suffer You haue here to remember that old caution propounded by a Father to the Emperour Take away the perill of the statute c. It is permitted to the maintainers of novelties to use a continued plentifull and running speech which here is not to be found For if the entising speeches of mans wisedome were true tokens of wisedome indeed the swallowes as they are swifter may justly bee sayd to bee aboue man in wisedom Paul for the truth is rude in speaking his presence weak his speech contemptible But Tertullus pleading against him in a mask of eloquence is admired for his pompous stile The matters in question every where are so backed with all meanes of credit in the hands of the one partie and so borne down by vehement cries in the weaknes of the other Mutation having now turned up-side-down that where before the truth had favour to be spoken heard without fear In companies now a man must needs lay his hand upon his care for hearing the partie absent or fall in folly and shame to answer a matter before he hath heard it The truth is not to be measured by the means of them that speak for it and all calumnies are but swines flesh though they be dressed after a divers fashion The cause in controversie wronged by the violence of the time may justly complaine of impar congressus in respect of worldly helpes in the particulars following and many moe The new course hath the countenance of the world But it fareth with the ancient profession as with the Gospell it selfe Haue any of the rulers beleeved in him Excepting alwayes the honorable Peeres of the land whose loue is more large then their credit 2. The most part of the ancient ministers professors are removed either out of this life or out of their former mind and many out of their places and such as arise up and are admitted to the ministerie must sweare subscribe to maintaine and defend privatly and publickly the alterations inforced 3. There is very few to be found having courage for the truth to honor God with their credit riches such receiue the Gospell with a provision of safetie to their own estate the poore who receive the Gospell are willing but not able both to doe and suffer for the truth 4. The pations and proctours of this new plea are richly rewarded with a fat b nefice or great sume of the taxation and benefic s promised but the defenders are ready to be respected with Depriue and Confine 5. They haue a strong assistance but the other are few weak and if they be permitted to remain in their places they are tied to the daily pains of their callings and caâ—e of their families and if they be thrust forth they are forced to provide for their owne necessities having no time for these matters but stolne houres 6. The one partie hath libertie to meet with full help of all requisite meanes few or many where and when at their owne pleasure The other if two or three of them meet upon their lawfull affaires it is a scandall of Conventicle a matter of challenge 7 They are judges of their own cause and haue at their right hand the power of Kirk and policie but the cause of the other is like the widow the fatherlesse no man will heare it 8 To them all the Presses are open and expenses furnished Printers beyond sea are troubled upon suspicion of having the copies of the other 9 Their assertions are probations the contrary cause acknowledged for a found truth in secret is in publick respected as an errour 10 Threatned dangers maketh men afrayed to reade write or print in favours of the one all may be done to the advancement of the other with great commendation 11 For loue of peace and lack of meanes necessary purposes as the answer to a rabble of untruthes known to a many yet living hatched by Joan Fani Andrea Arch ep and favoured with a latine complexion of some despised Doctor and idle for lack of patients and presented to the world under the triumphing title Refutatio libelli de regimine Ecclesiae Scoticanae The answer to the Doctors Lyndesay David Brechin Michelson their bragging and begging pamphlets The answer to Mercenary Tilen his pragmaticall paraenesis c. are hid from the light while necessitie call for them Finally were there a change made of the prosperous case of the one cause with the adversity of the other or would the world but smile or frowne equally on both they would not busie the Printer and Reader so much But the aequivalent of that old truth poore Luther made many rich is in some sort verified in this cause and that which preaching substance against Papists could not procure pleading for ceremonies against Protestants hath procured The Defenders haue no other comfort but that they deliver their soules discharge their consciences and serue for witnesses 〈◊〉 the truth and least they be witnesses also against thee Take hâ—ed to thy selfe be not one of those who either for loue of the world wil not like a known truth or who fear to read know the truth lest they find themselues obliged to follow it and so either be moved to change their present course which may seem unprofitable or else be vâ—â—ed with a crying conscience for keeping it and that will proue unpleasant Think not their labours like the circlings made by Archimedes when Marcelius was on the sea and nigh unto the ports of Syracuse except thou remember also that by his weake meanes the Citie was a long time defended against the Roman enemie albeit at albeit last with the losse of his life Neither be thou over vvise to say they might haue been like the good Geographers who seldome trouble themselues with the description of smal Brooks but waite on till by confluence they make great rivers and are disburdened into sea For had the riverets either been dryed up in time or yet were drained in severall chanels the maine streame would not swell so big nor the great Whore that sitteth upon many waters proue so stately amongst us Onely first for stirring up thy own soule think with thy selfe how like the times of our Kirk may prooue unto the darkenesse of the ninth Centurie after Christ which the Centuriatours obserue to haue proceeded of foure pregnant causes 1 the excessiue loue of mâ—ns writtes with the neglect of Scripture 2 the praeeminence of some persons aboue others 3 the multiplication of ceremonies and humane inventions 4 persecution and oppression of the most sound in heart and judgement Secondly for judging of the Defenders part consider that howsoever they be commanded to loue such as hate them and pray for such as persecute them yet how small reason they haue to beleeue that they who persecute them thinke that in so doing they doe God good service And thirdly for thy own resolution remember that the sentence of Christs throne
tolerable in the kirk and countrey Let them be charged with contempt or disobâ—diâ—nce that can giue no good reason of thâ—ir doing the world hath seâ—n the reasons of their doings thâ—sâ— 60 yearâ—s and aboue and the mattâ—r it sâ—lfâ— speaketh The least bâ—ook of Papistry must bee avoydâ—d by such as would not perish in the great rivers thâ—reof small dropps make great flouds through smal rifts the water soaketh in the pumpe is fillâ—d and â—hâ— ship is drownâ—d Though the câ—remonies bâ— small yet the evills that rise of thâ—m are not small If they be small there is the lesse hurtin leaving of them and the more wilfulnesse in disgracing the service the servants of God for them It is to be remembrâ—d what Iulian once sayd Jf it be enough to accuse who shall bee innocent not Moses not Ezra not Nehemiah not the prophets not Christ himselfe nor his Apostlâ—s upon whom all these and many moe slanders lay But God forbid that the servants of God should doe such things with whomsoever those things are found let him die and let the rest of his brethren following or favouring his course be bond-men But if the servants of the Lord thus slandered be sakelesse and yet men haue risen 〈◊〉 to persecute them to strange from them yâ—â— to inflame 〈◊〉 Majesties heart the hearts of his nobles Iudges Barons and people against them let the soules of his servants be bound in the bundle of life with the Lord their God and the soule of their enemies shall God cast out as out of the middle of a sling It is a dangerous case to be carried with a bent resolution to defame and to rake together foule untruths not considering what may be spoken most truely nor what may be ratled out most disgracefully like a swelling brook that soone gathereth much filth These slanderous calumnies are like a thorn standing in the hand of a drunkard it is hard to judge whom they shall hurt They are but a pretended quarrell against honest men by prejudice to condemn their cause before it be heard according to the proverbe He that would haue his dogge killed giveth forth first that he is madd If these be reall crimes they are farre aboue the omission of a ceremonie let them be truely libelled carefully cognosced wisely discerned and condignely punished If undeserved calumnies let the Lord impute them to none and let no man impute them to the Lords people their owne consciences witnessing before God that such things they never thought but rather let them be rejected as senceles scoffings of Sarcasticall bitternes crossing Christianity and contrarie to gentlenes and loue To burie them in silence had been their best condition but when all meanes are sought to make the faithfull even to stink among the inhabitants of the land it can no wise beseeme the ministeriall calling to secret the truth and by a cowardly kind of modestie to betray a good cause malitiously wounded through the sides of honest men craftily burdened with scandalls for bearing down their cause in a dangerous time When so many not onely commons in the profession and novices in the ministerie but some great Pastors fall away no lesse from their wonted faithfulnesse then from the ancient order whereby they were kept in the course of their ministerie are now by the force of time become otherwise minded undertaking by their publick teaching and example by their private conference and all other meanes not onely to perswade this new conformitie so farre contrarie to the forme whereunto they were delivered but also with great hate and unkindly carriage to their brethren and old acquaintance to carpe and quarrell what can bee most truely and modestly sayd or writtâ—n in favours of the truth which they best know as if they were become their enemies because they hold on the good way which they haue left most unjustly confining faith loue and all Christianitie within the dark region of conformitie wherein dwelleth the divided brotherhood of that vntried stranger Againe when good people of tender hearts are boasted allured and every way tempted to blot their consciences with things they never knew to be profitable nor comely in their profession are heavily disquieted for lack of clâ—are information to strengthen their resolution for standing in the truth against errours Moreover when after better sight and more sound advisement they who haue been stollen off their feet may risâ— and repâ—nt and by the mercie of God returne againe to the right way Or when a publick testimonie may be given the Pentriers like Antipater writing against Carneades and the Champions of this time who haue sweat so much to cast downe the holy Discipline and to set up the Hierarchie with her ceremoniall traine Or when at the pleasure of God they that now liue such as shall come after may be helped to see the harvest and taste the fruitâ—s of necessarie labours now to bee takâ—n against the shadowâ—s of Papistry which we must detest as the body and substance of that ugly heresie If in such a nâ—cessarie time all the men of God should onely lay their hand upon the hurt place and secretly mourne it were childish and ridiculous the good cause being in danger and the faithfull in hazard of vntimous silence There is here from a ready minde and a good will the wise mans aneugh a word of peace and puritie lossed Indifferencie found and Conformitie urged to hold out old Vnitie to inlarge affected indifferencie and to set up the children of absolute Conformitie in the stately chaires of both kirk and kingdome The full historie and ample treatise of the birth education and high promotion of this respected couple Indifferencie and Conformitie with the controversies brought in Scotland and increased thereby requireth larger volumnes then any Aurelius of this time will bee nicknamed Pupillus for necessarie charges to such a work while better occasion This Scotized conformitie for the present must stand at the paines of Archippus and Epaphras two honest Epitomists and venturing themselues upon the stage to bee glowred upon by every evill eye or rather casting themselues upon thornes to be gored by every sharpe tongue They are both good Patrons where ever they be Archippus must take heed to the ministerie which he hath received of the Lord that hee fulfill it and Epaphras a servant of Christ laboureth fervently for you in prayers and by all meanes that you may stand perfect and compleat in all the will of God Archippus desirous to strengthen himselfe by learning and Epaphras ready to lay out his Talent to exchange haue diligently survayed the historie of the Kirk of Scotland concerning the forenamed particulars painfully searched the doctrine of indifferent things shooting up in a short abridgement their best observations for present use and clearly shewing how conformitie came in by little and little without feeling like Poperie comming to perfection by Ceremoniousnesse and Ambition the ceremonies furnishing her with a seeming
as it hath proceeded Archippus I Begin no sooner to think upon the progresse of my short time in the Ministerie but I remember of the Students of Athens who the first yeare were wisemen the second yeare Philosophers onely lovers of wisedome the next year Rhetoricians no better then babblers and the last yeare Idiots At the first I seemed somewhat to others and more then somewhat to my selfe like many in these times at whose blind boldnesse out of mine own experience I would smile were it not a subject of compassion But afterward the Lord in his great mercie opening my eyes to see and touching my heart to blush at my owne insufficiencie and naughtinesse I began to denie my selfe to unsecret my soule to you and at the first poured out all my former phantasies and present thoughts into your bosome At which time my reverend Epaphras I received happie information in some measure to be that indeed which I was before in appearance and manie times since haue I beene with great delight exercised with you in heavenly contemplations for the furtherance of Gods work But now my harp with Iobs is turned to mourning and my Organ into the voice of theÌ„ that weep Through the iniquitie of the present Polemicall times I am led aside to Controversies which are not in the high way to heaven wherin we were walking before All my former delight is chaâ—ged into an earnest desire to bee throughly informed concerning the division which hath happened in this our mother Kirk so renoumed in the Christian world for perfect reformation through the late alterations wrought at the last Parliament holden at Edinburgh in August 1621 for the ratification of the fiue now famous Articles of Perth Assemblie Since which time the whole quarters of this Kingdome hath been universally filled with dinn and diversitie of motions and speeches Some like Haman when the letters of revenge were published against Mordecai and his people some like the Israelites when they sate down to eat and drink and rose up to play Others like the Iewes themselues when they were in perplexitie great sorrow The fourth sort equalling the first in miserie of scene-serving sycophants who finding the religion before them and not within them are readie to serue God or the divel as the companie will Three things demanded con ern ng conformitie And finally some so petted and empacque that they suspend both their judgement practise till they see which side shall prevaile As therefore I never went from your societie but either wiser or better so must I now in my great need importune you for my comfort and quietnesse of my minde to giue me some satisfaction in these three particulars all linked in one chaine First out of your old experience what hath been the methode of this mysterie of iniquitie from our reformation to this time Secondly out of your diligent observation by what meanes and after what manner past it in an Act in the late Parliament Thirdly after conclusion past in Kirk and Parliament out of your graue direction what is to be done of us especially in the case of mans immediate opposition of the Necessitie of Conformitie or Deprivation Promising for dutie to follow after you in the straitest waies of passiue obedience so farre as I finde truth going before you and leaving the successe with cheerefulnesse to his high providence who makes all things work together for good to them that loue him Epaphras And no sooner think I upon my long course in the holy Ministerie begun about the flourishing times of our first temple but with incredible joy of heart I call to mind the goodnesse of my God where with in a time of so great defection I haue escaped the danger of the proverbiall speech of the Hebrews first uttered of Balaam who seeking preferment lost the gift of Prophecie Camelus coruna quaerens aures amisis Drus The Camel seeking bornes lost his eares Had my care beene to haue lift up my horne on high my gift of Prophecie in publick and grace of giving good counsell in private had long since perished And so by this time I am sure whatsoever is become of others vvhom I judge not I had been troad on as unsavorie salt a burden to my selfe and unprofitable to you and all others of your disposition who for your invinceable courage are worthie of the oracle of Counsell Il ne perd rien qui ne perd Dieu And therefore albeit my mediocritie cannot promise full satisfaction because your demand requires a deep knowledge of things past present and to come with the height of the highest spirit not onely prepared to break the neck of his present fortune but also overlooking all casualties equally armed for all events And in a word a man that knows much of the world and cares little for it Yet because all that I haue I owe to God and his people by his grace in whom I am preserved who is able to keep me that I fall not I shall assay what I can with this premonition that in case the historicall part of my answer concerning things past and present shall happen to halt in some places and to walk upon one foot â—râ—p achepte le miel qui sur espines le leche not daring to set down the other in the midst of so many thornie purposes wherein all the veritie would not may not be heard let a vvord now and then albeit covertly uttered be enough to your vvise eare And let it bee my imputation that of the twofold commendation of a good historie No trueth unspoken Nihil Verum non nihil non Verum no untreuth spoken Charitie hath made me to bee content with the latter till I come to the third point vvhere I shall set down both my feet and vvithout danger of so great offence walk with greater libertie Archipp Your mind I perceiue malices no man 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A threefold consideration for satisfying of the first Demand and your meaning according to your fashion of conference vvhich was ever more materiall then personall is rather tovvard then to giue a blow My desire also albeit an hieroglyphicall historie be halfe dumb is not so much after men as matter persons as purposes let me onely know by things past from whence vve are come and by things presently done and in doing where we now are that my course in time to come may be the more sate and sound Epaph. All prefaces are song to the greedie hearer To beginne then vvith your first Demand the length thereof reaching from the first reformation through manifold alterations to the last Parliament shall be abridged to a threefold consideration First vvhat Christ did for us in the beginning of his undeserved loue secondly vvhat Antichrist did against us in his unquenchable malice and thirdly vvhat the true members of the Kirk did in their sincerity and faithfulnesse Archipp That project punctually
pursued vvill delight any true Scots heart to heare and vvill giue eye to me borne out of time to see as that I had lived then that vvhich I both feare and loue to knovv first then vvhat vvas that incomparable loue vouchsafed on us Epaph. Our Saviour Christ did plant a vineyard in this land as in a verie fruitfull hill he hedged it The first consideration and gathered out the stones of it and planted it vvith the best plants he built a tovver in the midst of it and also made a vvine-presse therein and after manie yeares and divers troubles and travells according to the truth uttered by a deere servant of God vvhen the gospell first began to shine among us the realme vvas illuminated vvith the light of Christs Evangell as clearely as ever vvas any realme since the daies of the Apostles The house of God was builded in it yea it did not lacke whatsoever the enemie imagine in the contrarie the verie coapstone the jurisdiction and libertie of the true Kirk Generall and Provinciall Assemblies Presbyteries Sessions and Discipline were brought to their perfection all lawes of idolatrie abrogate all presentations of Benefices directed to the particular Presbyteries with power to put order to all matters Ecclesiasticall within their bounds Hic fuit vnitâ—s sine schismate ventas sine haeresi bonitas absque hypocrisi according to the discipline of the Kirk But all this faire and flourishing estate is tyed to it own condition of contrary change if the people shall be after unthankfull then fearefull and terrible shall the plagues be Archipp That truth of the man of God I must confesse meeteth us this day in our face for as the loue hath been great the people haue proved unthankfull and the plagues are alreadie begun The Lord looked for grapes and behold nothing but wilde grapes why should he not then lay his vineyard wast and command the clouds that they raine no more raine upon it But what secret would you haue me to consider upon the Antichrist his side Epaph. Antichrist inflamed with the furious zeale of his cursed Kingdome and enraged by his inveterate malice against our profession Secondly what Antichrist did as a burning light to discover his damnable darkenesse never ceased to resist the grace of God among us to his uttermost possibilitie sending forth as he might command the armies of crueltie his wilde Boares and roaring Lyons with open mouth and readie pawes to threaten and proclaime their enmitie as in that bloudie enterprise of the 88 when God shewing his might no lesse against these mortall enimies then for the Kirks Kingdomes of this Iland redeemed his own people mightily from the teeth of the Dog and ruined these Vnicornes as mightily in his wrath But that marvellous overthrow from the heaven aboue and the waters beneath conspiring to represse the pride of that tyrant did no wise moue him to forsake his bloudie purpose but within few daies thereafter assaying to practise by craft which hee could not performe by open crueltie like a sworne enemie to the oath of Alleageance he treacherously inchanted and miserably perverted diverse of this Kingdome to negotiate with him and his Emissaries Iesuites and seminarie Priests for subversion of this whole state You may reade and remember the execution of â—entrie the Bridge of Dee and the unnaturall and treacherous attempt of the 93 c. Archipp You seeme to me if you would follow forth that discourse in speaking of the times past to point at the present and to taxe the treacherie of living men in their persons who are long since dead But I rest content for the present with your pointing at that Spanish spring from whence the streames haue been comming northward this time by past which now overflow this Kirk and Iland and desires to know what was done at that time for resisting of Antichrist Epaph. The watchmen of the Lords house and sincere professors as they were directed and assisted by grace Thirdly how Antichrist was resisted resisted the violence of open enemies and diligently searched the hid wickednes of lurking vipers intending to sting to the death and after tryall taken of the venomous heads of those Romish monsters who spared not to adventure themselues their friends and whole estate in that foule and unnaturall trick they proceeded against them and put them under the highest censure Ecclesiasticall and therupon procured their deserved forefalture Archip. Those Satanicall supposts of that Italian Priest and Indian Pluto deserved no lesse And now it seemeth that the Kirk and the Country are well purged of such Antichristian and disnatured spirit Epaph. Had the successe been answerable to the censure the fire had been quenched and we quit of them and their adulterous generation multiplying in midst of us to this day But the general Assembly holden at Edinburgh 1594 declareth the contrarie in these words of Inscription The dangers which through the impunitie of the excoÌ„municate Papists trafiquers with the Spaniards and other enemies of the Religion estate are imminent to the true Religion professed within this Kingdom his Majesties person crown libertie of this our natiue Countrie And at more length in Eleven Articles of which number the first is It is certaine that the Spaniard who with so great preparations in the 88 did interprise the conquest of this I le remaines as yet of that same intention and waites onely upon a meet occasion to accomplish that his devilish purpose as cleerely appeares in his continuing in this intertainment of intelligence and traffiquing with the foresaid excommunicates ever since the dissipation of his Navie And the last whereas his Majestie and Estates at the first discoverie of their conspiracies apprehended a verie great danger to true Religion the Kings estate and crown and libertie of the Countrie and notwithstanding that the same cause of danger as yet remaines whole unremoved their is no apprehension of any danger nor earnest care to withstand it it is evident that their is an inclination and purpose to cover extentiate bear forth the evil cause wherthrough they will not see or else the Lord in judgement hath blinded and hardned the hearts of all estates to grop in the mid day at that which they caÌ„not see which is the greatest danger of al a most certain argument of the wrath of God and his heavie judgement hanging over the land so much the more to be feared because there is no cause of fear apprehended Archip. But what could either the civill or spirituall sword doe more for the good of the kirk and countrey against their vnnaturall malice Epaph. When you tempt me after that sort ye forget my protestation in the beginning I will onely shew what the kirk now holding the wolfe by the eares resolved to doe out of the apprehension of so great danger for preventing of ensuing evils and for purging the realme from open offences ready to draw on
to cover the ugly face of a strange monster Archip. The beginning of strife is as when one letteth out water Prov. 17.14 And you seeme to have sayd that our present inundations did begin at that breach Epaph. It was so indeed 1 May 1597. Continued and increasing at Dundie for in the next assembly holden at Dundie the water becomes broader and the schisme begun at Perth groweth greater 1. by difference of judgement anent the confirmation of the former assembly holden at Perth 2. by diversitie of opinions concerning the setting down of some notes in forme of declaration of certaine of the acts concluded at Perth explaining his Maiesties and the assemblies meaning for the satisfaction of such as then vvere not acquainted therewith and now to be registred in this assembly at Dundie to remaine c. but like the glosse of Orleans 3. by indulgence for duetie directed in a new commission carying greater favour to the excommunicats their vassals their insinuating care of the dangers of the Kirk imminent from a higher cause 4. from a new forme of commission drawing power from the generall assembly to a few number of persons and aiming them for execution of some of the dangerous articles rashly yeelded to as did appeare in diverse attempts Lastly about excommunication and other points of Ecclesiasticall Iurisdiction And againe the spait of division swelleth to a great height the flouds encrease and prevaile in the assembly holden at Dundie the 7 of March 1597 1. by certaine greeves put in Articles by brethren of divers quarters of the countrey and given in against the the proceedings of the commissioners anent alterations made at Edinburgh and Santandros and forme of casting out and putting in ministers the vvhich greeves behoved to be buried otherwise no peace for the Kirke 2. for the commissioners presumption taking upon them vvithout expresse and particular warrant from the Kirk to treat with the parliament holden at Edinburgh the 19 of December 1597. anent the Kirkes vote in parliament she standing as yet in doubt if it should be thought leesome that the ministers should succeed in the prelates places for voting in Parliament 3. About the diversitie of Iudgement anent the conditions of the sayd vote some holding that the Kirk should be declared the third estate of parliament and authorized with all lawfull priviledges and having libertie as Barons and Burgesses have to choose their own commissioners others ready to take the same in what sort and vpon vvhat conditions it might bee had 4. About that woefull commission continued and enlarged vvith a seeming but sore clause for keeping the Ministers free of offences Archip. Your vvaters are like to grow to a sea vvherin the course of navigation looseth the sight of the one pole and entreth in some degrees of elevation of the other Beware of shipwrack of religion in the end Epaph. The truth is the division prevailing at Dundie becommeth a great sea at Montrose Preuailing at Montrose and bringeth in that Trojan horse so pleasantly palliat vvith a faire mantle of fine caveats and even then greedily gaped for by some foresmelling their own wealth honour in that Ecclesiasticall Tragedie but constantly refused by others foreseeing and fearing more sorrow to the Kirk in the conditions annexed then apprehending good in a seeming benefit so violently offred In that generall assembly the 18 day of March 1600 after many combats and braulings about the cautions restraining the commissioners voters in Parliament from corruption frowardly as it might be the caveats the lurking deceit of hierarchie vvere finally set downe Archip. These palliative caveats are in form and effect much like the professions set out by Foegadius and Servatio to save the Kirk as they imagined from Arrian perfidie but in event a furtherance to their blasphemous haeresie and cruell victorie It vvere better to hold theeves at the doore then wait upon them in the house that they steale not I vvould know before I proceed vvhat miseries followed upon this unhappy division and alteration made in these foure assemblies begun at Dundie and concluded at Montrose Epaph. Evils ensuing upon the former division The tongue and pen of another Nizianzene vvere not sufficient to deplore and expresse them to the full In the generall assembly holden at Bruntyland the next yeare 1601 May 12. and at Halyrood-house the yeare following 1602 November 10. these are pointed at Defection from the puritie zeale and practise of true religion proceeding from the just vvrath of God for dishonouring of our profession the negligence of the Ministers against Papists the desolation of divers parts of the countrey for lack of Pastors the neglecting of places of chiefest importance to the interest of religion in not planting them vvith sufficient Pastors the ouer-hasty admission of men to the ministerie before their sufficiencie be knowne the negligence of Ministers in reading the Scriptures and controversies betwixt the reformed Kirk and enemies thereof the uncomely carriage of Ministers framing themselves excessiuely to the humors of men in communications intemperance and light apparrell the distraction vvhich is supposed to bee from some of the ministerie and of themselves from themselves the desolation of the Kirke of Edinburgh the great favour showne to Papists and their great credit by that meanes in negligent education of noble mens children the impunitie of Saylers transporting and bringing within the countrey Seminarie Priests and Iesuits vvith their coffers and books that men suspect in religion when they are chalenged haue accesse to court during the time of their processe That the late reconciled Papists are not urged to performe the conditions agreed to at their reconciliation to the Kirke All vvhich were either caused or occasioned by the former division Epaph. It had been high time vpon these evident dangers and pittifull cryes of the Kirk to haue repented of the former division and to haue returned to their brotherly vnitie and Philadelphian profession Nec enim vllum maius concordiae vinculum quam timor externus Epaph. Multi clerici sunt progenies viperarum Policie did foresee that that happy course vvould not satisfie the burning lust of Hierarchie Second degree of defection for Iurisdiction usurpation and therefore they are so farre from once looking back to brotherly agreement upon equall conditions that esteeming the fire of division to be the most naturall element for their purpose they add fresh oyle by labouring to abolish the Iurisdiction of the Kirk and giving a dead stroake to her chiefe priviledge of holding of generall Assemblies ordinarily once in the yeare and after pro re nata which is the second essentiall degree of our defection Archip. I haue seen the rent of vnitie I beseech you to bee as plaine in this poynt that I may be informed upon what occasion and by what meanes the Kirk was deprived of that awfull power and faire libertie Epaph. According to the order usually observed Assemby at Aberdine
plead for re-entrie That no Act passe in derogation or prejudice of the Actes alreadie granted in favour of reformation libertie of Assemblies convenient execution of Discipline c. or for corroboration of new opinions against the same whether Episcopacie or ceremonies the shadow thereof which for the peace of the Kirk by heavenly wisedome should be rejected rather then ratified That all Ministers that are removed from their Charges be restored to their places functions and stipends The happines to liue under his Majestie and his Heires ordinary Iudges and Rulers appointed by lawes and custome and established by the Actes of Parliament that our cause be lawfully cognosced according to order and justice before any sentence passe against our persons places and estates and not to be judged by any judicatorie forraigne and not established by the Lawes of our Country We trust that as Abraham composed the variance betwixt his own and Lots servants Moses interceded betwixt the Hebrews and Constantine betwixt the Ministers of the Kirk So the Lord shall giue you courage to intercede with his Majestie and his Highnesse fatherly disposition to set the pillars of the earth that were shaken and to take off the heavie burthens the burthensome ceremonies the burthensome censures and the hurthenous abuses which many haue groaned under And with a readie and royall hand to quench the beginning fire of deprivation of Ministers by Ministers of hindring Gods substantiall worship by him commanded and withdrawing from the people the appointed food of their soules and necessarie meanes of their faith and salvation of smiting of many a true shepheard and committing the flocke to many Wolues and blind guides of leaving the Papists cause and suppressing the best Ministers whereby they get rest to mischeife the Kirk and build up their own Synag gue and that for the sake of Ceremonies no more necessarie for the sâ—â— use of Christ then faiâ—ding for a chast maâ—â—on more readie to crosse the commandement of Christ wherby we are charged to pray to the Lord of the Harvest that he would thrust forth labâ—rer into his Harvest then for the edification of the body of Christ Thus â—â—mbly coÌ„manding the innocencie of our selues petitioners and our just right and possession of that reformation which we earnestly craue to be continued to your Honourable charitable judgement We pray God for Christs sake to enable you to doe that which may be acceptable to himself profitable to his Kirk and comfortable to your own soules at that day when we must all appeare before the â—â—dgement seat of Christ that man may receiue the thing which are done to his bodie according to that hee hath done whether it be good or ill and to blesse his Maâ— and Royall issue with peace and truth for ever And your Honours with sound Religion and loyaltie in this life and endlessâ— glorie with Christ for ever Archipp The supplication seemeth so reasonable and religious that no man needed to be ashamed to present it no man could refuse to accept it Epaph. It was indeed presented by a faithfull Minister in name of the Kirk and of his fellow Ministers in all humility and after the prescribed order to the hand appointed by Authority and obliged by office to receiue petitions of that kind from any corporation oâ—â—â—â—e leâ—ge of this Kingdom But after some refusals and sundry significations of unwillingnes it was received at last but subscribed by the Presenter and with su h misregard of the messengers of God and matters of his Kirk that he pla nly profâ—ssed his doubting whether he vvould exhibit it in Parliament or not Relegentem oportet esse religiosum nefas Archipp Notwithstanding all this diligence in proclamations conventions devising and presenting of petitions and supplications the Parliament was not holden then but in August what could be in doing in the two monthâ—s interjected For the estate of Bohome and the Palaâ—nate abroad cryed to hasten the subsidie for their present succour and safety And the Parents of Perth Articles at home longed to see the day when that birth of their braines should be perfected in a Parliament Epaph Parliament continuâ—e From the first of Iune vvhich vvas the appointed day the Parliament was continued to the twenty three of Iuly upon what causes in so urgent a necessity upon the one part and so earnest desire on the other it belongeth to the search of stately wits It is well known that the length of secret deliberation and shortnes of open determination is meetest for some matters And as well known amongst us that there vvas al 's great unwillingnesse to the one cause as affection to the other Nihil magâ—â— discriminis coÌ„sihis tam inimicum quam celeritas Qu câ—uid est incoctum non expromunt benecoctum duunt But the pretext behoved to attend the intended purpose And therefore during this delay great was the negotiation betwixt the rich Merchants of faire vvords and fine promises and the hungry servants of lingring hope who thought it now a fit time to draw up their particulars and the principall cause in one bargaine What will yâ—e giue me c. All these things c. Everie wit that had a venalâ— vote thought at this Market to repaire his losses to re-edifie his estate upon the ruines of the Kirk and faire words made fooles faine Our vigilant Bishops set themselues and send forth their explorators and Brokers to try the inclinations of Noblemen Commissioners of Shires Barones and Burgesses And as they were found affected cold hot or lukewarme they vvere vvrought upon to bee present absent or to resolue vvisely against the day appointed vvhereby many honest simple soules vvere put to a hard choice either to perill Religion or to vvant promotion NoÌ„ minus ego te spe quam tu me voâ—e tua delectasti and so made many to vvrong themselues in forsaking the truth vvhich vvas in their heart for hopes vvhich are never likely to fill their hand Where the feare of the Leaders of the course vvas greatest there albeit vvith a dissembled secrecie greatest confidence vvas professed by making it come to mens cares privily that Perth Articles vvould certainly bee ratified and therefore it vvas needlesse to oppone vvhich vvent through the Countrie as a Proclamation of victorie to dash some and as terrours of desperation to make others to crie Our opposition will doe us evill and the cause no good And servile spirits to determine where the mightie and multitude are there will wee bee By this crooked policie the sillie simpliâ—itie of many professours rawly resolved to stand in the day of tryall vvas deluded And Noblemen tempted to lurke in a diffiâ—ill time easily obtained licence vvithout great triall of a just cause as vvhose absence then presence vvas accounted better service Archipp When these two moneths of Preparation vvas thus past and the purpose matured vvhether vvas the appointed day observed Epaph. As there vvere preparatorie years betwixt
death Another Admonition PLease your Honours take heed what you doe at this peremptor time concerning the establishing of the unlawfull act of the pretended assembly of Perth Christ hath put his cause in your hands be faithfull now or never Beware of bringing back and casting in again of this stumbling block The glory of God the standing of the kirk of this land your own soules and the soules of many thousands for whom Christ Jesus died is now in hazard and depends much if ye look to outward meanes vpon your fidelitie wherof ye shall not want witnes neither in heaven nor earth The eyes of men and Angels are upon you the eyes of those who mourne for the mis ries of Gods kirk are longing for comfort from you And the great iudge of the world the almightie our God whose eyes are all a flaming â—â—re â—â—e behold every mans part in this present Parliament Yoâ—â— voteâ— your actes your nameâ— shall be registrate to all posterity Ponder the â—â—ore the wâ—ght of the cause where with ye meddle and the fearfull inâ—◠〈…〉 wâ—â—â— doe accompany shal follow the ratification of the act of â—hâ—â—â—tended assâ—â—ly that will â—efall the king oâ—n of Christ his ministery the â—est part of sinâ—ere profe 〈◊〉 your fâ—iends familiars your children posterity and it may be also your owne persons both spiritually â—â—lly For if according to your plâ—ce in prudent humble maner yee do not resist the estaâ—â—shing of that act â—y all lawfull meanes yee cannot clâ—â—â—â— yourâ—sâ—lves of â—â—spiâ—ing the 〈◊〉 and covenant of God solemnly sâ—◠〈◊〉 sâ—â—sâ—rived â—y aâ—â—â— stâ—tes anâ— of drawing down the undoubted cuâ—sâ—â— of God which hâ—st 〈◊〉 nâ—w to come upon 〈◊〉 cannot be guiltles of 〈…〉 and 〈◊〉 liuing the Papist to 〈…〉 thâ—n wee are wâ—â—e off yeâ— and of the greâ—ving of the hearts of the kings â—est suâ—iects of bringing thâ—iâ— faith and casting them in â—â—plexitie how to serve both God their natiue king Yeâ— cannot be guiltie â—e of the thrusting out of faithfull ministers and bringing in of yong boyes â—iâ—â—lâ—ngs and time serverâ— to the overthrow of the Gospel 〈◊〉 slaughter of souls Ye cannot misse to draw thâ— whâ—le â—and in a snare and in special the weaker Christi ns who by the f râ—e of civil law must either suffer their guides to become a prey to worse subiects thâ—n themselves or at least their meanes and estates to be so pilled and impaired by â—ines and penalties as in a short time they shall neither be able to serve their king their countrey nor their â—â—n necessities or else to controll and enthrall theâ—r conscienâ—es to the dâ—struction of their souls Now is the time wisâ—ly to prevent these things which if ye doe time shall approve you God and good men shall â—cknowledge you in this poynt better Christians better Statesmen better servants of God more 〈◊〉 and wisâ— subiects to the king better friends tâ— kirk commonweal then they who upon whatsoever pretences shall either urge or yeeld to the contrarie Resist theâ—â—ore the establishing of ceremonie as a reenâ—rie of Papistrie Our neighbour countrey grones under thâ— york which now is presented again to their nâ—â—kâ— and would redeeme the libertie which you haue had and y t in some meâ—sure enioy It cost your predessorâ— many a tear with God their utterm st endevoâ— with men to purchase transmit this liberty vnto youâ— and Christ hath bought it with his bloud for you Count not so lightly of it as to loose it for a moment â—ut stand fast in that liberty wherwith Christ hath made you free and be not intangled again with the yoake of â—ondâ—ge Good suâ—iects haue no iust cause to fear the offence of a good king in maintaining God right and their owne so long as their cause is honest and their dâ—fenâ—e lawful Stand therfore for the truth confesse Christ before men aâ— ye would that he shold confess you before the father Archip. If they had taken time to ponder your reasons and exhortations I cannot think that they could haue resisted so great evidence of truth so powerfully expressed But what resolution was taken in case all these meanes should failâ— Epaph. The Ministers resolved upon the last remedie a Protestation vvhich they left behind them in these words MAy it please your Honours in this present Parliament assembled â—nder the right high and excellent May of our deâ—â— dread Sov ProtestatioÌ„ to the Parliament We haue now before our eyes the forâ—seen and foretold bitter fruits of these alterations of the Kirk and â—â—â—t fear of farther evils to ensue upon such dangerous beginnings so much the more as wee are deprived of that ordinarie and general Assembly whereunto properly belongs to propone at Parliament the Kirk affaires And although for supplement of this pittifull defect in â—â—umble â—â—nner we did offer our reasonable supplication conform to his High proclamation we 〈◊〉 haue no place to be heard in our lawfull and religious desires In this hard and heavie case the sensible danger of our untimâ—â—s silenâ—e in thâ—se â—aies of the growth of som decay of grace contempt of thâ— Gospell troubles abroâ—d moved for the most part by the patrons of that bloudy Coâ—cel of Trent the consâ—ience of our inevitable coÌ„pearance before the judgment sâ—at of Christ to giue an account of our stewardship compels us as 〈◊〉 high extremitie to declare to your Hâ—â—our bounden harty affection to hold fast that anâ—ient faith forme of Religion received beleeved and defended by the Kirk â—f Sâ—â—tl the King Maj. and Eâ—tates the whole bodie of this Râ—â—lm your forâ—â—eers of worthy memory and your selues as God eternal truth onely ground of our salvation and of our high peace and prosperity by Gods undeserved mercie so long continued as also our unfaigned detestation of all formes ceremonies many or few that enemies of the truth may cast in our teeth as signes of repentance of our reformation or any part therof and presages to them of our return to their damned superstition either substance or ceremonies therof And likewise in the name of Iesus Christ whâ— shall render to every one that which he hath done in the flâ—sh to require your Honâ—â— to stand stedfastly for the said ancient Religion fâ—rme of doctrine Sacracraments Disâ—ipture as they haue been ministred in this Kirk ever since the Reformation of Religion for the jurisdiction and libertie of the true Kirk generall and provincial Assemblies Presbyteries Sessions as they are established by the Kirk and lawes of this Kingdome and against all usurpation and corruption of spiritual government and unnecessary Ceremonies as the fiue Articles of â—â—th Assembly and whatsoever is as aples of strife and deadâ—y destroyers of the kirk of Iesus Christ Otherwise if it shall happen as God forbid that any matter â—e propounded put in article or concluded in this present Parliament in prejudice of the said Religion
vvhen I find in Scripture a particular judgement threatned against a particular sinne I must confesse that I am become so simple that I ascribe the judgement when it falleth out to that sin as the proper cause 2 by Retaliation vvhen the judgement is so like to the sinne that the sin appeareth in the judgement as in a mirrour 3 by propagation vvhen sinne in the own nature bringeth forth such a judgement as the birth thereof 4 by accusation when the conscience upon the comming of the judgement immediately remembreth and convinceth of the same sinne 5 by deprehension vvhen the sinner is taken in the verie act as a thiefe with the fang When many or all of these rules concurre in one particular they leaue no scruple of dubitation in my heart whether the matter concerne my owne personall case or the common estate of the Kirk or Weale-publick And I doubt nothing but men separating themselues for that end might Savanorolalike by the grace of God disposing them to joyne in their observation the course of the vvord and vvorkes of God know much more of the procuring and intended causes of the judgements of God and learne more of him vvho is known by executing judgements then they doe But to prevent all mistaking my desire is not so much for the present to make particular application of my rules to that vvhich you haue related as to haue satisfaction to the third of my Demands according to my proposition Third Demand and your promise in the beginning CONFORMITIE SHOVLD BE REFVSED Eâ—â—phâ—as Faâ—â—◠〈…〉 â—i 〈…〉 at q◠〈…〉 â—di qâ—e â—â—cerâ—nt pudor◠〈◊〉 â—aâ—â—â—ndi que auâ—ire â—â—ube cunt lâ— liâ—uâ—◠〈…〉 vâ—renâ—â—ur hic ubi â—ihil oâ—uâ— est 〈◊〉 verâ—nturâ— Epaphras THâ—◠〈…〉 quality of the purpose the ini◠〈…〉 â—o some mâ—ns persons 〈…〉 my â—â—â—ing answeres 〈…〉 in the following â—iscourse free of sâ—â—h 〈…〉 And thâ—râ—fore be free vvith me to 〈◊〉 yâ—â—r 〈◊〉 and gâ—â—aâ—â—st diffiâ—ultie to the full and you shall see that I shall bee as resolute now as reserved before Archipp All that I vvould say is this Seeing the controverted cerâ—monies are not matters of faith but in thâ—â—r nature sâ—eme to be inâ—â—fferent are now â—onâ—luded in Kirk and Parliament upon so religious and reasonable pretences suffiâ—ient promises given that no further should be urged upon the Kirk hereafter and looking upon all second causes no hope of the restitution of our former order but all appearance that this course shall prevaile what shall be done Were it not good to make a vertue of necessitie And is it not better after due testification of our zeale to our ancient liberty and of our misliking of the present course for our short time either vvillingly to receiue or patiently to tollerate that vvhich we cannot mâ—nâ— then to striue vvith our Superiours trouble the peace of the Kirk gâ—ue place to the common adversarie carie thâ— infamous nâ—â—es of Sâ—hisme and Puritanisme and vvhich we must respect also hazard Ministerie living liberty and all There it is Foure pâ—incipall difficultâ—es answered If you hauâ— no more to say as I see not vvhat can be said more by the Prelate and Politiâ—ian both I perceiue that you stand upon the diffiâ—ultâ—es of â—ppearance Pretence Promise and Successe the foure great enchanters of mankind and rolling wheâ—les of defâ—ction which I will labour to silence by the truth and â—ogge in their impetuous course by the resistance of solide reason Archip. My first and greatest diffiâ—ultie is Appearance for they frâ—m to me and to the mâ—st part â—o be no matters of faith but things meerly indiff rent Epâ—â—h It is a happy thing â—hat the thoughts and words of men bring no changâ— upon the verâ—â—â—s of Gâ—â— 1 Diffâ—culty Appearance of indifferencie Had we been these seven yeares â—â—st like the sâ—ven slâ—â—â—ing Martyrs of Niâ—ephoâ—us in the time of Deâ—ius this â—in of in â—â—ffâ—â—â—nâ— iâ— which deâ—ives us â—ow had maâ—e us to â—hink that we had 〈◊〉 her been wakned in another world or else that we had mistaken our grounds when we learned that matters were the rules of mens minâ—â— and that the errors of mâ—n could doe no harme to the truth of God All the operations of the mind of man his cognosâ—ing faâ—â—â—ing apprehending deduâ—â—ing concluding c. although fortifiâ—d by canâ—ns customes and lawes are no of that force For when the mind of man goeth astray from the truth he incountreth the shadow in place of the substance Ieroboam in his time and his followers imagined that they worshipped not the calâ—es but Iehovah in a sensible signe yet their worship was in seed presented not to Iehovah vvho was not so much as conceived by them but to Divels He that conceiveth a round caâ— to be squared conceiveth not in his minde a circle but angles and the cap remaineth the same that it was before Archip. To what purpose insist you in that vvhich all men admit Epaph. To answer your seeming and appearance although ye and all others should think and authoritie both intend and iudge the matters in hand to be indifferent in the exercise of religion yet they are not for all that indifferent Sitting at the communion is the same now in nature that it was when it was sworne to bee most convenient to the institution and kneeling is no better this year then at the time of reformatioÌ„ when it had not the boldnes to bide behind Idolatry The Yuâ—le preaching hath no more pietie albeit the Christmas pye make it more pleasant then before Albeit these bee the dreggs of times and manners transforming things good into evill eâ—ill into good and both into indifferent veritie into heresie and heresie into veritie and both into phantasie that few things sâ—â—me as they are or be as they seeme yet veritie carrying thâ— image of God is still vnchangeable and in the middest of the maskâ—s of whoorish errors hath such maiestie in her presentation that vvith the one of her eyes she ravisheth the hearts of her lovers and with the other disdaineth all the courters of carnall sense her deadly enemies Archip. If either naturall or supernaturall verities had depended upon opinion we would neither know nor beleeue any thing at all But I would know of you first how men are brought to this opinion of indifferencie if the things themselues bee not indifferent Epaph. Three waies wherby men are brought to the opinion of indifferencie Some men come to it at the first while they stay their mindes from judging that to be a matter of difference which they heartily wish were indifferent Even as many stay their mindes so farre as they can from thinking that to bee true which they vvish were false They cannot doe a thing unlawful but they can judge a thing unlawfull to be indifferent and so doe a thing indifferent Others there bee vvho bring on their mindes by degrees As in Atheisme men are first Godlesse in conversation having
their owne pleasure the rule for their use of a thing indifferent Others are so peremptorie that they affirme there is nothing in use indifferent I know not what to think Epaph. Distinguendum inter fidem et factuÌ„ inter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 inter actum nudum circumstantionâ—um Inter actum in specie individuo inter rem consideratam in actu signato actu exercite That indifferencie hath place onely in the generall or in the nature of the action and not in the particular or in the use it almost vniversally confessed vvhile men distinguish with the Apostle betwixt our faith and our fact vvith others betwixt our profession and our use betwixt the naked action and the action clothed vvith circumstances betwixt one action generall and Individuall Indifferencie of action can no more be found in the second sense then it can be denied in the first All the actions of man in his integritie vvere good all the actions of man in glory shall be good all the actions of man under sinne let the matter be most indifferent in nature are evill and all the actions of man under grace are either good or evill not one of them all indifferent Were all our actions ruled by the word as they ought to be all our actions would be good as they ought to be For howsoever the word be not as it ought not to be an Encyclopedia or generall summe of all Arts and Sciences an vniversal directorie for all our actions as they are naturall civill moral oeconomiall yet the particular determination of all our actions falleth under the rules of the word in so farre as they be Christian and spirituall according to the nature of all professions and Sciences coincident for the most part in the matter but distinct in their manner of consideration The lifting up of a straw the Schoolmens example may be an evill action and must be either good or evill especially proceeding of deliberation Rules of health and good manners forbid it in some cases and so doe rulers of divinitie There is no truth more unsavourie to the Libertine a greater paradox to the ignorant and of greater mocking to the worldling and yet never denied by any Philosopher or divine except some few vvho make a distinction betwixt actions proceeding of meere imagination and actions proceeding of deliberation in the one placing indifferencie and not in the other The Idlenesse of which distinction might be easily shewne but that it were not to our purpose vvhich runneth upon matters controverted concluded resisted and so proceeding of deliberation and not from imagination Hee that esteemeth it a matter indifferent for him to kneel or sit at the communion to observe or not to observe a festivall day now after it is called in question hath neither reason nor authoritie of any vvriter for him and therfore carrieth a note of singularie Archip. When I haue heard you I cannot deny the truth yet I am not perswaded For first I may say that it is Theologia in abstructo and not in concreto I know no man but every day doth many things indifferently 2. That ground will breed innumerable scruples of conscience and is the ready vvay to beget superstition 3. I know not vvhat things are requisite for making an action by nature indifferent to be good that all our actions may be good as yee say they ought to be Epaph. Yet all the Divines lay it for a ground and I would haue wished that yee had suppressed your first doubt In many things we sinne all idle vvords idle gestures lookes c. are scored up in the accompts of men For the second beware of profanity in declining of superstition But in the second and third both yee shall say that ye are satisfied if yee consider that as in naturall and artificiall bodies produced according to the course of nature and skill of Art there is a concurrencie of the worker â—onum est ex imegra caâ—sa 〈◊〉 vero ex singulis desecâ—â—us of the matter of the forme and of the end for their full accomplishment and perfection before God and man say that they are good Even so in some correspondence their must concurre the vvhole foure causes for accomplishing of every action morall or spirituall that it may be acceptable to God It is for the first necessary that the person or persons efficient be In Christ by faith vvithout which it is imposible to please God Four causes concurring to make a good action that the action be with the renewing spirit of God and of the working spirit of God 2 the matter or substance of the action be indeed either good or indifferent in respect of the object and that it be throughly known to be such If it be not either good or indifferent the action is done with an erronious conscience If it be not knowne to be such it is done either vvith a doubting Vâ—l errante vel dubitante vel haesitante vel repugnaâ—â—â—e conscientiâ— conscientia 〈◊〉 non minâ—â— Ã licitis quam ab illicitis â—oâ—ibet dubilâ—â—tâ—â— haestiâ—â—tem repugâ—â—â—teâ— vel tandeus audente conscientia or unresolved or contradicting conscience If there be a defect of both the action is done with a bold conscience the first is great the second greater the third the greatest sinne Archip. Nothing of all that can be denyed what say ye of the third and fourth cause the manner of doing and the end Epaph. The forme or manner of doing presupposeth the matter either to be good in respect of the object or to be indifferent and requireth a conformitie with the law of God in the circumstances Circumstantiae interdum constituunt actionem in specia morit aliâs reddunt actionem meliorem malam priorem For a good action may haue a twofold conformitie with the law one is principall and more substantiall in respect of the object vvhich is commanded we say may haue because sometimes the obiect is indifferent The other consisteth in the circumstances which sometimes make the action good or evill sometimes onely make the good action better or the evill worse but haue greatest sway where the obiect is indifferent for then the manner of doing as order decencie sobrietie doe in a manner specificate the action Archip. Ye seeme to confound for the circumstances containe all the foure causes as vvho vvhat c. which ye referre all to the formall cause or manner of doing Epaph. In the enumeration of circumstances vve must not take Quis who for the efficient cause but for his condition or qualitie as a privat or publick person a Pastor or a Professor a king or a subiect Nor quid vvhat for the matter or obiect but the qualitie thereof Mediatè vel immediatè actu vel virtute ut reqiusitus reddere queas rationem à fine cur hoc feceris vel â—miseris as whether it be a matter of salvation or
originall law of nature Archip. But what say ye to the other Epaph. A wonder it is vvhat Doct. Douname can meane in good earnest by marching loyalty in order after piety and before sobriety and charity If the Magistrate haue absolute and unbounded authority in things indifferent which for fashion sake he denyeth in the generall What can be the cause why the matter being indifferent he giveth not the first place to loyalty preferring it to piety or if limited and restrained why shall not sobriety and charity be the limits as well as piety Albeit it bee lawfull to pledge the King his health yet neither sobriety nor piety ought to be banished from the table Neither can he say that drinking beyond the bounds of sobriety for once carryeth a greater guiltinesse then to practise that many times vvhich may destroy a soule for whom Christ dyed May there not be cases of Antinomy or opposition of the lawes of loyaltie and pietie of loyaltie and sobriety as well as of loyaltie and charity And as he alledgeth that there is Scandalum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 equall offence in the one albeit he know that authority judging them to be indifferent may well be displeased but cannot be scandalized at least in aeâ—uilibrio in equality with the other scandall May there not be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 peccati equalitie of sinne in the other in times or places where there ruleth an ungodly or intemperate Magistrate Bezaes order making charity the first and generall rule and seconding that with the constitutions of the Kirk and lawes of the Common-wealth is divine Dounames putting mans authority before sobriety and charity is humane Archip. But the scandall ceaseth to be sinne or at least to bee our sinne when our superiours command Epaph. Disobedience were unlawfull it upon commandement of our superiours the scandall either ceased to be or ceased to be sin or ceased to be our sinne But first it ceaseth not to be For the commandement of the Magistrate maketh it the greater as the boldnesse of the Papist the mocking of the profane the griefe of the godly the superstition of the simple in these late daies haue declared and still the more that the ceremonies be urged and received the greater shall the offence be and the greatest vvhen there shall be least contradiction Next the scandall ceaseth not to be sinne because scandall being scandall it must be sinne as idolatry is ever idolatry there is no dispensation of the law of nature Thirdly it ceaseth not to be our sinne vvhen the sin is in modo imperandi in the manner of commanding The superiour may haue guiltinesse in commanding and the inferiour be innocent in obeying but when the sinne is also in re imperata in the thing commanded as the matter commanded being against piety decency or charity the guiltinesse is on both sides Archip. For removing of scandall we ought not to disobey but to render a reason of our obedience Epaph. If rendring a reason of our doing might quit us of sin as some haue pretended the question of things indifferent might be soone put to an end the Apostle his doctrine abridged and all the Christian Kirkes brought to quietnesse But that vvhich the Schoole-men utter more obscurely that the actions of the understanding depend upon our own will or upon the will of others quoad exercitium non quoad specificationem is clear in experience We may make our selues or others to thinke upon the matter but to assent or diassent it depends not upon our will They are little exercised in catechizing of the ignorant who maintaine such grounds Archip. But I am sure the commandement of the superiour at least extenuates the sinne Epaph. Comparing sinne with sinne the fault is not so great upon particular tentation without purpose and intention to fail against the rule of Charity or Sobriety or Piety as to obey a Law injoyning the practise of a thing indifferent against sobriety or charity with purpose of obedience For in the one thou simply neglects the commandement of God but in the other with a soule disparagement of Antinomy thou prefers the commandement of Man Archip. Necessary duties must not be left for offence of any Epaph. D. Dounam his reason taken from the distinction of necessary and arbitrary dueties can haue no place heere For albeit communicating and preaching be necessary duties and must be done albeit all the world should stumble yet kneeling and comforming which man hath made their adherents are no necessary duties Dimittendum est propter scaÌ„dalum omne quod potest pratermittâ— salva triplice veritate scil vita doâ—trina Instititia Hieron gloss ora Tom. 9. but at the most indifferent ever in the opinion of the practisers and therefore in the case of offence to be left Might he not upon the same ground conclude that seeing drinking is a necessary duty therefore rather ere I want drinke at a time I will yeeld to drinke aboue Sobriety The offence commeth not by communicating nor drunkennesse by drinking but the offence commeth by kneeling and drunkennesse by excessiue drinking Archip. The great danger in this purpose is that declyning the one extremity ye fall into the other Epaph. To tell you my mind I acknowledge an essentiall kirk the Congregation of the faithfull a representatiue Kirk the Assembly representing the Kirk essentiall But I know no virtuall Kirk on earth whether the Bishop of Rome or any other man as having in himselfe eminently and virtually for so the Papists professe and others in part practise such certainty of truth and soveraignty of judgement that he may command what he will in any controverted matter Ecclesiasticall whether he command that which is unlawfull or that which is lawfull to be done in an unlawfull manner that is against the generall rules When Alexander the Great came to Ierusalem he desired his image to be erected in the Temple The high Priest was willing to please him in every thing wherein God was not displeased and therfore refusing with all reverence that idolatry what he might and what served more the Kings honour he offered cheerefully First to beginne the accounts of their times from his entry into Ierusalem and secondly to name all their first borne sonnes Alexanders from him What is civill what domestick what is Casars what is ours let them be forbidden water and fire and their Citie sowne with salt who refuse it Let Christs royall prerogatiue who will not giue his glory to another be kept for himselfe May we not in so narrow a strait where we can see no way to turne neither to the right hand nor to the left open our mouthes with the obedient Asse and say Haue we used to serue so in other matters In Ministerio Ecclesia spectandum est â—pâ—um ministerium persona qua eo fungitur Quod ad personam attineâ— civili potestati minister subjicitur nam et civis est quemadmodum alii tributum
man pleasing humour determine in doctrine against the word or in ceremony against the generall rules their dutie is to obey God rather then man He was a Pope and not a Protestant that concluded If a beast touch the mountaine he shall die therfore the Laicke shall not meddle with Scripture and matters of the Kirk We know that even poor folk haue soules and should haue knowledge and faith to saue them Archip. Knowledge in the Professours is most necessary but the smaller measure may serue if their Leaders be full of light Albeit ye and others who stand against ceremonies haue more affection then knowledge and more zeale then learning as I haue often heard you called ignorant wilfull men and that there is scarcely a mouth full of learning amongst you all yet there be many great Clerkâ—s and a faire procession of learned Doctors of Divinity in the Kirk of Scotland to whose fatherly care the people may safely commit the matters of the worship of God and of their own salvation let them onely obey their superiours and attend their secular affaires Epaph. I like not jesting in a serious purpose Ierome was moved to write a booke de vtris illustribus by the like objection of the Heathen against Christians The Papists plead their cause at some times by objecting of ignorance to the Reformed Kirkes But I never heard it of any of our adversaries against us except of some vaine glasterers vvho thinke themselus learned because their dwelling hath marched a long time with bookes and learning and know not their own ignorance because they paine not themselues to reade and consider difficulties Some men care not for the losse of the truth so they may appeare learned We stand not for our learning so we may retaine the truth we haue learned Christ in comparison of whose excellencie we thinke all things losse and are ready to defend the least and lowest hâ—mme of his garment against all such Bragadochies Albeit our Clergie hath gotten the names of the greatest Clarkes yet never had the people more need of knowledge then now When great titles began among the Iewish Doctors as Orgnolam Rabboni hakkodesh the light of the vvorld the holy Doctor Vrim and Thummim both light and holinesse was wearing away And so was it in the Christian Kirk when the titles of Comestor Magister sententiarum Doctor irrefragabilis Doctor Seraphicus Doctor Fundatissimus Doctor Illuminatus Doctor Solennis Doctor Resolutus Doctor Subtilis Doctor Angelicus c. made men so famous Albeit we could point at the men and the gifts amongst our selues and say this is Doctor Resolutus and that is Doctor Solemnis c. Albeit our Doctors for their subtilizing distinctions might with Antonius Pius be called Cumini sectores so long as they stand upon their learning they would proue to the people like the Starres which giue but small light they are so high The Lord vvill confound the wise and learned that he may haue the glory to himselfe When vaine imaginations vaine altercations vaine affectations the three peccant humours of learning doe abound in some and idlenesse covetousnesse and ambition the threefold consumption of the Kirk appeares in others then is the Clergie sick and hath need of Physicke then haue poore people need of knowledge and to beware of contagion To vvhat serue the Priests roddes except they bud The high Priest in the time of the second Temple was called Vir multarum vestium the man with the many clothes but he wanted the oile We haue the man with the many cloathes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with great pompe but the oile is dryed up The golden girdle that had wont to be about the pappes soon after the reformation is now slacked and sliding down towards the loines where it was before Reu. 15 6 The sea of glasse and chrystall is beginning to be muddy to be turned into bloud because of this mountaine of Episcopacie and preferment that is cast into it Revel 8 8. And therfore if ever at any time since the reformation our people haue need at this time of the judgment of discretion Institutio Iussio Observatio And now to close this point of Ecclesiastick coÌ„stitutions I wish you and all others by holy judgement to discerne of the first institution of these ceremonies that therby ye may judge of the following ratification and of your own observation I haue shewed you that they are not in nature indifferent and giving them to be indifferent that the Apostolick rules are not kept And therefore albeit the conclusion of that Assembly were Ecclesiasticall and publick in respect of the persons assembling seeing it is not Ecclesiasticall and publick ratione modi medii in respect of the manner and meane used to bring on the conclusion but in that respect civill and private how can it be counted Ecclesiasticall No man at that time durst so much as pretend piety decency or charity The Kings pleasure the averting or preventing of the kings wrath what shall become of your Kirk if the King countenance it not such a Theologicall and inartificiall arguments as his Majestie never did use in any Assembly and could not haue heard with patience caryed the conclusion As the interpretation of Scripture which is onely private ratione personae in respect of the person interpreting and not in respect of the manner and meanes of interpretation is not to be judged the interpretation of a private spirit so upon the contrary the conclusion of persons Ecclesiasticall proceeding from a private or civill cause cannot be esteemed Ecclesiasticall Lex humana quâ—â—â— eâ—â—uadiâ—â—â— viâ—tuâ—â— obligandiâ—nâ—â— habâ—t cuâ—â—a coâ—muni bâ—nâ— deficit The conclusion can haue no greater force nor no other quality but that which it receiveth from the reason whereupon it depends He that striveth to demonstrate a supernaturall conclusion by a naturall reason bringeth forth nothing but a naturall conclusion If the first institution be not sound the following ratification can giue no new right and therefore the observation must be unlawfull Archip. In this third Evangelicall and Christian determination ye haue spoken of Divine institutions and of Ecclesiasticall constitutions Humane inuentions in the Christian Kirk I would heare now what ye are to say of Humane inventions succeeding in the Christian Kirk to Pharifaicall conceits in the Iewish Kirk Epaph They would all suddenly evanish if the word of Christ were obeyed in his own house The lines and cords of mens wit that creep in and rap out may serue for civill and secular mets and merches But as the Temple was met with a reed so hath the Lord ordained a golden reed for the measure of the Sanctuary In all Planets coniunction is most amiable except the Sun which is good by aspect but evill by coniunction When man presumeth to equall his ceremonies with divine Institutions and to set down a positiue worship with the worship of God that marreth all Archip. That is the
though in a bad cause Doe so I pray you that the things wee haue received when wee were children we may transmit to the posterity when we become old that the following age may finde nothing to be amended Men may promise little for themselues albeit their intention vvere answerable to their profession lesse for their superiours whom they dare not challenge least of all for Satan who hath the warp of defection rolled up in secret upon the beame of his hellish project and employeth one malignant wit after another to make out the web by Gods just judgement ever plaguing former defections with following Apostasie Never man made count of such promises but he who first laid his count to keep the vvorld in all cases of the Kirk that he might haue something to say for his honestie before the world rather then for the peace of his conscience before God in vvhose dreadfull sight who dare appeare vvith the vveak promises of sinfull men against his infallible verities Fourth difficulty of hard success removed Frater frater ubi in Cellam dic miseâ—ere meus Deus Res propter resistentiam laborem inclinationeÌ„ sunt Physice ethice sed non Theologice â—â—possibiâ—es Archip. When all my forces vvere mustered together in the beginning they made some shew but now vvhen they are severally provoked to the conflict they bewray their weakenesse my last souldier called hard successe dare not set out his head Epaph. His name should not be heard in a cause of this quality Care of duety belongeth to us care of successe to God and not to us Luther had not been the right man if he had been ruled by feare of events vvhen it was said to him in sad earnest Brother brother take you to your Cloister and pray to God to help you Policie hath so farre prevailed vvith M. Sprint that he hath found a false key to open a gate for many to enter vvithin the threshold of ceremonies in case of deprivation and a back dore to escape by in case of reformation that his man shall ever fall on his feet But piety is no temporizer and in all times of heresie profanity impiety looks to the will of God to doe it for a good successe and 〈…〉 first or last All difficulties are not impossible â—tâ—er and many naturall and morall impossibilities proue demonstrations of his power with whom nothing is impossible All hearts are in Gods hand either converting or changing vvhom he converteth not or restraining vvhom he changeth not or at least ruling and governing to good ends whom he restraineth not Ecclesiasticall history points at sixe notable changes of the Christian Kirk every one of the first fiue including three hundred yeares In the first three centuries Piety simplicity martyrdomes abounded under persecution In the next three by occasion of heresies learning increased After that for three hundred yeares supremacie and primacie prevailed in the Kirk The fourth three yeeres was a time of soveraignty and domination over saecular Princes and Emperours The last period of the same extent was a time of Mammon and heaping up of riches At last in the sixteenth hundreth yeare when Kirkmen had no further to aime at vvhen the unkindly daughter had devoured the mother and every one vvas saying in his own bosome my soule take the ease then it pleased the Lord from heaven to pitie his own Kirk in working that blessed reformation never at any time before so much desired and so little expected Our Nationall Kirk so like is she unto her mother during these sixtie yeeres past hath experienced the like diversitie We had in the beginning a time of martyrdom vvith great power and simplicity of the Gospell a second time of learning abounding with a greater number of Doctors indeed then this time doth with titles soone after succeeded a time of primacie vvhen Pastors sought after preferment aboue their brethren When that vvas obtained they rested not till in the fourth time they were preferred to the Nobles and Seculars of the land And now in the fift time sitting in the highest chaires of honor they leaue no meane unassayed by taxes and taxations by plots and pluralities Pauper Episcopus Pauperioâ— Cardinalis Pauperimus Papa by simonie and legacie of the quick and of the dead to multiply vvealth howbeit some of them find the successe of Alexander the fift Why then may we not hope whatsoever be the present course of second causes for a reformation except the feare of worldly shame and skaith in the particulars remembred in the end of your third demand make us all to fall away and there be few or none to stand in the gap Archip. The danger is great for the aspersions are very contumelious and the incommodities greevous that I feare few shall be able to beare them with courage Epaph. He that seemeth to be a ceremoniall Confessour hath the lesse evidence that he shall proue a substantiall Martyr We haue not so much to regard what is said as how true it is nor what we shall suffer as vvhat vve haue deserved Against them 〈◊〉 vve might make reply in the vvords of the vvorthiest instruments that haue lived in the Kirk of God after the Apostles vvho haue been burthened vvith the same and other like imputations And vvhat is true may be better known then by the slanders of our enemies 1 By our doctrine of obedience to all our lawfull Superiours 2 By our practise vvherein vve haue altered nothing since the time vve vvere esteemed obedient to our superiours Peace-keepers and peace-makers in the Kirk and enemies to Papists 3 By our abhorring the name of Puritanes vvhich that sect of Heretickes affected and vvhich the Papists first brought upon us as the name of Calvina-papistae upon our Opposites to make our Religion the more odious And 4 by our unwillingnesse to be shut out of our particular residencies so long as we are suffered to be faithfull in them by such as are resident in place but non-residents in office leaving their flockes following after the vvorld fostering others like unto themselues requiring of Intrants subscription for qualification and sending the best qualified spirits because they haue not learned to subscribe to hang up their harpes on the vvillow trees and their silver trumpets prepared for the Temples about the unworthy walles of other professions Archip. I know it vvas given forth of the holy Apostle that he turned Christian for a vvorldly respect That Wickliffe finding himselfe disappointed of a Bishoprick became a Schismatick That Iohn Husse Ierome of Prage and Luther all three fell into apostasie because they wanted preferment yet so mighty was the Lords assisting grace that they through good and evill report kept the truth pressed hardly towards the marke But alas what are vve whether Pastors or Professours able to beare Epaph. If we suffer not greater things for Christ we are not vvorthy of him If all make defection our desolation shall be exemplarie