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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A69753	The generall demands, of the reverend doctors of divinitie, and ministers of the Gospell in Aberdene, concerning the late covenant, in Scotland together, with the answeres, replyes, and duplyes that followed thereupon, in the year, 1638 : reprinted in one book, by order of Parliament.	Forbes, John, 1593-1648.; Henderson, Alexander, 1583?-1646.	1663 (1663)	Wing C4226; Wing C4225; ESTC R6298	125,063	170

Nations baptizing them In the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the holy Ghost tye not Parents to seek Baptism to their Children and Pastors to administer when it is sought then have we no commandement at all for baptizing of Infants which is an Anabaptisticall absurdity But if Parents and Pastors are tyed by this Commandement then Parents ought to seek Baptism to their dying Children not baptized before for then or never and Pastors must accordingly performe that duety then which is incumbent upon them This is that which KING Iames of blessed memory in a conference at Hampton-court Pag. 17 reporteth himself to have answered to a Scotish Minister while he was in Scotland The Minister asked If he thought Baptism so necessarie that if it be omitted the child should be damned No said the KING but if you being called to baptize the child though privatlie should refuse to come I think you should be damned 59. Ye say to avoide the strength of this Argument that the necessity of the commandement standeth onely for Baptism in publick and that no precept requireth Baptism but when it can be had orderly with all the circumstances thereof whereof ye say this is one that it be administred in the presence of that visible Kirk wherof the Children are to be members Thus first ye condemne as unlawfull the administration of Baptism even in the Church God-fathers and God-mothers being present if the whole Congregation be not present there and the like doctrine we find in others also cited on the Margin which soundeth so harshly in the ears of some of your own adherents that they can not be perswaded that this is your doctrine Secondly the Commandement of CHRIST tying us to Baptisme hath no such addition either of the presence of the Congregation or yet of the materiall Kirk This belongeth but to the solemnity and not to the necessary lawfull use of Baptisme Where GOD hath tyed this solemnity to Baptism ye can not show by holy Scripture but where GOD hath tyed us to Baptism we have already shown It is true solemnities should not be lightly omitted but the Law sayeth When evident equity requireth they may be dispensed withe for according to that same Law That which is chief and principall should not be ruled by that which is accessory but contrariwise As for the place of Baptism we may say of it as Tertullian sayeth of the time thereof in the 19 chapter of his Book of Baptism Every day is the LORDS every houre day and time is fit for Baptism it may want of the solemnity but nothing of the grace Neither is such a number as ye require to be present necessary in this case Our Saviour hath taught us Matth. 18. 19. That if two shall agree on Earth as touching any thing that they shall aske it shall be done for them of his Father which is in Heaven For sayeth he where two or three are gathered together in my name there am I in the midst of them We beseech you therefore Brethren to take heed that ye prescribe not to mens consciences Rites of necessity without clear warrand from GODS word by which ye will never be able to prove the necessity of this circumstance required by you in Baptism 60. The practise of the primitive Church both in the Apostles times and thereafter agreeth with this doctrine and practise of ours Sainct Philip baptised the Eunuch on the way Acts 8. Anantas baptized Saul in a private house Acts 9. Sainct Paul baptized the Jaylour in his house Acts 16. If ye answere as others doe that the necessity of the infancy of the Church excused the want of the presence of a Congregation we reply that the same necessity is found in the cases whereof we speak for as unpossible it is for a dying insant who about mid-night is at the last gaspe to enjoy the presence of the congregation as it was impossible for any of the afore mentioned the Eunuch Saul or the Iailor to have had a Congregation present at their Baptism yea more impossible and why should there not be the same effect where there is the same reason 61. The practise of the ancient Church in this is also clear for us This is manifest from the 76 Epistle of S. Cyprian from the Oration of Gregorie Nyssen against them who delayed their Baptism from S. Basill in his 13 Homilie which is an exhortation to Baptism Tom. 1. from Gregorie Nazianzen in his 40. Oration whose words we have cited upon the margine Hence although two fet times were appointed for solemn Baptism yet the case of necessity was ever excepted This is clear by the foresaid Testimonies as also by these following Sir c●us Epist. 1. cap. 2. Tom. 1. Concil Gelas. Epist. 9. ad Episcopos Lucani● Tom. 2. Concil Conc. Antisiodor cap. 18. Tom. 2. Conc. Matiscon 2. cap. 3. Tom. 2. Concil Conc. Meldens cap. 48. Conc. Triburiens cap. 12. Concil in Palatio Vernis cap. 7. Conc. Wormatiens cap. 1. Tom. 3. Concil The learned Causabon in his 16 exercitation cōsidering all this sayeth Woe to them that in the administration of this Sacrament deny their duety to dying Infants under pretence of I know not what Discipline To this same purpose the learned Martin Bucer in the 15 Chapter of his censure of the English Liturgie considering Baptism of sick Infants privatly sayeth In this Constitution all things are hol●ly set down This same practise also is allowed by Doctor Whitaker in his Book against Reynolds Pag. 48. 62. The Congregation say ye whereof the child is to be a member hath interest in this and therefore ought to be present no lesse then at excommunication whereby a rotten member is cut off In this case of necessity there is no prejudice either to the child or to the congregation thorow the want of the congregations presence for there is no neglect nor contempt of the congregation in this case or of any of the members thereof and the child by Baptism though privatly administred is ingrafted into CHRIST and so being joined to the head of the Church becommeth also united unto the Church which is his body If excommunication require the presence of the whole congregation because the power of binding and loosing is delyvered by CHRIST to every particular Church or congregation collectively taken as it is affirmed in the Dispute against the English Popish Ceremonies Part. 3. Cap. 8. Pag. 182. then it is not alike with Baptism the power whereof is committed to the Pastors of the Church Matth. 28. But although that ground be not true as we think it is not yet excōmunication is done in presence of the People For this censure may not be inflicted but onely for publick offences and therefore must be publick as the offence is That others also may fear 1 Tim. 5. 20. and have no company with the delinquent that he may be ashamed 2. Thess. 3. 14. and so your

give place sometimes to other more weighty and more pressing dueties as the saving of a stranger may be omitted for saving my father or my brother or my son out of the same danger when I am able onely to save one of them And many such like examples doe occurre yet it is never lawfull to condemn or oppugn such Dueties as evill or superstitious or scandalous in themselves neither to rank them amongst things in themselves indifferent 16. Hence we doe inferre that notwithstanding of the necessity of those of the Pearth Articles which we call necessary yet sometims the practising of them may become not necessary and the omission thereof not sinfull publick authority necessity of the peace of the church so requiring Some time indeed the omission of a thing prescrived by an affirmative Divine or Humane Law may befaultlesse But it is never lawfull for Subjects to transgresse the negative part of the divine Precept by resisting with force of Arms that power whereunto GOD hath subjected them and to which he hath forbidden them to make such resistance Neither is it at any time lawfull for Pastors and Teachers to teach erronious Doctrine 17. Ye doe attribute to us as a great absurdity that at the will of our ordinary and other lawfull Superiours we are ready to forbear the practise of these things which the Assembly hath appointed to be observed And this ye inferre from the necessity of administration of the Sacraments sometimes in private places according to our judgment Certainlie ye will have much adoe to make good by right Logick this your inference from such an Antecedant But to speak of the matter of the Consequent for satisfaction to the Reader we find no such absurdity in it as ye seem to proclaim For if some Dueties appointed by divyne Law give place sometimes to other weighty dueties such as is the keeping of publick peace and good order as we have already shown much more may a thing notwithstanding of any humane Law appointing it to be observed befor these respects omitted at the will direction of those superiours to whom we ow our obedience required by that humane law who have power to dispence with our practise in that part The XIV DUPLY. IF the words of the Covenant be plaine say ye concerning the meer forbearance and speak nothing of the unlawfullness no mans thoughts can make a change But we have given our reasons which justly move us to require greater plainness neither have we as yet received satisfaction concerning those reasons 2. In our 14 Reply we said that your Band of mutuall defence against all persons whatsoever may draw subjects perhaps to take Aimes against their King which God avert cōsequently from that loyaltie of obedience which they ow to their Soveraign ours except ye declare and explaine your selves better then ye have hitherto done To this ye answer that by this Reply we doe a threefold wrong one to our selves another to the subscrivers the third to the Kings Majesty But ye have not directly answered to the point proponed by us 3. The wrong which ye say we do to our selvs is in forging from the words of the Covenāt impedimēts drawing stumbling blocks in our own way to hinder our subscriptiō This your wrongous asseveratiō we justly deny protesting as we have often done that we do walk sincerly in this matter according to our light not forging to our selvs impedimēts nor drawing stumbling blocks in our own way but clearly showing the impediments and stumbling blocks which the contryvers of the Covenant have laide in our way by their very incommodious expression irreconciliable in our judgement with your exposition 4. Ye say we wrong the subscrivers in changing the state of the Question and in making a divorce betwixt Religion and the KINGS Authority which the Covenant joineth together hand in hand We doe nowise wrong the subscrivers when we propone uprightly our just scruples as we in our consciences doe conceive them whereby we are moved to with hold our hands from that Covenant whereof one is the fear of unlawfull resistance to Authority if we should hold to that Covenant howsoever ye will not suffer to hear patiently this objection because in your Covenant ye doe professe the conjunction of Religion and the KINGS Authority which profession of yours doeth not sufficiently serve for a full answer to our objection against those other words of that same Covenant whereupon our scruple did arise To clear this we wish you to answere directly to this our present Demand whether or no in case of disagreement which Godavert think ye that the Covenanters as obliedged by vertue of their Covenāt to make open resistāce by force of Arms If ye think they are obliedged to make resistance then we desire your Answer to the Reasons and testimonies broght in our 2. Duply proving the unlawfulnes of such resistāce But if ye think that they be not oblidged thē declare it plainly 5. But most of all ye say we wrong the Kings Majesty in bringing him upon the stage before his subjects in whose minds we wold as ye do 〈…〉 alleadge beget and breed suspitions of opposing the true 〈…〉 aking innovation in Religion and of dealing with the s 〈…〉 contrary to his Lawes and Proclamations and contrary to the Oath at his Coronation We answer ●e have not brought but have found his Majesty upon this unpleasant stage opposing himself openly to your Covenant with solemn protestations against all suspitions of opposing the trueth or making innovation of religiō or dealing with the subjects contrary to his lawes proclamatiōs or contrary to the oath at his co●●natiō this his Majesties declaratiō against which ye have protested we have willingly received do truely believe it 6. What the most honourable Lords of his Majesties privy Counsell have done cōcerning his Majesties last proclamation upō what motives their Hs. themselves do know his Majesties high Cōmissioner hath publickly declared in his printed Manifesto contrary to some of your asseveratiōs cōcerning the proceeding of that honorable boord 7. Ye profess here that it becōmeth you to judge charitably of his Majesties intentions altho ye disallow the Service Book and Canons as containing a reall innovation of Religion and doe affirme that the intention of the Prelats their associats the Authors and contrivers of the books is most justly suspected by you We have told you already that concerning the matters contained in those books it is not now time to disput the books themselvs being discharged by his Majesties proclamation and a royall promise made that his Majesty will neither now nor herafter press the practise of the forsaid Canōs Service book nor any thing of that nature but in such a fair legall way as shall satisfie all his Majesties loving subjects that his Majesty neither intendeth innovation in Religion or Lawes As for the intentions of his sacred

of the controverted words of the Covenant And therefore humbly entreat that no man any more upon this scruple with-hold his Testimony Replye As for the first of these two miss-takings If you have not given out that interpretation of the Negative Confession judicially but only have made known your own meaning according to the minde of the Reformers as you alleadge then first your Interpretation hath no obligatory power over others and consequently you ought not to obtrude your Interpretation upon us more then we doe our Interpretation thereof upon you Neither ought any man to be molested or threatned for not receiving your Interpretation chiefly seeing all who are of your Confederation have so solemnly vowed and promised to be good examples to others of all Godlinesse Sobernes Righteousnesse and of every duty which you owe to GOD and Man Secondly as for the minde or judgement of our Reformers we know no evidencie of it having publicke Authoritie to obliedge the Subjects of this Kingdom except that which is expressed in our Nationall confession of Faith ratified in Parliament twentie yeares before the Negative Confession was penned wherein we finde no warrand or ground of such Interpretation as you bring Thirdly The Interpretation of the Negative Confession set down in your Covenant as it is not publicke ratione Personae so also not ratione medii for it hath no Warrand for ought we could ever perceive either from the Word of GOD or from the Testimony of the Ancient Church or from the consent of other reformed Churches or from our Nationall Confession registrated in Parliament As for the second Misstaking o● Miss-interpretation of the words of the late Covenant first We marvell that a Generall Covenant appointed to be subscrived by all learned and unlearned should have been set down by you in such ambiguous tearmes For truely all men here even the most judicious doe so take your words as if the Articles of PEARTH were in them abjured 2. Wee have again more attentively examined the words of the late Covenant and doe evidently perceive by them That in the said Covenant the Articles of PEARTH and Episcopacy are condemned and abjured as erronious and damnable corruptions For where you professe and before GOD and his Angels and the World solemnlie declare that you shall labour by all means lawfull to recover the Liberty and purity of the GOSPELL as it was established and professed before the foresaid Novations We aske you what is that period of time to which your words have reference when you promise to labour to recover the Puritie and Liberty of the Gospell as it was professed established before the foresaid novations If you mean that period of time when the Service-Booke and Book of Canons were urged upon you to wit the last year by-past in Summer then you acknowledge that all that time you enjoined the Purity and Liberty of the GOSPELL and consequently that you yet enjoy it for no new thing hath since that time been publicklie received and practised in this CHURCH If you meane as undoubtedlie we thinke you doe the time preceeding the bringing in of Episcopacie and the Acts of Pearth then you comprehend both Episcopacie and the Acts of PEARTH under these Novations for the removing whereof you promise to labour according to your power and consequentlie doe dis-allow and condemne them even before they be tryed in a Free Assemblie and before they be heard who maintain approve them as lawfull 3. We may evidentlie demonstrate this argumento ad hominem as we say in the Schooles For those Rites and Ceremonies which are abjured in the Negative Confession are also abjured in your late Covenant which as you say is all one with the Negative Confession or with the Covenant made 1581. But the Rites and Ceremonies which were concluded in Pearth Assemblie are abjured as you say in the Covenant made 1581. and therefore they are also abjured in this your late Covenant The first Proposition is evident for in your late Covenant speaking of the Oath contained in that olde Covenant which was made Anno 1581. you professe That the present and succeeding Generations in this Land are bound to keep the foresaid Nationall Oath as you call it and Subscription unviolable The second Proposition also cannot be denyed by you For these twentie yeares by-bast you have accused those who conformed themselves to the Ordinances of Pearth of Perjurie and that because they had violated the Oath made Anno 1581. in the which those Articles as you alleadge were abjured But perhaps you will say to us that wee thinke those things not to be abjured in that Oath made Anno 1581. and therefore wee may swear and subscrive your late Covenant and not-with-standing of our Oath and Subscription be tyed onely to the Forbearance of the practise of Pearth Articles for a time We answere first The words of an Oath should be cleare and plain or if they be any wayes ambiguous the true sense of them should be so declared and manifested that all may know it 2. An Oath is to be given according to the minde and judgement of him that requireth it And therefore seeing you who require this Oath of us thinke the Rites or Ceremonies concluded at Pearth to be abjured in that Oath made Anno 1581. how can we sweare and sub●rive your Covenant which reneweth the foresaid Oath and bindeth us to it 3. If we should sweare and subscrive the Negative Confession as it is included in your Covenant then ye who thinke the Articles of Pearth to be abjured and condemned in the Negative Confession will thinke us tyed by our own Personall Oath to condemne the Articles of Pearth 4. Seeing this Covenant was penned by you who have hitherto not conformed your selves to Pearth Assemblie and have opposed Episcopacy and seeing you all condemn Episcopacy as if it were that Popish or wicked Hierarchy mentioned in the Negative Confessiō as also esteeme the thinges concluded in Pearth Assemblie to be Idolatrous or Superstitious how can we thinke that you in your solemne vow made to God for reformation of this Church and resisting in times to come the Novations Corruptions of it have passed by these things which are the onely Novations already introduced by Authority and from which as you affirme the Church hath so great need to be purged chiefly seeing ye think them as Popish Superstitious Idolatrous as ye doe these other Novations which are not as yet introduced 5. If in all your Supplications Plaints and Protestations ye have onelie sought the removing and discharging of the Service Booke Booke of Canons and the new high Commission not complaining of any other Novations and seeing his Majestie hath discharged the first two hath promised to rectifie the third or last of them Then what reason have ye to thinke that his Majesty hath not satisfied your Supplications For all the Novations upon which you complained are removed by his Majestie and

it according to your own grounds none of you will say that ye have sworne the perpetuall approbation and practise of these things which ye esteeme to be indifferent whatsoever bad consequent of Popery and Idolatrie Superstition or Scandall should follow thereupon we speake here only of things indifferent in your own judgement for ye have declared before that ye thinke the Ministration of the Sacraments in private places no more indifferent therefore can not forbeare the practise of these although your Ordinary and other lawfull Superiours should will you to doe so wherein Pearth Assembly for which you stand is wronged by you two wayes 1. That ye differ in judgement from them about the indifferencie of the five Articles and next that at the will of your Ordinary and we know not what other lawfull Superiours ye are ready to forbeare the practise of these things which the Assembly hath appointed to be observed What Oaths ye have given at your admission we know not because there is no Ordinance made Civill or Ecclesiastick appointing any such Oath and because the Prelats who arrogated that power presented to the intrants diverse models of Articles to be subscrived dealing with some more hardlie and with others more favourably according to their own diverse motivs considerations For some immediatly after Pearth Assembly without any warrand from the Kirke or Parliament were made to sweare at their Admission that they should both in private and publick maintaine Episcopall Jurisdiction and in their private and publicke Prayers commend the Prelates to GODS mercifull Protection that they should subject themselves to the Orders that presently were in the Kirke or by the consent of the said Kirke should be lawfully established The word lawfully was not in the Principall first subscrived as we have learned and if it had been exprest it is all one for the Superiours were judges to this lawfulnesse and unlawfulnesse We will not labour to reconcile every Oath given by Ministers at their entry with the present Covenant but wish and exhort rather that they may be recalled and repented of as thinges for which they can not answere before a generall Assembly To the Fourteenth IF the words of the Covenant be plaine concerning the meere forbearance and speake nothing of the unlawfulnesse no mans thoughts can make a change 2. By this Reply ye wrong your selves in forging from the words of the Covenant impediments and drawing stumbling blockes in your own way to hinder your subscription ye wrong the subscryvers in changing the state of the question and in making a divorce betwixt Religion and the KINGS Authority which the Covenant joineth together hand in hand and most of all ye wrong the KINGS Majesty in bringing him upon the stage before his Subjects in whose mindes ye would beget and breed suspicions of opposing the trueth of making innovation of Religion and of dealing with his Subjects contrary to his Lawes and Proclamations and contrary to the Oath at his Coronation We are not here seeking inscitiae 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or starting hole of ignorance or of the smallest disloyalty of affection but would willingly decline that for the present which neither his Majesties wisdome nor the prudence of Statsmen nor the modesty of good subjects will allow you or us to dispute The Crowns and Scepters of Kings would be more tenderly touched then the ordinary subjects of Schoole disputes The naked naming and bare proposall of certaine suppositions such as some are made by you can not but reflex upon Authority and sound harsh in the eares of all his Majesties good subjects who wish that he may long and prosperously reigne over us 3. His Majesties most honourable privy Counsell hath proven more favourable to this cause of maintaining the reformed Religion then many Pastors whom by reason of their place and Calling it beseemed to goe before others and although according to their wonted custome they gave warrand to make his Majesties Proclamation yet on good groundes remonstrated unto them by the Supplicants they willingly refused their approbation thereof hoping that his Majesty should be moved to give greater satisfaction thereafter and this is not our saying but a publicke doing before many honorable witnesses of which number some were directed unto you whose report ye have no reason to call in question 4. It becometh us to judge charitably of the intentions of our Superiours and most of all of the intentions of our dread Soveraigne Yet if that hold good which the supplicants have offred to prove that the Service Booke and Canons containe a reall innovation of Religion we must judge otherwise de conditione operis of the matters contained in the Booke then de intentione operantis of his Majesties intention although the intention of the Prelates their Associates the Authors contrivers of the Bookes be most justly suspected by us 5. It is no delight to us and can be but small comfort to you to mention the wrongs which by you are done to us all who have joined in this Covenant and doe adhere to the Religion as it was reformed in this land in your estimation writings we are Rebellious perjured hereticks schismaticks blind guydes seducers miserable interpreters ignorants shal such men as these be your reverēd Brethren Is this your meeknesse and charity Is this the duety ye expect from us But setting these aside ye have wronged us in with-holding your hand and help from so good a Cause of purging Religion and reforming the Kirke from so many grosse abuses and opposing all those who have modestly laboured for Reformation Your speaches in private in your chambers beds of sicknesse and in your missives and in publicke at tables and in Synods which are come to our knowledge we wish rather should be remembred and repented of by your selves then be recited by us who desire not to worke you any trouble 6. Although there be a perpetuall harmony betwixt the Word and Works of GOD far contrary to that which we finde to be amongst the Children of men yet often it commeth to passe that the Word and Warnings of GOD which we heare with our ears are not believed till we behold with our eyes the plaine Cōmentaries thereof in His Works Many Proofs and notable Documents have been observed of the Finger of GOD in the Worke in hand the Characters of the great Works of GODS more then ordinary Providence since the beginning are legible here Then did the LORD begin this work when the Adversary was raised to a great hight and become intollerably insolent The beginnings were small and in the eyes of the World contemptible such as use to be the beginnings not of the works of men but of the Magnificke works of GOD the power of GOD sensible in the hearts of many and manifested by the joy the tears and cries of many thousands at the solemne renewing of this Covenant hath been a matter of admiration and amazement never to be

forgotten to many wise and ancient Pastors and Professors who did also finde an unwonted flame warming their own breasts the plots and workings of the Adversary have wrought against their own Projects and have served for our ends more then all that have been thought or done by our selves that we may justly say what they devised for evill the LORD hath turned to good many thousands conveened diverse times in one place have been keept in such order and quietnesse without the smallest trouble in such sobernesse and temperance without excesse or ryot that hardly can History furnish a Paralell and what effects there be already throughout the Land of Piety in Domesticke worship in observing the exercises of Religion in publick of soberness in dyet and apparell and of Righteousnesse and Concord we trust shall be sensible by the Blessings of GOD upon us and shall be examplary to the Posterity These we present unto you and unto all as a Commentary written by the LORDS own Hand wishing again that neither ye nor others be found fighting against GOD. Who so is wise and will observe these things even they shall understand the loving kindnesse of the LORD Psal. 107. 43. LORD when thy hand is lifted up they will not see but they shall see and be ashamed for their envy at the People Isai. 26. 11. Master ALEXANDER HENDERSON Minister at Leuchars Master DAVID DICKSON Minister at Irwin DUPLYES Of the MINISTERS and PROFESSORS of ABERDENE TO The second Answeres of some Reverend Brethren CONCERNING THE LATE COVENANT If thou take forth the precious from the vyle thou shalt be as my mouth Let them returne unto thee but returne not thou unto them JEREM. 15. 19. Honour all men love the Brotherhood feare GOD Honour the KING 1. Pet. 2. 17. To the Unpartiall READER IT may be you have not as yet heard the true relation of our proceedings and carriage towards those two reverend Brethren who came lately hither to recommend to us and our People the late Covenant We declare therefore to you that we hearing of their comming and intention and being of a contrary minde resolved that before we should give consent that they should preach to our people we would propone to them by way of certaine Demands the chiefe reasons which made us to be averse from their proceedings promising to admit them to our pulpits if they should give us satisfaction concerning the late Covenant We intended not to print these Demands at the first but afterwards considering how much our people might be confirmed by them in that pious resolution which they have to continue in the obedience of the Lawes of this Church and Kingdome concerning Episcopacy and those things which were concluded in Pearth Assembly we thought good to put them to the Presse but determined not to make use of them by divulgating them except we saw that our people stood in present need of them which indeed came to passe for upon Fryday the twenty of Iullie last these reverend Brethren came to this Town and having that same night received our Demands in writ they returned their Answeres unto them on Saturday following late in the evening but they came no● to our hands who replyed unto them untill Sunday in the morning Neither had we leasure to reade or consider untill both the Sermons were ended in our Churches Wherefore we did meet together that day at foure houres afternoone that we might peruse them And at that same time hearing that these reverend Brethren had preached in audience of dyverse of our people conveened in the court of a Noble-man his lodging not having obtained our consent thereto and in their Sermons had used a forme of answering to our Demandes which they did publickly reade affirming that they had given full satisfaction to us in a written copie of their Answeres which they had sent to us and by that means had laboured to disswade and draw our People from their obedience unto the Articles of Pearth and the Lawes of this Kingdome ratifying them we knowing how insufficient their Answeres were to give satisfaction to any who would duely ponder our Demands gave licence to the Printer to devulgate them and the next day did write our Replyes to their Answeres intending to put them to the Presse on tuesday But we were earnestly entreated by a noble Man to send backe to them the copie of their Answeres that they might revise and perfect them and also to delay the printing of our Replyes untill Fryday following Which we willingly granted But wherefore this was desired of us you may conjecture seeing they neither added nor diminished nor altered any thing in their Answeres Upon the next Friday at night we gave our Replyes to the Printer and to these reverend Brethren who returned not to this Citie untill Saturday following we sent a copie of our Replyes in write on the LORDS Day unto which we received not their Answeres untill they came from the Presse to wit on Tuesday the fourteenth of August that is eyghteene dayes after they had received our Replyes What successe these Brethren had in their Sermons which they preached here upon two severall LORDS Dayes it is sufficiently known neither have they reason to talke so much of it as they doe in their Preface to the Reader The first of these dayes some few who were thought to be that way inclined before subscryved their Covenant But the next LORDS Day they scarce prevailed with any at all And a great many who heard them both these dayes professed that they returned from their Sermons more averse from the Covenant then they were before Now good Reader we present to thee our Replyes to their second Answeres which for shortnesse cause we have called Duplyes we pray you consider them unpartially And if you reap any benefite by perusing them let it no● be ascrived unto us but to the invincible force of divine Trueth We conclude with Zer●babell saying Blessed be the GOD of Trueth And let all the People shout and say Great is Trueth and mighty above all thinges To our Reverend Brethren Mr. ALEXANDER HENDERSON And Mr. DAVID DICKSON THat your Answeres Reverend and Deare Brethren have not in any degree satisfied us we impute it not to your weaknesse whom we know to be able Men and much exercised in the matters debated betwixt us but we impute it to the weaknesse of your cause and to that inabilitie which is in all men as well as in you to beare out against the Trueth We are sory that ye are not so respective and favourable in your judgement of us for ye plainly declare in your Preface that ye suspect us of prejudice and that for two reasons The first is that our Demands which yee conceived had been meerely intended for you were published before your comming in Print as also that our REPLYES were Printed before we received your last Answeres to them When●e ye conclude that wee were rather aiming at victory moved