ye have his Princely Promise that no further shall be urged upon us but by such a faire and Legall way as may fatisfie all his Subjects 6. As for that which your Covenant by your own Confession requireth of us to wiâ— The forbearance and abstinence for a time from the practising the Articles of PEARTH We professe sincerelie and in the sight of GOD that our Conscience will not suffer us to subscrive that part of your Covenant and that because Lawes being standing for them and our lawfull Superioures requyring Obedience from us by practising them to sweare Forbearance of the practise of them is to sweare Disobedience and to wrong their Authority 7. How can we with a good Conscience abstaine presenly from private Baptisme and private Communion being reqâ—yred thereunto by sicke persons and those Parents whose Children cannot be carried to the Church commodiouslie with their lives seeing we thinke it a thing very unlawfull in such cases to refuse to administrate those Sacraments in private houses Noâ— that we thinke that GOD hath tyed Himself or His Grace to the Sacraments but because He hath tyed us unto them by His Precept and not to use the means appoynted by GOD when our People or their Children stand in need of them is a contempt of the meanes and a tempting of GOD. The Fifth Demand Whether or no we can sincerely and with a good Conscience subscrive the Negative Confession as it is expounded and interpreted by the Contryvers or Authors of the late Covenant seeing it maketh a perpetuall Law concerning the externall Rites of the Church which GOD hath not made as if these Rites were unchangeable And how they who both sweare the positive Confession and the negative thus interpreted can eschew contradiction seeing the positive Confession Chap. 21. evidently declareth that these Rites are changable according to the exigencie of time and consequently that no perpetuall Law may or ought to be made concerning them Likewise we would know how it can stand with trueth to abjure all these Rites as Popish which are used in the Church without divyne institution expressed in GOD'S Word seeing even these who urge the Covenant practise some Ceremonies which are not mentioned in GOD'S Word as the Celebration of Marriage before the Church in the beginning or at the end of divyne Service with all the particulars of it and the stipulation of Fathers and God-fathers for the Childe in Baptisme which are not meere circumstances as they use to distinguish but also Ceremonies properlie so called ANSWERE The late Covenant maketh not a perpetuall Law concerning the externall Rites of the Kirke as if they were unchangable but as we have sayde before onlie bindeth us for a tyme to forbeare the practise of Innovations already introduced and doth not determine whether they ought to be changed or not 2. According to this true Interpretation all appearance of contradiction betwixt the Confession of Faith insert in the Act of Parliament and the latter Confession is removed beside that the Article 21 of the Confession of Faith giveth power to the Kirke in matters of externall Policie and order of the Worship of GOD is expounded in the first Booke of Discipline distinguishing betweene thinges necessarie to be observed in every Kirke and thinges variable in particular Congregations 3. We declare againe that the Covenant doeth not abjure Pearth Articles as Popish and thinketh not tyme now to dispute of significant Ceremonies or other holy Rites and whether the two particulars named be Ceremonies or not since the Confession condescended upon on both sides abjureth Rites which are added without the Word of GOD. Replye First we have already told you that we can not subscrive your Oath of Forbearance of the practise of the Articles already introduced without violation of Authority and of wronging our own Consciences who thinke private Baptisme and Communion not to be indifferent but also necessarie in some cases not indeed necessitate medii as if GOD'S Grace were tyed to the externall means but as we say in the Schooles necessitate praecepti because we are commanded to use these means 2. This late Covenant leadeth and bindeth us to the old Covenant made 1581 and that old Covenant bindeth us perpetually to that Discipline which was then that is as ye alleadge to the whole Policie of the Church comprehending all the externall Rites of it and so à primo ad ultimum this late Covenant bindeth us to the whole Policie of the Church which was then and consequentlie maketh a perpetuall Law concerning externall Rites of the Church as if they were unchangable All partes of this Argument are sure for by your late Covenant you professe your selves bound to keepe the foresaid Nationall Oath as you call it inviolable and that Oath or Covenant bindeth us to continue In the obedience not only of the Doctrine but also of the Discipline of this Kirke Where by the Discipline of the Kirke ye understand as ye have in all your wrytings professed especialie of late in your Booke entiâ—uled A dispute against the English Popish Ceremonies Part. 4. Cap. 8. Sect. 6. the whole externall Policie of the Church as it was at that tyme to wit Anno 1581. Yea you confesse that no other thing can be understood by The Discipline of the Kirke but that which we have said already and consequently we shall be tyed by that Oath which you requyre of us to admit and practise no other Rites and Ceremonies but such as were then received in our Church We can no wayes passe by this seeing ever since the Assemblie of Pearth in your publicke Sermons and printed Bookes ye have most vehemently accused us of Perjury as violating the Oath or Covenant made Anno 1581. and that in respect we have admitted into the Church some Rites or Ceremonies which were not in it the foresaid yeare of GOD. Is not this to make a perpetuall Law concerning the externall Rites of the Church as if they were unchangeable and to abjure the practise of all Rites introduced in the Church since that time and consequently the practise of the Articles of Pearth and that not for a time onelie but for ever 3. Seeing the Negative Confession according to your minde and conception of it maketh the whole externall Policie of the Church as it was Anno 1581. to be unchangable and on the contrarie the Confession insert into the Acts of Parliament declareth that the Rites belonging to the externall Policie of the Church are changable how can you escape a Contradiction if ye receive both these Confessions 4. Whereas by that distinction mentioned in your Answere of things necessary to be observed and of things variable in particular Congregations ye insinuate that by the Keeping of the Discipline of the Kirke as it was then to which we are bound in the old Covenant ye understand the observation of those things which are necessary to be observed in every Kirke and not
better then ye have hither-to done 3. What the most honourable Lords of His Majesties Privy Counsell have done concerning the Kings Majesties last Proclamation is not sufficiently known to us and farre lesse upon what Grounds and Motives they have as you say rescinded their Approbation of the late Proclamation 4. His Majesties Religious and Righteous Disposition hath been to us and is a maine ground wherefore we rest and relye upon his gracious Proclamation perswading our selves that he intendeth not nor never intended any Innovation in Religion 5. We shall labour by all meanes to eschew every thing which in the least degree may wrong you our Reverend and worthy Brethren As for the Wrongs already done by us to you as yee pretend when-so-ever it shall please you to specifie them we hope to give you full satisfaction and to cleare our selves of that Imputation 6. The worke of GOD towards any Nation how strange and wonderfull so-ever it seem to be is never contrary to his Word and therefore we feare not to be found fighting against GODS Worke so long as we fight not against his Trueth revealed in his Word That all-seeing LORD knoweth that we mentaine his Trueth according to the light of our Consciences and are ready to joyne Heart and Hand with you for the Purity and Peace of this Church in every lawfull way course as sincere lovers of Trueth and Peace And now Brethren before we conclude againe we entreat you and all others our deare Countrey-men especially our reverend Bretheren of the holy Ministrie to judge charitablie of us and of our proceedings at this time and in particular of these our Demandes and Replyes which GOD is our witnesse neither hatred of any mans person nor love of Contention nor any worldly respect but only the Conscience of our Calling hath drawn from us And as for our Arguments for not Subscriving which are taken from our due subjection and obedience to our Soveraigne and his Lawes we protest and declare that they ought not to be so interpreted as if we intended to accuse you or others our dear Countrey-men of Disloyaltie towards our most Gracious KING or as if our purpose were to lay any such Imputation upon you for they are only used by us to show what the wordes of the Covenant seem to us to import and how we conceive of them as also what maketh us so to conceive of them We doubt not reverend Brethren but ye know that as we owe to you and to your Proceedings the favourable judgment of Charitie so we ought to judge of those thinges which we are to sweare and subscrive with the strict and inquisitive judgement of Veritie and consequently we ought to ponder duely and to propound particularly and fully to others especially to those who requyre our Oath and Subscription and undertake to satisfie our Consciences there-anent all the doubts and reasons which make us unwilling or afrayde to give our Subscription thereunto IOHN FORBES OF CORSE Doctor and Professor of Divinitie in ABERDENE ALEXANDER SCROGIE Minister at Old ABERDENE D. D. WILLIAM LESLIE D. D. and Principall of the KINGS Colledge in Old ABERDENE ROBERT BARON Doctor and Professor of Divinitie and Minister at ABERDENE IAMES SIBBALD Doctor of Divinitie and Minister at ABERDENE ALEXANDER ROSS Doctor of Divinitie and Minister at ABERDENE THE ANSVVERES OF SOME BRETHREN OF THE MINISTERIE TO THE REPLYES Of the Ministers and Professoures of DIVINITY in ABERDENE CONCERNING THE LATE COVENANT 2. CHRON. 15. 15. And all Juda rejoyced at the Oath For they had sworne with all their heart and sought Him with their whole desire and He was found of them To the Christian READER THat you may know our Proceedings how we are brought upon the Stage and contrary to our expectation are put in Print Comming to ABERDENE on Fryday the after-noon we received the Demands of our reverend Brethren that night late and for the greater expedition without delay we returned our summarie Answeres on Saturnday at night On the LORDS Day following we desired to expresse our selves to the People in presence of the Ministerie but the Pulpits and Kirks were altogether refused and therefore in the most convenient place we could have sub dio and at such houres as were vacant from the ordinary exercises of publicke Worship we delivered our Message in the audience of many After our last Sermon towards Evening we found that our labour was not in vain in the LORD for dyverse persones of speciall note both for place and wisdome with willing heart and great readinesse of minde did publicklie put their hands to the Covenant Having the weeke following seene some parts of the Countrey where besides the Presbyteries Alforde and Deere who had subscrived before the Moderator and dyverse of the Presbyterie of ABERDENE the Presbyterie and People of Turreff after they were satisfied in some scruples did also subscrive we returned the next Saturnday to ABERDENE where finding that some others had subscrived that weeke we resolved to preach upon the morne That night we received a Replye unto which before our returne home we have made an Answere All these we desire may be unpartially considered if it shall please the LORD that any light shall come from our Labour unto thy Minde let it bee asâ—ryved not unto us who neither had time nor helps for such a taske but to the brightnesse of the Trueth and Cause it selfe and to the Father of Lights to whome be all Glorie To our Reverend Brethren The Doctors and Ministers of Aberdene THat our Answeres reverend and beloved Brethren have not given you full satisfaction as it may be imputed to our weaknesse in the defence of so good a cause so it may proceed also from your own prejudice against what could be said by us which we have some reason to suspect for two causes one is that your Demands which we conceived to have been intended meerly for us and were sent unto us from you in write were published before our comming in Print like as ye have now printed and published your Replies before ye had seen our Answeres unto that which we received from you last in write we having promised to the bearer to returne an Answere shortly ere we departed the Countrey This may seem rather to be a seeking of victory from prejudice then a search of veritie for satisfaction The other cause of our suspicion is that the groundes of our Answeres to you have proven satisfactorie to others who for Age and gifts of Learning and Understanding are pryme men in this Kirke and Kingdome and to whom modestly will not suffer you to preferre your selves But whether our weaknesse or your prejudice be the cause must be now judged by others to whose view ye have brought us whom therefore we with you heartilie desire unpartially to consider our first and second Answeres wishing and hoping that partiality prejudice and all worldly respects and feares laide aside the naked Trueth shall
Ordinances which have come into the Church since the foresaid Year of GOD that the Church may be restored to the Liberty and Purity which it then had Whereby ye declare that the foresaid Articles and Episcopacy are contrary to the Liberty and Purity of the Church and consequently ye are tyed by your Oath to vote against them if ye be called to the intended ASSEMBLIE The eleventh Demand Whether our subscriving together with our People to the Confession of this Nation which is ratified and registrated in ParliameÌ„t Ann. 1567. may give full satisfaction to all who doubt of the sincerity of our Profession if so be they have no farther aime but only to know and see our willingnesse and constant resolution to adheere to the Religion presently professed and to oppose all Erroures contrary to it to our lives end Now seeing we are willing to doe this as we take GOD to witnesse we are how are we hated maligned and traduced as Enemies of the Trueth only because our Consciences doe not suffer us to subscrive to that Interpretation of the Negative Confession insert in the Covenant concerning which we can see no warrand of the trueth of it nor lawfull Authority binding us to it and to the Politicke or rather Military part of that Covenant which is a thing without the compasse of our Calling and not belonging to that contending for the faith once delivered to the Saints of which S. Iude speaketh in his Epistle ANSWERE Since no other meane could be found so effectuall for holding out of Poperie and forbearing of dangerous Novations in Religion such as the Service Booke and Canons which as yet are onelie discharged till in a faire and legall way they may be introduced and are by no word of the late Proclamation disallowed although the Service Book by the Proclamation February 19. be highlie praised as serving to edification and to beat out all Superstition and nothing in this Application is abjured but what was abjured in the former why shall we fobeare to use a meane so just and so powerfull for the preservation of the puritie of Religion Replye Here ye doe not particularlie answere to our Demand and seem unwilling to give that Testimony of us Your Brethren concerning our sincerity in professing of the Trueth which all who know and judge unpartially of us doe thinke to be due to us It is sufficientlie knowne what paines we take in disputing and writing against Papists in confuting their Erroures in our Pulpits in leading processe against them according to the Order of the Church and in doing all thinges against Romish erroures which can be expected from the most zealous Professoures of the trueth If ye or anie other of our reverend Brethren doubt of the sincerity of our Profession then pose us concerning any Article contraverted and we shall be most ready to declare our minde concerning it before all men and give a sufficient proofe to the worlde that we have pryed as narrowlie into the misteries of Romish Erroures for refutation of them as any of those who impiously and uncharitablie traduce us as favourers of Poperie 2. We have other means more effectuall and lawfull whereas we thinke this your Meane to be unlawfull for holding out of Poperie and in which we ought to conside more then in all the promises and vowes of men yea also more then in all the United Forces of all the Subjects of this Land to wit diligent preaching and teaching of the Word frequent Prayer to GOD humbling of our selvs before him amendement of our lives and conversations and arming our selves against our Adversaries by diligent searching of the Scriptures and using all other Means whereby we may encrease in the knowledge of the Trueth and in ability to defend it against the enemies of it 3. The Subjects of this Kingdom at least a great part of them either by their own inclination or by the perswasion of others have such an hard conceit of the Service Booke and Canons that if his Majestie use a faire and legall way of bringing them into this Church especially such a way as may give satisfaction to all his Subjects in all appearaÌ„ce we need not to fear the in bringing of them The Twelfth Demand Whereas we heare of diverse Disorders and violent miscariages of those who have subscrived the Covenant against our Brethren of the holie Ministrie who continue in their obedience to the Lawes of the Church and Kingdome which miscariages being done without all form of Justice or legall proceeding are an exercising of Revenge by private Authority and consequently are forbidden in the sixt commandement which is one of the reasons which moveth us not to joyne our selves unto their societie we would gladely therefore know of our reverend Brethren who have come hither to recommend the late Covenant unto us first whether or no they doe allowe these disorders 2. If they allowe them what reason have they so to doe and if they allow them not how is it that these Disorders and miscarriages are not publickly by them and other Pastors of their Confederacie condemned and sharplie rebuked in their Pulpits Why are the Actors of them not tryed and censured And why doe they delay to give out some publicke Declaration either in Print or writ to this effect being long since exhorted to doe so ANSWERE 1. Hardlie can a zealous people assembled in a Kirke for the Worship of GOD be kept from tumult when Bookes and a Worship which they either know or conceive to be Popish are suddenlie and imperiousâ—ie obtruded upon them by the Leaders and how farre the keeping of the materiall Kirkes from the pollution of Worship belongeth to the People and communitie of he Faithfull should be considered 2. Violence done in other places and upon other occasions we no more allow then we doe approve the aspersions of Perjurie Rebellion c. which some men doe put upon us Replye It belongeth not to the People or community of the Faithfull to contemne Authority and the LORDS Service done in his owne house on his owne Day so farre as to put violent hands in Praelates and Pastors in time of Divyne Worship while they are practising those things which are enjoined by the King and his Counsell Such Disorders and contemptuous carriages doe not beseem those whom CHRIST inviteth to come to him and to learn of him meeknesse and lowlinesse of heart chiefly seeing there are many other wayes whereby People may testifie their aversation of those Bookes and Worship which they conceive to be Popish If it be a sinne in Parents to provoke their Children to wrath much more is it a sinne in Children to provoke their Parents especially Patrem Patriae the common Father of the Countrey so to wrath 2. The keeping of GODS house from the pollution of Worship belongeth to those who are cloathed with lawfull Authority 3. We not onely asked of you Whether or no ye did allowe the Miscarriages towards our
thereto by prejudice then at satisfaction by searching of the Trueth This reason is grounded upon a mistaking for although our Demands at the first were intended for you onely yet afterwards we resolved to Print them as also our REPLYES the Printing whereof did nowayes depend upon your second Answeres not for love of contention nor desire of victâ—ry GOD knoweth but for such reasons as we have expressed in our Preface to the unpartiall Reader whom we hope we have satisfied in this point Your other reason is that the grounds of your Answers to us have proven satisfactory to others who for Age and Learning are prime men of this Kingdom and to whome our modestie will not suffer us to preferre our selves Farre be it from us to be so presumptuous as to preferre our selves to so many Learned and worthy Divines and as farre be it from us to measure the soliditie and sufficiencie of your Answeres by the Habilities or Induments of these who have acquiesced in them If this your reason were good the Papists might more probablie accuse us of prejudice as indeed they unjustlie doe because their Answeres to our Arguments have proven satisfactorie to many thousands of those who for profunditie and subtilitie of wit are inferiour to none of the World but we regarde not this slender motive remembring these words of our Saviour I thanke Thee O Father Lord of Heaven and Earth because Thou hast hid these things from the Wise and Prudent and hast revealed them unto Babes even so O Father for so it seemed good in Thy sight Besides if ye compare the Divines Ancient and Moderne who are of our judgement with these who favour your opinion either in number or in the excellency of their gifts ye shall finde that in this the advantage is greatlie ours In the meane time ye shall know that we can bring far better reasons to free our selves of prejudice then these which ye have brought against us to wit the soliditie of our Arguments which have put you to such straits pardon us to say that which every one who have eyes may see that oft times ye doe not so much as attempt to answere them being glad to passe them by with the show of an Argument in contrarium or some other like shift our humble earnest attestations in calling GOD the onelie competent Iudge as witnesse of our sincerity in the inmost thoughts of our soul our seriously professed Resolution to concurre with you if we should get satisfaction from you the modestie ingenuitie and peaceablenesse of our writings to you and on the contrarie your too great disdainfulnesse and asperitie in your second Answeres bewraying not onelie the weaknesse of your mindes farre by our expectation but also the weaknesse of your cause to unpartiall Readers who ascrive this to the pungent force of our Arguments judging that they have made you somewhat more cholerike then you were before To this wee will adde the great reluctance which some of the most Iudicious Subscribents did finde in their Consciences before they subscrived your Covenant together with the Limitations and Reservations wherewith they subscrived it evidently arguing their strong apprehension of the dangerous ambiguitie and haske sounding of the words of the late Covenant so that even these who are now joined with you have been much affrighted with those things which terrifie us As for your Protestation in the end of your Epistle that ye can no more be brought to our minde then ye can be drawn from the profession of our Religion as it hath been reformed sworne c. Although this importeth no small prejudice possessing and over-ruling your minds yet looking to the invincible force of that Trueth which we mantaine we even yet hope that at last it shall prevaile with you espeâ—iallie considering that our conâ—roversie is not concerning the Reformed Religion whereunto we as sincerelie adheare as any whatsoever but concerning the equitie of that forme of Covenant which ye lateliâ— made Wishing you and all others to adheare truelie and sincerelie to the same true Religion and to all the dueties which in it are recommended to you we most humblie and earnestlie pray the Almightie GOD to pitie his Church in this Kingdom and to unite all our hearts in Trueth and Peace in these most dangerous dayes which although they be to you dayes of gladnesse as ye professe yet to those who love the peace of Sion and the tranquilitie of this Kingdome they are sad and melancholious dayes in respect of the blacke clowdes of GODS wrath hanging over our heads and threatning us with stormes of fearfull Calamities which we pray the Almightie GOD to avert THE FIRST DUPLY. IN our Disputes against the Papists which have been frequent and by GODS grace not unfruitfull as we have learned that to multiply objections against the Trueth is a thing easie as ye say but fruitlesse and vain so also we have learned that to multiply Evasions against solide Arguments brought for the Trueth is a thing no lesse easie but altogether unprofitable which we pray you take heed to How forcible are right words but what doth your arguing reprove JOB 6. 25. 2. Ye say that our objection against your calling and the warrand of your comming to us was framed and published in Print before it was proponed unto you and ere your Answere could be had Indeed our Demands were at the Presse at your comming that they might be in readinesse but were not published before your selves in your Sermons did publickly read them and dispute against them in audience of such of our People as were there present for the time albeit that written copie of them was delivered to you onely and not at that time communicated by us to any other 3. Your Authority which ye acclaim is neither from his Majestie nor warranded by Act of Parliâ—ment nor by the Lords of his Majesties Counsell nor by any Nationall Synode of this Kingdom nor by any Judicatory established in it And both in your first Answere as also now again ye professe that ye came not hither to usâ—rpe the Authority of any Civill or Spirituall Judicatorie As for your multitude which ye call almost the whole Kirke and Kingdom it being destitute of Authority foresaid maketh no warrand of ordinary calling Therfore ye seeme to pretend an extraordinary calling from GOD alleadging an extraordinary necessitie at this time which truely we see not in any such degree as may deserve and warrand so great a change from the received order which is publickly by Lawes established in this Kirke and Kingdom That saying of the Apostle Let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good workes which ye alleadge for your extraordinary imployment importeth not an extraordinary calling but an ordinary duety to be performed by all Christians according to their Callings 4. The Word of GOD and the Canons of Counsells doe so permit to Pastors the care of the whole Kirke as they must
the warrand which the old Covenant had from KING Counsell and Assembly remaineth virtually and was never yet discharged we answere it remaineth not and that because KING Iames of blessed Memory disalowed that little Confession in respect of the inconveniency of the multitude of Negatives as is cleare by his Majesties words published in the printed summe of the conference holden at Hampton Court Anno 1603. And no former Act of Counsell made in the time of any former King doeth sufficiently warrand our Consciences to subscrive any Oath now which seemeth to us to be disagreable to the Act of Parliament and which our present Dread Soveraigne LORD the KINGS Maâ—esty by his publick Proclamations and other Intimations of his Royall pleasure forbiddeth us to subscrive And as for the Acts of these two Assemblies which did enjoine subscription to the said little Confession they were relative to the KINGS Mandate which is now expired by his own Declaration and with his Royall breath according to that coÌ„mon Maxime Morte mandatoris expirat mandatum Extra Dâ— officio potestate judicis delegati Cap. 19. relatum est in glossa For the injunction was given for that time onely as we conceive being warranded by the words of these Assemblyes 11. These that were suspect of Papistrie amongst us have not been urged by us to subscrive that negative Confession but onely some Articles relative to the Nationall Confession And as â—or such as receive degrees in Philosophie in our Colledges they doe sweare onely to the true reformed Religion as it is publickly professed and preached according to GODS word in this Kirke of Scotland and established by publicke Authority with a generall abjuration of all both Popish and other Heresies contrary thereto And those who receive degrees of Divinity doe more expresly sweare to the Orthodox determinations of the ancient Catholicke Kirke as is evident by the words of the Oath whereof the tenor followeth E Go A. B. sancte ex animo coram omniscio omnipotente Deo consiteor profiteo sidem eam quae de sancta Trinitate Mediatore Emmanuele à sanctis Patribus in sex primis OEcumenicis conciliis contra Pauli Samosateni Sabellii Arii Macedonii Apollinaris Nestoriâ— Euâ—â—chetis Mon thelitarum haereses proposita explicata defensa est esse vere Christianam orthodoxam Catholicam ex sacris Canonicis scripturis haâ—stam Symbolum quoque sancti A hanasii ut similiter orthodoxum me recipere Item me ex animo deâ—estari haeresin Pelaginam ejusque reliquias Semipelagianas eas haereses quae Imaginibus aut ulli merae creaturae religiosam concedunt adâ—rationem Item me monarchiam Papae Romani in universam Ecclesiam ejus cùm in spiritualibus tùm in temporalibus primatum judicii Papalis in religionis controversiis infallibilitatem tanquam antichristiana deliramenta rejiceâ—e Omnes etiam alias haereses tum olâ—m invectas tum recens sub Romani Pontificis tyranmde natas anathematizo Agnosco Spiritum sanctum in Canonicis V. N. Testamenti scripturis per Prophetas Evangelistas Apostolos loquentem esse nobis unicum supremuâ— infallibilem ordinarium omnium de fide vitaque Christiana contraversiarum Iudicem Et S. scripturam Canonicis V. aâ— N. Testamenti libris comprehensam esse unicam certam stabilem perfectam totalem regulam fidei vitaeque Christianae tum quoad textum tum quoad interpretationem authenticam seu divinae authoritatis hanc quae hodie in Ecclesia Scoticana palam publica authoritate ex sacro D E I verbo proponitur decredendis sperandis amandis doctrinam esse orthodoxam Catholicam Et ipsam hanc Ecclesiae Scoticanae doctrinam â—e ad extremum usque vitae meae haliâ—um constanter per D E I gratiam professurum pro â—â—â— vocatione defensurum sancte promitto juro Insuper almae hâ—iâ— Universitati câ—i hunc scholasticum docturae Theologicae honoreâ—â— dâ—â—ebo me nunquam ingratum futurum sed semper ei ex animo faâ—turum ejusque commoda pie serio sedulo fideliter promoturum sanctâ— etiam â—oram eodem omniscio omnipoâ—ente D E O promitto juro We who were graduated here did sweare this Oath and now for satisfaction of others we all doe sincerly attest GOD that we doe and shall adhâ—are to it constantly all the dayes of our life 12. Ye doe againe object to us that we have presumed to disallow your explâ—nation of the late Covenant which hath beene publickly allowed by his Majesties Commissioner adding thereto that we will have the Kingdome guiltie of combination against Authority that we will not have the KING to be satisfied whence ye â—nferre that our dealing is more sutable to Papists and such incendiaries then for us who desire to prove good Patriots in using all meanes of pacification But certainly ye wrong us â—or what was done by his Majesties Commissioner anent your Declaration and explanation of your Covenant is evident by his Grace own letter lately written to us of that matter whereby his Grace hath declared that he was no wayes contented therewith and that his Majesty hath not received any satisfaction thereby The same is evident also by his Grace own Manifesto prefixed to our Demands your first Answeres and our first Replies reprinted at Edinburgh by his Gr. speciall command To the which Manifesto or Declaration of his Majesties high Commissioner we remit the Reader for his full satisfaction in this and some other points of your Answeres 13. We intend not to beare upon you and your associates who take to your selves the name of the Kingdom here in this your Answere guiltinesse of combination against Authority as we have protested and declared in the end of our â—romer Replyes but in the tendernesse of our Consciences we doe uprightly â—ignifie to you our scruples which hinder us from approving or subscâ—iving your Covenant And we are so free of that odious imputation of taking part with any Incendiaries or imitating any proceedings of that kinde as we heartily wish and shall endeavour to prove good Patriots aâ—d Christians in such evident love of trueth and peace as it shall be manifest that we neither have beene nor shall be Authors or Fomenâ—ers oâ— this miserable combustion 14. Ye are sory ye say that we should account your Covenant to be a Confederacie against the trueth and ye affirme that ye labour with men to joine with you in sincerity and not through humane feares Now reverend Brethren in the feare of GOD laying aside all humane feare we doe sincerely declare that if we thought your Covenant in all points agreable to the â—rueâ—h we should make no opposition thereâ—o And we doe heartily wish that according as ye doe here professe â—o indeed no man be threatned wiâ—h worldly terroures to goe your way We aimâ— indeed at the same end which ye professe to wit at the Trueth and purity of Religion and peace of Church and Kingdom But we
late Covenant The first Proposition as ye say is evident because in the late Covenant we are bound no farther concerning the negative Confession but to keep it inviolable And therefore what Rites are not abjured there are not abjured here Likewise ye say that the second Proposition can no be denyed by us in respect these twenty years bygone we have thought our selves free of Perjurie notwithstanding the of Oath made 1581 and of our conforming our selves to the Ordinance of Pearth Good Brethren ye have retorted this Argument very weakly upon us For first we flatly denye the Major of your Syllogisme and withall doe repell the confirmation of it For although Pearth Articles were not abjured in the late Covenant in so far as it reneweth the negative Confession yet they may be and as it is already proven they are abjured in that other part of your late Covenant where ye vow and promise To recover the Liberty and Purity of the Gospell as it was established and professed before the foresaid Novations Next as for your Minor or Second Proposition wee suspend our Judgement of it untill wee bee better informed and advised doubting as we said before concerning the meaning of those parts of the old Covenant which concerne matters of Rite or Ceremonie Neither doeth the confirmation of your minor trouble us for we have thought our selves free of Perjury these twenty years bygone not for any certain perswasion which we had that Pearth Articles are not abjured in the old Covenant but because we did not personally swear that Covenant and are not tyed to it by the Oath of those who did subscrive it which we are ready to demonstrate by irrefragable Arguments Ye see then your Argument retorted upon us pearceth us not at all and the Reader may perceive that our argument hath been so forcibly thrown upon you that ye have not taken upon you to answere any part of it If ye had had evidence of the trueth for you ye would not only have retorted our Argument but also by answering it punctually shown that it straiteth not you and if ye had been exact Resolvers ye would not have gone about to have satisfied us with a naked Argument in contrarium 24. Before we leave this point that it may be known to all what reason we have to insist in this our Argument ad hominem and that we have proponed it not to catch advantage of you but to get satisfaction to our own mindes concerning the Covenant and your sincerity in urging us to subscrive it we will collect out of that which hath beene already said some interrogatories which we pray you to answer punctually if ye intend to give us satisfaction The first is whether or not your declaration of the extent of the late Covenant to wit that it extendeth not it self to the abjuration of Pearth Articles be not only vera true in it self but also verax that is consonant to your minde and to the minde of the chief contrivers of it The reason wherefore we propone this question ye will perceive by these that follow Secondly seeing ye and others the chief recommenders of the old Covenant have been ever of this minde that Pearth Articles and Episcopacy are abjured in it we aske whether ye all tying your selves by this late Covenant to the inviolable observation of the old Covenant have tyed your selves to it in all the particular points which ye conceived to be contained in it or only in some of them did ye by mentall reservation except any part of that old Covenant or in particular did ye except that part of it in the which perpetuall continuance in the doctrine and discipline of this Church is promised Or if that part was not excepted did ye put any new glosse upon it which it had not before And if ye did not whether or not ye renewing the Oath of perpetuall observation of the doctrine and discipline of this Church as it was Anno 1581 have not only really but also according to your own conception of that part of the old Covenant abjured all Rites and Ceremonies added to the discipline of this Church since the foresaid year and consequently the Articles of Pearth and Episcopacie Thirdly seeing ye so confidently averre that Pearth Articles are abjured in the old Covenant how can ye deny them to be abjured in the new Covenant except ye acknowledge a substantiall difference betwixt the old and new Covenant Fourthly if ye grant that they are really and indeed abjured in the late Covenant how can ye faithfully and sincerely say to us or to any other that they are not abjured in it Fiftly how can ye and all others who with you have really and also according to your own conception of the old Covenant abjured Pearth Articles and Episcopacie by renewing of it voice freely in the intended Assembly concerning these things seeing ye are tyed by your Oath to condemn and abrogate them Sixtly How can we concurre with you in an Oath wherein we are infallibly perswaded that ye have abjured Pearth Articles and Episcopacie Seventhly If we concurre with you in that Oath will ye not as we objected in our Reply but ye have not answered it think us bound by our Oath to condemn Pearth Articles and Episcopacie and will not ye thinke your selves bound in conscience to tell us and all others that which ye think to be trueth and may make much for your cause to wit that the words of the Covenant have but one sense and that in that one sense Pearth Articles are abjured 25. Ye and all others may now see how injustly ye said that we would have the Covenanters against their intention and whether they will or not to disallow and condemn Pearth Articles and Episcopall Government lest they be tryed in a free Assembly GOD knoweth how far we detest all such dealing and this vindication of our two Arguments we added also a third but ye have swallowed it brought by us to prove that Pearth Articles and Episcopacie are abjured in your late Covenant will sufficiently cleare us of this imputation to all unpartiall Readers 26. We did not only alleadge as ye say that your supplications to his Majesty were fully satisfied by the last Proclamation but grounding an Argument upon your Answere to our fourth Demand we reasoned thus If in all your supplications ye have only sought the removing of the Service Book book of Canons and new high Commission not complaining of any other Novations already introduced and seeing his Majesty hath granted this unto you what reason have ye to say that his Majesty hath not satisfied your supplications this our Argument ye have turned to a meere alleadgeance lest ye should have troubled your selves with answering it Whether or not we may forbeare the practise of Pearth Articles untill they be tryed in a free Assembly 27. We come now to the consideration of that which your Covenant by your own confession tyeth us to
Commandements of our Superiours 45. Again ye say that when scandall of weak brethren may be feared the precept of Obedience is not obligatory in respect the thing commanded by our Superiours although it be in it self lawfull yet it becometh unexpedient in respect of the Scandall which may follow upon it Now say ye the ordinances of our Superiours are not obligatory when the things commanded by them are unexpedient We on the contrary say that when our Superiours require of us obedience to their lawfull commandements the precept of eschewing scandall is not obligatory in respect we ought not for Scandall causelesly taken omit necessary dueties which GOD in His Law requireth of us In which number we most justly doe reckon The duety of Obedience which we owe to the lawfull Commandements of our Superiours 46. As for that which ye say that when Scandall may be taken at the doing of the thing commanded then the thing commanded becommeth inexpedient and so ought not to be obeyed that ye be not more deceived by this errour we pray you marke that a thing comcomanded by our Superiours in Church or Policy may be two wayes inexpedient to wit either in respect of some particular Persons who through weaknesse or malice doe stumble at it or else in respect of the body in generall because it is contrary to Order Decency and Edification If the thing commanded be inexpedient the first way only we may indeed in such a case for eschewing the scandall of the weak forbear the practise of the thing commanded hîc nunc in some particular places and times providing alwise we doe this Without offence of our Superiours and without the scandal of others who by our forbearance may be made to vilipend the Authority of Lawes But we can not in such a case totally and absolutely deny obedience to a Law as we have already proven Neither is your Argument brought to the contrary valide in respect we ought more to look to the utilitie and benefite which the body of the Church may receive by the thing commanded and by our obedience to our Superioures then to the harme which some particular Persons may receive thereby 47. If the thing commanded be in our private judgement inexpedient the second way we ought not for that to deny obedience to the Lawes of the Church for when the inexpediency of a thing is questionable and probable Arguments may be brought pro and contrae concerning the expediencie of it we have sufficient warrand to practise it if the Church by her publick decree hath declared that she thinketh it expedient Your errour who are of the contrary minde is very dangerous and may prove most pernicious to the Church for it maketh the Church obnoxious to perpetuall Schisme and disconformity in matters of externall Policy in respect men ordinarily are divyded in judgement concerning the expediencie of these things Suppon then that in a Synode consisting of an hundreth Pastors threescore of them think this or that particular Ceremony to be expedient for the good of the Church and in respect of the plurality of their voices make an Act to be concluded for the establishing of it shall the remnant fourâ—y who are of the contrary judgement deny obedience to the Act of the Synode because they are perswaded that the thing concluded is inexpedient and shal they by doing so rent the body of the Church Truely if we were all of your minde we should never have Peace nor Unity in this Church Ye will say perhaps that this our Argument is Popish and leadeth men to acquiesce without tryall or examination in the decrees of the Church We answere that in matters of faith the trueth whereof may be inâ—allibly concluded out of GODS word we ought not without tryall to acquiesce into the decrees of the Church And in this respect we dissent from the Papists who ascrive too much to the Authority of counsells as if their decrees were infallible But in matters of Policy if we be certaine that in their own nature they are indifferent and if the expediencie of them only be called in question seeing no certaine conclusion concerning their expediency can be infallibly drawn out of GODS word which hath not determined whether this or that particular Rite be agreable to order decency and edification we ought to acquiesoe into the decree or constitution of the Church although it be not of infallible Authority and that partly because it is impossible that otherwise we can agree in one conclusion concerning matters of this nature and partly because if we deny obedience to the decrees of the Church in such matters our disobedience shall prove far more unexpedient and hurtfull to the Church then our obedience can be 48. Seeing then whatsoever ye have hitherto said concerning the question proponed by us may be easily answered with a retortion of the Argument upon your selves that we may eschew all such Logomachie we must take some other course and try which of these two precepts is in it self of greater moment and obligation for thence we may collect which of these two precepts doeth obliedge us in the case foresaid the other giving place to it and not obliedging us at all in that case If ye say that the precept which forbiddeth us to doe that whereby our weak Brother may be scandalized is in it selfe more obligatory or doeth more strictly ty us to the obedience of it as being of greater moment ye must bring a solide reason for you which we think ye will hardly find We know ye say that the precept concerning Scandall is more obligatory and of greater moment because it concerneth the losse of the soule of a Brother But this reason is not valide first in respect our Brother if he be scandalized by our obedience to our superioures sinneth not by our default who doe obey for our carriage in giving obedience is such as may rather edifie our Brother Secondly the precept which forbiddeth disobedience concerneth the losse both of our own soules and of the soules of others who may be entysed to that sin by our denying obedience to the lawfull commandements of our superioures Thirdly if that precept of eschewing scandall causelesly taken doe so strictly obliedge us when our superioures require obedience of us it may happen that a man shall be in an inextricable perplexity not knowing whether he shall obey or deny obedience to the coÌ„mandements of his superioures in respect he may fear the scandall of the weak whether he obey or deny obedience For as we said before many are most ready to be scandalized by our denying obedience to our superioures in thinges lawfull and otherwise expedient and that because we by nature are most unwilling to be curbed and to have our liberty restrained by the lawes of our superioures For this cause as Calvin judiciously noteth Instit. Lib. 2. Cap. 8. § 35. GOD to allure us to the duety of obedience to our superioures called all
things were left indifferent by the negative Confession yet may we not forbear the practise of them because since that Confession Lawes have passed on them which remaining in vigour require our Obedience as we said before 7. The other horne of your Dilemma is that if these points were abjured for ever before Pearth Assembly then wee who practise them are perjured To which we answere That it followeth not for we never did swear to that negative Confession And therefore though these points were abjured therein yet are we free from all guiltinesse of Perjury And in the mean time ye have not resolved how he who is perswaded of the lawfulnesse of those points can swear the negative Confession if by it the Swearer be tyed to the abjuring of those points which was the other part of our Dilemma Thus if ye will consider rightly ye may perceive that our Dilemma standeth unmoved with the hornes of it still towards you Ye farther insinuate that our Reasons are not solide and grave but velitations of such a sort as ye looked not for Let the judicious Reader pronounce his sentence of this only we wish that ye had chosen rather to satisfie then to contemn our reasons That which ye here againe adde concerning the change of CoÌ„missioners is answered in our fourth Duply 8. To give light to your former discourse ye subjoine a distinction of discipline into three members First ye say it is taken for the rule of Government of the Church and censure of manners by office bearers appointed by CHRIST and thus ye say it is unchangeable Secondly for constitutions of counsells and Acts of Parliament about matters of Religion And thus ye say it is alterable or constant according to the nature of particular objects Thirdly for the ordering of circumstances to be observed in all actions divyne and humane and so ye say it is variable First by these distinctions the matter seemeth rather to be obscured then cleared For ye doe not expresse in which of these senses the discipline mentioned in the negative Confession is to be taken which was the point required of you 9. Secondly ye seem by this distinction to intangle your selves yet more For first if ye take the name of discipline in any one or any two of these senses what say ye to these following words of your dispute against the English Popish ceremmies Parte 4. cap. 8. Sect. 8. The Bishop doeth but needlesly question what is meaned by the discipline whereof the Oath speaketh For howsoever in Ecclesiasticall use it signifieth often times that Policie which standeth in the censuring of manners yet in the Oath it must be taken in the largest sense namely for the whole Policy of the Church For 1. The whole Policy of this Church did at that time goe under the name of discipline and those two Books wherein this Policy is contained were called the Books of discipline And without all doubt they who swore the Oath meaned by discipline that whole Policy of the Church which is contained in those Books 10. Secondly when that little Confession was framed the government of the Church was only by Presbyters and not by Bishops and therefore if ye think that the name of discipline in that Confession comprehendeth under it the first part of your distinction which as we conceive ye will noâ— deny ye may easily perceive that we are urged by you to sweare and subscrive against our Consciences since we think the rule of the government of the Church which then was to be changeable and that the Government was lawfully changed by following Assemblies and Parliaments from Presbyters to Bishops 11. Thirdly If these Constitutions of Counsells concerning objects alterable mentioned in the second member of your distinction be one the same with ordering of variable circumstaÌ„â—es mentioned in the third member why have ye distinguished the one from the other But if they be different then ye grant that Ecclesiastick constitutions may be made concerning some alterable matters of Religion which are not bare circumstances which is repugnant to your ordinary doctrine whereby ye mantain that nothing changeable is left to the determination of the Church in matters of Religion but onely circumstances of Actions We can not see how ye can mantain this doctrine and yet oppose the determinations of the Church concerning Ceremonies which are indifferent 12. We had reason to inquire your judgement concerning Rites or Ceremonies which are not of divine Institution whether they be lawfull or not though ye still shun the declaring of it Since by your Covenant ye intend a reformation of Religion and a recovering of the Liberty and Purity of the Gospell as ye speak if ye in your judgement condemne such Ceremonies as ye insinuate we can not expect but that if ye obtain your desires all such Rites shall be expelled and condemned especially since by this your late Covenant ye tye your selves to that old Covenant wherein ye disclaim and detest all Rites brought into the Church without the word of GOD. Now we can not concurre with you for promoving this end because such a judgement is plain contrary to ours yea contrary to the universall judgement and practise of the Ancient Kirke repugnant also to the judgement of the Protestant Churches and most famous Divines therein as may appear by the quotations on the margine But if ye be of the same mind with us and think that there are some Rites of that kind lawfull why doe you hide your minde from us and others since the acknowledgement and manifesting of this Trueth would be no small advancement to your cause by removing this great offence Of Matrimoniall Benediction and God-fathers in Baptism 13. As for solemn blessing of Marriage we asked what warrand ye had for it by precept or practise set down in GODS Word In your Answere ye insinuate that it is a blessing of the people commanded in the Law and more plainly we find this set down in the Dispute against the English Popish Ceremonies Part. 3. Cap. 2. Sect. 10. Yet plain it is from Scripture it self that Matrimoniall Benediction ought to be given by a Pastor for GOD hath commanded his Ministers to blesse his People Numb 6. First who ever before you did ground the necessity of solemne blessing of Marriage upon these words Numb 6. 23. Speak unto Aaron and unto his sonnes saying on this wise ye shall blesse the children of Israel saying unto them the LORD blesse thee and keep thee c. Learned Melanchton was not so well versed in Scriptures as to see this For he sayeth in his Epistles Pag. 328. Ye see that the Rite of the Ancients is that the Bridegroom and Bride are joined before the Altar in the sight of GOD and with the incalling of GOD. Which custome undoubtedly hath been ordained by the first Fathers that we may consider that this conjunction was appointed by GOD and is assisted by Him 14. Secondly By this