Three treatises concerning the Scotish discipline 1. A fair warning to take heed of the same, by the Right Reverend Dr. Bramhall, Bishop of Derris : 2. A review of Dr. Bramble, late Bishop of London-Derry, his fair warning, &c. by R.B.G. : 3. A second fair warning, in vindication of the first, against the seditious reviewer, by Ri. Watson, chaplain to the Right Honorable the Lord Hopton : to which is prefixed, a letter written by the Reverend Dean of St. Burien, Dr. Creyghton.

CHAP. IV. (Book 4)

That it exempts the Ministers from due punishment.

THirdly, if Ecclesiastick persons in their Pulpits or Assemblies, shall leave their text and proper work to turn incendiaries, trumpeters of * 1.1 sedition, stirring up the people to tumults and disloial attempts, in all well ordered Kingdoms and Common-wealths, they are punishable by the ci∣vil Magistrate, whose proper office it is to take cognisa•…•…ce of treason and sedition. It was well said by a King of France to some such sedi∣tious Shebas, 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 Oratours, who for controlling their Magistrates too sawcily in the Pulpit, have been turned both out of their Churches and Cities, without any fear of wresting Christs Scep∣ter out of his hand. In Geneva it self, the correction of Ecclesiastical * 1.2 persons (qua tales,) is expresly reserved to the Signiory. So much our Disciplinarians have out-done their pattern, as the passionate writings of heady men out-do the calmer decrees of a stayed Senate.

But the Ministers of Scotland have exempted themselves in this case from all secular judgement, as King James (who knew them best of * 1.3 any man living) wirnesseth. 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 e∣nough. It is an absurd thing, that sundry of them, (Commissaries) having no function of the Kirk, should be judges to Ministers, and depose * 1.4 them from their rooms. The reason holds as well against Magistrates, as Commissaries. To passe by the sawcy and seditious expressions of M^r. Dury, M^r. Mellvill, M^r. Ballcanquall, and their impunity. M^r. James * 1.5 Gibson in his sermon taxed the King for a persecutor, and threatened him with a curse, that he should die childlesse, and be the last of his race, for which being convented before the Assembly, and not appearing, he was onely 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 allegation, 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.

The case is famous of M^r. David Blake Minister of St. Andrews, who * 1.6 had said in his sermon,

that the King had discovered the treachery of his heart, in admitting the Popish Lords into the countrie. That all Kings were the devils barus, 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 •…•…ashion sake, but we have no cause, she will never do us any good He •…•…aid that the Queen of Englan•…•… (Queen Elisabeth) was an 〈◊〉〈◊〉 eist, that the Lords of the Session were mi•…•…creants and bri∣bers, that the Nobility were degenerated, godless, dissemblers, and enemies to the Church, that the Councel were holly glasses, cormo∣rants, and men of no Religion.

I ap eal to all the Estates in Europe, what punishment could be evere enough for such audacious virulence? The •…•…ish Ambassadour complains of it; Blake is cited before the Councel. The Commissione•…•…s of the Church plead, that it will be ill taken, to bring M•…•…ers in question upon such trifling delations, as incon∣sistent with the liberties of the Church. They conclude that a Decli∣natour should be used, and a Protestation made against those proceedings, saying it was Gods cause, whe•…•…ein they ought to stand to all hazards. Ac∣cordingly a Declinatour was framed and presented. Blake desires to be remitted to the Presbytery, as his O•…•…dinary. The Commissioners send the copie 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 publick prayers to God, using their best credit with their flocks for the maintenance thereof. The King justly incensed herewith, dischargeth the meeting of the Commissioners. Notwithstanding this Injunction they stay still and send Delegates to the King, to represent the inconveniences that might in∣sue. The King more desirous to decline their envy, than they his judge∣ment, offers peace. The Commissioners refuse it, and present an inso∣lent petition, which the King rejects deservedly, and the cause was heard the very day that the Princ•…•…sse Elisabeth, (now Queen of Bohemia) was Christened. The witnesses were produced, M•…•…. Robert Ponte in the name of the Church makes a Protestation. Blake presents a second De∣cli•…•…atour. The Councel decree that the cause being treasonable, is co∣gnoscible before them. The good King still seeks peace, sends mes∣sengers, treats, offers to remit; But it is labour in vain. The Ministers answer peremtorily by M^r. Robert Brace their Prolocutor, that the li∣berty of Christs Kingdom had received such a wound, by this usurpation of the rights of the Church, that if the lives of M^r. 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 fa∣vour of the Church, that M^r. Blake shall onely make an acknowledge∣ment to the Queen, and be pardoned. But M^r. Blake refuseth to con∣fesse any fault, or to acknowledge the King and Councel 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, •…•…ai e a tamult in Edenburgh, Petition, prefer Articles. The King de∣pa teth from the Citie, removeth his •…•…rts o•…•… J•…•…uice the people repent, t•…•…e Ministers persist, and seek to ingage the Subjects in a Covena•…•…t for •…•…utuall defence. One M•…•…. Wa•…•…sh in his Sermon tells the people, that the King was possessed with a devil, yea with seven devils, that the subje•…•…s might lawfully rise and take the sword out of his hands. The Seditious in∣couraged from the Pulpit, send a letter to the Lord Hamilton, to come and be their General He noblv refuseth, and sheweth their letter to the King. Hereupon the Ministers are sought for to be apprehended, and flie into England. The Tumult is declared to be trea on by the Estates of the Kingdom. I have urged this the mo•…•…e largely (yet as succinctly as I could) to let the wo•…•…ld see, what dangerous Subjects these Di•…•…ciplinarians are, and how inconsistent their principles be, with all orderly Societies.

Notes

• * 1.1

  〈◊〉〈◊〉
• * 1.2

  Eccl. Ord. pag. 14.
• * 1.3

  D•…•…c. 15•…•…
• * 1.4

  a Book di•…•…c. ch•…•…p. 11.
• * 1.5

  At Ed•…•…: 1587.
• * 1.6

  Minster •…•…∣vid B•…•… 1596.