Records of the Kirk of Scotland / containing the Acts and Proceedings of the General Assemblies from 1638 downwards, as authenticated by the clerks of assembly.

by Church of Scotland. General Assembly

IX. If these pretended Commissioners, both Lay and Ecclesiasticall, were lawfullie authorized, (as it is evident they are not,) and for none other cause declinable, yet the Law doeth admit, that justlie a Iudge may bee declined, who is probablie suspect. And of all probabilities, this is the most pregnant, when the Iudge, before hee come to judgement, doeth giue sentence of these things hee hath to judge. This made our Reformers Protestation agaynst the Councell of Trent valide; and their not compearing, justifiable, because Pope Leo 10 had precondemned Luther, as appeared by his Bull, dated 8 Iunii, 1520, renewed by Paul 3, dated in August 1535. This was the cause why Athanasius would not giue his appearance at some Councells, nor Hosius of Corduba, nor Maximus Patriarch of Constantinople. But so it is, the most part, if not all of the sayde Commissioners directed to this Meeting haue precondemned EPISCOPALL GOVERNMENT, and condemned, at least suspended Obedience to the Acts of the Generall Assemblie and Parliament, concerning the fiue Articles of Pearth, haue approven their COVENANT as most necessarie to be embraced of all in this Kingdome; and not onelie haue given judgement of these thinges before-hand; but by most solemne Oathes haue bound themselues, to defende and stand to the same: as doeth appeare by their Covenant, Petitions, Protestations, Pamphlets, Libels, and Sermons. And, therefore, by no Law nor Equitie, can these pretended Commissioners bee admitted to determine in this Meeting, concerning these Persons and Poynts, which before-hand they haue so vnjustlie condemned.

X. Farther: with no Law nor Reason can it subsist, that the same persons shall bee both Iudges and Parties. And wee appeale the Consciences of all honest men, if all, at least the greatest parte of the pretended Commissioners, haue not declared themselues Partie to the Arch-bishops, and Bishops, of this CHVRCH: for in that they haue declyned the Bishops to be their Iudges as beeing their Partie, (as their Declinators, Petitions, Declarations, and Protestations doe beare,) haue they not simul & semel, & ipso facto declared themselues to bee Partie agaynst Bishops? Whom they haue not onlie declyned, but persecuted by their Calumnies and Reproaches, vented by word and writ, in publicke and in private; by invading their persons, opposing and oppressing them, by strength of an vnlawfull Combination; for the subscrybing and swearing whereof, they haue by their owne Authoritie indicted and kept Fastes, not onelie in their owne Churches, but where worthie men refused to bee accessorie to these disorderlie and impious Courses, they haue, by ayde of the vnruly multitude, entered their Churches, vsurped vpon their Charges; reading, and causing to be read, that vnlawfull Covenant; by threatning and menacing, compelling some (otherwise vnwilling) out of just feare, to set their hands to it; by processing, suspending, and removing obedient and worthie Ministers from their places by the vsurped Authoritie of their Table, and Presbyteries. And whereas by all Law and Iustice, persons finding themselues wronged in Iudgement, haue never beene denyed the remedie of Declinatorie and Appellation: Neverthelesse not a few of these Presbyteries haue proceeded against sundrie worthy Ministers, who haue declined and appealed from their Iudgments, without respect to this Defence: by these means craftilie intending to disable them to be Commissioners for the CHVRCH; directlie, or indirectlie, causing their Stipendes to bee kept backe from them: By which meanes, not the least parte of the subscribing Ministers haue bene gained to their Covenant.

But it is without example, vncharitable, and illegall, that vnder the pretext of Summons (the like whereof was never vsed, nor in the like manner, agaynst the most haynous Malefactors in the kingdome) they haue devised, forged, vented, and published a most infamous and scurrile Libell, full of impudent Lies, and malicious Calumnies, against the Arch-bishops, and Bishops, of this CHVRCH: and haue first given out from their Table, the Order prescrybed in these subsequent Articles, which we haue insert, that the World may be Witnesse of the Illegalitie and Malicousnesse of their Proceedinges.

1. To desire the Presbyterie of everie Bishop, especiallie where hee keepeth his residence, as also the Presbyterie where his Cathedrals Seat is, to haue a speciall care of this Bill, and Complaynt agaynst the Prelates, and particularlie agaynst the Bishop of their Diocese.

2. That some Noble-men, if anie be within the Presbyterie, some Gentle-men and Barons, some Ministers, and some Commons, who are not chosen Commissioners to the Assemblie, in their owne Name, and in Name of all other Covenanters, or Complayners, eyther within the Presbyterie, or Diocese, or whole Kingdome, who are not Commissioners to the Assemblie, will adheare and assist in this Complaynt, that they present this Bill to the Presbyterie.

3. That they who are Complayners, haue a particular care to fill up the Blanks left in the Bill, in the Subsumptions of the particular Faults committed by the Bishop of the Diocese, agaynst these generall Rules, Canons, and Actes: or if these Blankes will not contayne the same, that the Complayners draw vp in a particular Clayme, all the particular Faultes, and Transgressions of the Bishop of that Diocese, agaynst these Rules, Canons, and Acts, or anie other Law of the Church, or Kingdome; and present the same to the Presbyterie, with this generall Complaynt. And if they can not get the Particulars presentlie readie, notwithstanding, they present without anie delay, because of the scarcenesse of the tyme, this Complaynt, as it standeth with the Blanks: and in the meane tyme, may gather anie other Particulars, agaynst the Assemblie, to which this Complaynt is to bee referred.

4. That the Presbyterie finding the Complaynt important, & the Generall Assemblie so approaching, referre the same to the Generall Assemblie, by an Act of this Reference, insert in the Bookes of the Presbyterie.

5. That vpon this Reference of the Complaynt to the Assemblie, the Presbyterie admonish the Complayners, apud acta, to be present at the sayde Assemblie, for assisting and verifying of the sayde Complaynt.

6. That the Presbyterie ordayne all their Pastors, out of Pulpit, on a Sabbath-day, before noone, to cause reade publicklie this whole Complaynt, and the Presbyteries Reference to the Assemblie; and so to admonish the Bishop of that Diocese, the Delinquent complayned upon, with the rest of his Collegues, to be present at the Gen. Assembly, to answere to the particular Complaynt, both in the particular and generall heads thereof, given, or to be given in; & to abide the censure & tryall of th’ Assemblie therevpon. And lykwyse, out of Pulpit to admonish all others, who haue interest eyther in the persuing, or referring this Complaynt, to be present, at the sayd Assemblie.

7. That the Presbyterie insert, in their Presbyterie-Bookes, the whole tenour of this Complaynt, both in the generall and particular heads thereof; and that they haue a care, to cause deliver, by their ordinary Beadell, to the Bishop of the Diocese, a Copie thereof, and a Copie of an Act, referring the same to the Assemblie; and summon him, to compeare before the Assemblie. And if he be within the Countrey, and cannot be personallie apprehended, to affix a full copie thereof vpon each dwelling place, and vpon the most patent doore of the Cathedrall Church, and Episcopall Seat.