our glorification hereafter as is manifest by the words of the holy Ghost Exod. 31.13 It shall be a signe betweene me and you that I the Lord doe sanctifie you and that of the fourth to the Hebrewes A rest is left to the people of God wherein we should studie to enter For this wee must hold that whatsoeuer vse vnder the Law was proper to the Iewes Sabbath wherein now vnder the Gospell both Iew and Gentile haue interest remaynes yet proper to the Lords Day that succeeded thereto And in that respect this Day differs from all other Dayes being obserued not for policie and order only but for diuine institution and the religious vse whereunto it is appropriate that is to bee a memoriall First of the Creation as hath beene said because after our sixe dayes worke we rest on it being the seuenth as God did from the workes of the Creation Secondly of the Redemption because on it the Lord arose and perfected that worke and thirdly to be a signe of our sanctification namely that God who hath chosen and sanctified vs to be his people and whom we worship is God the Creator who in sixe dayes created the World and rested the seuenth and God the Redeemer who rose on this Day and hauing abolished sinne and death did bring in righteousnesse and life and God the holy Ghost by whose power hee did rise and by whose power we hope also to be raised againe Vnto this holy and religious vse this Day is appropriated whereunto no other Day besides can bee applyed That to conclude the Church hath power to appoint times for the publike worship of God and to appoint such a kind of worship as shee thinketh most expedient to bee vsed on these times for edification although shee hath no power to make the obseruation of any time a point of Gods worship or to appropriate thereto any part of his worship Finally to end this point of the power of the Church when the people are conuened in the ordinarie place and at the times appointed the Scripture hath not set downe whereat the Pastour should beginne how hee should proceed and wherewith hee should close vp this Seruice as whether hee should beginne with singing of Psalmes or praying or reading or preaching and when hee prayes with what petition he shall beginne what he shall subioyne next and so forth what order he shall obserue in baptizing and celebration of the Supper in Marriage in censuring of notorious offenders by Excommunication in Absolution and to bee short in all such other points of Doctrine Discipline and Diuine Seruice there is nothing particularly prescribed Although the substance of all be in the Word yet the order disposition forme and manner are left to be determined by the Church Many of which points are of farre greater moment then any of the Articles concluded at Perth Thus much for the power of the Church We come now to the extent of this power It is certaine that this power cannot reach to any thing essentiall or materiall in the worship of God but to the decencie The Church hath power to determine generall circumstances necessary for Gods worship and order only which is to bee obserued for edification in the circumstances aboue specified Let all things bee done decently and in order saith the Apostle The things themselues that are to be done are partly specified in that same Chapter where this rule is giuen and in the word else-where they are fully and particularly expressed and not left to be prescribed according to the will and iudgement of the Church but by this Precept a power is giuen only to the Church to prescribe the decent manner forme and order how they should be done And so to determine the circumstances which are in the generall necessary to bee vsed in diuine worship but not particularly defined in the Word So by warrant of this Precept the Church hath no power to forme new Articles of Faith new Precepts of Obedience new Petitions of Prayer new Sacraments or new Rites and Ceremonies such as Salt Oyle Spittle Chrisme Ashes holy Water Lights and innumerable such other things which cannot be reduced to any circumstances that in the generall are of necessary vse wherein the Church of Rome abusing her libertie hath laid vpon the Christian Church a burthen of Rites no lesse intollerable then the Legall Ceremonies yea and haue imposed them to bee obserued not onely as things belonging to policie and order but as parts of diuine worship which we of the reformed Church reiect esteeming all that to bee will worship which men impose to be obserued as necessarie points of the seruice of God which himselfe hath ordayned in his Word Further The Lawes that the Church makes in their matters are alterable because the Ceremonies and circumstances left to the determination of the Church cannot alwayes be one and the same by reason of the diuersity of Ages Times People and Nations touching them no constant Law can bee set downe as is acknowledged in the one and twentieth Article of the Confession of our Faith confirmed by Parliament but altered they may be and altered they should be when necessitie requires In which case Charitie sayes Caluine can best iudge what is most expedient Hanc si moderatricem patiemur salua erunt omnia The power of the Church being thus limited The obedience due to the Ordinances of the Church it is without controuersie that the Canons made by her touching the circumstances that in the generall are necessary for the worship of God ought to bee obeyed so long as they stand vnchanged or abrogated not because they contayne in them any substantiall or materiall part of Religion or that they haue in them any diuine Authoritie as the Commandements of God which in conscience bind to obedience but because in them an order is established tending to vnitie and peace whereby confusion scandall and Schisme is eschewed and because the power of the Church whereby these Lawes are made is the Ordinance of God and confirmed by the authoritie of his Word commanding vs to obey them that are set ouer vs in the Lord the Canons of the Church must be obeyed for reuerence of the Ordinance and Commandement of God which is the onely direct and immediate obiect of our conscience and the religious band that tyes vs to the obedience of euery humane ordinance for conscience sake But because many excuse their disobedience with a pretext of conscience I will shortly set downe the rules of conscience that by the Word of God we are obliged to follow in our actions The first is whatsoeuer is commanded The rules of Conscience or forbidden in the Word expresly or by necessary consequence ought to be obeyed The next is whatsoeuer is commanded or forbidden by the Lawes and Ordinances of our Superiours Ciuill or Ecclesiastique the same if it be not contrarie to Gods Word should be obeyed by reason of his expresse
themselues the Seruants of the Church for him PP When their worthy brethren were banished imprisoned confined or detayned at Court that they might the more easily effectuate their purposes ANS Their worthy brethren I may truely say were banished imprisoned confined and detayned at Court sore against their wils who wish that good brethren then had beene and now were lesse addicted to singularitie of opinion and more inclined to the peace vnity of the Church And that they would put difference betwixt indifferent things in Discipline and doctrinall points and consider that in the one we must stand for veritie and in the other for expediencie which changeth with times places and occasions That the forme of gouernment meete for a Parochiall or Diocesian Church such as Geneua or Berne is not fit in all respects for the vniuersall or for a Nationall Church That at the beginning of the reformation sundrie circumstantiall Ceremonies were changed or abolished for Superstition which now tending to edification and preseruation of Gods worship from prophanenesse and to make conformitie and vnitie both with the Primitiue and reformed Churches may be lawfully and profitably receiued That antiquity in such things and vniuersall consent not repugnant to veritie is farre to be preferred to new and recent conceits and customes of priuate persons and Churches These things the Bishops would wish from their hearts had beene and were better pondered by brethren and that for such matters wilfull contradiction bitter contention and disobedience had not brought them vnder the censure of the Lawes and power of authoritie PP They haue broken the caueats made with their owne consent violated their promises and haue sought preheminence both in Church and Common-wealth with the ruine of others and renting of their mothers belly ANS Neither haue yee nor can yee alledge any promise made by them violated or caueat broken that hath nor beene abrogated by posterior Acts of lawfull Assemblies as beeing contrary to the lawfull power of their calling Neither haue they sought preheminence in Church nor Common-wealth but that which according to Lawes Ciuill and Ecclesiasticall belongs to their Function The restitution whereof if they had not craued they had beene Traytors both to the Church and Common-wealth against the which some brethren standing out too contentiously haue inuolued themselues in vnnecessary troubles and haue pressed with you to rent the belly of their Mother the peace and vnitie of the Church with Schisme PP We haue notwithstanding beene so silent hitherto that the World hath iudged our silence rather slumbring and slouthfulnesse then true patience ANS If you be the man who is pretended to bee the penner of this Pamphlet your silence hath not beene so great as is heere alledged for both by writing and word ye haue bin euer vttering your miscontentment with great acerbitie against the persons and function of your brethren and his Maiesties good and godly intentions wherein yee haue studied more to please the World then to procure the weale of the Church with the honour of God and obedience of your Prince PP They are not satisfied with the wrongs alreadie committed but doe still prouoke vs with new irritant occasions ANS Many men of your humour are crabbed without cause who being in the gall of bitternesse count right wrong and good to be euill and seeke occasions where none are offered to spue out their choler PP And specially by obtruding vpon vs superstitious Wil-worships and polluted inuentions of men ANS What was concluded in a lawfull Assembly was not obtruded and by Gods grace in the answere to your Pamphlet it shall bee manifest that the Assembly hath condemned all polluted inuentions of men and all superstitious Wil-worships and that your selfe is a very superstitious Dog matist of Wil-worship PP It behooueth vs therefore to set pen to paper and say somewhat for the surer stay and better information of Professors tenderly affected to the sinceritie of Religion least they bee deluded with the glorious name of a pretended and new Assembly or seduced with Temporizers swallowing vp all abominations or corruptions whatsoeuer ANS Let the Christian and gentle Reader consider what information good and sincere Professours may expect from such a poysonable pen that beginneth to fill vp the paper with such venemous words calling the lawfull meeting of the Church a pretended new Assembly his brethren of the Ministery Seducers Temporizers Swallowers vp of all abominations or corruptions whatsoeuer for whom wee answere Multi sint licet impotentis irae Pellem rodere qui velint caninam Nos hac à scabie tenemus vngnes PP The meanes of printing and publishing are to vs verie difficile ANS The Quarter-masters and Collectours of the voluntary Contributions through Fyiffe Lowthiane Edinburgh and other parts of the Land for setting forth of this worke say that you haue no cause to complaine And if in times comming your paines bee as well recompenced this trade of penning printing and publishing shall bee more gainfull then your stipend was for your Ministery PP We wish therefore euery good Christian to take in good part our meane trauels ANS Although your trauels had no other fault but that they were meane yet your cessation from better businesse cannot be excused but they being withall seditious and pernicious no good Christian will take them in good part PP And not impute to vs the want of good will but of meanes if they be not serued hereafter continually after this manner Wee shall bee readie God willing for our owne part as need shall require and opportunitie will serue to defend the cause wee maintayne against any of our Opposites their Answeres or Replyes whatsoeuer worthy of answere ANS I hope no man who readeth this Pamphlet will impute to you the want of good will to doe euill that is of a wicked will to furnish fewell to the fire of dissention in the Church And if by your Thrasonicall boasts and brags you can perswade these whom for want of sufficient knowledge and faith yee delude and seduce with subtile Sophismes and superstitious feares to furnish meanes that is money for penning and printing as they haue done profusely for setting forth this Rapsodie there is no doubt but Answeres shall come forth vpon Answeres Defences vpon Defences Replyes vpon Replyes vntill yee haue wearied the World with your vanities PP We haue seene of late some Pamphlets which haue rather exposed their Authors to laughter and contempt then deserued any serious confutation ANS It is the nature of enuifull arrogance by contemning and laughing at others to hunt her owne prayse Sed facilis cuiuis rigidi censura cachinui PP In the Epistle before 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his Maiestie protesteth vpon his honour that hee misliketh not generally all Preachers or others who like better of the single forme of policie in our Church then of the many Ceremonies in the Church of England and are perswaded that their Bishops smell of a Papall
Supremacie that the Surplice the Corner-cap and such like are the outward badges of Popish errors and that he doth equally loue and honour the Learned and graue men of these opinions ANS If yee had imitated this most Christian example of your gracious Soueraigne you would not for errour of wilfull opinion haue turned your loue into batred and your reuerence into contempt of your brethren PP His Maiestie vseth this prouision that where the Law is otherwise they preasse by patience and wel-grounded reasons either to perswade all the rest to like of their iudgement or where they see better grounds on the other part not to be ashamed peaceably to incline thereunto laying aside all preoccupyed opinions ANS If yee approue this prouision as yee seeme after to doe seeing a Law standeth in our Church neither reduced nor abrogated against your opinion why is your patience turned into passion your welâ—grounded reasons into vnreasonable raylings And considering at the Assembly in Perth the grounds whereupon the Law was made were esteemed by the votes and iudgements of more then double your number better then any answere or reason brought on the contrary why are yee ashamed peaceably to incline thereunto laying aside all preoecupyed opinions PP Wee are able to prooue that no Ecclesiasticall Law hath beene made in any free and formall Assembly for the alteration by-past or presently intended either in Gouernment or Ceremonies ANS What you are able to proue we know not but vntill the time the probation be made and the Church which made the Lawes being better informed alter or abrogate them it it is the duty of euery good and peaceable Christian to giue obedience thereunto except they bee manifestly damned in the Word as impious for there can be no peace nor vnitie in a Church where there is not a Conformitie obserued according to Lawes for if one shall follow the Law another his owne opinion contrary to the Law and the third some conceit different from both what can follow but contention and confusion in the Church PP The ratification of ciuill Lawes alreadie made or to bee made cannot rectifie the Eccesiasticall so long as we are able by good reason to impugne their authoritie and to euince the vicious constitution the informall and vnlawfull proceedings of those Assemblies where the said Ecclesiastical Lawes are said to haue beene made ANS That which is right needeth not to be rectified such the Estates of Parliament haue found the Canons of the Church which they heue ratified but yet forsooth so long as you are able to impugne their authoritie euince them to be vicious informall vnlawfull So long neither can the authoritie of the Parliament nor Church make them to haue force but all must be suspended vpon your skill and learning to proue and improue as you list Whereof this smelleth whether of plaine sincerity or of Papall Supremacie let the Reader consider PP Put the case that no exception might bee made against the Law his Maiesties prouision permitteth vs to perswade others with well grounded reasons ANS If no exception might bee made against the Law what well grounded reason can be vsed to perswade the contrary His Maiesties prouision is as farre contrary to the permission here alledged by you as light to darknes for although his Maiestie wish these who are contrary minded to preasse by patience and well grounded reasons to perswade all the rest to like of their iudgement yet hee permitteth them not to perswade others to resist to the authoritie to breake the Law of the Countrey to stirre vp Rebellion and Schisme which you by this Pamphlet doe only intend but by the contrary willeth them in these words which you purposely omit To content themselues soberly and quietly with their owne opinions not resisting to the authoritie nor breaking the Law of Countrey neither aboue all stirring any Rebellion or Schisme c. but to possesse their soules in peace If such licence were granted as you alledge was giuen by his Maiesties prouision there should neuer bee any setled order in Church or Common-wealth a doore being opened to seditious spirits to disturbe all with such perswasions and disswasious as are vsed in this Pamphlet PP The verity of our Relations and validity of our Reasons we referre to the tryall of euery Iudicious Reader making conscience of his Oath Promise Subscription and Purity of his Profession ANS If the Iudicious Reader holding the puritie of his Christian Profession lay aside all other preiudice and be not meued with these Pannicke terrours of Oathes and Promises which he neuer made and of Subscriptions which hee neuer gaue he shal try and find the greatest part of your Relations to be vttered out of passion whereby the sincerity of the truth is corrupted and in your Reasons such validity as sophisticall captions and cauillations can afford A TRVE NARRATION OF THE PROCEEDINGS of the generall Assembly holden at Perth and begun the 25. day of August 1618. Opposed to the Libeller his Discourse thereof in the Pamphlet lately Published TO the end the true causes of this meeting may be vnderstood wee must draw the occasion thereof somewhat further off then the Proclamation mentioned by the Libeller So it is That his Maiestie at his late beeing in this Kingdome did propone to the Bishops and principall Ministers who were called to meete at S. Andrews for that effect the tenth of Iuly 1617. the fiue Articles now concluded desiring they might be receyued in this Church and an alteration made of the other customes that obtained before in these points This proposition was made by his Malestie himselfe in the Chappell of the Castle where then his Maiestie remained Vpon the hearing whereof humble petition was made by the Bishops and Ministers there assembled that they should bee permitted to conferre amongst themselues vpon the said proposition before they gaue any answer Which being graunted they went and met together in the Session house of the Paroch Church where after mature deliberation it was concluded they should put vp one common Supplication to his Maiestie for libertie of a generall Assembly to aduise and take conclusion in these poynts It being signified vnto them at the same time by the Archbishop of S. Andrewes that his Maiesty would take this for a shift and not content with the Supplication vnlesse assurance were giuen that the same Articles should be yeelded vnto in the Assembly Answer was made by the whole number That howsoeuer they could not preiudge themselues of their free voyces in an Assembly by graunting the said Articles before-hand considering they were matters in themselues lawfull and of a nature indifferent as they could not thinke but the whole Church would bee readie to giue his Maiestie satisfaction therein so for themselues they would doe what lay in them for passing the same And this they all desired the said Archbishop in their names to answer But hee denying to promise any thing in the behalfe
command Obey them that haue the rule ouer you and submit your selues Heb. 13. And againe Submit your selfe to euery ordinance of man for the Lords sake 1. Pet. 2.13 To this appertaynes lawfull customs hauing the force of a Law where there is no written Law Thirdly touching things that are free and are neither determined by Ciuill nor Ecclesiasticall Constitutions we haue this rule Let euery man stand fully perswaded in his owne minde that he may doe or omit that which hee intends without the offence of God or his Neighbour but hee that doubts is damned for whatsoeuer is not of Faith is sinne Rom. 14. These are the rules of conscience set downe in the Word concerning which it is to be obserued that the first rule is absolute and the second and third subiect to it The Lawes of men and their opinions must be tryed and iudged by the Law of God for as the Apostle sayes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Act. 5.29 that is We must obey God rather then men As for the priuate iudgement of euery mans conscience it is subiect to both the two former rules That the iudgement of our minde must giue place to Gods Law no man doubts And that it ought to giue place vnto Constitutions Ciuill or Ecclesiastical no man should doubt that knowes how God by his Word hath ordayned that euery soule should be subiect to superiour powers It may be obiected What if wee doubt whether the thing commanded in the law of man bee lawfull and expedient may wee obey thus doubting seeing the Apostle sayes that Whatsoeuer is not of Faith is sinne Vnto this the answer is casie first touching the lawfulnesse of that which is commanded in a Law no man ought to doubt except hee bee able to proue euidently that the Law is vnlawfull by the Law of God which if hee doe hee must follow the first rule and rather obey God then men Next as for expedience Rom. 14 The things committed to the iudgement of our conscience and which according to our faith and perswasion wee ought to doe or omit are not things determined or concluded by any diuine or humane Constitution but such things as are free and indifferent which a man may freely elect or reiect In matters of expedience where a lawful Ordinance is set downe the same ought to be the rule of our conscience doe or leaue vndone without transgression of any Law Diuine Ciuill or Ecclesiasticall In such things the Apostle willeth euery man to follow that which hee thinks most expedient for edification and eschuing of scandall Where a man hath not a Law his iudgement is the rule of his conscience but where there is a Law the Law must be the rule As for example before that Apostolicall Canon that forbad to eate bloud or strangled things euery man might haue done that which in his conscience he thought most expedient according to the circumstances of times places and persons In presence of the Iewes hee might haue abstayned from these things if in his heart hee thought it most expedient for eschuing their offence Contrariwise in presence of conuerted Gentiles he might haue eaten if hee esteemed that by his abstinence they would haue taken offence and doubted of their Christian libertie but after the making and publication of the Canon that inioyned abstinence the same was to rule their consciences And therefore after that time albeit a man had thought in his owne priuate iudgement that to abstayne from these things was not expedient because some by his abstinence might haue taken offence as before yet in that case he ought not to haue eaten because now the will of the Law and not the iudgement of his owne mind was the rule of his conscience Neither was hee now to respect the scandall because it was remoued by the Law for by obedience to a lawfull Ordinance no man giues scandall and if any take offence both the cause and occasion thereof is the peruersnesse onely of the person offended Tertullian saith well Res bona neminem offendit nisi malam mentem that is A good thing such as obedience can offend no man but an euill minde which must bee reformed by good information and not by disobedience which confirmeth errour and causes rebellion Caluin in his 363. Epist written to Oleuian giues many reasons wherefore the comfort of the Sacrament ought not to be refused to the sicke in time of extremitie and declares that in his owne iudgement he thought it expedient not to refuse the same yet he subioynes Scis frater alium esse apud nos morem fero quia non est vtile contendere that is Yee know Brother wee haue another custome I beare with it because I thinke not good to make contention Here Caluin preferreth the custome of Geneua to his owne iudgement and will leaue that vndone which he thought expedient to be done rather then by doing it and infringing the custome of the Church to make contention What then shall wee doe ill that good may come of it for is it not euill to omit that which we thinke expedient to bee done and that ought not to be refused to the end good may come of it namely peace preserued and contention eschued To this I answer The euill which the Apostle forbids is a thing simply vnlawfull in it selfe and not that which in one respect may be expedient and in another inexpedient As to giue the Sacrament to the sicke is expedient for their comfort but to giue it contrary to the order of the Church is not expedient In things of this nature Ex duobus malis minus eligendum est that is Of two euils the least must be chosen It is euill to refuse the comfort of the Sacrament to the sicke but it is worse to giue it against the custome of the Church and make contention I must therefore in this case choose the least euill and not giue the Sacrament because thereby the greater euill being eschued the lesse ceasseth to bee euil and becommeth good It is doubtlesse an euill thing to cast our goods in the Sea but it is worse to lose our liues Here the least euill is to bee chosen for the eschuing the greater and in that respect it ceasses to be euill Thus the rule holds in all things of this quality when that which is euill is not vnlawfull and vnhonest but vnexpedient and vnprofitable And so to returne Caluine for this cause preferres the custome of Geneua to his owne iudgement in a matter of expediencie for it is euer more expedient to obey a Law and keepe a lawfull Custome then to doe a thing thought more expedient if it cannot be done but by an open breach of the Law because thereby the Law must be brought in contempt priuate opinion preferred to publike authoritie and so confusion contention and Schisme brought in and order peace and vnitie shoot to the doore To conclude in matters of expediencie where a Law
iudgement incline hee must render himselfe obedient to the Constitutions of the Church in which he liues And there is a great difference betweene decerning and discerning though eyther yee or your Printer hath mistaken it for it belongeth to the Iudge to decerne and Christians as ye say euen in their priuate callings may discerne but this their discerning will neuer free them from the subiection of Lawes imposed especially in matters of this nature for wee are now vpon order and policie onely And except ye could shew some euident place out of the Word or bring a necessarie demonstration to warrant your contrarie iudgement your disobedience will euer be faultie The authoritie of the Church must yeeld to the written Word but the iudgements of priuate men to the authoritie of the Church Otherwise we should open a doore to all confusion neyther could there be order in a Church if euery man should bee permitted to follow his owne conceit and doe as his priuie iudgment did leade him This our Church wisely foreseeing in an Assembly kept at Edinburghe anno 1583. 10. Octob. statuted and ordained That no Act concluded by a generall Assembly should bee called in question by any particular brother nay not in another generall Assembly except some iust cause might be seene for the change thereof And if it be not lawfull to call any of the constitutions of the Church in question much lesse to impugne by writ and print the same so maliciously as you haue done I omit the vnseemely match which yee make of English ceremonies and Lutheranisme with Papistrie for this is your malice against the English Church which it becomes you to reuerence and of whom if ye did loue the truth of God ye would haue spoken more honorably PP If the Parliament by acts authorize matters effected with such informalities and nullities matters of themselues so contrarious to our profession their ratification of a vicious thing cannot be a rule to a christian mans conscience But it is to be hoped that the Lord shall so dispose the hearts of Statesmen to the loue of the truth quietnesse of the Church and Country and peace of mens consciences that no vnreason able butthen shall be knit vpon the members of Christs Body by any deed of theirs vnder the name of a benefit to the Church Inuito beneficium non datur ANS Since the time that Kings and Princes became Christian it hath alwayes beene the custome that Synodicall Decrees were authorized by their Lawes not that the allowance or authoritie of Ciuill Lawes is made a rule to a Christians Conscience but that the externall man might thereby bee tyed to the obedience of these things which the Church hath found to be agreeable to the Word of God that is the only rule of conscience and it is to bee hoped that God shall so dispose the hearts of the whole Estate to the loue of his Truth and the Peace and quietnesse of his Church that refractarie and turbulent persons such as ye are shall bee restrayned of your vnbridled licentiousnesse and kept vnder the obedience of the Church and the Orders by her lawfully established which howsoeuer ye that loue to liue after your owne mindes call an vnreasonable burthen all true and peaceable Christians will esteeme a benefite to the Church and bee thankfull vnto God for the same PP Consider three things first the Nullity of this Assembly Secondly thy owne Oath and Subscription how it admits or abhorres this change suppose the Assembly had bin lawfull Thirdly if the particulars offered can be made lawfull or expedient by any Assembly whatsoeuer ANS We haue considered all these three as ye desire and finde the reasons proponed by you for the Nullitie of this Assembly to be Nullities in themselues Next that the Oath and Subscription by you mentioned admits the change concluded and does not abhorre it the same change being a part of the Oath which we all gaue as in discussing of the Oath shall be cleered Thirdly that the particulars concluded are things lawfull of their owne nature indifferent and most conuenient for this time in regard the generall Church who hath the place and power of determining the expediencie of Rites and Ceremonies hath interposed their authority to the same which in the estimation of Wisemen is sufficient to make them bee compted such An answere to the Articles presented to the Assembly AVGVST 27. and quotations added by the Pamphleter for confirmation PP FOr so much as we haue beene debarred of accesse and from hearing the proceedings of the Conference their Reasonings Consultations and Aduisements about the Articles proponed to this generall Assembly whereof all and euery one of them so nearely touches vs in our Christian resolution and offices of our Ministry in most humble manner wee present to your consideration the particulars hereafter specified in the feare of God intreating your fauourable answere to the same ANS Neither he who presented the Articles nor they who penned them can affirme truely that they were absent from the Conference and none were debarred who were desirous to be present The truth is after long and modest reasoning and graue deliberation when all had beene heard both in priuate at the Conference and in publique before the Assembly and all doubts and obiections had beene proponed answered and satisfied these or the like Articles were presented not for resolution of those by whom they were proponed who were already setled in this resolution not to be resolued but to perturbe the mindes of these who were prepared to vote and conclude and so to bring all in question againe that before had beene discussed and therefore were iustly reiected by the Moderator as malicious and crafty delatorie exceptions as shall bee manifest by the answeres following made to them not as they were presented to the Assembly but as they are proponed here with your Additions Quotations and Confirmations The first Article PP THe Articles proponed if they be concluded they doe innouate and bring vnder the slander of change the estate of this Church so aduisedly established by Ecclesiasticall Constitutions Acts of Parliament approbation of other Churches and good liking of the best reformed Christians without and within this Kingdome and so euidently blessed with happy successe and sensible experience of Gods greatest benefits by the space of fiftie eight yeares and aboue so that wee may boldly say to the praise of God That no Church hath enioyed the truth and puritie of Religion in larger libertie And vpon some such considerations it pleased his gracious Maiestie to continue the Church of England in her established estate as may bee seene in the Conference at Hampton Court and Thomas Sparke his booke written thereupon Ipsa quippe mutatio etiam quae adiuuat vtilitate nouitate perturbat quapropter quae vtilis non est perturbatione infructuosa consequenter noxia est saith Augustine Epist. 118. that is Euen a change that is helpefull for vtilitie perturbeth
so it is that sitting at the Table in the acte of receiuing hath bin established by Lawes Customes long prescription of time and confirmed by oathes and subscriptions as is euident by the former deduction It is notwithstanding expedient to descend further in opening vp the vnlawfulnesse of kneeling First as it is a breach of the Institution Secondly as it is a breach of the second Commandement Thirdly as it is without the example and practise of the ancient Church Fourthly as it disagrees from the practise of the Reformed Churches ANS After yee haue laid downe your grounds some for sitting and some against kneeling yee subioyne the tenor of the acte concluded at Perth but most corruptly as we haue noted in the margine and then yee forme this argument That which hath been established by so many lawes Ciuill and Ecclesiasticall by so long custome and prescription of time and confirmed by oathes and subscriptions we may not lawfully alter But so it is that sitting at Table in the acte of receiuing hath beene established by lawes customes long prescription of time and confirmed by oathes and subscriptions A man that had heard the proposition only would expect some great matter in the assumption belonging to some article of Faith or precept of obedience set downe in Gods Word and all resolues in an indifferent ceremonie of sitting at the Sacrament But yet to make simple people beleeue that it were some necessary or substantiall point of Religion that might not be altered ye make a great shew of lawes customes c which being examined shall vanish as smoake before the winde And where yee beginne with a strong alleageance that it was established with so many lawes Ciuill and Ecclesiasticall I aske you first by what Ciuill lawes Yee say so many yet in your deduction whereby you affirme the assumption to be euident yee cite not one law neither can yee albeit yee are not ashamed to say so many For your Ecclesiasticall lawes yee cite first the words set downe in the second head of the first booke of Discipline the Table of the Lord is then rightly ministred c. These words are not a law for that booke of Discipline was neuer receiued nor confirmed either by the Ciuill or Ecclesiasticall estate some of the Nobility subscribed it but others who had the chiefe authority as Master Knox complaines in his History reiected the same calling it Deuout imaginations Next yee cite the ordinance of the generall Assembly 1562 appointing the order of Geneua to be obserued this Act cannot establish your sitting for in Geneua they stand or passe as they Receiue and sit not at Table The last Acte which yee cite in anno 1564 ordaineth Ministers in the ministration of the Sacraments to vse the order set downe in the Psalme book In that Act there is no mention of sitting and by the order set downe in the Psalme bookes that may be meant which before was called the order of Geneua How soeuer it be there is no particular law for sitting no Ciuil law at all and none Ecclesiasticall but this onely one which is generall Your second probation is That sitting is established by so long a custome and prescription of time Who would not when he heares so long looke at least for a three or foure hundred yeares and all this length of time yee can alledge to is since the yeare of God 1560 not halfe an age before which time kneeling was in vse many hundred yeares on the Lords day and on other dayes in the weeke euer since the first Institution as afterwards shall be proued with better reasons then any yee can bring for the necessity of sitting This long custome and prescription for kneeling yee esteeme to be of no moment albeit it was a gesture instituted by God but for sitting a gesture instituted by man yee count eight and fifty yeares a long prescription So men esteeme their owne Dwarfes to be Giants Nostrum sic nanum Atlanta vocamus The last argument wherein yee glory most is that sitting is confirmed by oathes and subscriptions This is a childish and false alledgeance for there was neuer oath nor subscription giuen in our Church that by any consequence can import a confirmation of sitting or of any other indifferent alterable ceremonie for all times following Seeing no man is astricted longer vnto the obseruatiō of it then the Ecclesiasticall Constitution stands which being altered by the Church that made it their oath and subscription bindes them to obserue that which in stead of the former is ordained to be receiued This is manifest by the Constitutions set downe in the seuenteenth chapter of the booke of Discipline receiued and confirmed in the generall Assembly holden at Glasgow the 24. of Aprill anno 1581 the tenor whereof followes The finall end of all Assemblies is first to keepe the Religion and Doctrine in purity without errour or corruption Next to keepe comlinesse and good order in the Church for this orders cause they may make certaine rules and constitutions pertaining to the good behauiour of all the members of the Church in their owne vocation They haue power also to abrogate and abolish all statutes and ordinances concerning Ecclesiasticall matters that are found noysome and vnprofitable and agree not with the time or are abused by the people And after a few words it is subioyned That it appertaines to the Presbyteries to cause the Ordinances made by the Assemblies Prouinciall and generall to be kept and put in execution Hereby it is manifest that when the Church alters indifferent thing in policie that they who are astricted by their oathes to obey the Discipline of the Church are tyed both not to practise these things which the Church hath discharged and to obserue these things which the Church in stead thereof hath established to be done Whereupon I conclude That so many as haue sworne and subscribed after the forme contained in the Oath to continue in the obedience of the Discipline of the Church are all obliged by their subscriptions now not to sit but to kneele at the Communion because the Church hath found it meete that sitting should bee interchanged with kneeling Thus I haue answered your reasons lawes customes subscriptions and oathes which yee bring for sitting I come to consider the ordinances made as ye alledge against kneeling where first yee alledge an Act made in the Assembly 1591 that an Article should bee formed and presented vnto his Maiesty and the Estates for order to be taken with them who giue or receiue the Sacraments after the Papistical manner but by Papistical maner is meante the giuing of the Sacrament by a Masse Priest and the receiuing the same after the order of the Romane Church which may be cleared by an Act of the Assembly anno 1565. Decemb. 26. Sess 2. The tenor wherof is this Persons reuolting from the profession of the Gospell by offering their children to be baptized after the Papisticall maner