called before the Earle of Murrey Regent and the Lords of privie Counsel who were present with him in Aberdene in Iulie 1569. and were requyred to approve by subscription the old Confession of Faith with all other Acts made concerning Christian Religion in the Parliamenrs holden at Edinburgh in August 1560. and December 1567. They were deprived for their refusall of all honours dignities functions preheminences faculties and priviledges within the said Colledge and of libertie to instruct the youth in any part within this Realme The Commissioner of the Kirk to the shirefdomes of Aberdene Bamfe pronounced the like sentence by the advice counsell and consent of the Ministers and Elders in these bounds But so it is that suâ—drie of these acts of Parliament whereunto they were requyred to subscribe were negative as you use the terme or a rejection of popish errours either in generall or particular as the denyall of the Popes authoritie and jurisdiction the annulling of all Acts made since K. Iames the first his time not agrieing with the word of God and contrarie to the confession of Faith then published the condemniâ—g of the Masse baptising conforme to the manner of the popish Kirk and the abrogating and annulling of all laws acts and constitâ—tions canons civill or municipall contrarie to the said true Religion So you see that even then they thought it not enough to require subscription to the Confession but also to abrenunce contrarie errours specially popish This Confession which you call the negative explaineth more particularly these acts And therfore in the title before it was called A generall Confession of the true Christian faith Religion according to GODS Word and Acts of Parliaments It were good that the like course were taken with you and your fellowes in Aberdene to that which was taken with these before you that is to remove you if you subscribe not that Confession which you seeme to despyte so much In the meane time I would have you content to call it not the negative Confession but the generall Confession as the title beareth To the second Chapter YOu saye divine authoritie appertaineth absolutely to the canonicall Scriptures conditionally to other writings and sermons to wit in so far as they have the trueth revealed in the Scriptures contained in them What if there bee no errour but all trueth which is contained wil you call them therefore absolutely divine Wee professe wee believe with our hearts confesse with our mouthes subscribe with our hands and constantly affirme both before God and the World that the Religion particularly expressed in the confâ—ssion of Faith confirmed by sundrie acts of Parliaments is Gods eternall Trueth and therefore you are bound to sticke to it howbeit wee hold not that or any other confession absolutelie divine For that testimonie whether by word or writ is called divine and hath absolutely divine authoritie which hath God himselfe for the author of it either immediatly by himselfe or by the ministrie of men to whom hee delivered his will by vision dreame or immediat inspiration of the Spirit Both the matter and diction are from GOD. If the testimonie of learned men agreable with the Scriptures might bee called divine absolutely and simply then there should be no difference betweene the holy Scripture the same writings of the learned The Manicheans saide that what Orpheus Sybilla and the Philosophers of the Gentiles foretold of Christ were of as great authoritie as the wordes of the Prophets Augustine answereth that if any trueth bee found in them it availeth to their conviction but not to bee holden in estimation or authoritie as the words of the Prophets For the Devills said hee spake true things of Christ yet were not of as great authoritie as the Angels See in Gratian dist 37. Sicut veri But it may bee in stead of conditionally divine you wold say in some regard or respect that is in respect of the trueth of the matter in which respect it cannot bee called conditionally divine because it is alreadie so farre divine And this is the expression of Divines Etsi enim verae Ecclesiae judicium testimonium dici possit divinum non 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nis mirum quatenus cum Scriptura sacra proinde cum Spiritu sancto revelata Dei voluntate congruit tamen 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 considaratum non est divinum sed humanum quia non est immediate a spiritu sancto inspiratum Alioqui omne juo dicium testimonium cujuscunque hominis congruens cum sacra scriptura esset divinum atque ita jamnulla esset differentia quoad authoritatem interscripta Prophetarum Apostolorum aliorum ecclesia Doctorum sacris literis consentanea scribentium So wee saye of our Confession of Faith it is not simpliciter divine but in respect of the matter trueth contained into it it may bee called in that respect and so farre only divine Where you saye if wee find in the writings of men any thing repugnant to the holy Scriptures wee ought to reject it correct it or amend it as our progenitours willingly professed in their epistle prefixed to their nationall Confession That epistle or preface seemeth to have beene written in name of the Barons Gentlemen Burgesses other Subjects professing the true Religion who after that they had in their Supplication to the Estates offered to prove the doctrine of the Roman Kirk to bee repugnant to the word of God were coÌ„manded to draw up the summe of that doctrine which they would maintaine and desire the Parliament to ratifie Within foure dayes after it was presented and read first before the Lords of the Articles and after before the whole Estates Some of the Ministrie were present standing readie to answere what might bee alleadged against it The Bishops and others of a contrarie mind were charged in the name of GOD to object against it if they could Everie Article was read by it selfe None would nor could object in the contrare The Eerle of Marshall protested that no Ecelesiasticall person should afterward have place to oppone considering that time was granted them to advise and none opponed in so free and peaceable a Parliament After that none opponed by argument The Confession it selfe without their epistle prefixed when it was exhibited by the Protestants as the title beareth before the Confession was authorized as a doctrine grounded upon the infallible Word of God as you may see where it is insert in the acts of Parliament Apparently you would have no Confession of Faith ratified and authorized or to stand firme and stable but that everie man may have libertie to impugne it This were to unsettle a Kirk or Estate After a Confession is ratified none should bee suffered to be members let bee office-bearers in that Kirk who refuse to subscribe or impugneth it private or publick in schooles or pulpits unlesse it be first corrected by the
negative position but is only a rejection of sundrie popish errours particularly expressed with generall clauses for rejection of the rest as your selfe confesse in the 9 page Neither is it a great volumne How often doe your selfe call it a short Confession You saye it may bee gathered by that speach that hee did utterly disallow and annull that Confession Hee allowed it before both in his none age and majoritie Next it was necessarie for the discoverie of masked Papists and still is for masked Papists and Ministers to use such formes of speach I detest I abhorre c. It is strange that that should bee dislyked now which was thought necessarie then But suppose the forme of the Confession was disallowed by that speach yet could it not annull the former mandat A speach uttered in a conference holden out of the Countrie could not repeale the acts of Counsell made at home and his owne publick Proclamation Next that speach was uttered if uttered in a free discourse to such as were there present and was not delivered by way of precept charge or declaration to us M. Patrick Galloway in a letter dated the tenth of Februar 1604. and directed to the Ptesbyterie of Edinburgh hath these words Sundrie as they favoured gave out copies of things heere concluded Where-upon I my selfe tooke occasion as I was an eye and eare witnes to set them downe and presented them to his Majestie who with his owne hand mended some things and eeked other things which I had omitted Which corrected copie with his owne hand I have and have sent you heerewith the just transsumpt of it word by word But in that transsumpt there is no mention of such a speach nor the least inkling against the Confession of our faith which had beene verie pertinent and requisite if hee had intended either a recalling of his mandat or a declaration of his disallowance of that Confession But suppose hee had yet as I have said that could not bee a recalling of his royall mandat the Confession of faith beeing authorized by acts of Counsell acts of Assembly and Parliament neither could the Confession bee abandoned beeing alreadie received sworne and subscribed by the Subjectes universallie Doctor Andrews in his Tortura torti denyeth that hee might have given libertie of conscience in respect of his oath at his Coronation first in Scotland and then in England For then sayth hee hee should bee twise perjured Non semel perjurus esset quin bis si te andiat You would draw upon him a greater guilt that would have made him to draw others also into perjurie You prove next that the royall mandat was made voyde by his death and expyred with the royall breath and to this effect you cite the sentence following out of the glosse upon the 19 chapter of the first Booke of the Decretalls Morte mandantis expirat mandatum which as you have cited is false But these words of the glosse are received Mortuo mandatore re existente integra expirat mandatum The scope of the text is to determine that the jurisdiction of him that is delegate expyreth not by the death of him who delegated if there bee litiscontestation before his death because then the matter is not whole and untouched So likewise Iustinian sayeth of that mandatum that is contracted betwixt him that giveth and him that undertaketh the charge of anye businesse the Mandator and Mandatarius that the contract is loosed if the death of any of them interveene before entrie to execution Si adhuc integro mandato mors alterius interveniat Such like in authorative mandats if hee to whom commission was given to put it to execution depart before hee put it in execution there can bee no farther proceeding till another bee placed in his rowme But for the receiving the Confession of Faith the Commissions given were put in execution both in the 1580 and 1590 yeares The Confession beeing once received sworne to and subscribed could not bee recalled by the death of the King who was the first beginner and ringleader of the work Doth a house fall with the death of the Master builder Neither was that Confession received for the Kings Mandat or direction alone but for the act of Counsell also Now the Counsell never dyeth For politick bodies are immortall and continue by succession Nor yet for the act of Counsell but most of all and principally for the ordinances and directions of the generall Assembly And last of all this Confession of faith is nothing els but the first Confession enlarged with some generall clauses and rejection of popish erours To the third Chapter YOu thinke it not convenient that the negative Confession bee authorized at this time and subscriptions requyred thereto and that for the reasons expressed in the conference at Hampton Court and because of some ambiguities and no small difficulties therein How valide your reason is alleadged by you out of the conference at Hampton Court let the Reader judge No man complained of ambiguities and difficulties in it till such as you are began to pretend the same because apparently your eyes were dazeled with the light thereof and you saw perhaps that which you desired not to see Howsoever it is already sufficiently authorized and needeth not to bee authorized againe for want of authoritiâ—e And seeing it is authorized all the members of this Kirk ought to subscribe it and at this time especially when the frame of Religion was like to be altered If there bee any ambiguities they may bee explained to the subscribers Cavillators and tergiversators should be proceeded against as simple refusers We aggree to the words of the 18 article in the Confession of Faith but that maketh nothing against us who are already perswaded that our Confession is grounded upon the holy Scriptures It is true wee ought to bee busie instructing the people in the positive groundes of trueth but that hindereth us not to explaine to them points of heresie which were set downe for masked Papists and now Ministers themselves are leavened with Poperie Arminianisme Should not the true shepheard bee carefull to warne the sheep if they bee in danger of the Wolfe If any of us have given any other interpretation then the Confession of faith it selfe will beare wee shall bee ready to passe from it when wee shall be convinced You are sorie that some of us in printed workes condemne Episcopacie and the five Perth articles What any have writtten I trust they will bee ready to defend For the present I maintaine that by this Confession which you call the negative wee abjure Episcopacie For in this Confession wee protest that wee detest the Romane Antichrist his worldlie Monarchie and wicked Hierarchie The Popish hierarchie doth consist of Bishops Presbyters and Deacons that is baptising and preaching Deacons For it is so determined by the Councell of Trent in the 4. chap. de Sacramento ordinis Can. 6. Si quis dixerit in ecclesia
catholica non esse hierarchiam divina ordinatione institutaÌ„ quae constat ex Episcopis Presbyteris ministris anathemasit Bellarmine likewise in his booke de clericis cap. 11. answering to Chemnitius alledging Dionysius Areopagita for three orders only to wit of Bishops priests and deaâ—ons whom hee calls Ministers sayeth that that Dionysius did not set downe the number of the Orders but of the hierarchies For sayth hee there are three hierarchies in the militant Kirke the first of Bishops the second of priests the third of Deacons and that the deacons are also princes if they bee compared with the people but for inferiour orders subdeacons acolythes lectors exorcists and ostiaries or doore keepers they beare no rule or charge over the people but onely serve the Deacons or the priests For hierarchie properly is sacer principatus a sacred preheminence or rule The fore-named counterfeit writer Dionysius calleth the Bishop the Hierarch because hee is the chiefe Hierarch The Pope himselfe is not within the hierarchie primats Metropolitans or Arch-bishops but as they are Bishops Whereas some alledge that in our Confession wee detest and abhorre his hierarchie that is to bee interpret as the rest are to be interpreted to be his as canonization of Saints dedicating of Kirkes dayes altars c. are called his not that there is another lawfull canonization or dedicating of Kirkes dayes altars c. Whereas some alledgde that this hierarchie was before there was a Pope Wee answere that it is called his notwithstanding as dedicating of Kirks dayes altars oyle salt c. are called his Because what ever corruption was in the Kirk either in doctrine worship or government of the Kirk since the mysterie of iniquitie began to work that is Poperie began so much as hee retained and maintained and obtruded by his authoritie upon the Kirke are his Next we must consider the Pope or Roman Antichrist not only in his growth and perfite age but from his conception and first birth Farther this hierarchie is distinguished in the confession from the Popes Monarchie Neither can it bee interpreted of the manifold orders in the Kirke of Rome For that is mentioned before in the Confession of faith where we abjure his manifold orders Next in the Confession of faith we professe that we abhorre and detest all kinde of Papistrie in generall and particulare heads even as they were then damned and confuted by the Word of GOD. and Kirke of Scotland But so it is that the office of a Bishop was condemned by the Kirk of Scotland and confuted in the pulpits by M Lowson M. Arburthnot M. Pont and many other godly and learned men From the yeere 1575 to 1579 when the heads of constant policie and plat-forme of discipline were agitate in Assemblyes it was declared that such as had the Bishoprickes and were called Bishops should bee tyed to particulare flocks that they should be called by their owne names or the name of brethren that they should bee content with reasonable rent and not lift up for the maintenance of their ryotousnesse the emoluments of the Kirk which may sustaine many Pastors the Schooles and the poore that they should not claime the titles of temporall Lords that they should not usurpe criminall jurisdiction that they should not exerce temporall jurisdiction that they must not empire above particulare elderships nor usurpe the power of presbyteries In reforming the corruptions of that estate they abolished Episcopacie after they had agreed on all the heades of the constant policie in Aprile anno 1578 which are extant in the booke of policie or 2 booke of discipline But besides there was a speciall act made in Iulie 1580 at Dundie with full consent of the whole Assembly against the office as followeth For à s much as the office of a Bishop as it is now used and commonly taken within this Realme hath no warrant authoritie nor ground in the word of God but is brought in by the folly of mans invention to the great overthrow of the Kirke of God The whole Assembly of the Kirke in one voice after libertie given to all men to reason in the matter nonâ—opponing themselfe in defending the said pretended office finds and declares the said pretended office used and termed as is abovesaid unlawfull in it self as having neither fundament ground nor warrant in the scriptures of God and ordaines that all such persons as brookâ— or shall brooke heereafter the said office shall bee charged simplie to dimitt quyte and leave off the same as an office whereunto they are not called by God and suchlike to desist and cease from all preaching of the Word ministration of the Sacraments or using any way the office of Pastors till they receive de novo admission from the general Assembly under the paine of excommunication wherein if they bee found disobedient or to contraveene this Act in any point the sentence of excommunication after due admonition is to bee executed against them The Confession of faith was not authorized and subscribed till March and the yeere following It is cleare then that that office is abjured in the Confession of Faith seing it was consuted by the word of God and Kirk of Scotland In the Assembly holden at Glasgow in April 1581 we have this Declaration in the sixth Session Anent the act made in the assembly holden at Dundie against Bishops because some difficultie appeared to some Brethren to arise out of the word Office contained in the said act what should bee meant thereby the Assembly consisting for the most part of such as voted and were present in the assembly at Dundie to take away the said difficultie resolving upon the true meaning and understanding of the said act declareth that they meant wholly to condemce the whole state of Bishops as they are now in Scotland and that the same was the determination and conclusion of the Assembly at this time Thirdly in that Confession we professe that we joyne our selves willingly to this true reformed Kirke in doctrine faith Religion discipline use of the Sacraments as livelie membere of the same in Christ our head promising swearing by the great name of the LORD our GOD that we shall continue in the obedience of the doctrine and discipline of this Kirke shall continue in the same according to our vocation and power all the dayes of our life under the paines contained in the Law and danger both of body and soule in the Daye of Gods fearefull Iudgment But so it is that the Episcopall governement was damned and the presbyteriall rested upon as most consonant to the word of God to be observed in all time comming before the Confession of faith was subscribed And while the generall assemblies wtre about the constitution of presbyteries the King sent with the Laird of Capringtoun to the assemblie holden at Glasgow in Aprile 1581 a plot drawne up for that purpose together with a letter which was to
bee sent to the Noble-men and Gentlemen in the bounds for furtherance of the worke which being considered and made more perfite some were appointed by the assembly to see presbyteries erected everie where The Confession of Faith was subscribed by the King and his houshold in Ianuar preceeding and injoyned in March to be subscribed by the subjects which Confession was approved by this assembly holden in Aprile when directions were given for erection of Presbyteries The subscription to the Confession and erection of presbyteries went forward together the same yeare So the discipline by presbyteries was sworne to and not by diocesian Bishops or yet Superintendnets which ceased in the yeere 1575. In the generall assembly holden in August 1590 it was ordained as followeth For as much as it is certaine that the word of God cannot bee kept in sinceritie vnlesse the holy discipline bee observed it is therefore by common consent of the whole brethren CoÌ„missioners present concluded that whosoever hath borne office in the ministrie within the Kirk of this realme or presently beareth or hereafter shall beare office therein shall be charged by every particular Presbyterie where they are resident to subscribe the heads of the discipline of the Kirk in this realme at length set down allowed by act of the whole assembly in the botk of policie which is registred in the register of the Kirk namely the heads controverted by the adversaries to discipline of the reformed Kirke within this realme betwixt and the next synodall assemblies of the Provinces under the paine of Excommunication to bee executed against the none subscribers that the presbyteries which shall bee found remisse or negligtnt heerein shall bee rebuked publickely by the whole assembly and to the end the said discipline be knowne as it ought to bee by the whole brethren it is ordained that the Moderator of each Presbyterie shall receive froÌ„ the clerk of the assembly a copie of the said book under his subscription upoÌ„ the expensses of the presbyterie betwixt and the first daye of September next to come under the paine to be accused openly in face of the whole Assembly The same yeere 1590 the Confession of faith was again subscribed universally throghout the whole realme It is cleare then what policie or discipline was then allowed meant in the Confession of faith In the Parliament holden anno 1592 it was ordained that all presentations to benefices bee directed to particular presbyteries in time coÌ„ming with full power to give collation thereupon to put order to all matters and causes ecclesiasticall within their bounds according to the discipline of the Kirke Whensoever their was any meaning to erect that estate of Bishops the Confession of faith was alledged in the contrare as first in a dialogue writen anno 1585 by some learned and reverend Minister and more at length anno 1606 when their estate was restored by Parliament M. Andrew Melvill M. Iames Melvill and sundrie other Ministers commissioners from presbyteries subscribed that protestation which is extant in print in that booke which is entituled the Course of conformitie and among the rest M. William Cowper late Bishop of Galloway M. Adam Ballendine now Bishop of Aberdene and M. Iohn Aburnethie now Bishop of Cathnesse who therefore are guiltie of that haynous crime which the estates were desired to avoyde In this Protestation the reverend brethren have these words following Above all things my Lords beware to strive against God with an open displayed banner by building up againe the walls of Iericho which the Lord hath not only cast downe but also hath layd them under a terrible intâ—rdiction execration c. But the Noblemen and Sates of this realme have the reverence of the oath of GOD made by themselves and subscribed with their owne hands in the Confession of Faith called the Kings Majesties Confession published more than once or twise and sworne by his most excellent Majestie and by his highnesse Nobilitie Estates and whole Subjects of the realme to hold them back from the setting up the dominion of Bishops Because it is of veritie that they subscrived and swore the said Confession containing not only the maintenance of the true doctrine but also of the discipline professed within the realme of Scotland In the verification of the points offered to bee proved in the Protestation they have these words in the 4. cap. But so it is that the Bishoprie is one of the greatest errours and corruptions thereof that is of the adulterous Kirke of Rome and hath no arguments of Scripture Fathers Councells nor reason but the selfesame that the Papists use and in the 5 cap. we have these words If so bee that the setting up of Bishops will throw downe the discipline of our Kirke or if that office hath any thing to doe with these corruptions of Papistrie and Antichristian hierarchie the King our Soveraigne his most excellent Christian Majestie and his Highnesse most ancient religious and noble estates of Parliament if there were none other reaeson but this one would not for all the world fall under the danger of so horrible a perjurie against God to set up Bishops againe c. But so it is as all men knowe the discipline and governement of the Kirk exercised by presbyteries and Bishops are so farre opposed one to another that when the one is set up the other must downe of force There fore the subscribers and swearers of the former Confession if they should as God forbid goe about to set up Bishops and Episcopall governement they could not eshew the cryme of horrible perjurie execrable apostasie and most cursed reparing of Iericho The Reader may find more to this purposâ— in the Protestation it selfe verification insert in the course of conformitie above mentioned This much for Episcopacie that it cannot consist with the Confession of Faith That the five Articles are likewise abjured in the Confession of Faith is cleare For in the Confession wee professe We abhore and detest all heads of Popery as they were then damned and confuted by the Word of God and kirk of Scotland his five bastard Sacraments with all his rites and ceremonies and false doctrine added to the ministration of the true Sacraments all his vaine allegories rites signes and traditions brought in the Kirks without or against the word of God and doctrine of this true reformed Kirk But wee have already proved in sundrie printed bookes that these five articles are traditions broght in the Kirk without or against the word of God and doctrine of this true reformed Kirk that they have beene damned by our Kirk that confirmation or Bishoping is one of the five bastard Sacraments privat baptisme importeth the absolute necessitie of baptisme that kneeling is a rite and ceremonie added to the true ministration of the Sacraments without the word of God And therefore for shortnesse wee referre the Reader to these printed treatises For the present
thâ—ir authoritie and jurisdiction The assemblyes of Ministers and Gentlemen called by you a popular confusion is called in the Scriptures by Christ himself the Kirk and by the Apostle Paull presbyterie or eldership Elders that labour not in the word but censuring manners are called rulers and governours to which office Gentlemen and other qualified persons who are not Ministers maye bee caâ—led This presbyterie conveened in the name and authoritie of the Lord Iesus hath a spirituall power proceeding immediatly of God and neither of Angell or man to rule his Kirk to reason de liberate and conclude in matters ecclesiasticall whose conclusions resolutions and deliberations are of such sort that what they bind or loose on earth according to Gods word is bound or loosed likewise in the heavens and whosoever contemneth the authoritie thereof should bee esteemed among the children of God as an Ethnick or publican The author of a learned Dialogue written likewise in these times reporteth that the same usurping Prelate had approved this order by his owne hand writt He protested himselfe before God afterward when hee made his recantation that hee was commanded by the Chancelour and Secretar for the time to set foorth the Declaration and promised if God spared his life to write in defence of the forme and order of the Presbyteries established In the Assembly holden in May 1586 we have these conclusions 1. It is found that all such as the scripture appointeth governours of the Kirke to Wit pastors doctors elders may conveene to the generall assembly and vote in ecclesiasticall matters all others that have any sute or other things to propone to the assembly maye bee there present to give in their sutes propone things profitable for the Kirke vnd heare reasoning but shall not vote 2. There are foure ordinarie office bearers set downe to us by the scriptures to wit Postors Doctors Eiders and deacons and that the name of Bishop ought not to bee taken as it hath beene in time of Papistrie but is common to all Pastours and Ministers In the assembly holden in August 1590 it was ordained that all that did then beare or were hereafter to beare office in the ministerie subscribe the heads of discipline set down in the booke of policie under the paine of excommunication speciallie to the heads controverted 2nd opposed by the adversaries to our discipline and consequently to the constitution of presbyteries consisting of Ministers and ruling Elders I wonder that any should doubt of the meaning and practise of our Kirk seeing they are not ignorant that Elders have place in sessions or elderships of particular Kirks in generall assemblyes the lowest and the highest judicatories but that that they should likewise have place in presbiteries and provinciall Synods seing presbyteries are made up by the particular elderships and provinciall Synods by presbyteries One minister maye governe like a Pope his parish without Elders if fifteene or sixteene ministers may governe fifteene or sixteene parishes without them The affaires of the Kirke and matters of Religion are a common cause which Ministers ought not to engrosse to themselves Our Elders have not sit in prebyteries these many yeeres not by law annulling or abrogating the former constitutions but partly through their owne negligence partly through the pride or ill conscience of some ministers in some part so that is fared with us as with the Kirke of old of which Ambrose complaineth writing on 1 Tim. 5. Vnde synagoga postea ecclesiae seniores habuit quorum sine consilio nihil agebatur in ecclesia Quod qua negligentia obsoleverit nescio nisi forte Doctorum desidia ant magis superbia dum soli volunt aliquid videri FINIS Icr. 3.11 Contra Faust. l. 13 c. 15. Polan syn lib. cap. 25 De Ieiunio c. 4.