VVE hould and maintaine, the same Authoritie & Suprema­cie in all causes and over all persons Ciuill and Ecclesiasticall, graunted by Statute to Queene Elizabeth, and expressed and declared in the book of Aduertisements & Iniunctions, and in M. Bilson against the Iesuits, to bee due in full and ample man­ner (without any limitation or qualifica­tion) to the King and his Heires and Suc­cessors for euer. Neither is their (to our knowledge) any one of vs, but is and euer hath been most willinge to subscrib and sweare vnto the same, accordinge to form of statute, And we desire that those that shall refuse the same may beare their owne iniqutie.

2 We are so far from Iudgeing the saide Supremacie to be vnlawfull: that we are perswaded that the Kinge should sinne highly against God, [...]s hee should not as­sume [Page 2]the same vnto himself, & that the Churches within his Dominiōs shold sine dānablie, yf they should deny to yeald the same vnto him. yea though the statuts of the kingdome should deny it vnto him.

3 wee hould it plaine Antichristianis­me for any Churche or Church officers whatsoeuer, either to arrogate or assume vnto themselues any part or parcel therof, and vtterly vnlawful for the king to giue away or alienate the same from his owne Crowne and dignitie to any spirituall po­tentates or rulers whatsoeuer within or without his dominions.

4 Wee hould that though the Kings of this Realme weare noe members of the Church but very Infidels, ye and persecu­tors of the truth, that yet those Churches that shalbe gathered together within thes dominions ought to acknowledge & yeald the said supremacie vnto them And that the same is not tied to their faith and Christianitie but to their very Crowne from which noe subiect or subiects haue [Page 3]power to seperate or disioyne it.

5 We hould that nether King nor Ci­uill state are bound in matter of Religion to bee subiect and obedient to any Ecclesi­asticall Person or Persons whatsoeuer no further then they shalbe able to Conuince their consciences of the truth thereof out of the word of God. Yea wee thinke they should sinne against God, yf they should ground their Religion, or any part or par­cell therof vpon the bare Testimonie or Iudgement of any man, or of all the men in the world.

6 Wee hould that noe Churches or Church officers haue power for any crime whatsoeuer to depriue the king of the least of his Royall prerogatius whatsoeuer, muche lesse to depriue him of his supre­macie wherin the height of his Royall di­gnitie Consists.

7 Wee hould that in all things Con­cerning this life whatsoeuer, the Ciuill Iurisdiction of Kings and Ciuill States excelleth & ought to haue preheminence [Page 4]ouer the Ecclesiasticall, and that the Ecclesiasticall nether hath nor ought to haue any power in the least degree ouer the bodies, liues, goods, or libertie of any person whatsoeuer, much lesse of the Kings and Rulers of the Earth.

8 Wee hould that Kings by virtue of their Supremacie haue power: yea also that they stand boūd by the lawe of God to make Lawes Ecclesiasticall such as shall tend to the good ordering of the Churches in their Dominions, And that the Chur­ches ought not to bee dissobedient to any of their Lawes, so far as in obedience vn­to them, they doe not that which is contrary to the word of God.

9 Wee hould that though the King shal Command any thing contrarie to the Word vnto the Churches, that yet they ought not to resist him therein, but onely peaceablie to forbeare obedience, and sue vnto him for grace and mercie, and wher that cannot be obtained, meekely to sub­mit themselues to the punishment.

10 Wee hould that the King hath po­wer by virtue of his Supremacie, to re­moue out of the Churches, whatsoeuer he shall discerne to be practised therin, not a greable to the word of God. And if he shal see any defect either in the worship of God or in the Ecclesiasticall Discipline, he ought by his royall authoritie & power to procure and force the redresse therof, yea, though it be without the consent and a gainst the will of the Ecclesiasticall Gouerners themselues.

11 Wee hould that the King hath as much author itie over the bodie, goods, & affaires, of Ecclesiastical persons, as of any other of his Subiects whosoeuer. And that by his authoritie, he may force them not onely to all ciuyll dueties belonging vnto them, but also vnto all Ecclesiasticall: af­flictyng as great punishment vpon them for the neglect thereof, as vpon any other of his Subiects.

12 Wee hould that he hath power, to remoue out of the Churches, all Scando­lous, [Page 6]Scismaticall & Hereticall Teachers, and by all due seueritie of Lawes to re­presse them.

13 Wee hould that all Ecclesiasticall Lawes made by the King (not repugnant to the word of God) doe in some sorte bind the consciences of his subiects: and that no subiect ought to refuse obedience to any such law.

14 We hould that the King onely hath power within his Dominions, to Couvene Synods or generall Assemblies of Mini­sters, And by his authoritie Royall, to ra­tisie and giue life and strength, to their Canons and Conslitutions, without whose ratification, no man can force any subiect to yeald any obedience vnto the same.

15 Wee hould that though the King may force the Churches to be subiect and obedient vnto him: and to be Members of the Commō wealth, ye [...] that the Churches seuerally or ioyntly, haue no power to force him: or any subiect, against their will to any service vnto them, or to any religious [...] whatsoeuer. No, nor to be so much [Page 7]as a member of any Church.

16 Wee hould that the King ought not to be subiect to the Ecclesiasticall Cen­sures of any Churches, Church officers or Synods whatsoeuer, but onely to that Church and those Officers of his owne Court and Houshould, vnto whom (in re­uerence of their Religion and of the spi­rituall Graces of God he sees shinynge in them) he shall of his owne freewill, subiect and commit the Regiment of his soule, in whom their can be, no suspition nor feare of any partialitie: or vniust or rigorous dealing against him.

17 Wee hould that if any Ecclsiasticall Gouerners (call them by what name you will) shall abuse their Ecclesiasticall au­thoritie in the execution of their Cen­sures, vpon any man whosoeuer. That the King and Ciuill States vnder him, haue power to punish them seuerely for it, much more if they shall abuse it vpon the Su­preame Maiestie himselfe.

18 If the King subiecting himselfe: to [Page 8]Spirituall Guides and Governers, shall af­terwards refuse to be guided and gouer­ned by them accordinge to the word of God, and lyuinge in notorious sinne with­out repentannce shall wilfully contemne and dispise all their holy & religious Cen­sures, that thē thes Gouernors are to refuse to administer the holy things of God vn to him, and to leaue him to him self and to the secreat Iudgment of God, and whol­ly to resigne and giue ouer that spirituall charge & tuition ouer him, which by cal­ling from God and the King they did vn­dertake. And more then this they may not doe. And after all this, Wee hould that he yet still retaineth, and ought to retaine, in tierly & solidly, all that aforesaide supreāe power and authoritie ouer the Churches of this Dominion in as ample a manner as if hee were the most Christian prince in the world.

19 Wee acknowledge King Iames to be our onely lawfull Soueraigne and vnto him to be due all the aforesaid Suprema­cie [Page 9]& wee renounce & abiure allopinions doctrins practicies whatsoeuer repugnant or contrarie to the same, as Anabaptisti­call & Antichristian. And wish they may be seuerely punished.

20 Wee never refused obedience to any Lawes or commaundements of the King: or State whatsoeuer, but onely to such as we haue proued or are readie to proue, (if we might be heard with indifferencie) to be contrarie to the word of God. And we are readie to take our Solemne Oathes, be­fore the Throne of Iustice, that the onely cause of our refusall of Obedience to those Canons of the Prelates for which we are in present so extreamly afflicted, is meere conscience, and a feare to sinne against God: And that if by due forme of reason­nyng we may be conuinced in our consci­ences of the contrarie, we are as willinge as any Subiects in the Realme to Obey and Conforme.

21 Wee refuse Obedience onely to such Canons as require the performaunce of [Page 10]such Acts, & Rites of Religion, as are re­iected and abandoned of all other reform­ed Churches, as Superstitious disorders, Such, as are speciall mysteries of the Ro­mish Antichristian Idolatrie, Such as haue been controuerted in the Church e­uer since the last breakynge forth of the light of the gospell, out of the cloude of Popery in Luthers time. Such as all Pro­testant writers & defendors of our Faith beyond the Seaes, and most of our owne Countrimē haue either in generall or par ticular condemned as vaine, idle, and vn profitable, Such as all the faithfull, and painfull Pastors of this Realme: and in a manner all States & degrees of the same, woulde be content were remoued: and sweept out of the Church, and for which few or none are zealous but the Prelates, and their adherents.

22 We deny no authoritie to the King, in matters Ecclesiasticall, but onely that which Christ Iesus the onely Head of the Church hath directly, and precisly appro­priated [Page 11]vnto himselfe, and hath denyed to communicate to any other creature or creatures in the world. For we hould, That Christ a lone is the Doctor of the Church in matters of Religion, and that the word of Christ which he hath given vnto his Church, is of absolute parfection containyng in it all parts of the true reli­gion, both for substance and ceremonie, & a perfect direction in all Ecclesiasticall matters whatsoeuer. Vnto & from which it is not lawefull for any Man or Angell, to add or detract.

23 We are so far from makyng claime of any supremacie vnto our selues (and thos eccliasticall officers which we desire) that we exclude from our selues & them (as that of which we are vtterly vncapa­ble) all Princely & Lordlie state pomp & power whatsoeuer, houlding it a sinne for any whosoeuer to excercise (no not by con­mission from the magistrat) any authori­tie ouer the bodie, Goods, liues, libertie of any man whosoeuer for any crime or of­fence [Page 12]whatsoeuer. So that any one of the basest and most inferior Ciuill officers in a Kingdome hath and ought to haue (in our iudgement) more authoritie and pow­er ouer men then any or all the Ecclesia­sticall Officers in the same kingdom or in the whol world. Yea we hold that the hig­hest Ecclesiasticall Officer in the Church ought to be as subiect vnto the basest Ci­uill officers in the Kingdome, as the mea­nest Subiect in the Kingdome, And that they ought not by virtue of their office, to chalenge any freedome or immunity at all from any Ciuyll Subiection whatsoeuer, belonging to any common Subiect,.

24 Wee consine and bound all Ecclesi­asticall power within the limitts onely of one particular Congregation, houldinge that the greatest Ecclesiasticall power: ought not to strech beyond the same, And that it is an arrogating of Princly Supre­macie, for any Ecclesiasticall Person, or Persons whosoeuer, to take vpon thēselues Ecclesiasticall Iurisdiction over many [Page 13]Churches, much more over whole King­domes and Provinces of Christians.

25 We hould it vtterly vnlawfull for any one Minister to take vpon himselfe, or accept of a sole Ecclesiasticall Iurisdiction over so much as one Congregation. And therfore we hould that some of the suffici­entest and most honest and godlie men in the Congregation, ought to be chosen by the Heades of Families, to be adioynded in Comissiō as Asistants to the Minister, in the Spirituall Regiment of the soules of that Congregation, of which he is the Pastor.

26 We hould that these Ecclesiasticall Officers being so chosen by the Church or Congregation, are to exercise over the said Congregation only a Spirituall Iuris­diction and power, consistyng in a careful oversight of the outward behavior of the Members of their Church, That it be not scandalous, offenciue, and vnbeseemynge Christians. And if any Member shalbe de­linquent, they are brotherly to admonish [Page 14]him, shewing him the nature of his crime by the word of God, And if after two or three admonitions, he sheew no tokens of sorrowe and penitencie, then are they to deny vnto him the pledges and seales of of the Church, to wit the Sacraments. If this cannot humble him but that he con­tinue obstinate in that sinne, then they are by the mouth of the Minister in Congre­gation (the whole Church consentinge freely therto) denounce him to be no Mē ­ber of the Kingdom of Heauen, and so forbeare to haue any further charge ouer him, vntill God shall worke the grace of Repentannce, in him? in this manner they are to proceed against all apparent and E­uident crimes only, as Murder Adultery Theft Blasphemie, Ribaldery Lying, Slan­dering, Profanation of the Sabothes con­tempt of Diuine Worship. Disobedience to the Ciuil Magistrate &c. Nether ought the Extreamest of the Ecclesiasticall Cen­sures any whit hinder the course of iustice that the Ciuill Magistrate is to excercise [Page 15]against the same crimes for if a Traytor himselfe should bee penitent, the churche ought to forgiue him and lovingly to im­brace him as a Sonne, but the Magistrate ought to execute him, If he should be ob­stinate in that crime: As the Magistrate ought to cutt him off from the Ciuill com­munion of men, so ought the Congregati­on (of which he is a Member) cutt him of from all spirituall Communiō with them. If any one of the Ecclesiasticall Officers themselues shall sinne, he is as subiect to the Censures of the rest as any other member of the congregation. If they shall all sinne scandolously either in the execution of their Office, or in any other ordinarie manner: Then the Congregation that chose them freely, hath as free power to depose them, and to place others in their roome. If the Congregation shall erre, ei­ther in choosinge or deposinge of her spiri­tuall Officers, Then hath the [...]uill Ma­gistrate alone power and authoritie to pu­nish them for their fault, to compell them [Page 16]to make better choyse, or to defend against them those Officers that without iust cau­ses they shall depose or depriue.

27 Wee hould that those Ecclesiasticall Persons that make claime to greater po­wer and authoritie then this, Especially they that make claime Iure Divino of power and Iurisdiction to medle with other Churches then that one Congregation of which they are or ought to be Members. Doe vsurpe vpon the Supremacie of the Ciuill Magistrate, Who alone hath and ought to haue (as we hould and maine­taine) a power over the seuerall Congre­gations in his Dominions, And who alone ought by his authoritie not onely to pre­scribe common Lawes and Canons of Vniformitie and consent, in Religion and worship of God vnto them all, But also to punish the offences of the seuerall Con­gregations, that they shall cōmitt against the lawes of God, the policy of the Realme, And the Ecclesiasticall Constitutions en­acted by his authoritie.

28 Wee hould that the Kinge ought not to giue this authoritie away or to committ it to any Ecclesiasticall Person or Persons whatsoeuer, But ought himselfe to be as it were, Archbishop and generall Overseer of all the Churches within his Dominions, And ought to imploye vnder him, his Honorable Counsell, his Iudges, Leiftenaunts, Iustices, Cunstables & such like to oversee the Churches, in the seue­rall diuisions of their ciuill Regiments, visiting them and punishing by their ci­uill power whatsoeuer they shall see amisse in any of them: Especially in the Rulers and Gouerners.

29 For as much as no people are more hated persecuted and wronged of the wic­ked world then the true Churches of Christ, Wee hould that no people in the Earth stand in more neede of the ciuill magistrate, then they. And that it is the greatest outward blessing they can inioye in this life, to liue vnder the Protection of their Swords and Scepters, and the greatest cause of mourning when the same [Page 18]shalbe bent against them. And we hould those churches to be no true churches of Iesus Christ That livinge in any cuntry, shall refuse Subiection to the ciuill Re­gents and Gouerners of the same, be they (in respect of Religion) never such Paga­nish Infidells.

30 Wee hould it vtterly vnlawfull, For any christian Churches whatsoeuer, by a­ny armed force or power, against the will of the ciuill magistracie and State vnder which they liue, To erect and sett vpp in publique, the true worship and service of God, Or to beate downe or Suppresse any superstition or Idolatrie that shalbe countenaunced and maintained by the same. Onely, Every man is to looke to himselfe, that he communicate not with the Euills of the times, induringe what it shall please the State to inflict, and seekinge by all honest and peaceable meanes all refor­mation of publicke abuses, Onely at the hands of Ciuill publicke Persons, And all practises contrarie to these, we condemne as Seditious and sinfull.

31 All that we craue of his Maiestie & the State, is, that by his and their permis­sion and vnder their protection, and ap­probation, It may be lawefull for vs, To serue and worship God in all things according to his revealed will, and the manner of all other reformed Protestant Chur­ches, that haue made seperation from Rome, That we may not be forced against our consciences to staine and pollute the simple and synere worship of God prescri­bed in his word, with any humaine Tra­ditions and Rites whatsoeuer, but that in Divine worship we may be actors onely of those things that may for matter or manner either ingenerall or speciall be conclu­ded out of the word of God. Also to this end that it may be lawefall for vs to exhi­bite vnto them and vnto their Censure a true and Syncere Confession of our faith, containyng the maine Grounds of our Re­ligion, vnto which all other doctrines are to be consonant: as also a Forme of Divīe worship and Ecclesiasticall Gouerment, in like manner warranted by the word, and [Page 20]to be obserued of vs all vnder any Ciuill punishment that it shall please the saide Maiestie, & State to inflict, vnder whose authoritie alone, we desire to exercise the same: and vnto whose punishment alone we desire to be subiect if we shall offend against any of those Lawes and Canons that themselues shall approue in manner aforesaide, And our desire is, Not to wor­ship God in darke corners, but in such publicke places and at such convenient times as it shall please them to assigne, to the intent, that they & their officers may the better take notice of Our offences (if a­ny such shalbe committed in our Congre­gations, and assemblies) that they may pu­nish the same accordingly. And we desire wee may be subiect to no other Spirituall Lords but vnto Christ, nor vnto any o­ther Temporall Lords but vnto them­selues, whom alone in this Earth we desi­er to makeour Iudges & Supreame Gouer­ners & Overseers in all causes Ecclesiasti­cal whatsoeuer renoūcyng as Antichristi­an, all such Ecclesiasticall powers as arro­gate [Page 21]and assume vnto themselues vnder any pretence of the Law of God or man, the saide power which we acknowledge to be due onely to the Ciuill Magistrate.

32 So long as it shall please the King and Ciuill State (though to the great de­rogation of their owne authoritie as wee may haue occasion hereafter to proue) to maintaine in this Kingdome, the State of the Hierachie or Prelacie: We can (in Ho­nour to his Maiestie and the State, and in desire of peace) be content without envie to suffer them to inioye their State & dignitie, & to liue as brethren, amongst thos ministers that shall acknowledg spiritual homage vnto their spirituall Lordships, paying vnto them all temporall dueties, of Tenthes & such like: yea and ioyning with them in the service and worship of God so far as we may doe it without our owne perticular cōmunicating with them in those humaine Traditions and Rites, that in our consciences we iudge to be vn­lawfull. Onely we craue in all duetifull manner that which the very Law of Na­ture [Page 22]yeldeth vnto vs, that for as much as they are most malicious Enimies vnto vs and doe apparantly thirst either after our blood, or the Shipwracke of our faith and consciences, that they may not henceforth be our iudges in these causes, but that wee may both of vs stand as parties at the barre of the ciuill Magistrate to bee tried in those differences that are betweene vs, and that when they shall publickly ma­ligne or flander vs or our cause, it may be lauful for vs in a dutiful, sober, peaceable & modest manner without personall re­proche or disgrace: in as publicke manner iustifie our selus, & then insteed of that sillie mockseruice to the King of wearing a linnen rag vpon our backs or making a Christes Cross vpon a babies face wee shalbe readie to performe and yeald triple homage service, & tribute vnto him, & shall think our liues & all that we haue to vile to spend in the service of him and the Ciuill state vnder him.