That this Bishoprie is against the confession of faith called the Kings Maiesties confession sworne and subscrived at two divers times viz. in anno 1581 when it was first published and againe anno 1590. published with a general band for the maintenance of true religion and his Maiesties estate and person by his Maiestie his Queen and houshold and all estates of the Realme c. THE words of that confession for this purpose are these We abhorre and detest all contrary religion and doctrine chiefly all kind of Papistrie in generall and particular even as they are now damned and confuted by the word of God and kirk of Scotland and in speciall the Popes worldly monarchy and wicked Hierarchie his crossing annointing c. And finally we detest all his vain rites signes and traditions brought into the kirk without or against the word of God and doctrine of this true reformed kirk to the which we ioyne our selves willingly in doctrine faith religion discipline and use of the holy sacraments as liuely members of the same in Christ our head Promising and swearing by the great name of the Lord our God that we shall continue in the obedience of the doctrine and discipline of this kirk and shall defend the same according to our vocation and power all the dayes of our lives vnder the paines contained in the Law and danger both of body and soule in the day of Gods fearfull judgements And after a few lines Wee therefore willing to take away all suspicion of hypocrisie and of double dealing with God and his Kirk protest and call the searcher of all hearts to witnesse that our mindes and hearts doe fully agree with this our confession promise oath and subscription So that we are not moved for any worldly respect but are perswaded onely in our consciences through the knowledge and loue of Gods true Religion printed in our hearts by the holy Spirit as we shall answer to him in the day when the secrets of all hearts shall bee disclosed Then if so be that the setting up of Bishops will throw down the discipline of our Kirk or if that office hath any thing to do with these corruptions of Papistrie Antichristian hierarchy The King our Soveraigne his most excellent and Christian Majestie and his Highnesse most ancient religious noble Estates of Parlament if there were no other reason but this one would not for all the world fall under the danger of so horrible a perjurie against God to set up Bishops again yea and if it were no more but respect of civil honesty honor estimation before the world they would not be inferiour to Herod in releiving the religion of an oath and great name of God interponed namely this Confession of faith being put in print twise within the realme by speciall command and priviledge translated in all vulgar languages throghout Europe yea and at his Maiesties coronation in England put in Latine and published a new againe by that common post of the world in our age Mercurius Gallobelgicus But so it is as all men know that the discipline and government of the kirk exercised by Presbyteries and by Bishops are so opposed one to another that when the one is set up the other must down of force Therefore the subscrivers and swearers of the former confession if they should as God forbid be about to set up Bishops and Episcopall governement they could not eschew the crime of horrible pâ—rjurie execrable Apostasie and most cursed repairing again of Iericho from the which the Lord preserve his most excellent Maiesty and honourable Estates of this present parlaiment And if any man doubteth what was the discipline of the kirk of Scotland at the first subscriving and swearing of that confession let them seek the Register of the general Assembly holden at Glasgow to the which it was presented together with a platforme of the whole Presbyteries to be established throughout the Realme by the Laird of Caprinton coÌ„missioner for his maiestie to the sayd assembly in the yeare of God 1581 they shal find that the Bishopries were wholly abolished in the assembly holden at Dundie the yeare immediatly preceeding So that without al questioÌ„ â—t is meant of the discipline of the kirk exercised by Presbyteries Synods and generall Assemblies directly opponed to the corruption and tyranny of Bishops as vvas clearly defined and ratified in Parliament After the second subscriving anew againe of the sayd confession in the yeare 1592. In end seeing these same men who now would be Bishops haue once or twice sworne and subscrived this confession it marvels me vvith what forehead they can be about a purpose so quite contrary thereto CHAP. VI. That this office of Bishoprie is against the constitutions of the Kirk of Scotland in her Assemblies MAister Knox following the light of holy Scripture and the advice of Theodor Beza as he had preached continually so immediatly before his departure he wrote to the generall Assemblie convened at Striveling in the yeare 1571 in these words Vnfaithfull and traytors to the stockes shall yee bee before the Lord Iesus if that with your consent directly or indirectly yee suffer unworthy men to be thrust in within the ministerie of the Kirke under what pretence that ever it be Remember the Iudge before whom yee must make an account and resist that tyrannie as yee would avoyd hells fire And this letter is registrat in the acts of the sayd Assembly In the generall Assemblie convened at Edinburgh in March 1572 sess 7. M. Iohn Spottiswood superintendent of Lawthiane gaue in this article It is neither agreeable to the word of God nor practise of the primitiue Kirke that the spirituall administration of the word and sacraments and the ministration of the civill and criminal justice should be so confounded that one person may occupie both the cures Wherfore the whol Assem refused the Earle of Morton then Regent his desire to make ministers sessioners in the colledge of Iustice From that assembly unto the assembly holden at Dundie Iuly 1580 the corruption of the Bishoprie vvas more and more espect unto the time the vvhole Assem being ripely advised and fully resolved all in one voyce yeelded as followeth Forasmuch as the office of a Bishop as it is now used and commonly taken within this realme hath no warrant authoritie nor ground in the word of God but is brought in by the folly and corruption of mans invention to the great overthrow of the Kirk of God The whole assembly of the Kirk in one voyce after libertie given to all men to reason in the matter none opponing himselfe in defending the sayd pretended office Findes and declares the same pretended office used and tearmed as is aboue sayd unlawfull in it selfe as having neither fundament ground nor warrant in the scriptures of God and ordaines that all such persons as bruikes or shall bruike hereafter the sayd office shall bee charged simply to dimit
crafâ—â—â— and cruell Divells so the learnedest and best pastor perverted and poysoned by that old serpent with avarice and ambition becomes the falsest worst and most cruell man as experience in all ages hath proved A further consideration of this poynt also we leaue to the Lawyers Politiques and Statesmen CHAP. XIII That this Bishoprie is against the weale of all Scottishmen in soule body and goods HOwbeit that this be cleare enough of all that haue been spoken in the chapters preceding yet particularizing the same we will make it more cleare Wee call them good Scottishmen that have a true sence of the honour of God love of their Christ care of the sinceritie of the Gospell and libertie of his Kirke a feeling of the need of their soules a hunger and thirst for righteousnesse and that word of life which is the food therof and therewithall a loue of their natiue countrey of the freedome and weale of the same Now this Bisâ—oprie shall eiâ—her take away all true religion and sinceritie of the Gospell or then the fruitfull vse thereof for the feeding and comfort of soules For if there arise a Popish or prophane Prince they must alter with hâ—m and please and obey him or tyne their places their honours their riches and pleasures the which they will not doe because they have already given their consciences honestie truth and credit before God and man as a price for these things of the world And put case true religion stand what care will they haue of feeding of soules who haue sold their owne for the world All their care and travell must bee to keep their Court please the King acquire and conserve more plentie of goods honour and pleasures And they being thus set and given their inferiour ministers for the most part will follow their fashions so there shall bee nothing amongst men but atheisme licentiousnesse and profanitie For as concerning discipline it being put into the hands of Bishops they will make merchandise of it or let the reines thereof loose in favour of this or that great man or of one Courteor or other as hath ever been the nature and custome of thesâ— Bishops to be men pleasers and hunters after the favour and friendship of the world not daring to displease or adhere unto the execution thereof upon others least it should strike upon themselues commonly more guiltie and slanderous then any other And thus the true worship of God and care of the salvation of soules shall utterly perish Next I call them good Scottish men who haue a care and loue of the libertie of their countrey and of their bodies to liue as free men therein in safetie and good health But so it is this Bishoprie will bring the countrey the lawes the priviledges thereof with the bodies of men in slaverie servitude and riotous dissolution which breedes manifold diseases distruction and death of body For if any succeeding Prince please to play the tyrant and governe all not by lawes but by his will and pleasure signified by missiues articles and directions these Bishops shall never admonish him as faithfull pastors and messengers of God for that they are not having no lawfull calling nor authoritie from God and his kirk but as they are made up by man they must and will flatter pleasure and obey men And as they stand by affection of the Prince so will they by no meanes jeopard their standing but be the readiest of all to put the Kings will and pleasure in execution and it were to take and apprehend the bodies of the best and such namely as would stand for the lawes and freedome of the Realme and cast them in dark and stinking prisons put them in exile from their natiue land c. Attour besides this vnlesse that men of whatsoever estate or ranke they be cap and kneele to them give them their ambitious stiles places and salutations slavishly abusing their bodies against their hearts they shall not misse their indignation to be interest and crossed and wronged in their caâ—ands and affaires and to bee traduced at Court by them or by their meanes Last their companie and entertainment will be an example of ryot and excesse whereto that Bishoprie is much given And if thus the Realme the lawes and priviledges therof and the persons of good Scotishmen may be used it is easie to gather the like of their goods and geare The Bishop in his owne citie and among his vassals will thinke himselfe a pettie Roy vvho dare deny to lend to give to serve them with whatsoever they haue or if they doe deny can they not and their Lawyers Domestiques Dependaries devise the way how to get him to the Horne or into some inconvenience and danger of the law and then their whole goods and estate falling into the Bishops hands they shall bee pilled and polled sickerly The pittifull experience in times past makes us bold to give the warning for the time to come for it hath been seen and felt and yet dayly is in this Iland And finally it is already too manifest that if the Prince bee prodigall or would inrich his Courtiers by taxations imposts subsidies and exactions layd upon the subject of the Realme who have been or shall bee so ready to conclude and impose that by parliament as these who are made and set up for that and the like service And whatsoever become of the poore tenents and labourers by land or sea they shall bee ever winners by that block and butie Then to conclude seeing this Bishoprie as wee have clearly evidently shown and verified is against the written word of God against the Canons of the ancient kirk against the ancient Fathers and Doctors of the kirk against the iudgement of all the found moderne divines and reformed kirkes in Europe against the doctrine of the kirk of Scotland preached these 46 yeares against the confession of faith subscrived and sworne by the King and whole body of the Realme against the constitutions of the kirk of Scotland in her assemblies against the lawes of the realme against the honour of God and his Christ against the honour and weale of the king against the honour and weale of the realme against the constitute and setled estate of the Kirk and kingdome against the honour and weale of the noble estates in Parliament And finally against the weale of all good Scottishmen in soule body and goods Our earnest request and exhortation is with all humilitie submisse and reverend duetie to his most excellent Maiesty and most ancient and noble estates of this present parliamenâ— that as they tender the glory of God the honour of his Christ the peaceable and flourishing estate of Kirk and Common-weale the welfare and honour of your selves and the weale and good of all estates and subiects of this realme committed by God to their government an protection that they erect not of new that unlawful most pernitious estate of Bishops But
Constantines course was more commendable Perfecit Constantinus quod Philippus jam caeperat It were our dutie if our fore-beears had done wrong to practise the rule Quae illicita à Praedecessoribus invenitintur admissa in melius revocari oportet 4 Observation of dayes kneeling c. as they are straitly enioyned are voyd of the necessarie properties required by the wisest fathers in a lawfull ceremony ut fidei congruat saluti proficiat disciplinae conducat So in this kirk neither are they necessary expedient nor sitting the frame of our reformation they edifie not they divide and destroy in so far as ceremonies being testes religionis they are signes to the adversaries of the truth that we repent our reformation which is not and presages to returne to their damned corruptions which by the grace of God wee meane not in substance or ceremony To reinduce them say the divines of Germany is to disturbe the peace of the kirk to grieve the godly to wound the weak to countenance Poperie by shew of inclination towards it or commoderation with it In neighbour kirks where they most prevaile their removall is most earnestly sought 5 In Perth assembly they are concluded not as lawes binding either to fault or pain but as admonitions or institutions Magnum est discrimen inter ecclesiastica decreta politica quorum necesse est illa minus obstringere conscientias Nam in ecclesiasticis spectanda est 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In politicis auteÌ„ parenduÌ„ est quamvis tu eam eutaxiam non videas Such ceremonies are juris privari non publici Ilk man is bound in conscience by the word first to discern what is indifferent and then to direct himself in the right vse of every individuall thing for his own edification And if ministers and professors be restrained from that search and brought under a compelled obedience by the law that were to revive the ancient servitude of the Germanie Adiaphorisme wherewith the godly would never suffer themselves to be intangled Nulla lex sibi solam conscientiam justitiae suae debet sed ijs a quibus obsequium exspectat 6 Our forebears finding the controâ—â—ted ceremonies to be the monseâ—ebs of Popery like the mowdiworts in Thessaly that overtheâ— a whol toâ—ne Quod in Papatu dolendum in reformatione auferendum â—utaâ—ent They not onely took away Beal but the calves of Dan and Beâ—hel They thought it no wayes meet to follow Pilats policie to please the Iewes with scourging of Christ that they might keep him aliue And will the Papist be pleased with scourging the doctrine by invoctions c. And taking againe some of these ceremonies will that preserve us against their heat breathed out against us as heretikes and make us lurke under mitigation as if we were now but schismatikes Non est ad hunc modum in religione agendum sayth one tota enim repurganda est ad vivum emendanda And another sayth Atqui praestaret sâ— pultam esse doctrinam ad tempus quam sic slagellari Jt is to be feared that before it be long that men disaffected to the ancient order shall further presume ere it be long to giue out other doctrine as well as new ceremonies 7 Ratification would compasse a great many Ministers and professors of this Kirk between two dangerous straits either to practise against the truth as they vnderstand it and haue walked in it and against the personall band whereby they haue oblished themselues to stand constantly to the obedience of it or else to fall under the breach of a civill law more hardly perhaps to be persued then the lawes against heresie blasphemie breaking of the sabbâ—th day c. In such a case as wee are alwayes ready in our goodâ— and â—oâ—ies to the increasing and upholding of his maiesties honour and estate so according to our possibilitie and the occurrent necessitie of his Highnesse affaires we cheerfully offer our best supplies and helpe And for ease of our iust grievances and feares of our Christian libertie from constraint of ceremonies we humbly beg to haue returned ratification of our ancient liberties of religion Ceremonies should bee persuaded by reason and not inforced by compulsion Propter externoritus disciplinae homines pios ferire neque domini est voluntas neque purioris Ecclesiae mos. In the name of the Lord Iesus wee require your Honours that at this time ye walk in the matters of the kirk as one day yee shall be iudged dutifull according to the Scriptures following Beware of men beware of evill workers Let no man beguile you with entising words Stand fast in the faith quit you like men Be strong Stand fast in the libertie wherewith Christ hath made you free and bee not intangled againe with the yoak of bondage Hold fast the forme of sound words That good thing which is committed unto thee keepe Contend earnestly for the faith which was once given to the Saints Seing ye know these things before beware lest yee fall from your owne stedfastnesse Strengthen the things which remaine that are ready to die Remember how thou hast received and heard And hold fast and repent If thou watch not I will come upon the suddenly like a thiefe in the night and thou shalt not know what houre They haue no courage for the truth upon earth Jerem. 9.3 Five reasons wherefore the fiue Articles of Perth ought not to be ratified in this present Parliament Other reasons FIrst because that assembly was not lawfully constitute wanting a fundamentall priviledge of a lawfull assembly in respect that contrary to the act of the generall Assembly holden anno 1600 and anno 1568. Bishops Barons and Burgesses voted not being authorized with Commissioners from Synods Presbyteries nor Sessions of Kirks His maiesties letter direct to particular Barons and Burgesses without commission from their incorporations could not giue them vote in Parliament much lesse in the generall Assembly Secondly putting the case that those Articles were indifferent yet the Assembly hath erred in respect it hath concluded contrary to the Apostolick rule in things in different which is that the practise should not onely not compell him that for conscience refuseth to practise but also least hee offend him should forbeare to practise himselfe Propter conscientiam non tuam sed ipsius dico 1. Cor. 10.29 If thy brother be grieved for thy meat now walkest thou not charitably destroy him not for thy meat for whom Christ hath died Rom. 14. vers 15. Thirdly because the foresaid Articles being determined in alteram partê per circumstantias impeditivas in themselues are unlawfull The observation of it drawing with it a revolt and returning back againe to Popish rites and ceremonies a violation of our profession suâ—â—â—tions and othes whereby we renounced them a confirming of Papists in their errours and putting them in hope of our comming to them in more substantiall poynts a grieving of the hearts of all zealously affected a
the forme of godlinesse but denying the power thereof and living as without God in the world Next they become Atheists in affection vvishing that there were not an infinite iustice to bee revenged vpon their vvickednesse At last the Lord giveth them over to Atheisme in opinion that they say in their hearts There is not a God So may I say of Adiaphorisme and iudging of indifferencie many at the first are brought to practise without consideration Afterward finding themselves wrong but either for feare of shame or skaith refusing to follow the retrait of their conscience they wish in affection that they were not matters of faith In the end the mistresse being vowed by the hand-maid understanding is set on worke to finde out probabilities colours and appearances to make them to seeme indifferent Observe particular practises and ye shall finde it to be so Archip. These indeed are the methods of earthly wisedome Vpon the contrary by heavenly order the truth comming from aboue shineth first in the minde by her light sendeth down her heat to the heart and then in knowledge and zeale ruleth the outward action But whatsoever bee the vvayes of mens vvits thinke yee indeed that the things in question are matters of faith and not indifferent I vvould not vvish you to be singular Epaph. A peremptory answer I perceiue vvould chase you away I shall let you see my reason before I tell you my opinion first of matters of faith and then of things indifferent If yea joyne vvith mee I vvill bee no more singular at least in your estimation And I nothing doubt to bring you and all such as will giue place to the truth to be of my opinion be upon what side they will Archip. There is nothing I desire more to heare vvhat haue you then to say of the first vvhether they bee matters of faith Epaph. It is a sound and received distinction that matters of faith are not all of one kinde Three degrees of maners of faith but stand in three degrees of difference There be some things of the foundation of faith somethings vpon the foundation and some things about the foundation The first sort toucheth the life and soule of Christian religion and thus the Articles of the Creed are accounted matters of faith The second is of their necessarie attendants by cleare and undenyable consequence following the former at the heeles so that no man perswaded of the former first principles can haue any hesitation almost concerning these And the third is extended to all things revealed in Scripture concerning whatsoever purpose although most indifferent in it selfe There is nothing of so meane importance written in the word but it must bee ranked among the matters of faith how soone it is manifested to bee of divine authoritie Neither can hee haue any faith at all who hath not faith of all that hee knoweth to bee written Archip. No man will deny that for I haue learned Quaedam nec sum necessaria creâ—â—tu per se nec per authoritateÌ„ scripturae quaedam necessaria per se per authoritatem scripturae quaedam necessaria creditu non per se sed per authoritatem scriptura that as there be some things neither necessarie of themselues to be beleeved nor by the authoritie of Scripture some things that are necessarie both wayes so there be many things necessary to be beleeved not of themselves but by authority of scripture But what is that to the purpose Epaph. I haue heard great men say They are no matters of salvation that is to say they are not of the first degree of matters of faith and therefore not to bee much respected as neither helping nor hindering our happinesse But consider I pray you this second ground and compare it with the former that according to the three forenamed degrees of matters of faith without there bee answerably within the minde of man as many degrees of damnable infidelitie these are Ignorance Error and Obstinacie Ignorance of matters of faith of the first degree condemneth for whether amongst professors And accordingly three degrees of infidelitie or without the limits of the visible Kirk he that knoweth not the principles of Christian religion cannot be saved Error in the second bringeth condemnation because he who denieth that which followeth by necessary consequence upon the principles of religion hath not knowledge of the principles themselues He that denieth the consequent denieth also the antecedent albeit he should professe that hee cannot see the necessity of consequence Archip. I doubt of that for may not I know many grounds without knowledge of the conclusions which may bee even by necessary consequence deduced from them because I never had occasion perhaps to think upon them Epaph. Therefore I say not that Ignorance but Error of matters of the second sort is damnable And that he who after consideration denieth the consequent denieth the antecedent The Iew making confession vvith the fathers of his faith in the Messiah but denying that the Messiah is come doth indeed deny the Messiah The Anabaptist professing that he beleeveth in Christ but denying him to haue taken flesh of the virgin doth indeed deny the Mediator Al 〈◊〉 the Papist avouch that hee is sound in the doctrine of Christs person and offices yet by consequent hee denyeth both and may look for Anathema 〈◊〉 preaching another Gospell He that sweareth the king to be hâ—s Soveraigne and denieth him lawful obedience cannot be excused by pretending that he seeth not the necessitie of consequence And he that admitteth the princely office of Christ but vvill giue no place to his râ—yall scepter neither in his owne heart nor in the government of the kirk but putteth a crowne of thornes upon his head and in his hand a â—eed will be attained of treason against the king of glory and vvill bee iudged an usurper of his incommunicable dignitie Archip. It is now evident and I cannot but thinke worse of such false friends then of avowed adversaries Albeit I would professe that if I wer ministring the Lords supper yet it is but my imagination except I keepe the Lords institution 1 Cor. 11.20 But come to the third degree of infidelitie Epaph. â—â—â—na domiâ—a non est â—â—si que leâ—itâ—me iÌ„â—xta instiuâ—onem dominicaâ— obserâ—â—tur Paâ—â—us In the third kind of matters of faith neither Ignorance nor Error but obstinacie bringeth condemnation We are all ignorant of many things but vve must know the articles of faith We all erre in many things but we must be free of error about the necessarie consequents of these articles and free of obstinacie in the meanest matters Sâ— that as it is not Ignorance but Error in the second sort that condemneth so it is not error simply but obstinacie in the third sort and Ignorantiâ— praâ—e dispositionis that condemneth No man beleeveth expresly all matters of saith No Christian but he carrieth a minde prepared and ready to yeeld to
all matters of faith how soone they appeare in Scripture In this third kind mâ—n may sinne very â—angâ—rously of obstinacie as in the second of Error and in the first of Ignorance Albeit before men the greatnesse of the injurie bee esteemed for the most part by the obiect â—aâ—tia personae su pâ—et â—mpâ—â—tatem 〈◊〉 before God the qualitie of the doer and maner of doing agaâ—egs the sinne no lesse thâ—n the substance of the deed Paul his eating of flesh may be a great guiltinesse as well as his persecution Remember the hoove of Moses Daniels meat and the opening of his window Mordecai his preâ—senesle Eleazars morsel Pauls houre and appearance of evill Christ Racâ— his rite of washing of hands Ismaels laughing c. The smallest matters the least gestures the shortest time the meanest appearance of evill which are mole-hills in the worlds estimation may be mountains in the eyes of God especially being found in some persons and done after a certaine manner The warning Be ye holy as I am holy is most frequent in Leviticus a book of ceremonies which both giveth comfortable assurance that God will accept of our services in the least duties and teacheth also that true holinesse the perfect paterne whereof he pointeth at in his own holines extendeth it selfe to the care of the smallest rites Archip. I must confesse by your discourse and examples that it is so But I see not the reason wherefore it should be so how can so mean matters be capable of so great guiltinesse Epaph. A natural Naaman would speak so of the whole rites of Christian religion of the very substance of both sacraments But I vvould wish you to thinke that as in matters fundamentall so also in rituall there bee three sorts of sinne one of Ignorance the cause wherof is in the mind another of Infirmitie comming of the affections and the third of obstinate maliciousnesse rooted in the will No man but he sinneth daily in things indifferent of Ignorance not knowing them to be indifferent No man but he sinneth frequently of Infirmitie in things indifferent miscarried with some passion or temptation but who against engyring light doth sinne obstinately in the least jot of that unalterable veritie can you deny but hee sinneth heynously in a matter of faith The enforced ceremonies may seeme small to our adversaries because they bring small reason for them and may seeme to bee no matters of faith because they bring no word of faith for them yet the matters vvherewith Christ charged the Scribes and Pharisees were not so great I haue often observed in my experience That a little leavâ— sowreth the whole lumpe and I know by my owne heart That a narrow faith makes a roome conscience Archip. Shew me then how a man shall behave himselfe that he faile not in matters of faith Epaph. It is a good distinction of faith How every one shall be kept from faâ—â—ing in matters of faith that is observed by Lombardus out of Augustine There is one faith vvhereby vve beleeue another faith which vve beleeue In respect of the one all our actions especially in the vvorship of God and more specially such of them as are controverted and called in question must bee matters of faith Hee that doubteth is damned if hee eat because hee eateth not of faith In respect of the other whatsoever is prescribed in the word is a matter of faith whether it be ceremony or substance whether expresly or by consequent whether in the particular or in the generall Fides quae creditur ducat fidem quaÌ„ creditur Now right order requireth that the faith which I beleeue be the leader of the faith whereby I beleeue otherwise this will bee a faithlesse faith and proue effectlesse in the end As the order of Nature is Matters Res conceptus voces Verbuâ— fides en â—us Thoughâ—s Words so the order of the kirk is Scripture Faith Worship I◠〈◊〉 the first Axiome of our profession and the best rule for our dirâ—ction That the Sâ—â—â—â—ture is the oneâ—y Canon of all things belonging to religion and the onely judge of all controversies All which shall be more cleare wâ—â—n we sâ—â—â—ke of indifferencie the other branch of your appearance Archip. Dâ—ctrine of th ngs indifferent obâ—cure As Archimâ—des tombe when Cicero came to visite it was all overgrowâ—â— with thâ—◠〈◊〉 so seemeth the matter of indifferencie to me noâ—hâ—ng more talked of nothing lesse knowne We are all in time â—laâ—e motion c. yet the nature of time place motion is so all digested after so manifold assayes that it gaue occasion to one â—o say That they hauâ— so many bones that the Philosophâ—rs are like to wiâ—rie on them and haue need of cranes to pluck them out of their throats All our senses and wits are exerâ—ised about things indiff rent and yet so ignorant of the nature and vse of things indiffâ—rent that the wittiest that I haue h ard or read are like the Fox in the Fable liâ—king onely the outside of the glasse but never comming to the meat within wherof if it hath been your happines to taste I beseech you call me to the banket Epaph What wiser will ye be when I haue told you the Scholastik distinction of Indifferentia Identitatiâ— in things altogether coincident Indifferentia communitatis of things generall in respect of their particulars Receptionis of the matter in respect of the diversitie of formes Indifferencie taken in a thâ—efold sen e. Aliqâ—â—d dâ—citut AdiaphoraÌ„ sive indiffereÌ„s â—ribas modis 1 Comparatâ—ve per â—â—ationem 2 Effective et per cons quentiaâ— 3 Subiective et formaliter actionis in respect of this or that particular action and have out of their smokie subtilties discoursed vpon them severally when I haue deaved you with Puel Meisnerus and many moe their rulâ—s their restrictions and ampliations yee will esteeme them all but shelles and not kirnels and so will depart as hungry as yee came And therefore to lâ—aue them to themselves and not to bee nice with you about the word of Indifferencie brought rather from Athens or Rome then from Ierusalem would you tune your care a little to our common phrase yee may obserue that we call a thing Indifferent in a threefold sense First by comparison or relation of one thing to another Secondly in respect of the effects and consequents that it hath And thirdly a thing is indifferent in the owne nature and qualitie beside which three wayes we use not to name any thing indifferent I will cleare them unto you orderly Archip. Ye haue need for that popular indifferencie of yours seemeth to mee as obscure as the other Scholasticke indifferencie And first what call ye the Relatiue indifferencie or indifferent by comparison Epaph. Any thing is called of us indifferent in the first sence 1 Comparativâ— peâ— relationem indifferens vvhen it is taken with comparison or relation to the maine or
tantis terrae curis inservie quantis me in vita Laica ne quaquam deseruisse reminiscor alta enim quietis meae gaudia perdidi intus corruens ascendisse exterius videor Nem quis inter tot terrenas curas valeat de miraculo praedicare quum jam mihi difficile sit saltem recolere pressus enim in hoc honore tumultu saecularium negotiorum ex iis mihi esse videor de quibus est scriptum dejecisti eos dum allevarentur Neque enim dixit dejecisti eos posequam allevati sunt sed dum allevarentur quis pravi quique cum temporali honore suffulti foris videntur surgere intus cadunt Allevatio ergo ipsa ruina est ut quia dum gloria falsa subnixi sunt à gloria vera evacuantur hinc iterum dicit deficientes ut fumus deficerent fumus quippe ascendendo deficit sese dilatando evanescit hinc rursum scriptum est Deus mi pone illos in rotam rota quippe ex posteriori parte tollitur anterioribus cadit posteriora autem sunt nobis bona praesentis mundi quae relinquimus anteriora vero sunt aeterna permanentia ad quae vocamur Paulo attestante qui ait quae retro sunt oblitus in ea quae sunt priora me extendens mihi haec difficilia sunt quia valde onerosa quod mens sponte non recipit congruè non disponit Ecce serenissimus Dominus imperator fieri simiam Leonem jussit quidem provisione illius vocari Leo potest fieri autem Leo non potest So I end the testimonies of the Ancients with this saying of Cyprian which I would we should straitly hold and accurately defend c. Cyprianus l. 1. epist 8. Adulterum est impium est sacrilegum est quodcunque humano furore instituitur ut dispositio Divina violetur Now we shall subjoine a few of the most godly learned and approved writers of the most cleare and lightsome age of the Gospell because there are so many just and full treatises hereanent Ioh. Calvinus in epist 2 ad Timoth. 2. Semper Pistorem meminisse oportet veteris proverbii hoc age quod significat serio incumbendum esse peragendis sacris ut studium ejus intentionem nihil aliud impediat Pet. Martyr in Loc. com class 4 c. 13. Distingui oportet has functiones civilem Ecclesiasticâ— quia vtraque earum seorsum totum hominem requirit immo vix vllus unquam repertus est qui alterutram recte obire posset adeo est difficilis vtraque provincia Theod. Bez. Ep. 79. Sed istud mi Knoxe te caeterosque fratres velim meminisse quod jam oculis pene ipsis obversatur sic ut Episcopi papatuÌ„ pepererunt ita Pseudo episcopos papatus reliquias epicureismum terris invecturos hanc pestem caveant qui salvaÌ„ Ecclesiam cupiunt Et cum illam in Scotia in tempora profligaris ne quaeso illam unquam admittas quantumvis vnitatis retinendae specie quae veteres etiam optimos fefellit â—landiatur And of this opinion clearly fully are the French and Helvetian Writers Kirks As for the Germanes ye shal hear their judgements shortly out of one of their most godly and learned writers David Chytraeus in Mat. 18. Non est autem regni Christi politia sicut regnum mundanum quod constituitur sustinetur gradibus personarum potentia authoritate ferendarum legum armis praesidijs distinctis poenis corperalibus iudiciâ—s ordinaria successione c. sed est spirituale regnum in quo non est visibile caput vni loco alligatum ordinaria successione constitutum ad quod tota Ecclesia alligata sit sed vâ—um Ecclesiae caput est Christus Deinde etiamsi in Ecclesia sunt gradus personarum donorum c. tamen quod ad potentiam politicam imperandi ferendi leges cogendi c. attinet omnes inter se sunt aequales quidem arithmetica aequalitate nec inter Episcopos quod ad dominum potestatem attinet quisquam alio maior est jure divino ut Luc. 22. Reges gentium dominanturijs vos autem non sic Verus igitur solus gubernator Ecclesiae est ipse Christus sive verbum Dei hoc solo verbo regit Christus Ecclesiam non gradibus potentia personarum Ex hoc loco Math. 18. intelligi potest quomodo regii Pontificum Episcoporum dominatio cum Evangelio congruat CHAP. IIII. That such a Bishoprie is against the doctrine of the Kirk of Scotland preached these 46 yeares THE doctrine that the Preachers of Scotland haue been teaching so many yeares since the first reformation yea since the first light of the Gospell brake forth in this realme was dirâ—cted against all corruptions and abuses of the Roman Antichrist and adulterous kirk of Rome But so it is that the Bishoprie is one of the greatest errours and corruptions thereof and have no arguments of Scripture Fathers Councells nor reason but the selfe same that the Papists use For probation whereof read Bellarmine the Arch-Iesuit quaest de capite ecclesiae de membris and conferre his arguments for the Pope and his Hierarchie vvith Doctor Whitgifts against M. Cartwright and siclike the rest that write on that head Secondly let the auditors yet living of these notable Preachers of the Kirk of Scotland glorifie God in this matter and cease not as they love the honour of Christ ad vveale of his kirk so long as they are able to speak to give an evident and full testimonie what they haue heard of M. Knoxe M. Creâ—g M. Willockes M Goodman M. Iâ—wsen M Row M. Fergâ—sâ—ne M. Arbuthnet M Rollock M. Durie M. Daviosâ—ne M â—ont and others most godly sincere and learned men who all ioyned with their continuall powerfull doctrine from Pulpit their travels yea and sufferings in dinging against that Popâ—sh corruption of Bishops till it was all utterly purged and expelled forth of the kirk and who now resting from their labours yea triumphing in the heavens haue left the true discipline and government of the kirk and kingdome of Iesus Christ well and firmly established and setled within our Kirk the comfortable effect whereof hath been viuely and sincerely enioyed unto these late dayes And praised be the name of our God and Christ there wants not yet successors both to their place and doctrine able both by preaching and penning to maintaine yea by his grace not onely by imprisonment povertie contempt and tracâ—â—ing of the world but by their blood to seale up the truth of the same And last the very mouthes of these now named Bishops haue been seen and heard preach and professe this veritie 〈…〉 prâ—aâ—h or professe otherwise under pain of Apostasie Hâ—w 〈◊〉 â—â—w craftily holding both court and kirk in hand they are like so to proceed that the part of Demas will plaiâ—â— kythe in the Kirk CHAP. V.