in regarde of the Oath of GOD Eccles. 8. 2. And that we should be subject not only for wrath but also for conscience sake because the powers that be are ordained of GOD whosoever therefore sayeth S. Paul resisteth the power resisteth the ordinance of GOD And they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation Rom. 13. In the words of the Apostle S. Paul there is a remarkable opposition betwixt subjection and resistance 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 implying that all militarie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whether defensive or offensive if it be against the superiour Power which GOD hath set over us is forbidden In like manner we reade Matth. 26. 52. that all they that take the Sword shall perish with the Sword Now certaine it is that in a free Monarchie Subjects have not the Sword from GOD except by the hand of the KING to whom only GOD hath immediately given it And therefore whosoever taketh the Sword without his warrand hath just reason to feare the foresaid warning of our SAVIOVR Many other places of Scripture might be adduced to this purpose which for brevity we omit and doe proceed in the next rowme to some testimonies of ancient Fathers and other writers 10. Tâ—rtullian in his Apologeticke chap. 30. and 33. and 37. telleth vs that the ancient Christians in his time although having aâ— 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 then to make resistance by force of Armes although they lacked not number and strength to doe it 11. The like example have we in that renowned Thebean Legion of 6666 Christian Souldiers called Agaunenses from the place of their suffering who without making resistance as they had strength of hand to have done suffered themselves rather to be slain for their Christian profession by the Officers of Maximian the Emperour executors of his cruell commandement against them This fell out in the 18 yeare of Diocletian as Ado Viennensis writeth 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 unto us these Encomiasticke lynes in the second book of his Poems Biblioth Patr. Tom. 8. Edit 4. Pag. 781. Queis positis gladiis sunt armaè 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 Iulian the Apostate when the Christians were moe in number and stronger in might of hand to have made open resistance if they had in their consciences found it agreable to their Christian profession declareth plainly that they had no other remedy against that persecution but patient suffering for Christ with gloriation in Christ. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 13. S. Ambrose having received imperiall commandement to deliver the sacred Houses or Churches to be possessed by the Arians declareth what he thought convenient to be done in such a case to wâ—t neither to obey in that which he could not performe with a good conscience noâ— yet to resist by force of Armes His wordes to the people Conâ—ione 1. contra Auxentium are these Why then are ye troubled I shall never willingly leave you If I be compelled I can not gain-stand I may be sory I may weep I may sigh Against Armes Souldiers the Gothes also my Teares are Armes For such are the Guardes of a Priest Otherwise I neither ought nor may resist And in the second book of his Epistles and 14 Epistle to his Sister Marcellina speaking of that same purpose he sayeth I shall not fortifie my selfe with a multitude of people about me We beseech O Emperour we fight not I may not deliver the Church but I ought not make resistance 14. Such also was theÌ„ doctrine and practise of many other great Lights which shined in the dayes of Iulian the Apostate and in the dayes of the Arrian Emperoures and Gothicke Arrian Kings 15. S. Augustine writing of a lawfull Warre acknowledgeth that only to be lawfull which hath authority from the Prince For it is much to be regarded sayeth he for what causes and by whose authority men undertake Warres But that naturall order which is accommodated to the peace of mortall men requireth this that the authority and counsell of undertaking warre be in the power of the Prince 16. The imperiall Lawes doe say the same ff Ad legem Iuliam majestatis Leg. 3. Eadem lege tenetur qui injussu Principis bellum gesserit delectumvâ— habuerit exâ—rcitum comparaverit Et Cod. ut armorum usus inscio Principe interdictus sit Nulli prorsus nobis insciis atque inconsultis quorum libet armorum movendorum copia tribuatur These are the words of the Emperoures Valentinian and Valens Et Cod. de â—e militari Leg. 13. Nemo miles Nemo miles vel sibi vacet vel aliena obsequia â—e nutu principali peragere audeat c. 17. Bodin in his first Book de Republica Cap. 10. Num. 155 and 156. Pag. 244. Edit Latin 4. Ursell Anno 1601. reckoneth among the proper rights of Majesty the right and power to make Warre and this he showeth to appertain in a free Monarchie to the Prince onely 18. To this meaning sayeth Peter Martyr As concerning the efficient cause it is certain that Warre may not be made without the authority of the Prince For Paul sayeth that he beareth the Sword therefore he may give it to whome he willeth and may take it from whome he willeth Loc. Com. Class 4. Cap. 16. § 2. And a little after to wit § 7. he reciteth and commendeth a saying of Hostiensis to the same purpose 19. Calvin in the fourâ—h Book of his Institutions in the last Chapter of that Book disputeth the Question at length and by many strong Arguments evinceth and concludeth that it is nowise lawfull for Subjects to resist their Prince by force of Armes whether the Prince be godly and just or ungodly and unjust in his conversation and commandements and that nothing remaineth to Subjects in such a case but to obey or suffer Where understand that Fleing is a sort of Suffering Neither are his words subjoined in the 31 Sect. to wit I speake alwise of private men c. contrary to this For first Calvin in this Dispute indifferently useth the names of private men and Subjects And therefore in the 22 Sect. at the beginning of it he termeth those of whose duety he disputeth Subjects And indeed whosoever is a Subject is also in respect of the supream Ruler a private man Although Magistrats who are under the KING be publick persons in respect of their Inferiours yet being considered with relation to him that is Supream 1. Pet. 2. 13.
defence thereof and every one of us of another in that cause of maintaining Religion and the KINGS foresaid Authority and to appoynt and hold meetings to that end like as our Proceedings have beene in themselves most necessary and orderly means agreable to the lawes and practise of this Kirke and Kingdom to be comended as reall duties of faithfull Christians loyall subjects and sensible members of the body of the Kirke and Kingdome and tende to no other end but to the preservation of Religion and maintainance of the KINGS Authority To your interrogatoures which ye seeme to propone rather to be snares to us then for satisfaction to your selves we answere once for all in generall that if this were the opportunitie of that disputation we shall be found to deny nothing unto Authority of that which the word of GOD the law of Nature and Nations the Acts of Parliament these Royalists sound Divines and loyall Subjects give unto Kings and Princes GODS Vice-Gerents on Earth and that not from respect to our selves but to the Ordinance of GOD by whom Kings reigne But seeing so oft and so instantly you presse us in this point ye force us mutually to propone to you such Questions as it may be ye will have no great delight to answere 1. We desire to understand of you whether ye allow or disallow the Service Booke and booke of Canons if ye disallow them as an innovation of Religion why have ye not either joined in supplication with the rest of the Kingdome or made a supplication of your own against them or some other way testified your Dislike Next whether it be pertinent for men of your place and Qualitie to move Questions of State touching the Power of Princes and Liberties of Subjects after His Majesties Commissioner and wise States-men have received Satisfaction of the Subjects for suppressing such motions as yours 3. Whether doe the Subscrivers more tender His Majesties honour by supposing his constancy in profession of Religion and equitable Disposition in ministration of Justice or ye who suppose he shall fall upon his Religious and Loyall Subjects with force of Armes contrary to both 4. Whether the joyning of the whole Kingdom in the Subscription of the Covenant or the entertaining of Division by your writing preaching and threatning of your People otherwise willing to joine be a more readie meane to settle the present Commotions of the Kirke and Kingdom 5. If the Prelates and their Followers labouring to introduce Popery in the Land make a Faction by themselves or as the Guisians in France did abuse His Majesties name in execution of the bloody Decrees of Trent which GOD forbid we aske Whether in such a Case the lawfull defence of the body of the Kingdom against such a Faction be a resisting of the Magistrate and a taking Armes against the KING If ye affirme it to be is not this to take part with a Faction seeking their own ends against the common-wealth of the Kirke and Kingdom and honour of the KING If ye say not Why then sinde ye fault with our Protestation of defending the Religion Liberties and Lawes of the Kingdom of the Kings Authority in defence thereof and every one of us of another and in that cause as if it were an unlawfull Combination against Authority 6. Whether doe ye think Christian Magistrats to be of so absolute unbounded power notwithstanding of any promise or paction made with the Subjects at their Coronation or of any Law made for establishing their Religion and Liberties that there is nothing left but suffering of Marâ—yrdome in the case of publick Invasion of their Religion and Liberties If ye thinke that any defence is lawfull why misconstrue yee the Subscrivers of the Covenant If not how can ye be free of Flattery and of stirring up Princes against their loyall Subjects for such ends as your selves know best We verily believe that ye shall report small thanks either of so good and just a KING or of so duetifull Subjects for entering within these Lists It is enough that such Questions be agitated in the Schooles and that with as great prudency and as circumspectly as may be To the Tenth FIrst ye take us in our fourth Replye to be the penners of the Covenant and yet will rather wrest the words of it to your owne meaning then receive the Interpretation thereof from us for wee prejudge not your liberty of conception of that short Confession but permit it to your selves whatsoever may be the private meaning of some who have subâ—crived yet there is nothing in the late Interpretation that câ—ndemneth the Articles of Pearth and Episcopacy as Popish Novations Ye may voice and reason in an Assemblie as freely concerning them and give your judgement of them without prejudice notwithstanding of your Oath according to your own grounds as you would have done at the Assembly of Pearth 2. We hopâ— ye be not so ignorant of the estate of the Kirke neither will we judge so uncharitably as to thinke you so corrupt that in your opinion there is nothing hath entred in the Kirke since that time designed by you beside Episcopacy and the Articles of Pearth which can be thought prejudiciall to the Liberty and Purity of the Gospell To the Eleventh FIrst ye finde fault with us that we have not upon this occasion given you that testimony which we owe to you of your sincerity in professing the trueth and therefore to supplie our defects have taken an ample Testimony to your selves of paines in disputing in wrytting and preaching against Popery in processing of Papists and in doing all thinges which can be expected from the most zealous of frequent prayer to GOD of humbling your selves before him of your holinesse of Life and Conversation c. which have made us who were desirous to heare that Testimony rather at the mouths of others that we might be no more challenged as deficient in that kinde but give unto you your deserved praise to inquire in matters whereupon if we would believe the report of others wee heare that for all your pains Papists and Persons Popishly affected are multiplied and Papistry increased in your towne more then in any other town of the Kingdom no lesse under your Ministrie then any time before since the Reformation that there be in private houses Messes Crucisixes and other monuments of Idolatry that ye have not many converts from Popery that Jesuits and Priests are countenanced there that your People at home and your Magistrats abroad complain that ye are but too sparing of your pains in preaching and often fill your places with Novices but this we are sparing to believe and wish that the not imploying of your Tongues and Pennes in the defence of the Service Booke and Canons which are so pestred with Popery if the seeds of Romish Heresie Superstition Idolatry and Papall tiranny come under that censure and your willingnesse to joyne with the Kirke and Kingdom
in Brotherly love exhort and entreat us to contribute our best endeavours for extinguishing the common Combustion we praysing GOD for your pious zeale and for the lovingnesse and modesty of your speeches wherein by GOD'S help we shall labour to keep correspondence with you that both we and you may show â—â—â— selves to have learned of CHRIST Meeknesse and lowlinesse of heart we most willingly promise to doe so by all means which our consciences will permit us to use as also to joine our most humble and hearty Prayers with yours that it may please GOD in this dangerous exigent to doe good in His good pleasure to our Sion and to builde up the walls of our Ierusalem †4. We may justly say that this new Covenant is substantially different from the Old which was made Anno 1581. in respect it not onlie containeth that Old Covenant or Confession which was allowed by two Generall Assemblies but also your interpretation of it which as yet hath no such Authoritie or Approbation †5. No Band of Mutuall Defence Against all persons what-so-ever is expressed in the Covenant made 1581. And altho it were yet the case is very unlike For Subjects may make such a Covenant of Mutuall Defence by Armes with the consent of the King who only under GOD hath the power of Armes or of the Sword in this Kingdome But they who made this late Covenant had not his consent as that former or olde Covenant had which is a thing so evident that no man can call it in question †6. As for that which you affirme here that my Lord Commissioner his Grace was well satisfied with your Declaration it becommeth not us to pry narrowlie into his Graces doings but truely we have more then reason to pry most narrowlie into the words of a Covenant which is offered unto us to be sworne and subscrybed lest we abuse and prophane the Sacred Name of GOD and tye our selves to the doing of any thing which is displeasing unto him Last of all whereas ye desire us to joyne our selves to you and to the rest of your Conâ—ederacie who are as you affirme almost the whole Church and Kingdome truely we cannot but reverence such a multitude of our Reverend Brethren and deare Countrey-men and are ready to be followers of them in so farre as they are followers of CHRIST But neither can we doe any thing agaynst the Trueth neither can we attribute so much Authoritie to their multitude as otherwise we would in respect there hath been so much dealing for Subscriptions in all quarters of this Kingdome and so manie have beene threatned to give their consent as we are most credibly informed The Second Demand Whether or no we ought to subscryve the foresaid Covenant seeing all Covenants of mutuall Defence by force of Armes made amongst Subjects of any degree upon whatsoever colour or pretence without the King's Majestie or his Successoures privitie and consent are expreslie forbidden by King JAMES of blessed Memorie and the three Estates of this Kingdome in the Parliament holden at Linlithgow Anno 1585 ANSWERE The Act of Parliament forbiddeth in the first part Leagues and Bands of maintenance privilie made such as are called Bands of Manrent as the act in Queen MARIES time to which it hath relation doeth beare And in the second part only such as tend to the publick disturbance of the peace of the Realme by moving sedition But no act of Parliament doeth discharge nor can any just Law forbid Conventions or Covenants in the generall or such Covenants in speciall as are made with GOD and amongst our selves not for any mans particular but for the common benefite of all not to move Sedition but to preserve Peace and to prevent trouble which by all probabilitie had been to many before this time too sensible if this course had not been taken Conventions and Covenants in the judgement of Jurisconsults are to be esteemed and judged of according to their diverse ends good or bad which made King JAMES of happy memory to take it for an undoubted maxime That pro aris focis pro patre patriae the whole body of the Common-wealth should stirre at once not any more as divided members but as one consolidate lumpe Replye In that second part of that Act of Parliament holden at Linlithgo Anno 1585. are forbidden All Leagues or Bands of Mutuall Defence which are made without the privitie and consent of the KING under the pain to be holden and execute as movers of sedition and unquietnesse c. Wherefore we can no wayes thinke that any Bands or Leagues of Mutuall Defence by force of Armes are there permitted that is not forbidden seeing first the words of the Act are so generall for in it are discharged All Bands made among Subjects of any degree upon any colour what soever without his Highnes or his Successours privitie and consent had and obtained thereunto Next All such Bands are declared to be Seditious and perturbative of the publicke Peace of the Realme or which is all one are appointed to be esteemed so And therefore we can not see how any Bands of that kynde can be excepted as if they were not seditious 2. We doubt not but the late Covenant being considered according to the maine intention of those Pious and Generous Gentle-men Barrons and others our dear Countrey men who made it especially our Reverend Brethren of the holy Ministery is a Covenant made with GOD and proceeding from a zealous respect to GOD His Glory and to the preservation of the puritie of the Gospell in this Church and Kingdome But we cannot finde a Warrand in our Consciences to grant that such Covenants in so farre as they import mutuall Defence against all persons what-so-ever none being excepted no not the KING as it seemeth unto us by the words of your Covenant but farre more by the words of your late Protestation the 28 of Iune wherein you promise mutuall Defence against all externall or internall Invasion menaced in his Majesties last Proclamation are not forbidden by any Band nor justlie yet can be forbidden For first we have already showne that they are forbidden in the foresaid Act of Parliament Anno 1585. 2. No Warrefare and consequentlie no Covenant importing Warrefare is lawfull without just Authoritie which we are perswaded is only in the supreame Magistrate and and in those who have power and employment from him to take Armes Yea so farre as we know all moderate men who duely respect Authoritie will say that it is so in all Kingdomes and Monarchies properly so called Of which nature is this his Majesties most Ancient Kingdome And that it is altogether unlawfull to Subjects in such Kingdomes to take Armes against their Prince For which cause that famous and most learned Doctor Rivetus in a late Treatise called Iesuita vapulans speaking of the judgement of Buchannan and others who taught that Subjects might take Armes against their Prince in extraordinary
with-holde his Subscription from the Covenant because it doth not as it intendeth not to expresse everâ—â— duetie we owe to the Kings Majestie as if the not naming were a denying of the duetie Reply What ye have replyed in your Answere to our first Demand we have examined in our Confutation of your Answere 2. If ye consider well all the Circumstances of the making of your Covenant ye will finde that it had not been amisse at this time to have expressed more fullie the Loyaltie of your Intentions to maintaine the KINGS Person and Honour Next it is necessarie to expresse it yet more fully for our cause whom ye require to sweare subscrive your Covenant lest we doe any thing in this matter with a doubting Conscience which is a grievous sinne that is Doubting whether or no we are tyed by our Oath to maintain the KINGS Authority onelie in so farre as it is imployed in the Defence of the foresaid true Religion or at lest as it is not imployed against it For it seemeth to us unlawfull to sweare the maintenance of the KINGS Authority with this limitation precisely And if ye be of a contrary mynde we are most willing to confere with you of this point The ninth Demand VVhethere or no we can sincerely sweare to maintaine the Authority truelie and properlie Monarchicall of the King and withall sweare also disobedience to these Articles which are authorized by his standing Lawes and to maintaine the meanest of his Subjectes against him in their disobedience of his Lawes as yet standing in vigour concerning these thinges ANSWERE 1. The Answere to the first Demand is usefull here also 2. Forbearance of Practise for a time in such a case is rather Obedience then Disobedience for example Kneelling was thought convenient because all memorie of Superstition was past should it not therefore be forborne because Superstition is now revived and flagrant They who practise keep the letter of the Law but they who forbeare keep the life and reason thereof Replye Your Covenant requireth more of us then the forbearance of the practise of Pearth Articles as we have often times declared 2. We have also showne that the forbearance of Obedience to standing Lawes without licience of Superiours and contrarie to their commandement especially if it be done by deliberation and if men tye themselves by an Oath to do so is manifest Disobedience 3. The Article of Pearth anent Kneeling was not grounded onelie nor yet principally upon that Narrative which ye mention but rather upon the conveniencie and decencie of the gesture of Kneeling in the receiving of the holie SACRAMENT which reason doeth yet continue as also the other reason which ye mention holdeth yet for the bodie of the People of this Church were never Papists and consequently have no memorie of Popish Superstition as those who lived in time of Reformation 4. We can not see nor conceive how a Vow and Band of maintaining the meanest Subject of this Kingdom against all persons whatsoever and consequently against the KING himself as we have showne in our second Replye in disobedience of his Lawes can consist with that love reverence and subjection which we owe to our KING Neither have ye brought any thing in your Answere to satisfie us in this point And because ye alleadge as we heare that ye are mistaken in this point and doe vindicate your selves by those words of the Covenant wherein ye promise to maintain the KINGS Authority we pray you to expresse your minde more fully concerning it and to showe us 1. What ye meane by mantaining the KINGS Authority in that part of your Covenant wherein ye expresse your loyall Intention To maintain the KINGS Person and Authority and in speciall Whether or no the maintaining of the KINGS Authoritie be taken by you as it excludeth all resisting of his Authority by force of Armes even although he should command thinges unlawfull and contrarie to the Trueth For so we thinke it should be taken and that it should be so taken we are ready to demonstrate Neither can we sweare it in anie other sense 2. Whether your promise of mutuall defence In the same cause of maintayning the true Religion and his Majesties Authority c. ought to be understood of the maintaining the Kings Authority absoluâ—elie that is Whether he maintaine the true Religion or no Or on the contrarie if it ought to be understood of the maintaining the Kings Authority conditionally in so farre as he maintaineth the true Religion and not any other wayes If you say that it is to be understoode the first way we assent to that part of your Covenant and have no more scruple anent it except that one which we mentioned in our Reply to your second Answere to wit that the words of your Protestation seeme to import more and that your Paction or Covenant is made without the Kings privitie and consent If ye say that it is to be understood the second way then we continue urging our foresaid Demand to wit how a man can maintaine the Kings Authority and withall maintaine the meanest of His Subjects in resisting His Authority And how we can be said to stand for the Kings Honour when we vowe and promise to doe that which hee himselfe professeth to be against his Honour and which in the common judgement of men is thought to be so The determination of this point is more then necessary at this tyme and therefore let us in sinceritie and Brotherly love conferre of it that the Consciences of others who doubt of this may receive satisfaction The Tenth Demand Whether or no we ought to sweare to such a Covenant which taketh away from us all hope of a free Assemblie or Parliament to judge of the matteres presently debated for how can these vote freely of any matter propounded to the decision and deliberation of the Church and Estate who have already sworne to adheere to one part of the Question and how can those who dissent from them submit themselves to their judgement chiefly seeing they are Possessoures and have Lawes Civill and Ecclesiastick standing as yet for them ANSWERE We perceive that this tenth Demand is made of the Articles of Pearth therefore we answere as before That we promise onely forbearance which can prejudge no mans liberty in a Generall Assembly Replye We have showne that your Covenant and Oath importeth a manifest Abjuration of the Articles of Pearth and therefore the swearing of it doeth manifestly prejudge the liberty of Voting in a Nationall Assembly For how can they freely either reason in an Assembly concerning Episcopacy and the Articles of Pearth or else give their judgement without prejudice concerning them who have already promised sworne and vowed first To adheere to the Discipline of the Kirke that is according to your Interpretation to the whole externall policie of the Church as it was 1581. 2. To labour by all meanes lawfull to remove and expell all those Rites and
joine with us in subscâ—iving are not yet answered for first a sound interpretation of the Covenant although proceeding from a private person and altogether voide of externall Authority can not make a substantiall difference and if the interpretation be unsound although it were confirmed by Authority it maketh not a substantiall coincidence 2. Why is it denyed that the former Covenant containeth mutuall defence since all are obliedged thereby to deâ—end Religion according to their vocation and power and the KINGS person and Authority which can not possiblie be done without mutuall defence and since that clause of the Covenant is so expounded and applied upon grounds of perpetual reason in the general Band drawn up Printed by Authority An. 1590. 3. Ye must either prove this Covenant to be substantially different from the former which is impossible or ye must acknowledge this to have the same Authority with the former since we are really obliedged in the former Covenant and virtually the same warrand of KING Counsell and assemblie remaineth and was never yet discharged by vertue whereof the Covenant might have beene renewed yearly by all the subjects of the Kingdome no lesse then it hath beene subscrived yearly by such as passe degrees in Colledges and such as were suspect of Papistrie from time to time 4. What was done by his Majesties Commissioner was noâ— done in a corner that it needeth to be pryed into or doubted of and what was allowed by his Grace who had so great power from his Majesty to declare his Majesties will and to receive Declarations from his subjects and who was in every poynt so zealous and tender of his Majesties service and honour who are ye that it should be dissallowed by you Ye will have the Kingdome guilty of combination against Authority and will not have the KING to be satisfied when they have declared themselves to the contrary and their Declaration is accepted by his Majesties Commissioner This manner of dealing is more sutable to Papists and such Incendaries then for you who desire to prove good Patriots in using all means of Pacification 5. We are sory that ye should be the first who have accounted our Covenant to be a confederacie against the Trueth since some of your selves and all every where have been constrained to acknowledge that they aime â—t the same end with us to maintaine the Trueth And for that which displeaseth you in our way that we deale after such a manner with people to come in we answere that we have seen in this Land the Day of the LORDS Power wherein his people have most willingly offered themselves in multitudes like the dew of the morning that others of no small Note have offered their subscriptions and have been refused till tyme should try that they joine in sincerity from love to the cause and not from the feare of men and that no threatnings have been used except of the deserved judgement of GOD nor force except the force of reason from the high respects which we owe to Religion to our KING to our native Countrey to our selves and to the Posterity which hath been to some a greater constraint then any externall violence and we wish may prevaile also with you To the Second VVEE perceive that ye passe in silence that which we answered concerning the preventing of trouble which by all appearance had been too sensible to many before this time if the Conventions censured by you had not been kept we desire that ye would here declare your selves whether ye would have rather received the Service Booke Booke of Canons and other trash of that kind tending to the subversion of Religion and to the prejudice of the Liberties of the Kingdom then to have conveened in a peaceable manner to present Supplications to his Majestie for averting of so great evils Neither doe ye speak a word of the saying of K. Iames which ought to be regarded both for the witnesse sake who is of so great authority and for the testimony which containeth so great reason For shall not the whole body of a Kingdom stirre pro aris focis or shall our Religion be ruined and our Light be put out and all men holde their peace We told you also that the first part of the Act of Parliament 1585 is relative to another Act in Queen Maries time which specifieth what sort of Leagues and Bands are forbidden and setteth us free from the breach of the Act but yee have answered nothing to this and still dispute from the Act of Parliament rather then from other grounds better beseeming your Profession and ours and in this will so precisely adhere to the letter of the Law that you will have no meetings without the KINGS consent even in the case of the preservation of Religion of his Majesties Authority and of the liberties of the Kingdome which we are sure must be contrary to the reason and life of the Law since the safetie of the People is the Soveraigne Law Although it be true also that for our Covenant we have the consent of Authority pressing upon all the subjects in the generall Band and confession of Faith formerly subscrived for maintenance of the Religion their subscription and Oath as a note of their soundnesse in Religion and of their loyaltie and fidelitie to the KING and his Crown wherein Iurisconsults more skilled in this kinde then we need to be have given their Responses and Verdicts in favours of us and of our cause 2. The poynt touching Authority is so full of Thornes and Rockes useth to be so vehemently urged to procure envye against the Gospell of CHRIST and can so hardly be disputed and discussed except in a large Treatise to the satisfaction of Kings and Kingdomes and all having interest that for the present we only wish you to heare the testimonies of two grave Divynes the one is Whittaker in his Answere to Master Reynolds preface pag. 6. Stirres and Tumults for matter of Religion Reynold rehearseth that hath been in Germanie France Bohemia as though it were sufficient for their condemnation that they once resisted and did not by and by admit whatsover violence was offered either to GODS Trueth or to themselves contrary to Promise to Oath to publicke Edicts to Law whereby they were warranded to doe as they did more of this matter will I not answere being of another nature and cleared long since from the cryme of Rebellion not only by just defence of their doeing but also by the Proclamations and Edicts of Princes themselves The other is Bilson in his Booke of Christian subjecton in defence of the Protestants in other Countreys against the objection of the Iesuit Pag. 332. affirming that subjects may defend their ancient and Christian liberties covenanted and agreed upon by those Princes to whom they first submitted themselves and were ever since confirmed and allowed by the Kings that have succeeded they may requyre their own right save their own lives beseech that
they be not used as slaves but like subjects like men not like beasts that they may be convented by Lawes before judges not murdered in corners by Inqusitors This is also the judgement of Rivetus in his Commentarie Psal. 68. which being looked upon by you will furnish a full answere to what ye have cited at length from his Iesuita Vapulans For betwixt Jesuiticall treasonable and pernitious doctrine and practises against Princes and Magistrats refuted by him and the loyall and sound doctrine of Protestants your selves know the difference and opposition like as it is cleare as the Sunne by that short Confession by the Application thereof to the times in this present Confession by our publicke Protestation and by the Declaration exhibited to his Majesties Commissioner that we meane not only mutuall concurrence and asistance in the cause of Religion but also to the uttermost of our power to defend the KINGS Majestie his Person and Authority We would be glade that ye and others were witnesses to our private Prayers and the most secret of our thoughts and affections concerning our loyaltie to our dread Soveraigne so should ye either cease to write in this sort against us or be forced to write against your own Consciences 3. When we justifie our Conventions and Covenants from their purposed ends we meane not only the last and most remote ends but the nearest and immediate and if nothing in these can merite just censure the Conventions and Covenants no more in that which ye call the Object nor in their ends can be culpable what Aspersions have been put upon our Reformation and Reformers by the malice of our Adversaries can not be unknown to you But we wish that your engynes and penns may be better imployed then to joine with them in so bad a cause which we expect also from your prudence considering the people and place where ye live To the Third YEE doe well and wisely that ye search not curiously into the myndes of Princes and Reasons of State but whether all his Majesties subjects be satisfied with the last Proclamation needeth no deep search For although possiblie some had been more pleased with a Proclamation commanding the Service Booke such especially who neither will see no errours in it or have publickly professed that they have been groaning for it yet the Protestation of the Supplicants against it as it giveth most humble and hearty thanks to His gracious Majestie for what is granted so it testifieth upon undenyable evidences that the Proclamation is not a satisfaction of our just desires for first the Proclamation supposeth the Service Booke to be no Innovation of Religion 2. That it is not contrary to the Protestant Religion 3. That the Proclamation giveth not order for discharging all the Acts made in favours of the Service Booke especially that of the 19 of February which giveth unto it so high Approbation as serving for mantaining the true Religion and to beat out all Superstition and no wayes to be contrary to the Lawes of this Kingdom but to be compyled and approved for the universall use and edification of all His Majesties Subjects 4. It is so farre from disallowing the said Booke that it putteth us in feare that it shall be prest in a faire and legal way and therefore notwithstanding the Proclamation the necessity of Covenanting which containeth nothing contrary to the Acts of Parliament nor to the duety of good Subjects but is the largest Testimony of our Fidelity to GOD and loyaltie to our KING whatsoever it may seem to you to import doeth yet continue that His Majestie may be pleased to grant the full satisfaction of our reasonable Petitions and that our Religion and Liberties may be preserved for afterwards Whosoever professe themselves to be perfectly satisfied with the Proclamation doe proclaim in the ears of all the Kingdom that they are better pleased with the Service Booke and Canons then with the Religion as it hath beene professed in this Land since the Reformation To the Fourth VVEE were assured that your Demand proceeded from a Mistaking and therefore according to our knowledge did ingenuously for your satisfaction expound unto you the minde of the Subscrivers but finde now that we have laboured in vain at your hands from which we have received this Reply unto which concerning the first Miss-interpretation we answere 1. That although we doe neither use threatnings nor obtrude our Interpretation upon you as bearing any obligatory Power yet pardon us that we march you not and put you not in the Ballance with the greatest part of the Kingdom both Ministers and others in whose name we recommend this Interpretation unto you by all faire Means and force of Reason and in so doing wee are so farre from the breach of our Solemne Vow and Promise that we esteeme this to be no small proofe of that godlinesse and righteousnesse wherein we are bound by our Covenant to walke 2. The autoriâ—ative judgement of our Reformers and Predicessors is evidenced not onely by the Confession of Faith ratified in Parliament but also by the Books of Discipline Acts of Generall Assemblies and their own Writs wherein if ye will ye may find warrâ—nd for this Interpretation and in respect whereof it is publick ratione medii besides those midses of Scripture of Antiquity and of the Consent of the Reformed Kirks which are named for midses by you Concerning the 2 Missconstruction it is no marvell that Prejudices and Preconceived Opinions possessing the minde make men to fall upon Interpretations of their own but in the South parts of the Kingdom where many learned and judicious men both Pastors and Professors were assembled at the first subscriving thereof we remember of none that did fall into that Misstake And the two sorts of Novations such as are already introduced and such as are supplicated against are so punctually distinguished that there is no place left to Ambiguitie but on the contrary the Novations which we promise to forbeare for a time onely cannot be supposed in the following words to be abjured for ever as Popish Novations 2. Upon a new examination of the words ye perceive that the Articles of Pearth and Episcopacy are condemned as erronious Corruptions because we promise to labour to recover the former purity libertie of the Gospell unto which our Answere is that it appeareth that you will have all the Covenanters against their intention and whether they will or not to disallow and condemn the Articles of Pearth and Episcopall Government lest they be tryed in a Generall Assembly but it is knowne to many hundreds that the words were purposelie conceived for satisfaction of such as were of your judgement that we might all joine in one heart and Covenant for establishing Religion and opposing Erroures And for your Argument whether the Articles of Pearth and Episcopacy be against the purity and liberty of the Gospel or not which is not determined by these words of the Covenant but
the 12 Tables these words are applied to this purpose This is observed by KING Iames of blessed memory in his often mentioned Book of the true Law of free Monarchies For albeit sayeth he that I have at length proved that the KING is above the Law as both the author and giver of strength thereto yet a good King will not onely delyte to rule his Subjects by the Law but even will conforme himself in his own actions thereunto alwayes keeping that ground that the health of the coÌ„mon-Wealth be his chiefe Law And where he seeth the Law doubtsome or rigorous he may interpret or mitigate the same lest otherwise summum jus be summa injuria But this sentence doth nowayes warrand Subjects to refuse obedience to standing Lawes against the will of the Supream Law-giver who is a speaking Law For this were to open a doore to all confusion which would not prove the safety but the ruine of the Common-Wealth As for that which ye said before of the Generall Band and Confession of Faith and which here again ye doe alleadge for your Covenant we have signified our opinion thereof in our preceeding Duply The responses and verdicts of Juris-Consults concerning your Covenant are not known to â—s nor yet the reasons and inducements which moved them to give out their declaration in your favoures as ye alleadge Of Obedience due by Subjects to Authoritie 5. The point touching Royall Authority is not so full of thorns and rocks as ye give out if men would be pleased unpartially to hold the plain and patent way laide before us by holy Scripture and by Orthodox Antiquity and by many Eminent Divines in the reformed Church and learned Politicks which we shall here make manifest after the vindication of those three famous Theologues Whitaker Bilson and Rivet whom ye would have the Reader to esteem favourers of your opinion 6. Doctor Whitakers words against William Raynold translated into English out of the Latine Edition at Oppenheme Anno 1612. Pag. 51. are these He relateth the timults and troubles which were raised for Religion in Germany France and Boheme as if that one thing were sufficient to condemne them because once they did oppose themselves and resisted the violence offered to GODS Trueth and to themselves Whereas notwithstanding Fayth Oath and publicke Edicts finally the Lawes themselves gave them warrand to doe the same I will not say more of this matter which is nowise pertinent to the present purpose especially seeing not onely their just Apologie but also the Edicts of the Princes themselves have liberated them from the crime of Rebellion By these words of Doctor Whitaker which ye have cited the Reader may easily perceive that he doth nowayes mantain or allowe taking of Armes by Subjects without warrand of the publick Lawes and approbation of the Prince but excuseth what was done in those warres by the allowance of the Lawes and Edicts of Princes 7. So also Doctor Bilson in his Book entituled The true differeÌ„ce betwixt Christian subjection and unchristian Rebellion Printed at Oxford Anno 1585 Pag. 382. in the wordes cited by you declareth evidently that he speaketh of such Republickes and States as have defences warranded by fundamentall Covenant in that Government But what is that Doctors minde concerning the duetie of Subjects in a free and absolute Monarchy is evident by his own words in that same book Pag. 380 where disputing against a Jesuit he sayeth Warre for the Catholick Religion is both lawfull and honourable you say you must adde of the Subjects against their Prince or else you range cleane besides our question We strive not what causes may lead Christian Princes to make Warre on their Neighboures but whether it be lawfull or tollorable for the Subject to beare Armes against his naturall and absolute Prince You prove which is nothing to our purpose But Sir in this enterprize the person must bâ— respected as well as the cause Be the cause never so just if the person be not authorized by GOD to draw the Sword they be no just nor lawfull Warres Private men may not venter on Warres unlesse they be directly warranded by him that hath the Sword from GOD. And again in that same Book Pag. 502 Our Saviour for teaching his that they should be brought before Kings and Rulers and put to death and hated of all men for His Name sake addeth not as you would have it and he that first rebelleth but he that endureth to the end shall be saved and again Not with violence restrain them but in patience prossesse your own souls This is the way for all Christian subjects to conquer tyrants this is the remedy provided in the new TestameÌ„t against all persecutions not to â—esist powers which GOD hath ordained lest we be damned but with al meeknes to suffer that we may be crowned And Pag. 513. he showeâ—h that manifold formes of Common-wealthes make diverse men speake diversly of the Magistrats sword And Pag. 518 he pleadeth that the Subjects in England have not that lawfull warrand to draw the sword without consent of their Prince as the Germans have without consent of the Emperour and this discourse he prosecuteth in â—ome following pages 8. The same is the meaning of Doctor Râ—vet as we take it in his commentarie upon the Psalm 68. where he distinguisheth between an absolute principality and such a principality as is only conditionall pactionall conventionall Of this second sort are to be understood his words of just and necessary defence But of the absolute principality speaking in that same place he recommendeth to Subjects rather suffering of martyrdome And this to be his meaning appeareth more clearly by his last declaration concerning this question in his late treatise entituled Iesuita Vapulaâ—s where being pressed by an advesary he handleth this question of purpose In the mean time we wonder very much that ye have not directly answered to these remarkable wordes of Doctor Rivet alleadged by us in our Reply wherein he plainly averreth that the doctrine of Buâ—hanâ—â—â— Knox and Goodman concerning Subjects resisting their lawfull Princes is not approved by any sound Protestant We expected from you a full and particular Answere and now againe we would gladly heare whether ye approve the judgement of Rivet concerning that doctrine of these writers or not 9. Thus having vindicated these three divynes which ye alleadge for you we come now to those testimonies which we promised for clearing of the plainness of the way touching Authority First it is evident by holy Scripture that it is unlawfull for Subjects in a Monarchicall estate such as is this Kingdom of Scotland to take Armes for Religion or for any other pretence without warrand and power from the Prince and Supreame Migistrate For the Scripture teacheth us that the Sword belongeth onely to the KING and to them who are sent by him Rom. 13. 1. Pet. 2. 13. 14. That we ought to keep the KINGS commandement and that
heard to the contrary these twenty years past to cleave unto the words of the Covenant concerning such Rites as are brought into the Kirke without or against the word of GOD. The Blessing of Marriage now the second time instanced we conceive neither to be circumstance it being neither time place order of doing nor any such thing nor a Ceremony properly so called more then the Blessing of the People commanded in the Law and practised before the Law or praying for a Blessing upon the Ordinance of GOD that it may be sanctified unto His People we neither exalt Marriage so high as with the Papists to thinke it a Sacrament nor doe we abase it so low as to thinke it a paction or contract meerely Civill it being the Covenant of GOD which cannot be disolved by consent of the parties as other civill Contracts may be and therefore as we will not use it superstitiously according to the prescript of the Service Booke so will we not for the abuse of Popery although it were a Paction meerely civill it being so important with-holde Ecclesiasticke Benediction from it To the Sixth SIlence carrieth sometimes the appearance of consent sometime it is from weaknesse and since yee know also that it may at sometimes come from wisedome and moderation why doe ye not rather keepe silence your selves then make such an interpretation of ours We deny not but Divines both ancient and moderne are against us concerning the lawfulnesse of the thinges contraverted but we withall affirme first that Divines both ancient and moderne are against you also and both may be true for both are but propositions indefinite in a matter contingent 2. That almost all Divines universally are for us and for the forbearance of thinges indifferent in such a case which is the point urged by us and cleared before Secondly we deny not but the Oath containeth many other Articles but concerning that of the Novations already introduced if ye could have believed us and so many thousands as have subscrived it containeth no more but the forbearance of them for a time neither can any farther be extorted from the tenor of the Covenant it selfe according to your grounds If ye will interpret it according to the meaning which ye thought it had the last year and which we urge you not to change and to promise forbearance can neither be contrary to that duety which ye ow to your flock nor be disobedience to Authority but a meane to edifie GODS people and obedience to GOD. To the Seventh FIrst The reason propounded in the seventh Demand for refuseing your subscription because ye supposed Pearth Articles to have beene abjured as Popish is answered to the full and impediment put out of your way This other that ye propound concerning our conception and meaning of the short Confession may be as easily removed if ye will once believe that we urge not upon you our meaning but leave you to your own till the matter be examined in an Assemblie 2. Ye call some of those Novarions necessarie but without warrand of that Assembly which concluded then as indifferent and all the rest you will have to be laudâ—ble thus by progresse of time things formerly indifferent become necessary and what was but lawfull before and had much adoe to gaine that reputation is now become laudable where ye plainly discover the cause of your unwillingnesse to subscrive not so much to be the commandement of Authority as the necessity and excellency of the things commanded Till ye therefore change this opinion ye cannot promise forbearance neither upon our dealing nor at the commandement of Authority although forbearance should serve for the peace of the Kirke and Kingdome To the Eight FIrst we remit the reader to our Answere and your Reply which we hope shall be found no confutation 2. We observe that ye have not answered our Argument for our swearing the defence of the KING and his Authority with a specification which ye call a limitation wherein we have followed the Confession of Faith ratified in Parliament the KINGS Confession and act of Parliament upon which ye will not doe well to fasten so foule Imputations and put so hard constructions as ye doe upon us for inserting in our Covenant what they have said before us If our specification be right why censure you it If it be wrong why fasten ye not your censures upon the fountaine from which it is derived the loyalty of our intentions to maintain the KINGS Person and Honour is so fully expressed that it hath given content to those who are nearest his Majesty and we should wrong not only them but also the Covenant and the subscrivers thereof if we should make new Declarations to others of greater distance who wrong both the KING and themselves in craving them 3. To doe with a doubting Conscience is a grievous sinne but to make and multiply doâ—bâ—s for hindring a good worke and to oppose against a shining light is no lesse grievous Ye spake before of a limitation and now ye have added precisly as if the nâ—ming of one duety were the excluding of all other dueties We all by our Oath of Alleadgeance by his Majesties lawes and by other obligations acknowledge that we owe many other dueties to the KING which were very impertinent to expres in this Covenant 4 What kynde of conference ye meane whether by word or write we know not but while we were among you ye know what notice you were pleased to take of us and we have no delight to resent it To the Ninth FIrst We are ashamed to draw this Rug-saw of contention to and fro in a continuall Reciprocation concerning the forbearance of Pearth Articles and therefore forbearing to doe so any more we referre the Reader to our former Answeres 2. We doe not affirme that the only reason why kneeling was appointed was because all memory of superstition was past There be indeed other reasons expressed in the Act but such as the Authors thereof may be ashamed of as both perverting the Text Psal. 95. as making kneeling to be necessary in every part of GODS Worship and as giving matter to many Treatises proving kneeling before the Elements to be Idolatrie according to the Act unto which we now referre you but this we say which is manifest by the Act it selfe that in the case of present superstition or feare thereof all other reasons had not beene forcible to enforce kneeling then nor can have force to continue kneeling now This feare hath beene great this year by past throughout the Kingdom by reason of the many superstitions of the Service Booke which it may be ye no more acknowledge then ye doe the superstitious dispositioÌ„ of the people because they are not that which they were at the time of Reformation 3. We would heare what malice it selfe can say against the words of the Protestation That it shall be lawfull unto us to defend Religion and the KINGS Authority in