Act made at Perth and the practice thereof in our Church I passe it as superfluous Onely to your last words of the Section I answere PP Nay let vs vtter the Truth December Christmasse is a iust imitation of the December Saturnall of the Ethnicke Romanes and so vsed as if Bacchus and not Christ were the God of Christians ANS This protestation yee might haue made and craued licence if your custome were to lye but to the purpose If Christmasse hath beene thus abused I am sure the abuse hath not come by preaching on that day and the exercise of diuine worship thereon for that wee haue lacked these 57. yeares by-past in our Church yet riot profanenesse surfet and drunkennesse hath not beene wanting What hath beene the cause hereof and by what meanes the abuse may be best remedled wise men will easily consider PP It is commonly obiected That wee may aswell keepe a day for the Natiuitie as for the Resurrection of Christ We haue answered already That Christs day or the Lords Day is the day appointed for remembrance of his Natiuitie and all his actions and benefits aswell as for the Resurrection Next the one is morall and weekely the other is mysticall and anniuersarie The Lords Day it selfe is no longer to vs mysticall but morall sayes Willet and therefore Pasche day is a mysticall Sabbath and anniuersarie whereas the Lords Day it selfe should be onely morall ANS The answere which yee haue already made is already confuted The Lords Day is generally appointed for remembrance of all his actions therefore none of his actions may or should bee remembred at any other set time This consequence is not necessary for then we may not remember his actions in the morning and euening Lectures wee may not remember them in Sermons Exercises on weekly dayes nor may wee remember them in Catechizing the people Your next answere is That the day of the Natiuitie is mysticall This is contrarie to that which yee cited out of Saint Augustine pag. 68. Ille celebratur ob memoriam solùm ideo semper die vigesimo quinto Decembris at iste celebratur ob memoriam Sacramentum But I pray you How proue yee obseruation of the day of Natiuitie to bee mysticall because it is anniuersarie yee say If this be your Argument for I finde no other here it is not good for in the reuolution of time there is no mysterie but in the signification and we haue often said before that we obserue no day for signification but the Lords Day onely The rest we obserue as times meet and commodious for the worship appointed to be done on them As to Doctor Willets assertion That the Lords Day is not mysticall to vs I oppone to it Saint Augustines iudgement who calls it as yee heard before a figure and type of life eternall which is confirmed by the Apostle in the fourth to the Hebrewes But Doctor Willet I hope takes mysticall for a darke and obscure shadow of things to come such as the festiuall dayes vnder the Law were kept in remembrance not of spirituall and eternall but of temporall benefits which were shadowes of spirituall and eternall benefits to come And in this sense the Lords Day is not mysticall for it is not kept in remembrance of temporall benefits which are shadowes of spirituall and eternall but in remembrance of Christs Resurrection by whom we are put in present possession of our spirituall rest and life and in hope of eternall In respect whereof as it is a memoriall signe of the Resurrection of our Sauiour so is is a demonstratiue signe of the benefit which wee enjoy of spirituall rest and prognosticall of our eternall and therefore is called a figure and type by Saint Augustine Thus taking a mysterie in a large sense for any significant signe in Religion it may be called mysticall The Sacraments of the new Testament are called mysteries by the Ancients not in the sense that the Sacraments of the old Testament were called mysteries for they were so called because they were darke and obscure shadowes of things to come but our Sacraments are the liuely Images of the things themselues by reason of the plaine and manifest Word of the Gospell annexed to them By this distinction Saint Augustine and Doctor Willet may be agreed PP It is still obiected The benefits of God ought to bee remembred specially Christs notable benefits Ans It is one thing to remember another thing to remember with solemne festiuities To remember is a morall dutie and perpetuall for we ought to keepe not onely an anniuersarie but also a weekely and daily remembrance But to celebrate an Anniuersarie solemnitie and to keepe a Sabbath of rest in remembrance it is a pedagogicall ceremonie of the Iewes c. ANS Wee thinke it sufficient to haue made that obiection once because it hath neuer yet beene answered but yee propone it often to assay if yee shall bee able to fall on some solide solution at last yet like an euill Archer the longer yee shoote yee stray the further from the marke Yee thinke an Anniuersarie remembrance may be kept but an Anniuersarie solemnitie should not bee celebrated yee hide your minde from simple people vnder a mysticall solemnitie of words but to speake that plainly which yee call the celebration of an Anniuersarie solemnitie your meaning must be if yee contradict the Act that preaching should not bee made prayers thanksgiuing and prayses should not be offered on certayne set times in the yeare in remembrance of Christs Natiuitie Passion c. If yee will haue no such exercise to bee vsed what Anniuersarie remembrance is it that yee would haue obserued Is it a priuy meditation in our Chambers whereunto neither God nor Man is priuie or some occasionall remembrance in our Lectures and Sermons as they fall out now and then Is this the thankfulnesse that wee are taught by the light of Nature and the Word of God to render for the inestimable benefits of our redemption which God hath vniuersally and publikely bestowed vpon all Oh but to keepe a Sabbath of rest in remembrance say yee is a pedagogicall ceremonie To keepe a mysticall rest such as the rest of the Sabbath was is pedagogicall but to keepe a rest for the more commodious and solemne performance of a great and diuine action such as the commemoration of Christs Birth Death c. is not pedagogicall but necessary for the commoditie and celebritie of the worship which cannot bee well and worthily performed without cessation from other seruile businesse That this is the vse of the rest commanded in his Maiesties Proclamation is manifest by the reasons set downe therein in these words That euery one may the better attend the holy exercises which are to bee kept in the Church on these times Yee are cunning to deceiue the simple with ambiguitie of words There is a rest that is ciuilly kept which is a cessation from our ordinary workes
thing that is not written Therefore after the eating of the Paschall Supper that the Apostles sate still without altering their gesture vntil they had receiued the Sacrament is not to be beleeued and holden for an vndoubted truth in Goods worship But yee subioyne lin 20. eiusdem pag. PP This is so euident that neuer man doubted of it till this last yeare euen those who affirme but against the truth that they stood at the first seruice confesse that they sate at the second and at the celebration of the Sacrament So doth Master Iohn Mare and the Bishop of Chester c. ANS That this is not so euident as yee alledge is manifest by that which hath bin said But the cause that hath moued vs doubt since the last yeare is the Paradox which yee and your followers haue vndertaken to defend since the last yeare of which neuer Diuine either in the ancient or reformed Church dreamed of before namely that we should beleeue without doubting First that the Apostles receiued the Sacrament sitting Secondly that this gesture of theirs was exemplary Thirdly that it was instituted by our Sauiour to be obserued in all succeeding ages Since yee after this manner vrge sitting with an opinion of necessity and impose it vpon the consciences of the weake with such terrours and feares that it cannot be omitted without a manifest breach of the Institution we can doe no lesse then trie by the Scriptures whether it be so or not The testimony of M. Iohn Mare or of any morral man cannot tye our consciences to beleeue or practise any thing in Religion as an Article of Faith or a necessary point of Gods worship whereof there is not a cleare and vndoubted warrant in the Word of God And for the Bishop of Chester Now Bishop of Couentry and Lichfield hee declareth his opinion onely but astricts no man to beleeue it nor will he haue any man to build thereupon as yee doe that the Apostles sitting was exemplary against the which his arguments in the Treatise that yee cite are such as might haue stayed you or any other that reason could satisfie from taking a pen in hand to the contrary PP That sitting was instituted I proue it by two reasons first the gesture that Christ retained in passing from the conclusion of the Paschall Supper That hee did institute sitting hee retained Therefore he did institute sitting ANS This is a Demonstration whereupon the faith and obedience of the worthy Receiuers must be grounded touching the gesture they must vse at Communion yet the Libeller perceiuing that the proposition of this argument may be denyed and being denied that it must be proued by this generall Whatsoeuer Christ retained that he did institute and considering withall that Christ retained many things as the place the quality of the bread and circūstance of time which he dare not affirme to haue bin instituted hee makes exception of such things as were retained of necessity and could not conueniently bee changed And thereupon subioynes this saying PP pag. 36. lin vlt. But as for the gesture of sitting he might haue changed it in standing or kneeling without working any miracle if it had not been his minde that we should receiue the Sacrament of the Eucharisticall Supper with the same gesture that the Iewes receiued the Paschall ANS In this argument hee takes it for granted that the Disciples sate at the Sacrament which yet is in question and by Scripture shall neuer be decided And this is a Sophisticke deception called petitio principij Next the reason whereby hee prooues that sitting was instituted and not the other circumstances which were likewise retained is because Christ might haue changed it in standing or kneeling without working a miracle But this reason I hope will not be found demonstratiue for our Sauiour without working a miracle might haue changed the vpper chamber wherin he eat the Passeouer taken himselfe to some other roome Therefore by your argument his minde was that we should only celebrate the Sacrament in an vpper chamber Likewise our Sauiour without working of a miracle might easily haue called his Mother and other women to the Sacrament and so haue altered the sex and number of the Communicants therfore it was his mind by your reason that twelue men sitting at once at Table and no women should receiue the Sacrament Finally our Sauiour might haue celebrated the Sacrament without his vpper garment which he did put on after he had washed his Disciples feete before he celebrated the Sacrament Therefore Baronius the Cardinall concludes wel by your ground That it was his mind the Priest should put on his Masse-clothes which are his vpper garment before he celebrated the Sacrament But that all men may see the vanity of this argument I shall clearly proue by it that sitting was not instituted Christ yee say might easily haue changed the gesture which he vsed at the Paschall Supper without the working of a miracle in standing or kneeling if it had not been his minde that we should receiue the Sacrament of the Eucharisticall Supper with the same gesture that the Iewes receiued the Paschall Now I assume But the Iewes this night receiued the Paschall Supper not sitting right vp in chaires or fourmes as we do but lying on beds although that both the gestures might haue been and were vsed by them in other nights as is manifest by the testimonie which you cite your selfe out of SCALIGER De emendatione temporum lib. 6. Quòd in omnibus alijs noctibus tam edentes quà m bibentes vel sedemus vel discumbimus in hac autem omnes discumbimus That is to say Other nights eating or drinking we either sit at table or lye This night we all lye yee turne it we all suppe that is sit leaning Thus then I reason vpon the ground of your owne demonstration The gesture of lying vsed by our Sauiour at the Paschal Supper according to the custom of the Iewes might haue easily and commodiously been changed without working a miracle by turning about his face and body to the Table and setting of himselfe right vpon the beddes with his feete to the ground as our custome is to sitte at table Therefore according to your owne principle it was not Christs minde that we should sitte vpright at table as wee doe and all the Iewes in those dayes vsed to doe at other times but that wee should lye at table as the Iewes did at the Supper of the Passeouer Now let the judicious Reader consider if this be a sure ground whereupon to settle a certaine and infallible point of Gods worship But I conuert the argument Nothing vsed at the Paschall Supper and retained at the Sacrament that is not expressed in the words of the Institution was instituted But sitting vsed in the Paschall Supper retained as yee alledge at the Sacrament is a thing not expressed in the words of the Institution Therefore sitting vsed at the Paschall
alwayes matters must first be brought to some point in the conference and thereafter proponed to the whole number who should be heard to reason of new if he listed Hereupon they resolued to fall into the dispute and first Master Iohn Carmichael brought an Argument from the custome and practice of the Church of Scotland which had beene long obserued and ought not to bee altered except the inconuenience of the present order were shewed and the desired gesture qualified to bee better It was answered that how euer the Argument held good against the motions of priuate men yet his Maiestie requiring the practice to be changed matters behoued to admit a new consideration and that because it was the Prince his Priuiledge that had the conseruation and custodie aswell of the Church as of the Common-wealth to call in question Customes and Statutes which he perceiued to breed any inconuenience in the state euen by himselfe it could not bee denyed that in a Church Assembly such as that was his Maiestie might lawfully craue an innouation of any Church Rite which hee esteemed not to be conuenient for the time From this Argument they went to another of Christ and the Disciples sitting at the first institution in discussing whereof they were brought to acknowledge the gesture not to bee of the essence of the Sacrament but alterable at the discretion of the Church Only they held the custome formerly receiued to be the better This was the proceeding of the first Conference wherein because matters could not be brought to any point continuation was made to the morrow after and they warned to meete againe at eight of the clocke in the morning The Libeller affirmes the Propositions made by them touching the order of dispute and the rest to haue beene reiected by the Moderator adding that he determined by himselfe and that the fewer Reasons proponed by the Ministers were cut off by cauilling and quarrelling at mens persons whereas a number are witnesses and can well remember that they were heard with patience to alledge what they could and answered in that which they proponed till themselues could say no more and that nothing was done but according to the custome kept in such cases in all Assemblies Wednesday the 26. of August THe Conference being met as was appointed after inuocation of the Name of God the Reasoners were desired to proceed where they had left the night before and not to trifle time with speeches of small consequence which was the effect of all the discourses the Libeller seemes to complaine of The reasoning continued from eight vnto eleuen of the clocke And when the whole Reasons proponed by the two forenamed were in the iudgement of all men satisfied others were required and had place giuen them to propone their Arguments also which was done in good order and with such modestie as could be wished It were needlesse here to repeate the seuerall Arguments and Answers seeing they are all in the Disputation subsequent at large set downe onely where the Libeller sayes That reasoning was cut off and the Article of kneeling put to voyces It is true that nothing remayning to bee said more in that head then was proponed the Archbishop desired these of the Conference to giue their iudgement in the matter reasoned They opponed that the custome was not to vote in Conference any matter before it were brought to the full Assembly but it was proued otherwise by these who had frequented the Assemblies both of old and in the latter times as likewise it was told them that these Conferences resembled the meeting of the Lords of Articles in Parliament where matters are accustomed to bee prepared and put in order before they bee proponed to the whole State And that the voting in Conference was by way of aduice onely and not to determine The power whereof belonged onely to the Assembly This being acknowledged by the whole number to bee so they offered that were present to giue their owne iudgement without preiudging the Assembly as accordingly they did The whole number some ten or eleuen excepted declaring that by the Reasons proponed or any thing else they conceiued they could not deny but a change might bee made of the gesture in receiuing the holy Sacrament and that it seemed to them conuenient for the Church to embrace the Article proponed by his Maiestie about kneeling in regard of his desire and resolution to haue the same forme here established The Libeller either forgetting himselfe or misse-informed for by the whole Narration he makes it would seeme hee was not present himselfe casts this in the after-noones Conference though the same was done in the morning but this any man may well thinke is but a light errour yet it may appeare by this how little the Narration he makes is to be regarded for he brings in the Moderator in that afternoone saying to such as conuened That the Article of kneeling was concluded by the Conference and immediately after sayes That the same was put to voyces where it is strange the Moderator should so forget himselfe as to say a thing was voted and incontinent propone the same to bee voted againe but this we will passe After the aduice concluded to bee giuen to the Assembly in this point it was thought meet that the Article presently reasoned with the other Articles proponed by his Maiestie should all of them be formed in the best and most agreeable words that could bee deuised for remouing all offence that might bee taken at the same and no aduantage giuen to the Aduersaries of the Truth and to this effect were named some graue and wise Brethren who were desired to haue the same in readinesse at foure of the clocke in the after-noone it being thought meet that the full Assembly should not meet before Thursday againe at which time all might be prepared Wednesday at after-noone ALbeit the meeting of the full Assembly was differred to the next day yet that after-noone the whole number thronging in whether that they were not aduertised of the delay or that they desired to bee present with the Conference came thither which the Archbishop perceiuing he tooke occasion to excuse the delay of meeting with them declaring how farre they had proceeded and that the Conference had committed the Articles to bee formed vnto certayne Brethren who were at that time to present them and therefore desired they should haue patience till the morrow and leaue the Conference for that time by themselues which they did How soone they were remoued these who were appointed to forme the Articles being inquired what they had done answered That they had formed the Article about kneeling but had no leisure to consider of the rest This being read which they had put in forme was well liked of and they required to haue the rest in readinesse at the time of the Assemblies meeting the next day The Libeller here remembers a word that escaped the Moderator while as they resisted so
iudgement incline hee must render himselfe obedient to the Constitutions of the Church in which he liues And there is a great difference betweene decerning and discerning though eyther yee or your Printer hath mistaken it for it belongeth to the Iudge to decerne and Christians as ye say euen in their priuate callings may discerne but this their discerning will neuer free them from the subiection of Lawes imposed especially in matters of this nature for wee are now vpon order and policie onely And except ye could shew some euident place out of the Word or bring a necessarie demonstration to warrant your contrarie iudgement your disobedience will euer be faultie The authoritie of the Church must yeeld to the written Word but the iudgements of priuate men to the authoritie of the Church Otherwise we should open a doore to all confusion neyther could there be order in a Church if euery man should bee permitted to follow his owne conceit and doe as his priuie iudgment did leade him This our Church wisely foreseeing in an Assembly kept at Edinburghe anno 1583. 10. Octob. statuted and ordained That no Act concluded by a generall Assembly should bee called in question by any particular brother nay not in another generall Assembly except some iust cause might be seene for the change thereof And if it be not lawfull to call any of the constitutions of the Church in question much lesse to impugne by writ and print the same so maliciously as you haue done I omit the vnseemely match which yee make of English ceremonies and Lutheranisme with Papistrie for this is your malice against the English Church which it becomes you to reuerence and of whom if ye did loue the truth of God ye would haue spoken more honorably PP If the Parliament by acts authorize matters effected with such informalities and nullities matters of themselues so contrarious to our profession their ratification of a vicious thing cannot be a rule to a christian mans conscience But it is to be hoped that the Lord shall so dispose the hearts of Statesmen to the loue of the truth quietnesse of the Church and Country and peace of mens consciences that no vnreason able butthen shall be knit vpon the members of Christs Body by any deed of theirs vnder the name of a benefit to the Church Inuito beneficium non datur ANS Since the time that Kings and Princes became Christian it hath alwayes beene the custome that Synodicall Decrees were authorized by their Lawes not that the allowance or authoritie of Ciuill Lawes is made a rule to a Christians Conscience but that the externall man might thereby bee tyed to the obedience of these things which the Church hath found to be agreeable to the Word of God that is the only rule of conscience and it is to bee hoped that God shall so dispose the hearts of the whole Estate to the loue of his Truth and the Peace and quietnesse of his Church that refractarie and turbulent persons such as ye are shall bee restrayned of your vnbridled licentiousnesse and kept vnder the obedience of the Church and the Orders by her lawfully established which howsoeuer ye that loue to liue after your owne mindes call an vnreasonable burthen all true and peaceable Christians will esteeme a benefite to the Church and bee thankfull vnto God for the same PP Consider three things first the Nullity of this Assembly Secondly thy owne Oath and Subscription how it admits or abhorres this change suppose the Assembly had bin lawfull Thirdly if the particulars offered can be made lawfull or expedient by any Assembly whatsoeuer ANS We haue considered all these three as ye desire and finde the reasons proponed by you for the Nullitie of this Assembly to be Nullities in themselues Next that the Oath and Subscription by you mentioned admits the change concluded and does not abhorre it the same change being a part of the Oath which we all gaue as in discussing of the Oath shall be cleered Thirdly that the particulars concluded are things lawfull of their owne nature indifferent and most conuenient for this time in regard the generall Church who hath the place and power of determining the expediencie of Rites and Ceremonies hath interposed their authority to the same which in the estimation of Wisemen is sufficient to make them bee compted such An answere to the Articles presented to the Assembly AVGVST 27. and quotations added by the Pamphleter for confirmation PP FOr so much as we haue beene debarred of accesse and from hearing the proceedings of the Conference their Reasonings Consultations and Aduisements about the Articles proponed to this generall Assembly whereof all and euery one of them so nearely touches vs in our Christian resolution and offices of our Ministry in most humble manner wee present to your consideration the particulars hereafter specified in the feare of God intreating your fauourable answere to the same ANS Neither he who presented the Articles nor they who penned them can affirme truely that they were absent from the Conference and none were debarred who were desirous to be present The truth is after long and modest reasoning and graue deliberation when all had beene heard both in priuate at the Conference and in publique before the Assembly and all doubts and obiections had beene proponed answered and satisfied these or the like Articles were presented not for resolution of those by whom they were proponed who were already setled in this resolution not to be resolued but to perturbe the mindes of these who were prepared to vote and conclude and so to bring all in question againe that before had beene discussed and therefore were iustly reiected by the Moderator as malicious and crafty delatorie exceptions as shall bee manifest by the answeres following made to them not as they were presented to the Assembly but as they are proponed here with your Additions Quotations and Confirmations The first Article PP THe Articles proponed if they be concluded they doe innouate and bring vnder the slander of change the estate of this Church so aduisedly established by Ecclesiasticall Constitutions Acts of Parliament approbation of other Churches and good liking of the best reformed Christians without and within this Kingdome and so euidently blessed with happy successe and sensible experience of Gods greatest benefits by the space of fiftie eight yeares and aboue so that wee may boldly say to the praise of God That no Church hath enioyed the truth and puritie of Religion in larger libertie And vpon some such considerations it pleased his gracious Maiestie to continue the Church of England in her established estate as may bee seene in the Conference at Hampton Court and Thomas Sparke his booke written thereupon Ipsa quippe mutatio etiam quae adiuuat vtilitate nouitate perturbat quapropter quae vtilis non est perturbatione infructuosa consequenter noxia est saith Augustine Epist. 118. that is Euen a change that is helpefull for vtilitie perturbeth
not plead after the same manner for our former order so long established that they proue it was impious and vnlawfull before we make a change ANS Ye may not pleade because the change is alreadie made in a lawfull Assembly which had power to abrogate all Statutes of Ecclesiasticall matters that are found noysome vnprofitable disagreeing with the time and abused by the people as is set down in the confession of Faith and seuenth Chapter of the Booke of Discipline concluded anno 1581. Such were the acts made before concerning Holy-dayes for first they were noysome in that they were not conforme to the practise of the Primitiue Church or yet of the later reformed and so in that poynt did breake vnitie Next vnprofitable because they fostered prophanenesse and superstition in the hearts of the people who by want of information of Doctrine did superstitiously or prophanely obserue these dayes Thirdly they agreed not with this time wherein it was expedient that the religious Commemoration of the benefits of Christ should be restored iure pastliminio for it is not enough to dispossesse idolatrie and superstition the violent eiecters and occupiers of the possessions of true Religion but she ought to be restored to the old right and priuiledges of times and places lawfully and wisely dedicated to her before Last of all the discharge of diuine Seruice on these daies was come into abuse amongst the people the preciser sort counting it a part of Gods worship and obedience to his will not to doe seruice vnto God on these dayes and the profane taking thereby occasion to be more licentious And therefore it was needfull in a manner to restore the obseruation of these times PP Our Oath by it selfe bindes more then Law Custome and Prescription farre more when it concurres with them The assumption is euident by that which I haue set downe in the beginning ANS The assumption is alreadie considered I answere to the oathe Lawes Customes Prescription and Oathes in order and policie touching indifferēt alterable things such as these are binde a man no longer to the obseruation then the order remaines vnchanged Your Oath bound you to the gouernement of Superintendents set downe in the first Booke of Discipline from which yee esteeme your selfe absolued because that gouernement was altered by that new Booke of Discipline confirmed in the generall Assembly anno 1581. a yeare after the Oath was set forth Now the order set downe in the same first Booke of Discipline touching the abolishing of Holy-dayes anno 1560. is altered by the late generall Assembly holden at Perthe and by the same Reason whereby yee esteeme your selfe absolued from the gouernement of Superintendents yee should thinke your selfe freed of the act touching the abolishing of Holy-dayes which yee would doe if ye were not contentious PP If Zanchius approued the abolition of Holy-Dayes in some Churches where they were because they had been polluted and grossely abused much more would he and other Diuines knowing the truth of our case thinke it vnlawfull to reinduce them amongst vs. ANS It is true that in the Churches of Bearne Mattins and Euening-Song were abolished for the abuse thereof in Poperie and not many yeares since there was great contention before these Churches could be induced to receiue Morning and Euening Prayers in stead of them So the Popes cursing was abolished out of the Church of Geneua and great contradiction made as Beza testifies in Caluines life before excommunication could be established in place therof yet I hope neither Zanchius nor your selfe will thinke that the reinducing of these was vnlawfull although formerly excluded If Zanchius vnderstood the case of our Church as I haue set it down a little before how we haue not reinduced the Popish obseruation of dayes but made choice of these times for special seruices to be performed on them with a speciall direction to Ministers to rebuke superstition and licentiousnesse both he and other Diuines would approue the constitution of our Church and condemne this your seditious Pamphlet whereby the simple are abused and the peace and quietnesse of our Church disturbed The iudgement of the Reformed Churches of Holy-daies PP OF the ancient Church I haue spoken before Some excuse the Ancients with good intention because to winne the Gentiles they conuerted their dayes into Christian Holy-daies Others excuse them with the circumstance of time that dwelling amongst Pagans they made profession before their eies of Christs birth passion c. by obseruing such dayes But the wisdome of their intention hath proued folly as the seuenth reason maketh manifest The like circumstance of time is not offered therefore we may not be excused ANS Before the penner of this Pamphlet bring the iudgement of the reformed Churches some reason he must pretend for his credite why he reiects the doctrine and practise of the reformed Church which stands wholly in his contrarie First he sayes that he hath spoken before of the Ancient Church But what hath he spoken before that they obserued Easter-day by custome and not by tradition this is all What argument hath he brought against their doctrine against their religious custome and practise of this poynt He sayes some excuse them with their intention Who be these he is ashamed of their names and so he may be for where there is no fault to make an excuse is a sort of calumnious and secret accusation But for their intention who did acquaint him with their intention In Tertullian Chrysostome Ierome Ambrose Augustine and others who all make mention of these dayes there is not so much as any coniecture to bee found for that intention In the end he concludes that the intention of the Ancients hath proued folly and this he sayes is manifest by the seuenth reason because the obseruation of these daies hath beene abused to superstition But so hath the Lords Day beene so hath the Word so haue the Sacraments beene abused and all the other parts of Gods worship Shall therefore the intention of the Holy-Ghost and his wisdome in prescribing these meanes to the Church be esteemed folly They who abuse the good intention of God and his Church to their owne damnation are fooles indeed but Wisdome is iustified of her owne children And although the winning of the Gentiles was one good end wherefore the Ancients obserued these dayes yet their principall end was the honour of God and edification of his Church These ends doe still remaine and iustifie the obseruation of these dayes by the reformed Churches which no man that loues the honour of God and the weale of his Church will condemne PP It is grosse ignorance to say that Holy-dayes were so many hundreth yeare before Papistrie for Papistrie hath been in the Church euer since the daies of the Apostles yea the mysterie of iniquitie was working in their times The errours of the Orthodoxe Church were the beginnings of Papistrie at length they grew to a great masse So howbeit the
importunately the voting of the Articles in Conference saying That hee would commit twentie preiudices to please the King whereas the truth is that after many answers made to giue them satisfaction and shew that no preiudice was either intended or done to the Assembly when as nothing could content them but still they talked of preiudice he willed them to be quiet for rather then his Maiestie should offend with the Church and these troubles come vpon it which were iustly to bee feared hee would commit twentie such preiudices as these were The rest of that after-noone was spent in talking as the Libeller sayes vpon Simony c. but in the deuising some ouerture for the restrayning of that abuse to bee proponed to the whole Assembly which the next day after was by vniuersall consent allowed As likewise the Commission for the planting of the Church of Edinburgh and the forming of the booke of Common Prayers and extracting of the Canons of the Church And thus ended this Conference Thursday the 27. of August THat day being an ordinary day of preaching a Sermon was made by the reuerend Father in God William late Bishop of Galloway against which the Libeller excepts three manner of wayes First saying that his Doctrine was farre contrary to that which he had taught before the Estates of Parliament Anno 1606. Secondly that hee set at nought the ancient order of our Church sometime highly commended by himselfe extolling the new light and thirdly that he presumed to teach them a new kind of Catechisme vnder whom he himselfe might be yet catechised To all which seeing he is now at rest this much may be truely replyed in his behalfe That howeuer his opinion in these matters of the externall gouerment were sometimes other his Doctrine was neuer contrarie to that which at any time he professed and preached but these men haue beene so accustomed in feeding the eares of people with matters belonging to order neglecting the substantiall points of Religion which are Faith and Repentance as they dreame of no other Doctrine but that and counts the alteration of iudgement in these points of outward discipline a sort of Apostasie and falling from the truth And where he is said to set at nought the ancient order of our Church it is a false and impudent lye for neither he nor any else that seeme most earnest for receiuing these Articles did euer contemne the orders and rites formerly established but while as they stood in force reuerently practised them and were obedient to the ordinances of the Church made thereabout but the circumstances of things now being changed and these times requiring other fashions and manners wee thinke without the despising of these they may be well admitted and as commendably vsed as euer the other were For the third of presuming to teach them by whom he might be catechized because this is spoken in despight I passe it with this answere That his Sermons and workes left behind him which will continue with the posteritie will witnesse against all their malice that hee was inferiour to none of the Opposites in preaching yea in many degrees superiour to them all But to returne to our purpose the Assembly being not in full number to take some conclusion in the businesse for which they were conuened after inuocation of the Name of God it was declared vnto them that by the labours of the Conference in their priuate meetings the Articles proponed by his Maiestie were brought and reduced into that forme as it rested for the Assembly to consider whether or not the same should be receiued in our Church and to moue them the rather to condescend his Maiesties resolution to haue the Articles receiued was declared and how no other answere could satisfie but granting of the said Articles They were likewise remembred of their promises made to his Maiesties selfe at Saint Andrewes and in the last generall Assembly and had the lawfulnesse and indifferencie of these matters at length of new exponed vnto them Neither was any of their common pretexts left vnanswered place being giuen to all that would reason against any one of the Articles to doe the same And while some of them insisted by long speeches to haue a continuation made of matters to another Assembly and a supplication sent to his Maiestie for some longer delay his Highnesse Commissioners hauing vrged a present answere they were desired to cease and not to trifle time with vnnecessary speeches seeing matters should receiue decision before they went forth of doores And so some few making shew to reason in the contrary were permitted to speake till they had no more to say and had their reasons answered to the full The Libeller sayes the libertie was granted to a few and that the reasons were checkt and borne downe with authoritie but how contrarie this is to the truth wee leaue it to bee answered by such as were present And now when they haue set downe in writing all that then was said or possibly they can inuent Let the Reader iudge if by the answeres giuen their obiections be not sufficiently confuted Doctor Lindsay his answere being posed on conscience to declare his iudgement touching kneeling at the Sacrament is maliciously mutilated His declaration was this as all the Assembly can testifie in whose presence it was giuen On my conscience I neither know Scripture reason nor antiquitie that enforceth kneeling sitting standing or passing as necessary but thinke them all indifferent and therefore that any of them may bee lawfully vsed when it is found expedient And considering nothing to be more expedient for the weale of our Church then to keepe peace with our gracious Soueraigne and not to contend for such matters I iudge yeelding to his Highnesse desire to bee the onely best When all the reasoning was ended his Maiesties Letter was againe read to the end the Assembly might see his earnestnesse about the same matters And because of a Pasquill cast in in the Pulpit of Edinburghe the Sunday before which was deliuered to the Archbishop of Saint Andrewes the penners whereof had warned the Ministers not to yeeld to the Articles giuing them promises of satisfaction for their stipends in case they should be taken from them and to fight in the defence of thē that cause He disswaded them to leane vnto such suggestions or be moued with them for that they would proue nought in the end as the experience of the seuenteene dayes worke might teach them And added which he is not ashamed of nor will denie That were there no other to take imployment against these Mutiners and seditious persons he could wish that he were honoured therewith These are the great blasts and terrours which the Libeller mentions otherwaies they can take exception at nothing iustly that then was vittered As matters were then proponed to be voted one of that number gaue in writing some particular reasons for disswading the grant of the said Articles which they