Lutquharne Glen-vrquhart younger Clunie-Gordoun Boningtoun-woode Weymis Balvaird Bilcolmie Balcarras Balmanno Bombie Blackbarronie Lagg Burgesses for Edinburgh David Akinheid George Fowlis For Perth Iames Aedie Constant Malice For Dundie M r. Alexander Wedderburne younger Robert Clay-hils for Aberdine M r. Iohn Mortimer For Sterling Christopher Alexander for S. Androes Iohn Knox Thomas Lentroun for the Vniversity of S. Androes Doctor Bruce Bishops all except Argyle and the Iles. Ministers Commissioners from presbyteries According to the ordinance and laudable custome of this Church anent the sanctification of her meetings by fasting and prayer intimation was made vpon the Sabboth preceding in the Church of Perth of a fast to be observed the first day of the assemblie but the fast was little regarded sauing that two sermons were made The first was made in the morning by Patrik Bishop of Aberdine His text Ezra 7.23 he observed and enlarged this ground that nothing should be done or determined in the Church by any superiour power whatsoeuer but that which is according to the commandement of the almightie King The other sermon was made at the tenth houre by Iohn Archbishop of Saint Andrews in the lytle Church His text 1. Cor. 11.16 was very pertinent but he ranne quicklie from it He discoursed the space of two houres first in defence of ceremonies in generall Next of the fiue articles in particular His best arguments for proofe or improbation was some testimonies cited out of Calvin Martyr Beza but perverted The said Arch Bishop in his discourse made ample protestation that he vnderstood not of the intended novations before they came of his Majestie Item that his Majesty would haue had these fiue Articles registred as Canons in the booke of the generall Assemblie without either reasoning or voting but by his meanes his Majestie was put of till the consent of the Church should be obtayned This his protestation he confirmed with a dreadfull execration that the curse of God might light on him and his if he had not spoken truely Immediately after the said discourse was holden the first Session of this assemblie in maner following There was set in the litle Church a long table and at the head thereof a short crosse table At the crosse table were set chaires for his Maiesties Commissioners and the Moderator At the syde of the long table were set forms for Noblemen Barons Burgesses Bishops and Doctors The Ministers were left to stand behind them as if their place and parte had been onely to behold The Arch-bishop placed himself at the head of the table in the Moderators chaire beside his Majesties Commissioners After prayer he notified to the assemblie that Maister Thomas Nicolson ordinary Clark had dimitted his office in favour of Maister Iames Sandelands Aduocate He commended the said Maister Iames as a man qualified for that office and readie to further the brethren in their particular affaires And so without formall voting or lyte he tooke him sworne and admitted him Clerk The Brethren were ordained to giue in their commissions to him after the rising of this session After that Doctor Young Deane of Winchester by birth a Scotishman presented his Majesties letter directed to the Lords of the privie Counsell and the Bishops This letter was twise read in open audience Terrours were mixed with allurements to mooue the assemblie After the reading of his Majesties letter the Archbishop had a speach wherein he protested that neither he nor the Church of England had craued these nouations nor geuen counsel thereanent and that it was against his will that euer they were motioned Yet now he is perswaded that his Majestie would be more glad of the consent of this assemblie therevnto then of all the gold of India assureing them on the other parte in case of their refusall the whole estate and order of our Church will be overthrown Some Ministers will be banished other some will bee deprived of their stipend and office and all will be brought under the wrath of authority He advised them rather to consent in time then afterward to beg favour by offering conformity and finde none He alledged a letter written to him by a banished minister M. Iohn Sharp requesting liberty to serue God in his own countrey and offering to submit himselfe in all things But the letter was neither read nor seen O sayd he I know when some of you are banished and others deprived yee will blame us and call us persecuters but we will lay all the burden upon the King And if you call him a persecuter all the world wil stand up against you After his owne speach he required Doctor Young to speak if so be hee had intention or commission to that effect The Doctor after his preface of insinuation layd out the proceedings of the last assembly holden at S. Androes the taunt and reproches breathed out at Court against the same his Maiesties high displeasure kindled by occasion thereof like a flame of fire ready to consume all except it were quenched in this present assembly by condiscending to the fiue articles Hee taxed the state of our Church whereof he was ignorant It pleased his wisdom to bring in the Puritan and the Papist like Herod and Pilat conspiring Si non contra Christum Deminum tamen contra Christum Domini In end with words framed for the purpose and uttered in a mourning maner hee went about to catch consent to the fiue articles The ministers defenders of the established order perceiuing the drift of these discourses and all other meanes to be prepared and disposed for dashing of simple men modestly required foure things 1. That none be admitted to vote but such as are authorized with lawfull commission The Archbishop answered hiâ— Maiesty had written to noble men and Barons willing them to be present at this assembly if any man had any exception against them they should be heard It was replyed that they were not to except against their honorable persons or presence but earnestly to â—rave that the order of the Church might be observed whereby it is provided that without commission none haue place to vote in generall assemblies 2. That the liberty of the Church be not broken in the election of the Moderator and that a lawfull lite be made to that effect It was answered by the Archbishop that this Assembly is convocate within the bounds of his diocesse he would understand who will take his province over his head So he intruded him selfe in the Moderators office without election 3. That the articles proponed in short and generall summes might be put in forme and amply extended as his Majesty would haue them inacted that they may be the better aduised and considered The pretended Moderator answered let alone these toyes trouble us not with needlesse questions we shall speak of these things in the priuy conference 4. That some of either opinion may be set apart to collect and put in order the reasons of either side for the
rite of Imposition of hands they take imposition of hands for a signe of the Kirk confirming them in their possession by her approbation and not for a signe and seale of the spirite confirming and strengthening Of Bishoping WE haue abjured Episcopall government and therfore we can not lawfully admit Episcopall confirmation giving and not granting their office were lawfull and that they haue gotten a lawfull calling by the Kirk to the sayd office thirdly that we were free of our oath and fourthly that confirmation were to be allowed whether as a ceremony or as a sacrament yet it is damnable presumption to appropriate unto themselues the duty that belongeth to all Pastors They alledge some similitudes for their purpose it appertaineth to the Captaine to take up the role of the souldiers and furnish them with armor the shepheard should mark his owne sheep c. As if every Minister were not a Captaine in the Lords Army and a shepheard feeding the flock concredite to him Bonaventura confesseth In talibus nempe rationibus convenientijs magis locum habet congruitas quam necessitas quia institutio necessitatem facit precipuè That there is no necessity but congruity in such reasons and that institution cheifly maketh necessity as for the congruities they agree as well to simple Ministers as to Bishops Bellarmine himself saith Non necessario id requirit natura rei quasi aliter sieri non posset sed quia voluit Dominus hac re honorare episcopalem dignitatem That the nature of the thing it selfe doth not necessarily require it but onely that the Lord wil honor Episcopall dignity by it they are forced therefore to forsake their reasons and congruitie as unsufficient and to take them to the will and institution of the Lord. Our first reason then against them is the want of institution or example in the Scripture They can alledge no other place Act. 8. where Peter and Iohn are sent to Samaria to impose hands on those who had bin baptized by Philip. If Phillip might haue done it what needed the Apostles to haue travelled to Samaria for that purpose none but Apostles imposed hands Bishops are the only successours of the Apostles Answer giving and not granting that Bishops are the Apostles successours first it is untrue that the Apostles only imposed hands when the holy Ghost was bestowed for Ananias layed hands on Paul Act. 9.17 he not onely cured him of his blindnes but also said the Lord hath sent me unto thee that thou mayest be filled with the holy Ghost 2. Peter and Iohn were sent not onely to impose hands but generally to advance the work begun by Philip. 3. There is no imposition of handes mentioned in that place but extraordinary and onely extraordinary effects are reckoned as hath already been said They exercised this extraordinary power not as Bishops but as Apostles Bishops are not their successours in their extraordinary power for then they might giue the gift of tongues and prophecying 4. Admitting that imposition of hands to haue been ordinary and accompanied at that time with miraculous gifts as accessory to the strengthning grace of confirmation it followeth not that the Bishops succeed only to the Apostles in the said ordinary part of their power because the Apostles being both Bishops and Presbyters the text maketh not manifest whether they imposed hands as Presbyters or as Bishops as Durandus saith Ex illo textu non est clarum an Apostoli confirmaveriâ—t tanquam Episcopi vel tanquam sacerdotes sacri etiam canones hoc clâ—â—e non determinant Augustine saith plainly they did it as Preists 5. Philip the Evangelist could not doe it and will Bishops presume that they can doe more then Philip the Evangelist the truth is it was an extraordinary and wonderfull power exercised by the Apostles Next confirmation belongeth not to the power of jurisdiction but of order Bishops and Presbyters are equall in the power of order as not onely many schoolmen of old but also some of our opposits of late do acknowledge If they wil say that they differ only in the exercise of rhis power it may be easely answered that a power granted and never permitted to be put in execution agreeth not with the wisdome of Christ as Swarez sayth In Aquin part 3. quaest 27. Si presbyteri ex vi sua ordinationis haberent sufficient â—m potestalem ordinis ad hoc sacramentum ministrandum sine causa in universum prohiberentur illud conferre Thirdly they may impose hands in ordination therfore they may doe it also in confirmation Armacanus reasoneth after this manner out of 1. Tim. 4.14 Fourthly they may minister the Lords Supper therefore they may minister it also for it is not more excellent then the Sacrament of the Supper Hierome reasoneth after this maner Fiftly the Sacraments that are for the vtility of the people ought not to be reserved to the Bishop because it may often fall out that the people depart without this benefit which they might easely haue had at home Sixtly we haue the testimony of the ancients Hierome saith it was the custom in the orient in Ilyricum in Italy in Africa and in all places in the Apostles time Ambrose saith Apud Egiptum Presbyteri consignant si presens non sit Episcopus that the Presbyters consigned that is confirmed in Egipt if the Bishop was not present Augustine saith the like in the decretales it is said that simple Preists at Constantinople according to the custome did minister the Sacrament of confirmation Turrianus reporteth that the Grecians reproue the Latines because they inhibit Preists to anoint the foreheads of the baptized with chrisme as Swarez testified in the place aboue cited And the Councile of Florence saith Apud Grecos sacerdotes non Episcopi chrismant that the Preists make Chrisme to make Chrisme is more then to confirme with Chrisme Hierom saith If the holy Ghost should come downe onely at the prayer of the Bishop thâ—se were to be lamented which in prisons or Castels or in far places being baptised by Preists Deacons die before the Bishop visit them The Armenians affirmed that it was lawfull to any Preist to confirme the baptized If Bishops did confirme in respect of their Episcopall and not their Preistly consecration then the Pope can not dispence in this case and giue a simple commission to that effect but so it is that the Pope hath dispensed in this case Gregory excuseth him self to Ianuarius with the custome of his owne Kirk for discharging the Preists in the I le of Sardinnia to confirme but he recalled his discharge when he perceaved that offence arose thereupon Rurall Bishops and Abbots did sometime confirm if we speak regularly rurall Bishops and Abbots were but simple Preists Hooker confesseth that baptisme and confirmation went commonly together I demand then if the Bishop was present at the baptisme of every one within his
word participation of the sacraments Commemoration of divine misteries may be performed upon the ordinary sabbath but to make up a festival day Bellarm. requireth a determination of a day signification and representation of the misteries wrought on such dayes Scaliger observeth that the ordinary sabbothes were never called Chaggim as the anniversarie solemnities were 1. Reason against festivall dayes Six dayes shalt thou labour and doe all that thou hast to doe These words are either a command to doe the works of our calling as many both Iewish and Christian divines doe interprete or els a permission as others doe interpret If they contein a command no countremand may take it away If a permission no human authority may spoile men of the liberty that God hath granted unto them as long as they haue any maner of worke to doe for the sustentation of this life The Muscovits therefore say very well that it is for Lords to keepe feasts and abstien from labour The Citizens and Artificers amongst them upon the festivall dayes after divine service do betake themselues to their labour and domestick affaires as Gaguinus reporteth It may be objected that Constantine the Emperour made a law that none but the Prince may ferias coÌ„dere erect an idle day the Prince then may inioyne a day of Cessation Answer The Lawes of the â—od are not rules of theologie A Prince may not inioyne Cessation from Oeconomicall and domestick works but for weapon shewing exercise of armes defence of the country or other publick works and affaires But that is not to injoyne a day of simple Cessation but to inioyne a politick work in place of the oeconomicall Every particular member ceassing from their particular work exerciseth another work serving for the preservation of the whole bodie The curse that Adam shall eate with the sweate of his browes is mitigated by the permission of six dayes labour The Lord permitteth unto man six lest he devoure the seventh day which is sanctified What if the Kirk representatiue injoyne a weekly holy day as another sabboth ought the Kirke to be obeyed what power hath the Kirk representatiue to inioyne an anniversary day more then a weekly or hebdomadary holy day If a day of simple Cessation from all maner of work Oeconomicall and politicall may not be inioyned a festivall day may not be inioyned I say further that the poore craftsman can not lawfully be commanded to lay aside his tooles and goe passe his time no not for an houre let be for a day as long as he is willing to worke and perhaps urged with the sharpnes of present necessity And yet farther that he ought not to be compelled to leaue his worke to goe to divine service except on the day that the Lord hath sanctified The second Reason It is the priuiledge of Gods power to appoint a day of rest and to sanctifie it to his honour as our best Divines mainteine Zanchius affirmeth that it is proper to God to choose any person or any thing to consecrate and sanctifie it to himselfe as it belongeth to him alone to justify Catechismus Hollandicus saith no wise man will deny that this sanctification belongeth onely to God that it is manifest sacriledge to attribute these things to men which are onely of divine ordination Willet sayth It belongeth onely to the Creator to sanctifie the Creature In the booke of Ecclesiasticus cap. 33.7.8 it is demanded Why doth one day excell another when as the light of every day of the yeare is of the Sun It is answered By the knowledge of the Lord they were distinguished and he altered seasons and feasts Some of them hath he made hie dayes and hallowed them Some of them he hath made ordinary dayes The common tenent of the Divines was acknowledged by the pretended Bishop of Galloway in his Sermon at the last Christmas It may offend you sayd he that this is an holy day I say there is no power either civill or Ecclesiasticall can make an holy day no King no Kirk onely the Lord that made the day and distinguished it from the night he hath sanctified the seventh day The like was acknowledged by M. P. Galloway in his Christmas Sermons If the speciall sanctification of a day to an holy use dependeth upon Gods commandement and institution then neither King nor Kirke representatiue may make an holy day The observers of dayes will say they count not their anniverserie daies holier then other dayes but that they keep them only for order and policie that the people may be assembled to religious exercises Answer The Papists will confesse that one day is not holier then another in its owne nature no not the Lords day for then the Sabboth might not haue been changed from the last to the first day of the weeke But they affirme that one day is holier then another in respect of the end and vse And so doe wee They call them holy dayes and so doe wee They vse them as memoriall signes of sacred mysteries whereof they carie the names as Nativitie Passion Ascension c. And so doe wee The presence of the festivitie putteth a man in minde of the mysterie howbeit he haue not occasion to be present in the holy Assembly We are commanded to obserue them in all points as the Lords day both in the publick Assemblies and after the dissoluing of the same Yea it is left free to teach any parte of Gods word on the Lords day but for solemnitie of the festiuall solemne texts must be chosen Gospels Epistles collects Psalmes must be framed for the particular service of these dayes and so the mysticall dayes of mans appointment shall not onely equall but in solemnity surpasse the morall sabboth appointed by the Lord. Doth not Hooker say that the dayes of publick memorials should be cloathed with the outward robes of holines They aledge for the warrant of anniversary festivities the Ancients who call them Sacred and misticall dayes If they were instituted only for order and policie that the people may Assemble to religious exercises Wherefore is there but one day appointed betwixt the Passion and Resurection fortie dayes betwixt the Resurrection and Ascension Ten betwixt the Ascension and Pentecost Wherefore follow we the course of the Moone as the Iewes did in our moveable feasts making the christian Church cloathed with the Sunne to walk vnder the Moone as Bonauentura alludeth Wherefore is there not a certain day of the moneth kept for Easter as well as for the nativitie Doth not Bellarmine giue this reason out of Augustine that the day of the Natiuity is celebrate only for memorie the other both for memorie and for sacraments Ille celebratur solum ob memoriam ideo semper die 25. Decembris at lâ—fe celebratur ob memoriam sacramentum ideo variatur If the anniversarie commemorations were like the weekely preachings as the two forenamed preachers made the comparison why