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Protestantism in Scotland - James Aitken Wylie

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Chapter 15<br />

Charles I and Archbishop<br />

Laud--Religious Innovations<br />

ALONG with his crown, <strong>James</strong> VI bequeathed<br />

one other gift to his son, Charles I. As <strong>in</strong> the<br />

ancient story, this last was the fatal addition which<br />

turned all the other parts of the brilliant <strong>in</strong>heritance<br />

to evil. We refer to the Basilicon Doron. This work<br />

was composed by its royal author to supply the<br />

pr<strong>in</strong>ce with a model on which to mold his<br />

character, and a set of maxims by which to govern<br />

when he came to the throne.<br />

The two lead<strong>in</strong>g doctr<strong>in</strong>es of the Basilicon<br />

Doron are,<br />

1st, the Div<strong>in</strong>e right of k<strong>in</strong>gs; and,<br />

2nd, the anarchical and destructive nature of<br />

Presbyterianism.<br />

The consequences that flow from these two<br />

fundamental propositions are deduced and stated<br />

268

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