions unbeseeming his Majesty, once or twice. The Ministers reject them, proclaim a Fast, raise ● Tumult in Edinburgh, Petition, prefer Articles. The King departeth from ●he City, removeth his Courts of justice, the people repent, the Ministers persist, and seek to engage the Subjects in a Covenant for mutual Defence. One Mr Walsh in his Sermon tells the people, That the King was possessed with a Devil, yea with seven Devils; that the Subjects might lawfully rise and take the sword out of his hands. The seditious encouraged from the Pulpit, send a Letter to the Lord Hamilton to come and be their General. He nobly refuseth, and showeth their Letter to the King. Hereupon the Minister's are sought for to be apprehended, and fly into England. The Tumult is declared to be Treason by the Estates of the Kingdom. I have urged this the more largely (yet as succinctly as I could) to let the world see, what dangerous Subjects these Disciplinarians are, and how inconsistent their principles be, with all orderly Societies.   

CHAP. V. That it subjects the Supreme Magistrate to their Censures, etc.  
FOurthly, They have not only exempted themselves in their duties of their own Function from the Tribunal of the Sovereign Magistrate or Supreme Senate, but they have subjected him and them (yea even in the discharge of the Sovereign Trust) to their own Consistories, even to the highest Censure of Excommunication, which is like the cutting of a member from the body Natural, 
1 Book di●c 7. head.  or the out-lawing of a Subject from the body politic●, Excommunication; that very Engine, whereby the Popes of old advanced themselves above Emperors. To discipline must all the Estates within this Realm be Subject; 
2 Book disc. Chap. 12.  as w●ll Rulers, as they tha● are ruled. 
Theor. 8.  And elsewhere, All men, as well Magistrates, as Inferiors, aught to be subject to the judgement of General Assembli●●. And yet again, No man that is in the Church, aught to be exempted from Ecclesiastical Censures. What horrid and pernicious mischiefs do use to attend the Excommunication of Sovereign Magistrates, I leave to every man's memory or imagination. Such cours●s make great Kings become cyphers, and turn the tenure of ● Crown Copyhold, ad voluntatem Dominorum. Such Doctrines might better become some of the Roman Alexander's, or B●nifaces, or Gregorius, or Pius Quintus, than such great Prosessors of Humility, such great disclaimers of Authority, who have inveighed so bitterly against the Bishops for their usurpations. This was never the practice of any orthodox Bishop. St Ambrose is mistaken, what he did to Theodosius was no act of Ecclesiastical jurisdiction, but of Christian discretion. No, he was better grounded. David said, Against thee only have I sinned, because he was a King. Our Disciplinarians abhor the name of Authority, but hug the thing, their profession of Humility, is just like that Cardinals hanging up of a Fisher's Net in his Dining-room, to put him in mind of his descent, but so soon as he was made Pope he took it down, saying, The Fish was caught now, there was no more need of the Net.   

CHAP. VI That it robs the Magistrate of his Dispensative Power.  
FIfthly, All supreme Magistrates do assume to themselves a power of pardoning offences and offenders, where they judge it to be expedient. He who believes that the Magistrate cannot with a good conscience dispense with the punishment of a penitent malefactor, I wish him no greater censure, than that the penal Laws might be duly executed upon him, until he recant his error. But our Disciplinarians have restrained this dispensative power, in all such crimes as are made capital by the judicial Law, as in the case of Blood, Adultery, Blasphemy, etc. in which cases, they say the offender ought to suffer death, as God hath commanded. And, If the life be spared, as it ought not to be to the offenders, etc. And, 
1 Book di●● head 9  the Magistrate ought to prefer Gods express commandment before his own corrupt judgement, especially in punishing these crimes which he commandeth to be punished with death. 
Ibid.  When the then Popish Earls of Angus, Huntley, and Erroll, 
Ass. Eden●. 1594. Par. Ed. 1594.  were excommunicated by the Church, and forfeited for treasonable practices against the King, it is admirable to read with what wisdom, and charity, and sweetness his Majesty did seek from time to time to reclaim them from their errors, and by their unfeigned conversion to the reformed Religion to prevent their punishment. Wherein he had the concurrence of two Conventions of Estates, the one at Falkland, the other at Dumfermling. And on the other side to see with what bitterness and radicated malices they were prosecuted by the Presbyteries, and their Commissioners, sometimes Petitioning, That they might have no benefit of Law, as being excommunicated, Sometimes threatening, that they were resolved to pursue them to the uttermost, though it should be with the loss of all their lives in one day. That if they continued enemies to God and his Truth, the Country should not brook both them and the Lords together. Sometimes pressing to have their Estates confiscated, and their lives taken away. Alleging for their ground, that by God's Law they had deser●ed death. And when the King urged that the bosom of the Church should be ever open to penitent sinners, they answered, That the Church could not refuse their satisfaction, if it was truly offered, but the King was obliged to do justice. What do you think of those that roar out, justice, justice, now adays, whether they be not the right spawn of these Bloodsuckers, Look upon the examples of Cain, Esau, Ishmael, Antiochus, Antichrist, and tell me, if you ever find such supercilious, cruel, bloodthirsty persons, to have been pious towards God, but their Religion is commonly like themselves, stark naught, Cursed be their anger for it was fierce, 
Gen' 49 ●  and their wrath, for it was cruel.  
These are some of those encroachments which our Disciplinarians have made upon the rights of all Supreme Magistrates, there be sundry others, which especially concern the Kings of Great Britain, as the loss of his tenths, first-fruits, and patronages, and which is more than all these, the dependence of his Subjects▪ by all which we see, that they have thrust out the Pope indeed, but retained the Papacy. The Pope as well as they, and they as well as the Pope, (neither barrel better Herrings,) do make Kings but half Kings, Kings of the bodies, not of the souls of their Subjects: They allow them some sort of judgement over Ecclesiastical persons, in their civil capacities, for it is little (according to their rules) which ever is not Ecclesiastical, or may not be reduced to Ecclesiastical. But over Ecclesiastic persons, as they are ecclesiastics, 
Vindication of Commissioners: J●n. 6. 1648.  or in Ecclesiastical matters, they ascribe unto them no judgement in the world. They say it cannot stand with the Word of God, that no Christian Prince ever claimed, nor can claim to himself such a power, If the Magistrate will be contented to wave his Power in Ecclesiastical matters, and over Ecclesiastical persons, (as they are such,) and give them leave to do what they list, and say what they list in their Pulpits, in their Consistories, in their Synods, and permit them to rule the whole Commonwealth, in order to the advancement of the Kingdom of Christ. If he will be contented to become a subordinate Minister to their Assemblies, to see their decrees executed, than it may be they will become his good Masters, and permit him to enjoy a part of his civil power. When Sovereigns are made but accessaries, and inferiors do become principals, when stronger obligations are devised, than those of a Subject to his Sovereign, it is time for the Magistrate to look to himself, these are prognostics of ensuing storms, the avant curriers of seditious tumults. When Supremacy lights into strange and obscure hands, it can hardly contain itself within any bounds. Before our Disciplinarians be well warmed in their Ecclesiastical Supremacy, they are beginning, or rather they have already made a good progress in the invasion of the temporal Supremacy also.   

CHAP. VII. That the Disciplinarians cheat the Magistrate of his Civil Power in order to Religion.  
THat is their sixth encroachment upon the Magistrate, and the vertical point of Jesuitism, Consider first how many civil causes they have drawn directly into their Consistories, and made them of Ecclesiastical cognisance, 
1 Book disc. 7 he●d. 2 Book disc. Chap. 7.  as fraud in bargaining, false weights and measures, oppressing one another, etc. and in the case of Ministers, bribery, perjury, theft, fight, usury, etc.  
Secondly, Consider that all offences whatsoever are made cognoscible in their Consistories, in case of scandal, yea even such as are punishable by the civil Sword with death: If the civil Sword foolishly spare the life of the offender, yet may not the Kirk be negligent in their office, which is to excommunicate the wicked.  
Thirdly, 
1 Book disc. 9 h●ad and Theor. 6●.  They ascribe unto their Ministers a liberty and power to direct the Magistrate, even in the managery of civil Affairs: To govern the Commonwealth, and to establish civil Laws is proper to the Magistrate: To interpret the Word of God, and from thence to show the Magistrate his duty, how he ought to govern the Commonwealth, and how he ought to use the Sword, 
Theor. 47, 48.  is comprehended in the office of the Minister, for the holy Scripture is profitable to show what is the best government of the Commonwealth. And again all the duties of the second Table as well as the first, between King and Subject, Parents and Children, 
Vindicat. come. p. 6.  Husbands and Wives, Masters and servants, etc. are in difficult cases a subject of cognisance and judgement to the Assemblies of the Kirk. Thus they are risen up from a judgement of direction, to a judgement of Jurisdiction, And if any person's, Magistrates or others, dare act contrary to this judgement of the Assembly, 
Solemn acknowledgement. Octob. 6 1648.  (as the Parliament and Committee of Estates did in Scotland, in the late expedition) they make it to be an unlawful engagement, a sinful War, contrary to the Testimonies of God's servants, and decree the parties so offending, to be suspended from the communion, and from their offices in the Kirk. I confess Ministers do well to exhort Christians to be careful, honest, industrious in their special callings: but for them to meddle pragmatically with the mysteries of particular Trade's, and much more with the mysteries of State, which never came within the compass of their shallow capacities, is a most audacious insolence, and an insufferable presumption. They may as well teach the Pilot how to steer his course in a tempest, or the Physician how to cure the distempers of his patient.  
But their high●st cheat is that Jesuitical invention, (in ordie ad spiritualia,) they assume a power in worldly affairs indirectly, and in order to the advancement of the Kingdom of Christ. 
Theor. 6●. vindication. ●. 5▪  The Ecclesiastical Ministry is conversant spiritually about civil things. Again must not duties to God whereof the securing of Religion is a main one, have the Supreme and first place, duties to the King a subordinate and second place? The case was this. The Parliament levied forces to ●ree their Kings out of prison. A meet civil duty. But the Commissioners of the Assembly declare against it, unless the King will first give assurance under hand and seal, by solemn oath, that he will establish the Covenant, the Presbyterian Discipline, etc. in all his Dominions, and never endeavour any change thereof, lest otherwise his liberty might bring their bygone proceedings about the League and Covenant into question, there is their power in ordine ad spiritualia. 
Humble advice Edenb. 〈◊〉 10. 1648.:  The Parliament will restore to the King his negative voice. A mere civil thing. The Commissioners of the Church oppose it, because of the gre●t dangers that may thereby come to Religion. The Parliament name Officers and Commanders for the Army. A mere civil thing. The Church will not allow them, because they want such qualifications as God's word requires, that is to say in plain terms, because they were not their confidents. Was there ever Church challenged such an omnipotence as this? Nothing in this world is so civil or political, wherein they do not interest themselves, in order to the advancement of the kingdom of Christ.  
Upon this ground their Synod enacted, that no Scotish merchants should from thenceforth traffic in any of the dominions of the King of Spain, 
A●s. D●●b. 1598.  until his Majesty had procured from that King some relaxation of the rigour of the Inquisition, upon pain of excommunication. As likewise that the Monday market at Ed●nburgh should be abolished, It seems they thought it ministered some occasion to the breach of the Sabba●h. The Merchants petitioned the King to maintain the liberty of their trade, He grants their request but could not protect them, for the Church prosecuted the poor merchants with their censuers, until they promised to give over the Spanish trade, so soon as they had perfected their accounts, and paid their Creditors in those parts.  
But the Shoemakers, who were most interested in the Monday markets with their tumults and threaten compelled the Ministers to retract, whereupon it became a jest in the City, that the Souters could obtain more at the Ministers hands than the King. So they may meddle with the Spanish trade or Monday markets, or any thing in order to Religion.  
Upon this ground they assume to themselves a power to ratify Acts of Parliament, So the assembly at Edinburgh enacted, That the Acts made in the Parliament at Edinburgh the 24 of August 1560, (without either Commission or Proxy from their Sovereign,) touching Religion, 
Ass. Edenb. 1597.  etc. should have the force of a public Law: And that the said Parliament, so far as concerned Religion, should be maintained by them, etc. and be ratified by the first Parialment that should happen to be kept within the Realm. See how bo●d they make with Kings and Parliaments, in order to Religion. I cannot omit that famous summons which this Assembly sent out, not only to entreat, but to admonish ●ll persons truly professing the Lord Jesus within the Realm, as well Noblemen as Barons and those of other estates, to meet and give their personal appearance at Edinburgh the 20 of july ensuing, for giving their advice and concurrence in matters then to be proponed, especially for purging the Realm of Popery, establishing the policy of the Church, and restoring the patrimony thereof to the just possessors. Assuring such as did absent themselves that they should be esteemed dissimulate professors, unworthy of the fellowship of Christ's flock, who thinks your Scotish Disciplinarians know not how to ruffle it?  
Upon this ground they assume a power to abrogate and invalidate Laws and Acts of Parliament, if they seem disadvantageous to the Church. Church Assemblies have power to abrogate and abolish all statutes and ordinances concerning Ecclesiastical matters, 
a Book disc. ch. 7.  that are found noisome and unprofitable, and agree not with the times, or are abused by the people. So the Acts of Parliament 1584.▪ at the very same time that they were proclaimed, were protesied against at the market cross of Edinburgh by the Ministers, in the name of the ●irk of Scotland. 
Vindication pag. 11. p 10.  And a little before, whatsoever be the Treason o● i● pugni●g the authority of Parliament, it can be no Treason to obey God rather than man. Neither did the General assembly of Glasgow 1638, etc. commit any treason, when they impugned Episcopacy, and Perth-Ar●icles, although ratified by Acts of Parliament, and standing laws then unrepealed. He saith so far true, than we ought rather to obey God than man, that is, to suffer when we cannot act; but to impugn the authority of a lawful Magistrate, is neither to obey God nor man. God commands us to die innocent rather than live nocent, they teach us rather to live nocent than die innocent. Away with these seeds of sedition, these rebllious principles, Our Master Christ hath left us no such warrant, and the unsound practice of an obscure Conventicle is no safe pattern. The King was surprised at Ruthen by a company of Lords and other conspirators; this fact was as plain Treason as could be imagined, and so it was declared; (I say declared not made) in Parliament. 
1582.  Yet an Assembly General (no man gain saying) did justify that Treason in order to Religion as good and acceptable service to God, 
1583.  their Sovereign, 
Ass. Edenb. 1582.  and native Country, requiring the Ministers in all their Churches to commend it to the people, and exhort all men to concur with the actors, as they tendered the glory of God, the full deliverance of the Church, and perfect reformation of the Commonwealth, threatening all those who subscribed not to their judgement with Excommunication. We see this is not the first time that Disciplinarian Spectacles have made abominable Treason to seem Religion, if it serve for the advancement of the good Cause. And if were well if they could rest here, or their zeal to advance their Ecclesiastical Sovereignty, by force of Arms, and effusion of Christian blood, would confine itself within the limits o● Scotland: No, those bounds are too narrow for their pragmatical spirits: 
Sept. 27. 1648. Ar. 3.  And for bus●e Bishops in other men's Dioceses, see the Articles of Sterling, That the securing and settling Religion at home, and promoting the work of Reformation abroad, in England and Ireland, be referred to the determination of the General Assembly (of the Kirk) or their Commissioners. What, is old Edinburgh turned new Rome, and the old Presbyters young Cardinals, and their Consistory a Conclave, and their Committees a Juncto for propagating the faith? Themselves stand most in need of Reformation; If there be a mote in the eye of our Church, there is a beam in theirs. Neither want we at home God be praised, those who are a thousand times fitter for learning, for piety, for discretion, to be reformers, than a few giddy innovators. This I am sure, since they undertook our cure against our wills, they have made many fat Churchyards in England. Nothing is more civil, or essential to the Crown, than the Militia, or power of raising Arms: Yet we have seen in the attempt at Ruthen, in their Letter to the Lord Hamilton, in their Sermons, 
Theor. 84.  what is their opinion. They insinuate as much in their Theorems, It is lawful to resist the Magistrate by certain extraordinary ways or means, not to be ordinarily allowed. It were no difficult task out of their private Authors, to justify the barbarous acts that have been committed in England. But I shall hold myself to their public actions and records. A mutinous company of Citizens forced the gates of Halyrood-house, to search for a Priest, and plunder at their plrasure. 
A●n. 1562.  M. Knox was charged by the Council to have been the author of the sedition; and further, to have convocated his Majesty's Subjects by Letters missiv● when he pleased. He answered, that he was no preache● of Rebellion, but taught people to obey their Princes in the Lord; [I se●● he t●ught them likewise, that he and they were the competent judges what is obedience in the lord 
Ass. Edenburg; 1593. ] He confessed his convocating of the Subjects by virtue of a command form the Church, to advertise the brethren when he saw a necessity of their meeting, especially if he perceived Religion to be in peril. Take another instance, The Assembly having received an answer from the King, about the trial of the Popish Lords; not to their contentment, resolve all to conuéne in Arms at the place appointed for the trial; whereupon some were left at Edinburgh to give timely advertisement to the rest. The King at his return gets notice of it, calls the Ministers before him, shows them what an undutiful part it was in them to levy Forces, and draw his Subjects into Arms without his warrant. The Ministers pleaded, That it was the cause of God, in defence whereof they could not be deficient. This is the Presbyterian wont, to subject all causes and persons to their Consistories, to ratify and abolish civil Laws, to confirm and pull down Parliaments, to levy Forces, to invade other Kingdoms, to do any thing respectively to the advancement of the good cause, and in order to Religion.   

CHAP. VIII. That the Disciplinarians challenge this exorbitant Power by Divine Right.  
BEhold both Swords spiritual and temporal in the hands of the Presbytery, the one ordinarily by common right, the other extraordinarily; the one belonging directly to the Church, the other indirectly; the one of the Kingdom of Christ, the other for his Kingdom, in order to the propagation of Religion. See how these hoc as pocases with stripping up their sleeves and professions of plain-dealing, with declaiming against the tyranny of Prelates, under the pretence of humility and Ministerial duty, have wrested the Sceptre out of the hand of Majesty, and juggled themselves into as absolute a Papacy, as ever was within the walls of Rome. O saviour, behold thy Vicars, and see whither the pride of the servants of thy servants is ascended. Now their Consistories are become the Tribunals of Christ That were strange indeed I Christ hath bet one Tribunal, his Kingdom is not of this world. Their determinations pass for the Santence of Christ Alas there is too much fiction, and passion, and ignorance in their Presbyteries. Their Synodall Acts go for the Laws of Christ His Laws are immutable, mortal man may not presume to alter them, or to add to them; but these men are chopping and changing their constitutions every day. Their Elders must be looked upon as the commissioners of Christ It is impossible! Geneva was the first City where this discipline was hatched; though since it hath lighted into huckster's hands. In those days they magnified the platform of Geneva, for the pattern she●ed in the mount. But there, the Presbyters at their admission take an oath, to observe the Ecclesiastical Ordinances of the small, great, and general Counsels of th●t City. Can any man be so stupid, as to think, that the high Commissioners of Christ swear fealty to the Burghers of Geneva? Now forsooth their Discipline is become the Sceptre of Christ, the Eternal Gospel. (See how success exalts men's desires and demands.) In good time, where did this Sceptre lie hid for 1500 years, that we cannot find the least footsteps of it in the meanest village of Christendom? This world draws towards an end; was this discipline fitted and contrived for the world to come? Or how should it be the Eternal Gospel? When every man sees how different it is from itself, in all Presbyterian Churches, adapted and accommodated to the civil policy of each particular place where it is admitted, except only Scotland, where it comes in like a Conqueror, and makes the Civil Power stoop and strike top sail to it. Certainly, if it be the Gospel, it is the fifth Gospel, for it hath no kindred with the other four. There is not a Text which they wrest against Episcopacy, but the Independants may with as much colour of reason, and truth, urge it against their Presbyteries. Where doth the Gospel distinguish between temporary and perpetual Rulers? Between the Government of a person, and of a corporation? There is not a Text which they produce for their Presbytery, but may with much more reason be alleged for Episcopacy, and more agreeable to the analogy of faith, to the perpetual practice and belif of the Catholic Church, to the concurrent Expositions of all Interpreters, and to the other Texts of holy Scrip●u●e; for until this new model was yesterday devised, none of those Texts were ever so understood. When the practice ushers in the doctrine, it is very suspicious, or rather evident, that the Scripture was not the rule of their reformation, but their subsequent excuse. This (jure devino) is that which makes their sore incurable, themselves incorrigible, that they father their own brat upon God Almighty, and make this Mushroom which sprung but up the other night, to be of heavenly d●scent. It is just like the doctrine of the Pope's infallibility, which shu●s the door against all hope of remedy. How should they be brought to reform their errors, who bel●eve they cannot err, or they be brought to renounce their drowsy dreams, who take it for granted, that they are divine revelations!  

〈◊〉 1596.  And yet when that wise Prince, King james, a little before the national Assembly at Perth, published in print 55 Articles or Questions, concerning the uncertainty of this Discipline, and the vanity of their pretended plea of divine right, and concerning the errors and abuses crept into it, for the better preparation of all men to the ensuing Synod, that Ministers might study the point beforehand, and speak to the purpose; they who stood effected to that way were extremely perplexed. To give a particular account, they knew well it was impossible; but their chiefest trouble was, that their foundation of divine right, which they had given out all this while to be a solid rock, should come now to be questioned for a shaking quagmire. And so without any opposition they yielded the bucklers. Thus it continued until these unhappy troubles, when they started aside again like broken bows. This plant thrives better in the midst of tumults, then in the times of peace and tranquillity. The Elm which supports it, is a factious multitude, but a prudent and courageous Magistrate nips it i● the bud.   

CHAP. IX. That this Discipline makes a monster of the Commonwealth,  
WE have seen how pernicious this Discipline (as it is maintained in Scotland, and endeavoured to be introduced into England by the Covenant,) is to the supreme Magistrate, how it robs him of his Supremacy in Ecclesiastical affairs, and of the last appeals of his own Subjects, that it exempts the Presbyters from the power of the Magistrate, and subjects the Magistrate to the Presbyters, that it restrains his dispensative power of pardoning, deprives him of the dependence of his Subjects, that it doth challenge and usurp a power paramount both of the word and of the Sword, both of Peace and War, over all Courts and Estates, over all Laws Civil and Ecclesiastical, in order to the advencement of the Kingdom of Christ, whereof the Presbyters alone are consti●●ted rulers by God, and all this by a pretended divine right, which takes away all hope of remedy, until it be hissed out of the world; in a word, that it is the top-branch of Popery, a greater tyranny, than ever Rome was guilty of. It remains to show how disadvantageous it is also to the Subject.  
First, to the Commonwealth in general, which it makes a Monster, like an Amphishbaina, or a Serpent wi●h two heads, one at either end. It makes a coordination of Sovereignty in the same Society, two supermes in the same Kingdom or State, the one Civil, the other Ecclesiastical, than which nothing can be more pernicious, either to the consciences, or the estates of Subjects, when it falls out (as it often doth) that from these two heads issue contrary commands, 
1 Cor. 1. ●.  If the Trumpet give an uncertain sound, who shall prepare himself to the battle? Much more when there are two Trumpets, and the one sounds an Alarm, the other a Retreat. What should the poor Soldier do in such a case? or the poor Subject in the other case? If he obey the Civil Magistrate; he is sure to be excommunicated by the Church; if he obey the Church, he is sure to be imprisoned by the Civil Magistrate; What shall become of him? 
1 Kings ●, ●●●  I know no remedy, but according to Solomon's sentence, the living Subject must be divided into two, and the one half given to the one, and the other half to the other. For the Oracle of Truth hath said, that one man cannot serve two masters. But in Scotland every man must serve two Masters, and (which is worse) many times disagreeing Masters. At the same time the Civil Magistrate hath commanded the Feast of the Nativity of our Saviour to be observed, and the Church hath forbidden it. At the same time the King hath summoned the Bishops to sit and Vote in Parliament, and the Church hath forbidden them.  
In the year 1582. 
158●●  Monsieur-le-mot, a Knight of the Order of the Holy Ghost, with an associate, were sent Ambassadors from France into Scotland. The Ministers of Edinburgh approving not his Message, (though merely Civil,) inveigh in their Pulpits bitterly against him, calling his White Cross the badge of Antichrist, and himself the Ambassador of a Murderer. The King was ashamed, but did not know how to help it; The Ambassadors were discontented, and desired to be gone: The King willing to preserve the ancient Amity between the two Crowns, and to dismiss the Ambassadors with content, 
Febr. 16●  requires the Magistrates of Edinburgh to feast them at their departure; 
At Saint Gil●● Church.  so they did; But to hinder this feast, upon the Sunday preceding, the Ministers proclaim a ●ast to be kept the same day the Feast was appointed; and to detain the people all day at Church; the three Preachers make three Sermons, one after another without intermission, thundering out curses against the Magistrates and Noblemen which waited upon the Ambassadors by the King's appointment. Neither stayed they here, but pursued the Magistrates with the censures of the Church, for not observing the Fast by them proclaimed; and with much difficulty were wrought to abstain from Excommunicating of them; which censure, how heavy it falls in Scotland, you shall see by and by. To come yet nearer, the late Parliament in Scotland enjoined men to take up Arms for delivery of their King out of prison; The Commissioners for the Assembly disallowed it; and at this present how many are chased out of their Country? How many are put to public repentance in sackcloth? how many are excommunicated, for being obedient to the Supreme Judicatory of the Kingdom, that is, King and Parliament? Miserable is the condition of that people where there is such clashing and interfereing of Supreme Judicatories and Authorities. If they shall pretend that this was no free Parliament: First, they affirm that which is not true; either that Parliament was free, or what will become of the rest? Secondly, this plea will advantage them nothing; for (which is all one with the former) thus they make themselves Judges of the validity o● invaidity of Parliaments.   

CHAP. X. That this Discipline is most prejudicial to the Parliament.  
FRom the Essential body of the Kingdom we are to proceed to the representative body, which is the Parliament. We have already seen, how it attributes a power to national Synods to restrain Parliaments, and to abrogate their Acts, if they shall judge them prejudicial to the Church. We need no other instance, to show what small account Presbyteries do make of Parliaments, than the late Parliament in Scotland. Not withstanding that the Parliament had declared their resolution to levy forces vigorously, and that the● did expect as well from the Synods and Presbyteries, as from all other his Majecties good Sujects, a ready obedience to the commands of Parliament, and Committee of Estates. The Commissioners of the Assembly not satisfied herewith, 
〈…〉  do not only make their proposals, that the grounds of the War and the breaches of the Peace might be cleared, that the union of the Kingdoms might be preserved, that the popish and prelatical party might be suppressed, that his Majesty's offers concerning Religion might be declared unsatisfactory, that before his Majesty's restitution to the exercise of his Royal power, he shall first engage, himself by solemn Oath under his hand and Seal, to pass Acts for the settlement of the Covenant and Presbyterian Government in all his Dominions, etc. And never to oppose them, or endeavour the Change of them, (An usurer will trust a bankrupt upon easier terms, than they will do their Sovereign,) and last, that such persons only might be entrusted, as had given them no cause of jealousy, (which had been too much, and more than any Astates in Europe will take in good part from half a dozen Ministers. 
De●la●. ) But afterwards by their public Declaration to the whole Kirk and Kingdom, set forth that not being satisfied in these particulars, they do plainly descent and disagree, and declare that they are clearly persuaded in their consciences, that the Engagement is of dangerous consequence to true Religion, prejudicial to the Liberty of the Kirk, favourable to the Malignant party, inconsistent with the union of the Kingdom; Contrary to the word of God and the Covenant, wherefore they cannot allow either Ministers or any other whatsoever to concur and cooperate in it, and trust that they will keep themselves free in this business, and choose affliction rather than iniquity. And to say the Truth, they made their word good. For by their power over the Churchmen, and by their influence upon the people, and by threatening all those who engaged in that action with the censures of the Church, they retarded the Levies, they deterred all preachers from accompanying the Army to do divine offices. And when Saint Peter's keys would not serve the turn, they made use of Saint Paul's sword, and gathered the country together in arms at Machleene-Moore to oppose the expedition.  
So if the high court of Parliament will set up Persbytery, they must resolve to introduce an higher court than themselves, which will overtop them for eminency of authority, for extent of power, and greatness of privileges, that is, a national Synod.  
First for authority, the one being acknowledged to be but an human convention, the other affirmed confidently to be a divine institution. The one sitting by virtue of the Kings writ, the other by virtue of Gods writ. The one as Councillors of the Prince, the other as Ambassadors and Vicars of the Son of God. The one as Burgesses of Corporations, the other as Commissioners of Jesus Christ. The one judging by the law of the land, the other by the holy Scriptures. The one taking care for this temporal life, the other for eternal life.  
Secondly for power, as Curtius saith, ubi multitudo vana religione capta ●st, melius vatibus s●uis quam ducibus paret, where the multitude is led with superstition, they do more readily obey their Prophets then their Magistrates. Have they not reason? Pardon us O Magistrate, thou threatenst us with prison, they threaten us with hell fire. Thy sentence deprives us of civil protection, and the benefit of the law, so doth theirs indirectly, and withal makes us strangers to the commonwealth of Israel. Thou canst outlaw us, or horn us, and confiscate our estates, their keys do the same also by consequence, and moreover deprive us of the prayers of the Church, and the comfortable use of the blessed Sacrament. Thou canst deliver us to a Pursuivant, or commit us to the Black Rod, they can deliver us over to Satan, and commit us to the prince of darkness.  
Thirdly for privileges, the privileges of Parliament extend not to treason, felony, or breach of peace, but they may talk treason, and act treason in their pulpits and Synods without controlment. They may securely commit not only petilar●iny but Burglary, and force the doors of the palace Royal. They may not only break the peace, but convocate the Subjects in arms, yea give warrant to a particular person, to conveen them by his letters missives, according to his discretion, in order to religion. Of all which we have seen instances in this discourse. The privileges of Parliaments are the Graces and Concessions of man, and may be taken away by humane Authority, but the privileges of Synods they say are from God, and cannot without Sacrilege be taken away by mortal man. The two Houses of Parliament cannot name Commissioners to sit in the intervals, and take care ne quid detrimenti capi at res● publica, that the Commonwealth receive no prejudice; But Synods have power to name vicar's General, or Commissioners, to sit in the intervals of Synods, and take order that neither King nor Parliament nor people do encroach upon the Liberties of the Church. If there be any thing to do, they are (like the fox in Aesop's fables,) sure to be in at one end of it.   


Sco●t 〈◊〉 pag. 57.58.  CHAP. XI. That this Discipline is oppressive to particular persons.  
TOwards particular persons this Discipline is too full of rigour▪ 
1 ●o●ok dis. 7. head.  like Dracoes laws that were written in blood. First in lesser faults, inflicting Church censures upon slight grounds, As for an uncomely gesture, for a vain word, for suspicion of covetousness or pride, for superfluity in raiment, either for cost or fashion, for keeping a table above a man's calling or means, for dancing at a wedding, or of servants in the streets, for wearing a man's hair ala mode, for not paying of debts, for using the least recreation upon the Sabbath, though void of scandal, and consistent with the duties of the day. I wish they were acquainted with the practice of all other Protestant Countries. But if they did but see one of those kirmess●s which are observed in some places, the pulpit, the consistory, the whole Kingdom would not be able to hold them. What dig●adiations have there been among some of their sect about starch and cuffs, etc. just like those grave debates which were sometimes among the Franciscans, about the colour and fashion of their gowns? They do not allow men a latitude of discretion in any thing. All men, even their Superiors must be their slaves or pupils. It is true they begin their censures with admonition, and if a man will confess himself a delinquent, be sorry for giving the Presbyters any offence, and conform himself in his hair, apparel, diet, every thing, to what these rough hewn Cato's shall prescribe, he may escape the stool of repentance, otherwise they will proceed against him for contumacy, to Excommunication.  
Secondly this discipline is oppressive in greater faults. The same man is punished twice for the same crime, first by the Magistrate according to the laws of God and the land, for the offence: then by the censures of the Church for the scandal. 
Theor, 63.  To this agrees their Synod, Nothing forbids the same fault in the same man to be punished one way by the political power, another way by the Ecclesiastical; by that under the formality of a crime with Corporall or pecuniary punishment, by this under the formality of scandal with spiritual censures. 
1 Book 9 ●ead Pag. 44.  And their book of discipline, If the civil sword foolishly spare the life of the offender, yet may not the Kirk be negligent in their office. Thus their Liturgy in express terms, All crimes which by the law of God deserve death, 
Sco●▪ lit. 4●.  deserve also excommunication, 
47.  Yea though an offender abide an assize, and be absolved by the same, yet may the Church enjoin him public satisfacti●●, Or if the Magistrate shall not think fit in his judgement, or cannot in conscience prosecute the party upon the Church's intimation, the Church may admonish the Magistrate publicly. And if to remedy be found, excommunicate the offender, first for his crime, and then for being suspected to have corrupted the judge. Observe first that by hook or crook they will bring all crimes whatever great and small, within their Jurisdiction. Secondly observe that a delinquents trial for his life is no sufficient satisfaction to these third Cato's. Lastly, observe that to satisfy their own humour, they care not how they blemish publicly the reputation of the Magistrate upon frivolous conjectures.  
Thirdly, add to this which hath been said, the severity and extreme rigour of their Excommunication, 
1 Book dis. 7. hea●.  after which sentence no person (his wife and family only excepted) may have any kind of conversation with him that is excommunicated, they may not eat with him, nor drink with him, nor buy with him, nor sell with him, they may not salute him, nor speak to him, [except it be by the licence of the Presbytery,] His children begotten and born after that sentence, and before his reconciliation to the Church, may not be amitted to baptism, until they be of age to require it, or the mother or some special friend being a member of the Church present the child, obhorring and damning the iniquity and obstinate contempt of the Father. Add further that upon this sentence letters of horning (as they use to call them in Scotland) do follow of course, that is an outlawing of the praty, a confiscation of his goods, a putting him out of the King's protection, 
79. Arti●l. 1599  so as any man may kil● him, and be unpunished; yea, the party excommunicate is not so much as cited to hear th●se fatal Letters granted. Had not David reason to pray, Let me fall into the hands of the Lord, not into the hands of men, for their mercies are cruel. Cruill indeed, that when a man is prosecuted for his life, prehaps justly, prehaps, unjustly, so as appearing and hanging are to him in effect the same thing; yet if he appear not, this pitiful Church will Excommunicate him for contumacy: Whether the offender be convict in judgement, 
Scot Lit. 47  or be fugitive from the Law, the Church ought to proceed to the sentence of Excommunication; as if the just and evident fear of death did not purge away contumacy.   

CHAP. XII. That this Discipline is hurtful to all orders of men.  
LAstly, this Discipline is burdensome and disanvantagious to all orders of men. The Nobility and Gentry must expect to follow the fortune of their Prince. Upon the abatement of, Monarchy in Rome, remember what dismal controversies did presently spring up between the Patricii and Plebei. They shall be subjected to the censures of a raw heady novice, and a few ignorant Artificers; they shall lose all their advowsons of such Benefices as have cure of souls, as they have lately found in Scotland, for every Congregation ought to choose their own Pastor. They shall hazard their Appropriations and Abby-lands: A Sacrilege which their national Synod cannot in conscience tolerate, longer than they have strength sufficient to overthrow it. And if they proceed as they begin, the Presbyters will in a short time either accomplish their design, or change their soil. They shall be bearded and maited by every ordinary Prisbyter, witness that insolent speech of M. Robert Bruce to King james, Sir, I see your resolution is to take Huntley in favour; if you do, I will oppose; You shall choose whether you will lose Huntley or me; for us both you cannot keep. It is nothing with them for a pedant to put himself into the balance with one of the prime and most powerful peers of the Realm.  
The poor Orthodox Clergy in the mean time shall be undone, their straw shall be taken from them, and the number of their bricks be doubled: They shall lose the comfortable assurance of an undoubted succession by Episcopal Ordination, and put it to a dangerous question, whether they be within the pale of the Church: They shall be reduced to ignorance, contempt, and beggary; They shall lose an ancient Liturgy, (warranted in the most parts of it by all, in all parts of it, by the most public forms of the Protestant Churches, whereof a short time may produce a parallel to the view of the world,) and be enjoined to prate and pray nonsense everlastingly. For howsoever formerly they have had a Liturgy of their own, as all other Christian Churches have at this day; yet now it seems they allow no prayers, but extemporary. So saith the information from Scotland, It is not Lawful for a man to tie himself, 
Motus B●●●nici 〈◊〉  or be tied by others, to a perscript form of words in prayer and exhortation.  
Parents shall lose the free disposition of their own children in marriage if the child desire an husband or a wife, 
1 Book dis. 9 hea●.  and the parent gainstand their request, and have no other cause than the common of men have, to wit lack of goods, or because the other party is not of birth high enough, upon the child's desire, the Minister is to travail with the parents, and if he find no just cause to the contrary, may admit them to marriage. For the work of God ought not to be hindered by the corrupt affections of worldly men. They who have stripped the father of their Country of his just right, may make bold with fathers of families, and will not stick to exclude all other fathers, but themselves out of the fifth Commandment. The doctrine is very high, but their practice is yet much more high, The Presbyteries will compel the wronged parent to give that child as great a portion as any of his other children.  
It will be ill news to the Lawyers to have the moulter taken away from their Mills upon pretence of scandal, or in order to Religion, to have their sentences repealed by a Synod of Presbyters, and to receive more prohibitions from Ecclesiastical Courts, than ever they sent thither.  
All Masters and mistresses of families, of what age or condition soever, 
1 Book dis. 9 he●d.  must come once a year before the Presbyter, with their households, to be examined personally whether they be fit to receive the Sacrament, in respect of their knowledge, and otherwise. And if they suffer their children or servants to continue in wilful ignorance (what if they cannot help it?) they must be excommunicated. It is probable, the persons catechised could often better instruct their Catechists.  
The common people shall have an High-Commission in every parish, and groan under the Arbitrary decrees of ignorant unexperienced Governors, who know no Law but their own wills, who observe no order but what they list; from whom lies no appeal but to a Synod, which for the shortness of its continuance can afford, which for the condition of the persons will afford them little relif. If there arise a private jar between the parent and the child, or the husband and the wife, these domestical Judges must know it, and censure it. 
Scire volunt secreta domus, atque inde timeri   
And if there have been any suit or difference between the Pastor and any of his flock, or between Neighbour and Neighbour, be sure it will not be forgotten in the sentence. The practice of our Law hath been, that a Judge was rarely permitted to ride a circuit in his own country, least private interest or respects might make him partial. Yet a Country is much larger than a Parish, and a grave learned Judge is presumed to have more temper than such homebred fellows. Thus we see what a Pandora's box this pretended holy Discipline is, full of manifold mischiefs, and to all orders of men most pernicious.   

CHAP. XIII. That the Covenant to introduce this Discipline is void and wicked, with a short Conclusion.  
BUt yet the conscience of an Oath sticks deep. Some will plead, that they have made a Covenant with God, for the introduction of this Disciplne. Oaths and Vows ought to be made with great judgement and broken with greater. My next task therefore must be to demonstrate this clearly, that this Covenant is not binding, but merely void, and not only void but wicked; so as it is necessary to break it, and impious to observe it.  
The first thing that cracks the credit of this new Covenant is, that it was devised by strangers, to the dishonour of our Nation, imposed by Subjects, who wanted requisite power upon their Sovaraign and fellow-subjects, extorted by just fear of unjust sufferings. So as I may truly say of many who took this Covenant, that they sinned in pronouncing the words with their lips, but never consented with their hearts to make any vow to God.  
Again, error and deceit make those things voluntary to which they are incident, espcially when the error is not merely negative by way of concealment of truth, when a man knows not what he doth, but positive, when he believes he doth one thing, and doth the clean contrary, and that not about some inconsiderable accidents, but about the substantial conditions. As if a Physician, either out of ignorance or malice, should give his Patient a deadly poison under the name of a cordial, and bind him by a solemn oath to take it, the Oath is void, necessary to be broken, unlawful to be kept; if the patient had known the truth, that it was no cordial, that it was poison, he would not have sworn to take it: Such an error there is in the Covenant with a witness, to gull men with a strange, unknown, lately devised platform of Discipline, most pernicious to the King and Kingdom, as if it were the very institution of Christ, of high advantage to the King and Kingdom, to gull them with that Covenant which King james did sometimes take, as if that and this were all one, whereas that Covenant issued out by the King's Authority, this Covenant without his Authority, against his Authority; that Covenant was for the Laws of the Realm, this is against the Laws of the Realm; that was to maintain the Religion established, this to overthrow the Religion established: But because I will not ground my Discourse upon any thing that is disputable, either in matter of Right, or Fact; And in truth, because I have no need of them, I forgive them these advantages, only with this gentle memento, That when other foreign Churches, and the Church of Soctland itself (as appears by their public Liturgy used in those days) did sue for aid and assistance from the Crown and Kingdom of England, they did not go about to obtrude their own Discipline upon them, but left them free to choose for themselves.  
The grounds which follow are demonstrative; First, no man can dispose that by vow, or otherwise, either to God or man, which is the right of a third person without his consent: Neither can the inferior oblige himself to the prejudice of his Superior, contrary to his duty, without his Superiors allowance: God accepts no such pretences, to seem obsequious to him, out of the undoubted right of another person. Now the power of Arms, and the defence of the Laws, and portection of the Subjects by those Arms, is by the Law of England clearly invested in the Crown. And where the King is bound in conscience to protect, the Subject is bound in conscience to assist. Therefore every English Subject owes his Arms and his Obedience to his King, and cannot dispose them as a free gift of his own; nor by any act of his whatsoever diminish his Sovereign's right over him, but in those things wherein by Law he owes subjection to his Prince, he remaineth still obliged, notwithstanding any Vow or Covenant to the contrary; especially when the subject and scope of the Covenant is against the konwn Laws of the Realm. So as without all manner of doubt, no Divine or Learned Casuist in the world dissenting: This Covenant is either void in itself, or at least voided by his Majesty's Proclamation, prohibiting the taking of it, and nullifying its obligation.  
Secondly, It is confessed by all men that, that an Oath ought not to be the bound of iniquity, nor doth oblige a transgressor. The golden rule is, in malis pr●missis rescinde fidem, in turpi voto muta decretum, To observe a wicked engagement doubles the sin: Nothing can be the matter of a Vow or Covenant, which is evidently unlawful. But it is evidently unlawful for a Subject or Subjects to alter the Laws established by force, without the concurrence, and against the commands of the Supreme Legislator, for the introduction of a foreign Discipline. This is the very matter and subject of the Covenant. Subjects vow to God, and swear one to another to change the Laws of the Realm, to abolish the Discipline of the Church, and the Liturgy lawfully established, by the Sword, (which was never committed to their hands by God or man,) without the King, against the King, which no man can deny in earnest to be plain rebellion. And it is yet the worse, that it is to the main prejudice of a third order of the Kingdom, the taking away whose rights without their consents, without making them satisfaction, cannot be justified in point of conscience, (Yea though it were for the greater convenience of the Kingdom, as is most falsely pretended,) And is harder measure than the Abbots and Friars received from Hanry the eight, or than either Christians or Turks do offer to their conquered enemies.  
Lastly a supervenient oath or covenant either with God or man, cannot take away the obligation of a just oath precedent. But such is the Covenant, a subsequent oath, inconsistent with, and destuructive to a precedent oath, that is the oath of Supremacy, which all the Churchmen throughout the Kingdom, all the Parliament men at their admission to the house, all persons of quality throughout England have taken. The former oath acknowledgeth the King to be the only supreme head, (that is civil head to see that every man do his duty in his calling,) and Governor of the Church of England, The second aoth or covenant, to set up the Presbyterian Government as it is in Scotland, denieth all this virtually, makes it a political papacy, acknowledgeth no governors but only the Presbyters. The former oath gives the King the supreme power over all persons, in all causes, The second oath gives him a power over all persons, (as they are subjects,) but none at all in Ecclesiastical causes, This they make to be sacrilege.  
By all which it is most apparent, that this Covenant was neither free nor deliberate, nor valide. nor lawful, nor consistent with our former oaths, but enforced, deceitful, invalid, impious, rebellious, and contradictory to our former engagements, and consequently obligeth no man to performance, but all men to repentance. For the greater certainty whereof I appeal, upon this stating of the case, to all the learned Casuists and Divines in Europe, touching the point of common right; And that this is the true state of the case, I appeal to our adversaries themselves. No man that hath any spark of ingenuity will deny it. No Englishman who hath any tolerable degree of judgement, or knowledge in the laws of his country, can deny it, but at the same instant his conscience must give him the lie.  
They who plead for this rebellion, dare not put it to a trial at law, they do not ground their defence upon the laws, but either upon their own groundless jealousy and fears, of the King's intention to introduce Popery, to subvert the laws, and to enslave the people. This is to run into a certain crime, for fear of an uncertain.  
They who intent to pick quarrels, know how to feign suspicions. Or they ground it upon the success of their arms, or upon the Sovereign right of the people, over all laws and Magistrates, whose Representatives they create themselves, whilst the poor people sigh in corners, and dare not say their soul is their own, lamenting their former folly, to have contributed so much to their own undoing.  
Or lastly upon Religion, the cause of God, the worst plea of all the rest, to make God accessary to their treasons, murders, covetousness, ambition. Christ did never authorize Subjects to plant Christian Religion, much less their own fancticall dreams, or fantastical devises, in the blood of their Sovereign, and fellow subjects.  
Speak out, is it lawful for Subjects to take up arms against their Prince merely for Religion? or is it not lawful? If ye say it is not lawful, ye condemn yourselves, for your Covenant testifieth to the world, that ye have taken up arms, merely to alter Religion, and that ye bear no Allegiance to your King, but only in order to Religion, that is in plain terms, to to your own humours and conceits. If ye say it is lawful, ye justify the Independents in England, for supplanting yourselves, ye justify the Anabaptists in Germany, john of Leyden and his cure. Ye break down the banks of Order, and make way for an inundation of blood and confusion in all Country's. Ye render yourselves justly odious to all Christian Magistrates, when they see, that they owe their safety not to your good wills, but to your weakness, that ye want sufficient strength to cut their throats. This is fine doctrine for Europe, wherein there is scarce that King or State, which hath not Subjects of different opinions and communions in Religion. Or lastly if ye say, it is lawful for you to plant that which ye apprehend to be true Religion, by force of arms, but it is not lawful for others to plant that which they apprehend to be true Religion by force, because yours is the Gospel, theirs is not. Ye beg the question, and make yourselves ridiculously partial by your overweening opinion, worse than that of the men of China, as if ye only had two eyes, and all the rest of the world were stark blind. There is more hope of a fool, then of him that is wise in his own eyes.  
I would to God we might be so happy as to see a General Council of Christians, at least a General Synod of all Protestants, and that the first Act might be to denounce an Anathema Maranatha, against all brochers and maintainers of seditious principles, to take away the scandal which lies upon Christian Religion, and to show that in the search of piety, we have not lost the principles of humanity. In the mean time, let all Christian Magistrates, who are principally concerned, beware how they suffer this Cockatrice egg● be hatched in their Dominions. Much more how they 〈◊〉 for Baal, or Baalberith, the baalim's of the Covenant. 〈◊〉 were worth the enquiring, whether the marks of Antio●● do not agree as eminently to the Assembly General of S●●●land, as either to the Pope, or to the Turk: This we 〈◊〉 plainly, that they spring out of the ruins of the 〈◊〉 Magistrate, they sit upon the Temple of God, and they ●●●vance themselves above those whom holy Scripture 〈◊〉 Gods.  
FINIS.