IN the Authority of the Assemblies Pa­rochiall, Presbyteriall, Provinciall and Nationall, and in the subordinati­on of the lesser unto the greater, or of more particular Elderships to the lar­ger and generall Eldership, doth con­sist the externall order, strength and stedfastnesse of the Church of Scotland, which is lovely and com­fortable to all fearing God, whether Pastor or Pro­fessors; and hath been very awfull and terrible, as an Army with banners, to all Papists, to all Hereticks, Schismaticks, Hirelings, and all ungodly persons. As upon the one part they break not the bruised reed, nor quench the smoaking flax, but do cherish, and labour to bring to ripenesse and use the graine of Mustard­seed in sincere beginners, and the smallest talent in Preachers, having the zeale of God. So upon the o­ther part, no scandall of proud sinners escapeth cen­sure; no herefie or errour is sooner hatched, but is [Page 2]presently spied out and crushed by some of the inferi­our Assemblies; or, if it be kept on foot and gather strength, it is quite suppressed and extinguished in the generall Assembly, which meeteth once in the yeere, and never suffereth such bastard-births to grow to be one yeere old, which is a true and maine cause why no Sects or Errours have appeared in the reformed Church of France, and in the Churches of Scotland, and of the Low-Countreyes, so long as they enjoyed the libertie and happinesse of Assemblies; which they did no sooner by the mercy of God recover, but im­mediately, at their brightnesse, the mists and mildews gathered before were scattered and vanished. And as by the order and power of these Assemblies, Foxes are taken that they spoil not the Vines, and Gangrenes are prevented, that they spread not against truth and unity, all sorts of lewd and wicked men are discoura­ged and put to shame: so is there excited among the godly Ministers an holy emulation by acquaintance, conference, and by perceiving the gifts one of ano­ther, which maketh them returne from the Assem­blies with a meane and humble conceit of themselves, and with new and strong resolutions for greater dili­gence in their studies, and faithfulnesse in every Pasto­rall du y, to the common benefit and edification of all the Churches; all the Ministers are made more wise in matters of Government; and all the Congregati­ons are made more wise in matters of Government; and all the Congregations are affected with reverence to what is required of them by their particular Elder­ships, as having the consent and approbation of the [Page 3]whole Church. Many such fruits are reaped of these Affem­blies, which without them no particular person or Congre­gation can have any ground to hope for or expect.

They have no Archbishops, Diocesan Bishops, Suffraganes, no Chapters, no Curats dumb nor idle Ministers, no hire­lings, non-Residents, nor Pluralists, no Deanes nor Arch-Deacons, no Chanters, Sub-Chanters, nor Treasurers, no Chancellours, Officials, nor Apparators, no Canons, Peti-Canons, Prebends, Singing-men, nor boyes: And yet with­out these and the like, they have practise and use of all the Ordinances of Christ; all matters Ecclesiasticall determined remitting questions of tithes, marriages, divorcements, &c. to the civill Judge to whom they properly doe belong, and all petitions, complaints, and Church-grievances, heard and redressed, both to their consciences and estates, to be free of such bundles and burthens of trash and superfluities. They conceive, that to erect Presbyteries, Synods, and Nationall assemblies, and still to keep the members of that Hierarchie is, in the matter of Church-government, not unlike the Popish adding of Traditions to Scripture in the rule of faith, or works unto faith, in the point of ju­stification &c. additions to Christs institution, being not onely in respect of their authour humane inventi­ons, and for any use they can have idlements vanities and follies; but that they doe also corrupt the purity, and eat out the life of the Ordinances of Christ.

Here there is a superiority without tyranny, for no Minister hath a Papall or Monarchicall Jurisdicti­on over his owne flock, far lesse over Pastors, and o­ver all the Congregations or a large Diocesse. Here there is a party without confusion or disorder, for the Pastors are in order before the Elders, and the Elders before the Deacons; the Church is subordinate to [Page 4]the Presbytery, the Presbytery to the Synod, and the Synod to the Nationall Assembly. One Pastor also hath priority before another, for age, for zeale, for gifts, for his good deservings of the Church, each one honouring him whom God hath honoured, and as he beareth the Image of God, which was to be seen amongst the Apostles themselves. But none hath power or Jurisdiction above others; even as in na­ture, one eye hath not power over another, onely the head hath power over all, even as Christ over his Church. The same may be seene in the Common­wealth, and in some of the Offices of the Roman Church it selfe. And lastly, here there is a subjection without slavery, for the people are subject to the Pa­stors and Assemblies, yet there is no Assembly where­in every particular Church hath not interest and pow­er; nor is there any thing done but they are, if not actually, yet vertually called to consent unto it.

As they have done, and suffered much for vindi­cating and maintaining the liberty of their Religion, that what belongeth unto God may be rendered un­to God; So do they desire, that according to the rule of righteousnesse, each man have his own, and above all men. That the things which are Caesars be ren­dred unto him, and to give him that which is Gods were a wronging both of God and Caesar. They have ever been willing to taxes and to pay subsidies above that which they were able. They joyne with the in­ward reverence of their hearts, externall honour and obedience in all things lawfull. They powre forth their prayers to God in private and publike, for all [Page 5]blessings spirituall upon his Royall Person and Go­vernment, and upon his Progenie; and for the same blessings upon the Queenes Majesty, especially that God by his Spirit would give unto her the knowledge and love of the truth. They long for her conversion as an happinesse to her selfe and a mean of great hap­pinesse to the King, to their Children, and to all their Subjects. And that the Lord may answer their pray­ers, they thinke it incumbent to the Church of En­gland, nor can any bond whatsoever oblige them to the contrary, to use the best and most powerful means, and would most willingly in all humility, love and re­spect, joyne their endeavours for that blessed end. And as they thus present their best desires and praiers, so are they ready to sacrifice their lives to God for his Majesties good, and in their hearts are grieved, that their loyalty, which they account their no small glo­ny, should have been called in question.

Neither is this all, but moreover they do acknow­ledge that his Majesty, as supreame Magistrate, hath not only charge over the Common-wealth, but doth watch and hath inspection over the Church and Church-matters, but in a civill way, Vos Episcopi in Ecclesia (saith Constantine) Ego extra Ecclesiam Episco­pus a Deo constitutus sum. And therefore that he is by his high calling and place Custos utrius (que) tabulae, to command the precepts of the first table as well as of the second table to be obeyed: That he is Vindex Re­ligionis by his sword, as the Spirit of God in Scrip­ture is Index, and the Church is Index: That he hath power to turne the constitutions of the Church into [Page 6]Lawes: and to confirme them by the civill sanction in Parliament: That he may constraine all his Sub­jects to do duty in matters of Religion, and may pu­nish he transgressors: That when debates arise about Religion, he hath power to call the Assemblies of the Church to be present, and civilly preside in them, and to examine their constitutions that he may discerne of them both as a Christian caring for his owne soul, and as supream Magistrate watching over his people: and that he may doe all things which can prove him to be a kind carefull nursing father. They account all that is vomited out to the contrary, [as that they li­ked Anarchie better then Monarchie, and that they would turne a Kingdome into a democratie,] to be b [...]t the fictions and calumnies of the malicious ene­mies of God and his truth; not unlike the lies which were devised against the Christians of old, their con­sciences, their words, writings, and actions, even then when the world did put the worst constructions upon them, were witnesses of the integritie of their hearts. They doe still hold that there can be no an­tipathy betwixt one Ordinance and another. By him Princes doe reigne, and hath also appointed the Offi­ce s and the Government of his owne house. They doe defire nothing more, then that the Son of God may raigne, and that with and under the Son of God, the King may command, and they, as good subjects to Christ and the King, may obey.