bee answered sometimes as he deserues Now where yee say that the Bishops will not stand to that Assembly now more then the Church then did I doe not conceiue whom ye call the Church except ye thinke a handfull of mutinous persons such as your selfe to be the Church otherwise the Ministers generally in all the parts of the Countrey did consent and obey the Acts of that Assembly And what if the conclusions taken therein yet stands vnrepealed by other Assemblies that haue followed the Bishops doe all acknowledge and stand to For it is the Law of the Church that rules them in matters of outward policie and all other peaceable Ministers yee and the like of you stand to no Law but the will of your owne minds Thirdly where ye say that some Moderatours were sent Commissioners by the Presbyteries vpon an ignorant conceit that they were bound by the Act of Linlythguow so to doe ye qualifie no part of this by any particulars and if ye did it would be replyed that in euery cōuention that is permitted for exercise through the Land the fittest and choysest of a number is appointed to moderate And that whether the moderation lay vpon them or not their Brethren would haue elected them and no others to haue bin Commissioners to that Assembly Lastly where ye tell vs scoffingly that the present Moderators are of a new edition to wit the deputies of Bishops yee must know That your changeable Moderators were of that new edition yee speake of for in no age was it seene euer before this that indifferently euery man was taken in his course to rule and preside without consideration had of his gifts and qualities And these we haue now are such as the Christian Church euer had vsed to keepe order in their meetings conuentions PP The Assessours to his Maiesties Commissioners the Nobilitie Barons Bishops Burgesses and Moderators imposed vpon Presbyteries with some Ministers voting without warrant being substracted from the number of the affirmatiue voters the negatiues will not bee found inferiour in number to the affirmatiues authorised with Commission And suppose inferiour in number yet not in weight for the negatiue voters adhered to the iudgement of the Church heard no reasons for the nouelties proponed were not ouercome with perswasions or terrours as was the affirmatiues ANS It hath beene sufficiently proued that there was neyther Nobleman Baron Burgesse nor Bishop but had as good warrant to vote as any of the negatiues therefore should not be substracted from the number of the affirmatiue voters This yee perceiue and flie to another shift according to your custome Yee graunt your number were fewer for so they were by moe then another halfe but their weight yee say was greater for with them as ye alledge there was three great ouer-weights in the ballance First they had no feare Secondly they were not ouercome with perswasion And the third they adhered to the iudgemēt of the Church It is true indeed that neither the feare of inconueniencies and euills which might haue ensued to the great hurt of the Church and hinderance of the Gospel did moue them nor could reason whereby the change was manifestly proued both lawfull and expedient perswade them but to the iudgement of the Church as ye call it they adhered with out regard of good or euill without respect to right or wrong And this is the Idoll which they still adore Now let vs consider this iudgement whereunto they adhered The iudgement of our Church touching ceremonies and circumstances to bee vsed in the worshippe of God is two-fold There is one that is particular the other is generall The particular iudgement determineth and defineth what ceremonies in particular the Reformers thought expedient to be receyued and reiected The generall declares what the Church and euery Christian should esteeme beleeue and hold touching the particular order and policie which is set downe for the vse of ceremonies and circumstances to be obserued in the worship of God The former iudgement is expressed in the first Booke of Discipline and some few Acts of the generall Assemblies cited afterward by your selfe This other we haue in the one and twentieth Article of the Confession of Faith about the end thereof and in the seuenth Chapter of the second Booke of Discipline both which are afterwards cited in the examination of your Discourse where yee professe your selfe to discusse the oath And it is that iudgement whereunto the Swearers did oblige themselues by their oath In this it is declared expresly That no order nor policie in ceremonies can be established for all times ages and places but that it is temporall and may and should be changed when necessitie requires This is the generall and constant iudgement of the Church whereunto the negatiue Voters were bound by their oath to haue adhered which they did not That other whereunto they adhered as yee alledge is onely temporall and subiect to change according to the opportunities and occasions of times places and persons For if by occasion of any of these circumstances the obseruation which was profitable at one time become hurtfull at another and that which serued for reformation breedes and fosters corruptiō profanenesse or superstition it is the constant and generall iudgement of the Church that it should bee changed and altered which formerly was obserued And to apply this to the purpose in hand It is notoriously knowne That sitting at the Communion which at the reformation was iudged most conuenient to abolish the opinion of transubstantiatiō bread-worship makes the Sacrament now to be contemned and profaned by the common sort of Professours That the want of diuine exercise on the fiue holy-dayes hath almost buried in obliuion the inestimable benefits of our redemption the superstitious obseruation of these times not the lesse continuing still in our Church That the withholding of Baptisme from infants in times of necessitie and the holy Supper from others at the houre of their dying hath beene the griefe of many good Christians Lastly that great ignorance is crept into the Church by the neglect of the catechising of young children and for lacke of a particular triall of their profiting in knowledge at the Visitations of Churches And vpon these and the like considerations who sees not that alteration in these poynts was expedient Adde to this our conformitie with the greater part of the reformed Churches which is to be prefered much to the singularitie of any priuat opinion or custome of persons and Churches Then the shewing of an vnnecessarie vndutifull and vnchristian opposition and contradiction to the most religious Prince on earth who for the glorie of God and the edification of his Church did vrge this alteration In this if his Maiestie had beene gain-stand without right or reason what euils and inconueniencies might haue ensued it is not easie to say Ye afterwards call it a matter vncertaine and depending vpon Gods prouidence but wee are not to prie in
A TRVE NARRATION OF ALL THE PASSAGES OF THE PROCEEDINGS IN the generall Assembly of the Church of SCOTLAND Holden at PERTH the 25. of August Anno Dom. 1618. Wherein is set downe the Copy of his MAIESTIES Letters to the said ASSEMBLY Together with a iust defence of the Articles therein concluded against a seditious Pamphlet By Dr. LYNDESAY Bishop of Brechen PROV 24.21 My Sonne feare thou the Lord and the King and meddle not with them that are seditious IOHN MORRIS LONDON Printed by William Stansby for Ralph Rounthwait dwelling at the signe of the golden Lyon in Pauls Church-yard 1621. TO THE REVEREND AND GODLY BRETHREN The PASTORS and MINISTERS of the Church of SCOTLAND AS in our Church blessed be God touching the truth of Doctrine there is no controuersie so there is no doubt deare brethren but in the controuerted points of Policie wee would soone agree if wee did consider what is the power of the Church in these matters the extent of her power and the obedience that is due thereto therefore concerning these I haue thought meeâ— to vse this short Preface vnto you Albeit all things necessarie to the worship of God and mans saluation bee eyther expressely or by necessarie consequence contayned in the written Word yet the particular circumstances of persons by whom place where time when and of the forme and order how the worship and worke of the Ministrie should be performed are neither expressely nor by necessarie consequence set downe in the Word but for determination of these some generall rules are giuen according to the which the Church hath power to define whatsoeuer is most expedient to be obserued and done for the honour of God and edification This is a prerogatiue wherein the Christian Church differs from the Iewish Synagogue as is manifest in euery one of the particulars aboue expressed First as touching the persons in the Iewish Church they who were imployed in the Ministrie were particularly designed to bee Leuies Tribe In the Christians Church neither Family Nation nor People is separated for the worke of the Gospell but the qualities graces and gifts of men meete for the sacred seruice are onely set downe and it is in the power of the Church to trie the persons particularly in whom these graces and gifts are and accordingly to elect them And albeit the function wherevnto they are called be diuine yet the bounds within which and the persons towards whom the same must be exercised is limited by the Church which hath diuided national Churches in Prouinces Dioceses and Dioceses in Parishes so as both the election of Ministers and the limitation of their jurisdiction is from the power of the Church This the Apostle calls the measure of the Canon which God did measure out to him beyond the which he did not reach in his Apostleship and such a rule and measure should euery Pastor in the Church haue beyond the which hee ought not to passe entering vpon other mens labour As the Apostles had their measure distributed to them by God so now euerie Pastor hath his bounds designed by the Church Secondly vnder the Law albeit the Iewish Church had libertie to build Synagogues for their ordinarie meetings on the Sabbath to prayer and reading of the Law yet the place where the chiefe and solemne worship of God was performed was first the Tabernacle and the Temple both built by Gods owne speciall direction and hauing the principall parts of his worshippe so appropriated to them that in another place the same might not be performed But as vnder the Gospel men shall neither worship God in this mountaine saies our Sauiour nor in Ierusalem but the true worshippers shall worship him in truth and spirit the Christian Church hath power according to that Apostolicall Rule Let all things be done decently and in order to make choice of a place conuenient within the bounds of each Parish for the meeting of the faithfull to performe all the points and parts of Gods worship and â—his place being built and dedicated to the worship of God may not bee condemned neglected nor profanâ—d but freqâ—ented and kept for religious vses Not that wee estâ—â—me that there is any more holinessâ— in it then in another place or that Gods presence and so his worship is anâ—â—xed more to that place then to another but to the end religious Seruice may be performed decently and in order this is done Thirdly vnder the Law the chiefe parts of Gods worship were astricted to certaine set times festiuities lawfully could not be performed on other daies but vnder the Gospel omnis dies Domini est omnis hora omne teÌ„pus habile est diuino cultui as Tertul. in his book de Baptismo witnesseth and Esay prophecied in his 66.23 From one Sabbath to another and from one New-moon to another shal all flesh appeare before me saith the Lord. Thus the Apostles ceassed not to teach daily in the Temple from house to house the Doctrine of Christ. S. Paul taught in the Schoole of one Tyrannus for the space of 2. yeres daily and as one of the Greeke Editions hath it from the fifth houre to the tenth On the Iewish Sabbath which is our Saturday he taught often in the Iewish Synagogues And Epiphanius records that Christians kept their conuentions on Wednesday Friday and Sonday by Apostolical tradition and example S. Augustine affirmes That in his time men receiued the Sacrament euerie day Our owne Church besides the Lords day hath appointed other houres and times for diuine Seruice in great Townes as houres for Morning and Euening Prayer euery day for Preaching and interpretation of Scripture such other times as they hold to bee conuenient Thus is it manifest that the Church hath power to appoint other set times besides the Lords day for his seruice as wel by the liberty which God hath giueÌ„ to his Church to come and worship before him euery day as by the practise of the Apostolicall and Primitiue Churches Yea further the Church hath power to appoint religious exercises and certaine speciall parts of diuine Seruice to be performed in the times which shee thinkes most expedient for edification So hath our Church bin accustomed to appoint particular Scriptures to be interpreted vpon the daies so called of Exercise and by the first Booke of Discipline euery Pastor is ordained to teach in his Congregation on the Sondaies at afternoones certaine heads of the Catechisme Likewise to minister the Sacrament of the Communion vpon the first Sondaies of March Iune Septemb. December It was the custom of the Church of Geneua in the daies of I. Caluin to celebrate that holy action vpon the day of the Natiuitie which wee call Yule and vpon Easter day which we call Pasche The ground of this power is first the abolishing of the New-moones Festiual daies and Sabbaths by the coming of our Sauiour in whom
Rebellious to beare down the Truth his Maiesties Authority the Power of the Church and all that loue Order follow after peace To obuiate this his seditious and malicious purpose it was not onely expedient but necessary that this answere should bee made which by the grace of God shall giue such satisfaction to all good and vpright hearted men as they shall preferre the iudgement determination and lawfull Constitutions of the Church to the singularitie of their owne and other priuate mens opinions order to confusion peace to contention and vnitie to schisme aswell for the feare of God who hath giuen power to his Church to set downe Lawes for order and decencie and hath commanded vs to submit our selues thereto as for obedience to the sacred will of our most gracious Souereigne at whose instant and earnest desire these Articles being found lawfull were concluded and are now commanded to bee practised When Dauid would haue gone out against Absalon hee was stayed by the people who esteemed his life more worth then a thousand of theirs So should euery good Christian esteeme of the loue and fauour of the Prince towards the Church Salomon sayes that the wrath of a King is the Messenger of Death and like to the roring of a Lion which a Wiseman will pacifie and not prouoke and that his fauour is as the cloud of the latter raine and as the dew vpon the grasse The truth of this is manifest in the Stories of the Church what comfort the fauour of Constantine the Great did giue to the Christian Church may be seene by the barbarous and cruell persecutions of the Emperours that went before The euils troubles and calamities that the Church of England endured in the dayes of Queene Marie declared what benefit they enioyed by King Edward her Predecessor and Queene Elizabeth her Successor The beastly crueltie and massacres vsed in France vnder the Gouernment of the Predecessors of Henrie the Great hath made manifest to the World what wracke and misery the discontentment and offence of Princes and how great blessing and felicity their loue and fauour produces to the Church of God within their Dominions What need wee to goe further then the Scriptures for examples to this purpose therein wee see that as the Church decayed vnder wicked and idolatrous Gouernours so did it euer reuiue and flourish vnder religious and godly Kings We stand much vpon the offence of people and esteeme greatly of their fauour wherein I will not say we doe euill but should wee put their fauour and offence in ballance with the fauour and offence of him whom God hath annointed and appointed to be the nursing Father of this Church In whose loue we haue found by experience and daily findes greater benefite and good for the aduancement of true Religion then can bee expected from many thousands of our best Professors let be at their hands who in Religion like nothing well but contention whereby they make their aduantage one way or other as they are inclined delighting to fish as the Prouerbe is in troubled waters It is often obiected that the chiefe cause of our yeelding at Perth to the fiue Articles was the respect we had to the fauour of the Prince and the feare of his wrath against my selfe in particular it is falsly obiected by the penner of this Pamphlet that I confessed we had neither Reason Scripture nor Antiquitie for them yet to diuert the Kings wrath from the Church yeelding was best The truth is at that time I spake only of kneeling at the receiuing of the Communion and said no more then I haue set downe in print in that Treatise which I published for kneeling in the last words of the first Section of the first Chapter and in the first Section of the second Chapter at the beginning this was That neither Scripture Antiquitie nor Reason doe enforce any necessitie either for lying sitting standing or kneeling at the Sacrament and that all these gestures being indifferent I held it most expedient to yeeld and not to striue with our gracious Souereigne for a matter of that nature repeating this Verse Cedere maiori virtutis fama secunda est Illa grauis palma est quam minor hostis habet This I said at that time and so yet I thinke that to eschue the Prince his offence and to keep confirme and increase his loue and fauour towards the Gospell and the Church was a respect and cause great enough wherefore we should haue yeelded vnto his Maiesties desire in matters indifferent against the lawfulnesse whereof nothing hath beene or can bee obiected which is not and may not be easily answered Against the expediencie the feare of scandall was and is all that could be pretended which if wee were peaceably disposed might haue beene and yet may be very easily remoued and therefore such a feare ought neither to haue impedite our yeelding at that time nor our obedience now We are exhorted by the holy Ghost to feare God and obey the King Where obedience to the Prince may stand with Gods feare it ought to bee preferred by euery good Christian to all other respects and especially by the Pastors of the Church who should as lights goe before others both in doctrine and example chiefly when peace and vnitie may bee procured and preserued in Gods house by our obedience For vnitie wee should bee ready to lay downe our liues as well as for veritie which Dionysius Bishop of Alexandria writing to Nouatus affirmed saying Oportuerit etiam pati omnia ne scinderetur Ecclesia Dei erat non inferior gloria sustinere martyrium pro eo ne scindatur Ecclesia quà m est illa ne idolis immoletur Immo secundum meam sententiam maius hoc putâ— esse martyrium ibi enim vnusquisque pro sua tantùm anima in hoc verò pro omni Ecclesia martyrium sustinet That is to say It behoued thee to haue suffered all things that the Church of God should not haue been rent it had bin no lesse glorie to haue sustained martyrdome for this that the Churches vnitie might haue beene preserued then for refusing to sacrifice vnto Idols Yea in my minde this is a greater martyrdome for in that euerie man suffereth for his owne soule onely but here hee suffers martyrdome for the whole Church This was the iudgement of that holy Father who esteemed it a glorious martyrdome to suffer for the vnitie of the Church Contrariwise the Donatists did glorie in this that by their sufferings they entertained Schisme and diuision confirmed the hearts of the simple and supeâ—stitious in their errours acquired to themselues the renowne of Martyrs and thereby brought vpon the Church the imputation of persecution To whom S. Augustine answers That they complained most vniustly that they were persecuted by the Church because the Church was more heauily persecuted by them and thereupon in the eleuenth Tractate vpon S. Iohn sayes Albeit Ismael was cast out
yee approue this prouision as yee seeme after to doe seeing a Law standeth in our Church neither reduced nor abrogated against your opinion why is your patience turned into passion your wel-grounded reasons into vnreasonable raylings And considering at the Assembly in Perth the grounds whereupon the Law was made were esteemed by the votes and iudgements of more then double your number better then any answere or reason brought on the contrary why are yee ashamed peaceably to incline thereunto laying aside all preoccupyed opinions PP Wee are able to prooue that no Ecclesiasticall Law hath beene made in any free and formall Assembly for the alteration by-past or presently intended either in Gouernment or Ceremonies ANS What you are able to proue we know not but vntill the time the probation be made and the Church which made the Lawes being better informed alter or abrogate them it it is the duty of euery good and peaceable Christian to giue obedience thereunto except they bee manifestly damned in the Word as impious for there can be no peace nor vnitie in a Church where there is not a Conformitie obserued according to Lawes for if one shall follow the Law another his owne opinion contrary to the Law and the third some conceit different from both what can follow but contention and confusion in the Church PP The ratification of ciuill Lawes alreadie made or to bee made cannot rectifie the Eccesiasticall so long as we are able by good reason to impugne their authoritie and to euince the vicious constitution the informall and vnlawfull proceedings of those Assemblies where the said Ecclesiastical Lawes are said to haue beene made ANS That which is right needeth not to be rectified such the Estates of Parliament haue found the Canons of the Church which they haue ratified but yet forsooth so long as you are able to impugne their authoritie euince them to be vicious informall vnlawfull So long neither can the authoritie of the Parliament nor Church make them to haue force but all must be suspended vpon your skill and learning to proue and improue as you list Whereof this smelleth whether of plaine sincerity or of Papall Supremacie let the Reader consider PP Put the case that no exception might bee made against the Law his Maiesties prouision permitteth vs to perswade others with well grounded reasons ANS If no exception might bee made against the Law what well grounded reason can be vsed to perswade the contrary His Maiesties prouision is as farre contrary to the permission here alledged by you as light to darknes for although his Maiestie wish these who are contrary minded to preasse by patience and well grounded reasons to perswade all the rest to like of their iudgement yet hee permitteth them not to perswade others to resist to the authoritie to breake the Law of the Countrey to stirre vp Rebellion and Schisme which you by this Pamphlet doe only intend but by the contrary willeth them in these words which you purposely omit To content themselues soberly and quietly with their owne opinions not resisting to the authoritie nor breaking the Law of Countrey neither aboue all stirring any Rebellion or Schisme c. but to possesse their soules in peace If such licence were granted as you alledge was giuen by his Maiesties prouision there should neuer bee any setled order in Church or Common-wealth a doore being opened to seditious spirits to disturbe all with such perswasions and disswasious as are vsed in this Pamphlet PP The verity of our Relations and validity of our Reasons we referre to the tryall of euery Iudicious Reader making conscience of his Oath Promise Subscription and Purity of his Profession ANS If the Iudicious Reader holding the puritie of his Christian Profession lay aside all other preiudice and be not moued with these Pannicke terrours of Oathes and Promises which he neuer made and of Subscriptions which hee neuer gaue he shal try and find the greatest part of your Relations to be vttered out of passion whereby the sincerity of the truth is corrupted and in your Reasons such validity as sophisticall captions and cauillations can afford A TRVE NARRATION OF THE PROCEEDINGS of the generall Assembly holden at Perth and begun the 25. day of August 1618. Opposed to the Libeller his Discourse thereof in the Pamphlet lately Published TO the end the true causes of this meeting may be vnderstood wee must draw the occasion thereof somewhat further off then the Proclamation mentioned by the Libeller So it is That his Maiestie at his late beeing in this Kingdome did propone to the Bishops and principall Ministers who were called to meete at S. Andrews for that effect the tenth of Iuly 1617. the fiue Articles now concluded desiring they might be receyued in this Church and an alteration made of the other customes that obtained before in these points This proposition was made by his Maiestie himselfe in the Chappell of the Castle where then his Maiestie remained Vpon the hearing whereof humble petition was made by the Bishops and Ministers there assembled that they should bee permitted to conferre amongst themselues vpon the said proposition before they gaue any answer Which being graunted they went and met together in the Session house of the Paroch Church where after mature deliberation it was concluded they should put vp one common Supplication to his Maiestie for libertie of a generall Assembly to aduise and take conclusion in these poynts It being signified vnto them at the same time by the Archbishop of S. Andrewes that his Maiesty would take this for a shift and not content with the Supplication vnlesse assurance were giuen that the same Articles should be yeelded vnto in the Assembly Answer was made by the whole number That howsoeuer they could not preiudge themselues of their free voyces in an Assembly by graunting the said Articles before-hand considering they were matters in themselues lawfull and of a nature indifferent as they could not thinke but the whole Church would bee readie to giue his Maiestie satisfaction therein so for themselues they would doe what lay in them for passing the same And this they all desired the said Archbishop in their names to answer But hee denying to promise any thing in the behalfe of the Ministers in regard of the seditious protestation they had against their promise at least a number of them penned to be giuen in the next Parliament Maister Patricke Galloway was by them desired to make the said answere and concurre with the Bishops in the foresaid supplication for a generall Assembly Thus all returning to the saide Chappell petition was made in humble forme to his Maiestie by the Archbishop in the name of the whole That they might be permitted to meete in an Assembly where the said Articles should receiue the answer which was fit His Maiestie replying that hee could not suffer these Articles which hee counted both lawfull and profitable for the Church to bee cast in the
the resolution we take at this time touching the Articles propounded will giue to the world a testimonie what manner of men wee are whether such as rule their proceedings by iudgement or are carried head-strong with conceits and opinions that wee bee nor misse-led by ignorance for that is the fault of many amongst vs wee inquire not of matters nor take paynes to vnderstand what hath beene the iudgement of the most wise and learned but follow vpon trust the opinions we haue beene bred with and of such as we affect to helpe this I say I will with your patience spend some time in the question of Ceremonies see what warrant they haue and how they should bee appointed then from the generall descend to speake of our particulars touching which I shall freely deliuer my owne minde and so conclude First then concerning Ceremonies howsoeuer some haue imagined them to bee superfluities which might well bee spared and that the Church of Rome hath made the very name of them hatefull aswell because of the multitude of them wherewith she oppressed Christians as for the ridiculous choice she made of most of them are such things as without which no publike action either Ciuill or Ecclesiastique can be rightly performed To this purpose a Politike Writer hath said well That as the flesh couereth the hollow deformity of the bones and beautifieth the bodie with naturall graces so Ceremonies such specially as ancient custome hath made reuerend couer the nakednesse of publike actions and distinguish them from priuate businesse that otherwise should not bee so well knowne The neglect of this in any State breedes confusion and with confusion the ruine and abolishment of the State it selfe whereof the examples were easie to be giuen in the Romane Republike and others if that were our subiect But wee are speaking of Church-Ceremonies concerning which no man will deny this generall truth That in euery publike dutie which God craues at our hands there is besides the matter and forme wherein the substance of the dutie consists a certaine externall forme required to the decent administration of the same As for example God hath commanded his Word to bee preached and the holy Sacraments to be ministred Baptisme by the Element of Water and in a prescript forme of words such as you know wee vse and the Sacrament of his blessed Body and Bloud in the Elements of Bread and Wine with certaine mysticall words added thereunto heere is the dutie to bee done and the substance of it yet for the ministration of the same in a due and decent manner there is place time and other circumstances moe required The substance of the dutie God hath giuen vs in the Word from which we may not goe but for these things that belong to the outward administration Ecclesiasticall wisedome hath to define what is conuenient what not Neque tamen permisit Dominus vagam effrae namque licentiam sayes Caluine sed cancellos vt ita loquar circūdedit That is God hath not giuen his Church an illimited power to establish what Ceremonies she lists but hath enrayled her authoritie within borders which she may not passe and these are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Let all things bee done honestly and by order Honestly that is after a good fashion in a decent sort and to the right ends namely the aduancement of Gods honour and the edification of his Church This is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Then they must be done 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by order that is appointed with deliberation and by such as haue the authoritie to ordaine them and being once appointed and concluded by Constitutions they must bee kept and performed by all that are subiect to the same This as one speakes well is that great Ecclesiasticall Canon by which all other Canons must bee squared this is the true Touch-stone of trying Ceremonies and the ballance wherein all Church Orders must be weighed The Ceremonies of the Church must be decent and comely without vanitie without all meretricious brauerie not superfluous but seruing to edification They must also be done to Gods honour and not be idolatrous or superstitious Generally in the Church all things must be done in order and no confusion be either of persons or proceedings for order hath proceeded from the Throne of the Almightie This fabricke of the World that wee see is vpholden by it States and Kingdomes are maintayned by it and without it nothing can flourish or prosper And if Order should haue place in all things sure the Church of God should not be without Order for our God whom wee serue is the God of Order and not of Confusion as the Apostle speakes These things will be easily condescended vpon I meane that religious duties cannot bee performed without externall Rites that these Rites should bee qualited as I haue said established by Lawes and after they are established obeyed by such as are subiect Si enim velut in medio positae singulorum arbitrio relictae fuerint quoniam nunquam futurum est vt omnibus idem placeat breui futura est rerum omnium confusio This is Caluines saying in the fourth Booke of his Institutions and tenth Chapter which Chapter I would earnestly recommend to your reading for these matters chiefly In such generals it may bee wee all agree but when wee come to particulars Tanta moribus hominum inest diuersitas tanta in animis varietas tanta in iudicijs ingenijsque pugna Such is the varietie of mens minds and opinions that scarce shall they euer bee brought to agree vpon any one thing For the Ceremonie which to one will seeme decent and comely will to another appeare not to be so Now in this case what is to bee done Some would haue vs search into the Apostolike times examine what then was in vse to bee done and follow that But this cannot well be the rule seeing the Apostles haue not deliuered in writing all that they did and diuers of the formes vsed by them which by occasion wee haue recorded are vnfit for these times and inconuenient such as the assembling of people in close and secret meetings their Christnings in Riuers the ministring of the Lords Supper after meate 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Church-Feasts the abhorring of leuened Bread abstayning from Bloud and that which is strangled the arbitrary maintenance of Ministers and other more particulars which to bring againe in vse were to alter and change in a sort the state of Christianitie it selfe So it being to vs vncertaine what the formes of the Apostles were in euery thing and the dissimilitude of their times and ours being so great they giue no sure direction that send vs to seeke the resolution of our differences in matters of this nature from them Reade Beza his eight Epistle written to that Reuerend Bishop Edmond Grindall then Bishop of London and you shall finde this to bee his iudgement His words are Scio duplicem esse de Ecclesiarum
anger and indignation which diuerse of your selues haue seene I trauelled at the Ministers their earnest solicitation by all the wayes I could to diuert the troubles which before this time most certainly yee would haue felt And all that hath proceeded since ye know So as I spake before I would if it had beene in my power most willingly haue declined the receiuing of these Articles Not that I did esteeme them either vnlawfull or inconuenient for I am so farre perswaded of the contrary as I can bee of any thing but I foresaw the contradiction which would bee made and the businesse we should fall into Therefore let no man deceiue himselfe these things proceede from his Maiestie and are his owne motions not any others I heare others say they could agree with the Articles but that they take them to be introductions of the rest of the English Ceremonies wherewith they cannot away To this I answer That the ready way to haue the rest imposed is to offend his Maiestie by our resisting and the way to be freed of them is to approue our selues in the obedience of these Thereby both yee and wee shall finde a more gracious hearing in any thing that concerneth the Church Call to mind the eourses of former times and tell me if our oppositions did euer gayne vs any thing If experience will not make vs wise what can But this others say is hard to bee done because our preaching and practice haue both beene to the contrarie and a yeelding now cannot but sâ—ayne our credits I will not reply that it is no credit to be constant in euill nor any discredit to change for the better for this would sound harshly in the eares of many onely I shall wish those who stand so much for their credit to lay before themselues Saint Pauls example who became all to all that hee might saue some Hee had preached against Circumcision against the keeping of the Iewish Sabbaths their new Moones and other Rites he had called them yokes burthens impotent and beggarly rudiments and reproued Saint Peter for making the Gentiles conforme to the Iewes in these things yet after all this he circumcised Timothy and practised himselfe diuers of their Ceremonies The reason was that he saw no other way to redeeme the libertie of his Ministerie further the Gospell and increase the Churches In this hee placed his credit and so hee did speed in that hee stood not much what men reported of him If the zeale of God leade vs and the loue of his Church wee will not looke so much to our selues and to our owne reputation as to the furthering of the worke of the Gospell It will be replyed I know that not for themselues but for the offence of the people they feare to admit these things For hauing preached against holy dayes and the rest and hauing defended the Constitutions of the Church which now must be altered there cannot but great offence ensue I can make no other answer to this then say That I trust none of our Preachers haue stood against the keeping of dayes simply but against the superstitious keeping of them as Papists doe and against the lasciuiousnesse of people prophaning those dayes by vnlawfull exercises Nor haue wee taught at any time sitting to be of the essence of the Sacrament and a Rite that may not be changed for in that case it is necessary for the Truths sake to informe them otherwise and make it seene that wee loue Truth more then our owne reputation If our iudgements haue beene misse-led and that we haue misse-led others it is good that we being resolued of the Truth helpe to resolue others also But I doe not suppose any such ignorance in my brethren I know people thinke many times wee contradict our selues when there is nothing lesse for they distinguish not well of things and haue many mistakings Alwayes this is sure the framing of peoples conceits lyes much in our hands The Dayes required to bee obserued haue beene kept this last yeare in the chiefe Burghes by his Maiesties command what offencâ— thereof did we find amongst the people The Communioâ— hath beene giuen and receiued in that reuerend forme Whâ— was scandalized Some few perhaps that would seeme singular for holinesse by the rest and others because they saâ— their Ministers forbeare but generally such as communicâ—â—ted who were not a few number professed that in theâ—â— time they neuer found more comfort and better motionâ— which their teares and deuout behauiour testified to all thâ— beholders But this they say takes not away the offence for Papists will boast that wee are drawing backe towards them and the godly cannot but be grieued that haue a dislike of their Ceremonies For Papists first wee are not to regard them It is their manner to make aduantage of euery thing say or doe what wee will they will still speake euill of the Truth Are the Churches of England Germany and Bohemie in better termes with Papists then wee Yee know not how things goe in the world if yee thinke so Papists are not the fooles we take them to be pleased with shadowes they haue other more substantiall notes by which they discerne their friends then by ceremonies As for the godly amongst vs wee are sorry they should bee grieued but it is their owne fault for if the things be in themselues lawfull what is it that should offend them They say these alterations can worke no good I answer The alteration is necessary if it bee necessary for our Church to inioy his Maiesties fauour and if it be necessary it must also be profitable Naem causa necessitatis vtilitatis aequiparantur in iure But if they thinke that we should regard their offence and offence of other good Christians let them know that the offence of our gracious Soueraigne is more to vs then theirs and a thousand moe Yet were it not better that his Maiestie should by his authoritie inioyne them rather then the Church giue any consent and when the time shall grow better we may then returne to our old custome for these are the motions of some What they call better times I know not but our fathers saw neuer so good times nor is it to be hoped that our posteritie shall see the like Continuance detracts from the worth of things at least in our conceits wee haue enioyed peace and libertie so long that we little know how precious they are But had we beene in the coates of our fathers or could wee remember the straits our first Reformers stood in and were brought vnto in the same Citie when that good Earle Alexander came to their reliefe wee would thinke it no small blessing to haue our Profession countenanced by Authoritie As to that which they desire that his Maiestie should inioyn these things by Authoritie I leaue it to you to iudge how dangerous the same may proue to the Church If coÌ„formity be enioyned be sure it wil not be
that is passed I haue liued to see this day a generall Synod once more of the Church of Scotland called by the authority and expresse command and pleasure of our Souereigne Lord the KING which is the only true and best meanes indeed vsed in all Ages for extirpating of all Sects Errors Heresies for the planting of truth and good order in the Church of Christ. And I pray God that all things at this meeting may by the direction of Gods good Spirit by your wisdomes be so carryed that you abridge not your selues and posterity of so great◠blessing and procure that not only these things which are now required but that other things more difficult bee enioyned and enforced vpon you vpon strict penaltie by Supreme Authority And therefore I desire as I am sent to that purpose with the Apostle Titus 3. to put you in remembrance that you bee subiect to Principalities and powers and that you bee obedient and ready to euery good worke to put you in remembrance that by the great blessing of Almightie God you haue to doe with so wise so potent so religious so learned a Prince the matchlesse Mirror of all Kings the nursing Father of his Church that he whose Wisedome and Authoritie is in the composing of all differences both Ecclesiasticall and Ciuill so much required respected and admired not only by his owne people of his other Kingdomes but by all good Christians of forrein Nations throughout the Christian world may not seeme to be neglected by you his natiue Subiects at home and you especially of the Ministerie who ought to be examples and patternes of obedience vnto others you whom he hath so infinitely obliged by his so great bountie and constant loue To put you in remembrance that as with no small disreputation vnto his Maiestie and diminution as it were of his Princely authoritie in the iudgement and sight of the World whose eyes are bent vpon these proceedings he hath granted you so long time by your Christian and godly endeuours with your seuerall flockes whom you are to leade not to be led by them to remoue as you promised both to his Maiesty being here amongst you and againe confirmed at your last generall Synod all those scandals which might be taken by the more ignorant and vnaduised sort of your people to whom all innouations though to the better may seeme at the first somewhat strange so that now you would bee carefull as much as in you lyeth to take away that more dangerous and open offence and scandall which by your delay and refusall of obedience you shall cast vpon the sacred person of our Soueraigne Lord the King the most constant and Zealous Protectour and Defender of that Faith and Truth which wee all professe and for the which he hath suffered such open gaine-saying of the Aduersaries thereof the limbes of Antichrist as if he◠who hath laboured so much to exalt the glorie of thi◠Nation farre aboue all his Predecessours in the eyes of the World now going about most of all to humble vs vnto our God and in performance of the act of greatest deuotion according to his owne example to bring vs vnt◠our Knees did in so doing any way vrge his Subiects to any thing which might sauour of Superstition or Idolatrie To remoue the scandall from those who are in authority amongst you and are set ouer you in the Lord who by their dutifull obedience vnto God and their Soueraigne haue alreadie both by their Doctrine and practise commended those things which now are required of you to b◠both lawfull and expedient To take away that scandal and aspersion which by the seeming reasons of your former refusall or delay you haue cast vpon others so glorious reformed Churches as if the holy Ghost and Spirit◠reformation had beene giuen onely and solely rested vpon you To remoue that notorious and publique scanda◠which by the fierie and turbulent spirits of some fe◠priuate men lyeth heauie vpon the feruent and zealou◠Professours of the glorious Gospel of Christ as if the also were disobedient vnto Magistracie and in this did seeme to ioyne hands with the maine vpholders and pillars of Poperie It hath wounded the Spirits of good men to heare it often spoken Nec dicatur vtinam ampliùs Gathi in plateis Aschelonis Nay to see it in Print that Herod and Pilate were now reconciled againe if not Contra Christum Dominum yet contra Christum Domini Lastly to preuent that lamentable miserie and calamitie which God in his iustice might bring vpon this Church in that you regarded not the blessed time of your visitation and despised the long suffering and great goodnesse of God and of so bountifull and gracious a Soueraigne And so to conclude for to stand now vpon the particulars were but actum agere and you need no gleanings after so plentifull an haruest or the light of a Candle being inlightned by the cleare beames of the Sunne with that of Naamans seruants 2. King 5. vnto their Lord and Maister Father if the Prophet had commanded thee a greater matter shouldest thou not haue done it c. So right reuerend Fathers and Brethren in Christ if our most gracious Soueraigne Lord who hath done so much for you had commanded you greater things so long as they might stand with the will of God and in no waies be repugnant vnto the same for in that case indeed the Apostles rule holds inuiolably true 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That we must rather obey God then men should you not haue beene readie your selues and by your Doctrine and practise haue induced others to obedience much more then when he requireth of you but these few necessarie things necessary and expedient for the glorie of God for the aduancing of pietie amongst you for the honour and due satisfaction vnto our Soueraigne Lord the KING for the happy establishing of order peace vnion and loue amongst your selues and in these vnited Kingdomes Therefore let me beseech you in the bowels of Christ to giue all their due Quae Caesaris Caesari quae Dei Deo And as Constantine the Great as Eusebius hath it wrote vnto his Churchmen that troubled his peace and other weightie affaires with their contentious humours So let me intreat you in the behalfe of our CONSTANTINE Qui dum regat iubet Date illi dies tranquillos noctes curae molestiarum expertes That so he may with much ioy and contentment of heart yet once more as hee proposeth if not often visit your coasts and those places which his soule so loueth And that this poore Church and his natiue Kingdome may be made euer more and more happie by his comming and long peaceable and prosperous reigne And GOD and Men say Amen vnto it Amen Amen This Speech hee deliuered most grauely and with great affection to the contentment of all good and wise men And how falsly the Libeller charges him with bringing
in the Puritane and Papist like Herode and Pilate conspiring together we leaue it to the Reader to iudge Thus ended the first Session of that Assembly The second Session of the Assembly was differred to the morrow after and the Conference warned to meet at three of the clocke in the afternoone IN the Conference after Prayer made for a blessing to that meeting his Maiesties Letter was read againe to put them in minde that were conuened of the businesse in hand at what time the Archbishop of Saint ANDREWES did remember them of the proceedings that had beene kept in these matters since his Maiesties first Proposition of them at Saint-ANDREWES The promises made at that time to his Maiestie for passing the said Articles the delay made in the preceding Assembly vpon pretext of satisfying the simple and ignorant sort touching the lawfulnesse of them Hee told them also of the offence which his Maiestie had taken at that delay the seuererer course that was intended against the disobedient Mininisters and the mitigation which was procured by the humble intercession of himselfe and others and hereupon besought them earnestly to doe as became wisemen for howbeit as he perceiued against the aduice giuen in the particular Synods they were come thither almost all of them who were disposed to resist the conclusion intended and that they supposed to carry matters by voyces without regard what reason would craue of them they would deceiue themselues in that case and finde their numbers too weake if they did not hearken and submit themselues to reason And in the end shewing them the end of their sitting apart was to consider by what meanes matters might most easily be brought vnto a point hee said that there appeared but two wayes one whereof was by disputing the Articles which was likely to consume a long time and breed irritation rather then any contentment else The other was by a calme and wise consultation to consider how the said Articles might bee receiued in all the Churches with least offence and conclude the same specially since they had promised in the last Assembly to resolue themselues and others of the equitie of the points required and which they like best he desires them to choose The greater part esteeming that such as were contrary minded would neuer receiue satisfaction vnlesse matters were first reasoned and that it should bring a sore imputation vpon the Assembly to conclude any thing which had not beene first debated by arguments vrged the disputing of the Articles which was of the rest condescended vnto Then it being proponed if they would take the said Articles in order or beginne with the most controuerted they agreed vniformely to treate of kneeling at the receiuing of the holy Sacrament in the first place hoping that satisfaction being giuen in that Article the lesse scruple should be made of the rest So according to the order two were named to dispute that Arcicle to wit Doctor Henrie Philip and Doctor William Forbes for the one side and Master William Scot and Master Iohn Carmichael for the other these two last named after a graue protestation made of their vnwillingnesse to be heard opposing to any matter for the which his Maiestie seemed so earnest excused themselues by the necessity of the Commandement and their owne resolutions which they held to bee well grounded wishing that no offence might be taken at their speeches which they should be carefull of and say nothing but with that reuerence which become them in so honourable an hearing And then adding that the contrary order had beene long time kept in this Church with great profit and the comfort of many good Christians if now any would preasse to abolish that which had beene in force and draw in things not yet receiued they should bee holden to prooue eyther that the things vrged were necessary and expedient for our Church or the order hitherto kept not meet to be retayned And for this purpose they alleadged a passage of Master Hooker in his Preface before the Bookes of Ecclesiasticall Policie wherein hee craues that such as seeke the reformation of Orders Ecclesiâ—sticall in the Church of England should content themselues with the Opponents part and bee subiect to prooue these two things mentioned It was replyed that the difference of their case and ours was great for there a few priuate men desired the Lawes publikely established to bee inuerted and it was good reason that such should bee put to their confirmation of what they proponed but heere the Prince that by himselfe had power to reforme such things as were amisse in the outward policie required to haue the change made And therefore it concerned them to bring reasons why his Maiesties Propositions ought not to bee granted This they declined for a great while still protesting the reuerence they beare to his Maiesties commandements and without mentioning that which they would not oppose in Thesi they wished this question to be reasoned Whether kneeling or sitting at the Communion were the fitter gesture It was answered that the question could bee no otherwayes proponed then thus His Maiestie desires our gesture of sitting at the Communion to be changed into kneeling Why ought not the same to be done If it could bee shewed by the Word or by any necessary consequent deduced out of the same that his alteration craued ought not to bee granted because impious or vnlawfull that should bee enough humbly to decline the desire which wee doubted not his Maiestie would accept well and if otherwayes they could bring no argument to the contrary a necessitie lay vpon vs to obey An houre or more was spent in such speeches they declining still to giue any argument and offering themselues to answere such reasons as any man would propone for the alteration desired whereupon the Archbishop of Saint Andrewes said that if none would reason hee would put the Articles to voyces Then they proponed that reasoning should bee publike and in face of the whole Assembly it was replyed that nothing should be in conference concluded to the preiudice of the Assembly alwayes matters must first be brought to some point in the conference and thereafter proponed to the whole number who should be heard to reason of new if he listed Hereupon they resolued to fall into the dispute and first Master Iohn Carmichael brought an Argument from the custome and practice of the Church of Scotland which had beene long obserued and ought not to bee altered except the inconuenience of the present order were shewed and the desired gesture qualified to bee better It was answered that how euer the Argument held good against the motions of priuate men yet his Maiestie requiring the practice to be changed matters behoued to admit a new consideration and that because it was the Prince his Priuiledge that had the conseruation and custodie aswell of the Church as of the Common-wealth to call in question Customes and Statutes which he perceiued to breed
Assembly the affirmatiue voters confessed that they assented not simpliciter to the Articles proponed as knowne truths but onely to auert the wrath of authoritie standing in their owne iudgement against them and not for them in respect of the estate of this Church Hence it may be cleerly seene that their votes were only affirmatiue in respect of their feare but negatiue in respect of their iudgement and dutifull affection to this Church ANS None of the affirmatiue voters approued the Articles for knowne verities for when wee speake of knowne verities we vnderstand the verities defined in Scripture such as are the points of our faith which no man ought to call in question but that any man did giue his voice otherwise then his iudgement led him yee will hardly perswade vs much lesse that any man would openly professe this for that had beene little better then the resolution of Medea in the Tragedie Video meliora proboque deteriora sequor As to the feare yee so oft mention it was a feare not contrarie to the dutifull affection we owe to the Church nor repugnant to the iudgement which they had that were moued therewith but a feare commendable flowing both from their affection and iudgement for they feared no particular hurt to their owne persons or punishment to haue beene inflicted vpon themselues but to irritate so gracious a King and a Prince so carefull of the good of the Church and to bring the Church into an vnnecessary trouble by the obstinate refusing of lawfull Articles this wee hope all good men feared and still feare And certainly whosoeuer lackes this feare are not fit to serue in a Church and more vnfit to determine of Church-matters PP Other informalities may be obserued but these are sufficient to prooue the nullity of this pretended Assembly whereby the established estate of this Church is so far preiudged or rather simple people for their facility indangered if they vpon the pretended authority of this Assembly shall aduenture to make defection from their former profession confirmed by so many and well aduised Assemblies and blessed by the experience of Gods great loue in his best benefits or to violate their solemne Oath and Subscription The pretender may as safely professe that hee will alter his profession or violate his Oath and Subscription suppose there had beene no Assembly at all But to detayne simple people in their begunne reuolt it will be cryed out and inculcate that some few persons and to make them odious they will be called Mal-contents Troublers of the Estate Seditious persons and what not for the which contumelies and reproches account must be made one day that they may not nor should not iudge vpon the nullity of the Assemblies It is true by way of Iurisdiction or Superordination as they call it no priuate man should presume so to doe for that iudgement belongs to another free and lawfull Assembly but by the iudgement of discretion euery Christian man ought to iudge how matters of Religion are imposed vpon him and by what authoritie If thou mayest not discerne as a Iudge thou mayest discerne as a Christian. If yee shall admit indifferently whatsoeuer is concluded vnder the glorious name of an Assembly then may wee be brought to admit not only the English Ceremonies but also Lutheranisme and Papistrie If Ministers giue way to their Parochiners to practise the obtruded Ceremonies at their pleasures If sworne Professors intangle themselues againe with the superfluities whereof the Lord hath made them free let the one and the other take heed how they defend themselues from the iust challenge of back-sliding and the rest of the inconueniences that may ensue on their change ANS This Libeller being now to conclude the Nullity which he intended to proue paines himselfe to mooue the People Ministers Professors and all to disobedience of the Acts concluded and where the authority of the Assembly might draw men to condescend hee labours to shew them that euen the iudgement of the lawfulnesse of Assemblies in some sort doth belong to euery Christian which if it should not he laies downe certaine inconueniences that thereby might grow vpon them all to which I answere that this Assembly being conuocated in the Name of God assisted in the proceedings thereof by his blessed Spirit and all the Informalities obiected being now sufficiently cleered we are perswaded euery true Christian whether he be Minister or Professor will submit his iudgement and affections both to the conclusions taken therein And if any will still oppose thēselues thereto we doubt not to cal them troublers of the Estate seditious Persons Schismatickes louers of Diuision and direct Enemies to the Weale and peace both of the Church and Kingdome That ye would bee called such men ye might well prophesie seeing ye be priuy to your owne intentions but where ye adiect that account must be made one day of such contumelies and reproches I would but aske you whether yee doe thinke to passe free in the Day of that account and not be brought to your answere for calling the Seruants of Christ mercenarie men and thereby implying his Maiestie your Souereigne to be another Balak in giuing the wages of iniquitie to hirelings for condemning all that are obedient to the voyce of the Church in these matters as men periured and without all conscience and diuers others your malicious speeches vttered in this Pamphlet or if you thinke it no fault to make a rent in the body of Christ which is his Church which it appeares euidently ye are only about The answeres following will cleere to all men that the estate of our Church is no way preiudged by any Act concluded in the Assembly at Perth and that the obedience thereof will not inferre a defection from our former profession But that distinction of two-fold iudgement serues little to this purpose for howbeit lawfully euery man may inquire of things concluded and for his owne information seeke out the grounds and warrants thereof yet whithersoeuer his iudgement incline hee must render himselfe obedient to the Constitutions of the Church in which he liues And there is a great difference betweene decerning and discerning though eyther yee or your Printer hath mistaken it for it belongeth to the Iudge to decerne and Christians as ye say euen in their priuate callings may discerne but this their discerning will neuer free them from the subiection of Lawes imposed especially in matters of this nature for wee are now vpon order and policie onely And except ye could shew some euident place out of the Word or bring a necessarie demonstration to warrant your contrarie iudgement your disobedience will euer be faultie The authoritie of the Church must yeeld to the written Word but the iudgements of priuate men to the authoritie of the Church Otherwise we should open a doore to all confusion neyther could there be order in a Church if euery man should bee permitted to follow his owne conceit and doe
as his priuie iudgment did leade him This our Church wisely foreseeing in an Assembly kept at Edinburghe anno 1583. 10. Octob. statuted and ordained That no Act concluded by a generall Assembly should bee called in question by any particular brother nay not in another generall Assembly except some iust cause might be seene for the change thereof And if it be not lawfull to call any of the constitutions of the Church in question much lesse to impugne by writ and print the same so maliciously as you haue done I omit the vnseemely match which yee make of English ceremonies and Lutheranisme with Papistrie for this is your malice against the English Church which it becomes you to reuerence and of whom if ye did loue the truth of God ye would haue spoken more honorably PP If the Parliament by acts authorize matters effected with such informalities and nullities matters of themselues so contrarious to our profession their ratification of a vicious thing cannot be a rule to a christian mans conscience But it is to be hoped that the Lord shall so dispose the hearts of Statesmen to the loue of the truth quietnesse of the Church and Country and peace of mens consciences that no vnreasonable burthen shall be knit vpon the members of Christs Body by any deed of theirs vnder the name of a benefit to the Church Inuito beneficium non datur ANS Since the time that Kings and Princes became Christian it hath alwayes beene the custome that Synodicall Decrees were authorized by their Lawes not that the allowance or authoritie of Ciuill Lawes is made a rule to a Christians Conscience but that the externall man might thereby bee tyed to the obedience of these things which the Church hath found to be agreeable to the Word of God that is the only rule of conscience and it is to bee hoped that God shall so dispose the hearts of the whole Estate to the loue of his Truth and the Peace and quietnesse of his Church that refractarie and turbulent persons such as ye are shall bee restrayned of your vnbridled licentiousnesse and kept vnder the obedience of the Church and the Orders by her lawfully established which howsoeuer ye that loue to liue after your owne mindes call an vnreasonable burthen all true and peaceable Christians will esteeme a benefite to the Church and bee thankfull vnto God for the same PP Consider three things first the Nullity of this Assembly Secondly thy owne Oath and Subscription how it admits or abhorres this change suppose the Assembly had bin lawfull Thirdly if the particulars offered can be made lawfull or expedient by any Assembly whatsoeuer ANS We haue considered all these three as ye desire and finde the reasons proponed by you for the Nullitie of this Assembly to be Nullities in themselues Next that the Oath and Subscription by you mentioned admits the change concluded and does not abhorre it the same change being a part of the Oath which we all gaue as in discussing of the Oath shall be cleered Thirdly that the particulars concluded are things lawfull of their owne nature indifferent and most conuenient for this time in regard the generall Church who hath the place and power of determining the expediencie of Rites and Ceremonies hath interposed their authority to the same which in the estimation of Wisemen is sufficient to make them bee compted such An answere to the Articles presented to the Assembly AVGVST 27 and quotations added by the Pamphleter for confirmation PP FOr so much as we haue beene debarred of accesse and from hearing the proceedings of the Conference their Reasonings Consultations and Aduisements about the Articles proponed to this gâ—nerall Assembly whereof all and euery one of them so neareâ—â— touches vs in our Christian resolution and offices of our Mâ—nistry in most humble manner wee present to your consideration the particulars hereafter specified in the feare of God inâ—reating your fauourable answere to the same ANS Neither he who presenâ—ed the Articles nor they who penned them can affirme truely that they were absent from the Conference and none were debarred who were desirous to be present The truth is after long and modest reasoning and graue deliberation when all had beene heard both in prâ—uate at the Conference and in publique before the Assembâ—y and all doubâ—s and obâ—ections had beene proponed answered and satisfied these or the like Artâ—cles were presenâ—eâ— not for resolutiâ—n of those by whom they were proponed who were already setled in this resolution not to be 〈◊〉 but to perâ—urbe the mindes of these who were prepareâ— to vote and conclude and so to bring all in question againe that before had beene discussed and therefore were iustly reiected by the Moderator as malicious and crafty delatorie exceptions as shall bee manifest by the answeres following made to them not as they were presented to the Assembly but as they are proponed here with your Additions Qâ—otations and Confirmations The first Article PP THe Articles proponed if they be concluded they doe innouate and bring vnder the slander of change the estate of this Church so aduisedly established by Ecclesiasticall Constitutions Acts of Parliament approbation of other Churches and good liking of the best reformed Christians without and within this Kingdome and so euidently blessed with happy successe and sensible experience of Gods greatest benefits by the space of fiftie eight yeares and aboue so that wee may boldly say to the praise of God That no Church hath enioyed the truth and puritie of Religion in larger libertie And vpon some such considerations it pleased his gracious Maiestie to continue the Church of England in her established estate as may bee seene in the Conference at Hampton Court and Thomas Sparke his booke written thereupon Ipsa quippe mutatio etiam quae adiuuat vtilitate nouitate perturbat quapropter quae vtilis non est perturbatione infructuosa consequenter noxia est saith Augustine Epist. 118. that is Euen a change that is helpefull for vtilitie perturbeth with the noueltie Wherefore consequently a change that is not profitable is noysome through fruitlesse pertuâ—bation Rather a Church with some fault then still a change it is said in the Conference at Hampton Court Answere to the first Article IF the estate of our Church did consist in circumstantiall alterable Ceremonies the change of these might import a â—hange of her estate But such points and ceremonies as were concluded by the Assembly at Perth haue the like reâ—ect to the estate of the Church that ornaments and veâ—â—ures haue to the body seruing onely for commoditie orâ—er and decency to bee kept in the worship of God And herefore when occasion requireth as a change should bee made of apparell and may bee made without alteration of â—he constitution and health of the body So the change of Ceremonies necessary for the time doe not innouate and bring vnder slander of change the estate of the Church as Augustine saith Epist 86. Vna fides
preached Rom. 15. We kneele not when wee giue almes These improper and metaphoricall sacrifices are not acts of adoration The Paschall Lambe was slaine in the manner of a reall sacrifice and yet notwithstanding this immolation they kneeled nor at the eating of the Paschall Lambe The Sacraments of the old and new Testament were alike in representation signification and exhibition ANS Howsoeuer the sacrifices aforesaid be metaphoricall as yee say and no proper sacrifices yet they are spirituall sacrifices which men are accustomed to offer with kneeling Although wee kneele not when we giue almes yet we kneele when we pray praise The sacrifice of the Passeouer and other sacrifices vnder the Lawe although when they were eaten in priuate houses they did not kneele that eat them because it could not be done conueniently for the reasons oft recited yet it appeares when they were offered on the Altar which was the publike act of Gods worship that they bowed their knees So Micheas Cap. 6. vers 6. and Saint Luke saith in his first that when Zacharie was offering Incense all the people continued praying which they did not without kneeling or some other externall rite of adoration Where yee affirme that the Sacraments of the old and new Testament were alike in representation signification and exhibition it is true as touching the matter represented but the manner was as farre different as the shaddow is from the expresse and perfect image of the thing it selfe The sacrifices of the olde Testament were but shaddowes of Christ our Sacraments by reason of the Word annexed to them and the doctrine of the Gospell whereby they are cleerely expounded are viue and perfect images of Christ and of the benefites wee haue by him therefore they are to bee celebrated with greater adoration and deuotion both externall and internall then the sacrifices vnder the Law because our deuotion and adoration should be proportioned to the measure of our knowledge and faith An Answere to the Section entituled Kneeling not practised in the ancient Church PP THE two former breaches are sufficient of themselues howbeit kneeling were otherwise warranâ—ed by the practise of the Church c. ANS I am assured if kneeling be warranted by practise of the ancient Church no good Christian will thinke for the friuolous reasons adduced by you that they committed any of these breaches But you labour to proue that the ancient Church did not practise it for yee say that when the Arrians denyed Christs true diuinitie the Orthodoxe Church who acknowledged his diuinitie kneeled not in the act of receiuing which had beene expedient if the same had beene lawfull vnto which I answere That there be many things expedient to be done which notwithstanding are not done nor ought to be done not because they are vnlawfull in themselues but for some other respect as some custome receiued or some order formerly established which vpon euery apparant expedience is not to be altered for example It was expedient because of the same heresie to haue kneeled at all times when publike prayers were offered to Christ or to the Father in his name yet on the Lords day which was the most solemne time of worship the ancient Church kneeled not at publike prayer not because it was vnlawfull in it selfe to haue kneeled but because there was an order receiued in the Church that on the Lords day the people should stand and not kneele Next when yee say that the ancient Church did not kneele at the receiuing of the Sacrament and will prooue it by this that it was the custome of the Church to stand in the time of publike prayer all the Lords dayes in the yeere and on euery day from Easter to Pentecost because of the ioyfull memory of Christs resurrection for say yee this Sacrament being a matter of great ioy far lesse would they kâ—eele at the celebration of it To this I answere That if the order of the Church could haue permittâ—d kneeâ—ing the nature of the action although 〈◊〉 bee a matter of great ioy would haue sorted â—ell enough with this humble gesture In the 17. of Genâ—â— 16. God promised to Abraham that hee would â—â—esse Sarah and giue him a sonne by her and make her the mother of many Nations and Kings to come of her the Text saith in the next verse that Abraham fell vpon his face and laughed Here yee see a matter of great ioy which made Abraham to laugh ioyned with a gesture of greater humilitie then bowing of the knee is The bowing of the body and the knee is not as your Master of table gesture and ye here affirme the gesture onely of an humble Penitentiar but it is the gesture also of these that giue thanks So the Leper gaue thanks Luke 17.16 And of these who ioyfully sing prayses to God Psalm 1â—8 vers 2. And of these who pray as our Sauiour Luk. 22.41 who kneeled and prayed though â—e was no Penitentiar And of these who offered their gifts to God Mich. 6.6 And of these with whom God talked either immediately as he did with Abraham Gen. 17.3 or mediately as by Mayses to the people of Israeâ— Exod. 12.27 And of these that were astonished at the works of God or his Word 1. King 18.39 1. Cor. 14.25 To be short if Abraham when he did onely receiue the promise of the blessed seede fell on his face Gen 17.17 how much more ought the faithfull bow their knees when they receiue the performance of this promise euen the blessed Seede himselfe from the hand of God in this spirituall Banquer So it is not the nature of the action that will enforce the gesture of standing to haue been vsed in the Sacrament rather then at prayer but the custome and order of the Church only which if ye were able to produce as well for standing at the Sacrament as at praying on the Lords day your argument were strong but that yee shall neuer doe except ye grant according to the truth that the Sacrament is an act of reall adoration In that case Tertullians testimony which you cite would aduance your cause mightily who sayes De geniculis adorare nefas ducimus Two or three testimonies of Eusebius Chrysostome and Tertullian for standing on the Lords day at the Table or Altar when the Sacrament was receiued will not proue a constant and vniuersall practise of that gesture Neyther is the example of the Abissines and Muscouites who stand to this day able to counterpoyse the practise of the vniuersall Church for the space of foure or fiue hundred yeeres preceding their dayes wherein they kneeled at the receiuing Nor are you able to prooue that the gesture of kneeling was brought into the Church by the error of Transsubstantiation as ye confidently affirme in the last line of this Section For Honorius as wee sayd before did not decree kneeling to bee vsed at the receiuing of the Sacrament but at the eleuation and circumgestation which was a superstitious and
Church vniuersally keepes Similiter etiam si quid horum tota per orbem frequentat Ecclesia nam hoc quin ita faciendum sit disputare insolentissimae insaniae est This conclusion of the Church his Maiesties pleasure was to ratifie by Act of Councell and command cessation from labour vpon these fiue dayes to the end the holy Exercises appointed to be done thereon might be the better attended PP Piscator describes a festiuall day on this manner Festum propriè loquendo est publica solennis ceremonia mandata à Deo vt certo anni tempore cum singulari laetitia obeatur ad gratias agendum Deo pro certo aliquo beneficio in populum suum collato A feast in proper speech is a publique and solemne ceremonie commanded by God to bee celebrated a certayne time of the yeare with singular gladnesse to giue thankes to God for some certayne benefit bestowed on his people Hooker intreating this Argument entitules the subiect Festiuall dayes He makes festiuall solemnities to be nothing else but the due mixture as it were of these three elements Prayses set forth with chearfull alacritie of minde Delight expressed by charitable largenesse more then common bountie and sequestration from ordinary labours By these descriptions wee may see that the Sabbath day is not properly a festiuall day The ordinary Sabbath is weekely The festiuall is Anniuersary Wee may fast vpon the ordinary Sabbath but wee cannot fast and mourne vpon a festiuall day c. Vpon the ordinary Sabbath all the parts of Gods worship may bee performed Vpon festiuall dayes proper Texts Epistles Gospels Homilies and Sermons are framed for the mysterie of that day So that the ordinary Sabbath is morall and for the worship of God in generall the festiuall is mysticall Essentialia festi the essentiall parts of a festiuall day are cessation from worke hearing of the Word participation of the Sacraments commemoration of diuine mysteries may be performed vpon the ordinary Sabbath but to make vp a festiuall day Bellarmine requires a determination of day signification and representation of the mysteries wrought on such dayes ANS The description made by Piscator is proper onely to the festiuall dayes prescribed in Gods Word Hookers is more large and may bee applyed to the Ecclesiasticall Festiuities The Iewish Sabbath according to these descriptions is not properly festiuall yet the Lords day was esteemed such by the primitiue Church and ancient Diuines who held it not lawfull for Christians to fast thereon Proper Texts Epistles Gospels c. are not to bee framed for the mysterie of the festiuall day as yee say but for the benefit and diuine action appointed to be remembred thereon If by the ordinary Sabbath yee vnderstand the Iewish Sabbath it was not onely morall but mysticall as their festiuall dayes were and if by festiuall dayes yee vnderstand the dayes obserued in the Christian Orthodoxe Church we deny them to be mysticall If by essentialia festi yee vnderstand the essentiall parts of the worship performed on the festiuall day wee deny cessation from worke to be an essentiall part of the worship but only concomitant and consequent thereto because it cannot be commodiously performed without cessation from other businesse As to Bellarmines opinion himselfe professes that it is contrarie to the iudgement of our Diuines For they hold as wee doe that our Festiuall dayes are not obserued for signification and representation of our mysteries or memorable workes wrought on these dayes or as a part of diuine worship but for order and policie as meete and commodious circumstances for commemoration of the workes and benefits of God thereon Bellar. de cultu Sanctor l. 3. c. 10. PP Six dayes shalt thou labour and doe all that thou hast to doe These words are either a command to doe the workes of our calling as many both Iewish and Christian Diuines doe interpret or else a permission as others doe interpret If they contayne a command no countermand may take it away If a permission no humane authority may spoyle men of the libertie that God hath granted vnto them as long as they haue any manner of worke to doe for the sustentation of this life The Muscouites therefore say very well that it is for Lords to keepe Feasts and abstaine from labour The Citizens and Artificers amongst them vpon the Festiuall dayes after diuine Seruice to betake themselues to their labor and domestick affaires as Gaguinus reports ANS Whether the words of the command bee preceptine or permissiue I will neither curiously nor contentiously dispute but it seemes they are not preceptiue for if wee were commanded to spend the whole sixe dayes in seruile labour then times could not bee lawfully appointed for publike Prayers in Cities at morne at euening nor ordinary times for preaching on the weeke dayes or for exercise or for catechizing nor times for fasting vpon vrgent occasions without sinne and breach of the Precept Next the precept to the order taken by Superiours for publike actions that by a mutuall harmonie the weale of the whole bodie both temporall and spirituall may be procured Otherwise if by this permission the libertie were granted to euery person which you imagine to attend his own businesse without respect of order or subiection to policie there could be nothing but confusion amongst men The generall libertie granted to men touching the vse of times meats clothing talking sleeping watching c. takes not away the power of Ciuil Ecclesiastick Gouernors to set down Constitutions Canons touching the Dispensation of these things for the weale of the Countrey Neither doe the Lawes and Ordinances touching this Dispensation spoyle men of their libertie but directs them how to vse it profitably and well The Act therefore of Councell and Proclamation made thereupon commanding cessation and abstinence from all handie-worke vpon the fiue dayes that euery one may the better attend the holy exercises appointed for these times cannot bee called a spoliation of the libertie which God hath giuen to men for labour seeing as hath beene said that libertie is not absolute but subiect vnto order Moreouer if we consider the matter it selfe this which yee say will appeare to be a manifest calumnie For if vnder the Law God did not spoyle his people of libertie when hee appointed them to rest two dayes at Pasche one at Whitsonday one at the Feast of Trumpets one at the Feast of Expiation and two at the Feast of Tabernacles how can the Kings Maiestie and the Church be esteemed to spoyle vs of our libertie that command a cessation from labour vpon three dayes only throughout the whole yeere for two of the dayes commanded to wit Easter and Whitsonday are Sondayes Last of all he cannot be said to bee spoyled properly that makes a profitable interchange without any losse but he that changes the exercises of the body which are little worth with the exercises of Pietie which is profitable to all things makes
Worship For albeit the Lords Day be consecrated to the Worship of God yet the Worship is not tied to it but from one Sabbath to another and from one New-Moone to another all flesh may appeare before the Lord. That which ye speake of diuiding Christs actions and the appointing of mysticall dayes is partly foolish and partly false Is it not a folly to thinke that the actions of Christ ought not to bee diuided and seuerally remembred in Lectures and Sermons seeing the Spirit of God hath diuided them in this Storie and that it is impossible at once to remember them all And it is false also because for rememberance of them no day is appointed to bee kept mystically as a part of the worship but only circumstantially for order and commoditie which kinde of obseruation is not a superstitious wil-worship but a lawfull determination of commodious times for the worship of God belonging to the power and policie of the Church PP It is thirdly obiected that Paul kept the Feast of Pentecost Act. 20. 1. Cor. 16. I answere it was the Iewish Pentecost c. ANS If it was the Iewish Pentecost then Saint Paul did not only obserue an Anniuersary Day but such also as was legall and abrogated by the Gospell and such as hee discharges the Church to obserue Yet I hope yee will not say that his obseruation was Superstitious or Pedagogicall because he obserued it not as a necessary part of Gods worship prescribed in the Law in respect whereof only it was Pedagogicall but as a fit circumstance and opportunitie for the worke of his Ministerie like as he did often obserue the Iewish Sabbaths which was not onely lawfull but in those times verie expedient to be done by him Hereby it is manifest that the obseruation of dayes is not condemned by the Apostle as a Iewish Rite because Anniuersarie Monethly or Weekly but because it was conioyned with opinion of necessitie and vsed as a Legall worship therefore although vpon the Iewish Sabbath or vpon their Pentecost diuine worship was performed as the Euangell preached the Sacraments celebrated Prayers publikely conceiued c. If these things were done without any mysticall relation or respect had to the day but only because the time was opportune and happily fit for Gods Worke the exercise was lawfull and could not bee condemned So wee finde in some churches that on eueryday the sacrameÌ„t was ministred that on the Iewish Sabbath they had an ordinarie Fast and no well aduised Christian did euer thinke these to be vnlawfull by reason of the day For if to the cleane euery thing be cleane all dayes are cleane and sanctified to euery lawfull exercise of the man who is himselfe made cleane by the bloud of Christ Consequently euery day whether it be Weekly or Anniuersarie is cleane and sanctified by Christ to the exercise of any part of his Worship which shall bee thought meete by the Church to be performed to his honour and the edification of her selfe The Legall Sabbath and Pentecost which were abrogated could not make the Euangelicke Worship which was performed on them by the Apostles vnlawfull farre lesse can the Lords Day such as the Christian Pasche and Whitsonday are or any other day of the Weeke Moneth or Yeare which were neuer legally obserued make the Doctrine Prayers and Sacraments administred on them vnlawfull and superstitious To conclude I finde in this Obiection a Solution to all your Arguments for here I find that there may be a lawfull obseruation of dayes which are abrogated let be of dayes which are not discharged so the obseruation bee not legall with opinion of necessâ—tie or of any mysterie in the time but Euangelicall with knowledge of our Christian libertie and for opportunitie of time onely which both may bee lawfull and expedient So Saint Paul keeped many Sabbaths and the Pentecost whereon Saint Peter also conuerted three thousand by his first preaching This is the obseruation for which only we stand against which ye haue neuer concluded a contradictory but either against the Legall of the Iewish or superstitious of the Gentiles So all your Arguments fall vnder one forme of Caption which wee call ignorantia Elenchi when a contradiction seemes to bee where there is none because the tearmes in the apparant contradiction are not taken in the same sâ—nse PP It is fourthly obiected out of the Epistles of Polycarpus and Polycrates extant in the Historie of Eusebius and out of Beda following Eusebius that the Apostles kept the Feast of Easter Answ. Beda was but a Fabler and a follower of fabulous Reports Eusebius was a little better c. ANS Thus it pleaseth your pride to disdaine these ancient learned and holy Writers because they crosse your Nouelties by the truth of Antiquitie not vnlike the Painter of whom Sadeel writes Qui cum gallum gallinaceum infeliciter pingeret verum gallum á tabula abigebat Hauing drawne a Cocke vnskilfully that his errour should not bee perceiued he chased away the liuing Cocke that stood by him so the Papists forbid the vse of Scriptures that their Errors should not be discouered Nouators cannot sustain the authority of the Ancients But ye make mention of Polycarpus Epistle extant in Eusebius and in Eusebius there is no Epistle of Polycarpus onely Irenaeus in a Letter that hee sends to Victor mentions him The Epistles of Polycrates yee affirme to bee counterfeit and vpon what reason Because ye say that it is said in the Epistles that Saint Iohn bore on his fore-head pontificale petalum that is the golden plate or the High Priests Mitre Polycrates ye thinke would not haue written so because Scaliger sayes that no man will grant that eyther Iohn or Iames did beare it who vnderstand that none of Christs Apostles was a Priest and that it was lawfull to none but the High Priest to beare the golden plate It is true that Polycrates in propertie of speech would not haue written so but what is more frequent amongst the Ancients then by such flowers colours of Rhetorick to describe the Euangelick Ministers amoÌ„gst whom such as Polycarpus Thrasias and others by him named Iohns authoritie was as great as was the High Priests aboue the inferiour vnder the Law Therfore to distinguish him froÌ„ them Polycrates attributes to him the name and ornament of the High Priest So Tertullian de Baptismo distinguisheth the Bishop from the Elder and the Deacon calling him the High Priest Dandi quidem habet ius summus Sacerdos qui est Episcopus dehinc Presbyteri Diaconi Shall wee esteeme this Treatise of Tertullian counterfeite because hee calleth the Bishoppe an High Priest This is too weake a warrant whereon to build an improbation against so strong a partie as Eusebius PP The Bishop of Elie in his Sermon takes needlesse paines to proue the Antiquitie of Easter but when he proues it to be Apostolicall he shoots short his eldest Antiquitie is the counterfeit Epistles
thinks Yet to confirme his opinion yee say that Iustine Martyr mentions no Holy day but the Lords Day What then Hee had not the occasion yet Tertullian who flourished but fortie yeares after him in the second booke directed to his wife hath these wordes Quis denique solennibus Paschae abnoctantem seeurus sustinet And in his booke De Praescriptionib aduers. Haereticos mentions one Blastus whom hee calls an Heretike for maintayning that Pasche should bee kept on the 14. day of the Moone as the Iewish custome was Tertullian flourished in the yeare of our Lord 183. and speaking thus of Pasche not as of a new Constitution but as of a custome long before receiued in the Church does confirme the Bishop of Winchester his iudgement That in all lâ—kelihood this obseruation was Apostolique By Apostolique I meane not a doctrinall point which is to bee obserued as a substantiall part of diuine worship or a condition necessary to saluation but the imitation onely of an Apostolique practice concerning order and policie neither doe I meane such a practice as is expresly set downe in Scripture and vniuersally obserued through the world such as the Lords Day is for such a practice hath the strength of a diuine Precept but I vnderstand such a practice as albeit it be not recorded in Scripture to haue beene done by the Apostles themselues or the Churches in their time yet the same being vniuersally receiued in the world and obserued since the Apostles dayes is most probably presumed to haue beene practised in their times and allowed by them And in this the Lords Day differs from Pasche and the other three dayes mentioned by Saint Augustine that the Lords Day hath not onely the vniuersall and perpetuall obseruation of the Church since the dayes of the Apostles but also the practice of our Sauiour his Apostles and the Church in their times expresly recorded in Scripture The other haue onely an vniuersall and constant practice of the Church since the Apostles time which not the lesse ought to be preferred to any priuate or late particular custome And to returne to the Act of Perth it ordaynes none of these dayes to be kept for Diuine and Apostolique but onely that on them once in the yeare a solemne commemoration be made of the benefits of our Redemption and therefore the Reasons ye bring to proue that these dayes are not Apostolique impugne no wayes the lawfullnesse of the act Where yee say that the obseruation of the Passion day hath brought into the church set dayes of fasting condemned by our Diuines I aske you how yee doe proue that affirmation It is enough yee haue said it But to conclude this point I doe verily thinke That to fast and pray at some set times were lesse offensiue to God then to bee often feasting and surfetting pratling and lying traducing our Brethren and condemning the good order and policie of Gods Church PP If it had beene Gods will that the seuerall acts of Christ should haue beene celebrated with seuerall solemnities the holy Ghost would haue made knowne to vs the dayes wheron they were done Secondly if the actions of Christ aduance the dayes wherein they were wrought as Hooker sayes or consecrate them as Bellarmine sayes they ought to be knowne otherwise it will fall out that we shall keepe the dayes holy that were neuer aduanced nor consecrated by Christs action on institution But so it is the day of Christs Natiuitie is hid from mortall men ANS It is true that if it had beene Gods will to haue aduanced and consecrated the dayes of Christs Natiuitie Passion c. by annexing to them some particâ—lar exercise of Religion such as the festiuall dayes of the Iewes had and clothing them with some mysticall signification the holy Ghost had made the dayes knowne otherwise they could not haue beene obserued But from the beginning we haue declared according to the iudgement not of Bellarmine but of our best reformed Churches and Diuines that these dayes are not kept for any relation that the worship hath to them as if by Christs actions or institution they were to be honoured with some religious exercise but for order and policy only as the most meet and oportune occasions in the iudgement of the primitiue Church and in our estimation most meet for testifying our conformitie with her and with the whole Christian world euer since The long discourse and dispute which yee subjoyne to proue the time of Christs Natiuitie to be vncertayne because it is not contradictoriâ— to the Act made at Perth and the practice thereof in our Church I passe it as superfluous Onely to your last words of the Section I answere PP Nay let vs vtter the Truth December Christmasse is a iust imitation of the December Saturnall of the Ethnicke Romanes and so vsed as if Bacchus and not Christ were the God of Christians ANS This protestation yee might haue made and craued licence if your custome were to lye but to the purpose If Christmasse hath beene thus abused I am sure the abuse hath not come by preaching on that day and the exercise of diuine worship thereon for that wee haue lacked these 57. yeares by-past in our Church yet riot profanenesse surfet and drunkennesse hath not beene wanting What hath beene the cause hereof and by what meanes the abuse may be best remedied wise men will easily consider PP It is commonly obiected That wee may aswell keepe a day for the Natiuitie as for the Resurrection of Christ. We haue answered already That Christs day or the Lords Day is the day appointed for remembrance of his Natiuitie and all his actions and benefits aswell as for the Resurrection Next the one is morall and weekely the other is mysticall and anniuersarie The Lords Day it selfe is no longer to vs mysticall but morall sayes Willet and therefore Pasche day is a mysticall Sabbath and anniuersarie whereas the Lords Day it selfe should be onely morall ANS The answere which yee haue already made is already confuted The Lords Day is generally appointed for remembrance of all his actions therefore none of his actions may or should bee remembred at any other set time This consequence is not necessary for then we may not remember his actions in the morning and euening Lectures wee may not remember them in Sermons Exercises on weekly dayes nor may wee remember them in Catechizing the people Your next answere is That the day of the Natiuitie is mysticall This is contrarie to that which yee cited out of Saint Augustine pag. 68. Ille celebratur ob memoriam solùm ideo semper die vigesimo quinto Decembris at iste celebratur ob memoriam Sacramentum But I pray you How proue yee obseruation of the day of Natiuitie to bee mysticall because it is anniuersarie yee say If this be your Argument for I finde no other here it is not good for in the reuolution of time there is no mysterie
Perth for by it no day is ordained to be kept which is or was dedicate to any Saint except vnder the name of Saints yee reprehend him who is the most holy Next the exception ye make of our neighbour Church is calumnious and false It is a calumnie that they obserue any day dedicated to Saints All the dayes which they obserue are dedicated to the honour of God either for the inestimable benefits that by our Sauiour he hath bestowed vpon the World or in regard of the blessings that haue come to man by the Ministrie of his seruants and Saints And it is false that all the reformed Churches except they haue refused the obseruation of these dayes For Bullinger in his Commentary vpon the 14. to the Romans affirmes that the Church of Tigurie obserues the Feasts of the blessed Virgin of S. Iohn the Baptist of Magdalene of Stephen and of the Apostles PP Some admit dayes dedicated to Christ some two some fiue but not with the full consent and liking of the learned but either forced by the authoritie of the Magistrate or wilfulnesse of the people or because remaining in the middest of their enemies they are not permitted otherwise to doe ANS They in Geneua who obserue the day of Natiuitie and Easter approue the practise and order of the Church of Heluetia who obserue all the fiue and there is as great reason why on the other three dayes the Passion Ascension and sending downe of the holy Ghost should be remembred as the Natiuitie and Resurrection If by the learned ye vnderstand these whom ye doe afterwards name Farellus Viret and Caluine I am perswaded no man will thinke that either they or any other such Pastors of the Church would haue bin forced to practise that which was vnlawfull in it selfe and a superstitious will-worship either by Magistrate or People PP Farellus and Viret remooued all Holy-dayes out of the Church of Geneua as Caluine testifies The same decree which banished Farellus and Caluine out of Geneua brought in other Holy-dayes They were all againe abrogate except the Sabbath day Howsoeuer after came in the keeping of Pasche and the Natiuitie ANS The iudgement of Caluine touching the abolition of the Festiuall dayes in Geneua may be seene in his 118. Epistle where he professes that it was done se inscio ac ne optante quidem And a little after subioynes Ex quo sum reuocatus hoc temperamentum quaesiui vt Christi Natalis celebraretur vestro more alijs autem diebus extraordinariae supplicationes tabâ—rnis mane clausis fierent à prandio ad suas operas res agendas quisque abiret And albeit in that place he confesses that the abrogation of the Festiuall dayes did not grieue him yet he protests as followes Hoc tamen testatum esse volo si mihi delata optio fuisset quod nunc constitutuÌ„ est non fuisse pro senteÌ„tia dicturum If Caluine had thought as ye doe that December Christmas is a iust imitation of December Saturnall of the Ethnicke Romanes and that the obseruation of the rest of the Festiuall dayes had beene a superstitious kinde of Will-worship and a Iudaicall Pedagogie he would neuer haue consented to the keeping of that Natiuitie and would not only haue abolished the holy dayes by his suffrage if the same had beene in his option but also testified to the world his dislike of them by his Pen and writing But that all may see how different his iudgement is from yours he concludes with these words Nec tamen est cur homines adeo exasperentur si libertate nostra vt Ecclesiae aedificatio postulat vtâ—mur quemadmodum nec vicissim praeiudicio esse morem nostrum aequum est By these words it is manifest that in Caluines iudgement the obseruation and abrogation of these dayes consists in the power and libertie of the Church and that the obseruation of them in it selfe is not vnlawfull but a thing indifferent to be vsed and not vsed as the edification of the Church requires which iudgement wee imbrace and follow PP Caluine was so farre from liking of Holy dayes hee was slandered of intention to abolish the Lords Day ANS His Doctrine shewes the last to bee a calumnie his practise and iudgement declares that hee did not mislike the obseruation of the dayes vsed in the Primitiue and other reformed Churches PP The Belgike Churches in their Synode holden at Dort Anno 1578. wished that only the Lords Day might be celebrated Luther himselfe in his Booke De bonis Operibus set forth Anno 1520. wished that there were no Feast Dayes amongst Christians but the Lords Day And in his Booke to the Nobilitie of Germany he sayes Consultum esse vt omnia festa aboleantur solo dic Dominico retento ANS This wish Luther and the Belgike Churches conceiued out of their miscontentment at the number corruptions and superstitions of the Festiuall dayes besides the Lords Day as ye doe The late Councell holden at Dort Anno 1618. did celebrate the Feast of Christs Natiuitie most solemnely for the space of three dayes so the practise of these Churches and of Luther shewes that they agree in iudgment with vs touching the obseruation of the fiue dayes PP Howsoeuer forreine Diuines in their Epistles and Councels speake sometimes sparingly against Holy dayes when their aduice was sought of Churches newly risen out of Poperie and greatly distressed they neuer aduised a Church to resume them where they were remoued ANS If forreine Diuines had esteemed the obseruation of these fiue dayes a Iudaicall Pedagogie a rudimentary instruction a superstitious wil-worship as ye doe they had spoken no more sparingly thereof then they do of other like things in the Papisticall Church Where yee say that they neuer aduised Churches to resume them who had once remooued the same Caluine in his one and fiftieth Epistle aduises the Monbelgardens not to contend against the Prince for not resuming of all Festiuall dayes but only such as serued not to edification and were seene to be superstitious such as the Conception and Assumption of the blessed Virgin In festis non recipiendis sayes hee cuperem vos esse constantiores sic tamen vt non litigetis de quibuslibet sed de eis tantum quae nec ad aedificationem quicquam factura sunt supertitionem prima ipsa facie prae se ferunt c. And in the end of the Epistle answering one Obiection which is frequently vsed in our Church he saies Quod autem vos terret offendiculorum periculum si quam nouam agendi formam receperitis quae non sit nostris Ecclesiis vsitata id quidem meritò facitis Sed quia non eò ventum est perfectionis quin optemus adhuc progredi hic timor vos impedire non debet ab ijs ritibus admittendis quos alioqui non liceat penitus improbare What these Ceremonies were whereof he speakes ye will find in the same Epistle to wit
the Eunuch and the Centurion No man will denie but in the infancie of a Church a priuate Baptisme may be tollerated but we speake of a Church constituted c. The Lord appoynted a precise day of Circumcision which might not be preuented It was no wonder if they had not euer opportunitie of a solemne Conuention there is no precise day set downe for Baptisme c. The Church ought to be assured of the Baptisme of such as are reputed fellow-heires with them c. ANS That the Church may be assured of the Baptisme of the Childe it is ordained in the Act of Perth That the Minister shall the next Lords-day after any such priuate Baptisme declare in the Church that the Infant was so baptized and therefore ought to be receyued as one of the true Flocke of CHRISTS â—olde In a constituted Church Baptisme should not be ministred ordinarily but according to the constitutions of the Church but extraordinarie cases cannot be subiect to ordinarie constitutions more in a constituted Church then in the Infancie of it And that which is lawfull to be done in the Infancie of the Church is yet lawfull to be done in a constituted Church ratione reipraeceptae diuinae institutionis And it is vnlawfull onely ratiâ—ne ordinis in regard of the order appointed by the Church from which cases of necessitie are alwaies excepted Also that which might haue beene tolerated in the infancie of the Church for necessitie must euer be lawfull in the like case for it was not the infancie of the Church that made the toleration lawfull but the necessitie Where ye thinke that the Iewes were more strictly obliged to circumcision then Christians are to Baptisme because a certain day was appointed for it and to Baptisme there is no day prefixed in the Word Wee know by the Law that he who is not obliged at a certaine day to pay his debt may be charged to pay it at all times and therfore when God layes sicknesse on a child a charge is giuen by God instantly to the Parent to performe his duetie PP The Lords Supper ought to be publique We haue a spirituall vnion with the whole Church but because it is not possible to celebrate a sacramentall communion with the whole Church militant the Lord hath appointed vs to celebrate a sacramental coÌ„munion with some particular Church We that are many are one bread and one bodie because wee are partakers of one bread 1. Cor. 10.17 We cannot then bee one body sacrameÌ„tally except we be pertakers of one bread Other Feasts may be priuate in priuate houses but the Lords Supper ought to be publique 1. Cor. 11.12 When yee conuene to eate tarrie one for another 1. Cor. 11.33 Synaxis a word signifying as much as Synagogue was one of the names giuen of olde to this Sacrament ANS As with the whole Church Militant we haue a spirituall Communion so haue we an Euangelicall and Sacramentall Communion for as we are partakers of the same spirit so are we partakers of the same Word and Sacraments The Bread is one which all receiue and the water one wherewith all are baptised Sacramentally for they are clothed with the same sacred mysterie of signification exhibition and obsignation of saluation in Christ crucified When the Apostle sayes 1. Cor. 10.17 Because the bread is one we who are many are one body for we are all partakers of one bread he speaks not of our Communion with a particular Church onely but with the Catholike and by one bread he meanes not one bread mateâ—ially in number for one bread in number materially none but one particular person can receiue The bread which I receiue materially is not the same that thou receiuest but the Sacrament is one and the same in number To bee short wee haue no more a Sacramentall communion with these in the Parish with whom wee communicate then wee haue with the whole militant Church who are all partakers of the same Sacraments And thus as we haue a spirituall so we haue a sacramentall Communion with them It is true that our communion in the Word and Sacraments is not visible but with some particular Church and therefore as it is lesse or more publike so is it lesse or more visible yet we doe euer celebrate a Sacramentall communion with the whole Church when the action is lawfully performed The other places which yee cite 1. Cor. 11.22 Haue yee not houses to eate and drinke in and Vers. 33. When yee convene to eate tarry one for another of which yee gather that other feasts may be in priuate houses but the Lords Supper should be in publike These places I say are relatiue to the ordinarie meetings of those times which were often in priuate houses Caluine in his 363. Epistle to Oleâ—ian answers this obiection Neque verò Paulus dum Corinthios admonet domum suam cuique esse in qua comedat bibat coenam excludit à priuatis aedibus tunc neque fidelibus patebant templa nec permissum erat noua extruere sed tantùm à communibus epulis discernit spirituale mysterium ne cum illis misceatur that is When Paul admonishes the Corinthians that euery one hath his owne house wherein hee may eate and drinke he does not exclude the Lords Supper from priuate houses for in those dayes Temples were not patent to Christians neither had they libertie to build new Churches but hee discernes onely the spirituall mysterie from their common feasts and will not haue it to bee mixed with them So the mysterie was called Synaxis because it was euer celebrated in some Conuention lesse or more ordinarie or extraordinarie PP It is a badge of our publike profession it ought therefore to be publike ANS It should not onely be publike but most solemne ordinarily And in cases of necessitie when the same is ministred by an ordinarie Pastor to two or three assembled in Christs name it ceases not to be publike PP The Communion was sent to the sicke in the time or mediately after the action in Iustine Martyr his time It became afterwards to bee reserued for the vse of dying persons c. Some put the Eucharist into the mouthes of the dead lest they should want their voyage victuall Yet in all Antiquitie we reade not that the Communion was celebrated at the sick-mans bed-side ANS The corruptions that haue flowed of mens erroneous conceit of the Sacraments should not take away the lawfull vse of them when necessitie requires As to the sending of the Sacrament to the sicke it was a custome of the ancient Church which Beza allowes and where the Communion was daily at least weekely celebrated in the ordinarie Congregation as that was the custome of those times it was not necessarie to celebrate the Communion at the sick-mans bed-side PP Clinicall Communions haue not onely bred and still doe foster the opinion of absolute necessitie but also of Opus operatum of a preposterous confidence