WAS there ever any Realme since Christs Incarnation professed Christian Religion so universially through all the parts there­of, even to the utmost corners, in such puritie both for Doctrine, Discipline, and publike worship, with such libertie and for so many yeares together, as our Realme hath done? In the Apostles dayes we read not of whole Cities, let bee kingdomes, to have professed the name of Christ. Soone after the departure of the Apostles, sundrie corruptions en­tred into the Church, and the mysterie of iniqui­tie which was working under ground in their time, was advaunced by little and little till it came to the full ripenesse. Neither was there any Nation free from the open profession of Paganisme the first 300 yeares. Since Constantines time, that Christianitie began to prevaile above Gentilisme, there hath been no Church, which hath not beene defiled with much superstition, and corrupted with many er­rours, till the dayes of late Reformation. From [Page 4]the first time of reformatiō to this houre, no refor­med Church hath spred it self so universally through any Kingdome, with such puritie of profession, but either their profession is not so universal, being intermingled with Papists, Anabaptists, Lutherians, or not so pure, as in our neighbour Church.

II. WAS there ever any Nation which sealed their profession with Oathes, Covenants and Subscriptions, so universallie, and so oft, as our Church hath done. How often hath the Con­fession of Faith, called the Kings Confession, been subscribed by persons of all Estates through the Realme, or by particular persons from time to time, as occasion was offered to require their sub­scription? A more fearfull oath cannot be concea­ved, then is taken in the end of that Confession, in these words: Promising and swearing by the great Name of the Lord our God, That wee shall continue in the obedi­ence of the Doctrine and Discipline of this Church, & shall defend the same according to our vocation and power, all the dayes of our lives, under the paines conteined in the Law, and danger both of Body and Soule, in the day of Gods fearefull judgement. This is the Promissorie oath. The Assertorie oath, whereupon it is grounded, is this: Wee, therefore willing to take away all su­spition of hyprocrisie, and of such double dealing with God, and his Church, protest and call the Searcher of all hearts for witnesse, That our minds and hearts doe fully agree with this our Confession, Promise, Oath, and Subscription. So that wee are not moved for any worldly respect, but are per­swaded only in our Consciences, through the know­ledge and love of Gods true Religion, printed in our hearts by the holy Spirit, as wee shall answer [Page 5]to him in the day, when the secrets of all hearts shall bee disclosed. To underlye the paines conteined in the Law, and danger both of Body and Soule in the day of Gods fearefull judgement, and to an­swere to him in the day, when the secrets of all hearts shall bee disclosed, are not lightlie to be con­sidered, but to bee pondered deeplie, and ever to be remembred, specially when we have to doe with this our Confession.

III. I appeale to every mans Conscience, Whether wee have adhered to all the ge­nerall & particular clauses of this our Confession, or not? When wee say in this Confession, that wee detest and abhorre the Antichrist, his five bastard Sacraments, with all his Rites, Ceremonies, and false Doctrine added to the ministration of the true Sacraments, without the Worde of God, his cruell judgement against Infants departing without the Sacrament, his absolute necessitie of baptizing, doe wee not protest that wee will abhorre and detest, confirmation one of the five bastard Sacraments, kneeling, which is a Rite added to the ministration of the Supper, without the warrand of Gods Word, and invented by the Antichrist, private Baptisme, which is grounded upon the necessitie of baptisme, and doubting of the Salvation of all Infants dying unbaptized; When wee protest wee abhorre and detest his dedicating of dayes, do wee not condemne observation of aniversarie holy dayes? And when wee protest wee detest and abhorre not onely his owne worldly Monarchie, but also his wicked hie­rarchie, Doe wee not condemne the degrees of Bishops and Archbishops? When wee say, wee abhorre and detest all contrarie religion and do­ctrine, [Page 6](to wit, to the former Confession mentio­ned immediatelie before, and the Christian faith receaved, believed, and defended by the Church of Scotland) but chieflie all kinde of Papistrie in generall, and particular heads, even as they are now damned and confuted by the Word of God and Kirk of Scotland. Doe wee not condemne Arch­bishops, Bishops, Holie dayes, Kneeling, Con­firmation, private Baptisme, seeing all these par­ticular heads were damned by our Church either in the former Confession, the first or second Booke of Discipline, and Acts of generall Assemblies before the sayd Confession was sworne to and subscribed, and if any preased to practise them af­ter they were damned, the censures of the Church was inflicted upon them. Have wee not of late fai­led in all these particulars, and consequentlie viola­ted our oathes, promises, and subscriptions, un­derlying the danger both of body and soule in the day of Cods fearefull judgement, unles we repent, which wee cannot seriouslie doe, except wee re­cover, so farre as in us lyeth, what is lost, to the losse of any temporall thing whatsoever, to the spending of the least droppe of our blood, and de­fend what is yet reserved whole and sound, with the same hazard? For what is that hazard or losse in comparison of all the paines conteined in the Law, and danger both of body and soule, in the day of Gods fearefull judgement. Let no man de­ceive himselfe, thinking to deceave God with eva­sions and shifts. The Searcher of all hearts knoweth what was thy meaning, when thou saydest, Wee call the Searcher of all hearts to witnes, that our mindes and hearts doe fullie agree with this our Confession, Promise, Oath, and Subscription: And what was the meaning [Page 7]of the Church of Scotland, with which thou pro­tested, thou would not use double dealing, was too manifest both in practise, preaching and the authen­tick Records aboue mentioned. And put the case the particular heads above specified, had beene a matter indifferent, howbeit they were not so estee­med by our Church, yet who can denie but thus farre at least was intended to eschew all occasions and provocations to tyrannie, & superstition, and therefore the oath, howbeit in a matter indifferent, was lawfull and so remaineth, as long as they re­maine occasions and provocations to tyrannie, and corruption, yea as long as the forbearance of them is not proved to be a sinne. For great regard should be had even to a rash oath if it be not or proue not unlawfull, for the reverence wee ought to carrie to the great name of God. Remember of the breach of the Oath made unto the Gibeonites.

IIII. IOyning all the three former Quaeres to­gether, I aske, If ever a Realme pro­fessing Christian Religion so universallie, in such puritie, with such Libertie, for so many yeares toge­ther, and sealing their profession with such solemne promises, oathes, and subscriptions (if there were any such to bee found in any Historie) that did make such defection, as if they did, if the heavie judgement of God did not overtake them? Or, se­cluding the consideration of our oathes, subscrip­tions, and solemne Covenants, I aske, If any of the Reformed Churches in any Realme, or Pro­vince, professing the Gospell in the same puritie, and so many yeares, as we haue done, hath made so great defection as many of us haue done. Have they returned to their vomit, taken up that which they [Page 8]rejected & condemned, remaining still a reformed Church, and not overturned with force of armes? If not, then suppose wee had never sealed our pro­fession with such solemne seales, our defection is sin­gular, and our punishment will bee exemplarie, unlesse wee repent, recover what is lost, and defend what remaineth uncorrupted.

V. WHereunto doth this defection tend? Doth it not tend first to persite con­formitie with the English Church, then at last will it not ende in full conformitie with the Roman Kirk? The intent of the first is professed by his Majestie in expresse termes extant in print: and therefore bee not deceaved with the promises and protestations of our usurping and pretended Pre­lats. As for example, They will say to you, his Ma­jestie careth neither for Hee Saint nor Shee Saint, but for dayes dedicat to Christ. They lie: For his Maje­stie observeth both He & She Saints dayes, as well as dayes dedicat to Christ. So howbeit you could digest both a Christmas Preaching and a Christmas Pye, which once yee lothed, ye must and shall ere it bee long, doe as much for Saint Bartholomew, Virgin Mary, the Innocents, and all the rest of their Saints, & for five Ceremonies ye shall have fiftie, yea, a hun­dred. All the Relicts of Rome, which are lying like stincking filth in their Church, shall be commu­nicated to us; the paterne of their Altar, their Ser­vice, their Hierarchie, and Romish policie, shall bee set up in our Church. This defection tendeth yet further, to wit, to conformitie with Rome. What meaneth the Bishop of Spalato, in the Pre­face before his fifth Booke, to exhort his Majestie to proceed as hee hath alreadie begunne, to restore the Christian Church to unitie: Papist, Lutherian, [Page 9]Formalist, and Calvinist, must then all be reconci­led together, & united in one. How, I pray you, are wee united to the English Church? Wee must yeeld all to them, they will not yeeld any thing at all to us, no not a hoofe, sayd Whitgift, Bishop of Can­terberrie, neither are they urged to yeald any thing unto us. But wee are unmercifully dealt with to yealde unto them. Shall wee for conformitie with the Lutherian the next day except of his monstrous opinions, & other fond ceremonies, after the same maner, and the third yeare for reconciliation with Rome, drinke of the diep of her abhomination? Or, how shall that great worke come to passe? Neither England nor Rome giveth the least token of their comming towards us. Yet wee must play the fooles, and turne our face to them, and take our journey first to England, then to Rome. The Bishop of Spalato hath not ridden all the foordes of Tweed well, whatsoever is intended, this our con­formitie will of it selfe tend in the end to full Pope­rie. For, suppose wee should give place to these disturbers of our Church, who for their owne gaine and glorie, have laide aside all respect to Gods glo­rie, the gaining of soules, and the weell of their Brethren, yet Popery should increase more migh­tilie, as it hath done in our neighbour Church.

VI. WHether our conformitie end at last in conformitie with Rome, or not? What reason have wee to leave our conformitie with the pure Apostolicall Churches, or the best Reformed Churches in forraine Nations? Brightman compa­reth our Church, & the rest of the best Reformed, to the godlie Church of Philadelphia; the English to the glorious & lukewarme Church of Laodicea. Shall wee cast off our conformitie with Philadelphi­ans, [Page 10]and conforme to Laodiceans? Is not their Church government the same that it was this day 100. yeares since in time of the grossest darkenesse and blindnesse, Archbishops, Bishops, Arch­deacons, Chancelours, Officials, Commissaries, exercising Ecclesiasticall jurisdiction in their spiri­tuall Courts, as they did in time of Poperie, exclu­ding both Preaching and ruling Elders from the Governement of their owne Parishes, and the ioynt governement of the Church, excommunica­ting, suspending, depryving, by their owne sole authoritie, medling with Testamentarie, and other causes, not belonging to Ecclesiasticall Consisto­ries; the Bishop taking to himselfe the sole admini­stration of spirituall Iurisdiction over many hun­dreth Churches; yea, deputing the same to Civili­ans, Chancelours & Officialls, and medling with the administration of Civill Affaires, as best be­seeming his Grandeur. This Bishop is not Pauls Bishop, nor yet the Bishop which was first erected in the Ancient Church; Hee differeth as farre from him as the Consull in a Senate doth from a King or Monarch. So, seeing hee is neither the divine, nor humane Bishop, Hee must bee that Satanicall, brought in by the Antichrist. It were wearisome to goe through the calling and functions, of their Suffraganes, Deanes, Canons and Prebandaries, Organists, Singing boyes, Pistlers, Gospellers, Priests, Deacons, who are halfe Priests: their Fasts, their Eawes, their Feast-dayes, their Crossing, Kneeling, Bishopping, Houseling of the sicke, Baptisme by supposition, private Baptisme, Copes, Capes, Tipets, Surplices, Rochets, Churching of women, Marriage toyes, Funerall rittes, the ge­stures [Page 11]waried superstitiouslie at Service, the forme of their Prayers, and the rest of their Ceremonies. It sufficeth, that the best & worthiest among them, hath continually pleaded against them, that they had never quyet possession in their owne Church; that they were disused in many Congregations in the latter yeares of Queen Elizabeth, of worthie memorie, till they got strength againe, immediatlie after the Kings Coronation; that they are obtru­ded onely by authoritie, not liked off by many of the Formalists themselves, who doe temporise only, with a bad conscience, how shall wee then con­forme to a Church enthraled, and under bondage? How many times have the godlie among them put up their Prayers to God, and preferred petition to King and Parlament for the Church policie of Scotland, and the libertie of that pure Profession, which we have enjoyed many yeares; and shall that our glorious Garland bee stamped underfoot? The morning clouds which eclipsed the beginning of their Reformation remaine unscattered to this day: and shall they bee suffered to come within our ho­rizon: Not in our morning, but after many yeares, at the noone tyde of our day, to obscure the glo­rious Gospell, which hath shined to us in as cleare and pure brightnes, as euer to any nation. Con­sider the charges which must be bestowed upon these idle functions, and superstitious Ceremonies; If the Abbeyes be recovered out of Noblemens hands, I perswade my selfe, they will eyther bee converted to the maintenance of Deanes, Canons and Prebendaries, Organs, Copes, and other un­lawfull uses; or els in time bee restored to the olde Crowes to builde their nests in againe.

VII. IF there were a time of Conformitie to bee graunted, which wee will never graunt; yet, is this a fit time? When the reformed Churches abroad are in so great hazard, and some presently under the fiery tryall. When the Anti­christ, and all his adherents, hath resumed fresh courage to prosecute their bloudy designes, hoping wholy to extirpate true Religion out of Europe; is it time to conforme to them, to take on the bad­ges of their profession? Will not this encourage the enemie and discourage our friends?

VIII. IF the Antichristian governement, be­fore described, and the many supersti­ons bee not matters of weight, but trifles; which they shall never bee able to prove with sound and solid arguments; why are wee persecuted for them? Is it a small matter to turne a Minister out of his Office, wheerein hee hath served many yeares, to send him and his familie, wife & children, to begge their Bread, so farre as in them lyeth. For, ha­ving dedicated themselves to the service of God, and spent their former time in studies, they are unable to make shifts, as Artizans and Tradesmen can doe. Was there ever a persecutor since the dayes of Christ, who with one breath did both per­secute, and pronounce the cause wherefore then are worse by many degrees, then the Ethnicke, Here­ticall, or Popish persecutors, and consequentlie the worst that ever were. Our case is yet the more to bee pitied, that wee are denyed the protection of Law: when wee would flie to the Sanctuarie of Iustice, wee are shut backe, like unworthie beasts, [Page 13]and no more pitied, then if wee were dogges, left or redelivered, into the hands of mercilesse Ty­rants, who have given testimonie out of their owne mouthes, of the loyaltie, and good behaviour of those whom they have persecuted.

IX. AFter so many Quaeres, and expostulati­ons, in all humilitie and reverence, to the honorable, the true, and native estates of Parla­ment, Nobles, Barronnes, and Burgesses: not regarding that bastard estate of Prelates, I would demaund two things: First, Why they suffer the high Commission, a Court not established by the Statutes of the Realme, thus to tyrannise over the Church, over dutifull and loyall Subjects, fyning, confyning, suspending, depriving, warding, and directing the Lords of Secret Counsell, to banish, or to give out letters of horning, against Ministers, or other Professors, for not conforming to Popish Ceremonies against their conscience. The Parla­ment is the highest Court of the Realme, and ther­fore should provide that no strange Court be set up to oppresse the Subjects, without their approba­tion and consent, and therefore it is, not only our Quaere, why it is not, but our request, that it may bee put downe. For it is the strangest, the most tyrannicall, and lawlesse Court, that ever came in this Land, lyker to nothing, then to the Spanish Inquisition, whereunto it will turne in the ende to the full, as Papistrie increaseth. That one or two Archbishops, with two or three associats, Eccle­siasticall, or civill persons, such as they please to assume to themselves, being nominat in the Kings Letters Pattents, should judge in all Ecclesiasticall causes, and inflict both temporall and spirituall [Page 14]censures, and punishments, according to their pleasures, is contrarie and repugnant to the word of God. For spirituall power, nether Princes not Parlaments, may giue to Ecclesiasticall, or Civill persons; nether are Ecclesiasticall persons capable of the power of the Temporall Sword. Seeing then, nether the one, nor the other can be law­fully done, this high Commission, so much grie­ved at in our neighbour Church, should not be suf­fered to have place amongst us. Next, I demaund in all humilitie & reverence, Why acts of pretended and null assemblies, are ratified in Parlament, and Statutes made, wherewith our pretended Prelats, make snares to entrap their brethren, and wherewith they countenance their tyranny? Was ever the ge­nerall Assemblie convocat in time of Parlament, or their advice and information sought, since these alterations began. In England, howbeit the Pre­lats sit in the upper House as Barrons, yet they haue besides, a convention of the Clergie, which is called the Convocation House, which representeth al­most our generall Assemblie (for they have no o­ther) whose advyce was never neglected, no not in time of Poperie. What hath our Church deser­ved, as thus to be neglected and misregarded, and the report, advice, consent and wote of Prelats to bee taken, who are both judge and partie in this cause? The Acts of that corrupt, and pretended assemblie at Glasgow, were not onelie ratified, and confirmed, but also under name of explanation en­larged, and Bishops exemed from the judgement and censures of the generall assemblie. Shall the like be done now for that pretended & null Assem­blie [Page 15]holden last at Perth, God forbid, that the ho­norable Estates should make so light account of their owne credits among the Reformed Churches, to whom the proceedings of that pretended As­semblie are discovered; and if need bee, may yet bee further discovered: or that their Honours should make light account of many faithfull Sub­jects, their owne deare Countreymen, who are resolved, rather then to conforme, to suffer tempo­rall losses, and to render their liues. Howbeit some of them have defiled themselves with these corrup­tions, will they bee avenged on their Brethren, who for cōscience sake have kept themselves free, Queen Elizabeth of famous memorie, did at the suit of the Commons, and upon a Bill preferred into the House, at the Parlament holden the 14. yeare of her Raigne, signifie in expresse words, yet upon record, that her Will and Pleasure was, that no Preacher or Minister, should bee impeached, or in­dicted, or otherwise molested, or troubled, for the Rites and Ceremonies in question, as the pre­amble of the said Bill did purport: Adding these comfortable words further,Diall be­twixt the olde Pro­testant, & now For­malist. p. 54.55. That her Ma­jestie, as Defender of the Faith, would ayde and maintaine all good Protestants to the discouragement of all Papists. Wee doe expect the like, not onely at the hands of honourable Barrons and Burgesses, but also of our Nobles, who should bee nou­rish Fathers to faithfull Subjects, but no maintainers of proud Prelats, enemies to their Estate, and the estate of Church and Countrie.