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THE
Fundamental Charter
O F
Presbytery ,
As it has been lately Eftablifhed
Kingdom of S CO TL A N %
Examin'd and Difprov'd,
By the Hillory , Records , and Publick Tranfa&ions of our Nation. -
£Efje S»eaon& CBc
To which is added., a
PRE FACE;
0
Wherein the Vindicator of the Kirk is
freely put in mind of his Habitual Infirmities;
And Contents of the whole.
Never before Printed.
By the Author of the Cypriajafc A
L O N D O N, °
Printed for C. Brome, at tjie Gm^ at the Weft End of St. Paul s Church-yard, 1697.
*
> J* 6 * <\ <l ^
THE
C O N T E NTS.
THE Article Page i.
The Examination comprized in 5 Enqui- ries .2.
Fsrfi Enquiry whither the Church oE Scot- land was Reformed, folely., by Prelby- ters - ;v
Prelates Concurred1 to cur Reformation 4.
Our Reform at} on mofily ,ferfor0edby Laiks 5*.
Second Enquiry > Whither our Reformer^- Presbyterians 8.
Hoe importance of this Enquiry ■ ib.
Four Prefumptions f^f our Reformtrj were not for the Divine Right of 'parity , ejrc. 9.
I Prelumption. No Juab Controverfie agitated
in the Protestant Churches ^ while ours was a Reforming ib.
II Prefump. Our Reformers as little employed about fuchContr over fits as any Reformers 1 4.
III Prefump. None of cur Reformers can be froven to have hen for the Divine Right cf farity, &c. if.
Some didnot indeed much value Holy Orders 16. Tiny declaimed generally againft popijl) B<B» 18. But as mu<;h aga'wfi Presbyters i<v
" • ■*'■ • rk
The Contents.
The Earl of Mu rray no Presbyterian 2 2»
Nor )ohn Knox, largely 24.
IV Prefump. Our Reformation cherijhed prin- cipally {under God) by Englifh influences 3 8.
Scotland naturally difpofed te be influenced from England 39.
How free of Foreign influences in the time of the Reformation 41.
How much K Henry 8th of 'Engl, earneft to have an inter eft in Scottiih affairs 4;,
Particularly to Promote a Reformation in Scot- land yj
How zealous the Papifts were of this 60.
K. E d wa r d purjued the fame iepqn 64 .
Englifh influences in Q^ Mary'* time 6f.
More 'vigorous in Q^ Elizabeth V time 67.
Our chief Reformers enlightned in Engl. 69.
None of them enlightned elfewhere 70.
Our Reformers in Communion with the Church cfEngland 71.
Even Knox. ; 75".
7 he En gl iih allowed of our Communion So.
Both Churches then, of one Confiitution ib.
Evident, from public k Deeds, Treaties, d^o.Si,
From the Scotti/h publick prayers 91.
Such an unity of Religion, then, between the two Nations, that our modern Presbyterian 9 cannot be the fuccejfors of our Reformers 95
Engiifli Liturgy ufed for 7 years in Scot- land 9^
Our Reformers allowed the fame power to the civil Magiftrate in Religious Matters, which the Englilh Reformers allowed 1 o r
Our Reformers agreed 7vith the Englifli Re- finers
The Contents.
formers in the Rule of Reformation 105*
A Recapitulation reprefenting the force of theft four preemptions 106
DireB proofs that our Reformers were for im- parity 107
All their Petitions for Reformation clearly for imparity 108
They eftablifhed a Government which fubffted by imparity amongft Paftors 119
The preheminencies {/Superintendents enunme- rated 120
The "Presbyterian pleas difpatched 140
1 Plea. That Superintendence7 was defin- ed only to be Temporary. Largely dfcujjed ib.
G.YL/s ftrange Divinity confedered 1^6
2 Plea. That Superintendents were not Bi- jhops3 largely dif cuffed 1^7
5 Plea. That Superintendency was never eft abided by Aft ofFarl. (being G. K.*s pleaj difcujjed 1 64
An Hijlorical introduction to the fettlemtnt of Epifcopacy, Anno 1^72 166
The Antient method of preparing ?natters for Scottifh Parliaments 183
The fettlcment of Epifcopacy An. 1 5*72 185-
The Presbyterian pleas againft that Settlement
187
1 Plea. Taken from the incompetency ef the Authority of the AJJembly at Leith, ttifcuf- fed ib.
2 Plea. That the Clergy were under force
the Court 3 largely difcujjed 1 92
3 Plea. The limit ednefs of the Epifcopacy then 'fettled, diffhujjed 199
* z 4 Plea.
The Contents.
4 Plea. That that Epifcopacy was never ap- proven by the Church 3 largely defeated 200
Bifhops^ then confiant Members of AJfemblies
201
That fettle ment approven by fever al AJJemblies
202
Largely purfued : And G. K. corrected 204
A Recapitulation of what hath been fold on thefevlQZS 226
The Rife and Prdgrefs </ Presbyterianifm #2 Scotland 217
Mr. Andrew Melvin ib.
JohnDurer 219
Epifcopacy j£r/£ quarrelled Aug. 6. 157 $■ 220
The Parity-men at that time defeated 221
Petrie expofed 223
Parity- men defeated alfo at the next Aff. hol- der, in April 1576 228
Trcbable, That Morton and {). Elizabeth were on the plot for introducing Presbytery into Scotland 252 257
Second Book of Difcipline when firfc project- ed 242
The Trelatifis very much ignorant, then, of true EceUfiaftical Antiquity ,&c. 245
Evident from the infiance of Adamfone 244
From their not challenging the unlearned pofitions in the zd Book of Difcipline 246
ijNfor the unlearned pofitions inBeza's Book, De Triplici Epifcopatu 247
Presbyterianifw weak at the AJJimbly holden in Octob. 15-76 2fo
Made no direct frogrcfs, in the AJf holden in April 1 $77 2 S3
Nor
The Contents.
Nor in thenext AJJI O&ob. 1 577 2 J j
Got two advantages this year ib.
Morton dimmed the Regency ib.
Beza'z Book brought to Scotland 2? 6
Made confiderable progrefs in the AJJembly, A- pril 24 1578 25*8
More progrefs in June 1^78 260
More, yet, in O&ob. 1578 261
More in July 15*79 265
Presbyteries fir ft heard of in this AJJI ib. Description of a Scottifh Presbytery 264 G. K'j. impudent ignorance expofedjin the Rife of Presbyteries 2.66
The Second Book of Difcipline not [worn to in the Negative Confejjion 270
Epifcopacy condemned in July 15*80 ib. The Acl cf the AJJl condemning it 27 1
A Recapitulation of what hath been f aid on the fecond Enquiry 272
A de?nonfration that Presbyterians are not the SuccefTors of our Reformers 275"
THIRD E N^UIR T whither Prela- cy, &c. a great and unfupportable Grievance, &c. ever fines the Refor- mation 277 Demonfirated that it was not ib. By Reafon ib. ByTefiimonies 278 It was no fuch Grievance for the frft 1 £ years after the Reformation 278 Nerfor 40 after thefe 15 280 No not to Presbyterians then f elves An, 1637 And downward 281
The Contents.
<4 challenge to the Presbyterians to produce any Evidence that Pielacy was fuch a Grie- vance, everfinceth? Reformation 286
G. K. s Jhamelefs ignorance, in his attempt, discovered 292
His ignorant impudence again dif cvered 292,
FOUR TH ENOUIRT, whiiher Pre- lacy, fuch a Grievance.&c. when the Article was formed 29 9
Probably, the Rabbling work, the Fund of the Ajfe rtion in the Article 296
The Author of 'Plain Dealings Arguments, a- bout the inclinations of the people defpifed
200
The Author of the 10 Queftions his Arguments vindicated againfi G. K. 501
The Farther Vindicators Arguments exa- mined 306
The Arguments infified m by the Author of the Third Letter^ vindicated againfi G. K.
310
G.K.'/ ridiculous limitations of the inclinati- ons of the people % 17
The Article reprefentedy with thefe limitations
520
G. K. j Argument for his fide of the Quefiion confidered 321
Some Quefiion s propofed for the clearer demon * (Iration of this Contr over fy 323
FIFTH EN^UIRT whither the
prerrulies in the Article, if true, would
be competent for inferring the Con-
elufion 327
1 Not
The Contents.
Not the firft3 viz,. The inclinations of the pec-
fie ib.
Not the fecond, viz,. That this Church was
Reformed by Tresbyters 331
Their Reafons probably chofen rather for their
popularity than their foUdity 333
Efyecially the latter ' to make the Prelatifts 0-
diousfor defer ting our Reformers ib.
Owned that in fome things 3 they have deferted
them 334
A Specimen of the principles efpoufed by our
Reformers, and rejected by the Epifcopal
Clergy 335-
Tarticularly Knox 338
A Specimen of his Evangelical prayers ib. He was a Frovidentialifi 339
A port apology for our deferting our Reformers in theje pr'mciples 343
TheTresbyterians have mere deferted them 346
I. in Matters o/Faith ib.
II. in Matters of Wor/hip 348 Our Reformers y for Fresbyterians againft Li- turgies ibic1, more particularly, our Mo- dem Presbyterians have deferted our Refer * mers 3^1
In the Prayers of the Church 3 jz
In the Lords prayer 3 5" ?
In the Creed in the ordinary Worfhip ib.
In the Reading of the Scriptures 3 $6
In the. office of public k Praife 3 5" 8
In the decent Circumftances of thefe office*
360 In the adminif ration of Baptifm 3 £ £
In the administration of the Eucharift 36^
Hi w
The Contents.
How ottr Modern Tresbyterians celebrated the
Eucharift ' . *.68
The ScUfmatkal conditions they are bound to
require of Communicants 3 75
A furpr'vung ScUfmatkal meafure taken by the
Vresbytery of Edenburg Anno 1648 &
1 649 37
In the celebration of Marriage 3 °2
In the Burial of the Dead 3°3
In the matter 0/ Ordinations 3 °4
In the way of Ele&ing Paftors l • &*
III. Inthe Divine of the Church 393 Inflames, wherein they have deferted their own
fecondBookcf Difcipline 394
IV. In ^government of the Church j96 In the Chunks making one 0/ tf« lnree in- flates of Varl I . 497.
^ Recapitulation of the Tresbytenan Recefi-
They have receded, in many thing*, Jrcm M other Reformed Churches ' '
The Authors deflgn in infixing fi much <m the* their Receftonsfrom our Reformers 4J4
J with for Peact _ *
The Article lyabh to manyotf$Wffim 4jg
Someinfiances
The Condujion
The
t
1
THE
PREFACE
THis Article, which I have now examined, was no fooner E- ftablifhed, in our Scottifh Claim of Rights than I turn'd ferious to fatis- fy my felf about it. I thought it concerned me as a Scottiflj man toun* derftand, as Well as I could, That which made fuch a Figure in the Or?- ginal Contra^ between King andPo>- ple. I thought I was no lefs concern'd as a Chrijlian^ to be Refolvd about its Merits : I perceiv'd it might rea- dily affeft my pra&ice. And tho I ab- hor, as heartily as any man, all break- ing of the Churches peace, for Rattles or Nutfhels } Yet I could not but reckon of it as a matter of Con* fcience, to me, to Endeavour to be lure that I built neither my Faitft b hoi
The Preface*
nor my Obedience, in a matter of fuch Confequence, as I take the Go- vernment oithe Church to be, on a Deceitful bottom. Perhaps I was bound to be inquifitive by fome o- ther Reduplications, not needful to be Named.
I had not fpentmuch Application about it, when I was fatisfied $ and thought I had Ground to hope, the Wifdcm of the Nation, after more Deliberate Refearches, might find it Reafonable, either to Reftore to the Church, Her Ancient and Jufi Go- vernment, or fettle the New One, on fome (at leaft) more Specious Bafiu But I was Difappointed. For
Three Sejfions of Parliament are now over 5 And the Article is fo far from being either Retraced or Cor- rected. that, on the Contrary, It hath been ftill infifted on, and Deem'd fufficient to fupport very weighty Superftru&ures. Each Sef- fion hath Erefted fome new thing or other, upon it.
This, with the importunity of fome Friends, at laft, Determin'd me to Enquire more fully and minutely
into
The Preface. *
into the value of the Article 5 And the Work hath fwell'd to fuch a bulk as you fee.
I confefs I cannot Apologize fuffici- ently for my adventuring to Expofe fuch ane illCompofureto thepublick views Efpecially Confidering how Nice and Critical, if not Picq't and Humorfome an Age we live in.
I ever thought that much of the Beauty* as well as of the Utility of Books, lay in Good Method, and a diftinft Range of Thoughts : And I cannot promife that I have obferved That, fo punctually, as Clearer Heads might have done.
I have lefs Reafonto be Confident of the Stile. Tis hard for moft Scot- tijh men to arrive at any tolerable Degree of Englifo Purity. Our great- eft Caution cannot prevent the Steal- ing of our own Words and Idioms in- to ourPens,and their dropping thence, into our writings. All things confi- dered, I have as little Reafon to think I have Guarded , or could Guard againft them, as any ScottiJI) man : For not only have mine op- portunities, all my life, been none of b 2 the
i.
J he Preface.
the beft } But, for finding Materials for the following Papers, I was ob- liged to Read fo many Books written in Right Broad Scotch^ and take fo many Citations from them, that 'tis little to be wondered, if my Booka- bounds with Scotticifms. I thought my fclf bound to be faithful in my Citations*: (and I can promife 1 have been thar I could not Reafon from the Authority of thefe Citations y without ufing the Terms andPhrafes which arein them: This, no doubt, makes the Scottkifms "Numerous: And Ifhali not deny that my familiar ac- quaintance with "thefe Books, toge- ther with the prejudices of Educati on, Cuftcm, and Confiant Converfe in the plain Scottifi DiakU^ may have occasioned many more.
Neither fhall I be over Confident, that where I have adventured to Reafon any point, I have done it to every mans Conviction. I may have been (as other men) apt to impofe on my felf, tfnd think I have advanc- ed juft propositions, and drawn fair Confequcnces, when I have not done No doubr, moft men have inch a
Kindnefs
Jht Preface. £
Kindnefs for themfelvcs, a?, too com- monly , inclines them to applaud their own thoughts, and judge their ownReafonings Juft and Solid, when they are but Coarfe enough 5 And b- thers may very eafily difcover where the miftakelies: Yet, this I can fay for my felf, I have done, what I could to Guard againft all fuch prejudice and partial By aft.
Senfible of thefe infirmities, I in- treat the Readers favourable and be- nign Cenfures. This I can tell him ingenuoufly 5 If I could have done better, I iliould not have Grudgd him the pleafure of it.
But, perchance, that which I am more concern d to account for, is, what Afliftances I had for what I have advanced, in the following Sheets, And, here, I muft Confefi, I had not all the Advantages I could havewifh* edi Such are my prefent Circum- ftances, That I could not Rationally propofe to my felf, to have Acceft to the publick Records, either of Church or State } And, no doubt, in this, I was at a Confiderable lofs : For he whoTranfcribes from Authen- b 3 tick
£ The Preface,
j tick Recordsj Doth it more Secure- ly, than he who has things only from Second hands.
Yet, I dont think this Difadvan- tage was fuch, as fhould have intire- ly Difcouraged me from the Attempt I have made: For fome of my Au- thors had Accefsto the publick Regi- fters 5 And I am apt to believe there was not much to be found, there, Relating to the Controverfies I have managed, which they have not pub- liftied 5 So that, tho 'tis poffible, I might have been better, yet I cannot think I was ///provided of Helps .* I cannot think any of my Presbyterian Brethren can be provided rxuch bet- ter, i
The principal Authors from which I have collected my Materials, are thefe 5 Buchanans Hiftory publiftied at Frankfort, Anno 1594 i^e's Hiftory, at Edenburgh, 1675-. K*nS James the Sixth's Works, in Englifh, at London, \6\6. Archbifhop Spotf- wood\ Hiftory of the Reformation of the Church of Scotland , at London, Anno 1655. His Refutatio Libel/i^&Lc, ]Lmd* An, 162c. The True Hiftory of
the
t
The Preface.
the Church of Scotland, &r\ faid to be written by Mr. David Calderwood , pnbHthed An. 1678. Mr. Petries Hi- fk'ory of the Catholicl^Church, fkc.Tom.z. printed at the Hague , Anno i*6?.. Sir James MelviVs Memoirs. The Old Scottifj Liturgy. The Lord Her- berts Hiftory of the Life of King Hen- ry 8 . Doftor Hey lin, and Doftor Bur- net's Hijiories of the Reformation of the Church of England. Calvin's Epi- (lies printed at Geneva^ Anno 161 7. Beza's Epiftles till the year 157 3. AUs and Monuments by Fox, 8cc.
T have likewife confidered our printed A&s of Parliaments. The printed AcJs of the General Affem- blie^ from the year 16^8. And as many Pamphlets as I could find, Re- lating to the Matters on which I in- fift : ' ris needlefs to Name them here „• You may find them named, asOcca- fion required, in my Book. There are two Books which I muft infift on a little.
One is A Manufcript Copy of the
A$s of our Scottijh Ajfemblies from
the year 1560 till the year 1616.
Our Presbyterian Brethren may be
b 4 ready
I he Preface.
ready to rejeft its Authority, if it Militates agamft them .• I give My Reader, therefore, this briet account of it.
It was tranferibed in the year 1638. when the National Covenant was in a flourifhing ftate 9 I or I find, at the end of it, the Transcriber's Name and his Defignation, written with the fame hand by which the whole M S. is written 5 And he fays, " He u began to tranferibe upon the 1 5 th "day of January 16 }8» and com- " pleated his work on the 23d of A- " pril, that fame year. He was fuch a Reader as we have commonly* in Scotland, in Country Parifties.
It is not to be imagined , ' it was tranferibed^ then, for ferving the Interefts of Epifcopacy •> For, as Pe- irie% and the Presbyterians, generally affirm, The Prelates and Prelatifts dreaded nothing more, inthofe days, than that the Old Regifters of the Kirk, (hould come abroad .• And it was about that time, that Mr. Pet tie got his Copy, from which he pub- liihed fo many Acts of our Old Ge- neral Afiemblies-' Nor is it to be
doubted
The Preface, *
doubted but that, asfeveral Copies, then, were, fo particularly, that which I have perufed , was tran- scribed for the Ends of the Good Old Caufe. This I am fure of, the Cove* nant as required, then, to be fub. fcribed, by the Green Tables, isfet down, at full length in the Mam- fiript. Befides,
The Stile and Language teftify that there is no Reafon to doubt, That the Ads of AfTemblies, which it con- tains, have been tranferibed, word for word, at firft, from the Authen- tick Records .• And if Caldemoad s or Petri/s Accounts of thefe A&s, de- ferve any Credit, My MS. cannot be reje&ed, for it hath all they have publifhed} and, for the moft part, in the fame Terms, except, where thefe Authors have altered the Language, fometimes to make it more fafliiona- ble and intelligible 5 fometimes to ferve their Caufe, and the Concerns or their Party.
It hath Chafms^ alfo, and Defe&s, where, they fay, Leaves have been torn from the Original Regifters: And I have not adduced many Afts
from
The Preface. from it, which either one, or both thefe Authors have not like wife men- tioned in their Hiftories.
Calderwood has indeed concealed very many, having intended,it feerns, topublifh nothing but what made for him ? thor I think, even in that, his Judgment hath not Efficiently kept pace with his Inclinations. Nay, , His Supplement , which he hath filbjoyn d to his Hiftory, as well as tbeHiftory it feifisteme, by his own Acknowledgment : For thefe are the \xry firft wTords of it : I have in the preceeding Hijiory only d fuch
A&s, Articles, and Anfwers to g)ue- fiions, as belonged to the Scope of the H/flory, and Form of Church Govern- ment 5 Some few excepted touching Cor* rnptions in the W or flip of God, or the Office and Calling of Minijiers. But becaufe there are other A&s and Arti- cles necejfary to be known , / have S E- LECTED fuch as are of greateji
^fi o PaJfi"& h fuch as were TEM- PORARY, or concerned only T E M- PORARY OFFICES, &c.
Here is a clear Confeffion that he has not given us all the Afts of Af-
femblies :
The Preface. femblies : Nay, that he has not gi- ven all fitch as concerned Temporary Offices^ and, amongft thefe, we (hall find him, in the following Sheets, more confidently than warrantably, reckoning Supertntendency and the Epifcopacy which was agreed to at Leith, Anno 1572.
I have mentioned thefe things, that the World may fee, it cannot be reafonable for our Presbyterian Brethren to infift on either Calder- woods Authority or Ingenuity againft my Mfs. How ingenuous or impartial he has been, you may have oppor- tunity to guefs before you have got through the enfuing Papers.
Petrie hath, indeed, given us a great many more of the Afts of Ge- neral AfTemblies than Calderwoodhzth done 5 as may appear to any who attends to the Margin of my Book : But he, alfo, had the Good Caufe to ferve 5 and therefore, has corrupted fome things, and concealed other things, as I have made appear : How- ever, he has the far greater part of what I have tranfcribed from the Mfs.
Spotfwood
it-
%. The Preface.
Spotfvoood hath fewer than either of the two Presbyterian Hiftorians -y yet fome he hath, which I find alfo in the M S. and which they have both omitted. In (hort,
I have taken but very few from it, which are not to be found in fome One or More of thefe Kiftorjans .• Neither have I adduced fo much as One from it, nor is One in it, which is not highly agreeable to the State and Circumftances of the Church, and the Genius of the times, for which it mentions them ; So that,
Upon the whole matter, I fee no rcafbn to doubt of its being a faithful Tranfcript: And I think I may jjuftly lay of it, as Opt at us {aid of another MS. upon the like occafion, Vetufias Mew bran arum tejli ionium per hi bet , &c. {opt at. Milcv. lib. i. f. 7. edit. Park 1569) It hath all the Marks of Antiquity and Integrity that it pre- tends to 5 and there's nothing about it that renders it fufpicious.
The other Book, which, I faid, required fome farther confideration is, The Hijiory of the Reformation of the Church of Scotland y containing five
Book/}
IK The Preface.
Books, &c. Commonly attributed to John Knox, by our Presbyterian Brethren. That which I have to fay about it is, chiefly, That Mr. Knox was not the Author of it.
A.B. Spotfaood hath proven this by Demonstration, in his Hiftory, ( pag. z6y.^) his Demonftration is, " That the Author, whoever he was, cc talking of one of our Martyrs, re* ct mitteth the Reader for a farther " Declaration of his Sufferings, to the " Afts and Monuments of Mr. Fox, which came not to light till fome twelve years after Knox's Death, Mr. Patricks Hamilton was the Mar- tyr 5 and the Reference is to be leen pag6 4. of that Hiftory I am 'now con- fidering. Befides this, I have obfer- ved a great many more infallible proofs \\\2xKnox was not the Author. I (hall only inftance in fome 3 or 4. Thus
Pag. 447. The Author, having fet down a Copy of the Letter fent by the Church of Scotland to the Church of England, (of which, more, by and by) " Tells how -the Engl/Jf? Noncon- cc formifts wrote to Bczar and Bez*
" to
The Preface.
c€ toGr/Wd/Bifhop of 'London*? which 4C Letter of BezastoGrindal, he fays, " is the Eight in order, amongft Be- " a&^s Epiftles .• And in that fame/? <zge, <c he mentions another of Bezas Let- cc ters to Grindal , calling it the cc Twelfth in Number.- Now, 'tis cer- tain £ez;^s Epiftles were not pub- liftied till the year 1573. *. e. after Knoxs Death.
It may be obferved alfo that he adds farther in that fame page, That The fincerer fort of the Minijiery in England, had not yet ajfaulted the Ju- rifdiSion and Church Government , (which they did not till the year 15724 at which time they publijhed their frjl andfecond Admonitions to the Parlia- ment) hut only had excepted againfh Super 'fiitious Apparel, and fome other faults in the Service Book. From which, befides that 'tis Evident, Knox could not be the Author , we may Learn from the Authors Confeffion, whoever he was, That the Contro- verfies about Parity and Imparity, &c. were riot fo early in Britain as our Presbyterian Brethren are earneftto have the prefent Generation believe. Again Pag,
The Preface. if*
Pag. 449 The Author, Narrating how Henry, Queen Marys Husband, &c was buried. Adds, in Confir- mation of his own Veracity, Thus. If there had been any Solemn Burial, Bu- chanan had wanted Wit, to Relate o^ therwife^ Seeing there would have heenfo many W'itnefjes to tejiijy the Contrary: Therefore, the Contriver of the late Hi* Jlory of ^ueen Mary, wanted Policy , here, to convey a Lie. Thus, I (ay, the Author vouches Buchanans Au- thority 5 And it muft be Buchanans Hiftory that he Refers to 5 For there's not a Syllable, about Henrys Burial, to be found in any of his other wri- tings, Now,
Not to infift on the incrediblenefs of Knox's running for Shelter to Bn* chanans Authority, concerning a matter of Faff fo remarkable in its felf, and which happened in his own time, in that very City in which he lived and was Minifter .• Not to infift on this I fay, Buchanan himfelf in his Dedication of his Hiftory to King James. 6th, Clearly decides the mat- ter.
He
f*
The Preface,
He tells his Majefty there were two Confederations which chiefly put him upon writing his Hiftory* Firft, " He perceived his Majefty had "Read,and Underftood the Hiftories "ofalriioftall other Nations 5 And <c it was incongruous and unaccoun- 41 table that he, who was fo well ac- quainted, with Foreign Affairs , 46 fhould be a Stranger to the Hifto- <c ry of his own Kingdom. Second- ly, He was intrufted with the Kings iC Education : He could not attend "his Majefty in that important Of- ct flee, by Reafon of his OldV^geand cc Multiplying infirmities ? He apply- *c ed himfelf, therefore, to write his " Hiftory , thereby, to Compenfe " the ijefe&sci his Ncn- Attendance,
And from both Reafons it is evi- dent, that Knox was Dead before Buchannan applyed himfelf to the writing of his Hiftory: For Knox dyed Anno 157a. K. jf awes was, then, but Six years of Age .• And is it Credible, that at that Age he had Read and got by heart, the Hiftories ofilmoft all other Nations? Indeed
Buchanan
The Preface*
Buchanan furvived Knox by ten years, And,for a good many of them was able to wait,and a&ually waited on the King 5 So that 'tis clear 'twas towards the end of his days, and af- ter Knoxs Death that he applyed himfelf to his Hiftory. And 'tis very well known, it was never publiftied till the year 1582. But this is not all
The Author of that which is cal- led Knox's Hiftory, adduces Bucha- nans Authority for Convelling the Credit of the Contriver of the Late Hiftory of Queen Mary, which was written, I cannot tell how long, af- ter Buchanan was Dead, as well as Knox. Further,
Fag. 306. The Author difcourfes thus, The Books of Difcipline have beefy of late^ fo often publifoed, that we Jhalt forbear to print them at this time. Now? there were never more than two Books of Difcipline:, and the Second was not fo much as projefted till the year 3576, i.e. 4 years after Knox had departed this life. Once more,
Pag. z$6. We. read thus, Some in France, after the fudden Death of c Francis
?X
fg, 7 be Preface.
Francis the Second , and calling to mind the Death 0/ Charles the Ninth, in Bloody and the Slaughter of Henry the Second, did Remark^the Tragical ends of thefe three Princes who had per- fected Gods Servants fo cruelly. - —
And indeed the following Kings of France, unto thk day% have found this true, by their unfortunate and unexpect- ed Ends. Now
Charles the Ninth died not till the 30th of May, Anno 1574. /. e. 18 Months after Knox. The following Rings of France who made the Un- fortunate and unexpected Ends were Henry the Third, and Henry the Fourth: Henry the Third was not Murthered till the year 1589. Henry the Fourth , not till May 161 c The former 17, the latter 38 years after the Death of Knox.
From this Tafte it is clear, that that Hiftory at leaft, as we now have it, was not written by Knox. All that can be faid with any Shadow of probability, is, that Knox pro- vided fome Materials for it. But Granting this, how (hall we be able to feparate that which is Spnriom in
it
The Preface.
it from that which is Genuine ? All I can fay is this.
Tis plain to every oile that Reads it, That he has been a thorough- paced Presbyterian, who framed it as we have it : By Confequence, its Authority is ftark naught for any thing, in it, that favours Presbytery^ or befpatters Prelacy : And if it ought to have any credit at all, it is only where the Controverfies about Church Government are no ways in- terefted 5 or where it mentions any thing that may be improven to the Advantages of Epifcopacy 3 juft as the Teftimonies of Adverfaries are ufeful for the intereftsof the oppofite party, and not an Are farther .* So that, I had reafon (if any Man can have it) to infift on its Authority, as I have frequently done } But no Presbyte- rian can, in equity, either plead, or be allowed the fame priviledge.
I could give the Reader a furfeit of inftances, which cannot but ap- pear, to any confidering perfon, to be plain and notorious Presbyterian corruptions, in it : But I fhall only reprefent 0//e,as being ofconfiderable c % mpox-
**: The Preface.
importance , in the Controverfie which I have managed in my Second Enquiry f, and, by that, the Reader may make a Judgment of the Authors Candor and Integrity in other things.
The Evglijh Non-conformijls, ZQ2L- lous to be rid of the VejtmmU\ and fome other Farms and Ceremonies re- tained by the Church of England, which they reckoned to befcanda- lous impositions, wrote earneftly (as is known ) to feveral Reformed Churches, and Proteftant Divines, befeeching them to interpofe with the Church of England for an eafe of thefe burdens. It feems they wrote to fome in Scotland zKo--, probably to Mr. Knox : He was of their acquain- tance 5 and they could not but be fecure enough of his inclinations, confidering how warm he had been about thefe matters at Francfort.
However it was, the Church of Scotland did adually interpofe. The General Aflembly, met at Edenburgh, Decern, 27. Anno 1566, ordered John Knox to draw a Letter to the Engliflj Clergy, in favour of thole l\on*conformij}s. This Letter was
fubferibed
The Preface. '
, fubfcribed and fent. Now, confider the Tricks of the Author of the Hi- y?<?rj/ attributed to Knox.
The Infer ipt i on of the Letter, as it is in Spotfwood, Petrie, and the Manu~ fcript Copy of the Ads of the Gene- ral Aflembly's, is this :
The Superintendents, Minijiers and Commifioners of the Church, within the Realm ^Scotland, To their Brethren the BiJ/jops and Pajlors of Fngland, who have renounced the Roman Anti- chrifi, and do profefs, Tilth then/, tie- Lord Jefus in fncerity, wij/j the increaj'e of the Holy Spirit.
. Thus, I fay Spotfwo d hath it 5 (pag. 1 98.) And the M V. and Petrie (Ton/. 1. p. 3 48. , have it in the Tame words 5 only where Spotfwood hath {_rvijh~\ they have [de/tre~] which makes no material Difference. But the fpuri- ous Knox has it thus. (pag. 445. )
Th? Superintendents, with other Mi - nijlers and Commijfioners of the Church of God, in the Kingdom 0/* Scotland, To their Brethren the Bifiops and Pa- Jlors of Gods Church in England, who profefs with us, in Scotland, the Truth of Jefus Chriji.
c 3 How
W.
f,% The Preface.
Now confider if there are not Ma- terial Differences between thefe two Infcriptions. By the Infcription, as it is in Spotfwood, Petrie, and the MS, the Dignity and Superiority of the ScottiJ/j Superintendents^ above the reft of the Clergy, is clearly prefer- ved : By the other account it is fadly obfeured } and they are made (at leaft very much) to ftand on a level with other Minifkers* &c.
By the Infcripion as in Spotfwood^ &c. The Sentiments Our Scottifl) Clergy had, then, about the Englijh Reformation, and Conftiiution, are very plain, genuine and charitable.- They were fatisfied, that the Bifhops and Paftors of *he Church of En- gland had Renounced the Roman Antu ckriji, and that they profeffed the Lord Jefus in SINCERITY 5 And they had for them , fuitably, the Chriftian and Brotherly Charity , which the Orthodox and Sincere Chriftians of one Church, ought to have for the Orthodox and Sincere Chriftians ol another Church : They rpified^ or defired to them, The In- creafe of the Holy Spirit. How highly
this
The Preface. ^%
this was agreeable to the fentiments of the then Proteftants in Scotland, I have made fully appear in the Difcuflion of my Second iinc[mrj% But,
To the Pfettdo-Knox, it feems, it lookt highly feandalous , to own , That the Bifhops and Paftors of England had Renounced the Roman Antichrifi, or that they profeffed the Lord Jefus in fincerity : How could thefe things be faid , fo long as they retained Antichrijis Hierarchy, or had fo many Rontifl) Mixtures > And therefore , to rvifo them the in- creafe of the Holy Sprit , was too bold a prayer 5 It was founded on a falfe hypothecs : It fuppofed they had the Holy Spirit already. How fuitable is all this to the Presbyterian temper and principles ? And , by confe- quence , is it not evident that thefe alterations were not the effefrs of negligence or inadveriencie , but pf the true Spirit of the party? Butthi* is not all.
In the body of the Letter, as recor- ded by the Pfeudo Knox , there are feveral other Corruptions : I (hall c 4 only
vA The Preface,
only point at one , but it is a confi- derable one.
The General AflTembly which fent > the Letter , after a Digreffion con- cerning the care that ought to be had of tender Confciences, &c. Re- fume their main purpofe , thus, We return to our former humble Jupplica- tion^ which k^ that our Brethren 9 who^ amongjlyou^ refufe thefe Romifh Rags , may find of you , who are the PRELATS^ fuch favour as our Head and Majier commandeth every one of hk members to Jhew tot another.
So it is not only in the MS. Spot/* wood and Petrie , word for word , but alfo in a virulent Presbyterian Pamphlet, called Scotidromus , di- rected to all Noble Scots and kind Ca- tholic ks zealous for the RomiJIj Reli- gion 5 written Anno 1638, to caft dirt, at that time, upon Epifcopacy, and render it odious to the People 5 which Pamphlet I have by me, in Manufcript: But
The Suppofititious Knox has it thus , Now again we return to our for- mer Requeji 9 which k , that the Bre- thren , ampngyou , who refufe the Ro- mifh
7 he Preface, 4*
rnifh Rags may find of you (not the PRELATES, but) who USE and URGE them , fuch favour , &c How > unfit was it for the world to know that a Scott ifb General Afleinbly had own'd the Bifhop's of England as PRELATES? It was fcandalous, no doubt, to the Godly: It was expe- dient , therefore , to jalfify a little , and foiji in more ufeful Epithets 5 to call them, not PRELATES , but USERS and URGERS of the Cere- monies.
I have infifted the longer on this Book , becaufe our Presbyterian Bre- thren are fo earned to have the world believe that it was written by Knox: Particularly G. R. I in his iirfk Vin- dication , Sec. in Anfiper to ghiejl. r. $. 8.) where, too, obferve by the way, how extravagantly that Author blun- ders. His words are^Anno 1559/rbe Vrotefiant Minifters and People held a General Affembly at St. Johnftown , faith Knox, Hijl. Lib. 2. p. 137.*] Now there is not fo much as onefyllable of a General Affembly in the Text. Upon the Margin , indeed , there are thefe words [The frfi Affembly at
St.
*&tC The Preface.
St. Johnftown] But no Presbyterian, I think , (unlefs he is one of G. R . s kind) will be fo impudent as to fay- that all that's on the Margin of that Book was written by Knox. And that Meeting which was then at Perth, was nothing like that Court, which we call a General AfTembly .• But enough of this.
To conclude , thoJ I am firmly perfwaded that Knox was not the Author of this Hiftory , yet becaufe it pafles commonly under his name , I have ftill cited it , fo , on my Margin. The Edition I have ufed , is that, in 4*0, publifhed at Edenburg, Anno 1644.
The other Treatifes attributed to Knox (and I know no Reafon to doubt their being his) from which I have cited any thing , are in ane Appendix to the Hiftory.
I have not made it my work to cite Afts of Parliaments, and reprefent the favourable countenance Epifco- pacy hath had from the State, fbmuch, as to confider the fentiments of our Reformers, and thofe who fucceeded them , in their Ecckjiaftkal capacity}
part-
The Preface. .«# &.
partly, becaufe the A&s of Parlia- ment have been diligently colle&ed before 5 Particularly , whofo pleafes may fee a goodly train of them,from the year 1560 till the year 16 17 in the Large Declaration pag. 3 33 , &c. Partly , becaufe our Presbyterian Brethren , are in ufe to infift more on the Books ofDifcipline , and the ASs of General Affeniblies , &c. than on Atts of Parliaments.
One advantage, (amongft many difadvantages) I think, Ihave, it is, that the Authors I have mod frequent- ly cited , were Presbyterians , by confequence,