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
also by the examples adduced by CALVIN namelie the Lacedaemonian Ephori the Romane Tribunes and the Athenian Demarchi When the Ephori were set vp in Lacedaemon the Kinges of Lacedaemon were but Kinges in name and had not the Supreame power as it is confessed by the Learned So when the Tribunes had their full power in Rome the Supreame power was in the people and in lyke manner it was in Athens when the Demarchi had power Therefore from this no-thing can bee inferred for the lawfull resistance of Subjectes to a Monarch or King properlie so called Fourthlie CALVIN applying this to the Kingdomes that nowe are sayeth no more but that peradventure the three Estates assembled in Parliament haue that fame power which the fore-mentioned Ephori c. had Heere it is to bee marked that hee sayeth onelie peradventure it is so which can bee no warrand to a man's conscience in a matter of so great importance For hee that resisteth his Superiour by force of Armes should not onelie thinke that peradventure hee hath power but should bee assuredlie perswaded that hee hath power so to doe When there is no more said but that peradventure such a thing is it may bee as reasonablie sayde Peradventure such a thing is not Neyther doeth hee giue this power even peradventure but to the the three Estates assembled in Parliament Hence the learned RIVET speaking of CALVIN his mynde in this place sayeth that hee giveth no power to people over Monarchs properlie so called The same also is observed concerning CALVIN his mynde by Albericus Gentilis in his third Royall Dispute 20. The same doctrine also is delivered by King JAMES of blessed Memorie in his Booke entituled The true Law of free Monarchies by Hugo Grotius in his first Booke de jure belli pacis CAP. 4. by Leonhartus Hutterus in his common places Loc. 32. CAP. 3. Iohannes Gerhardus in the 6 TOM of his common places in his Treatise de magistratu politico NVM 483. where hee discourseth accuratelie of this matter Zepperus in his 3 Booke de Politia Ecclesiastica in the last Section of the 13 Chapter PAG. 573. Edit Herborn 1595. Albericus Gentilis in his regall disputations disput 3. de vi civium in Regem semper injusta Iohn Bishop of Rochester in his worke written agaynst Bellarmine de potestate Papae in rebus temporalibus LIB 1. CAP. 8. CLASS 2. Where hee adduceth a clowde of manie moe Authors M. Antonius de Dominis in his Booke called Ostensio errorum Francisci Suarez CAP. 6. § 27. Ioannes Angelius Werdenhagen I. C. in his Politica generalis LIB 3. CAP. 10. QUEST 14. 21. By these Testimonies wee intende not to lay vpon you or anie of our Countrey-men anie imputation or to take vpon vs to giue sentence concerning their proceedinges but onlie beeing invited heereto by your last Answeres wee thought it our duetie to signifie to the Reader that manie Ancient and late Famous Wryters are not of that opinion eyther to thinke the question touching Authoritie so full of Rockes and Thornes as you call it or yet to favour such a defensiue taking of Armes as you thinke to bee alleadged by Whitaker Bilson and Rivet 22. Now to prosecute what remayneth of your Answere whereas yee say that when yee justifie your Covenants and Conventions yee meane not onlie the last and most remote endes but the nearest and immediate wee pray you tell vs what yee meane by the nearest and immediate ende if yee meane the object it selfe which the Schoole-men call finem intrinsecum proximum then the lawfulnesse and equitie of the matter vowed and promised in the Covenant is all one with the goodnesse of the ende of it Whence wee inferre that seeing the matter promised by you in this your Covenant to wit your Mutuall Defence agaynst all persons none excepted is in our judgement vnlawfull and forbidden by a lawfull Authoritie the ende of your Covenant is meerelie evill but if by the nearest ende yee meane any thing which is diverse from the object then wee still affirme agaynst the last part of your first Answere to our second DEMAND that Conventions and Covenants all other actions are to bee esteemed judged of first or principallie by the equitie of the object and then by the goodnesse of the ends of it whether they bee fines proximi or fines remoti 23. Wee doe not joyne with the Papistes blamers of our Reformation as yee seeme to beare vpon vs because they hate and oppugne our reformed Religion which wee loue and defende Neyther doe wee take vpon vs to censure the proceedinges of our Reformers but wee stryue by the grace of GOD so to carrie in our owne tyme and to walke wyselie in a perfect way as our adversaries the Papistes may get no advantage to pleade for their vnwarrantable doctrine and practises by anie pretence of our example THE III. DVPLY IN your third Answere passing lightlie from our REPLYE yee fall into some vnexpected digressions concerning the Service Booke and our thoughts thereof we esteeme it a matter beyond the compasse of humane judicatorie to sit vpon the thoughts of other men As for those outward expressions which yee alleadge vpon some of vs of not seeing erroures in that Booke or groaning for it yee shall vnderstand that such multiplicitie of Popish erroures as was alleadged by some of you to bee in that Booke was invisible to some of vs. Altho to enter in a particular examination or consideration of everie poynt and sentence in that Booke is not now tyme nor place Neyther did anie of vs professe groaning for that Booke in particular but for an vniformitie of Divyne Service throughout this Nationall Kirke and a more perfect forme than wee yet haue that the publicke Service were not permitted to the severall judgements and private choyse of everie Minister and Reader Which also was thought convenient by the Nationall Assemblie of the Kirke of Scotland holden at ABERDENE Anno 1616. 2. Whether that Service Booke now discharged contayneth anie Innovation of Religion or anie thing contrarie to the Protestant Religion as yee alleadge wee doe not dispute now But we doe assuredlie belieue the pietie and sinceritie of his Majesties intention ever to haue beene and still constantlie to bee as it is graciouslie declared by his Majesties late PROCLAMATION And wee are certaynlie perswaded that his Majestie hath given order to discharge all the Actes of Counsell made anent the Canons and Service-Booke and are crediblie informed that They are discharged by Act of Counsell at Holie-Rood-House the fift of Julie last according to the order given by his Majestie Also wee see no such just cause of Feare as may import your alleadged Necessitie of Covenanting seeing his Majestie will not presse anie thing of that nature but in such a fayre and legall way as shall satisfie all his loving Subjectes and that hee neyther intendeth innovations in Religion nor Lawes
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
and advysed doubting as wee sayde before concerning the meaning of those parts of the Olde Covenant which concerne matters of Rite or Ceremonie Neyther doeth the confirmation of your Minor trouble vs for wee haue thought our selues free of Perjurie these twentie yeares by-gone not for anie certayne perswasion which wee had that Pearth Articles are not abjured in the Olde Covenant but because wee did not personallie sweare that Covenant and are not tyed to it by the Oath of those who did Subscrybe it which wee are readie to demonstrate by irrefragable Argumentes Yee see then your Argument retorted vpon vs pearceth vs not at all and the Reader may perceaue that our Argument hath beene so forciblie throwne vpon you that yee haue not taken vpon you to answere anie part of it If ye had had evidence of the Trueth for you yee would not onlie haue retorted our Argument but also by answering it punctuallie showne that it strayteth not you and if yee had beene exact Resolvers yee would not haue gone about to haue satisfied vs with a naked Argument in contrarium 24. Before wee leaue this poynt that it may bee knowne to all what reason wee haue to insist in this our Argument AD HOMINEM and that wee haue proponed it not to catch advantage of you but to get satisfaction to our owne myndes concerning the COVENANT and your sinceritie in vrging vs to Subscrybe it wee will collect out of that which hath bene alreadie sayd some INTERROGATORIES which wee pray you to answere punctuallie if yee intende to giue vs satisfaction The first is Whether or not your declaration of the extent of the LATE COVEMANT to wit that it extendeth not it selfe to the abjuration of Pearth Articles bee not onlie VERA true in it selfe but also VERAX that is consonant to your mynde and to the mynde of the chiefe Contryvers of it The reason where-fore wee propone this question yee will perceaue by these that follow Secondlie seeing yee and others the chiefe Contryvers of the Olde Covenant haue beene ever of this mynde that Pearth Articles and Episcopacie are abjured in it wee aske Whether yee all tying your selues by this LATE COVENANT to the inviolable observation of the OLDE COVENANT haue tyed your selues to it in all the particular poynts which yee conceaved to bee contayned in it or onelie in some of them Did yee by mentall reservation except anie part of that OLDE COVENANT or in particular did yee except that part of it in the which Perpetuall continuance in the Doctrine Discipline of this Church is promised Or if that part was not excepted did yee put anie new glosse vpon it which it had not before And if yee did not whether or not yee renewing the Oath of perpetuall observation of the Doctrine and Discipline of this Church as it was Anno 1581 haue not onlie reallie but also according to your owne conception of that part of the OLDE COVENANT abjured all Rites and Ceremonies added to the Discipline of this Church since the fore-sayde yeare and consequentlie the Articles of Pearth and Episcopacie Thirdlie seeing yee so confidentlie averre that Pearth Articles are abjured in the Olde Covenant howe can yee denye them to bee abjured in the New Covenant except yee acknowledge a substantiall difference betwixt the Olde and New Covenant Fourthlie if yee grant that they are reallie and indeed abjured in the Late Covenant how can yee faythfullie and sincerelie say to vs or to anie other that they are not abjured in it Fiftlie how can yee and all others who with you haue reallie and also according to your owne conception of the Olde Covenant abjured Pearth Articles and Episcopacie by renewing of it voyce freelie in the intended Assemblie concerning these thinges seeing yee are tyed by your Oath to condemne and abrogate them Sixtlie How can wee concurre with you in an Oath wherein wee are infalliblie perswaded that yee haue abjured Pearth Articles and Episcopacie Seaventhlie If wee concurre with you in that Oath will yee not as wee objected in our REPLYE but yee haue not answered it thinke vs bound by our Oath to condemne Pearth Articles and Episcopacie And will not yee thinke your selues bound in conscience to tell vs and all others that which yee thinke to bee trueth and may make much for your cause to wit That the wordes of the Covenant haue but one sense and that in that one sense Pearth Articles are abjured 25. Yee and all others may nowe see howe injustlie yee sayde That wee would haue the Covenanters agaynst their intention And whether they will or not to dis-allowe and condemne Pearth Articles and Episcopall Governement lest they bee tryed in a free Assemblie God knoweth how farre wee detest all such dealing and this vindication of our two Argumentes wee added also a third but yee haue swallowed it brought by vs to proue that Pearth Articles and Episcopacie are abjured in your Late Covenant will sufficientlie cleare vs of this imputation to all vnpartiall Readers 26. Wee did not onelie alleadge as yee say that your Supplications to his Majestie were fullie satisfied by the last PROCLAMATION but grounding an Argument vpon your Answere to our fourth Demaund wee reasoned thus If in all your Supplications yee haue onelie sought the removing of the Service-Booke Booke of Canons and New High Commission not complayning of anie other Novations alreadie introduced And seeing his Majestie hath graunted this vnto you what reason haue yee to say that his Majestie hath not satisfied your Supplications This our Argument yee haue turned to a meere Alleadgeance lest yee should haue troubled your selues with answering it VVhether or not we may forbeare the practise of PEARTH ARTICLES vntill they bee tryed in a FREE ASSEMBLIE 27. Wee come now to the consideration of that which your COVENANT by your owne confession tyeth vs to to wit The forbearance of PEARTH Articles vntill they bee tryed in a free Assemblie And first where-as yee say That the vrging of the Service Booke is a sufficient reason for forbearance of PEARTH Articles till an Assemblie wee professe that wee can not see the equitie and force of this reason For the Service-Booke may be holden out albeit Pearth Articles were not forborne at this tyme yea altho they should never bee removed And the more obedient Subjects were at this tyme to his Majesties lawes allreadie established the greater hope might they haue of obtayning their desires 28. Ye bring 2 Argumēts to proue the lawfulnes of the forbearance of Novations alreadie introduced One is that the Articles of Pearth establishing them were cōcluded onlie for satisfying the King and not to presse anie man with the practise of them And because the Act it selfe yee meane the Act concerning Kneeling giveth warrand to forbeare the practise of them at this tyme when the memorie of Superstition is revived But this reason doeth no wayes satisfie our consciences For to begin with the last part of your Answere
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
for which wee stand is wronged by vs two wayes 1. That wee differ in judgement from them about the indifferencie of the fiue Articles and next that at the will of our Ordinarie and yee know not what other lawfull Superioures wee are readie to forbeare the practise of these thinges which the Assemblie hath appoynted to bee observed 7. As for your mayne Question Whether a duetie necessarie by Divine Lawe may bee or may not bee omitted in case our Ordinarie and other lawfull Superioures should will vs to omit it before wee aunswere to it wee must expound what wee meane by our other lawfull Superioures because of your jesting pretence of ignorance heere-of Wee meane heere-by The King's Majestie the Parliament the Secret Counsell and other Magistrates and Ecclesiasticall Assemblies where-vnto wee owe Obedience in our Practise requyred by them according to publicke Lawes 8. The Question it selfe ye doe expresse more clearlie in your Aunswere to our fourth Replye where yee alleadge that wee finde some of the PEARTH ARTICLES so necessarie that altho the Generall Assemblie of the Church should discharge them yet wee behoved still for conscience of the Commaundement of GOD to practise them Thus are wee brought to this generall Question Whether or no anie thing necessarie or commanded by Divine Lawe may in anie case without sinne bee omitted when publicke humane Authoritie dischargeth the practise thereof For resolving of this Question wee desire the Reader to take notice of these Theologicall Maximes receaved in the Schooles and grounded vpon HOLIE SCRIPTVRE 9. Affirmatiue Praeceptes doe binde at all tymes but not to all tymes but onelie as place and tyme requyre that is when opportunitie occurreth Praecepta affirmativa obligant semper sed non ad semper nisi pro loco tempore id est quando opportunitas occurrit But Negatiue Praeceptes doe binde at all tymes and to all tymes Praecepta negativa obligant semper ad semper As for example A man is not obliedged to speake the trueth at all tymes for hee may bee some tyme lawfullie silent but hee may never lawfullie lie 10. Of Affirmatiue necessarie Dueties some are the weyghtier matters of the Lawe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Iudgement Mercie and Fayth MATTH 23.23 Others lesse weyghtie such as are those of the Pearth Articles which wee call necessarie and yee doe reject 11. The exercise of some Affirmatiue necessarie dueties may bee some tymes omitted by Authoritie without sinne for the publicke Peace or some pressing necessitie Thus Moses permitted repudiation of a man's married wyfe not fallen into adulterie neyther did hee vrge strictlie the Affirmatiue duetie of adherence and that for the hardnesse of their heart Where-in Moses had respect to the Peace and Unitie of the Tribes of Israell as Alexander Alensis observeth in his Summe of Theologie Part. 3. Qu. 46. Membro 1. Art 1. Art 2. David did not execute in his owne tyme judgement agaynst Joab for his murthering of Abner and Amasa because the sonnes of Zerviah were too harde for him Circumcision was omitted because of the vncertayntie of their abode in one place when the people were with Moses in the Wildernesse 12. Exercise of Ecclesiasticall Discipline agaynst open obstinate offenders is an affirmatiue duetie incumbent by divyne Law vpon the Pastoures towards those who are committed to their charge Yet it may and ought to bee forborne when it can not bee vsed without an open rupture and vnavoydable Schisme Because in such a case the publicke peace is rather to bee looked to lest in our inconsiderate zeale to separate the Tares wee plucke vp also the Wheat And what wee can not get corrected by censure wee can doe no more but mourne for it and patientlie wayt till GOD amende it as Augustine proveth at length Lib. 3. contra Epistolam Parmeniani Cap. 1. Cap. 2. Lib. de fide operibus Cap 5. For in this tyme sayeth Gregorie the holie Church doeth correct some thing by fervour some thing shee tolerateth by meeknesse some things by consideration shee dissembleth and beareth so that often by bearing and dissembling shee compesceth or putteth away that evill which shee hateth And Prosper sayeth For this cause therefore they must with gentle pietie bee borne with who for their infirmitie may not bee rebuked 13. When a doctrinall errour not beeing fundamētall prevaileth by publicke Authoritie in any Church a private Pastor or Doctor espying it may lawfullie and laudablie forbeare publicke stryving agaynst it when hee evidentlie perceaveth that vnavoydable Schisme would followe there-vpon In such a case hee should content him-selfe to feede his hearers with that wholsome Milke of the Word which they may receaue and delay the giving of stronger Foode vnto them because of their infirmitie Considering that more necessarie and weyghtier Duetie which hee oweth for preservation of Order and Peace and labouring in a myld and peaceable manner to cure them To this purpose belongeth that saying of Gregorie Nazianzen Let no man therefore bee more wyse than is convenient neyther more legall than the Lawe neyther more bright than the Light neyther more strayght than the Rule neyther higher than the Commaundement But howe shall this bee If wee take knowledge of Decencie and commende the lawe of Nature and followe Reason and despyse not good order 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And that of the Auncient Church of Lions in France neare eyght hundreth yeares a-goe Who doeth not calmlie and peaceablie moderate that which hee thinketh but is readie incontinent to Contentions Dissentions and Scandalls altho hee haue not an hereticall sense most certaynlie hee hath an hereticall mynde 14. Divine Institution by the Ministerie of the Apostles craveth Deacons ordayned by Imposition of handes for all their lyfe tyme ACTS 6. Yet in our Reformed Church of SCOTLAND wee haue no such Deacons Which OEconomicall defect necessitated by detention of Church mayntenance necessarie for their sustentation wee hope shall not bee imputed to our Church as sinne so long as Shee despyseth not that Institution and acknowledgeth and lamenteth this deficiencie and endevoureth by peaceable lawfull meanes to haue it remedied 15. Altho some Affirmatiue Dueties necessarie by Divine Praecept doe giue place some tymes to other more weyghtie and more pressing Dueties as the saving of a stranger may bee omitted for saving my father or my brother or my sonne out of the same danger when I am able onlie to saue one of them And manie such lyke examples doe occurre yet it is never lawfull to condemne or oppugne such Dueties as evill or superstitious or scandalous in them-selues neyther to ranke them amongst thinges in them-selues indifferent 16. Hence wee doe inferre that not-with-standing of the necessitie of those of the Pearth Articles which wee call necessarie yet some tymes the practising of them may become not necessarie and the omission there-of not sinfull publicke Authoritie and the necessitie of the peace of the Church so requyring