Lawes there-anent The lyke wee may see in the 76 Canon of the fourth Councell of Carthage See Balsamon also vpon the 20 Canon of the Councell of Carthage where speaking of dying persons hee sayeth That the LORD'S Supper should bee carefullie administred vnto them and Baptisme if they bee not baptized Hence Bishop Jewell in his Dispute agaynst Hurdings PAG. 32. sayeth That certayne godlie persons both Men and Women in tyme of persecution or of sicknesse or of other necessitie receaved the Sacrament in their houses it is not denyed The Ancient Fathers also call this Sacrament viaticum or a provision for our journey So the Fathers in the fourth Councell of Carthage speake Canon 78. So Gaudentius in his second Treatise on Exodus So in Saynct Basill his Liturgie wee finde this PRAYER that the participation of these sacred things may bee the viaticum of eternall lyfe So Concil Vas 1. Can. 2. So Paulinus in vita Ambrosii Whence Causabon in his answere to the Epistle of Cardinall Perronâ— PAG. 49 sayeth The Church of England not onlie distributeth the mysticall bread to the faythfull in the publicke Congregation but also administrateth to dying persons this viaticum as the Fathers of the Councell of Nice and all Antiquitie call it 64. Learned Calvine was of this mynde Manie and weyghtie reasons sayeth hee Epist. 361. moue mee to thinke that the Communion should not bee denyed to sicke Persons ZEPPERVS in his first Booke of Ecclesiasticall policie and 12 Chapter hath these words of this matter One thing remayneth yet to bee resolved to wit concerning the Communion of sicke persons Albeit some thinke otherwyse yet it seemeth that the holie Supper may not nor ought not to bee denyed to them that seeke it For if it was appoynted for the confirming of our fayth and increase of our Communion with CHRIST if wee ought by the vse of it to testifie our fayth and studie of repentance why should they bee depryved of so great a good who fight with long dâ—seases or are in danger of their lyfe When doeth Satan labour more stronglie to shake and brangle our fayth than when wee are exercysed with bodilie diseases When doe our consciences tremble more and stand in neede of the most ample corroboration of fayth than when wee finde that death is knocking at the doore and that wee are called to compeare before the Tribunall of God HIERONYMVS ZANCHIVS is of the same mind Thus he wryteth in an Epistle of his to John Crato Physician to the Emperour I haue nothing to say of the question proponed by you but that I subscrybe to your judgement provyding this bee done when necessitie requyreth and it bee administred to them who through sicknesse cannot come foorth with others in publicke For since CHRIST denyeth this to none of his Disciples how can wee refuse it to sicke persons who desire it before they depart hence and that not out of anie Superstition but that their myndes may bee the more comforted and raysed vp MARTINE BVCER in the 22 Chapter of his fore mentioned censure considering that part of the LITVRGâ—E where-in the administrating of the Communion to sicke persons is set downe sayeth Thinges heere commanded are agreeable anough to holie Scripture for it avayleth not a little to the comforting of troubled Soules to receaue the Communion of the LORD Yea hee hath written a particular and most devote Treatise directing Pastors how to administer the Communion to sicke persons and yet wee trust yee will not call him a Papist since hee was so hatefull to Papists that after hee was dead they raysed vp his bones and burnt them PETER MARTYR wryting vpon the tenth Chapter of the first Epistle to the CORINTH speaking of the LORD'S Supper hath these wordes They say it must bee given to sicke persons I confesse sayeth hee but the mysterie may bee celebrated before the sicke persons It is to bee remarked also that often-tymes it falleth out that some persons are affixed to their beds by sicknesse for the space of fiue or sixe yea ten yeares or more And how can we denye the comfort of this holie Sacrament to those all that space especiallie when they earnestlie long for it 65. This doctrine and practise of ours tendeth not to the contempt of the Sacraments as yee would beare vpon it it is playne contrarie for by this practise wee show how much wee reverence the Commandement of GOD and how highlie wee esteeme of his ordinances which wee so earnestlie seeke after whereas on the other part the practise of others leadeth people to the contempt of the Sacraments because they are moved there-by to thinke that there is no such necessitie and efficacie in them as Scripture and the consent of Christians hath ascrybed there-vnto As for other abuses rehearsed by you as fruites of private Baptisme since you bring no proofe for what yee say in this wee oppone our just denyall to your bare and vnjust assertion 66. Lastlie yee advertise the Reader that yee thinke not the materiall Churches but the ordinarie meetinges necessarie to the lawfull administration of the Sacraments lest anie should conceaue that yee entertayne a Superstitious conceat of places Wee thinke yee might haue spared this advertisement for we finde that they who oppugne our doctrine and practise in this poynt are so farre from beeing in danger of the extremitie mentioned by you that on the contrarie they teach that the Church is a Place no more holie than anie other and that it may bee indifferentlie vsed to sacred or civill vses which in our judgment is not agreeable eyther to holie Scripture or to sound Antiquitie See Eusebius in his Ecclesiasticke Historie Lib. 10. Cap. 3. Chrysost homil 36. on the first Epistle to the CORINTHIANS S. Augustine in his first Booke of the citie of GOD Cap. 1. Codex Theodasianus Lib. 9. Titul 45. de his qui ad Ecclesias confugerunt Conc. Gangrens Can. 21. THE V. DVPLY THE indifferent Reader may perceaue by our former DVPLYE that your ANSWRE to our first exception taken from the obedience due to Authoritie and from our judgement concerning the administration of BAPTISME and the LORD'S Supper to dying persons in private places hath not given satisfaction 2. Wee asked of you in our fift DEMAND how wee can Subscrybe the Negatiue Confession as it is propounded by you without contradicting the Positiue Confession approved by Parliament holden Anno 1567 since the Positiue Confession CHAP. 21 declareth that Rites are changeable according to the exigencie of tyme and consequentlie that no perpetuall Law may or ought to bee made of them and the Negatiue Confession maketh a perpetuall Law concerning the externall Rites of the Church at least according to your judgement who vrge the Subscryving of this Covenant and Confession vpon vs Wee vrged farther in our Replye that the Late Covenant bindeth vs to the Olde Covenant made Anno 1581 for by your Late Covenant yee professe your selues bound
the Doctrines of those with whome yee joyne yee acknowledge no lawfull Authoritie at all in Prelates aboue your selues and other Ministers and yee seeme so to insinuate so much here by blaming vs for calling them Reverend and holie Fathers Wee are perswaded of the lawfullnesse of their Office and therefore are not ashamed with Scripture and Godlie Antiquitie to call such as are advaunced to this Sacred Dignitie Fathers and Revenrend Fathers Neyther should personall faultes alleadged by you hinder our observance till what is alleadged bee clearlie proven For so long as thinges are doubfull wee should interpret to the better parte LVKE 6.37 And it is a Rule of Lawe that in a doubtfull case the state of a Possessour is best and consequentlie of him that hither-to hath beene in a Possission of a good name as also that in thinges doubtfull wee should rather favour the persone accused than him that accuseth 3. If yee bee of this same judgement with vs concerning the lawfullnesse of their Office why doe ye not reverence them as well as wee But if their verie Office seeme to you vnlawfull wee esteeme your judgement contrarie to holie Scripture to all sound Antiquitie and to the best Learned amongst Reformed Divines Heare what MELANCHTHON sayeth I would to GOD I would to GOD it laye in mee not to confirme the Dominion but to restore the Governement of Bishops for I see what manner of Policie wee shall have the Ecclesiasticall Policie beeing dissolved I doe see that heereafter will growe vp a greater tyrannie in the Church than ever was before And agayne in an-other Epistle to Camerarius hee sayeth You will not believe howe much I am hated by those of Noricum and by others for the restoring of Jurisdiction to Bishops So our Companions fight for their owne Kingdome not for the Kingdome of CHRIST So in other place See Bucer de Regno CHRISTI Pag. 67. 4. Thirdlie Yee alleadge the zeale of the people by reason where-of yee saye that it was no-thing strange that in such a case they were stirred vp to oppose Suppone they had opposed yet that they should haue so opposed as to haue offered violence to Sacred persons Prelates or Ministers who are spirituall Fathers seemeth to vs verie strange for all that hitherto yee haue sayde There is no zeale without the exraordinarie inâ—â—inct of GOD'S Spirit which can warrand mâ—n destiâ—â—â—e â—f Authoritie to laye their handes on â—â—â—h persons Touch not Myne anoynted and doe My Prophets 〈◊〉 harme sayeth the LORD PSALME 105. Let all thâ—nges bee done decentlie and in order sayeth S. PAVL 1. COR. 14.40 GOD is not the Author of confusion or tumult but of peace sayeth that same Apostle there VERSE 33. To this purpose Grogorie Nazianzene in his 26 Oration speaking of the chiefe causes of division in the Church sayeth One of them ia vnrulie ferventnesse without reason and knowledge and the another is disorder and vndecencie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 5. The sonne should account the person of his Father Sacred ff de obsequiis Lib. 9. So wee ought also to esteeme of our Spirituall Fathers and there-fore to offer injurie to their persons and that in tyme of Divine Service must needes bee a grievous sinne In the Novell Constitutions of IVSTINIAN Authent Collat. 9. Tit. 6. Novella 123. de SANCTISS EPISCOPIS c. CAP 31. there is a remarkeable Lawe to this purpose cited vpon the MARGINE The lyke Law wee finde in Cod. Iustin Lib. 1. Tit. 3. de Episcop Clericis Now altho in these imperiall Lawes the sanction bee severe yet wee wish no such severitie to bee vsed amongst vs but praying GOD to forgiue them who haue transgressed Wee desire them to consider that auncientlie amongst Christians such doings were greatlie disallowed 6. S. Chrysostome speaking of the reverence due by people to Pastours sayeth A man may nowe see that there are not so great Scoffes and reproaches vsed by the vnfaythfull agaynst the Rulers as by those that seeme to bee faythfull and to bee joyned with vs. Let vs therefore inquyre whence commeth this negligence and contempt of pietie that wee haue such a hostilitie agaynst our Fathers There is nothing there is nothing that can so easilie destroy the Church as wheÌ„ there is not an exact joynture of Disciples to their Masters of childreÌ„ to parents and of theÌ„ that are ruled with their rulers He that but speaketh evil against his brother is debarred from reading the divyne Scriptures for what hast thou to doe to take my Covenant in thy mouth sayth the LORD subjoyneth this cause Thou sittest and speakest evill of thy brother and thinkest thou thy selfe worthie to come to the sacred porches who accusest thy spirituall Father How agreeth this with reason For if they who speake evill of Father or Mother should dye according to the Law of what judgemeÌ„t is he worthie who dare speake evil of him who is much more necessarie and better than those Parentes Why feareth hee not that the earth should open and swallow him or that thunder should come from Heaven and burne vp that cursing tongue See him also Lib. 3. de Sacerdotio Cap. 5. 6. 7. In the next place yee saye that the keeping of GOD'S House from Pollution and superstition belongeth to Authoritie to the communitie of the Faythfull and to everie one in his owne Place and Order but certainlie if everie one or all the communitie keepe their owne Place and Order they can doe no-thing in this by way of force without farre lesse agaynst Authoritie Hence Zanchius in his first Booke of Images Thes 4 sayeth Without Authoritie of the Prince it is lawfull to none in this Countrey to take Idoles out of Churches or to chaunge anie thing in Religion hee that doeth so should bee punished as seditious This hee confirmeth by reason and by the testimonie of Saynct Augustine Tom. 10. de Sermone Domini in Monte Homilia 6. And a little after hee subjoyneth Augustine handeleth this Argument piouslie hee dehorteth his people from such a practise and sayeth That it is pravorum hominum furiosorum circumcellionum 8. As for your vehement Accusations and Threatnings heere and Answere 14 agaynst the wryter of the late WARNING to the Subjects in SCOTLAND yee may easilie perceaue by the Printed Edition of that WARNING and by the Printed Editions of our REPLYES that that offence is taken away And now Reverende Brethren why are yee pleased thus to digresse from the matter in hand to waken and holde on foote personall quarrels agaynst your brother by digging vp buried wordes and renewing haske interpretations thereof contrarie to his loving intention and after that himselfe for satisfaction to all men hath so publicklie disallowed and abolished these wordes This vncharitable dealing can bring no advantage to the cause which yee mayntayne but rather maketh it the more to bee disgusted in consideration of your too great eagernesse to stirre
declaration in your favoures as yee alleadge Of OBEDIENCE due by Subjects to AVTHORITIE 5. The poynt touching Royall Authoritie is not so full of thornes and rockes as yee giue out if men would bee pleased vnpartiallie to holde the playne and patent way layde before vs by holie Scripture and by Orthodoxe Antiquitie and by manie Eminent Divynes in the reformed Church and learned Politickes which wee shall heere make manifest after the vindication of those three famous Theologues Whitaker Bilson and Rivet whom yee would haue the Reader to esteeme favourers of your opinion 6. Doctor Whitakers wordes agaynst William Raynold translated into English out of the Latine Edition at Oppenheme Anno 1612. Pag. 51. are these Hee relateth the tumults and troubles which were raysed for Religion in Germanie France and Boheme as if that one thing were sufficient to condemne them because once they did oppose themselues and resisted the violence offered to GOD'S Trueth and to themselues Where-as notwithstanding Fayth Oath and publicke Edicts and finallie the Lawes themselues gaue them warrand to doe the same I will not say more of this matter which is nowayes pertinent to the present purpose especiallie seeing not onlie their just Apologie but also the Edicts of the Princes themselues haue liberated them from the cryme of rebellion By these words of Doctor Whitaker which yee haue cited the Reader may easilie perceaue that hee doeth nowayes mayntayne or allowe taking of Armes by Subjects without warrand of the publicke Lawes and approbation of the Prince but excuseth what was done in those warres by the allowance of the Lawes and Edicts of Princes 7. So also Doctor Bilson in his Booke entituled The true difference betwixt Christian Subjection and vnchristian Rebellion printed at Oxford Anno 1585 Pag. 382. in the wordes cited by you declareth evidentlie that hee speaketh of such Republickes States as haue defences warranded by fundamentall Covenant in that Governement But what is that Doctors mynde concerning the duetie of Subjects in a free and absolute Monarchie is evident by his owne words in that same booke Pag. 380 where disputing agaynst a Jesuit hee sayeth Warre for the Catholicke Religion is both lawfull and honourable you say you must adde of the Subjectes agaynst their Prince or else you range cleane besides our question Wee stryue not what causes may leade Christian Princes to make Warre on their Neyghboures but whether it bee lawfull or tollerable for the Subject to beare Armes agaynst his naturall and absolute Prince You proue which is nothing to our purpose But Sir in this enterpryze the person must bee respected as well as the cause Bee the cause never so just if the person bee not authorized by GOD to draw the Sword they bee no just nor lawfull Warres Private men may not venter on Warres vnlesse they bee directly warranded by him that hath the Sword from GOD. And agayne in that same booke Pag. 502 Our Saviour for teaching his that they should bee brought before Kings and Rulers and put to death and hated of all men for His Name sake addeth not as you would haue it and hee that first rebelleth but hee that endureth to the ende shall bee saved and agayne Not with violence restrayne them but in patience possesse your owne soules This is the way for all Christian Subjects to conquer Tyrants and this is the remedie provyded in the New Testament agaynst all persecutions not to resist powers which GOD hath ordayned lest wee bee damned but with all meeknesse to suffer that wee may bee crowned And Pag. 513. hee showeth that manifolde formes of Common-Wealthes make diverse men speake diverslie of the Magistrates sword And Pag. 518. hee pleadeth that the Subjects in England haue not that lawfull warrand to draw the sword without consent of their Prince as the Germanes haue without consent of the Emperour and this discourse hee prosecuteth in some following pages 8. The same is the meaning of Doctor Rivet as wee take it in his Commentarie vpon the PSALME 68 where he distinguisheth betweene an absolute Principalitie and such a Principalitie as is onlie Conditionall Pactionall Conventionall Of this second sort are to bee vnderstood his words of just and necessarie defence But of the absolute Principalitie speaking in that same place hee recommendeth to Subjects rather suffering of Martyrdome And this to bee his meaning appeareth more clearlie by his last declaration concerning this question in his late Treatise entituled Jesuita Vapulans where beeing pressed by an adversarie hee handleth this question of purpose In the meane tyme wee wonder verie much that yee haue not directlie answered to these remarkeable wordes of Doctor Rivet alleadged by vs in our Replye wherein hee playnlie averreth that the doctrine of Buchanane Knox and Goodman concerning Subjects resisting their lawfull Princes is not approved by anie sound Protestant Wee expected from you a full and particular Answere and now agayne we would gladlie heare whether yee approue the judgement of Rivet concerning that doctrine of these wryters or not 9. Thus having vindicated these three divynes which yee alleadge for you wee come now to those Testimonies which wee promised for clearing of the playnnesse of the way touching Authoritie First it is evident by holie Scripture that it is vnlawfull for Subjects in a Monarchicall estate such as is this Kingdome of Scotland to take Armes for Religion or for anie other pretence without warrand and power from the Prince and Supreame Magistrate For the Scripture teacheth vs that the SWORD belongeth onlie to the KING and to them who are sent by him ROM 13. 1. PET. 2.13.14 That wee ought to keepe the King's commandement and that in regarde of the Oath of GOD ECCLES 8.2 And that wee should bee subject not onlie for wrath but also for conscience sake because the Powers that bee are ordayned of GOD Who-so-ever there-fore sayeth S. PAVL resisteth the Power resisteth the ordinance of GOD And they that resist shall receaue to themselues damnation ROM 13. In the wordes of the Apostle S. PAVL there is a remarkable opposition betwixt Subjection and Resistance 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 implying that all militarie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whether Defensiue or Offensiue if it bee agaynst the Superiour Power which GOD hath set over vs is forbidden In lyke manner we reade MATTHEW 26.52 that all they that take the Sword shall perish with the Sword Now certayne it is that in a Free Monarchie Subjects haue not the Sword from GOD except by the hand of the King to whom onlie GOD hath immediatelie given it And therefore who-so-ever taketh the Sword without his warrand hath just reason to feare the foresayde warning of our Saviour Manie other places of Scripture might bee adduced to this purpose which for brevitie wee omit and doe proceede in the next rowme to some testimonies of ancient Fathers other wryters 10. Tertullian in his Apologeticke Chap. 30. and 33. and 37.
lyklie that your Vowe of the recovering the Libertie and Puritie of the Gospell as it was before Episcopacie and Pearth Articles were introduced importeth onelie an Intention of removing of the Consequentes of Pearth Articles and Episcopacie and not of the removing of those thinges them-selues Truelie wee are perswaded that they who knowe the state of this CHVRCH and your mynde concerning these thinges will thinke this your Glosse of your owne wordes to bee violent and excogitated for cluding our Argument 6. Secondlie Who can thinke that yee and others Contryvers of the Late Covenant who condemne Pearth Articles and Episcopacie as much as yee doe the consequentes of them haue onelie vowed to remoue their Consequentes and not remoue them-selues 7. Thirdlie is it possible that anie can promise and vowe to labour for the curing of so manie and so great pretended diseases of this Church wee meane these abuses which yee say haue accompanied Pearth Articles and Episcopacie and in the meane tyme promise and intende nothing concerning the removing of the causes of them 8. Fourthlie how can wee without great prejudice of our cause acknowledge that these grosse abuses mentioned by you haue entred in the Sacrament by kneeling before the Elements yee should haue sayde at the receaving of the Elements for seeing Kneeling at the receaving of the Sacrament is confessed by vs to bee a matter indifferent if in our Oath wee acknowledge these grosse abuses to haue entred in vpon Kneeling it will probablie follow in the judgement of some and in your judgement who recommend this Oath vnto vs it will follow infalliblie that Kneeling for the evill consequences thereof ought to bee removed Doe yee not heere cunninglie deale with vs For altho yee vrge vs not as yee say to sweare and promise the removing of Kneeling yet yee vrge vs by your owne confession to promise the removing of these abuses occasioned by Kneeling which beeing acknowledged by vs yee will then take vpon you to demonstrate that Kneeling it selfe ought to bee removed for yee holde it for a Maxime That thinges indifferent beeing abused and polluted with Superstition should bee abolished Wee can not sufficientlie marvell how yee who are of this mynde can say to vs that wee who allowe Pearth Articles and Episcopacie may sweare to recover the Libertie and Puritie of the Gospell as it was before c. For yee meane that wee may doe so without prejudice of our cause But wee haue alreadie showne that according to your judgement and doctrine if wee sweare that which yee would haue vs to sweare our cause shall bee much prejudged yea vtterlie lost 9. Fiftlie Howe can wee sweare to remoue these grosse abuses entered in vpon Kneeling as yee alleadge seeing wee thinke that no such abuses haue entered in vpon it Yea our people trye them who please will show that they are as free from all erronious conceits concerning that holie Sacrament as anie living in these Congregations where Kneeling is daylie cryed downe 10 Sixtlie as for these abuses and corruptions reckoned vp by you as the consequentes of the observation of Festivall dayes to passe by that which before wee marked concerning Kneeling to wit that the granting of this were a great prejudice to our cause some of these are not abuses at all as cessation from worke Agayne some of them haue not come in vpon the observation of the Articles of Pearth as Guysing and Feasting yee meane excessiue Feasting for otherwyse it is not an abuse which onlie fall foorth on Christ-mas Feastivitie For sure wee are that these abuses haue not come by the anniversarie commemoration of CHIST'S Nativitie in the which by the ordinance of Pearth Assemblie all Superstitious observation and Prophanation of that day or anie other day is prohibited and appoynted to be rebuked This the Reverend and learned Bishop of EDINBVRGH in his defence of the Act of Pearth Assemblie concerning Feastivities PAG. 63. proveth because sayeth hee wee haue lacked preaching vpon Christ-mas day these fiftie seaven yeares by-gone in our Church yet Ryot Prophanenesse Surfet and Drunkennesse haue not beene wanting 11. Seaventhlie as for Superstitious observation of dayes whereof hitherto wee haue had no experience wee marvell that yee can reckon it amongst the Consequentes of the observation of dayes seeing in your judgement it is all one with the observation of dayes For yee thinke the observation of anie daye except the LORD'S Day to bee in the owne nature of it Superstitious and Will-worship 12. As for the last part of your Answere to our Argument concerning the fore-sayde period of tyme where yee alleadge that manie Corruptions of Popish and Arminian doctrine haue entered in the Kirke c. wee aske you Whether yee designe heere an other period of tyme than yee did before or if yee designe onlie this selfe-same period of tyme in the which both the fore-sayde Practicall Abuses and these Doctrinall Corruptions haue entered into this Church accompanying a yee alleadge Pearth Articles and Episcopacie Or last of all If yee designe no period of tyme at all If yee take you to this last professing that yee haue heere designed no period of tyme then yee answere not our Argument where-in wee particularlie and expresslie posed you concerning that period of tyme vnto which your wordes cited oft before haue reference If yee designe the same period of tyme then looke howe yee can escape our praeceeding Argumentes concerning that period of tyme. 13. But if yee designe an other period of tyme then wee aske you Whether it bee prior or posterior to the period of tyme alreadie mentioned to wit the tyme praeceeding the bringing in of the Articles of Pearth Yee can not say that it is posterior to it for yee complayned of Arminian Corruptions even before Pearth Assemblie branding some of the most Learned of our Church with that Aspersion And of Popish Corruptions of Doctrine yee complayned when Pearth Articles and Episcopacie were established For the Doctrines of the lawfulnesse and expediencie of these thinges are in your judgement meerlie Popish and Antichristian Neyther can yee say that it is prior to the fore-sayde period of tyme for the tyme praeceeding the in-bringing of Pearth Articles comprehendeth all that tract of tyme which interveaned betwixt the Reformation and Pearth Assemblie 14. But wee will yet more evidentlie convince you by two other Arguments drawne from that part of your Covenant of which wee are now speaking and from the wordes of this your Answere to our fourth REPLYE for first in your Covenant yee promise and also will haue vs to promise with you To forebeare for a tyme the practise of Pearth Articles vntill they bee tryed as yee say in a free Assemblie But this forbearance importeth a manifest prejudice and wronging of our cause for this is a fore-acknowledgement eyther of the vnlawfulnesse or else of the inexpediencie of the matters concluded in Pearth Assemblie For wherefore ought wee in this exigence of
the which that Olde Covenant is renewed Truelie yee might haue alleadged this if wee had propounded that objection and had left it vnanswered But wee answered it and brought some reasons which yee wyselie did passe by perceaving the force of them to show that wee can not convenientlie subscrybe your Late Covenant notwithstanding of our Judgement or rather Opinion of the meaning of the Olde Covenant We say Opinion for to speake truelie what we thinke wee doubt and so doe others with vs concerning the meaning of some parts of the Olde Covenant touching matters of Ecclesiasticall policie and haue not so full a perswasion in our myndes concerning those parts as may bee to vs a warrand of our Oath 21. Fourthlie where-as yee say that it was not for vs to inquyre in your private opinion concerning the meaning of the Late Covenant in that part of it where it tyeth vs to the inviolable observation of the Olde Covenant nor was it necessarie for you to make it knowne to vs Wee answere that wee inquired not your private opinion but the common judgement of all those who with you these twentie yeares by past haue accused vs of Perjurie for the alleadged violation of the Olde Covenant sworne by our Praedecessoures And truelie wee had more than reason to doe so because wee most justlie feared that yee who haue so oft accused vs of Perjurie for practising Rites and Ceremonies abjured as yee alleadge in the Olde Covenant sworne by our Praedecessoures would much more vehementlie yea also with a greater show of probabilitie accuse vs of Perjurie for violation of the Olde Covenant sworne and ratified by our selues in this Late Covenant if wee should stand to the defence of Pearth Articles in tyme to come It became vs therefore for eschewing of this inconvenient to inquyre of you and you also sincerelie and playnlie to declare to vs whether or not wee may Subscrybe sweare the New Covenant as it includeth and ratifieth the Olde and yet bee reallie free from all abjuration or condemning Pearth Articles and Episcopacie And lykewyse whether or not yee and all others who are of your mynde will holde and esteeme vs free from abjuration of them not-with-standing of our subscrybing of your Covenant These Questions requyre a punctuall Aunswere For if our subscrybing of your Covenant may eyther import a reall Abjuration of Pearth Articles or if it may make you to thinke that by vertue of our Subscription wee are reallie and in-deede bound to reject them for ever neyther can wee with a good conscience subscrybe your Covenant neyther can yee with a good conscience requyre it of vs. 22. Fiftlie from our refusing to subscrybe the Late Covenant in so farre as it reneweth the Olde Covenant or Little Confession because that Confession according to your Interpretation or conception of it importeth an Abjuration of Pearth Articles yee collect first that vpon this ground wee would not haue subscrybed the Late Confession anie tyme by-past Secondlie That wee can not sweare the Confession of anie Church no not the Articles of the CREED Petitions of the LORD'S PRAYER nor Praeceptes of the ten COMMANDEMENTS in respect of the diverse Interpretations which men giue of them Wee answere first that since the Little Confession is not of Divine Authoritie and since the Humane Authoritie which it had hath these manie yeares by-gone ceassed as THE PEACEABLE WARNING Latelie given to the Subjectes in SCOTLAND proveth wee would haue refused our Subscription vnto it ever since wee heard that it importeth an Abjuration of all Rites and Ceremonies which were not receaved in our CHVRCH in the yeare 1681 except wee had gotten some Evidence to the contrarie sufficientlie satisfying our myndes Secondlie As for the CREED LORD's PRAYER and tenne COMMANDEMENTS your Argument taken from the varietie of mens Expositions of them is farre from the purpose For since wee are perswaded that the Author or Penne-men of THEM neyther intended nor yet delivered anie thing in them but Trueth and that their Expression is authenticke wee are bound to embrace and receaue them not-with-standing of the varietie of Interpretations which men giue of them neyther is it lawfull to vs to refuse our Subscription or Assent to them what-so-ever be the judgement or assent of those who requyre it of vs beeing allwayes bound to acknowledge the infallible Authoritie of them even when wee doubt of the true meaning of them Thirdlie As for anie of these later Confessions of Churches if the case bee such as nowe it is in this particular of this Late Covenant that is if wee bee not bound by anie standing Lawe to subscrybe it and if it bee so lyable to the varietie of Interpretations that it may probablie import that which wee thinke to bee contrarie to the TRVETH and if these who requyre our Subscription bee in our judgement Opposers of the Trueth in anie poynt contayned in that Confession may make advantage of our Subscription alleadging that wee are tyed by it to consent to their Doctrines or Practises we may justlie in such a case denye our Subscription to that Confession for the ambiguitie of it and much more may desire those who vrge vs to subscrybe it to declare vnto â—s before wee giue our SVBSCRIPTION Whether or not that CONFESSION in their judgement will tye vs to their Doctrines and Practises 23. Last of all In modestie as yee say but with a jesting complement yee present vnto vs a Dish of our owne dressing yee meane the lyke Argument AD HOMINEM which is this The Rites and Ceremonies which are not abjured in the Negatiue Confession are not abjured in this Late Covenant But the Rites and Ceremonies which were concluded in Pearth Assemblie are not abjured as yee say in the Negatiue Confession made anno 1581 therefore they are not abjured in this Late Covenant The first Proposition as yee say is evident because in the Late Covenant wee are bound no farther concerning the Negatiue Confession but to keepe it inviolable And there-fore what Rites are not abjured there are not abjured heere Lyke-wyse yee say that the second PROPOSITION can not bee denyed by vs in respect these twentie yeares by-gone wee haue thought our selues free of Perjurie not-with-standing of the Oath made 1581 and of our conforming our selues to the Ordinance of PEARTH Good Brethren yee haue retorted this Argument verie weaklie vpon vs. For first wee flatlie denye the Major of your Syllogisme and withall doe repell the confirmation of it For altho Pearth Articles were not abjured in the Late Covenant in so farre as it reneweth the Negatiue Confession yet they may bee and as it is alreadie proven they are abjured in that other part of your Late Covenant where yee vowe and promise To recover the Libertie and Puritie of the Gospell as it was established and professed before the fore-sayde Novations-Next as for your Minor or second Proposition wee suspend our judgement of it vntill wee bee better informed
Hornes of it still towards you Yee farther insinuate that our Reasons are not solide and graue but velitations of such a sort as yee looked not for Let the judicious Reader pronounce his sentence of this onelie wee wish that yee had chosen rather to satisfie than to contemne our Reasons That which yee heere agayne adde concerning the change of Commissioners is answered in our fourth DVPLYE 8. To giue light to your former Discourse yee subjoyne a Distinction of Discipline into three members First yee saye It is taken for the Rule of Governement of the Church and Censure of Manners by Office-bearers appoynted by CHRIST and thus yee saye it is vnchangeable Secondlie For Constitutions of Councells and Actes of Parliament about matters of Religion And thus yee say it is alterable or constant according to the nature of particular Objectes Thirdlie For the ordering of Circumstances to bee observed in all actions Divine and Humane and so yee say it is variable First by these Distinctions the matter seemeth rather to bee obscured than cleared For ye doe not expresse in which of these senses the Discipline mentioned in the Negatiue Confession is to bee taken which was the poynt requyred of you 9. Secondlie Yee seeme by this Distinction to intangle your selues yet more For first if yee take the name of Discipline in anie one or anie two of these senses what say yee to these following wordes of your Dispute agaynst the English Popish Ceremonies Parte 4. Cap. 8. Sect. 8 The Bishop doeth but needleslie question what is meaned by the Discipline where-of the Oath speaketh For howsoever in Ecclesiasticall vse it signifieth often-tymes that Policie which standeth in the censuring of Manners yet in the Oath it must bee taken in the largest sense namelie for the whole Policie of the Church For 1. The whole Policie of this Church did at that tyme goe vnder the name of Discipline and those two Bookes wherein this Policie is contayned were called The Bookes of Discipline And without all doubt they who sware the Oath meaned by Discipline that whole Policie of the Church which is cōtayned in those Bookes 10. Secondly when that Little Confession was framed the Governmēt of the Church was onlie by Presbyters and not by Bishops and there-fore if yee thinke that the name of Discipline in that Confession comprehendeth vnder it the first part of your Distinction which as wee conceaue yee will not denye yee may easilie perceaue that wee are vrged by you to sweare and subscrybe agaynst our Consciences since wee thinke the Rule of the Governement of the Church which then was to bee changeable and that the Governement was lawfullie chaunged by following Assemblies and Parliamentes from Presbyters to Bishops 11. Thirdlie If these Constitutions of Councels concerning Objects alterable mentioned in the second member of your Distinction bee one and the same with ordering of variable Circumstances mentioned in the third member why haue yee distinguished the one from the other But if they bee different then yee graunt that Ecclesiasticke Constitutions may bee made concerning some alterable matters of Religion which are not bare Circumstances which is repugnant to your ordinarie Doctrine where-by yee mayntayne that nothing changeable is lest to the Determination of the Church in matters of Religion but onelie Circumstances of Actions Wee can not see howe yee can mayntayne this Doctrine and yet oppose the Determinations of the Church concerning Ceremonies which are indifferent 12. Wee had reason to inquyre your judgement concerning Rites or Ceremonies which are not of Divine Institution whether they bee lawfull or not though yee still shunne the declaring of it Since by your Covenant yee intende a reformation of Religion and a recovering of the Libertie and Puritie of the Gospell as yee speake if yee in your judgement condemne such Ceremonies as yee insinuate wee can not expect but that if yee obtayne your desires all such Rites shall bee expelled and condemned especiallie since by this your Late Covenant yee tye your selues to that Olde Covenant where-in yee disclayme and detest all Rites brought into the Church without the word of GOD. Now wee can not concurre with you for promoving this ende because such a judgement is playne contrarie to ours yea contrarie to the vniversall judgement and practise of the Auncient Kirke repugnant also to the judgement of the Protestant Churches and most famous Divynes therein as may appeare by the quotations on the margine But if yee bee of the same mynde with vs and thinke that there are some Rites of that kynde lawfull why doe you hide your mynde from vs and others since the acknowledgement and manifesting of this Trueth would bee no small advancement to your cause by removing this great offence Of Matrimoniall Benediction and God-fathers in Baptisme 13. As for solemne blessing of Marriage wee asked what warrand yee had for it by Praecept or Practise set downe in GOD'S word In your Answere yee insinuate that it is a blessing of the people cōmanded in the Law and more playnlie wee finde this set downe in the Dispute agaynst the English Popish Ceremonies PART 3. CAP. 2. SECT 10. Yet playne it is from Scripture it selfe that Matrimoniall Benediction ought to bee given by a Pastor for GOD hath commanded His Ministers to blesse His people NVM 6. First who ever before you did ground the necessitie of solemne blessing of Marriage vpon these words NVM 6.23 Speake vnto Aaron and vnto his sonnes saying On this wyse yee shall blesse the children of Israel saying vnto them The LORD blesse thee and keepe thee c. Learned Melanchton was not so well versed in Scriptures as to see this For hee sayeth in his Epistles Pag. 328. Yee see that the Rite of the Auncients is that the Brydegroome and Bryde are joyned before the Altar in the sight of GOD and with the incalling of GOD. Which custome vndoubtedlie hath beene ordained by the first Fathers that wee may consider that this conjunction was appoynted by GOD and is assisted by Him 14. Secondlie By this commandement of GOD to blesse the people NVM 6. eyther there is a necessitie layde vpon the Church to blesse Marriages solemnlie or not If yee say there is not a necessitie then there is no commandement of GOD there-anent for it is necessarie to obey GOD'S Commandement If yee say there is a necessitie what say yee then to your Friend Didoclaue who in his Altar of Damascus Pag. 866 affirmeth that neyther the presence of the Congregation nor blessing of the Minister is necessarie to this action And if yee dissent heere-in from him yee are holden to prooue your opinion by a necessarie consequence from holie Scripture which wee are perswaded yee are not able to doe 15. Thirdlie The Commaundement To blesse the people is no lesse if not more generall than that 1. COR. 14.40 Let all thinges bee done decentlie and in order on the which wordes both Auncient and Recent