Selected quad for the lemma: truth_n
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A01038
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A peaceable vvarning, to the subjects in Scotland given in the yeare of God 1638.
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Forbes, John, 1593-1648.
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1638
(1638)
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STC 11142; ESTC S102457
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8,127
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22
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this SHORT CONFESSION once had and what it now hath Supreame Authoritie Civill in SCOTLAND is eyther Royall or Legall For altho the publicke Lawes be the King 's Royall Lawes yet because the King may giue Mandates or Dispensations or Commissions which depende onelie vpon his Royall pleasure and are not of the nature of fixed Lawes how-so-ever hee ought to bee obeyed also in them There-fore this distinction will not bee vnfitting for our purpose This CONFESSION had never Authoritie Legall for it was never ratified by Act of Parliament as was our NATIONALL CONFESSION which is registrated in the Actes of Parliament But all the Civill Authoritie that this SHORT GENERALL CONFESSION had at anie tyme was onelie Royall by the King's Mandate where-of wee shall speake more a little after GOD willing Ecclesiasticke Authoritie by two Nationall Synodes was given to this Confession and that twofolde the one immediate the other mediate The Authoritie Synodicall immediate was that Approbation where-by those Synodes declared this Confession to bee a true Christian Faythfull and Godlie Confession and that such as truelie professe CHRIST and His true Religion ought to agree therevnto This Approbation beeing in matter of Fayth of contrarie Errour which in Religion is not mutable by anie humane Authoritie neither depēdeth theron the agreement to the sayde Confession beeing declared by those Synodes to bee incumbent vpon such as truelie professe CHRIST and His true Religion which is a common description showing equall obligation vpon all Christians this Approbation I say in these considerations tending to manifest a Divyne Authoritie of the Confession or Doctrine there-of doeth in respect of the matters so approven equallie obliedge all Christians neyther doeth it absolutelie obliedge anie because such humane wrytings haue not absolute Divyne Authoritie yet it hath by that Synodicall Approbation a respectfull Authoritie so farre as wee are obliedged respectfullie to reverence the Iudgement of a Nationall Synode of the KIRKE of SCOTLAND in matters substantiall But this respect giveth no power to the Synode to make true that which is not in it selfe true by authoritie of Holie Scripture neyther to make that repugnant to GOD'S Word which before in it selfe was not repugnant there-vnto I speake now of matters substantiall aequallie incumbent vpon all Christians Neyther are wee by this Authoritie obliedged to hearken in matters of this nature to those two Synodes more than wee are obliedged to hearken to the former or latter Nationall Synodes of the same KIRKE or to anie Nationall Synode of anie forraygne Reformed Kirke or to anie of the Ancient Councels of Orthodoxe Fathers All such Obligation is Conditionall and with Restriction as hath beene before declared Neyther did those Synodes intende to exeeme this SHORT CONFESSION from lawfull examination by the Word of GOD and by the Articles of the Nationall Confession of SCOTLAND registrated in PARLIAMENT The Ecclesiasticall Authoritie mediate which those Synodes did giue to this SHORT NEGATIVE CONFESSION was their Ordinance where-by they appoynted and enjoyned all Ministers within their jurisdiction at that tyme to giue obedience to his Majesties Commandement anent the sayde CONFESSION within such a tyme vnder payne of Deprivation Nothing is spoken in this their Statute but in relation to the King's Mandate and for that tyme. There is no mention of Perpetuitie or tyme to come or of anie other immediate injunction for craving this CONFESSION of the people except that onlie which did immediatelie flow from his Majestie so there was never anie Constitution Ecclesiasticall immediate for exacting or requyring of Subscription to this CONFESSION but onelie Mediate by intervention of the King's Mandate which standing the matter and vigour of that Synodicall Constitution remayneth and the Mandate expyring or beeing taken away that Synodicall Constitution doeth lykewyse expyre and ceaseth to bee of force Causa sublata tollitur constitutio ex causa illa orta 1. qu. 7. quod pro remedio in glossa Cessante But that Mandate is now long agoe expyred and vtterlie taken away there-fore what-so-ver Publicke Authoritie eyther Civill or Ecclesiasticall did at anie tyme appertayne to this SHORT GENERALL NEGATIVE CONFESSION for particular obligation of the Ministers of SCOTLAND to exact of their Parochiners Subscription to the same or for obliedging the Parochiners to subscrybe there-vnto is nowe long agoe expyred and taken away That Royall Mandate was no perpetuall Law but a temporarie Mandate given out in his Majesties minor age hee beeing in the fyfteenth yeare of his age then current There-after hee disallowed the same in his rype age as is evident by his Majesties owne Speach in the Conference which his Majestie had with the Bisshops and others of the Clergie of ENGLAND AT HAMPTON COVRT Anno 1603 in the second dayes Conference Where it beeing moved by a certayne Doctor That this PROPOSITION The intension of the Minister is not of the essence of the Sacrament might bee added vnto the Booke of Articles the rather because that some in ENGLAND had preached it to bee essentiall his Majestie vtterlie dislyked that motion thinking it vnfit to thrust into the Booke everie Position Negatiue which would both make the Booke swell into a volume as big as the BIBLE and also confound the Reader Bringing for example the course of one Master CRAIG I am vsing the wordes published in the Printed Summe of that Conference in the lyke case in SCOTLAND who with his I renounce and abhorre his detestations and abrenounciations hee did so amaze the simple people that they not able to conceaue all those thinges vtterlie gaue over all falling backe to Poperie or remayning still in their former ignorance Yea if I sayd his Majestie should haue beene bound to his forme the Confession of my Fayth must haue beene in my Table-booke not in myne head Out of these his Majesties wordes concerning this Negatiue Confession yee may easilie gather his mynde concerning that Mandate drawne some-tyme from his Royall hand for exacting Subscription to the sayde Confession to wit that hee did vtterlie disallow and annull it Ad intentionem Mandantis recurrendum est Extra de rescriptis cap. 8. ad aures in glossa More-over Although his Majestie had not in his lyfe-tyme made voyde that Mandate as hee did yet now it were expyred with His Royall Breath Morte Mandatoris expirat Mandatum Extra de officio potestate judicis delegati cap. 19. relatum est in glossa Hence it is most manifest that this Negatiue Confession hath not at this present tyme anie publick Authoritie at all neyther are the Ministers now obliedged to require nor the Parochiners to giue Subscription thereto CHAP. III. Whether it bee convenient for the CHVRCH at this tyme that this Negatiue Confession be authorized and Subscription there-to requyred SAVING better judgement it seemeth not to bee convenient And that for the Reasons expressed in the CONFERENCE at HAMPTON COVRT And because of some ambiguities and no small Difficulties there-in It is wyselie sayde in our Nationall Confession in the 18 Article noted 19 in the Printed Parliament that when Controversie happeneth for the right vnderstanding of anie place or sentence of Scripture or for the reformation of anie abuse within the Kirke of GOD wee ought not so much to looke what men before vs haue sayd or done as vnto that which the holie Ghost vniformlie speaketh within the bodie of the Scriptures and vnto that which CHRIST IESUS Himselfe did and commanded to bee done And it is also to bee considered that where-as wee ought to bee busie in instructing the simple people in the positiue groundes of the Trueth it seemeth verie inexpedient to bee explayning to them vnknowne poyntes of Heresie which were set downe for masked Papistes More-over By the Interpretations which some of our BRETHREN doe giue vs in their Printed Bookes they condemne Episcopacie and the fyue PEARTH Articles as Abominable and Antichristian and doe affirme Sitting at the Communion to be the onlie lawfull gesture These Doctrines how can wee receaue without condemning the Doctrine and Practise of sound Antiquitie and of manie Famous Reformed Kirks in Britane France Germanie and else-where And were it not a pittifull case that anie of vs beeing in those Countreys might not communicate with those Reformed Kirkes And howe doeth this Oath and Covenant about these thinges agree with the xx Article of our Nationall Confession noted 21 in the Printed Parliament Anno 1567 where power is denyed to Generall Councels to make anie perpetuall Lawe which GOD before had not made CHAP. IV. Concerning the keeping or breaking of an Oath With AN EXHORTATION to CHARITIE and PEACE IN so farre as the matter of an OATH is lawfull or vnlawfull pleasing or displeasing to GOD it may and ought to bee kept or broken When Herod beheaded IOHN THE BAPTIST for keeping of his Oath hee added sinne to sinne But DAVID did well in sparing Nabal and his Familie whome hee had sworne to destroye and hee blessed GOD for the good counsell of Abigaill where-by hee was diverted from performing that Oath Let vs not judge hardlie or vncharitablie one of another nor breake the Bond of Peace and Christian Brotherhood for the diversitie of Opinions amongst vs in these oeconomicall and rituall Controversies But whereto we haue alreadie attayned let vs walke by the same rule let vs mynd the same thing with all lowlinesse meeknesse with long-suffering forbearing one another in loue endevouring to keepe the vnitie of the Spirit in the bond of Peace Now the ALL-MIGHTIE GOD of Trueth and Peace illuminate our eyes and vnite vs all in the knowledge of His Trueth in the vnitie of Fayth in the Bond of Loue and Peace in CHRIST IESUS our LORD To Whom bee Glorie for ever AMEN AVG. EIIT 5. AD MARCELLINVM Non itaque verum est quod dicitur semel rectè factum nullatenus esse mutandum Mutata quippe temporis causa quod rectè ante factum fuerat ita mutari vera ratio plerumue flagitat vt cum ipsi dicant rectè non fieri si mutetur contra veritas clamet rectè non fieri nisi mutetur Quia vtrumue tunc erit rectum si erit pro temporum varietate diversum FINIS Iam. 1. 20. Lam. 3. 40. Ierē 30. Lam. 2. 13. Phil. 3. 16. Ephes 4. 2. 3.
A PEACEABLE WARNING TO THE SUBJECTS IN SCOTLAND Given in the Yeare of GOD 1638. ABERDENE IMPRINTED BY EDW. RABAN The Yeare aboue written BON ACCORD Insignia Vrbis abredonie To the most Noble My very Speciall Good LORD My L Marquis of HVNTLEY Earle of AENZIE Lord GORDON and BADENOCH c. One of his Majesties most honourable Privie Counsell Grace and Peace Most Noble and My verie Speciall Good LORD YOur vpright loue of the TRVETH professed by the REFORMED CHVRCH now openlie knowne and notified to manie but to mee manie yeares agoe evidentlie certayne as it doeth vndoubtedlie portend and promise to all your Friends the plentifull Blessings of GOD vpon your Lo. and your most Religious Ladie and your most noble Progenie and House so lykewyse it gayneth vnto your Lo. the true affections of those who feare GOD according to His word Your worldlie Greatnesse may purchase you outward attendance but your Pietie and Humanitie doe command inward Benevolence and make conquest of the will and affections of men to doe you honour and service And which is most of all this grace given to you of GOD is an Earnest of Eternall Happinesse Your zeale of GOD lest it should bee without knowledge hath carried you to an accurate tryall of all thinges and to a wyse holding of that which is best And for better information of others also in these present Dissensions and commotions Your Lo. lay de vpon mee this piece of paynes which I humblie lay downe at your Lo. feete And I pray GOD Almightie the GOD of Trueth the LORD of Peace Himselfe who hath commanded vs to loue Trueth and Peace to make vs all of one mynde according to IESUS CHRIST and to giue vs Peace alwayes and by all meanes which is also heartilie wished to your good Lo. and to all yours By OLD ABERDENE 6 Aprill 1638. Your Lo true Servant IOHN FORBES OF CORSE PREFACE OF THE AUTHOR TO THE CHRISTIAN READER IN some Few written Copies of the first sudden draught of this WARNING before it was perfected some haske speaches were found and haue beene verie hasklie interpreted I loue not to bee offensiue to anie and I doe playnlie and openlie disallow all other Copies and holde to this onlie perfect Edition in a meeke and calme stile beseeching my de we Countrey-men to pardon what was amisse in anie Copie or what perhaps may bee yet amisse in this first publicke and onlie true Edition which I doe presens vnto them with a loving and peaceable heart ayming onlie at Trueth and Peace And let not anie exception agaynst anie weaknesse of the Warner hinder them from vnpartiall consideration of the Warning it selfe The Apostle hath tolde vs that the wrath of man worketh not the rigteousnesse of GOD. Therefore let vs all laye asyde wrath and bring our best concurrance to cure this miserable division and in all singlenesse and humblenesse of mynde contribute therevnto the best overtures which it shall please GOD to put into our hearts if possibly this fearfull rupture may be solidlie and peaceablie remedied Which to obtayne let vs all search and trye our wayes and turne agayne to the LORD Let vs lift vp our heart with our handes vnto GOD in the Heavens Now the LORD GOD of Trueth and Peace who hath tolde vs by His holie Prophet That Hee will restore Health vnto His CHVRCH even when Her sore is vncurable bind vp this breach which is great lyke the Sea But GOD dryeth the Sea and to Him all thinges are possible Blessed bee the LORD His Grace bee with thee that thou mayest loue Trueth and Peace Augustinus Epist 7. ad Marcellinum Ego fateor me ex eorum numero esse conari qui proficiendo scribunt scribendo proficiunt A Peaceable WARNING To the Subjects in SCOTLAND Given in the year of GOD 1638. CHAP. 1. A true Historicall Narration Concerning our Nationall Confession of Fayth registrated in Parliament and concerning that other little Confession called Generall which was also called The King's Confession and the Negatiue Confession contayning the Oath MASTER IOHN KNOX of happie memorie with others his Fellow-labourers in the Reformation of Religion in SCOTLAND did present in name of the Nationall reformed Kirke of this Realme vnto the Parliament a Confession of Fayth distinguished into 25 Articles which was read in face of Parliament and ratified by the three Estates in the yeare of GOD 1560 as a Doctrine grounded vpon the infallible Word of GOD. And agayne the same Confession and fore-sayde Act made in ratification thereof were ratified approved and authorized in the first Parliament of KING IAMES the sixt of blessed memorie holden at EDINBVRGH in December Anno 1567 as it is extant in the publicke Printed Acts of the sayde Parliament and Acts were made in that and others succeeding Parliaments for mayntayning of the sayde Confession and agaynst the gayn-sayers and disobedient as you may reade in the Acts of those Parliaments Act. 4. 5. 6. 9. 35. 45. 46. 47. 99. 106. c. Yet still with that modestie and ingenuitie which the Estates and all professing IESUS CHRIST and His holie EVANGELL in this Realme did declare in their Epistle written to their owne natiue Countrey-men and to other Kingdomes and Nations professing with them the same IESUS CHRIST and prefixed as a Preface to the Latine Edition of the sayde Confession as it is extant in the Booke called Corpus Syntagma confessionum c. where their words are these Si quis in hac nostra Confessione articulum vel sententiam repugnantem sancto DEI Verbo notaverit nosque illius scripto admonuerit promittimus DEI gratia ex DEI ore id est ex sacris Scripturas nos illi satisfacturos aut correcturos si quis quid erroris inesse probaverit DEVM enim in conscientiis nostris testem advocamus nos ex animo omnes sectas Haereses omnesque falsae doctrinae doctores detestari c that is If in this our Confession anie man shall note anie Article or Sentence repugnant to GOD'S holie Word and shall by wryting admonish vs thereof wee promise by the grace of GOD to giue him satisfaction out of GOD'S mouth that is out of the holie Scriptures or to amend it if anie shall proue anie errour to bee therein for we in our consciences call GOD witnesse that wee doe from our heart detest all Sects Heresies and all teachers of false Doctrine c. Now it beeing ordayned by publicke Lawes aboue cited that all Recusants or suspected of Papistrie within this Realme should giue confession of their fayth according to the forme approved in Parliament and should assent and subscrybe to the Articles of the true and Christian Religion established by the King's Lawes it was found that manie masked Papistes did promise sweare subscrybe and for a tyme vse the holie Sacraments in the Kirke deceatfullie agaynst their owne conscience mynding heereby first vnder the externall cloake of Religion to