THE ANSVVERES OF SOME BRETHREN OF THE MINISTERIE TO THE REPLYES OF THE MINISTERS and Professours of Divinitie in ABERDEENE CONCERNING THE LATE COVENANT 2 CHRON. 15. 15. And all IVDA rejoyced at the Oath For they had sworne with all their heart and sought Him with their whole desire and Hee was found of them Printed the yeare of God 1638. TO THE CHRISTIAN READER THat you maye know our Proceedings how wee are brought upon the Stage and conâ—…rie to our expectation are put in print Comming to Abeâ—…dede on Fryday the afternoone wee received the Demands of our Reverend Brethren that night late and for the greater expedition without delay wee returned our summarie Answers on Saturday at night On the Lords Day following wee desired to expresse our-selves to the People in presence of the Ministerie but the Pulpits and Kirks were altogether refused and therefore in the most convenient place wee could have sub dio and at such houres as were vacant from the ordinarie exercises of publicke Worship wee delivered our Message in the Audience of manie After our last Sermon towards Evening wee found that our labour was not in vaine in the LORD for diverse persons of speciall note both for place and wisedome with willing heart great readinesse of minde did publickly put their hands to the COUENANT Having the weeke following seene some parts of the Countrey where besides the Presbyteries Alford and Deare who had subscribed before the Moderator diverse of the Presbyterie of Aberdene the Presbyterie of Turreff after they were satisfied in some scruples did also subscribe wee returned the next Saturday to Aberdene where finding that some others had subscribed that week we resolved to preach upon the morne That night wee received a Reply unto which before our returne home wee have made an Answere All these we desire may bee unpartially considered and if it shall please the LODD that any light shall come from our labour unto thy minde let it bee ascribed not unto us who neither had time nor helps for such a taske but to the brightnesse of the Trueth and Cause it selfe and to the Father of Lights to whom bee all Glorie VVHat did prodeed from our Penne in our Answâ—… to the D. D. of Aberdeene concerning the late Declaration given to his Majesties Commissioner did flow from minds filled with a zeale to the peace of this Kirk Kingdome and from our earnest desires of a perfect harmonie betwixt the King and his Subjects against all Mistakings This zeale of ours wee confesse made us studie more how to decline and to keepe our selves from touching such of the D. D. demands as were thornie than howe to walke safely through them And likewise to make manifest to his Majesties good Subjects in all places whether the D. D. demands and our answeres should happen to come That matters inclined to pacification and were in a faire way off setling for which peaceable intentions we could conceive nothing to bee more behovefull than by word and write to make knowne to all men the forsaid declaration which his Majesties loyall Subjects presented to his Majesties Commissionar for clearing their Covenant of all unlawfull Combination against Authoritie And by so doing to stoppe the mouthes of our Adversaries and to stay all their obloquies In using of this meane it was far from our thoughts to wound anye man or to write anye word which might give the smallest offence to the meanest of his Majesties Subjects Hoping rather that these our proceedings should have beene more acceptable to Authoritie more approven of the wife and men of understanding and more aggreable unto the minds of such as are for peace than rashly and unadvisedly to have gone on in a Dispute of State questions which hardly at any time hath beene profitable for peace and which at this time seemed to us to say no further most unseasonable impertinent Yet knowing that it were not only base and shamefull but in our persons and in our proceedings in this cause a very great incongruitie and in it selfe sinfull to speake wickedly for GOD and to talke deceitfullie for him for that were as one man mocketh another so to mocke him Iob. 13. 7. 9. and to make iniquitie a meane to promove pietâ—…e a policie which wee have not learned as if GOD could bee served with our sinnes Wee have made heere a briefe relation of the reasons grounds where-upon wee have in our answeres confidently affirmed that his Majesties Commissionar did accept and was well pleased with the late Declaration 1. His G. was most earnest to have the late Covenant so solemnely sworne and so universally subscribed to bee rendred or rescinded and did propone plausible reasons for that effect But this by such strong impediments as were at that time represented and are now extant in print being impossible to us to doe except wee wold sin highly against God His G. afterward declared that the Kings Majesty was most willing to indict an Assembly call a Parliament but that our Covenant in the clause of mutuall defence was a combination against Authoritie and that we had sworne to defend one another in our owne private quarrells aswel as in the cause of Religion This his G. desired to bee removed as a maine hinderance of the obtaining of our desires and without the removall whereof an Assembly and Parliament could not be indicted When this motion of a Declaration was first proponed to the severall meetings the greater part was against it because no Declaration containing â—…ye thing contrarie to the Covenant could bee granted and an explanation of the Covenant the meaning whereof seemed to be plaine enough would no more please than the Covenant it self but by the earnest dealing of some Noblemen of his Majesties Counsell sent from the Commissioner with some Commissioners sent from everie meeting It was thought meet in end that a Supplication containing a Declaration should bee formed which at last his G. did receive at the hands of the Supplicants and upon the receiving thereof promised to deale with the Kings Majestie for obtaining a free Assembly and Parliament which he refused to undertake without this Declaration Thus by the very nature and course of our Proceedings about this point it is manifest that the Declaration was at least in this farre satisfactorie to the Commissioner himselfe that hee did promise to mediate for an Assembly and Parliament which was both the summe of our desires and the onely end of this Declaration So that no man could in any reason think that we should have wronged him in affirming that his G. did accept and was well pleased with that Declaration since upon the sight receiving and hearing thereof he promised to doe his best endeavours with his Majestie for obtaining what was petitioned by us which before and without it his G. had utterly refused to doe 2. The three Noble-men of his Majesties Counsell who were imployed by his G. about this Declaration did
Kiâ—…ke and Kingdome and Honour of the â—…ing If yee say 〈◊〉 Why then find you fault with our Prâ—… 〈◊〉 of defending the Religion Liberties and 〈◊〉 of the Kingdome of the Kings Authoritie in defence thâ—…of and everie one of us of another in that cause as if it were an unlawfull combination against Authoritie 6. Whether doe yee thinke Christian Magistrates to bee of so absolute and undoubted power notwithstanding of the Promise or paction made with the Subjects at their Coâ—…ion or of any law made for the establishing their Religion Liberties that there is nothing left but â—…ering of Martyrdâ—… in the câ—…se of publick 〈◊〉 of their Religion and Liberties If ye thinke that any Defence is lawfull why â—…isconstrue yee the Subscribers of the Covenant If not how can you be free of flatterie and of stirring up Princes against their loyall Subjects for such ends as yourselves know beâ—… We â—…lie believe that yee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thankes either of so good just a King or of so â—…uetiefull Subjects for entering within these Lists It is enough that such Questions bee agitâ—…ed in the Schooles and that with as great prudencie â—…s circumspectly as may bee To the tenth FIrst yee take us in our 4 Repâ—… to bee the penners of the Covenant and yet will rather wrest the wordes of it to your owne meaning than receive the Interpretation thereof from us for wee prejudge not your libertie of conception of that short Confession but permit it to your selves whatsoever may bee the private meaning of some who have subscribed yet their is nothing in the late interpretation that condemneth the Articles of Pearth and Episcopacie as Popish Novations Yee may voyce reason in an Assembly as freelie concerning them and give your judgement of them without prejudice notwithstanding of your Oath according to your owne grounds as you would have done at the Assembly of Perth 2. We hope yee bee not so ignorant of the estate of the Kirke neither will wee judge so uncharitablie as to think you so corrupt that in your opinion there is no thing hath entred in the Kirke since that time designed by you beside Episcopacie and Articles of Pearth which can bee thought prejudiciall to the libertie and puritie of the Gospell To the eleaventh FIrst yee finde fault with us that wee have not upon this occasion given you that testimonie which wee owe to you of your sinceritie and professing the Trueth therefore to supplie our defects have taken an ample Testimonie to your selves of paines in Disputing in wryting and preaching against Poperie in processing of Papists and in doing all things which can bee expected from the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of frequent prayer to GOD of humbling your selves before Him of your holinesse of Lyfe and Conversation c. which have made us who were desirous to heare that Testimonie rather at the mouthes of others that wee might bee no more challenged as deficient in that kynde but give unto you your deserved praise to inquyre in matters where upon if wee would believe the report of others wee heare that for all your paynes Papists and persons popishly affected are multiplyed and Papistrie increased in your towne more than in any other towne of the Kingdome and no lesse under your Ministrie than any time before since the Reformation that there be in private houses Mosses Crucifixes and other monuments of Idolatrie that yee had not manie convers from Poperie that Iesuites and Priests are countenanced there that your People at home and your Magistrates abroad complayne that yee are but too sparing of your paines in preaching and often fill your places with Novices but this wee are sparing to believe and wish that the not imploying of your Tongues and Pennes in defence of the Service booke and Canons which are so pestred with Poperie if the seedes of Romish Heresie Superstition Ido latrie and Papall tyrannie come under that censure and your willingnesse to joyne with the Kirk and Kingdome in Fasting an Humiliation had beene also Testimonies of your sinceritie against Poperie 2. The laudable meanes of preaching praying c. which wee wish may be still in all faythfulnesse used by you maye verie well agree with the renewing of our Covenant with God aod both beeiug joyned have in a short time past produced more powerfull effects to the comfort of manie thousandss than all our prayers and preaching have done for a long tyme before which testifie That as it is warranted by the Word of GOD so the motion hath proceeded from GOD. All the Arguments and subtilities that can be devised will never make a People who at this time have found GOD dwelling and working in their hearts to think the contrarie 3. The naturall inclination of people to Poperie and the perswasion of others of their disposition maye make the people to conceive other wayes of the Service booke and Canons that ere it be long they may bee brought in in a fair and legall way and therefore it is necessarie for preventing of those and other Evills of that kynde that the Subjects joyne in a Covenant both for themselves and their Posteritie To the twelfth FIrst Wee have ever preached according to our measure and have given example of Reverence to Authoritie and the LORDS Service but wee neither acknowledge the usurped authoritie of Prelates for lawfull Authoritie nor the Service Booke for the LORDS Service And therefore it was so much the more intolerable for the Prelates without Authoritie from the Kirke or Parliament to bring in the Service booke into GOD'S owne House upon the LORD' 's owne Day Which maketh it nothing strange that people zealous of the Trueth and of the Service of GOD were stirred up to oppose and wee are verie confident that those that have opposed doe beare as loyall respect to the Kings Majestie and will bee as loath to provoke him to just wrath as their Opposites are In the meane tyme why doe yee not acknowledge that the children were higher provoked to wrath by the Prelates whom yee account Reverend and holie Fathers 2. As the preservation of our owne private Possession from invasion of others belongeth to our selves under the Kings protection so the keeping of GODS House from pollution and Superstition belongeth to Authoritie to the Communitie of the Faithfull and to everie one in his owne Place and Order 3. We told you before That wee did no more allow Violence of that kind nor wee did allow the foule Aspersions of Rebellion â—…eresie Schisme Perjurie put upon the Noble-men and remnant Covenanters And where yee aske of us Why these tumults are not publickly by us condemned and rebuked Wee aske againe of you why yee did not condemne and rebuke such dealing since that it is no lesse Transgression both against the sixth and nynt Command than the other is against the sixt And whereas yee are now so peremptorie in drawing a Declaration from us answerable to that which yee have
to the Oath at his Coronation We are not here seeking inscitiae 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or a starting hole of ignorance or the smalllest disloyalty of affection but would willingly decline that for the present which neither his Majesties wisdome nor the prudence of Statesmen nor the modestie of good Subjects will allow you or us to dispute The Crowns and Scepters of Kings would be more tenderlie tonched than the ordinarie Subjects of Schoole Disputes The naked naming bare rpoposall of certaine suppositions such as some are made by you cannot but reflex upon Authoritie sound harsh in the eares of all his Majesties good Subjects who wish he may long and prosperously reigne over us 3. His Majesties most honourable privie Counsell hath proven more fauourable to this cause of maintaining the reformed Religion than many Pastors whom by reason of their place Calling it beeseemed to goe before others altho according to their wonted custome they gave warrant to make his Majesties Proclamation yet on good grounds remonstrated unto them by the Supplicants they willinglie refused their Approbation therof hoping that his Majestie should be moved to give greater satisfaction thereafter and this is not our saying but a publicke doing before many honourable witnesses of which number some were directed unto you whose report yee have no reason to call in question 4 It becommeth us to judge charitably of the intentions of our Superiors but most of all of the Intentions of our dread Soveraigne Yet if that hold good which the Supplicants have offred to prove that the Service booke Canons containe a reall innovation of Religion wee must judge otherwise de conditione operis of the matters contained in the book than de intentione operant is of his Majesties intention altho the inten tion of the Prelats their associats the Authors and Contrivers of the Bookes be most justly suspected by us 5. It is no delight to us and can bee but small comfort to you to mention the wrongs which by you are done to us all who have joyned in this Couenant doe adhere to the Religion as it was reformed in this Land in your estimation and wrytings we are rebellious perjured hereticks schismaticks blind guides seducers miserable interpreters ignorants shall such men as these bee your reverend Brethren Is this your meeknesse charitie Is this the duetie ye expect from us But setting these aside yee have wronged us in with-holding your hand and helpe from so good a Cause of purging Religion reforming the Kirke from so many grosse Abuses and opposing all those who have modestlie laboured for Reformation Your speaches in private in your chambers beds of sicknes in your missives in publicke at tables and in Synods which are come to our knowledge wee wish rather should be remembred repented of by your selves than bee recited by us who desire not to work you any trouble 6. Altho there be a perpotuall harmonie betwixt the Word and Workes of GOD sarre contrarie to that which wee find to bee amongst the children of men yet often it commeth to passe that the Word and Warnings of GOD which we heare with our eares are not believed till we behold with our eyes the plaine Commentaries thereof in his Works Many Proofs and notable Documents have beene observed of the Finger of GOD in the Worke in hand the Characters of the gaeat Workes of GOD'S more than ordinarie Providence since the beginning are legible heere Then did the LORD bgin this work when the Adversaries were raised to a great hight and become intolerably insolent The beginnings were small and in the eyes of the world contemptible such as use to bee the beginnings not of the works of men but of the magnificke Works of GOD the power of GOD sensible in the hearts of many manifested by the joy the tearesand cryes of many thousands at the solemne renewing of this Covenant hath beene a matter of admiration and amazement never to bee forgotten to many wise and ancient Pastors and Professors who did also finde an unwonted flame warming their owne breasts the plots and workings of the adversary have wrougâ—… against their own projects have served â—…or our endes mâ—…e than all that have beene thought or done by our selves that wee may justly say what they devysed for evill the LORD hath turned to good manie thousands conveened diverse times in one place have beene kept in such order quyetnesse without the smallest trouble in such sobernesse temperance without excesse or riot that hardly can History furnish a Paralell what effectes there bee already throughout the Land of Pietie in domestick worship in observing the exercises of Religion in publick of sobernesse in dyet and appatrell of righteousnesse and concord wee trust shall be sensible by the Blessings of GOD upon us and shall be examplarie to the Posteritie These wee present unto you and unto all as a Commentary written by the LORD' 's owne hand wishing againe that neither yee nor others bee sound fighting against GOD Who so is wise and will observe these things even they shall understand the loving kindnes of the Lord. Psal 107. 43. Lord when thy hand is lifted up they will not see but they shall see hee ashamed for their envy at the people Is. 26. 11. Master Alexander Henderson Minister at Leuchars Master David Dickson Minister at Irwin