II. A Lawfull Assemblie, must not onelie bee indicted by Lawfull Authoritie, (as wee acknowledge this to bee) but also constituted of such Members, as are requisite to make vp such a Bodie. For, if according to the Indiction, none at all doe conveane; or, where the Clergie is called, there meet none but Laicks; or moe Laicks, than of the Clergie, with equall power, to judge, & determine; or such of the Laicks, and Clergie, as are not lawfullie authorized, or are not capable of that Employment by their Places; or such as are legallie disabled to sit, and decide in an Assemblie of the Church. A Meeting consisting of such Members, can not be thought a Free and Lawfull Assemblie, by that Act of Parliament, Iac. 6. Parl. 3. cap. 46. 1572. Everie Minister, who shall pretend to be a Minister of God’s Word and Sacraments, is bound to giue his assent & subscription to the Articles of Religion, contayned in the Acts of our Soveraygne Lord’s Parliament; and in presence of the Archbishop, Superintendent, or Commissioner of the Province, giue his Oath, for acknowledging and recognoscing of our Soveraygn Lord, and his Authoritie, and bringing a Testimoniall in writ therevpon; and openlie, upon some Sunday, in tyme of Sermon, or publicke Prayers, in the Church where hee ought to attend, reade both the Testimoniall and Confession, and of new make the sayd Oath, within a moneth after his admission; vnder the payne, that everie person, that shall not doe as is aboue-appoynted, shall ipso facto be deprived, & all his Ecclesiasticall promotions, and living, shall be then vacant, as if he were then naturallie dead; and that all inferiour persons, vnder Prelates, be called before the Arch-bishops, Bishops, Superintendents, and Commissioners of the Dioceses, or Province, within which they dwell, as the Act beareth.
III. All of the Clergie conveaned to this Assemblie, pretend themselues to bee Ministers of GOD’S Word, and Sacramentes, and haue Benefices, or other Ecclesiasticall Livings, yet neverthelesse the most part of them, haue never in presence of the Archbishop, Bishop, Superintendent, or Commissioner of the Diocese, or Province, subscrybed the Articles of Religion, contayned in the Actes of Parliament, and given their oath, for acknowledging and recognoscing our Soveraygne Lord, and his Authoritie, and brought a Testimoniall thereof: And, therefore, they are, ipso facto, deprived, and their places voyde, as if they were naturallie dead, and consequentlie having no place nor function in the Church, can not be Commissioners to this Assemblie: hoc maximè attento, that the sayd persons not onlie haue never given their Oath, for acknowledging his Majesties Authoritie, nor can show no Testimoniall therevpon, as they are bound by the sayd Act: But also having as subjectes comprehended in the representatiue bodie of this Kingdome, “Promised to acknowledge, obey, mayntayne, defende, and advaunce, the Lyfe, Honour, Safetie, Dignitie, Soverayne Authoritie, and Prerogatiue Royall, of his Soverayne Majestie, his Heyrs & Successours, and Priviledges of his Highnesse Crowne, with their lyues, lands, and goods, to the vttermost of their power, constantlie, & faythfullie, to withstand all and whatsoever persons, powers, and estates, who shall presume, preasse, or intende, anie wyse to impugne, prejudge, hurt, or impare the same; and never to come in the contrarie thereof, directlie or indirectlie, in anie tyme coming; as the Acts of Parliament, Jac. 6. Parl. 18. cap. 1. Car. Parl. cap. 1. doe proport.”
And more-over, Being obliedged at their Admission, to giue their Oath, for performance of this duetie of their Alledgeance; “And to testifie and declare on their conscience, That the King is the lawfull Supreame Governour, as well in matters Spirtuall and Ecclesiasticall, as Temporall; and to assist and defende all Iurisdiction and Authoritie, belonging to his Majestie, by the Act of Parliament 1612.” Yet notwithstanding of the sayde Bandes, Actes, and Promises, whereby the sayd persons are so strictlie bound to the performance of the Premisses, his Majestie having ordayned, by Act of Councell, at Holie-Rood-House, Sept. 24. 1638. and Proclamations following therevpon, That all his Majesties Liedges, of whatsoever estate, degree, or qualitie, Ecclesiasticall or Temporall, should sweare and subscrybe the sayde Confession; together with a generall Band, for defending his Majesties person and authoritie, agaynst all Enemies within this Realme, or without, haue not onlie refused to subscrybe the sayd BAND and CONFESSION; but haue in their Sermons, and other Speaches, disswaded, deterred, impeded, and hindered others of the Liedges to subscrybe the same; and publicklie protested agaynst the subscription thereof: And therevpon can not conveane, nor concurre lawfullie, to the making vp of the bodie of an Assemblie of the CHVRCH, as being deprived and denuded of all place and function in the same.
IV. A Generall Assemblie was condescended vnto, out of his Majesties gracious Clemencie, and pious Disposition, as a Royall Favour to those that so should acknowledge the same, and acquiesce to his gracious pleasure, and carrie themselues peaceablie, as loyall and duetifull Subjects, which the Commissioners directed to this Assemblie, supposed to bee of the number of those that adheare to the last Protestation made at Edinb. Sept. 1638. doe not so account of, and accept, as appeareth by the sayde Protestation: whereby they protest, That it shall bee lawfull for them, as at other times, so at this, to assemble themselues, notwithstanding anie impediment, or prorogation, to the contrarie: as also by continuing their Meetings and Table, discharged by Authoritie, refusing to subscrybe the BAND according to his Majesties, and Councells, command, for mayntayning his Majesties Royall person, and authoritie, protesting agaynst the same; still insisting with the Liedges, to subscrybe the Band of mutuall defence, agaynst all persons what-so-ever, and remitting nothing of their former proceedinges, where-by his Maiesties wrath was provoked: thereby they are become in the same state and condition wherein they were before his Majesties Proclamation and pardon; and so forfayte the favour of this Assemblie, and libertie to bee Members thereof. And others of his Maiesties Subjectes may justlie feare to meete with them in this Convention, for that by the Act of Parliament, lac. 6. Parl. 15. Cap. 31. Prelacies beeing declared to bee one of the three Estates of this Kingdome, and by the Act of Parliament, lac. 6. Parl. 8. Cap. 130. All persons are discharged to impugne the dignitie and authority of the three Estates, or any of them in time coming, vnder the paine of Treason. And whereas the King by his Proclamation, declareth Archbishops and Bishops, to haue voyce in the Generall Assemblie, and calleth them to the same for that effect, as constantlie they haue beene in vse in all Assemblies, where they were present, as appeareth by manie Acts of the Generall Assemblie, ordayning them to keepe and assist at the same, as in the Assemblie at Edinburgh, December 15. 1566. At Edinburgh, March 6. 1572. At Edinburgh, May 10. 1586. And by a Letter, written by the Assemblie, March 6. 1573. to the Regent, earnestlie desiring his owne, or his Commissioner’s, presence, and the Lords of Councell and the Bishops, at the Assemblie. They notwithstanding by the sayde Protestation, September 22. declared Archbishops and Bishops, to haue no Warrand for their Office in this Church, to be authorized with no lawfull Commission, and to haue no place nor voyce in this Assemblie; and withall doe arrogate to their Meetinges, a Soveraygne Authoritie, to determine of all Questions and Doubtes that can aryse, contrarie to the freedome of the Assemblie, whether in Constitution and Members, or in the matters to bee treated, or in manner and order of proceeding. Which howe it doeth stand with his Majesties supremacie, in all Causes, and over all persons, wee leaue it to that judgement, wherevnto it belongeth; and doe call GOD and Man to Witnesse, if these bee fit Members of an Assemblie, intended for the Order and Peace of the CHURCH.
V. Giving, and not graunting, That the persons foresayde, directed Commissioners in name of the Clergie, to this Meeting, were capable of that Authoritie, and that the sayd Presbyteries had the authoritie, to direct Commissioners to the Generall Assemblie; yet haue they nowe lost, and fallen from all such Right, if anie they had; in so farre as they haue deposed the Moderators, who were lawfullie appoynted to governe them, by the Bishops in their Synodes, and elected others in their places, contrarie to the Act of the Assemblie at Glasgow, 1610, and Act of Parl. 1612; ordayning Bishops to be Moderators at these Meetinges; and in their absence, the Minister whome the Bishop should appoynt at the Synode. So these Meetings having disclaymed the Authoritie of Bishops, deposed their lawfull Moderators, & choosing others, without Authoritie, can not bee esteemed lawfull Convocations, that can haue lawfull power of sending out Commissioners, with authoritie, to judge of the Effayres of this CHVRCH.
VI. And yet doeth the Nullitie of the Commissions flowing from such Meetinges, farther appeare in this, That they haue associate to themselues, a Laicke-ruling-Elder, (as they call them) out of everie Session, and Parish; who beeing ordinarilie the lord of the Parish, or the man of the greatest authoritie in the Boundes, doeth over-rule in the election of the sayd Commissioners, both by his authoritie, and their number being moe than the Ministers, whereof some beeing ordinarilie absent, and fiue or six, or so manie of them, put in list, and removed, there remayne but a few Ministers, to voyce to the Election: and in effect the Commissioners for the Clergie, are chosen by Laymen, contrarie to all order, decencie, and custome observed in the Christian world; no wyse according to the custome of this CHVRCH, which they pretend to follow; the Presbyteries formerlie never associating to themselves Lay-Elders in the election of the Commissioners to the Generall Assemblie, but onlie for their assistance in Discipline, and correction of Manners; calling for them at such occasions, as they stoode in neede of their Godlie Concurrence; declaring otherwyse their meeting not necessarie; and providing expresselie, that they should not be equall, but fewer in number, than the Pastors: as by the Act of Assemblie at Saynct-Andrewes, Aprill 24, 1582, (where Master Andrew Melvill was Moderatour) doeth appeare: lyke as these fourtie yeares by-gone, and vpwardes, long before the re-establishing of Bisshops, these Lay-Elders haue not beene called at all to Presbyteries. And by the Act at Dundie, 1597; whereby it is pretended, That Presbyteries haue authoritie to sende these Lay-Commissioners, it doeth no wyse appeare, that those Lay-Elders had anie hand in choosing of the Ministers. And this is the onlie Act of the Assemblie, authorizing Presbyteries, to choose Commissioners to the Generall Assemblie: nor haue Lay-Elders sate ordinarilie in Presbyteries, vpon anie occasion, these fourtie yeares, and vpwardes: nor ever had anie place, nor voyce, in the election of Ministers, for the Generall Assemblie; and consequentlie, these chosen by them to this Assemblie, haue no lawfull power, nor authoritie.
VII. Beside; the persons Ecclesiasticall, pretended to be authorized Commissioners to this Assemblie, haue so behaved themselues, that justlie they may be thought vnworthie and vncapable of Commission to a Free and Lawfull Assemblie.
1. For that by their seditious and rayling Sermons and Pamphlets, they haue wounded the King’s Honour and Soveraygne Authoritie, and animated his Liedges to Rebellion; averring that all Authoritie Soveraygne, is Originallie in the Collective bodie, derived from thence, to the Prince; and that not onlie in case of negligence, it is Suppletive in the Collectiue bodie, as beeing communicate from the Commontie to the King; Cumulative, not Privative; but also in case of maladministration, to returne to the Collectiue bodie; so that Rex excisit jure suo, and that they may refuse Obedience.
2. Next; they are knowne to bee such as haue eyther beene Schismaticallie refractarie and opposite to good Order setled in the CHVRCH and STATE; or such as having promised, subscribed, and sworne Obedience to their Ordinarie, haue never made conscience of their Oath; or such as haue sworne, and accordinglie practised; yet contrarie to their Promise and Practise, haue resiled, to the contempt of Authoritie, and disturbance of the CHVRCH; or such as are vnder the Censures of the Church of Ireland, for their disobedience to Order; or vnder the Censures of this CHVRCH; or conveaned, at least deserving to bee conveaned before the Ordinaries, or a lawfull Generall Assemblie, for diverse Transgressions, deserving deprivation: As, first, For vttering in their Sermons rash and irreverend speaches in Pulpit, agaynst his Majesties Councell, and their Procedinges, punishable by Deprivation: by the Act of Assemblie at Edinburgh, May 22. anno 1590. Next; For reproving his Majesties Lawes, Statutes, and Ordinances, contrarie to the Act of Assemblie at Pearth, May 1. Anno 1596. Thirdlie; For expressing of mens names in Pulpit, or descrybing them viuelie to their reproach, where there was no notorious fault; agaynst another Act of the same Assemblie. Fourthlie; For vsing Applications in their Sermons, not tending to the edification of their present Auditorie; contrarie to another Act of the same Assemblie. Fiftlie; For keeping Conventions, not allowed by his Majestie, without his knowledge, and consent; contrarie to another Act of the same Assemblie. Sixtlie; For receaving of people, of other Ministers Flockes, to the Communion; contrarie to Order, Actes of Assemblies, and Counsels. Seaventhlie; For intruding themselues into other mens Pulpits, without Calling or Authoritie. Eyghtlie; For vsurping the Authoritie to convent their Brethren, and proceede agaynst them to the Censures of Suspension, and Deprivation. Nynthlie; For pressing the people to subscrybe a Covenant, not allowed by Authoritie; and opposing and withstanding the subscrybing of a COVENANT offered by his Majestie, and allowed by the Counsell: Beside manie personall faultes and enormities, whereof manie of them are guiltie, which in Charitie, we forbeare to expresse. But heereby it doeth appeare, how vnfit these persons are, to bee Members of a Free and Lawfull Assemblie.
VIII. Nor doeth it stand with Reason, Scripture, or Practise of the Christian Church, that Lay-men should bee authorized to haue decisiue voyce in a Generall Assemblie. In that Act of Dundie, 1597, whereby these Elders pretende to haue this place, there is no Warrand expressed for them, to deliberate and determine. Their presence and assistance wee approue, being allowed and authorized by the Prince. The Kings Majesties presence in person, or by his Delegates, wee holde moste necessarie to see all thinges orderlie and peaceablie done; and that hee haue the chiefe hand in all Deliberations and Determinations. Nor doe wee refuse, that anie Intelligent or moderate man, may make remonstrance of his opinion, with the reasons of it, in that way that becommeth him in a Nationall Assemblie; due reverence beeing kept, and Confusion avoyded. But that anie Lay-man, except hee bee Delegate by Soveraygne Authoritie, shall presume to haue a definitiue and decisiue Voyce, wee esteeme it to bee intrusion vpon the Pastorall Charge, and without Warrand. May wee not, therefore, intreat my Lord Commissioner his Grace, in the words of the Fathers of the Fourth Generall Councell at Chalcedon, Mitte foras superfluos? Nor will a pious Prince bee offended with it, but, with Theodosius the younger, will say, Illegitimum est, eum qui non sit in ordine Sanctissimorum Episcoporum, Ecclesiasticis immisceri tractatibus ________ And Pulcheria the Empresse, commaunded Strategus, Vt Clerici, Monachi, & Laici, vi repellerentur, exceptis paucis lilis, quos Episcopi secum duxerunt. Upon this respect was Martinus in that Councell of Chalcedon, moved to say, Non esse suum, sed Episcoporum tantum subscribere.