The pastor and the prelate, or reformation and conformitie shortly compared by the word of God, by antiquity and the proceedings of the ancient Kirk, by the nature and use of things indifferent, by the proceedings of our ovvne Kirk, by the vveill of the Kirk and of the peoples soules, and by the good of the commonvvealth and of our outvvard estate with the answer of the common & chiefest objections against everie part: shewing vvhether of the tvvo is to be follovved by the true Christian and countrieman.

The fourth is of King James our late Soveraine:

c The religion professed in this countrey wherein I was brought up, and ever made profession of, and wishes my sonne ever to continew in the same, as the only trew forme of Gods worship &c. I doe equally loue and honour the learned and graue men of eyther of these opinions, that like bet∣ter of the single forme of policie in our Kirk, then of the many ceremonies in the Kirk of England &c. I exhort my Sonne to be beneficiall to the good men of the ministerie, praysing God, that there is presently a suffici∣ent number of good men of them in this kingdome, & yet are they all knowē to be against the forme of the English Kirk.

Basilic. Doron to the Reader: He praysed God, for that he vvas borne to be a King in the sincearest Kirk in the vvorld, &c. Assemblie anno 1590. The Prelates themselues and the mainteyners of conformitie dare not for shame open their mouthes against the worke of God in the Reformation, and against the puritie of their mother Kirk, & therefore would haue her to open her mouth in their defence of ther Hierar∣chie and ceremonies, and do wrest her authoritie and pro∣ceedings to that sense. Let us then aske of herselfe, whe∣ther shee liketh better of the Pastor or of the Prelate.

1. THE PASTOR and men of God at the acceptable time of Reformation, as they were moved by the spi∣rit of God, laboured to reform, not onely the doctrine sacraments, and whole worship of God, but also the discipline and whole government of the house of God by abolishing the jurisdiction of prelates, and all that Roman Hierarchie: as is manifestd by their acknowledging no other or∣dinarie and perpetuall officebearers in the Kirk, but Pastors, do∣ctors, Elders, and Deacons: by their petitioning, that the rents of the Prelates, & of their traine should be converted to other uses. e By their subscribing the Helvetick Confession, which censureth prelacie for the invention of man,f and by the letters which they received from forraine Kirks, gratulating, that they had timely purged the Kirk of this proude prelacie, that they had received with the doctrine, the discipline of Christ & his Apostles, & wil∣ling and obtesting them to beware of the pest of prelacie, as they loved the weale of the Kirk.

The PRELATE not onely in respect of his popish Religion, but al∣so

in respect of his papall and episcopall jurisdiction, was one of the greate evils, that cryed for reformation of the Kirk: and therefore, albeit he kept still the title, the rent and civill place of the prelate (which the Kirk could not take from him, and which maketh many to mistake his descent) his eccle∣siasticall authority was so far abolished, that neither were their Successors designed to such prelates as cōtinued obstinate Papists, nor was Episcopal au∣thoritie continued in their persons that were converted, nor were Superin∣tendents ordeyned to be new prelates: onely some of the converted prelates, for want of meanes to furnish others, were designed to be commissioners of the Kirk, as other ordinarie Pastors were, but with bad successe. For never one of them did good to the Kirk.

2. The PASTOR and men of God proceeding in the work of reformation, acknowledged no government of the Kirk by the Lordly domination of Prelates, but by the common consent and authoritie of assemblies, which were of four sorts, Nationall, Pro∣vinciall, Parishionall, and Presbyteriall.g The lineaments of the last were drawen at the first, when the weekely assemblies were appointed for exercise of discipline, and interpretation of Scrip∣tures, but were not, nor could not be accomplished, and perfect∣ly established, till the light was spreade, and particular Kirks were planted in the severall quarters and corners of the Land, that they might make a number, and conveniently assemble in presbyteriall meetings.

The PRELATE is restlesse, proceedes whither his avarice and ambition carrie him, and willing in those times rather to be a Titular or ah Tulchan (as he was then named) then to be no bodie aboue his brethren. He taketh upon him the Title Bishop, with a small parte of the rent, permitting the greater parte to my Lord, whose bishop he was, and proudly againe arrogates anthoritie over the Kirk.

3. The PASTOR and men of God learning, not from Geneva, but from Scripture and dayly experience, that the go∣vernment of Prelates was full of usurpation, and of all sorts of corruption, whereof many did complaine,i that it had no war∣rant, and was never like to haue any blessing from God, resolue at last to strike at the roote, & therefore after many disputations in private and publick, consultations with the greatest divines of other reformed Kirks, and after long and mature delibe∣ration, the second Booke of Discipline, pronuoncing the ju∣risdiction and office of the Prelate to be unlawfull, was re∣sumed by consent of the whole Kirk, an ordinance made that Bishops betake them to the charge of one Congrega∣tion, that they exercise no civill Iurisdiction. The Confes∣sion of Fayth sworne and subscribed, wherein they oblige themselues to continew in the doctrine & discipline of this Kirk.

The same yeerek it was declared in the generall assemblie, that the office of the Prelate was unlawfull in it selfe, and had no war∣rant in the Word of God, thereafter renued in covenant.

The PRELATE and men of that disposition, having in the ende nothing to oppone, professed that they agreed in their consciences, consented to the Acts of the Kirk, swore and subscribed the Confession of fayth, re∣newed the covenant with the Kirk, and helped to put on the coap-stone of the Kirk of God with their owne hands,l Like as the same Confession of fayth was subscribed by those that are now in the proudest places of prelacie, and who haue proved since the chiefest instruments of all the alterations in the Discipline and externall worship of God, and ring-leaders in the defe∣ction of the Kirk, with what consciene may be seene by their unhonest ex∣cuses, their poore shifts, and shamelesse raylings, against that which they did once so much reverence, all to be seene, as they are published in print.

4. The PASTOR and men of God desyring to testifie their thankfulnesse, for so singular favour vouchsafed upon this Kirk and nation, & to employ the benefite of the discipline now established for the libertie of the kingdome of Christ, and against the tyrannie of sinne and Sathan, addressed themselues all as one man with greate fidelitie & courage for the work of God, urged residence and diligence in ministers, kept with successe from hea∣ven their publike and solemne humiliations, made the pulpits to sounde against papistrie and profanenesse, & set all men on work, as they had grace or place, for purging the countrie of all corru∣ptions, and defending the Kirk against her profest enemies, who never ceased by negociating with the Pope & Spanish King un∣naturally to labour for their owne and her ruyne, whereof the di∣vine providence had disappointed them in 88.

The PRELATES authoritie at this time lay deade, and men of that disposition made no greate Dinne. But the Kirk then (unlike that which she is now) comely as Ierusalem, terrible, as an armie with banners, against all her enemies did stand whole and sound in unitie and concord of her mi∣nisters, authoritie of her assemblies, divine order of her ministerie, & pu∣ritie of externall worship, with greate power and presence of the Spirit of God in many congregations of the land, till at last, for unitie division en∣tred into the Kirk, prelacie that had slepte before, as wakened againe, and this mysterie beginneth to worke of new, neyther by any cause offered by the pastors of the Kirk at the 17 of December (as the enemie calumniates) for after long tryall they were founde faultlesse, and faythfull by his Majesties owne testimonie. Nor yet upon that occasion,m for the meeting of the Kirk for making that charge was indicted before that 17 day. But the cause was a plot contryved before, for procuring peace to the popish Lords, to make warre amongst the ministerie, and to divide them amongst them∣selues. For this effect 55 Problems were framed, to call the established

discipline of the Kirk in question, and as one and the same time way was made for reconciliation of the Popish Lords, and for restitution of the po∣pish prelates. And the Schisme of our Kirk so well compacted before, began at that time, not upon their parte who stande for the discipline, but by some of the Prelates disposition, that is, of flattering and worldly mynded Mini∣sters, who gaue other answers to thirteene of the fiftie fiue articles concer∣ning the government of the Kirk, then their worthy brethren desired: So that, if the cause or occasion maketh the Schismatick, the Prelate is the Schismatick and not the Pastor.

5. The PASTOR and men of God as they had been dili∣gent to establish the government of the Kirk, according to the will of Christ, and after it was by the blessing of God established were faythfull in using it for the honour of God, and good of the Kirk: so now, when it beganne craftily to be called in question, were carefull, according to their office and oath, to stand to the defence thereof, both against professed enemies, and against the Schisme begunne by their owne brethren: albeit they could not at the first haue beene perswaded, that their brethren would ever so foully forget themselues, as against their greate oath in the sight of God and the world, to take upon them the dominion of Prelates, and for their owne back and belly to trouble the Kirk, and marre all the worship of God as they haue done.

The PRELATE through the Schisme at that time begunne by him∣selfe, savouring the sweetnesse of wealth and honour, forgetteth his oath, his office and all, followeth greedily upon the Sent, and clymbeth craftily by de∣grees, and betime to the heigth that he could not advance himselfe to at once.n First with much adoe, and many protestations, that he meaned nothing against the discipline established, but desires to vindicate the Mi∣nisterie from povertie and contempt, gets libertie for to vote in parliament for the Kirk, but with such caveats, as would haue kept him from his pre∣sent prelacie, if he had kept them as he was obliged.o Secondly, fiue yeres thereafter he was made constant moderator, & that of the presbyterie onely where he was resident, and not of the Synods, upon as faire precepts, and with the like protestations and cautions.p Thirdly, being Lord of Par∣liament, Lord of Councell, patrone of beneficens, Modifier of Ministers stipends, he was armed also with the power of the High commission, and having two swords, might doe against the Kirk what he pleased.q There∣after incontinent he usurped the power of ordination and jurisdiction. r And at last, albeit without consent or knowledge of the Kirk of Scotland wente and resumed consecration in England, and since that time hath ta∣ken upon him, and hath exercised the plenarie power and office of a bishop in the Kirk, no lesse, then if the assemblie of this Kirk had chosen him to the name and office of a Bishop, which as yet they haue never done, the most corrupt of their owne assemblies granting onely the negatiue power of ordi∣nation

and Iurisdiction to them, who were never called Bishops by any warrant from the Kirk, but onely in the vulgar speach, frō the titles they had to benefices, in which respect civill persons beneficed were called Bi∣shops in former times.

6. The PASTOR and men of God seeking neither profit nor preferment to themselues, expelled the Prelate & all his Ce∣remonies out of the Kirk of Christ by no other meanes, but such as became the faythfull Ministers of Iesus Christ, as preaching, praying, penning, advising with the best reformed Kirks, reaso∣ning in assemblies, and after libertie granted to all to oppone, the consente, oath and subscription of the Adversaries.

The PRELATE seeking nothing but his owne prosit and prefer∣ment, is restored againe by such meanes, as better beseeme his Ministers, who hath beene a murtherer and lyar from the beginning, then the sincere Ministers of Iesus Christ: For crafte and crueltie hath been their wayes, Their craft was to remoue their strongest opponents out of the Countrie, that they might not be present in assemblies, to espye their proceedings, and to reason against them, to abolish the true libertie and authoritie of assem∣blies, to protest that they were seeking no prelacie, neyther of the Popish nor English kinde, and that they had no purpose to subverte the Discipline received, but to deliver the Kirk from disgrace, and to be the more mightie to oppose her enemies, Iesuites and Papists,, to falsifie the acts of the Kirk, to promise to keepe all the cautions and conditions, made to hold them in order, which now they professe, they never minded to doe, &c. Their cruel∣ty hath beene to boast, to banish, imprison, depriue, confine, silence, &c.

7. The PASTOR and men of God all this time of defe∣ction gaue testimonie to the trueth, opposed against the severall steppes of the prelates ambition, by all the meanes that became him to use, as publick preaching, supplicating, reasoning, pro∣testing, and suffring, and when the prelate was triumphing in the height of his dignitie, they could not, comparing the first temple with the second, but declare the griefe of their hearts for the change, and their greate feare of alteration to be made in the worship of God, when now the hedge of the Kirk was broken downe, and an open way made for all corruption.

The PRELATE is of the Clergie, that seldome is seene penitent, and therefore as against all the meanes used by the Pastor, he had altered the government of the Kirk, so he enters next upon the worship & Ser∣vice of God.f and will haue a new confession of Fayth, new Catechisme, new formes of prayer, new observation of dayes, new Formes of ministra∣tion of the Sacraments, which he first practised himselfe, against the acts and order of the Kirk.t And since convened an assembly of his owne making to drawe on the practise of others.v And thirdly he hath invol∣ved the honorable estates of the Kingdome into his greate guiltinesse by

their ratification in parliament, which hath brought an inundation of evils into this Kirk and countrey.

8. The PASTOR and men of God considering, what the Kirk was before, what the reformation was, and what conformitie is, what the proceedings of the one and of the other haue beene, seeth Religion wearing away, pityeth the young ones, that never haue seene better times, laments ever the multitude, that can not see the evils of the present, and resolveth for himselfe to hold constant to the ende against Papists, prelates, Arminians, and whatsoever can arise, to waite with patience, what the Lord will doe for his people, and when he is gone to leaue a testimonie behinde him of the twofold miserie of impietie and iniquitie, that he hath seene in this land.

The PRELATE hath forgotten what himselfe and the kirk was once, he hath wrought a greater defection in this kirk in the shorte tyme of his Episcopacie, then was in the primitiue kirk for some hundreths of yeares, and is so farre yet blinded with the loue of his place in the world, that he maketh his worldly credite the Canon, and his prela∣cie the touchstone of the tryall of all Religion. The Pope shall no more be Antichrist, Papistrie may be borne with, Arminianisme may be brought in, because they can keepe company with Prelacie. The Reformation is Puritanisme, precisenesse, Separation and intollerable, because it can not cohabitate with prelacie. The Gods of the Nations were sociall, and could liue togither, but the God of Israel is a jealous God.

Notes

• c

  Ba••••llc. Doron.
• The discipline & government of the Kirk at the first, began to be refor∣med, and the pre∣late to be cast out.
• d

  Books of discipl.
• e

  An. 1566.
• f

  Beza to Knox an. 1571.
• The pastor pro∣ceedeth in this point of reform••∣tion, and the prel. in his avarice and ambition.
• g

  To these the Su∣perintendents were subject by an act of the assembly anno 1562.
• h

  Leith 1571.
• At last prelacie is rooted out with consent of the whole Kirk.
• i

  Edenburgh anno 1575.
• k

  Dundie. an. 1580
• l

  Trenent. anno 1604.
• The Kirk now re∣formed in doctrine & discipline useth hee authoritie a∣gainst all sorts of finne, till men of episcopall disposi∣tion make a new division againe.
• m

  Perth. 1596.
• The pastor stādeth to the reformation against Episcopar••s which the Prela•••• attaineth unto 〈◊〉〈◊〉 last by many de∣grees, and much working.
• n

  Dundie anno 1597. May, and March following, Falkland a. 1598. Halyrudhouse an∣no 1599. Montro∣sen annò 1600.
• o

  Linlithgo 1606.
• p

  An. 1610 Febr:
• q

  Glasgow 1610. Iune.
• r

  An. 1610. No∣vember.
• The way of the Pastors reformati∣on and the prelates defection very cō∣trary.
• The past. beareth witnes against the severall degrees of defection, and fea∣reth a change in the worship of God, which the prel. entereth upō so soone as the go¦vernment is alter∣ed, and he come to his power.
• f

  Aberdein 1616. Sanctandr. anno 1617.
• t

  Perth 1618.
• v

  Edenburgh anno 1621.
• The past. resol∣veth to be constāt to the end, against al heresie and cor∣ruption, which is entering every day by the prelates misgovernment.