deuising And could not agree neither with the matter nor with the persons It was desired by some That the Articles might be seuerally voted pretending that many would agree to some of them who would not accept of all But that no subterfuge might be left or giuen to those that gladly would hang betweene parties striue to please all it was thought meetest to vote them in Cumulo because the denying of one would be to his Maiestie as the denying of all The Archbishop of S. Andrewes taking the roll of names in his owne hand as it was meete he should doe though the Libeller thinke otherwise for the office of the Clerke is to marke the voices where they agree or disagree which he cannot easily doe as any may may judge if he himselfe reade the Roll neyther is that customable in any iudicatorie consisting of so many persons as did this Assembly And called the names as they stood in the roll where they were found 86. that answered affirmatiue granting to the said Articles and one and fortie onely that denyed with foure non liquets The Libeller sayes That some were called who wanted Commission in which he impudently lies their Commissions being extant in the rolls And that others hauing Commission of whose Negatiue wee were assured omitted to be called whereas not any of the whole was left vnasked Maister Iohn Murray Minister at Dumfermline excepted who was past by for many reasons concerning himselfe not needfull here to be expressed As for the order kept in calling of the Roll it merits no answere And where it hath been said That the Noblemen Barons and Burgesses were those that swayed the voices the most of the Ministrie beeing against it by the rolls yet extant it is cleare that the whole Laicks that came to this Assembly were 31. of whom two were negatiues as the Libeller confesses and one departed from the Assembly before the voting which whole number being laid aside they were ouerswayed by the voyces of the Ecclesiasticks to the number of eighteene at least And this is the true Narration of all the Proceedings in the said Assembly by which let any man judge of the Libellers Discourse and how little credit is to bee giuen to the same For things are yet fresh in the memorie of such as were present and cannot be forgotten Answers to the Exceptions made against the Assembly of PERTH whereby the LIBELLER would inferre the nullitie thereof PP THe generall Assembly hath vsually met since the reformation of the Religion according to the indiction of time and place made by the former Assembly And if it happened that any Assembly was to be holden pro re nata premonition was made in due time by his Maiestie and the Commissioners of the Church and the occasions set downe expresly to the effect Commissioners might be sent instructed according to the qualitie of the businesse to be intreated Neuerthelesse after diuers reports giuen out by such as stand in credit in Church affaires that his Maiestie was so incensed against the last Assembly holden at S. Andrewes that there was no hope of any other Assembly This Assembly beyond expectation was proclaimed to be holden within twentie dayes after the Proclamation made at the Market crosse of Edinburghe without any aduertisement giuen to the Presbytries about the matters to be handled ANS In this Assembly concurred all these things which yee require for the lawfull indiction of an Assembly first it was indicted by the supreme Magistrate who hath sufficient power to conuocate generall Assemblies and without whose permission no such conuocations can be made Secondly it had the consent of the former generall Assembly at S. Andrews which by a petition to his Maiestie most humblie required to grant a new Assembly wherein these matters might be more fully considered referring the time and place to his Maiesties pleasure Thirdly the premonition was made in due time first because at Easter before in the particular Diocesian Synods aduertisement was made to the Brethren to haue their Commissioners in readinesse against the time to be designed by his Maiestie Secondly the time designed after the Proclamation was sufficient to haue all the parts of the Countrie aduertised Thirdly the Bishops besides the said Proclamation gaue lawfull aduertisement by their Letters to the Ministers of their Diocesse Fourthly the occasion and matters to be handled were well enough knowne to all long before For the occasion was by that petition made by the Assembly at S. Andrewes wherein the same matters beeing handled though not fully discussed it was required That it would please his Maiestie to accept of a delay and to indict another Assembly to the end that the Brethren hauing better leisure to consider the Articles proponed they might bee the better prepared to giue his Maiestie satisfaction PP The act of Chapters of old were void and of none effect when the meanest member hauing vote was neglected contemned or not lawfully warned Such like the act of prouinciall Synods when the meanest Suffragan was not regarded with lawfull citation according to the rule CoÌ„temptus vnius plâ—s obest quà m multorum contradictio Neuerthelesse for lacke of lawfull warning and conuenient space to prouide and prepare Commissioners there was absent from that Assembly foure Dioceses viz. Orknay Caithnes Argile the Isles besides diuers Presbytries whose interest was as proper and necessarie in the generall Assembly as of any suffragan in Synod or particular member in the Chapter ANS None was contemned that had enterest to bee there because due premonition was made to all as it is cleered by the answere to the former exception albeit some were absent it shewes not that they were neglected for first the absence might haue happened for diuers other occasions some being impeded by sicknesse some vnwilling to trauell in that Season of the yeare and some loath to vtter themselues in the matters questioned Secondly the absence of these makes not the Assembly null for from these farre distant High-land Countreyes as Orknay Caithnes Argile and the Iles which are heere mentioned few Commissioners were euer accustomed to come to any Assembly heretofore and to many Assemblies none of these Countreyes come at all yet their absence did not annull the Assemblies But in this Assembly there were at the least the Bishops of the Dioeeses who might suffice to answere for the whole one only excepted who was absent not for lacke of aduertizement but because of disease Thirdly if we looke to ancient generall Councels in the Primitiue Church we shall find that the absence of Bishops or their Commissioners who remayned in Countreyes farre distant from the place where the Councell was holden did nothing derogate from the lawfulnesse thereof as for example in that first famous Councell of Nice there were present three hundred and eighteen Bishops yet out of all the Occidentall Countreyes there are only named in the Catalogue sixteene Bishops and two Presbyters Commissionaries for the Bishop
to Ierusalem to the Pentecost was counsailed or not scandalizing the Iewes to carrie himselfe as one that obserued the Law and practise some legall ceremonies to that effect which he did vsing them not as a part of diuine worship but as indifferent things and meanes expedient to win him credite with the Iewes that hee might edifie them in the truth So himselfe sayes He became all things to all men that he might winne some The keeping of the 14. day by Iohn and Iames is not an argument that they disagreed from the rest in iudgement touching the set day if any then was determined more then the practise of other ceremonies proues their disagreeing from S. Paul in the poynt of Christian libertie for this they did onely by way of condescension So the Apostles in these times might haue kept Easter vpon diuerse daies by the direction of the Spirit because the solemne commemoration of our Sauiours resurrection which we call Easter is not to be kept at any set time for any mystery that one day hath more then another by diuine institution The contentions therefore about the day were iustly blamed by the reformed Churches who acknowledge no day except the Christian Sabbath to haue greater prerogatiue then anotheâ— But the greater part of the world keeping the solemnitie of Easter vpon the Lords Day which followed the 14. of the Moone the Churches of Asia being a fewer number did not well to preferre the singularitie of their opinion and custome to vnitie and conformitie with the greater part of Christendome in such a poynt Againe Victor Bishop of Rome cannot bee excused who first did vrge conformitie pressed it by violence vpon the Churches that were without his Iurisdiction and to excommunicate them was an insolent tyrannie seeing they were not subiect to his power Yet after the Nicene Councell had setled that controuersie and determined the day these must iustly be blamed that contentiously troubled the Christian peace disobeyed the Canon of the Councell and were disconforme to the rest of the Churches not by mistaking the day as some were but through wilfulnesse and pride the parents of contention PP Lasâ—ly they reason with Augustine à posteriorâ— That seeing the Lords passion resurrection ascension comming down of the Holy Ghost is celebrated with anniuersary solemnity through all the World they must needs haue beene ordayned eyther by the Apostles or by generall Councels But so it is that these daies were obserued before there was any generall Councell It must follow therefore that the Apostles ordained them Ans. Augustines distinction is not necessarie for many customes crept in and thereafter preuailed vniuersally which were neither ordained by the Apostles nor generall Councels Socrates in his Historie sayes I am of opiniâ—n c. ANS Socrateâ— in the testimonie which yee alledge lib. 5. cap. 22. for probation of your answere sayes that he is of opinion that the Feast of Easter hath preuailed amongst people of a certaine priuate custome and not by Canon He confirmes his opinion by this reason that they who keepe Easter on the 14. day of the Moone bring Iohn the Apostle for their author Such as inhabite Rome and the West parts of the World alledge Peter and Paul and yet there is none of them can shew in Writing any testimonie for confirmation of their custome First here it is to bee marked that Socrates in this testimonie calls his allegation an opinion onely that is a likely and probâ—ble conceit but that is not sufficient to infringe Saint Augustines rule and the probations that he brings are of no force for first it makes nothing against Augustines rule that the Easterne Churches kept the solemnitie on one day and the Westerne on another because Saint Augustine sayes not that the commemoration of these benefits was made vpon one and the selfe-same day onely hee sayes Anniuersaria solennitate celebrantur 〈◊〉 is They are yearely celebrated after a solemne manner The diuersitie of the day confuteth not this assertion but confirmes rather his saying namely that the solemnitie was obserued through all the World seeing in one part it was celebrated for winning of the Iewes according to the practise of S. Iohn and in the rest of the World on Pasche Sonday whereon our Sauiour rose according to the tradition of Saint Paul the Apostle of the Gentiles So this same solemnitie being kept through the whole Church although not on the same day Saint Augustines rule remains good that the solemne commemoration of Christs resurrection is Apostolicke The next probation is no better to wit that there is no testimonie in writing for the confirmation of that custome for by this reason it would follow that the obseruation of Sonday in stead of the Iewish Sabbath hath preuayled by a priuate custome only For in the Apostolique writings we haue no testimonie for the confirmation of that custome In Scripture we reade that our Sauiour rose on that day that on that day he appeared to his Disciples that on that day the Apostle appointed collections to be made for the poore that on that day at Troas the Disciples were assembled to breake bread and that S. Paul preached All these actions make aswell for the obseruation of Pasche Sonday and as the Bishop of Winchester saith somewhat more seeing it is after a sort the same day by reuolution whereon our Sauiour did rise yet all these practises exercises and meetings on the Lords day had not demonstrate the sanctification of it if it had not beene perpetually and vniuersally obserued afterwards by the Church This constant and vniuersall obseruation of the Church hath declared these practises to be exemplarie and that our Sauiour did consecrate that day by his resurrection and apparitions to be in stead of the Sabbath Vpon this ground S. August Epist. ad Ianuar. 118. sayes Illa quae non scripta sed tradita custodimus quae quidem â—oto Terrarum orbe obseruaÌ„tur dantur intelligi vel ab ipsis Apostolis vel plenarijs Concilijs quorum est in Ecclesia saluberrima auctoritas commendata atque statuta retinere Sicuti quod Domini Passio Resurrectio Ascensio in coelum aduentus de coelo Spiritus Sancti anniuersaria solennitaâ—e celebrantur that is Those things which come to vs by Tradition and not by Writing and yet are obserued in the whole world must bee esteemed to haue beene commended vnto vs and instituted either by the Apostles themselues or by generall Councells whose authoritie hath euer beene wholsome to the Church as by example the Passion Resurrection Ascension and the descent of the holy Ghost from heauen which wee solemnely keepe euery yeare This rule of Saint Augustine if it bee not demonstratiue yet it is more probable then Socrates his opinion for it is more like a custome receiued by the vniuersall Church should proceâ—d from the authoritie of the Apostles or some generall Councell rather then from a priuate obseruation as Socrates
the ordinary dayes of preaching not that it is vnlawfull to baptise whensoeuer the Word is preached but to remoue a grosse errour wherewith many are deceiued thinking that Children bee damned if they dye without Baptisme c. In the order of Baptisme set downe before the Psalmes in metre it is said that the Sacraments are not ordayned of God to bee vsed in priuate corners as Charmes or Sorceries c. And in the Assembly holden 1581. it was ordayned that the Sacraments should not bee ministred in priuate houses c. This laudable order hitherto obserued was altered c. ANS Cases of necessitie are not subiect to ordinarie rules Therfore the Acts made at Perth concerning necessary and extraordinarie cases alters not the laudable order hitherto obserued As it is an errour to esteeme Baptisme absolutely necessary that is a middest without which there is no saluation so it is as great an errour not to thinke it necessary as an ordinary meane whereby the Grace of God is communicate and without the which if it may be had and be either contemned or neglected there is no certainty that God will conferre his grace Therefore to astrict the ministration of Baptisme to a humane order touching time and place which by the Word of God may be lawfully vsed at other times and in other places is great temeritie importing to the Childe no small danger of the losse of grace and bringing vpon the Parent and Pastor the guilt of his bloud for contemning at lest neglecting the ordinary meane of saluation PP A Sacrament is a publike action to bee performed publikely by publike Ministers Neyther can any necessitie or sufficient cause be alleadged wherefore any sacred and publike action should passe in priuate because Gods Ordinance is to vs a supreme Law and necessitie which we ought to obey rather then foster popular ignorance and infirmitie These are Tilenus words ANS These words are not vttered by Tilenus against the administration of Baptisme at extraordinary times and in extraordinary places but only against the administration of Baptisme by women and priuate persons which is the second Controuersie in Baptisme which hee handles beginning at the twelfth position with these words Altera Controuersia de Ministro Baptismi and ending at the eighteenth These Where there is not so much as a syllable of the time and place when and where Baptisme may be ministred all his positions concerning only the persons by whom So in this yee are like your selfe peruerting and abusing the speeches of learned men against their owne minde And it is to bee obserued heere that yee peruersly interpret his words for where he sayes Nullaque necessitas vel idonea causa afferri potest cur actio sacra publica transeat in priuatam yee to make the Reader beleeue that Tilenus speakes of a priuate place whiles he is speaking of a priuate action translate it passe in priuate as if a publike action could not be lawfully performed when it is done by a publike person and in presence of such a number as by the Ordinance of God are sufficient PP The Sacraments are testimonies of our pietie thankfulnesse profession and protestations of our saith therefore they ought to be conspicuous and publike ANS It is most expedient that they bee both conspicuous and publike but in cases of necessity it suffices that they bee publike PP We haue no externall fellowship with the whole Church militant in the publike exercise of Religion but a mediate Communion with a particular Congregation This Communion ought not to be violated ANS This Communion is not violated when in cases of necessitie men cannot resort to the Parish Church If we communicate in these exercises of Religion with two or three conuened in the Name of Christ where a greater Assembly cannot be had our Communion with the Church is not violated for they are a particular Church and a part of the vniuersall aswell as the Parishioners although they be lesse PP The Sacraments should be ministred with consent and in presence of the Church seeing they are workes of publike nature and of publike fruit belonging to all ANS Such workes of publike nature and publike fruit ought ordinarily to be ministred solemnely but in cases of necessitie it suffices that they bee lawfully ministred in caetu aliquo fidelium as Caluine speakes Epist. 185. PP The Sacraments ministred in priuate houses make the Sacraments to be contemned and neglected Heretickes take occasion to corrupt the pure administration of them by these priuie practises The imperiall constitution in Iustinian forbiddeth that holy things be ministred in priuate houses ANS The lawfull administration prescribed in the Act preserues them from contempt neglect and corruption And by the contrarie the omission of the Sacraments in the cases of necessitie make men to contemne and neglect them as vnnecessarie For Heretickes there is nothing so good at which they will not take occasion of euill yet the practise of good things must not therefore be omitted To Iustinians constitutions ye were wont to answere that the Lawes of the Code are not rules of Theologie O but this is a constitution of the Nouels that is true yet it fauours your nouelties no more then the Code This constitution forbiddes onely the ordinarie exercises of publique worship in priuate Oratories whereby the Temples were deserted as is manifest by the Preface but it is so farre from forbidding the celebration of the Sacraments in priuate houses in cases of necessitie that it reserueth priuiledge to the Patriarch of Constanâ—inople and to the Bishops in the Prouince to giue licence that ordinarie seruice may be exercised in priuate Oratories â—ccording to the 31. Canon of the Trulliau Councell PP The Sacraments are not tyed to the materiall Churches made of dead stones but the Church made of liuely stones If â—herefore the congregation be in a wood a house or a caue 〈◊〉 Sacraments may be ministred in a house a wood or a â—aue but then the Sacraments are not ministred in priuate â—ut in publique because they are ministred in the sight of the â—hole Congregation ANS Yet here the whole Congregation is not an ordinarie Parishionall Church but an extraordinarie Conuention wherein we affirme with you that the Sacraments may and should be ministred In this we agree but in that which followes of the number which may make a Congregation we disagree PP Christ promise to be in the middest of two or three conuened in his name cannot be extended to the administration of the Sacraments for then where two onely are conuened the Communion might be ministred and so the priuat Masse defended Christ reasons onely from the lesse to the more If he wil heare the prayers and ratifie the censures of two or three farre more of the whole Church ANS If the lesse be true namely that Christ will ratifie the Censures of two or three conuened in his name then two or three conuened in his name must
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
that whatsoeuer vse vnder the Law was proper to the Iewes Sabbath wherein now vnder the Gospell both Iew and Gentile haue interest remaynes yet proper to the Lords Day that succeeded thereto And in that respect this Day differs from all other Dayes being obserued not for policie and order only but for diuine institution and the religious vse whereunto it is appropriate that is to bee a memoriall First of the Creation as hath beene said because after our sixe dayes worke we rest on it being the seuenth as God did from the workes of the Creation Secondly of the Redemption because on it the Lord arose and perfected that worke and thirdly to be a signe of our sanctification namely that God who hath chosen and sanctified vs to be his people and whom we worship is God the Creator who in sixe dayes created the World and rested the seuenth and God the Redeemer who rose on this Day and hauing abolished sinne and death did bring in righteousnesse and life and God the holy Ghost by whose power hee did rise and by whose power we hope also to be raised againe Vnto this holy and religious vse this Day is appropriated whereunto no other Day besides can bee applyed That to conclude the Church hath power to appoint times for the publike worship of God and to appoint such a kind of worship as shee thinketh most expedient to bee vsed on these times for edification although shee hath no power to make the obseruation of any time a point of Gods worship or to appropriate thereto any part of his worship Finally to end this point of the power of the Church when the people are conuened in the ordinarie place and at the times appointed the Scripture hath not set downe whereat the Pastour should beginne how hee should proceed and wherewith hee should close vp this Seruice as whether hee should beginne with singing of Psalmes or praying or reading or preaching and when hee prayes with what petition he shall beginne what he shall subioyne next and so forth what order he shall obserue in baptizing and celebration of the Supper in Marriage in censuring of notorious offenders by Excommunication in Absolution and to bee short in all such other points of Doctrine Discipline and Diuine Seruice there is nothing particularly prescribed Although the substance of all be in the Word yet the order disposition forme and manner are left to be determined by the Church Many of which points are of farre greater moment then any of the Articles concluded at Perth Thus much for the power of the Church We come now to the extent of this power It is certaine that this power cannot reach to any thing essentiall or materiall in the worship of God but to the decencie and order only which is to bee obserued for edification in the circumstances aboue specified Let all things bee done decently and in order saith the Apostle The things themselues that are to be done are partly specified in that same Chapter where this rule is giuen and in the word else-where they are fully and particularly expressed and not left to be prescribed according to the will and iudgement of the Church but by this Precept a power is giuen only to the Church to prescribe the decent manner forme and order how they should be done And so to determine the circumstances which are in the generall necessary to bee vsed in diuine worship but not particularly defined in the Word So by warrant of this Precept the Church hath no power to forme new Articles of Faith new Precepts of Obedience new Petitions of Prayer new Sacraments or new Rites and Ceremonies such as Salt Oyle Spittle Chrisme Ashes holy Water Lights and innumerable such other things which cannot be reduced to any circumstances that in the generall are of necessary vse wherein the Church of Rome abusing her libertie hath laid vpon the Christian Church a burthen of Rites no lesse intollerable then the Legall Ceremonies yea and haue imposed them to bee obserued not onely as things belonging to policie and order but as parts of diuine worship which we of the reformed Church reiect esteeming all that to bee will-worship which men impose to be obserued as necessarie points of the seruice of God which himselfe hath ordayned in his Word Further because the Ceremonies and circumstances left to the determination of the Church cannot alwayes be one and the same by reason of the diuersity of Ages Times People and Nations touching them no constant Law can bee set downe as is acknowledged in the one and twentieth Article of the Confession of our Faith confirmed by Parliament but altered they may be and altered they should be when necessitie requires In which case Charitie sayes Caluine can best iudge what is most expedient Hanc si moderatricem patiemur salua erunt omnia The power of the Church being thus limited it is without controuersie that the Canons made by her touching the circumstances that in the generall are necessary for the worship of God ought to bee obeyed so long as they stand vnchanged or abrogated not because they contayne in them any substantiall or materiall part of Religion or that they haue in them any diuine Authoritie as the Commandements of God which in conscience bind to obedience but because in them an order is established tending to vnitie and peace whereby confusion scandall and Schisme is eschewed and because the power of the Church whereby these Lawes are made is the Ordinance of God and confirmed by the authoritie of his Word commanding vs to obey them that are set ouer vs in the Lord the Canons of the Church must be obeyed for reuerence of the Ordinance and Commandement of God which is the onely direct and immediate obiect of our conscience and the religious band that tyes vs to the obedience of euery humane ordinance for conscience sake But because many excuse their disobedience with a pretext of conscience I will shortly set downe the rules of conscience that by the Word of God we are obliged to follow in our actions The first is whatsoeuer is commanded or forbidden in the Word expresly or by necessary consequence ought to be obeyed The next is whatsoeuer is commanded or forbidden by the Lawes and Ordinances of our Superiours Ciuill or Ecclesiastique the same if it be not contrarie to Gods Word should be obeyed by reason of his expresse command Obey them that haue the rule ouer you and submit your selues Heb. 13. And againe Submit your selfe to euery ordinance of man for the Lords sake 1. Pet. 2.13 To this appertaynes lawfull customs hauing the force of a Law where there is no written Law Thirdly touching things that are free and are neither determined by Ciuill nor Ecclesiasticall Constitutions we haue this rule Let euery man stand fully perswaded in his owne minde that he may doe or omit that which hee intends without the offence of God or his Neighbour but
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
the very beginning of the world it hath beene vsed Parents doe yet confer their blessing in this manner to their children and when spirituall blessings are giuen there can bee no offence to doe it with the like ceremonie But I heare that some cannot abide to heare the word of Confirmation the thing it selfe gladly they admit but they would haue examination or some the like word put for it Not onely the abuse but the very name of the thing abused so tender are the hearts of some men must be put away For this shortly I say that the Scriptures neuer taught vs to place Religion in wordes Saint Luke made no scruple speaking of a street in Athens to call it the street of Mars And the ship that Paul sayled in he names by Castor and Pollux though both these were the Idols of Pagans If names were to be stood vpon we should put our selues to great businesse it behoueth to change the names of our Moneths and Dayes which some haue pressed vnto but wise men know this to be folly Besides the word of Confirmation was vsed in the Church long before Popery was hatched as is manifest by Saint Cyprian Saint Augustine Tertullian Eusebius and others And thus much of Confirmation The Festiuities which are the next are impugned by this Argument amongst others That hereby wee conforme our selues to Papists in the keeping of holy dayes But had this Argument beene of any force would the reformed Churches haue agreed so vniformely in the obseruation of them All of them so farre as I know keepe holy the dayes of Christs Natiuitie Passion Resurrection and Ascension with the Descent of the holy Ghost The Churches of Bohemie Vngarie Polonia Denmarke Saxonie and high Germany The Heluetian Churches the Belgique and those of the low Countreyes The French English and Geneua it selfe in the beginning of reformation obserued them all The day of Natiuitie they yearely celebrate if I be rightly informed the rest are abrogated and by what occasion reade the 115. and 128. Epistles of Caluin where after he had shewed the occasion of their abolishment hee addes Ego neque suasor neque impulsor fui atque hoc testatum volo si mihi delata optio fuisset quod nunc constitutum est non fuisse pro sententia dicturum For the opinions of the rest of our Diuines in this particular Bucer Martyr Bullinger Zanchius Aretius Polanus Paraeus and Tilenus with all that I haue seene speake manifestly for it Tilenus his words in his Systema which came forth the last yeare are these Alios dies praeter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ad peculiarium quorundam Dei beneficiorum Christi gestorum solennem anniuersariam in Ecclesia commemorationem celebrari nulla religio vetat modò prudens cautio accedat Ne videlicet vel vllius rei creatae cultui consecrentur vel insitae diebus illis sanctitatis opinio foueatur vel denique ignauo otio foedisque voluptatibus hac occasione fenestra aperiatur I find in a Synod kept at Middleburgh Anno 1584. a Canon there made that all holy dayes should be abolished except the Lords day and the day of Christs Natiuitie and Ascension But if the Magistrates shall require moe to bee kept then the Ministers shall labour by preaching to turne the peoples idlenesse into godly exercises and businesse These be the wordes of that Canon which I haue cited aswell to shew you what that Church ascribes to Magistrates as because our case in this particular is verie like His Majestie as you know hath charged all his Subiects by Proclamation to abstaine from seruile labour in these times and it should become vs wel as that Act speaks to turn them from idlenes to godly exercises For to dispute of the lawfulnes of the prohibitioÌ„ neque huius fori nor will any Subiect that is in his right wits presume to doe it I doe not vrge the testimonies of the Fathers in this poynt because of them you who were at the last Assembly heard enough And they who eleuate the consent of antiquitie in this matter saying That the mysterie of iniquitie was then begun to worke will reuerence as I trust the iudgement of these reformed Writers who haue laboured to discouer that Mysterie and will thinke it no commendation to them to be dissenting from all the Churches that haue beene and are in the world Of the last Article which requires kneeling as the most reuerend gesture in partaking the holy Sacrament of the Communion I haue neede to say much seeing great stirres are made for this and as I esteeme without any cause The Apostle when he professes to deliuer vnto vs that which hee receyued of the Lord speakes not either of sitting or kneeling or standing by which it is euident That situs vel positus corporis in coena as Zepperus speakes is not of the essence of the Sacrament but to be numbered amongst these circumstances which the Church may alter and change at their pleasure Where it is said that wee ought to conforme our selues to Christs action yee know it is answered That if so were it behoued vs to lye along about the Table to communicate with men and not with women And in the Euening after supper receiue this Sacrament which things were ridiculous to affirme Peter Martyr an excellent witnesse of Gods truth In classe secunda Locâ—rum communium Cap. 4. speakes otherwise Nihil interest saith he si coenae Dominicae sacramentum stantes aut sedentes aut genibus flexis percipiamus modò institutum Domini conseruetur occasio superstitionibus praecidatur And in his Defence of the doctrine of the Eucharist aduersus Gardinerum answering the same argument which Bellarmine brings for reall presence Although in receyuing the Sacrament saith he we adore the Lord by kneeling we doe not thereby testifie the realâ— and corporall presence of Christ in the Sacrament for adoration the mind not being applied to the elements but to the things signified may lawfully bee vsed Peter Mouline in defence of his Maiesties Apologie against the Frier Copheteau where the Frier alledges some testimonies out of S. Ambrose S. Augustine and S. Chrysostome to proue the adoration of the consecrated Hoste answers That the Fathers say nothing but that which wee willingly graunt Is there any amongst vs saith he who euer denyed that we ought to adore the flesh of Iesus Christ Who euer doubted that wee ought to adore him in the Eucharist But he that adores Iesus Christ in the Eucharist does not for all that adore that which the Priest holds in his hand but he adores Iesus Christ who is in Heauen These worthie men scorne as yee see Bellarmines argument howbeit wee can take out of an enemies mouth and make somewhat of nothing to beare out our owne conceits Th. Beza did not approue this gesture of kneeling yet did he neuer esteeme it Idolatrie as some of our Spirits doe In his 12. Epistle he writes
thus Geniculatio dum symbola accipiuntur speciâ—m quidem habâ—t piae Christianae vâ—nerationis ac proinde olim potuit cum fructis vsur pari Tamâ—n quoniam ex hoc fonte orta est 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 illa detestabilis adhuc in animis multorum haerens merito sublata esse videtur Interea tamen cum ista non siâ—t per se idololatrica idem de illis quod de praecedentibus sentimus And what was that Propterea non esse deserenduÌ„ ministerium pâ—ssunt enim inquit debent multa tolerari in Ecclesia quae recte non praecipiuntur This was the iudgement of that worthie and reuerend man But there came out a Pamphlet in the yeare 1608 written by some peruerse Spirit in the English Church of this argument which findes too good entertainement in some of you my Brethren Worse and more desperate Blasphemies did neuer any Arriane cast out for this directly he saies That in the receyuing the holy Communion we ought not vse any right that may signifie ouâ— inferioritie vnto Christ neyther should we abase our selues there but acknowledge and thinke vs his equalls I pray God keepe vs from this Diuinitie Doubtlesse such conceits as these brought the Church of Pole in that generall Synode which was kept anno 1578. simply to condemne sitting as a ceremonie vnhonest and vnlawfull for so holy an exercise In the act concerning ceremonies to bee vsed in the administration of the Supper they haue these words Libertati christianae donamus vt stantes vel genua flectentes pij Sacramentum corporis sanguinis Christi sumant Sessiones veâ—ò ad mensam Domini quia illâ— authores huius ritus extiterunt qui a nobis ad Arrianismum perfide transfugi facti sunt hanc propriam ipsis vt Christum sacra eius irreuerenter tractantibus tanquam minus honestam religiosam simplicioribusque admodum scandalo sam ceremoniam reijcimus VVe may not thinke it was any light cause which made that Church thus peremptorie in their decree Their troubles were great and as I heare yet are by the Arrians And beleeue mee Brethren such as can away with the speeches of that Pamphlet are not far froÌ„ that side Wee haue learned otherwayes to honour the Sonne as wee honour the Father and he that honours not the Sonne so in euery place especially in the participation of the holy Supper should be to vs as a Iew or Pagan I shall insist no longer in this purpose It is an excellent passage that of Saint Augustine vpon the 98. Psalme Nemo carnem illam manducat nisi prius adorauerit That is No man can eate that flesh vnlesse first he haue adored For my selfe I thinke sitting in the beginning was not euilly instituted and since by ouâ— Church continued for wee may adore while we are sitting aswell as kneeling yet the gesture which becommeth adoration best is that of bowing of the knee and the irreligion of these times craues that we should put men more vnto it then we doe Thus I haue shewed you the iudgement of the best Reforformed Churches touching these Articles Thereby you haue seene that there is nothing impious or vnlawfull in them they who shew a dislike of some of them in the last Assembly could not say other And surely if it cannot bee shewed that they are repugnant to the written Word I see not with what conscience wee can refuse them being vrged as they are by our Souereigne Lord and King A King who is not a stranger to Diuinitie but hath such acquaintance with it as Rome neuer found in the confessions of all men a more potent Aduersary a King neither superstitious nor inclinable that way but one that seekes to haue God rightly and truly worshipped by all his Subiects His Person were he not our Souereigne giues them sufficient authoritie being recommended by him for hee knowes the nature of things and the consequences of them what is fit for a Church to haue and what not better then we doe all But I heare some answere That were it knowne these things proceeded of himselfe they would make the lesse question of them but they are thought to come by the suggestion of some of the English Church or them of our selues at home For the first I will but remember you of his Maiesties owne Declaration in the Chappell of Saint Andrewes where with a great attestation more then needed from a Prince to his Subiects Hee declared that neither the desire he had for conforming his Churches nor the solicitation of any person did set him on this worke but his zeale for God and a certaine knowledge that hee could not answere it in that great Day if hee should neglect this dutie His Maiesties Letter to the last Assembly beares so much also Now any of vs would take it euill not to be beleeued after our solemne attestations and I trust in all your confessions his Maiestie deserues some greater respect As to that which is supposed of vs at home my selfe chiefly if I shall beleeue the rumours that are going I will borrow that notable man his speech in a case not vnlike Mihi hactenus propemodum fatale fuit putidis his calumnijs quotidie onerari ego autem vt sanctè testari possum me inscio ac ne optante quidem haec proposita ita ab initio in animum induxi inuidiam potius tacendo leuare quà m excusationes quaerere minus solicitas This was my resolution and I should not change it but that I will not haue a misconceit of my doings to leade you into an offence I therefore in the presence of the Almightie God and of this honourable Assembly solemnely protest that without my knowledge against my desire and when I least expected these Articles were sent vnto mee not to be proponed to the Church but to bee inserted amongst the Canons thereof which then were in gathering touching which point I humbly excused my selfe that I could not insert amongst the Canons that which was not first aduised with the Church and desired they might bee referred to another consideration Neither did I heare after that time of them any thing while that Protestation was formed to bee presented to the States of Parliament at what time his Maiestie taking the aduantage of their mis-behauiour who penned the Protestation and proudly stood to the same resolued to haue these Articles admitted in our Church wherin all my care was to saue the Church her authoritie and labour that they might be referred to an Assembly which was obtayned vpon promise that his Maiesty should receiue satisfaction and the promise was not made by mee alone but ratified by your selues as you remember at Saint Andrewes In the Assembly that followed howsoeuer my aduice took no place I ioyned after the dissoluing therof with my Lords the Bishops to excuse the delay that was made at the time but our Letter being euill accepted and another returning full of
Edinburgh and the forming of the booke of Common Prayers and extracting of the Canons of the Church And thus ended this Conference Thursday the 27. of August THat day being an ordinary day of preaching a Sermon was made by the reuerend Father in God William late Bishop of Galloway against which the Libeller excepts three manner of wayes First saying that his Doctrine was farre contrary to that which he had taught before the Estates of Parliament Anno 1606. Secondly that hee set at nought the ancient order of our Church sometime highly commended by himselfe extolling the new light and thirdly that he presumed to teach them a new kind of Catechisme vnder whom he himselfe might be yet catechised To all which seeing he is now at rest this much may be truely replyed in his behalfe That howeuer his opinion in these matters of the externall gouerment were sometimes other his Doctrine was neuer contrarie to that which at any time he professed and preached but these men haue beene so accustomed in feeding the eares of people with matters belonging to order neglecting the substantiall points of Religion which are Faith and Repentance as they dreame of no other Doctrine but that and counts the alteration of iudgement in these points of outward discipline a sort of Apostasie and falling from the truth And where he is said to set at nought the ancient order of our Church it is a false and impudent lye for neither he nor any else that seeme most earnest for receiuing these Articles did euer contemne the orders and rites formerly established but while as they stood in force reuerently practised them and were obedient to the ordinances of the Church made thereabout but the circumstances of things now being changed and these times requiring other fashions and manners wee thinke without the despising of these they may be well admitted and as commendably vsed as euer the other were For the third of presuming to teach them by whom he might be catechized because this is spoken in despight I passe it with this answere That his Sermons and workes left behind him which will continue with the posteritie will witnesse against all their malice that hee was inferiour to none of the Opposites in preaching yea in many degrees superiout to them all But to returne to our purpose the Assembly being not in full number to take some conclusion in the businesse for which they were conuened after inuocation of the Name of God it was declared vnto them that by the labours of the Conference in their priuate meetings the Articles proponed by his Maiestie were brought and reduced into that forme as it rested for the Assembly to consider whether or not the same should be receiued in our Church and to moue them the rather to condescend his Maiesties resolution to haue the Articles receiued was declared and how no other answere could satisfie but granting of the said Articles They were likewise remembred of their promises made to his Maiesties selfe at Saint Andrewes and in the last generall Assembly and had the lawfulnesse and indifferencie of these matters at length of new exponed vnto them Neither was any of their common pretexts left vnanswered place being giuen to all that would reason against any one of the Articles to doe the same And while some of them insisted by long speeches to haue a continuation made of matters to another Assembly and a supplication sent to his Maiestie for some longer delay his Highnesse Commissioners hauing vrged a present answere they were desired to cease and not to trifle time with vnnecessary speeches seeing matters should receiue decision before they went forth of doores And so some few making shew to reason in the contrary were permitted to speake till they had no more to say and had their reasons answered to the full The Libeller sayes the libertie was granted to a few and that the reasons were checkt and borne downe with authoritie but how contrarie this is to the truth wee leaue it to bee answered by such as were present And now when they haue set downe in writing all that then was said or possibly they can inuent Let the Reader iudge if by the answeres giuen their obiections be not sufficiently confuted Doctor Lindsay his answere being posed on conscience to declare his iudgement touching kneeling at the Sacrament is maliciously mutilated His declaration was this as all the Assembly can testifie in whose presence it was giuen On my conscience I neither know Scripture reason nor antiquitie that enforceth kneeling sitting standing or passing as necessary but thinke them all indifferent and therefore that any of them may bee lawfully vsed when it is found expedient And considering nothing to be more expedient for the weale of our Church then to keepe peace with our gracious Soueraigne and not to contend for such matters I iudge yeelding to his Highnesse desire to bee the onely best When all the reasoning was ended his Maiesties Letter was againe read to the end the Assembly might see his earnestnesse about the same matters And because of a Pasquill cast in in the Pulpit of Edinburghe the Sunday before which was deliuered to the Archbishop of Saint Andrewes the penners whereof had warned the Ministers not to yeeld to the Articles giuing them promises of satisfaction for their stipends in case they should be taken from them and to fight in the defence of theÌ„ that cause He disswaded them to leane vnto such suggestions or be moued with them for that they would proue nought in the end as the experience of the seuenteene dayes worke might teach them And added which he is not ashamed of nor will denie That were there no other to take imployment against these Mutiners and seditious persons he could wish that he were honoured therewith These are the great blasts and â—errours which the Libeller mentions otherwaies they can take exception at nothing iustly that then was vtttered As matters were then proponed to be voted one of that number gaue in writing some particular reasons for disswading the grant of the said Articles which they haue now writ and imprinted in this Pamphlet which beeing suspected as the Libeller speakes to be some seditious protestation the Preferrer thereof was aduertised to take heede to his doing and giue in no Libels which hee did not set his hand vnto This while he offered himselfe to doe the Archbishop of Saint-Andrewes beeing loath to bring him that way in danger tooke backe the said Writing and desired the Clerk of the Assembly to reade the same And when they were perceiued to containe no matter of moment or any new thing which had not beene before talked of they were cast by as not deseruing any consideration Thus the question was made Whether they would receiue or refuse the Articles Here the Libeller peruerts the question and sayes it was this Whether yee will consent to the Articles or disobey the King which is a question of his own
Church representatiue giuen An. 1596. did oblige them all who were liuing to the maintenance of the puritie of Religion in Doctrine and Discipline Heere yee acknowledge that the Church representatiue hath power to oblige all liuing within the iurisdiction therefore yee cannot allow of â—his Article according to your grounds The thirteenth Article PP There stand in force diuers Acts of Parliament in fauours of our present order Iacob 6 Parl. 1 cap. 8. Iames 6. Parl. 8. cap. 68. cap. 69. Item in the first Act of Parliament Anno 1592. ANS None of the Acts of Parliament here cited is contrary to â—he alteration The fourteenth Article PP The Ministers of this Church by order of the same printed and inserted before the Psalme Booke at their admissions respectiue promise in the presence of God and of his Congregation assembled to abhorre and vterly refuse all Doctrine alledged necessary to saluation that is not expresly contayned in the olde and new Testament c. Item to submit themselues to all admonitions secretly or publikely giuen ANS Against this promise nothing was concluded by the Assembly at Perth but how this promise is performed by these who disobey the Ordinances thereof let them aduise with their owne conscience The fifteenth Article PP The Subscribers of the Confession of Faith by their oath therein contained promise and sweare to continue in the obedience of the doctrine discipline of this Church to defend the same according to their vocation and power all the dayes of their liues c. And to abhor and detest all contrary religions but chiefly all kind of Papistry in generall euen as they are now damned by the Church of Scotland but in special the Popes fiue bastard Sacraments whereof Confirmation is one with all Rites and Ceremonies and false doctrines added to the Sacraments without the Word of God his absolute necessity of Baptisme c. which Confession is come to the eyes of the World in print and solemnly renued in the Couenant celebrated in the generall and prouincial Assemblies Presbyteries and Church Sessions in the yeere of God 1596. and how shal any man be heard to speak against that whereunto he hath formerly sworne and subscribed For the better vnderstanding of this last Article I will set downe a short discussion of the Oath ANS There is nothing that the Subscribers of the Confession of faith did by their oath oblige themselues to obserue and defend that is contrary to any of the Articles concluded at Perth and no man should bee heard to speake contrary to that whereunto hee hath formerly sworne subscribed And therefore they who haue sworne subscribed in the 21. Article of the Confession of faith confirmed in Parliament Anno 1567. That no policie and order in Ceremonies can bee appointed for all ages times and places but that they may ought to be changed when necessity requireth should not now bee heard affirming the contrary in this Pamphlet that they may not bee changed wherein ye contradict your oath and perswade others to doe the same Of the which oath the discussion set downe by you is a glosse that destroyeth the Text as shall by Gods grace bee made manifest by the examination thereof which followeth The Examination of the Oath discussed BEfore the Penner of this Pamphlet begins to discusse the oath he sets downe the articles controuerted then fiue seuerall obligations whereby as he alledgeth our Church is obliged to exclude and abhorre the particular actes concluded at Perth Thirdly he considers the Oath which is the chiefe of the fiue obligations Keeping his order wee shall seuerally examine his sayings concerning them And first touching the articles controuerted he sayes thus PP The Religion Doctrine and Discipline receiued beleeued and defended by the Church of Scotland namely the publike ministration of Baptisme and the Lords Supper sitting at the Table in the act of receiuing the bread and the wine of that Sacrament The obseruation of the Lords day and the examination of Children for the first time at the ninth yeare of their age for the second at the twelfth for the third at the fourteenth excluding and abhorring priuate Baptisme priuate Communion kneeling in the act of receiuing the Supper Holy dayes or Feasts of Christmas Passion Resurrection Ascension and sending downe of the Holy Ghost were brought in at the reformation of Religion and enioyed euer since in manner and forme as followeth Answ. The Libeller hath forgotten to exclude Confirmation but since it is vnderstood wee answere to the rest First That the solemne ministration of the Sacraments appointed by the Church especially the act of the assembly holden at Edinburgh Anno 1581. which forbiddeth the ministration thereof in priuate houses excludes not the ministration thereof in priuate places when as necessitie vrges cases of 〈…〉 PP 〈◊〉 Obligations whereby wee are bound to exclude the â—onclusions of the Assembly at Perth and to obey defend and maintaine the contrary are first The vniforme iudgement of the Church condemning the one and allowing the 〈◊〉 Secondly Ecclesiasticall Canons publike confessions and solemne protestations of lawful assemblies Thirdly actes of Parliament ratifying the Constitutions of the Church Fourthly The prescription of 59. yeares and fiftly the Oath and subscriptions of the whole Estates of the Realme By all these bands the Church in generall and euery member thereof in particular are obliged to sit at the Communion and to reiect kneeling with the obseruation of the fiue Holy dayes and other things concluded in the Assembly at Perth ANS Yee are not able to produce any warrant for the vniforme iudgement of the Church nor Canon of Assembly nor act of Parliament nor confession of faith nor publike protestation which either condemnes the points concluded at Perth as vnlawfull to bee vsed in the worship of God or establisheth the contrary as things necessary that cannot be altered in no time succeeding And as for your 59. yeares practise it cannot change the nature of things indifferent and make these formes and circumstances which are of themselues alterable become necessary and vnchangeable yea by the contrary the prescription of a long time giues iust cause often of alteration because either the things practised which at the beginning were profitable become hurtfull or that which was conuenient in the time preceding becommeth inconuenient or because the same things are abused to superstition and prophanenesse or because an opinion is bred by long custome of necessitie This I make manifest by the one and twentieth article of the Confession of our faith confirmed in the first Parliament holden by his Maiesty anno 1567. Decemb. 15. which ye affiâ—me your selfe to haue sworne and subscribed The words of the article are these about the end thereof The other end of generall Councels was for good policie to bee constituted â—nd observed in the Church whereas in the house of God it becommeth all things to be done dâ—cently and in order not that wee
either by making or obeying the acts concluded at Perth which doe only respect the cases of necessitie So whether to sit at a Table in receiuing the Communion was most conuenient according as our Church esteemed at the time of reformation is not the question but whether to sit at a Table be necessary as instituted and left by our Sauiours example to be obserued and that without breach of the institution the same may not be altered This question was neuer defined by any Canon of our Church Therefore put the case that our Church had sworne and subscribed That to sit at the Communion was most conuenient according to the iudgement of our first Reformers yet we haue done nothing contrarie to that oath by interchanging sitting with kneeling because kneeling at this time is found to be the more conuenient gesture for that which at one time is more conuenient may bee lesse conuenient at another As to our Sauiours sitting if so be he sate â—am adhuc sub iudice lis est it was not exemplary or appointed to be followed of vs as shall be afterwards proued and his practise did only declare that sitting might be lawfully vsed not that of necessitie it must be vsed and cannot bee altered when the Church findes the change expedient Thirdly whether Confirmation as it was abused in Popery for a Sacrament should be re-induced is not the question for that is condemned in the very narratiue of the act made at Perth But whether the Bishop in his Visitation ought to trie the education of yong children in the grounds of Religion as in the first booke of Discipline the Superintendent was ordained to doe whereof yee may reade in the fift head touching the office of Superintendents Therefore put the case our Church had sworne and subscribed all the heads and Constitutions of the foresaid booke yet by the act made at Perth shee hath not violated her oath by appointing Bishops in their Visitations to take this triall For they are now the Superintendents of the Church Fourthly Wee contend not whether the obseruation of Holy dayes as that of Christmas should be imposed vpon the conscience which in the explication of the first head of the foresaid booke of Discipline is condemned as also in the first words of the act made at Perth touching the fiue dayes but the question is whether the Church may appoint the commemoration of Christs inestimable benefits vpon the said dayes as all the reformed Churches doe and our Diuines hold to bee lawfull Of this our Church neuer defined any thing Therfore the making obseruing of the act touching this point is not against her former oath And to conclude The Subscribers and Swearers vnto our Doctrine and Discipline know no Canon nor constitution of the Church made in former times that is contrary to the Articles concluded at Perth Thus much â—ouching the persons who did sweare The next thing yee consider is the matter whereunto they did binde themselues by their oath which yee set downe as followeth PP The matter whereunto they binde themselues by oath is the Religion Doctrine and Discipline receiued beleeued and defended by the Church of Scotland in respect of this matter the Oath is partly assertorie and partly promissorie as yee say ANS By that which alreadie hath been said it is manifest that albeit our Church had sworne to all the heads and ordinances aboue specified set downe in the bookes of Discipline yet there is nothing committed contrarie to this Oath by the actes made at Perth But now since yee are come to the matter of the Oath let vs see if the points in controuersie be any part of that matter The matter as yee affirme is the Religion Doctrine and Discipline receiued beleeued and defended by the Church of Scotland This definition or description of the matter is not so full and particular as is set downe in the Oath it selfe neither haue yee in reciting the words been so faithfull as yee are feruent for the cause yee maintaine For yee haue pretermitted diuers things belonging to the limitation of the matter by which all the particulars in question are clearely excluded The words cited by you are these We beleeue with our hearts confesse with our mouthes subscribe with our hands and constantly affirme before God and the world That the Faith and Religion receiued beleeued and defended by the Church of Scotland the Kings Maiestie and three Estates of this Realme c. is onely the true Christian Faith and Religion pleasing God and bringing saluation to man Heere yee omit many things that concerneth the limitation of the matter which at that time were knowne to such as sware the same and now must be expounded vnto the Reader that is to iudge and consider our Controuersie Therefore I shall set downe heere the words of the Oathe as it was published in print by Robert Waldgraue anno 1590. We beleeue with our hearts c. That this onely iâ— the true Christian Faith and Religion pleasing God and bringing saluation to man which is now by the mercy of God reuealed to the world by the preaching of the blessed Euangell and receiued beleeued defended by many sundry notable Churches Realmes and chiefely by the Church of Scotland c. In these words we haue two limitations pretermitted by you The first is that the matter of the Oath is the Doctrine and Discipline reuealed to the world by the Gospell This limitation excludeth all Ecclesiasticall determinations and constitutions which are not expresly or by a necessary consequence contained in the written Word The next is That the matter of the Oath is the Doctrine and Discipline which is receiued beleeued and defended by many notable Churches and Realmes and chiefely by the Church of Scotland This limitation excludeth all these things wherein the Church of Scotland hath not the consent of many notable Churches and Realmes who with her hath receiued beleeued and defended the same By these two are all the points in controuersie excluded and cut off from being any part of the matter whereunto the Swearers by their oath did oblige themselues And vnto these two if we adde the third limitation there can remaine no more any doubt touching the matter of the Oath This is that the Doctrine and Discipline whereunto they sweare is particularly expressed in the Confession of Faith established and publikely confirmed by sundry actes of Parliament This Confession is registred in the bookes of Parliament at the yeare 1567. and is inserted amongst the Confessions of the Reformed Churches in the booke called Syntagma Confessionum But so it is that in the Confession of our Faith established by Parliament there is no mention made of the Articles controuerted neither hath many notable Churches and Realmes receiued beleeued or defended the same neither are they expresly or by necessary consequence contained in the Gospell And therefore they cannot by any point of our Religion or part of the
we may kneele in the act of receiuing Ans. This Obiection insinuateth that kneeling is the proper and only commendable gesture of prayer and therefore the Bishop of Rochester expounds the standing of the Publican Luk. 18.11.13 to haue been kneeling because saith hee the Iewish custome was to pray kneeling But if he had remembred the Lords owne saying Ier. 15. Though MOSES and SAMVEL stood before me c. he might vnderstood that they prayed standing as well as kneeling c. ANS The obiection yee bring concludeth that wee may kneele not that we ought to kneele therefore no man will thinke that the obiection insinuateth kneeling to be the proper and only commendable gesture of praying but that it is a very commendable gesture such as may be vsed that which you ayme at in answering this obiection is to confute the Bishop of Rochester his opinion that by standing kneeling Luk. 18.11 13. is meant But the Bishops opinion is not so absurde as you would haue men to thinke for by standing in the Scripture any diuine seruice is signified Therefore the Lords Prophets Priests and Angels are said to stand before him that is to serue him In the first of the Kings 8.22 it is written that Salomon stood before the Altar of the Lord and prayed but in the second of the Chronicles 6.13 It is said he kneeled downe and prayed vpon his knees So standing in the booke of the Kings is taken for kneeling But leauing this I come to your next words PP The prayer meant of is either some publike prayer vttered by the Minister or the mentall prayer of the Communicant ANS This is a needlesse distinction for the mentall prayer of the Receiuer should not bee different from the prayer vttered by the Minister at the deliuery of the Elements and ought only to bee an Amen to the Ministers prayer The ancient custome of the Church was such for in the dayes of Cornelius Bishop of Rome anno 251. as Eusebius records l. 2. c. 32. when Nouatus gaue the Sacramēt to his people he held their hāds insteed of the blessing which he should haue vsed at the deliuery of the Elemēts he cōceiued an oath made the people sweare by that which was in their hands insteed of Amen which they should haue answered the blessing with he made the people say That they should not returne to CORNELIVS Whereby it is manifest that the blessing vsed by the Pastor at the deliuery of the Elements differed not at that time from the mentall prayer of the Communicant neither ought it now to differ but be the same in substance PP As for the prayer of the Minister in the act of distribution it is flat against the Institution as I haue already said The Minister is ordained by the Institution to act the person of Christ and pronounce the words of promise This is my body and not change the promise into a prayer Fenner in his Principles of Religion layeth this downe for a ground that in the second Commandement we are forbidden the practise and vse of any other rite or outward means vsed in the worship or seruice of God then he hath ordained Ioh. 4.22 2. King 18.4 And that by the contrary we are commanded to practise all these parts of his worship which hee in his word hath commanded and to acknowledge only the proper vse of euery rite and outward meanes which the Lord hath ordained Deut. 12.32 2. King 17.26 ANS It is false that yee say we change the promise into a prayer for at the Consecration wee obserue precisely the words of the Institution In the deliuery of the elements we vse a prayer that is not contrary but most agreeable to the Institution for directing the hearts of the people in the receiuing that they may worthily communicate So doe the Pastors in France at the deliuery vse a short speech and it was the custome of late in our Church to vse some exhortations before the distribution at euery Table wherein neither we nor they did or doe practise any rite or vse any means which God hath not ordained to bee vsed in his worship For although the particular forme of speech vsed in the French Church and the exhortations and prayers vsed by vs bee not expressely set downe yet being agreeable to the Word and the nature of the action in hand they haue sufficient warrant by these generall precepts Let all things be done to edification Let all things bee done decently and in order And with these precepts Fenners grounds doe agree Otherwise by what warrant is it appointed in the forme set downe before our Psalme bookes touching the celebration of the Lords Supper that during the time of the distribution some place of Scripture should bee read which doth liuely set forth the death of Christ to the intent that our eyes and senses may not onely be occupied in these outward signes of bread and wine which are called the visible word but that our minds and hearts also may be fully fixed in the contemplation of the Lords death which is by this holy Sacrament represented This ordinance is not contained in the Institution yet I hope yee will not say that it is flat contrary thereto but that it hath sufficient warrant by the generall Apostolike precepts before expressed and so hath the prayer vsed by vs in the acte of distribution But yee subioyne another reason to prooue the prayer vsed at this time vnlawfull PP Further wee are forbidden by the second Commandement to pray by direction before any creature ANS Why do yee then pray at the table when your meate is set before you and at the Consecration hauing the sacramentall Elements before you And when you visite the Sicke why direct yee your face and senses towards the person and the place where he lyes while yee are praying to God for him PP This publike prayer is but a pretended cause of kneeling as the Ministers of Lincolne make manifest in their Abridgement c. ANS To the Abridgement of these Ministers sufficient answeres are made by the learned Diuines of that Church and the Canons and Customes thereof defended against their calumnies Therefore let vs come to our owne touching which yee say PP As for our Church no such prayer is ordained to bee vttered by the Minister Therefore no such prayer can be pretended In the late Canon it is said That the most reuerend and humble gesture of the body in our meditation and lifting vp of our hearts best becommeth so diuine an action Meditation is no prayer and the heart may be lifted vp by the act of faith and contemplation aswell as the action of prayer So that neither publike nor mentall prayer is expressed in our Act. ANS Albeit neither mentall nor publike prayer be expressed in the Act yet prayer thankesgiuing and praise are all insinuated for albeit all meditation bee not prayer yet euery prayer is a meditation and although in
doctrine and worship in vnlawfull in it selfe but by reason of the time which is an indifferent circumstance Non est verus Apostoli interpres sed verè dogmatistes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 PP That which lawfully hath beene abolished by ciuill and Ecclesiasticall Lawes and by consent and vniforme practise in the contrarie without interruption and beyond the prescription of time allowed to things moueable put the case that Holy-daies were things moueable and indifferent and hath beene borne downe by Sermons of all the most reuerend Preachers since the reformation corrected with censures and abiured by publique oathes of Preachers and Professours cannot lawfully be receiued and put in practise againe ANS Your assumption must be this But to make commemoration of the inestimable benefits of our redemption vpon the fiue anniuersarie daies hath beene abolished lawfully by ciuill and Ecclesiasticall Lawes c. This assumption is false in all the parts of it for first as we haue shewed the obseruation ordayned by the Act at Perth was neuer abolished by Ciuill or Ecclesiasticall Lawes nor yet by consent and vniforme practise of the contrarie Onely the superstitious obseruation of these dayes with opinion of necessitie as a part of diuine worship and the profane abuse thereof with excessiue banqueting playing and carroling was condemned Secondly to your prescription of time in things moueable I answer that circumstantiall ceremonies belonging to Religion are alwaies alterable and neither can bee abolished nor established by prescription for if prescription had force in such things then the space of 1200. yeares during which time these fiue dayes were obserued vniuersally throughout the whole Christian world shoâ—ld haue greater force to establish the obseruation of them then the abrogation of seuen and fiftie yeares in durance onely Continuance of time does not establish without change such things but giues occasion to alter them rather when the alteration makes for the honour of God the edification of his Church and auoyding corruption Thirdly the Sermons of reuerend Preachers condemned onely the superstitious and profane obseruation of these dayes and not the obseruation made by the Primitiue and by the reformed Churches in our time which is the obseruation onely commaunded by the Act of Perthe Fourthly If any were censured it was not for any fault in the action it selfe but for transgression of the Ecclesiasticall order and the scandall which might haue followed thereupon as the censures which wee now vse against these that refuse to performe the diuine seruice appoynted to be done on these times are not inflicted for any fault that is in omission in regard of the time but onely in regard of the order and policie of the Church which being contemned giues offence to the simple and breaks peace and vnitie Fiftly we neuer abiured with oathes publique or priuate the obseruation now required the dedication of dayes imposed vpon the conscience with opinion that they are sanctiores sacratiores alijs diebus pars diuini cultus we detest and abiure for nothing can be imposed vpon the conscience but by the precept of God onely The Canons of the Church in matters indifferent doe not oblige the conscience ratione rei praeceptae quasi pars sit aliqua diuini cultus sed ordinis politias causa tantum So the Canons of the Church made for obseruation of these fiue dayes bindes not the conscience to the obseruation thereof as a part of diuine worship and as the commaundement of God bindes vs to the obseruation of the Lords Day for it is the will of God that on the Lords Day we be religiously exercised and therefore our obedience in that point is a part of his worship but to be exercised in Gods publique worship on another day is not Gods expresse will yet it is his will that we should heare the Church and obey her ordinances in all things that tend to edification and serue for good order whereof God is the Author To conclude seeing the obseruation of these fiue daies as the same is prescribed in the act at Perthe is neither contrarie to any Law Ciuill or Ecclesiastique nor condemned by the practice doctrine and censures of our Church nor abiured by oathes And therefore may lawfully be restored receiued and put in practise againe by our Church PP Hooker and Sarauia vrged for maintenance of their ceremonies Law custome prescription and craues that the impietie and vnlawfulnesse of their ceremonies be proued or else let the Non-conformists conforme May we not plead after the same manner for our former order so long established that they proue it was impious and vnlawfull before we make a change ANS Ye may not pleade because the change is alreadie made in a lawfull Assembly which had power to abrogate all Statutes of Ecclesiasticall matters that are found noysome vnprofitable disagreeing with the time and abused by the people as is set down in the confession of Faith and seuenth Chapter of the Booke of Discipline concluded anno 1581. Such were the acts made before concerning Holy-dayes for first they were noysome in that they were not conforme to the practise of the Primitiue Church or yet of the later reformed and so in that poynt did break vnitie Next vnprofitable because they fostered prophanenesse and superstition in the hearts of the people who by want of information of Doctrine did superstitiously or prophanely obserue these dayes Thirdly they agreed not with this time wherein it was expedient that the religious Commemoration of the benefits of Christ should be restored iurâ— postliminio for it is not enough to dispossesse idolatrie and superstition the violent eiecters and occupiers of the possessions of true Religion but she ought to be restored to the old right and priuiledges of times and places lawfully and wisely dedicated to her before Last of all the discharge of diuine Seruice on these daies was come into abuse amongst the people the preciser sort counting it a part of Gods worship and obedience to his will not to doe seruice vnto God on these dayes and the profane taking thereby occasion to be more licentious And therefore it was needfull in a manner to restore the obseruation of these times PP Our Oath by it selfe bindes more then Law Custome and Prescription farre more when it concurres with them The assumption is euident by that which I haue set downe in the beginning ANS The assumption is alreadie considered I answere to the oathe Lawes Customes Prescription and Oathes in order and policie touching indiffereÌ„t alterable things such as these are binde a man no longer to the obseruation then the order remaines vnchanged Your Oath bound you to the gouernement of Superintendents set downe in the first Bookâ— of Discipline from which yee esteeme your selfe absolued because that gouernement was altered by that new Booke of Discipline confirmed in the generall Assembly anno 1581. a yeare after the Oath was set forth Now the order set downe in the same first Booke