DUPLYES Of the MINISTERS PROFESSORS of ABERDENE TO The second ANSWERES of some REVEREND BRETHREN Concerning The LATE COVENANT If thou take foorth the precious from the vyle thou shalt be as my mouth Let them returne vnto thee but returne not thou vnto them IEREM 15.19 Honour all men Loue the Brotherhood Feare GOD Honour the King 1. PET. 2.17 Printed in Aberdene by Edw. Raban 1638. TO THE UNPARTIALL READER IT may bee you haue not as yet heard the true relation of our proceedinges and carriage towards those two Reverend Brethren who came latelie hither to recommend to vs and our People the LATE COVENANT Wee declare therefore to you That we hearing of their comming and intention and beeing of a contrarie mynde resolved that before wee should giue consent that they should preach to our People wee would propone to them by way of certaine DEMANDS the chiefe reasons which made vs to bee averse from their proceedings promising to admit them to our Pulpits if they should giue vs satisfaction concerning the LATE COVENANT Wee intended not to Print these DEMANDES at the first but afterwards considering howe much our People might bee confirmed by them in that pious resolution which they haue to continue in the obedience of the Lawes of this Church and Kingdome concerning EPISCOPACIE and those thinges which were concluded in PEARTH ASSEMBLIE wee thought good to put them to the Presse but determined not to make vse of them by divulgating them except we saw that our people stood in present neede of them which indeede came to passe for vpon Fryday the twentie of Julie last these Reverende Brethren came to this Towne and having that same night receaved our DEMANDES in writ they returned their Answeres vnto them on Saturday following late in the evening but they came not to our handes who replyed vnto them vntill Sunday in the morning Neyther had we leasure to reade or consider vntill both the Sermons were ended in our Churches Wherefore wee did meete together that day at foure houres afternoone that wee might peruse them And at that same tyme hearing that these Reverend Brethren had preached in audience of dyverse of our people conveaned in the court of a noble man his lodging not having obtayned our consent thereto and in their Sermons had vsed a forme of Answering to our DEMANDES which they did publicklie reade affirming that they had given full satisfaction to vs in a written coppie of their Answeres which they had sent to vs and by that meanes had laboured to disswade and draw our People from their obedience vnto the Articles of PEARTH the Lawes of this Kingdome ratifying them wee knowing how insufficient their Answeres were to giue satisfaction to anie who would duelie ponder our DEMANDES gaue licence to the Printer to divulgate them and the next day did wryte our REPLYES to their Answeres intending to put them to the Presse on Tuesday But wee were earnestlie entreated by a noble Man to send backe to them the copie of their Answeres that they might revise and perfect them also to delay the printing of our REPLYES vntill Fryday following Which wee willinglie granted But wherefore this was desired of vs you may conjecture seeing they neyther added nor diminished nor altered anie thing in their Answeres Vpon the next Fryday at night wee gaue our REPLYES to the Printer and to these Reverende Brethren who returned not to this Citie vntill Saturday following wee sent a copie of our Replyes in writ on the Lords Day vnto which we receaved not their Answeres vntill they came from the Presse to wit on Tuesday the fourteenth of August that is eyghteene dayes after they had receaved our REPLYES What successe these Brethren had in their Sermons which they preached here vpō two severall Lords Dayes it is sufficientlie knowne neyther haue they reason to talke so much of it as they doe in their Preface to the Reader The first of these Dayes some few who were thought to bee that way inclined before subscryved their COVENANT But the next Lords Day they scarce prevailed with anie at all And a great many who heard them both these Dayes professed that they returned from their Sermons more averse from the COVENANT than they were before Now good Reader wee present to thee our REPLYES to their second Answeres which for shortnesse cause wee haue called DVPLYES wee pray you consider them vnpartiallie And if you reape anie benefite by perusing them let it not be ascrybed vnto vs but to the invincible force of divyne Trueth Wee conclude with Zorobabell saying Blessed bee the GOD of Trueth And let all the People shout and saye Great is Trueth and mightie aboue all thinges TO OUR REVEREND BRETHREN M r ALEXANDER HENDERSON And M r DAVID DICKSON THat your Answeres Reverende and Deare Brethren haue not in anie degree satisfied vs wee impute it not to your weaknesse whom wee know to bee able Men and much exercysed in the matters debated betwixt vs but wee impute it to the weaknesse of your cause and to that inabilitie which is in all men as well as in you to beare out agaynst the Trueth Wee are sorie that yee are not so respectiue and favourable in your judgement of vs for yee playnlie declare in your Preface that yee suspect vs of prejudice and that for two reasons The first is that our Demandes which yee conceaved had beene meerelie intended for you were published before your comming in Print as also that our REPLYES were Printed before we receaved your last Answeres to them Whence yee conclude that wee were rather ayming at victorie moved thereto by prejudice than at satisfaction by searching of the Trueth This reason is grounded vpon a mistaking for altho our Demandes at the first were intended for you onlie yet afterwardes we resolved to Print them as also our REPLYES the Printing whereof did nowayes depend vpon your second Answeres not for loue of contention nor desire of victorie GOD knoweth but for such reasons as wee haue expressed in our Preface to the vnpartiall Reader whom wee hope wee haue satisfied in this poynt Your other reason is that the groundes of your Answeres to vs haue proven satisfactorie to others who for Age and Learning are pryme men of this Kingdome and to whom our modestie will not suffer vs to preferre our selues Farre be it frō vs to be so presumptuous as to preferre our selues to so manie Learned and worthie Divynes and as farre bee it from vs to measure the soliditie and sufficiencie of your Answeres by the Habilities or Induments of these who haue acquiesced in them If this your reason were good the Papists might more probablie accuse vs of prejudice as indeede they vnjustlie doe because your Answeres to our Argumentes haue proven satisfactorie to manie thousands of those who for profunditie and subtilitie of wit are inferiour to none of the World but wee regarde not this slender motiue remembring these wordes of our Saviour I
lyklie that your Vowe of the recovering the Libertie and Puritie of the Gospell as it was before Episcopacie and Pearth Articles were introduced importeth onelie an Intention of removing of the Consequentes of Pearth Articles and Episcopacie and not of the removing of those thinges them-selues Truelie wee are perswaded that they who knowe the state of this CHVRCH and your mynde concerning these thinges will thinke this your Glosse of your owne wordes to bee violent and excogitated for cluding our Argument 6. Secondlie Who can thinke that yee and others Contryvers of the Late Covenant who condemne Pearth Articles and Episcopacie as much as yee doe the consequentes of them haue onelie vowed to remoue their Consequentes and not remoue them-selues 7. Thirdlie is it possible that anie can promise and vowe to labour for the curing of so manie and so great pretended diseases of this Church wee meane these abuses which yee say haue accompanied Pearth Articles and Episcopacie and in the meane tyme promise and intende nothing concerning the removing of the causes of them 8. Fourthlie how can wee without great prejudice of our cause acknowledge that these grosse abuses mentioned by you haue entred in the Sacrament by kneeling before the Elements yee should haue sayde at the receaving of the Elements for seeing Kneeling at the receaving of the Sacrament is confessed by vs to bee a matter indifferent if in our Oath wee acknowledge these grosse abuses to haue entred in vpon Kneeling it will probablie follow in the judgement of some and in your judgement who recommend this Oath vnto vs it will follow infalliblie that Kneeling for the evill consequences thereof ought to bee removed Doe yee not heere cunninglie deale with vs For altho yee vrge vs not as yee say to sweare and promise the removing of Kneeling yet yee vrge vs by your owne confession to promise the removing of these abuses occasioned by Kneeling which beeing acknowledged by vs yee will then take vpon you to demonstrate that Kneeling it selfe ought to bee removed for yee holde it for a Maxime That thinges indifferent beeing abused and polluted with Superstition should bee abolished Wee can not sufficientlie marvell how yee who are of this mynde can say to vs that wee who allowe Pearth Articles and Episcopacie may sweare to recover the Libertie and Puritie of the Gospell as it was before c. For yee meane that wee may doe so without prejudice of our cause But wee haue alreadie showne that according to your judgement and doctrine if wee sweare that which yee would haue vs to sweare our cause shall bee much prejudged yea vtterlie lost 9. Fiftlie Howe can wee sweare to remoue these grosse abuses entered in vpon Kneeling as yee alleadge seeing wee thinke that no such abuses haue entered in vpon it Yea our people trye them who please will show that they are as free from all erronious conceits concerning that holie Sacrament as anie living in these Congregations where Kneeling is daylie cryed downe 10 Sixtlie as for these abuses and corruptions reckoned vp by you as the consequentes of the observation of Festivall dayes to passe by that which before wee marked concerning Kneeling to wit that the granting of this were a great prejudice to our cause some of these are not abuses at all as cessation from worke Agayne some of them haue not come in vpon the observation of the Articles of Pearth as Guysing and Feasting yee meane excessiue Feasting for otherwyse it is not an abuse which onlie fall foorth on Christ-mas Feastivitie For sure wee are that these abuses haue not come by the anniversarie commemoration of CHIST'S Nativitie in the which by the ordinance of Pearth Assemblie all Superstitious observation and Prophanation of that day or anie other day is prohibited and appoynted to be rebuked This the Reverend and learned Bishop of EDINBVRGH in his defence of the Act of Pearth Assemblie concerning Feastivities PAG. 63. proveth because sayeth hee wee haue lacked preaching vpon Christ-mas day these fiftie seaven yeares by-gone in our Church yet Ryot Prophanenesse Surfet and Drunkennesse haue not beene wanting 11. Seaventhlie as for Superstitious observation of dayes whereof hitherto wee haue had no experience wee marvell that yee can reckon it amongst the Consequentes of the observation of dayes seeing in your judgement it is all one with the observation of dayes For yee thinke the observation of anie daye except the LORD'S Day to bee in the owne nature of it Superstitious and Will-worship 12. As for the last part of your Answere to our Argument concerning the fore-sayde period of tyme where yee alleadge that manie Corruptions of Popish and Arminian doctrine haue entered in the Kirke c. wee aske you Whether yee designe heere an other period of tyme than yee did before or if yee designe onlie this selfe-same period of tyme in the which both the fore-sayde Practicall Abuses and these Doctrinall Corruptions haue entered into this Church accompanying a yee alleadge Pearth Articles and Episcopacie Or last of all If yee designe no period of tyme at all If yee take you to this last professing that yee haue heere designed no period of tyme then yee answere not our Argument where-in wee particularlie and expresslie posed you concerning that period of tyme vnto which your wordes cited oft before haue reference If yee designe the same period of tyme then looke howe yee can escape our praeceeding Argumentes concerning that period of tyme. 13. But if yee designe an other period of tyme then wee aske you Whether it bee prior or posterior to the period of tyme alreadie mentioned to wit the tyme praeceeding the bringing in of the Articles of Pearth Yee can not say that it is posterior to it for yee complayned of Arminian Corruptions even before Pearth Assemblie branding some of the most Learned of our Church with that Aspersion And of Popish Corruptions of Doctrine yee complayned when Pearth Articles and Episcopacie were established For the Doctrines of the lawfulnesse and expediencie of these thinges are in your judgement meerlie Popish and Antichristian Neyther can yee say that it is prior to the fore-sayde period of tyme for the tyme praeceeding the in-bringing of Pearth Articles comprehendeth all that tract of tyme which interveaned betwixt the Reformation and Pearth Assemblie 14. But wee will yet more evidentlie convince you by two other Arguments drawne from that part of your Covenant of which wee are now speaking and from the wordes of this your Answere to our fourth REPLYE for first in your Covenant yee promise and also will haue vs to promise with you To forebeare for a tyme the practise of Pearth Articles vntill they bee tryed as yee say in a free Assemblie But this forbearance importeth a manifest prejudice and wronging of our cause for this is a fore-acknowledgement eyther of the vnlawfulnesse or else of the inexpediencie of the matters concluded in Pearth Assemblie For wherefore ought wee in this exigence of
thanke Thee O Father Lord of Heaven and Earth because Thou hast hid these thinges from the Wyse and Prudent and hast revealed them vnto Babes even so O Father for so it seemed good in Thy sight Besides if yee compare the Divynes Ancient and Moderne who are of our judgement with these who favour your opinion eyther in number or in the excellencie of their gifts ye shall find that in this the advantage is greatlie ours In the meane tyme yee shall know that wee can bring farre better reasons to free our selues of prejudice than these which yee haue brought agaynst vs to wit the soliditie of our Argumentes which haue put you to such straytes pardon vs to say that which everie one who hath eyes may see that oft-tymes yee doe not so much as attempt to answere them beeing glad to passe them by with the show of an Argument in contrarium or some other lyke shift our humble and earnest attestations in calling GOD the onlie competent judge as witnesse of our sinceritie in the inmost thoughtes of our soule our seriouslie professed Resolution to concurre with you if wee should get satisfaction from you the Modestie Ingenuitie and Peaceablenesse of our wrytings to you and on the contrarie your too great disdainfulnesse and asperitie in your second Answeres bewraying not onlie the weaknesse of your myndes farre by our expectation but also the weaknesse of your cause to vnpartiall Readers who ascrybe this to the pungent force of our Answeres judging that they haue made you some-what more cholericke than you were before To this wee will adde the great reluctance which some of the most Judicious Subscribentes did finde in their Consciences before they subscrybed your Covenant together with the Limitations and Reservations wherewith they subscrybed it evidentlie arguing their strong apprehension of the dangerous ambiguitie and haske sounding of the wordes of the Late Covenant so that even these who are now joyned with you haue beene much affrighted with those thinges which terrifie vs. As for your Protestation in the ende of your Epistle that yee can no more bee brought to our mynde than yee can bee drawne from the profession of our Religion as it hath beene reformed sworne c. Altho this importeth no small prejudice possessing and over-ruling your myndes yet looking to the invincible force of that Trueth which wee mayntayne wee even yet hope that at last it shall prevaile with you especiallie considering that our controversie is not concerning the reformed Religion wherevnto wee as sincerelie adheare as anie who-so-ever but concerning the equitie of that forme of Covenant which yee latelie made Wishing you and all others to adheare truelie and sincerelie to the same true Religion and to all the dueties which in it are recommended to you wee most humblie and earnestlie pray the Almightie GOD to pittie His Church in this Kingdome and to vnite all our heartes in Trueth and Peace in these most dangerous dayes which although they bee to you dayes of gladnesse as yee professe yet to those who loue the peace of Sion and the tranquillitie of this Kingdome they are Sad and Melancholious dayes in respect of the blacke clowdes of GOD'S wrath hanging over our heads threatning vs with stormes of fearfull Calamities which wee pray the Almightie GOD to avert THE FIRST DVPLY IN our Disputes agaynst the Papistes which haue bene frequent and by GOD'S grace not vnfruitfull as wee haue learned that to multiplie objections agaynst the Trueth is a thing easie as yee say but fruitlesse and vaine so also wee haue learned that to multiplie Evasions agaynst solide Arguments brought for the Trueth is a thing no lesse easie but altogether vnprofitable which wee pray you take heede to How forcible are right wordes but what doeth your arguing reproue IOB 6.25 2. Yee say that our objection agaynst your calling and the warrand of your cōming to vs was framed published in Print before it was proponed vnto you and ere your Answere could bee had Indeede our DEMANDES were at the Presse at your comming that they might be in readinesse but were not published before your selues in your Sermones did publicklie reade them and dispute agaynst them in audience of such of our People as were there present for the tyme albeit that written copie of them was delyvered to you onlie and not at that tyme communicated by vs to anie other 3 Your Authoritie which ye acclayme is neyther from his Majestie nor warranded by Act of Parliament nor by the Lordes of his Majesties Counsell nor by anie Nationall Synode of this Kingdome nor by anie Judicatorie established in it And both in your first Answere as also now agayne yee professe that yee came not hither to vsurpe the Authoritie of anie Civill or Spirituall Iudicatorie As for your multitude which yee call allmost the whole Kirke and Kingdome it beeing destitute of Authoritie foresayde maketh no warrand of ordinarie calling Therefore yee seeme to pretende an extraordinarie calling from GOD alleadging an extraordinarie necessitie at this tyme which truelie wee see not in anie such degree as may deserue and warrand so great a change from the receaved order which is publicklie by Lawes established in this Kirke and Kingdome That saying of the Apostle Let vs consider one another to provoke vnto loue and to good workes which yee alleadge for your extraordinarie imployment importeth not an extraordinarie calling but an ordinarie duetie to bee performed by all Christians according to their Callings 4. The Word of GOD and the Canons of Councells doe so permit to Pastors the care of the whole Kirke as they must remember to doe all thinges Decentlie and in Order and not to interpone themselues in their Brethrens charges and agaynst their will And praised bee GOD there was not anie Combustion Errour or Confusion in these places of our charges as yee doe alleadge Neyther did our People stand in neede of such helpe from you And if yee meane the Combustion of our Nationall Kirke wee doe thinke your remeede not convenient as beeing in our judgement not agreeable to the right way of Trueth and Peace 5. Whereas yee alleadge that if some members of this Kirke had not cared more kyndlie in this tyme of common danger than others haue done the whole bodie had beene ere now dangerouslie if not desperatelie diseased Wee answere That wee most heartilie wish anie disease of this Church to bee tymouslie prevented and cured But withall wee wish this to bee done without a rupture and such a dangerous division chieflie seeing our Church is not infected with anie such Erroures nor is in such dangers as may giue just occasion of so fearfull a division which in it selfe is a sore disease and from which in holie Scripture wee are often and verie earnestlie dehorted Dionysius Bishop of Alexandria in his Epistle to Novatus recorded by Eusebius Lib. 6. Historiae Cap. 37. worthilie sayeth You ought rather to haue suffered anie thing
what-so-ever for avoyding of cutting asunder the Kirke of GOD and Martyrdome for keeping the Kirke from Schisme is no lesse glorious than which is suffered for not committing Idolatrie And in my opinion also it is greater for in suffring Martyrdome for not committing Idolatrie a man suffereth for one even for his owne soule but heere a man suffereth Martyrdome for the whole Kirke 6. Yee affirme that we haue no reason to complayne of your carriage heere towards vs in respect yee for your Sermones preached to our People made choyse of vacant houres that they might attende the ordinarie tymes of Worship But indeede this satisfieth not our complaynt for we justlie complayned of your preaching to our People without our consent at anie houre and of your labouring to make them Subscrybe the LATE COVENANT before yee had given satisfaction to vs concerning the equitie of it 7. Yee reprooue vs for these harmlesse wordes of a Confoederation and Negatiue Confession That little Confession was long agoe called Negatiue à parte majore And as for that other word it is well knowne to all those who are expert in our Mother Tongue and in the Latine that Covenanting and Confoederation doe signifie one and the same thing and therefore both these wordes are alyke respectfull in our judgement Whereas yee say that your COVENANT is made with GOD and doe call it His COVENANT and lykewyse for justifying your swearing and Subscrybing thereof doe bring some places of Scripture wherein mention is made of a COVENANT Oath betwixt GOD and His People wee shall then allowe the same name and respect vnto your Covenant when yee shall make it manifest that your Covenant in all poynts therein contayned hath no lesse warrand from the written word of GOD than that Covenant which the Israelites did sweare in the dayes of Ioshua IOSHVA 24. verse 25 and in the dayes of Jehojada the Priest 2. KINGS 11. verse 17 and in the dayes of King Asa 2. CHRON. 15. verse 15 and that which is mentioned by ISAIAH 44. verse 5. 8. As wee are still informed that some haue fled the Countrey and some haue Subscrybed for feare so no Pastors in our knowledge haue gone to Court for the causes alleadged by you Wee doe not presume to judge of the Consciences of men and wee wish you to judge more charitablie of these Reverende Prelates than yee doe The occasion of this present storme was pretended to bee the Introduction of the Bookes of Service and Canons and the high Commission These causes are now removed and yet the storme continueth so vehement as yee seeme to grant that the Bishops haue just feares warranding their flight to saue their persons which wee judge to bee too great violence for anie such cause agaynst persons in so sacred a calling 9. Wee shall assuredlie by the grace of GOD still contribute as yee desire our prayers and all other meanes agreeable to our consciences for extinguishing of the present Combustion And for that effect everie one of vs shall secretlie and humblie mourne before the LORD and shall search and trye our wayes and turne vnto the LORD And as wee haue alreadie humbled our selues publicklie with Fasting and Mourning for that effect so are wee readie in tyme to come to doe the lyke when it shall bee indicted or allowed by Authoritie according to the established order in this Kirke and Kingdome Yea also wee are readie to joyne with you in the Late Covenant so soone as wee shall receaue satisfaction to our consciences concerning the lawfulnesse thereof which as wee haue protested before so doe wee yet protest and professe 10. The Reasons which yee touch in your first Answere for proving that wee might without just offence to anie joyne with you in Subscrybing the Covenant are sufficientlie answered in our first Replye For First It is not yet discerned in a Nationall Assemblie whether your Interpretation added to the Olde Covenant bee in all poynts sound or vnsound and therefore wee haue reason to thinke that this New Covenant is not substantiallie one with the Olde chieflie seeing it addeth to the Olde Covenant not onlie your Interpretation of it but also a promise of forbearance of the practise of Pearth Articles vntill they bee tryed in an Assemblie and lyke-wyse a Band of Mutuall Defence by force of Armes made without the King's privitie and consent Secondlie Your inference of Mutuall Defence agaynst all persons what-so-ever drawne from the words of the Olde Covenant is meerlie invalide For nothing was pactioned or promised in the olde Covenant without the King's Majestie his privitie but the Band of Mutuall Defence agaynst all persons what-so-ever in this your New Covenant is without the command or consent of the King to whom onlie the Sword is given in this Kingdome immediatlie by GOD. See to this purpose the words of King IAMES the sixt of blessed Memorie in his booke entituled The Law of free Monarchies in the English edition of his royall workes at London Anno 1616. Pag. 206. That which yee adde concerning the Generall Band is also little to the purpose for that Band had the King's warrand where-as his Majestie doeth now forbid your Covenant Thirdlie Altho the former Oath subscrybed did appertayne onlie to the persons of the subscrybers all the dayes of their lyues yet you haue in your Interpretation extended the Obligation thereof to the present and succeeding generations in this land without anie warrand eyther from Publicke Lawes or from the wordes of the Oath it selfe which also is a Substantiall Difference betwixt that Oath and your Late Covenant Where-as yee alleadge that the warrand which the Olde Covenant had from King Counsell and Assemblie remayneth virtuallie and was never yet discharged wee answere it remaineth not and that because King JAMES of blessed Memorie disalowed that little Confession in respect of the inconveniencie of the multitude of Negatiues as is cleare by his Majesties wordes published in the Printed summe of the cōference holden at Hampton Court Anno 1603. And no former Act of Counsell made in the tyme of anie former King doeth sufficiently warrand our consciences to Subscrybe anie Oath now which seemeth to vs to bee disagreeable to the Act of Parliament and which our present Dread Soveraygne LORD the King's Majestie by his publicke Proclamations and other Intimations of his Royall pleasure forbiddeth vs to Subscrybe And as for the Acts of these two Assemblies which did injoyne subscription to the sayde Little Confession they were Relatiue to the King's Mandate which is now expyred by his owne declaration and with his Royall breath according to that common Maxime Morte mandatori expirat mandatum Extra De officio potestate judicis delegati Cap. 19. relatum est in glossa For the injunction was given for that tyme onlie as wee conceaue beeing warranded by the wordes of these Assemblies 11. These that were suspect of Papistrie amongst vs haue not beene vrged by vs to Subscrybe that
telleth vs that the ancient Christians in his tyme altho having an heathen and persecuting Emperour did honour him as chosen of GOD and second from GOD and first after GOD and did choose rather to suffer than to make resistance by force of Armes altho they lacked not number and strength to doe it 11. The lyke example haue we in that renowned Thebaean Legiō of 6666 Christian Souldioures called Agaunenses from the place of their suffering who without making resistance as they had strength of hand to haue done suffered themselues rather to bee slayne for their Christian Profession by the Officers of Maximian the Emperour executors of his cruell commandement agaynst them This fell out in the 18 yeare of Diocletian as Ado Viennensis wryteth in his Chronicle which was the yeare of GOD 297 as Cardinall Baronius reckoneth in his Annalls And of that their Christian cowrage and pious resolution Venantius Fortunatus an ancient Bishop of Poictiers hath left vnto vs these Encomiasticke lynes in the second Booke of his Poëms Biblioth Patr. Tom. 8. Edit 4. Pag. 781. Queis positis gladiis sunt arma è dogmate Pauli Nomine pro CHRISTI dulcius esse mori Pectore belligero poterant qui vincere ferro Invitant jugulis vulnera chara suis 12. Gregorie Nazianzen in his first Oration speaking of the Persecution by Julian the Apostate when the Christians were moe in number and stronger in might of hand to haue made open resistance if they had in their consciences found it agreeable to their Christian Profession declareth playnlie that they had no other remedie agaynst that Persecution but patient suffering for CHRIST with gloriation in CHRIST 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 13. S. Ambrose having receaved imperiall commandement to deliver the sacred Houses or Churches to bee possessed by the Arians declareth what hee thought convenient to bee done in such a case to wit neyther to obey in that which hee could not performe with a good conscience nor yet to resist by force of Armes His wordes to the people CONCIONE 1. contra AVXENTIVM are these Why then are yee troubled I shall never willinglie leaue you If I bee compelled I can not gayn-stand I may bee sorie I may weepe I may sigh Agaynst Armes Souldiours the Goathes also my Teares are Armes For such are the Guardes of a Priest Other-wayes I neyther ought nor may resist And in the second Booke of his Epistles and 14 Epistle to his Sister Marcellina speaking of that same purpose hee sayeth I shall not fortifie my selfe with a multitude of people about mee Wee beseech O EMPEROVR we fight not I may not deliver the Church but I ought not make resistance 14. Such also was the doctrine and practise of manie other great Lightes which shyned in the dayes of Julian the Apostate and in the dayes of the Arrian Emperoures and Gothicke Arrian Kinges 15. S. Augustine wryting of a lawfull Warre acknowledgeth that onlie to bee lawfull which hath authoritie from the Prince For it is much to bee regarded sayeth hee for what causes and by whose authoritie men vndertake Warres But that naturall order which is accommodated to the peace of mortall men requireth this That the authoritie and counsell of vndertaking Warre bee in the power of the Prince 16. The imperiall Lawes doe say the same ff Ad legem Juliam majestatis Leg. 3. Eadem lege tenetur qui injussu Principis bellum gesserit delectumve habuerit exercitum comparaverit Et Cod. vt armorum vsus inscio Principe interdictus sit Nulli prorsus nobis insciis atque inconsultis quorumlibet armorum movendorum copia tribuatur These are the words of the Emperoures Valentinian and Valens Et Cod. de re militari Leg. 13. Nemo miles Nemo miles vel sibi vacet vel aliena obsequia sine nutu principali peragere audeat c. 17. BODIN in his first Booke de Republica cap. 10. Num. 155 156. Pag. 244. Edit Latin 4. Vrsell Anno 1601. reckoneth among the proper rights of Majestie the right and power to make Warre and this hee showeth to appertayne in a free Monarchie to the Prince onelie 18. To this meaning sayeth Peter Martyr As concerning the efficient cause it is certayne that Warre may not bee made without the authoritie of the Prince For Paull sayeth that hee beareth the Sword therefore hee may giue it to whom hee willeth and may take it from whom hee willeth Loc. Com. Class 4. Cap. 16. § 2. And a little after to wit § 7. hee reciteth and commendeth a saying of Hostiensis to the same purpose 19. CALVIN in the fourth Booke of his INSTITVTION in the last Chapter of that Booke disputeth the Question at length and by manie strong Argumentes evinceth and concludeth that it is no-wayes lawfull for Subjectes to resist their Prince by force of Armes whether the Prince bee Godlie and just or vngodlie and vnjust in his conversation and commaundementes and that no-thing remayneth to Subjectes in such a case but to obey or suffer Where vnderstand that Fleeing is a sort of Suffering Neyther are his wordes subjoyned in the 31 Sect. to wit I speake allwayes of private men c. contrarie to this For first CALVIN in this Dispute indifferentlie vseth the names of private men and Subjectes And therefore in the 33 Sect. at the beginning of it hee tearmeth those of whose duetie hee disputeth Subjectes And in-deede who-so-ever is a Subject is also in respect of the supreame Ruler a private man Although Magistrates who are vnder the King bee publicke persons in respect of their inferioures yet being considered with relation to him that is Supreame 1. PET. 2.13 they are but private As in Dialecticke an intermediate genus altho in respect of the inferiour species it bee a genus yet in relation to the superiour genus it is but a species All POWER OF GOVERNING is so subjected to the supreame Power that what-so-ever is done agaynst the will of the supreame Ruler is destitute of that Power and consequentlie is to bee esteemed for a private act For as wee are taught by the Philosophers ORDER can not bee but with a reference to that which is first Hence KING IAMES in his Booke Of the true Law of free Monarchies PAG. 206. affirmeth that all the people are but private men the authoritie beeing allwayes with the Magistrate Secondlie this is manifest from the verie wordes of CALVIN in that same 31 Sect. for there hee excepteth none from the necessitie of obeying or suffering when Kinges command thinges vnjust but onelie popular Magistrates appoynted for restrayning the licentiousnesse of Kinges Nowe where such Magistrates are erected it is certayne that a King in such a Common-wealth hath not the supreame power For if hee had the supreame power none could force him since an Inferiour can not force his Superiour This can not bee done but onelie by him who is Superiour or at least aequall Thirdlie this is cleare
as wee declared in our former Replye to which yee haue not sufficientlie answered Neyther was it necessarie for removing of anie just Feares that his sacred Majestie should disallowe that Service-Booke as yee requyre but it was sufficient to discharge it in manner foresayde 3. Yee doe conclude your Answere vnto our thirde Replye with an vncouth and incredible Position whereof yee bring no proofe at all but onelie this bare Assertion Who-so-ever professe them-selues to bee perfectlie satisfied with the PROCLAMATION doe proclayme in the eares of all the Kingdome that they are better pleased with the Service-Booke and Canons than with the Religion as it hath beene professed in this Land since the Reformation This your Thesis is so evidentlie weake that we neede no more for the over-throwe there-of but to oppose there-vnto this our playne and vndenyable Antithesis Who professe them-selues to bee perfectlie satisfied with that PROCLAMATION where-by the Service-Booke is discharged the Religion professed in this Land since the Reformation is established doe proclayme in the eares of all the Kingdome that they are better pleased with the Religion professed in this Land since the Reformation than with the Service-Booke and Canons THE IV. DVPLY YEE alleadged a before and now agayne doe affirme that wee haue mistaken your Interpretation of the Olde Covenant as if it had beene given out Judiciallie by you and as if yee had intended to enforce it vpon others To free your selues of this imputation yee sayde in your first Answere that yee intended onlie To make knowne your owne meaning according to the mynde of our reformers and in charitie to recommend it to others Hence wee inferred in our REPLYE that yee ought not to obtrude your Interpretation vpon vs nor molest anie man for not receaving the same To this now yee say in your second Answere Altho you neyther vse threatnings nor obtrude your Interpretation vpon vs yet wee must pardon you if yee match vs not with the greatest part of this Kingdome in whose name by all fayre meanes yee recommend it to vs. Truelie Brethren wee are not offended with you for preferring the judgement of so manie to our judgement who are but few in number neyther neede yee to craue pardon of vs for this But concerning these fayre meanes and that force of reason whereby yee say yee recommend your Interpretation of the Olde Covenant to vs pardon vs if the experience wee haue both of your wrytings and proceedinges make vs to oppose this your assertion For in your wrytings wee expected indeede but haue not found that force of reason whereof yee speake and as for the proceedinges of those who haue subscrybed your Covenant wee of all men haue least reason to belieue that they vse no threatninges seeing wee heare daylie so much their threatnings agaynst our selues 2. Where-as for clearing of that which yee sayde before concerning the mynde of our Reformers yee affirme that The authoritatiue judgement of our Reformers is evident not onlie by the Confession of Fayth ratified in Parliament but also by the bookes of Discipline Acts of Generall Assemblies and by their owne writs First wee marvell how yee can say that the private writings of Master Knox and others who with him were instruments of that great worke of Reformation haue publicke authoritie to obliedge the Subjectes of this Kingdome The legislatiue and obligatorie power of the Church is onlie in Synods or conventions of Bishops and Presbyters and not in particular persons expressing their myndes apart Next this Church in the former age by abrogating the office of Superintendents established in the first booke of Discipline hath declared that the statutes ordinances contayned in those bookes are not of an authoritie perpetuallie obligatorie but may bee altered or abrogated by the Church according to the exigencie of tyme. The same lykewyse is manifest by the abrogation of summarie excommunication which this Church did abolish altho it was established in Generall Assemblies wherein Master Knox and other Reformers were present Wee neede not to insist much in this seeing so manie of you who are Subscribents mis-regarde the ordinances of our Reformers praefixed to the PSALME BOOKE concerning the office of Superintendentes or Bishopes Funerall Sermones and set formes of Prayer which they appoynted to bee publicklie read in the Church Hence the Reader may perceaue that ye haue no warrand for your Interpretation of the Olde Covenant from the authoritatiue and obligatorie judgement of the Reformers seeing yee can not ground it vpon the Confession of Fayth ratified in Parliament As for those other Meanes mentioned by vs to wit Scripture Antiquie and consent of the Reformed Churches that they truelie make for vs and agaynst you the vnpartiall Reader may perceaue by these our Disputes Whether or not Episcopacie and Pearth Articles bee abjured in the Late Covenant 3. As for the second Miss-taking mentioned by you in your Answere wee did showe in our Replye that in your Covenant Pearth Articles and Episcopacie are abjured And for proving of this wee asked of you what yee meaned by the recoverie and libertie of the Gospell as it was established and professed before the fore-sayde Novations and what is that period of tyme to which your wordes there haue reference that is Whether it bee that period of tyme when the Service-Booke and Booke of Canons were vrged vpon you or if it bee the tyme when Pearth Articles and Episcopacie were receaved in this Church But truelie your Answere to this is no-wayes satisfactorie nor hath so much as a showe of satisfaction For yee are afrayd to expresse that period of tyme lest yee bee forced to graunt that which wee before objected And yet your speach bewrayeth you For seeing yee answere onelie to that which wee sayde concerning the last of these two periods wee collect that by the recoverie of the libertie and puritie of the Gospell as it was established before the fore-sayd Novations yee meane the reducing of the Policie of this Church vnto that estate in which it was before Pearth Articles and Episcopacie were established And hence wee inferre as wee did before that in that part of your Covenant yee condemne and abjure Pearth Articles and Episcopacie as contrarie to the Puritie and Libertie of the GOSPELL 4. Yee seeme to answere that in that part of your Covenant yee condemne not PEARTH Articles and Episcopacie but those Abuses and Corruptions which haue accompanied them such as the Superstitious observing of dayes cessation from worke on those dayes Feasting Guysing and the grosse abuses which haue entered in the Sacrament vpon kneeling before the Elementes and that in respect of these Abuses wee who allow Pearth Articles and Episcopacie may sweare without prejudice of our cause to recover the Puritie and Libertie of the Gospell as it was established and professed before these Novations 5. But first let anie indifferent or vnpartiall man who knoweth the state of our CHVRCH judge whether or not it bee
Hornes of it still towards you Yee farther insinuate that our Reasons are not solide and graue but velitations of such a sort as yee looked not for Let the judicious Reader pronounce his sentence of this onelie wee wish that yee had chosen rather to satisfie than to contemne our Reasons That which yee heere agayne adde concerning the change of Commissioners is answered in our fourth DVPLYE 8. To giue light to your former Discourse yee subjoyne a Distinction of Discipline into three members First yee saye It is taken for the Rule of Governement of the Church and Censure of Manners by Office-bearers appoynted by CHRIST and thus yee saye it is vnchangeable Secondlie For Constitutions of Councells and Actes of Parliament about matters of Religion And thus yee say it is alterable or constant according to the nature of particular Objectes Thirdlie For the ordering of Circumstances to bee observed in all actions Divine and Humane and so yee say it is variable First by these Distinctions the matter seemeth rather to bee obscured than cleared For ye doe not expresse in which of these senses the Discipline mentioned in the Negatiue Confession is to bee taken which was the poynt requyred of you 9. Secondlie Yee seeme by this Distinction to intangle your selues yet more For first if yee take the name of Discipline in anie one or anie two of these senses what say yee to these following wordes of your Dispute agaynst the English Popish Ceremonies Parte 4. Cap. 8. Sect. 8 The Bishop doeth but needleslie question what is meaned by the Discipline where-of the Oath speaketh For howsoever in Ecclesiasticall vse it signifieth often-tymes that Policie which standeth in the censuring of Manners yet in the Oath it must bee taken in the largest sense namelie for the whole Policie of the Church For 1. The whole Policie of this Church did at that tyme goe vnder the name of Discipline and those two Bookes wherein this Policie is contayned were called The Bookes of Discipline And without all doubt they who sware the Oath meaned by Discipline that whole Policie of the Church which is cōtayned in those Bookes 10. Secondly when that Little Confession was framed the Governmēt of the Church was onlie by Presbyters and not by Bishops and there-fore if yee thinke that the name of Discipline in that Confession comprehendeth vnder it the first part of your Distinction which as wee conceaue yee will not denye yee may easilie perceaue that wee are vrged by you to sweare and subscrybe agaynst our Consciences since wee thinke the Rule of the Governement of the Church which then was to bee changeable and that the Governement was lawfullie chaunged by following Assemblies and Parliamentes from Presbyters to Bishops 11. Thirdlie If these Constitutions of Councels concerning Objects alterable mentioned in the second member of your Distinction bee one and the same with ordering of variable Circumstances mentioned in the third member why haue yee distinguished the one from the other But if they bee different then yee graunt that Ecclesiasticke Constitutions may bee made concerning some alterable matters of Religion which are not bare Circumstances which is repugnant to your ordinarie Doctrine where-by yee mayntayne that nothing changeable is lest to the Determination of the Church in matters of Religion but onelie Circumstances of Actions Wee can not see howe yee can mayntayne this Doctrine and yet oppose the Determinations of the Church concerning Ceremonies which are indifferent 12. Wee had reason to inquyre your judgement concerning Rites or Ceremonies which are not of Divine Institution whether they bee lawfull or not though yee still shunne the declaring of it Since by your Covenant yee intende a reformation of Religion and a recovering of the Libertie and Puritie of the Gospell as yee speake if yee in your judgement condemne such Ceremonies as yee insinuate wee can not expect but that if yee obtayne your desires all such Rites shall bee expelled and condemned especiallie since by this your Late Covenant yee tye your selues to that Olde Covenant where-in yee disclayme and detest all Rites brought into the Church without the word of GOD. Now wee can not concurre with you for promoving this ende because such a judgement is playne contrarie to ours yea contrarie to the vniversall judgement and practise of the Auncient Kirke repugnant also to the judgement of the Protestant Churches and most famous Divynes therein as may appeare by the quotations on the margine But if yee bee of the same mynde with vs and thinke that there are some Rites of that kynde lawfull why doe you hide your mynde from vs and others since the acknowledgement and manifesting of this Trueth would bee no small advancement to your cause by removing this great offence Of Matrimoniall Benediction and God-fathers in Baptisme 13. As for solemne blessing of Marriage wee asked what warrand yee had for it by Praecept or Practise set downe in GOD'S word In your Answere yee insinuate that it is a blessing of the people cōmanded in the Law and more playnlie wee finde this set downe in the Dispute agaynst the English Popish Ceremonies PART 3. CAP. 2. SECT 10. Yet playne it is from Scripture it selfe that Matrimoniall Benediction ought to bee given by a Pastor for GOD hath commanded His Ministers to blesse His people NVM 6. First who ever before you did ground the necessitie of solemne blessing of Marriage vpon these words NVM 6.23 Speake vnto Aaron and vnto his sonnes saying On this wyse yee shall blesse the children of Israel saying vnto them The LORD blesse thee and keepe thee c. Learned Melanchton was not so well versed in Scriptures as to see this For hee sayeth in his Epistles Pag. 328. Yee see that the Rite of the Auncients is that the Brydegroome and Bryde are joyned before the Altar in the sight of GOD and with the incalling of GOD. Which custome vndoubtedlie hath beene ordained by the first Fathers that wee may consider that this conjunction was appoynted by GOD and is assisted by Him 14. Secondlie By this commandement of GOD to blesse the people NVM 6. eyther there is a necessitie layde vpon the Church to blesse Marriages solemnlie or not If yee say there is not a necessitie then there is no commandement of GOD there-anent for it is necessarie to obey GOD'S Commandement If yee say there is a necessitie what say yee then to your Friend Didoclaue who in his Altar of Damascus Pag. 866 affirmeth that neyther the presence of the Congregation nor blessing of the Minister is necessarie to this action And if yee dissent heere-in from him yee are holden to prooue your opinion by a necessarie consequence from holie Scripture which wee are perswaded yee are not able to doe 15. Thirdlie The Commaundement To blesse the people is no lesse if not more generall than that 1. COR. 14.40 Let all thinges bee done decentlie and in order on the which wordes both Auncient and Recent
but also bringeth even vpon good men a multitude of vndeserved Aspersions BRETHREN wee intende not to giue you a Meeting in this for our Resolution is not to bee over-come of evill but to over-come evill with good ROM 12.21 And wee are glad to suffer this for His Cause whose Trueth wee mayntayne pittying in you this Great Defect of Christian and Brotherlie Compassion and praying GOD not to laye it to your charge Wherefore wee will not search and trye your wayes as yee haue done ours but wee will reflect our thoughts vpon our selues and see whether or not wee bee guiltie of these thinges which yee heere reprehende in vs. 2. Yee say first That wee haue taken an ample Testimonie to our selues But what wee pray you haue wee testified of our selues but this onlie that in sincere and zealous profession of the Trueth wee are not inferiour to others and according to our measure haue striven to bee faythfuil in all the dueties of our Calling Yee haue in-deede put more in-to our Apologie and saye that wee haue praysed our selues from our frequencie of Prayer extraordinarie Humiliations and holinesse of lyfe and conversation c. For as yee are loath to speake anie good of vs so yee would haue the Reader belieue that wee speake too much good of our selues But in this as yee wrong vs so yee make the Reader to see howe negligentlie yee haue read and considered our wordes For where-as in the seconde parte of our Replye wee tolde you that wee haue other Meanes and more effectuall than your Covenant to vse for holding out of Poperie mentioning in particular extraordinarie Humiliation frequencie of Prayer amendement of lyfe diligence in Preaching and searching the Scriptures c. Yee imagine that wee doe arrogate to our selues some singularitie in vsing these Means not considering that it is one thing to saye that wee may and ought to vse these Meanes and an-other thing to say that wee are singular and eminent aboue others in the diligent vse of them 3. Next Where-as yee saye that yee were desirous rather to heare that testimonie at the mouthes of others as if yee had never heard our Paynes and Labours for the Trueth commended by anie who knoweth not but in this case in the which we stand for the present it is lawfull and moste expedient to men to vindicate them-selues and their Fidelitie in their Callinges from the contempt and Calumnies of others Wee haue in the Scriptures notable Examples of GGD'S dearest Saynctes who in such cases yea in other cases also without anie derogation to their singular humilitie did fall out into high expressions of their owne vertuous and pious carriage Who ever spake so humblie of him-selfe as PAVL who calleth him-selfe lesse than the least of all Saynctes EPHES. 3.8 and yet else-where hee sayeth that hee was not a whit behinde the verie chiefest Apostles and that hee laboured more aboundantlie than they all 1. COR. 15.10 2. COR. 11.5 4. The defectes which by your strict and curious Inquisition yee thinke yee haue found in vs may bee reduced into two poynctes One is that wee are too sparing in our paynes in Preaching and that wee often fill our Places with Novices The other is that the small Paynes which wee haue taken are not fruitfull And to prooue this yee saye that Poperie hath no lesse increased in our Citie vnder our Ministerie than anie tyme before since the Reformation As for the first of these to omit that which Modestie will not permit vs to speake eyther of our owne Paynes in Teaching or of yours it is verie well knowne that in the case of Sicknesse and extraordinarie Employmentes in our Callinges which but seldome doe fall foorth to vs it is both lawfull and commendable to see that our Places may bee filled eyther with some actuall Minister or fayling of that with able Studentes of Divinitie approven by publicke Authoritie where-of your selues can not bee ignorant in respect of your frequent Peregrinations from your Stations 5. As for the next poynt Altho it were true yet the Parable of the Seede sowen in diverse sortes of ground and the dolorous Complayntes which these most paynfull and thunderin Preachers Eliah 1. KING 19. 10. Isaiah 53. 1. Paul GAL. 1.6 and 3.1 yea of CHRIST Him-selfe MATTH 23.37 and LVKE 19.41.42 made of the hard successe of their laboures may learne you to bee more benigne in your censures of vs than yee are In the meane tyme it is knowne to his Majestie to the Lordes of Secret Counsell and to all the Countrey heere as also it is evident by manie publicke extant Actes of the sayde Secret Counsell and of our Diocoesian Assemblies that wee haue beene as diligentlie exercised in opposing of Poperie as anie Ministers in this KINGDOME Neyther hath our successe heere-in beene so badde as yee haue given it out for since our entrie to the ministrie heere scarce hath anie man beene diverted from the Trueth to Poperie some Papistes haue beene converted to the Profession of the Trueth and others who were incorrigible haue beene forced to departe from this countrey Yea wee thinke that our successe in dealing with the Papistes had beene vndoubtedlie greater if they had not beene hardened in their Errour by your strange and scandalous Doctrines repugnant to Scripture and sound Antiquitie 6. That which yee saye in the second part of your Aunswere concerning the powerfull effectes of your Covenant meeteth not with that which wee did object concerning the vnlawfullnesse of it For that which is not in it selfe lawfull can never bee truelie profitable to anie And SOLOMON hath tolde vs the there is no wisdome nor vnderstanding agaynst the LORD PROVERBS 21.30 7. As for last parte of your Aunswere wee haue so often tolde you that your feare of the in-bringing of the Service-Booke and Canons is causelesse and yee haue so oft denyed this that it were follie to wearie the Reader anie more with this matter In the meane tyme wee tell you that if you Covenant bee vnlawfull in it selfe as wee still thinke it to bee your feare altho it were justlie conceaved will never free your Soules of the guiltinesse of it THE XII DVPLY TO justifie or excuse your omission of publicke disallowing and condemning the publicke disorders and misscarriages of some who haue subscrybed the Covenant especiallie the offering of violence to Prelates and Ministers in tyme of Divine Service and in the House of GOD where-of wee spake in our twelfth Demaund and Replye yee aunswere first that yee acknowledge not the Service-Booke for the LORD'S Service Yee might saye the same of anie Service-Booke if yee allowe the Reasons latelie set foorth in Print agaynst the Service-Booke for there a Praescript forme of Prayet is condemned which directlie crossth the practise of the Vniversll Church of CHRIST Auncient and Recent 2. Yee alleadge that yee acknowledge not the vnsurpd Authoritie of Prelates for Lawfull Authoritie For ought wee can perceaue by
the Doctrines of those with whome yee joyne yee acknowledge no lawfull Authoritie at all in Prelates aboue your selues and other Ministers and yee seeme so to insinuate so much here by blaming vs for calling them Reverend and holie Fathers Wee are perswaded of the lawfullnesse of their Office and therefore are not ashamed with Scripture and Godlie Antiquitie to call such as are advaunced to this Sacred Dignitie Fathers and Revenrend Fathers Neyther should personall faultes alleadged by you hinder our observance till what is alleadged bee clearlie proven For so long as thinges are doubfull wee should interpret to the better parte LVKE 6.37 And it is a Rule of Lawe that in a doubtfull case the state of a Possessour is best and consequentlie of him that hither-to hath beene in a Possission of a good name as also that in thinges doubtfull wee should rather favour the persone accused than him that accuseth 3. If yee bee of this same judgement with vs concerning the lawfullnesse of their Office why doe ye not reverence them as well as wee But if their verie Office seeme to you vnlawfull wee esteeme your judgement contrarie to holie Scripture to all sound Antiquitie and to the best Learned amongst Reformed Divines Heare what MELANCHTHON sayeth I would to GOD I would to GOD it laye in mee not to confirme the Dominion but to restore the Governement of Bishops for I see what manner of Policie wee shall have the Ecclesiasticall Policie beeing dissolved I doe see that heereafter will growe vp a greater tyrannie in the Church than ever was before And agayne in an-other Epistle to Camerarius hee sayeth You will not believe howe much I am hated by those of Noricum and by others for the restoring of Jurisdiction to Bishops So our Companions fight for their owne Kingdome not for the Kingdome of CHRIST So in other place See Bucer de Regno CHRISTI Pag. 67. 4. Thirdlie Yee alleadge the zeale of the people by reason where-of yee saye that it was no-thing strange that in such a case they were stirred vp to oppose Suppone they had opposed yet that they should haue so opposed as to haue offered violence to Sacred persons Prelates or Ministers who are spirituall Fathers seemeth to vs verie strange for all that hitherto yee haue sayde There is no zeale without the exraordinarie inâ—â—inct of GOD'S Spirit which can warrand mâ—n destiâ—â—â—e â—f Authoritie to laye their handes on â—â—â—h persons Touch not Myne anoynted and doe My Prophets 〈◊〉 harme sayeth the LORD PSALME 105. Let all thâ—nges bee done decentlie and in order sayeth S. PAVL 1. COR. 14.40 GOD is not the Author of confusion or tumult but of peace sayeth that same Apostle there VERSE 33. To this purpose Grogorie Nazianzene in his 26 Oration speaking of the chiefe causes of division in the Church sayeth One of them ia vnrulie ferventnesse without reason and knowledge and the another is disorder and vndecencie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 5. The sonne should account the person of his Father Sacred ff de obsequiis Lib. 9. So wee ought also to esteeme of our Spirituall Fathers and there-fore to offer injurie to their persons and that in tyme of Divine Service must needes bee a grievous sinne In the Novell Constitutions of IVSTINIAN Authent Collat. 9. Tit. 6. Novella 123. de SANCTISS EPISCOPIS c. CAP 31. there is a remarkeable Lawe to this purpose cited vpon the MARGINE The lyke Law wee finde in Cod. Iustin Lib. 1. Tit. 3. de Episcop Clericis Now altho in these imperiall Lawes the sanction bee severe yet wee wish no such severitie to bee vsed amongst vs but praying GOD to forgiue them who haue transgressed Wee desire them to consider that auncientlie amongst Christians such doings were greatlie disallowed 6. S. Chrysostome speaking of the reverence due by people to Pastours sayeth A man may nowe see that there are not so great Scoffes and reproaches vsed by the vnfaythfull agaynst the Rulers as by those that seeme to bee faythfull and to bee joyned with vs. Let vs therefore inquyre whence commeth this negligence and contempt of pietie that wee haue such a hostilitie agaynst our Fathers There is nothing there is nothing that can so easilie destroy the Church as wheÌ„ there is not an exact joynture of Disciples to their Masters of childreÌ„ to parents and of theÌ„ that are ruled with their rulers He that but speaketh evil against his brother is debarred from reading the divyne Scriptures for what hast thou to doe to take my Covenant in thy mouth sayth the LORD subjoyneth this cause Thou sittest and speakest evill of thy brother and thinkest thou thy selfe worthie to come to the sacred porches who accusest thy spirituall Father How agreeth this with reason For if they who speake evill of Father or Mother should dye according to the Law of what judgemeÌ„t is he worthie who dare speake evil of him who is much more necessarie and better than those Parentes Why feareth hee not that the earth should open and swallow him or that thunder should come from Heaven and burne vp that cursing tongue See him also Lib. 3. de Sacerdotio Cap. 5. 6. 7. In the next place yee saye that the keeping of GOD'S House from Pollution and superstition belongeth to Authoritie to the communitie of the Faythfull and to everie one in his owne Place and Order but certainlie if everie one or all the communitie keepe their owne Place and Order they can doe no-thing in this by way of force without farre lesse agaynst Authoritie Hence Zanchius in his first Booke of Images Thes 4 sayeth Without Authoritie of the Prince it is lawfull to none in this Countrey to take Idoles out of Churches or to chaunge anie thing in Religion hee that doeth so should bee punished as seditious This hee confirmeth by reason and by the testimonie of Saynct Augustine Tom. 10. de Sermone Domini in Monte Homilia 6. And a little after hee subjoyneth Augustine handeleth this Argument piouslie hee dehorteth his people from such a practise and sayeth That it is pravorum hominum furiosorum circumcellionum 8. As for your vehement Accusations and Threatnings heere and Answere 14 agaynst the wryter of the late WARNING to the Subjects in SCOTLAND yee may easilie perceaue by the Printed Edition of that WARNING and by the Printed Editions of our REPLYES that that offence is taken away And now Reverende Brethren why are yee pleased thus to digresse from the matter in hand to waken and holde on foote personall quarrels agaynst your brother by digging vp buried wordes and renewing haske interpretations thereof contrarie to his loving intention and after that himselfe for satisfaction to all men hath so publicklie disallowed and abolished these wordes This vncharitable dealing can bring no advantage to the cause which yee mayntayne but rather maketh it the more to bee disgusted in consideration of your too great eagernesse to stirre
the Church to forbeare the practise of Pearth Articles rather than of other Rites of the Church except for some greater evill comprehended in them This will appeare more evident if wee shall consider the reason alleadged by you Pag. 17 wherefore wee ought now to forbeare the practise of these Articles to wit because in the case of Scandall and sensible feare of Superstition wee ought to doe so Now this case of Scandall is not in your judgement a temporarie but a perpetuall consequent of Pearth Articles For yee thinke it will ever scandalize the Papists as if we were approaching to them Lykewyse yee thinke everie one of them and especiallie Kneeling to bee inductiue to sinne ex conditione operis by the verie nature and qualitie of the worke it selfe Whence it followeth that they are necessarilie and immutablie scandalous for what-so-ever agreeth to anie thing in respect of the nature of it it agreeth to it necessarilie and immutablie If therefore wee in this respect sweare the forbearance of Pearth Articles wee shall bee holden to forbeare Pearth Articles not for a tyme but for ever 15. Next wee pray you consider what is meaned by the foresayde Novations in that part of your Covenant wherein yee promise to labour to recover the Libertie and Puritie of the Gospell as it was before the foresayde Novations Certaynlie these wordes can not bee vnderstood of Novations to bee introduced and which haue not as yet entred vnto our Church For the Libertie and Puritie of the Church is not as yet lost yea not impared by them and so needeth not to bee recovered by the removing of them They must then be vnderstood of the Novations mentioned in the Parenthesis of your Covenant that is of all Innovations alreadie introduced by Authoritie and their alleadged Consequentes which yee promise to forbeare vntill they bee allowed and tryed by a free Assemblie Hence anie man may conclude that altho in your Parenthesis yee promise onlie to forbeare these Novations for a tyme yet in the wordes immediatelie following yee condemne and abjure them For the recovering of the Libertie and Puritie of the Gospell as it was established before the foresayde Novations importeth manifestlie a removing of all these Novations which eyther in themselues or in respect of their consequents are contrarie to the Puritie and Libertie of the Gospell But all Novations alreadie introduced are in your judgement of this kynde and there-fore your Vowe of the Recovering the Libertie and Puritie of the GOSPELL importeth a removing of all the fore-sayde Novations 16. To conclude this Argument Yee may see that wee haue pryed no more narrowlie into the expressions of your COVENANT than wee had reason and haue laboured not to scarre our selues and others with meere shadowes as yee affirme Of our ARGVMENT Ad hominem and the weake Retorsion of it by the Answeres 17. Nowe wee come to our Argument or Syllogisme AD HOMINEM which hath so pinched you that yee haue not attempted to answere to anie of the Propositions of it Our intention in that Argument was to proue that whether Pearth Articles bee abjured in the Late Covenant or not Yet yee who came hither to giue vs satisfaction concerning the Covenant can not with a safe conscience averre or declare to vs that they are not abjured in it This wee did evidentlie proue reasoning thus What-so-ever Rites are abjured in the Olde Covenant they are also in your judgement abjured in the Late Covenant But Pearth Articles and Episcopacie are in your judgement abjured in the Olde Covenant ERGO they are in your judgement abjured in the Late Covenant and consequentlie if yee deale sincerelie with vs ye must averre that they are also abjured in the Late Covenant 18. To this yee say first that what-so-ever be your judgement as yee are particular persons yet at this tyme yee were to bee taken as Commissioners from the whole Companie of Subscrybers Truelie wee did take you so and did thinke that yee who were Commissioners from such a Multitude of good Christians would haue tolde vs your mynde sincerelie concerning the full extent of the Late Covenant and that yee would neyther haue affirmed anie thing as Commissioners which yee doe not thinke to bee true as yee are particular persons nor yet would haue laboured so to insnare vs as to haue bidden vs subscrybe a Covenant reallie and indeede in your judgement abjuring those thinges which wee with a safe conscience can not abjure For in your judgement PEARTH ARTICLES and EPISCOPACIE are most reallie abjured in the LATE COVENANT although yee playnlie affirme the contrarie in your Answeres to our fourth fift and sixt Demaund And which is much to bee noted in your Answere to our tenth Demaund yee affirme concerning your selues That yee in this Late Covenant haue promised onelie Forbearance of Pearth Articles Wee wonder much howe yee can say so For who-so-ever by their Oath haue tyed themselues to a Confession in the which they firmlie belieue Pearth Articles and Episcopacie to bee abjured those haue indeede abjured Pearth Articles and Episcopacie But yee in the Late Covenant haue tyed your selues by your Oath to the Little Confession or Olde Covenant in the which yee firmlie belieue Episcopacie and Pearth Articles to bee abjured Ergo in your Late Covenant yee haue abjured Pearth Articles and Episcopacie And not onelie yee but all those who are of that same mynde with you Whence wee inferred in that tenth Demaund That none of you can vote freelie in the intended Assemblie concerning PEARTH ARTICLES and EPISCOPACIE 19. Secondlie yee say that if others of the Subscribents who are of our judgement that is who are not perswaded that Pearth Articles and Episcopacie are abjured in the Olde Covenant had come as Commissioners at this tyme to vs our Argument AD HOMINEM had beene anticipated because it would not haue beene pertinent for them But yee are deceaved for wee haue ever looked principallie to these who were the first Contryvers of the Late Covenant or had speciall hand in it that is to your selues and to others who these manie yeares by-gone haue opposed Pearth Articles and Episcopacie as Popish corruptions abjured in the Olde Covenant and consequentlie haue in this Late Covenant in the which that former Covenant is renewed by your owne personall Oath abjured Pearth Articles and Episcopacie If then that other sort of Commissioners had come vnto vs wee would haue sayde to them that wee can not sweare the Late Covenant because Pearth Articles and Episcopacie are in it abjured And this wee would haue proved by the lyke Argumēt AD HOMINEM that is by an Argument grounded vpon the judgement of the contryvers of the Late Covenant as yee may easilie perceaue 20. Thirdlie yee say that wee haue perceaved the insufficiencie of our Argument because wee objected this to our selues that seeing wee thinke Pearth Articles and Episcopacie not to bee abjured in the Olde Covenant wee may Subscrybe the New Covenant in