that is passed I haue liued to see this day a generall Synod once more of the Church of Scotland called by the authority and expresse command and pleasure of our Souereigne Lord the KING which is the only true and best meanes indeed vsed in all Ages for extirpating of all Sects Errors Heresies for the planting of truth and good order in the Church of Christ. And I pray God that all things at this meeting may by the direction of Gods good Spirit by your wisdomes be so carryed that you abridge not your selues and posterity of so great◠blessing and procure that not only these things which are now required but that other things more difficult bee enioyned and enforced vpon you vpon strict penaltie by Supreme Authority And therefore I desire as I am sent to that purpose with the Apostle Titus 3. to put you in remembrance that you bee subiect to Principalities and powers and that you bee obedient and ready to euery good worke to put you in remembrance that by the great blessing of Almightie God you haue to doe with so wise so potent so religious so learned a Prince the matchlesse Mirror of all Kings the nursing Father of his Church that he whose Wisedome and Authoritie is in the composing of all differences both Ecclesiasticall and Ciuill so much required respected and admired not only by his owne people of his other Kingdomes but by all good Christians of forrein Nations throughout the Christian world may not seeme to be neglected by you his natiue Subiects at home and you especially of the Ministerie who ought to be examples and patternes of obedience vnto others you whom he hath so infinitely obliged by his so great bountie and constant loue To put you in remembrance that as with no small disreputation vnto his Maiestie and diminution as it were of his Princely authoritie in the iudgement and sight of the World whose eyes are bent vpon these proceedings he hath granted you so long time by your Christian and godly endeuours with your seuerall flockes whom you are to leade not to be led by them to remoue as you promised both to his Maiesty being here amongst you and againe confirmed at your last generall Synod all those scandals which might be taken by the more ignorant and vnaduised sort of your people to whom all innouations though to the better may seeme at the first somewhat strange so that now you would bee carefull as much as in you lyeth to take away that more dangerous and open offence and scandall which by your delay and refusall of obedience you shall cast vpon the sacred person of our Soueraigne Lord the King the most constant and Zealous Protectour and Defender of that Faith and Truth which wee all professe and for the which he hath suffered such open gaine-saying of the Aduersaries thereof the limbes of Antichrist as if he◠who hath laboured so much to exalt the glorie of thi◠Nation farre aboue all his Predecessours in the eyes of the World now going about most of all to humble vs vnto our God and in performance of the act of greatest deuotion according to his owne example to bring vs vnt◠our Knees did in so doing any way vrge his Subiects to any thing which might sauour of Superstition or Idolatrie To remoue the scandall from those who are in authority amongst you and are set ouer you in the Lord who by their dutifull obedience vnto God and their Soueraigne haue alreadie both by their Doctrine and practise commended those things which now are required of you to b◠both lawfull and expedient To take away that scandal and aspersion which by the seeming reasons of your former refusall or delay you haue cast vpon others so glorious reformed Churches as if the holy Ghost and Spirit◠reformation had beene giuen onely and solely rested vpon you To remoue that notorious and publique scanda◠which by the fierie and turbulent spirits of some fe◠priuate men lyeth heauie vpon the feruent and zealou◠Professours of the glorious Gospel of Christ as if the also were disobedient vnto Magistracie and in this did seeme to ioyne hands with the maine vpholders and pillars of Poperie It hath wounded the Spirits of good men to heare it often spoken Nec dicatur vtinam ampliùs Gathi in plateis Aschelonis Nay to see it in Print that Herod and Pilate were now reconciled againe if not Contra Christum Dominum yet contra Christum Domini Lastly to preuent that lamentable miserie and calamitie which God in his iustice might bring vpon this Church in that you regarded not the blessed time of your visitation and despised the long suffering and great goodnesse of God and of so bountifull and gracious a Soueraigne And so to conclude for to stand now vpon the particulars were but actum agere and you need no gleanings after so plentifull an haruest or the light of a Candle being inlightned by the cleare beames of the Sunne with that of Naamans seruants 2. King 5. vnto their Lord and Maister Father if the Prophet had commanded thee a greater matter shouldest thou not haue done it c. So right reuerend Fathers and Brethren in Christ if our most gracious Soueraigne Lord who hath done so much for you had commanded you greater things so long as they might stand with the will of God and in no waies be repugnant vnto the same for in that case indeed the Apostles rule holds inuiolably true 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That we must rather obey God then men should you not haue beene readie your selues and by your Doctrine and practise haue induced others to obedience much more then when he requireth of you but these few necessarie things necessary and expedient for the glorie of God for the aduancing of pietie amongst you for the honour and due satisfaction vnto our Soueraigne Lord the KING for the happy establishing of order peace vnion and loue amongst your selues and in these vnited Kingdomes Therefore let me beseech you in the bowels of Christ to giue all their due Quae Caesaris Caesari quae Dei Deo And as Constantine the Great as Eusebius hath it wrote vnto his Churchmen that troubled his peace and other weightie affaires with their contentious humours So let me intreat you in the behalfe of our CONSTANTINE Qui dum regat iubet Date illi dies tranquillos noctes curae molestiarum expertes That so he may with much ioy and contentment of heart yet once more as hee proposeth if not often visit your coasts and those places which his soule so loueth And that this poore Church and his natiue Kingdome may be made euer more and more happie by his comming and long peaceable and prosperous reigne And GOD and Men say Amen vnto it Amen Amen This Speech hee deliuered most grauely and with great affection to the contentment of all good and wise men And how falsly the Libeller charges him with bringing
to bee present being asked enough was done for making good his reception in the place specially considering the Commissioners to the Assembly were not then knowne nor a roll made whereby to call them that had voyce particularly But this is his curiositie who gladly would find a fault euen where none was committed The said Master Iames Sandelands being admitted command was giuen to all that had enteresse in the said Assembly to giue in their commissions to him before the next sitting and nomination was made of certayne for the Conference according to the order kept in other Assemblies in which besides the Bishops Noble men Barons and Commissioners of Burrowes the most wise and learned of the Ministrie were named indifferently without any respect had of their opinions and priuate inclinations At this time it was moued by one That the libertie of the Church might bee kept in the choosing of a Moderator which the Archbishop of Saint Andrewes repressed saying to the proponer That he did not expect him to be a troubler of the Church and the businesse thereof and that the Assembly was met within the bounds of his charge wherein so long as he serued he trusted none would vsurpe at which he kept silence and streight wayes arose another who asked whether all the Noble men and Barons present should haue voyce or not and if the whole Ministers that were met there should haue voyces also The Archbishop of Saint Andrews answered that the order obserued in former Assemblies should here be kept and no Ministers haue voyce that lacked a commission But as for Noble men and Barons who were come thither vpon his Maiesties missiues he trusted none there would denie them voyce specially since in the Assembly that proceeded at Saint Andrewes it was one of the reasons they made for differring the conclusion of matters That none of the Noble men or Barons were then present to assist the proceedings of the Church It was desired also that the Articles to bee entreated might bee extended in such forme as his Maiestie desired them to passe and that some might be set apart to collect the reasons that should be proponed for or against the Articles that the whole Asâ—embly might haue the cleerer information To this it was answered that the conference was to consider of these things and what might serue best to prepare matters for the whole Assembly It appeared that their drift was to perturbe the Assembly with such motions in the beginning therefore the Archbishop requiring them to keepe silence commanded his Maiesties letter which was presented by Doctor Young Deane of Winchester and directed to the Assembly to be publikely read the Tenor of which Letter wee haue thought meete here also to insert His Maiesties Letter to the ASSEMBLY IAMES Rex RIght reuerend Fathers in GOD Right trustie Cousins and Coumsellors and others Our trustie and welbeloued subiects We greet you well Wee were once fully resolued neuer in Our time to haue called any moe Assemblies there for ordering things concerning the policie of the Church by reason of the disgrace offered vnto Vs in that late meeting at S. Andrewes wherein Our iust and godly desires were not onely neglected but some of the Articles concluded in that scornfull and ridiculous forme as We wish they had beene refused rather with the rest Although at this time Wee suffered Our selfe to be intreated by you Our Bishops for a new Conuocation and haue called you together who are now conuened for the selfe-same businesse which then was vrged hoping assuredly that you will haue some better regard of Our desires and not permit the vnruly and ignorant Multitude after their wonted custome to ouersway the better and more iudicious sort An euill which we haue gone about with much paines to haue amended in these Assemblies and for which purpose according to Godâ— Ordinance and the constant practise of all well gouerned Churches in all ages Wee haue placed you that are Bishops and ouerseers of the rest in the chiefest roomes You pleade much Wee perceiue to haue matters done by consent of the Ministers and tell Vs often that what concernes the Church in generall should be concluded by the aduise of the whole neither doe Wee altogether dislike your purpose for the greater consent there is amongst your selues the greater is Our contentment But We will not haue you to thinke that matters proponed by Vs of that nature whereof these Articles are may not without such a generall consent be enioyned by Our authoritie This were a misknowing of your places and withall a disclayming of that innate power which We haue by Our calling from God by the which We haue place to dispose of things externall in the Church as We shall thinke them to be conuenient and profitable for aduauncing true Religion amongst Our Subiects Therefore let it be your care by all manner of wise and discreete perswasions to induce them to an obedient yeelding vnto these things as in dutie both to God and Vs they are bound And doe not thinke that We will be satisfied with refuses or delayes or mitigations and We know not what other shifts haue beene proponed for Wee will content Our selues with nothing but with a simple and direct acceptation of these Articles in the forme by Vs sent vnto you now a long time past considering both the lawfulnesse and vndeniable conueniencie of them for the better furthering of pietie and religion amongst you And it should haue rather becommed you to haue begged the establishment of such things of Vs then that We should thus neede to be put to vrge the practise of them vpon you These matters indeede concerneth you of the Ecclesiasticall charge chiefly Neyther would Wee haue called Noble-men Barons and others of Our good Subiects to the determining of them but that We vnderstand the offence of Our people hath beene so much obiected wherein you must beare with Vs to say That no Kingdome doth breed or hath at this time more louing dutifull and obedient Subiects then We haue in that Our natiue Kingdome of Scotland and so if any disposition hath appeared to the contrarie in any of them the same We hold to haue proceeded from amongst you Albeit of all sorts of men yee are they that both of duetie were bound and by particular benefits obliged to haue continued your selues and by your sound doctrine and exemplarie life kept others in a reuerend obedience to Our commaundements What and how many abuses were offered Vs by many of the Ministrie there before Our happie comming to this Crowne though We can hardly quite forget yet We little like to remember Neither thinke We that any Prince liuing could haue kept himselfe from falling in vtter dislike with the Profession it selfe considering the many prouocations that were giuen vnto Vs But the loue of God and his truth still vpheld Vs And will by his grace so doe vnto the end of Our life Our patience alwayes in forgetting and
In the thirteenth Councell of Toledo there sate and subscribed sixe and twentie Dukes and Earles In the fifteenth Councell thereof there sate and subscribed seuenteene Earles In the sixteenth there sate and subscribed sixteene Senators of whom the King sayes in his speech Quos huic Concilio nostra sereniâ—atis praeceptio vel opportuna inesse fecit occasio I might bring a large Catalogue of examples but these are sufficient to proue that which we haue in hand to wit that the number of Commissioners sent by his Maiestie iâ— warranted by the practice of all good Christian Princes in most ancient Synods yea it is certayne that Monarchs and Princes had euer these priuiledges vntill that the Popes tyrannie increasing did bereaue them of their right and exclude them from all Church assemblies And looke wee to the custome of our owne Church many Counsellours and Noble men haue had vote in Assemblies in name of his Maiestie In the Assembly holden at Edinburgh Anno 1563. Decemb. 25. besides the Superintendents Ministers and Commissioners of the Churches and Prouinces there were present nine Lords of the Counsaile Earles and Barons and because thereafter the Regent his Counsaile and Nobilitie did not assist the Assemblies so frequently as before an earnest Petition was made by the whole Assembly conuened in Edinburgh Anno 1573. March 6. to the Regent his Counsaile and Nobilitie to giue their presence and concurrence with the Church in their proceedings because such had beene the practice in Assemblies from the beginning of the reformation The truth whereof is manifest by the inscriptions set before the Acts of many assemblies wherein the Counsaile and Nobilitie are euer distinguished from Bishops Superintendents Ministers and Commissioners of Prouinces and Churches In the generall Assembly holden at Edinburgh Anno 1573. August 6. it was appointed Sess. 1. as followes Because it is vnderstood that certayne of the Nobilitie of this Realme and secret Counsaile are to repayre to this Assembly Therefore these whole Brethren ordaynes that the whole Nobilitie and Counsailors with the Commissioners of Townes Prouinces and Churches hauing power to vote shall sit within the inner barre of the Tolbuithe and all others without In the Assembly holden at Edinburgh Anno 1567. were present ten Earles and Lords of Baronies about the number of three and fiftie besides the ordinarie Commissioners of Townes and Churches Likewise in the Assemblies holden Anno 1563. Decemb. 25. Anno 1566. Iun. 25. Anno 1567. Iul. 21. Anno 1567. Decemb. 25. 1568. 1569. 1570. c. the Earles Lords and Barons are distinguished from Commissioners of Churches Prouinces and Townes And in the Assembly at Edinburgh 1563. Decemb. 25. the Lords of secret Counsaile with the whole Brethren of the Assembly appointed Master Iohn Woodlocke Superintendent of the West Moderator So as wee see the practice of our owne Church hath euer esteemed this free that his Maiestie at his pleasure or Regents in his minoritie should choose what number of Commissioners they liked PP At Edinburgh in Iuly 1568. it was ordayned that Barons should be chosen Commissioners in Synodall Assemblyes At Dundie in March 1597. after the full establishment of Presbyteries it was appointed in presence of his Maiestie that Barons should be chosen Commishioners with consent of Presbyteries and that one Baron onely should bee directed out of the bounds of a Presbyterie Neuerthelesse in this Assembly the Noble men and Barons had neither Commission according to the old act nor according to the new In the yeere of God 1568. it was ordayned that Burgesses should be chosen Commissioners by the Counsaile and Church Session of their Burge coniunctly And in the yeere 1597. that they should be chosen with consent of the Presbyterie Item that euery Burghe haue power to direct but one Commissioner except Edinburgh to whom it was permitted to direct two Neuerthelesse in this Assembly neither of the said Articles were obserued ANS The acts alleadged for choosing Commissioners of the Barons and Burghes were neuer so precisely kept in our Church as to exclude any of them that came thither without Commission from Presbyteries But such regard was euer had to Noble men and Barons of any note that if they were present they had their places with the first were allowed to giue their aduise and voyce in euery matter proponed and had thankes giuen them that vouchsafed their concurrence this is euident by all the Registers of our Assembly and so well knowne as none can deny it It grieues the Lybeller and the rest of that Sect to see the Nobles and Barons so ready at his Maiesties call and that that which sometimes serued them to good purpose in their tumultuous meetings is turned against themselues to wound them And by all good order in Church Assemblies none of the Lâ—iâ—all sort ought to haue place except they be called by the Prince his letters or assured by the Bishops to giue authoritie to the acts concluded Reade in Concilio Turracenens act 13. about the yeare 517. and Concil Tolet. where the order of Councells is set downe which order is pâ—efixed to the first Tome of the Councells yee shall finde this cleare For that which he sayes of the Commissioners of Burghes let this bee added That otherwise then by the Counsell of their owne Burghe they were neuer chosen which wee referre to the Townes themselues that know it PP At Montrosse 1600. it was statuted and ordayned that none of them who shall haue vote in Parliament in the name of the Church shall come as Commissioners to the generall Assembly nor haue any vote in the same vnlesse they be authorized with Commission from their owne Presbyteries to that effect This Act was neuer repealed no not at the pretended Assembly holden at Glasgow but by the same Assembly they stand countable to euery generall Assembly for their proceedings Howbeit the Presbyteries were spoyled of their authority in many things at the said pretended Assembly Yet of the power of election of Commissioners they were not spoyled neyther is there any other order of Election of Commissioners and Constitution of the members of the Assembly set downe by any Act of our Church then was established Anno 1597. Neuerthelesse in this Assembly they not only presented themselues without Commission but sate as Lords ouer-ruling it they had practised the Ceremonies against the established Laws before they were proponed to the Assembly they ought therefore to haue beene secluded and sharply censured but they vsurped the place both of Iudge and partie ANS This Act of MoÌ„trosse Assembly was past when these caueats were deuised to restrayne the immoderate power of Bishops in the Church and was yeelded vnto for satisfying the importunity of such as opposed to their restitution and keeping them quiet in the time but the Bishops now beeing restored by the Assemblies of the Church and by Acts of Parliament to the exercise of that lawfull power and Iurisdiction which euer they had in the Church that
Christianae venerationis ac proinde olim potuit cum fructu vsurpari That is Kneeling at the receiuing of the Elements hath a shew and forme of holy and Christian adoration and therefore of olde might haue beene vsed profitably Petrus Martyr Class 4. locus 10. Sect. 49. 50. IN Sacramento distinguimus symbola à rebus symbolis aliquem honorem deferimus nimirum vt tractentur decenter non abijciantur sunt enim sacrae res Deo semel deputatae quo verò vel res significatas â—as promptè alacriter adorandas concedimus inquit enim Augustinus hoc loco Non peccatur adorando carnem Christi sed peccatur non adorando Adoratio interna potest adhiberi sine periculo neque externa suá naturá essct An Answere to the reasons vsed by the penner of the Pamphlet against the Festiuall DAYES PP FRom the beginning of the Reformation to this present yeere of our Lord 1618. the Church of Scotland hath diuers wayes condemned the obseruation of all Holy-dayes the Lords day onely excepted In the first Chapter of the first Booke of Discipline penned Anno 1560. the obseruation of Holy-dayes to Saints the feast of Christmas Circumcision Epiphanie Purification and others fond Feasts of our Lady are ranked amongst the abominations of the Romane Religion as hauing neither commandement nor assurance in the Word It is further affirmed that the obstinate maintainers and teachers of such abomination should not escape the punishment of the Ciuill Magistrate The Booke aforesaid was subscribed by the Lords of secret Counsell ANS This Booke was neuer authorised by Act of Counsell Parliament or by any Ecclesiasticall Canon and Iohn Knox as we said before complaines of some in chiefe Authoritie that called the same Deuote imaginations yet let vs giue vnto it the Authoritie which yee require the same will not serue your purpose For in the explication of that first head which yee cite we haue these words which yee haue omitâ—â—â— In the Bookes of old and new Testaments We affirme that 〈…〉 necessarie for instruction of the Church and to make 〈…〉 of God perfect are contained and sufficiently expresses By the contrarie doctrine waâ— vnderstand whatsoeuer men by Lawes Counceâ—s or 〈…〉 imposed vpon the conscâ—ences of men 〈…〉 expresse commandement of Gods word 〈…〉 c. By which worâ—s 〈…〉 the obâ—eruation of dayes here coÌ„demne◠〈…〉 the 〈◊〉 Church and 〈…〉 as our 〈…〉 But such 〈…〉 of men â—s a necessitie point of Diuine 〈◊〉 This obseruation vrged vpon the peopâ—e of God and practised 〈◊〉 opinion of necessitie and 〈◊〉 was vtterly to be abolâ—shed And to banish this opinion together with the superstitious Idolatrie and prophanenesse which was otherwise conioyned of banqueting drinking playing quarreâ—ling and such like 〈…〉 was thought expedient that on these dayes the people should be 〈…〉 from their ordinarie labours and that no 〈◊〉 â—eruice should be done in places where there 〈…〉 a dayly Exercise of Religion as well because of the 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 to informe people â—oucâ—ing the lawfull obseruaâ—â—on of dayes and the eschewing of their Idolatrous and superstitious abuse as because it appeared that extraoâ—dâ—narie Exercises on these dayes would rather foster supersâ—ition then edifie people in true godlâ—nesse Neither could there better order be taken as matters then stood but our Church did neuer presume to condeme religious Exercises vpon these dayes which now the Assembly at Pâ—rtâ— hath appointed for that had beene to condemne both the Primitiue Church and all the Reformed Churches now in the World who practised the contrarie And all the exceptions Acts and complaints made to Authoritie against Holy-dayes were rather against dayes dedicated to Saints or against the prophane and superstitious obseruation of Christmas which we call Zule or serued to maintaine the order taken by the Church for the same as shall bee made manifest in the particulars alledged by you PP In the generall Assembly holden at Edinburgh Anno 1566. the latter Confession of Heluetia was approoued but with speciall exception against some Holy-dayes dedicated to Christ These same very dayes that now are vrged ANS By this exception the Assembly did not condemne the iudgement and practise of the Heluetian Church as vnlawfull superstitious or prophane but onely declared that by their approbation they did nothing preiudiciall to the order and policie of their owne Church PP At the Assembly holden Anno 1575. complaint was made against the Ministers and Readers beside Abirdene because they assembled the people to Prayer and Preaching vpon certaine Patrone and Feastiuall dayes ANS This complaint was made for the contempt and breach of the order of the Church and the offence which people might take thereat not for the religious Exercise vsed at the time PP Complaint likewise was ordained to be made to the Regent vpon the Towne of Drumfreis for vrging and conueying a Reader to the Church with Tabret and Whissell to reade the Prayers all the Holy-dayes of Zule or Christmas vpon refusall of their owne Reader ANS This was a iust complaint because the Fact was not onely contrarious to the order of the Church but superstitious and prophane also in it selfe PP Item An Article was formed to be presented to the Regent crauing that all dayes heretofore kept holy in time of Papistrie beside the Lords day such as Zule day Saints dayes and other like Feasts might be abolished and a ciuill penaltie appointed against the obseruers of the said dayes ANS In this Article wee must vnderstand by Dayes not the Time it selfe materially for that cannot bee abolished but the superstitious cessation from labour on these dayes with an opinion of necessitie and the profane excesses of banquetting playing c. which the Act of Perth hath also condemned PP In the Assembly holden in April Anno 1577. it was ordayned That the Visitor with the aduice of the Synodall Assembly should admonish Ministers preaching or ministring the Communion at Pasche Zule or other like superstitious times or Readers reading to desist vnder the paine of depriuation ANS This Ordinance was made to withdraw people from the superstitious opinion they had of these times as is manifest by the wordes Or other like superstitious times and this our Pastors are also ordayned still to rebuke PP Dedicating of Dayes was abjured in the Confession of Faith penned Anno 1580. an Article was formed in the Assembly 1581. crauing an Act of Parliament to bee made against the obseruation of feast-dayes dedicated to Saints and setting out of Bone-fires ANS The dedicating of dayes abiured in the confession is in these words We abiure his to wit the Popes canonization of men calling vpon Angels or Saints departed worshipping of imagery reliques and crosse dedicating of Churches Altars Dayes Vowes to creatures c. What is here dayes dedicated by the Pope are abâ—ured but the fiue dayes concluded by the Church to be kept were not dedicated by the Pope but obserued long before his vsurped authoritie
gouernment was altered and the insolent domination of Prelates hath entered in by vnlawfull meanes amongst vs Popish Rites and superstitious Ceremonies haue followed and are like to preuaile vniuersally ANS The former gouernment is not altered that is either corrupted or abolished as you insinuate but is perfited by accession of the ancient order which hath beene euer in the House of God since the Apostolicall times and was embraced at the reformation in Anno 1560. and continued in our Church in the persons of Superintendents and Bishops till the yeare of God 1581. after that time it was borne downe till the yeare of God 1598. then it beganne to bee restored and hath entred in amongst vs by the conclusions of generall Assemblies and Acts of Parliament which none but lawlesse Libertines will esteeme vnlawfull meanes nor the function thereby established an insolent domination but the licentious who delight in confusion and detest order The Rites and Ceremonies which haue followed shall be better cleered by the grace of God from Superstition and Popery then this Pamphlet of yourâ— from Schisme and Heresie PP They haue verified in their persons their common tenent No Ceremony no Bishop ANS The tenent is true for where there is no Ceremonie there can be no externall worship of God more then a bodie can bee without dimensions and consequently where there is no Ceremony there can be no Church no Bishop no Pastor PP The liberty granted to our Church to indict and hold generall Assemblies from yeere to yeere and oftener prore nata was the chiefe bulwarke of our Discipline this bulwarke was broken downe to the end a more patent way might be made for their exaltation ANS So long as this liberty preserued the ancient Discipline and Gouernment of the Primitiue and Reformed Church in the persons of Super-intendents and Bishops it was a good bulwarke but when it was licentiously abused to ouerthrow that which it had formerly maintayned and to stop the way whereby it might be lawfully restored againe the licentious abuse was to be restrayned and order taken that it should not impede but further the worke for the which it was appointed PP When vote in Parliament the Needle to draw in the thred of Episcopall authoritie was concluded to the great griefe of the sincerer sort many protestations were made that no alteration in Discipline or Diuine Seruice was intended ANS That the Church which hath euer represented the third Estate of the Kingdome was restored in the persons of Bishops according to the fundamentall Lawes to haue vote in Parliament could bee a griefe to none sincerely affected either to the Weale of the Countrey or Church and as protestations were made that no alteration tending to corruption either in Discipline or diuine Seruice was intended so none hath followed but such as tendeth to the confirmation and perfection of both PP Many cautions and limitations were made to bound the power of the Minister voter in Parliament ANS The limitations and cautions which were agreeable to reason and might stand with the power of the person voter in Parliament according to Law haue beene inuiolably obserued PP They were ordayned to bee countable to the generall Assemblies for the manner of their entrie and behauiour in this new Office but like Bankrupts not being able to render account they laboured that no account should bee made at all that is that there should be no ordinary generall Assembly to take account ANS No man can bee lawfully ordayned to bee countable to these of his entry and behauiour in his Office who professe themselues enemies to the Office it selfe Such were the generall Assemblies which ye call ordinary consisting for the greatest part of the sincerer sort to whose great griefe you say the power to vote in Parliament was concluded reason therefore would that to such a Iudicatory no account should haue beene rendered at all Not because they were bankrupts as you calumniously alledge but for the professed enmity and iniquity of the Iudge whereof his Maiesty hauing proofe before when the ancient Gouernment of Bishops was abolished did now prudently prouide that no generall Assembly should be conuocate without his Highnesse speciall licence lest thereby the restitution of that Gouernment intended by his Maiestie and happily begun before his Maiesties preferment to the Crowne of England might in his absence bee crossed and ouerthrowne by the which prouidence of his Maiesties wisdome that plot was preuented and your purpose disappointed Hinc illae lachrimae and this is that causeth you to rage and raile PP Some few extraordinary Assemblies haue beene conuocated of late yeares at their pleasures and for their purposes and according to their deuice constituted as they thought good wherein they procured or rather extorted with terror and authority a sort of preheminencie aboue their Brethren ANS If ye call these extraordinary Assemblies which by his Maiesties License and Authoritie were conuocated the Councell of Nice and the most famous Councels of the Church must bee counted extraordinary And in these Assemblies no preheminence was granted to Bishops but such as Bishops had euer in the Primitiue Church and such as the Super-intendents and Bishops had before in our owne reformed Church which beeing lawfull in it selfe needeth neither by authoritie to be procured nor by terror extorted from godly prudent and peaceable Brethren PP They were Lords in Parliament Councell Session Exchequer Lords of Regalities Lords of temporall Lands Presenters to Benefices Modifiers of Ministers stipends grand Commissioners in the high Commission was it wonder then if so great Commanders commanded the Assemblies constituted as is said and carued to themselues a spirituall Lorship when c. ANS The power authoritie and credit which was expedient for the time to be in the persons of some Bishops was neither imployed nor needed to be imployed to command these Assemblies which were constituted of the most graue and godly brethren of the Church who against Law and conscience would not haue beene commanded either by Prince or Prelate Neither in these Assemblies did they carue to themselues any spirituall Lordship for they acknowledge no man to haue spirituall Lordship ouer the Church but the man the Lord Iesus him they preach the Lord and themselues the Seruants of the Church for him PP When their worthy brethren were banished imprisoned confined or detayned at Court that they might the more easily effectuate their purposes ANS Their worthy brethren I may truely say were banished imprisoned confined and detayned at Court sore against their wils who wish that good brethren then had beene and now were lesse addicted to singularitie of opinion and more inclined to the peace vnity of the Church And that they would put difference betwixt indifferent things in Discipline and doctrinall points and consider that in the one we must stand for veritie and in the other for expediencie which changeth with times places and occasions That the forme of gouernment
the resolution we take at this time touching the Articles propounded will giue to the world a testimonie what manner of men wee are whether such as rule their proceedings by iudgement or are carried head-strong with conceits and opinions that wee bee nor misse-led by ignorance for that is the fault of many amongst vs wee inquire not of matters nor take paynes to vnderstand what hath beene the iudgement of the most wise and learned but follow vpon trust the opinions we haue beene bred with and of such as we affect to helpe this I say I will with your patience spend some time in the question of Ceremonies see what warrant they haue and how they should bee appointed then from the generall descend to speake of our particulars touching which I shall freely deliuer my owne minde and so conclude First then concerning Ceremonies howsoeuer some haue imagined them to bee superfluities which might well bee spared and that the Church of Rome hath made the very name of them hatefull aswell because of the multitude of them wherewith she oppressed Christians as for the ridiculous choice she made of most of them are such things as without which no publike action either Ciuill or Ecclesiastique can be rightly performed To this purpose a Politike Writer hath said well That as the flesh couereth the hollow deformity of the bones and beautifieth the bodie with naturall graces so Ceremonies such specially as ancient custome hath made reuerend couer the nakednesse of publike actions and distinguish them from priuate businesse that otherwise should not bee so well knowne The neglect of this in any State breedes confusion and with confusion the ruine and abolishment of the State it selfe whereof the examples were easie to be giuen in the Romane Republike and others if that were our subiect But wee are speaking of Church-Ceremonies concerning which no man will deny this generall truth That in euery publike dutie which God craues at our hands there is besides the matter and forme wherein the substance of the dutie consists a certaine externall forme required to the decent administration of the same As for example God hath commanded his Word to bee preached and the holy Sacraments to be ministred Baptisme by the Element of Water and in a prescript forme of words such as you know wee vse and the Sacrament of his blessed Body and Bloud in the Elements of Bread and Wine with certaine mysticall words added thereunto heere is the dutie to bee done and the substance of it yet for the ministration of the same in a due and decent manner there is place time and other circumstances moe required The substance of the dutie God hath giuen vs in the Word from which we may not goe but for these things that belong to the outward administration Ecclesiasticall wisedome hath to define what is conuenient what not Neque tamen permisit Dominus vagam effrae namque licentiam sayes Caluine sed cancellos vt ita loquar circūdedit That is God hath not giuen his Church an illimited power to establish what Ceremonies she lists but hath enrayled her authoritie within borders which she may not passe and these are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Let all things bee done honestly and by order Honestly that is after a good fashion in a decent sort and to the right ends namely the aduancement of Gods honour and the edification of his Church This is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Then they must be done 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by order that is appointed with deliberation and by such as haue the authoritie to ordaine them and being once appointed and concluded by Constitutions they must bee kept and performed by all that are subiect to the same This as one speakes well is that great Ecclesiasticall Canon by which all other Canons must bee squared this is the true Touch-stone of trying Ceremonies and the ballance wherein all Church Orders must be weighed The Ceremonies of the Church must be decent and comely without vanitie without all meretricious brauerie not superfluous but seruing to edification They must also be done to Gods honour and not be idolatrous or superstitious Generally in the Church all things must be done in order and no confusion be either of persons or proceedings for order hath proceeded from the Throne of the Almightie This fabricke of the World that wee see is vpholden by it States and Kingdomes are maintayned by it and without it nothing can flourish or prosper And if Order should haue place in all things sure the Church of God should not be without Order for our God whom wee serue is the God of Order and not of Confusion as the Apostle speakes These things will be easily condescended vpon I meane that religious duties cannot bee performed without externall Rites that these Rites should bee qualited as I haue said established by Lawes and after they are established obeyed by such as are subiect Si enim velut in medio positae singulorum arbitrio relictae fuerint quoniam nunquam futurum est vt omnibus idem placeat breui futura est rerum omnium confusio This is Caluines saying in the fourth Booke of his Institutions and tenth Chapter which Chapter I would earnestly recommend to your reading for these matters chiefly In such generals it may bee wee all agree but when wee come to particulars Tanta moribus hominum inest diuersitas tanta in animis varietas tanta in iudicijs ingenijsque pugna Such is the varietie of mens minds and opinions that scarce shall they euer bee brought to agree vpon any one thing For the Ceremonie which to one will seeme decent and comely will to another appeare not to be so Now in this case what is to bee done Some would haue vs search into the Apostolike times examine what then was in vse to bee done and follow that But this cannot well be the rule seeing the Apostles haue not deliuered in writing all that they did and diuers of the formes vsed by them which by occasion wee haue recorded are vnfit for these times and inconuenient such as the assembling of people in close and secret meetings their Christnings in Riuers the ministring of the Lords Supper after meate 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Church-Feasts the abhorring of leuened Bread abstayning from Bloud and that which is strangled the arbitrary maintenance of Ministers and other more particulars which to bring againe in vse were to alter and change in a sort the state of Christianitie it selfe So it being to vs vncertaine what the formes of the Apostles were in euery thing and the dissimilitude of their times and ours being so great they giue no sure direction that send vs to seeke the resolution of our differences in matters of this nature from them Reade Beza his eight Epistle written to that Reuerend Bishop Edmond Grindall then Bishop of London and you shall finde this to bee his iudgement His words are Scio duplicem esse de Ecclesiarum
of Rome to wit out of Spaine one out of Egypt eleuen out of Calabria one out of Dalmatia one out of Carthage one and out of France one so in the first generall Councell at Constantinople there were numbred an hundred and fiftie Bishops whereof only two or three are found to be out of all the Occidentall Nations In the first Councell of Ephesus there are numbred two hundred Bishops and only three out of the Occident In the Councell of Chalcedone were three hundred Bishops whereof of the Occidentall Countreyes only foure or fiue In the second generall Councell of Constantinople an hundred sixtie fiue Bishops and of these only ten or eleuen out of the Occident Now albeit in the Occidentall Empire there were many large Kingdomes and Prouinces wherein Christian Religion was professed yet these Councels notwithstanding the absence of such ceassed not to be acknowledged as generall or if this might be esteemed a iust cause to annull a Church Assembly what a doore should be opened to the Arrians Macedonians Nestorians Eutychians to reiect the Decrees of these famous Countreyes by the which their Heresies were condemned Lastly the obedience giuen by the Pastors of these Dioceses which you alledge to haue beene neglected testifieth their consent to the Acts and that they haue ratified them for their owne parts PP The generall Assembly the highest Iudicatorie Ecclesiasticall within this Realme hath euer after exhortation made by the last Moderator lited and lawfully elected a new Moderator according to diuers Acts continuate Custome and Practice of this Church The which Presbyters haue beene so regarded that the conuention holden at Perth by his Maiesties missiue the last of Feb. 1596. although frequented by his Maiesties presence with a great number of the Nobilitie Barones and Burgesses with the Commissioners from euery Presbytery was for the defect aforesaid no further acknowledged to bee a lawfull Assembly then the generall Assembly holden at Dundy the yeare following 1597. declared the same to be a lawfull extraordinary Assembly Neuerthelesse no Moderatour was lawfully elected in this Assembly but the place vsurped by him who had practised against the matter there proponed and not as yet determined and consequently who ought to haue beene secluded from any authoritie in respect of the preiudice committed by him ANS In this as in all the rest almost of their exceptions against the Assembly there is a false rule laid whereby to try the lawfulnesse thereof To wit the Acts and Custome of the Church of Scotland vnder Presbyteriall Gouernment which must not rule vs now seeing the true forme of Church-gouernment now restored is much different from the estate of these times It is true that when the Church was gouerned by a paritie of Ministers they choosed a Moderator by suffrage though without any warrant or example eyther out of Scripture or Antiquitie but being compelled thereto of necessitie in regard of that forme of Gouernment wherein no man had any ordinary prerogatiue aboue or before others but now the forme of Gouernment being altered and each man knowing his owne roome and station we are not tyed to obserue that custome but ought rather to follow the Constitutions and practice of the Primitiue Church which was ruled by the same forme of Episcopall Gouernment that now is established in this Land And it is manifest that euer while the Pope of Rome did tyrannically arrogate vnto himselfe and his Legats Presidencie in all Councels this course was obserued that eyther the Christian Prince himselfe when he was present was President as Constantine the Great in the first Councell of Nice and Constantine called Pogonatus in the third Councell of Constantinople or else by the Prince his permission and appointment the Bishop Metropolitan or Patriarch of greatest authoritie in these bounds where the Councell was holden who was alwayes acknowledged President except he himselfe were indited or condemned of Heresie then by the Emperours appointment and not by Election of the Councell a President was appointed as in the first Councell of Ephesus Cyrillus Bishop of Alexandria was appointed President by Theodosius the Emperour because both the Patriarchs of Constantinople and Antiochia who were of chiefe authoritie in these bounds were fauourers of the Nestorian Heresie which was there condemned And if we looke through the whole Ecclesiasticke History wee shall find this euer to haue beene the order yea in that Apostolike Councell Act. 15. according to the iudgement of the most learned both old and new Writers the Apostle Iames was there President as Bishop of Ierusalem Eusebâ—li 2. cap. 1. Theophil in Act. 15. Lyranus ibidem Dionysius Carthusianus ibid. Whittakerus de Concil Quaest. 4. And so is it probable out of the Text because hee pronounced the sentence in the conclusion of the action which is the speciall dutie of a Moderatour and according to the words of his sentence are the Synodicall Letters written to other Churches This exception therefore of not lyting or electing a Moderator being grounded vpon a Custome or Constitution now abolished in the place whereof hath succeded the commendable order alwayes obserued by the Primitiue Church in her purest times is not to bee respected and the example yee bring to qualifie this exception out of that Assembly at Perth Anno 1596. is not only insufficient to proue but likewise in many points false First because in the Acts of the Assembly there is no mention made of any exception taken against the Election of the Moderator Secondly that Assembly was acknowledged to be a lawfull Assembly by an expresse Act in the same Assembly Thirdly it was called extraordinary not for any exception taken against the Election of the Moderatour but because of the time and place to wit that the time and place appointed by the former Assembly was preuented vpon an extraordinary occasion by his Maiesties missiue Fourthly by the Assembly that followed at Dundy Anno 1597. it is acknowledged to be a lawfull Assembly without the addition of extraordinarie as appeares by the Acts thereof Session 7.14 Maij. PP By order established Acts standing in force and continuall Custome free of all Controuersie and Quarrell all and euery one of the ordinary members of a generall Assembly hauing place and power to vote or capable of moderation are and should bee authorized with lawfull Commissions from inferiour Assemblies viz. Presbyteries Burgesses and Vniuersities according to the Act made Anno 1573. Neuerthelesse the Bishops a great number of Noblemen and Barones and some Ministers hauing no lawful Commission presumed to carry themselues as lawfull members of the said Assembly ANS Because that which heere is summarily said is at greater length set downe in the Articles following I referre the Answer to that place PP Whereas the proceeding of the Assembly ought to bee free without preoccupation either with terrours or allurements this Assembly was preoccupyed with Sermons Letters Harrangues with allurements on the one side and terrours on the other ANS This
vnto things that were proponed and serued to the good and peace of the Church And to insist in the same example brought by your selfe reade the Letter which Constantine writes to Agatho and yee shall find the chiefe and onely Argument almost hee vses to moue him to condescend to an agreement with the Greeke Church is by laying before him the danger wherein the whole Church lyes by their dissention Tacere quippe hoc terribile existimamus vt ne plebs quae vt sanctificetur accedit ad sanctas Dei Ecclesias contrarijs cogitationibus occupetur considerans Antistitum ad inuicem dissonantiam And againe Propter viles igitur inquisitiones ne sit infinita contentio Ne nobis insultent Pagani Haeretici neque in nobis vsque quaque locum accipiant semina aduersarij c. Looke likewise that graue Harrangue of Constantine the great in the Councell of Nice where hee sayes Nolite ergo pati vt denuo perditus Daemon diuinam Christi disciplinam Religionem maleuolorum obtrectationibus lacerandam obijciat quando quidem intestina seditio in Ecclesia Dei conflata multo plus molestiarum acerbitatis quam quoduis bellum pugnave videtur mihi in se complecti c. Finally as to that yee obiect That the party defendant was forced to pursue It was not so but the party refusing obedience was vrged to obey or then giue sufficient reasons of their disagreement which was most iust and equitable For by one Statute made in the Assembly at Dundie Anno 1597. 14 Maij Sess. 7. it is ordayned That hee that sustaynes the negation with his vote shall giue rationem negandi The rest of your Assertions are manifest lyes and calumnies For all the Contradictors were heard with great patience the space of two dayes both in the priuy Conference and face of the Assembly while they had no more to obiect PP In free and lawfull Assemblies priuate reasoning is not sufficient but it is requisite that there bee also free reasoning in publique for the full information of all who haue the right of voting Neuerthelesse in this Assembly publique reasoning was hardly obtayned it was not full and free to propone and pursue with replyes ANS Publike reasoning was neuer refused neither was any man hindered to speake freely prouiding he spake pertinently but onely by the Lawes of disputation the President comptrolled those who transgressed the Lawes when either they reasoned not formally or not to the purpose or repeated arguments vnnecessarily which had beene already sufficiently discussed and this is the power of the Moderator by the Assembly at Saint Andrewes Anno 1571. in March But the falshood of this exception is cleared sufficiently by the true Narration of the proceedings of the Assembly PP In all free and lawfull Assemblies humble requests for mature deliberation in matters of great importance hath beene heard and granted but in this Assembly humble supplication for continuation till matters were more ripely considered or till his Maiesties answer were returned to the Petition of the defenders of the established order was peremptorily refused ANS If these matters had neuer beene proponed before or if we had not knowne his Maiesties will by his Letters hereabout perchance this exception might haue had some force but seeing some of these Articles had beene discussed in an Assembly at Abirdene and all proponed thereafter in an Assembly at Saint Andrewes at the which time the same request of continuation was proponed and an humbly sute sent to his Maiestie to accept of this delay to the end euery man might consider the matters more deeply with promise that if it would please his Maiestie to grant them leisure to aduise and instruct their flocks in the lawfulnesse of these Articles they should doe their best to giue his Maiestie satisfaction a longer continuation could not be harkened vnto especially since this Assembly was conuocated to trie the effects of their promises and that it was euident how a number of them against their promise were so farre from the instructing of their people in the lawfulnesse of the Articles that in the contrary they pressed most sediciously to stirre vp both their owne flocks and others to disobedience So at this time that proposition of continuation could not bee granted for three weightie reasons first because the former continuation was abused to the stirring vp of discontentment amongst the popular Secondly the Moderator and the Commissioners could not graunt it because of his Maiesties peremptory declaration of his will in his Highnesse Letter directed to the Assembly Thirdly because they perceyued by the disposition of the party that a further continuance would haue serued for nothing but to haue augmented the Schisme and diuision begun PP Pope Leo excepteth against the second Councell of Ephesus called praedatorie that Dioscorus who challenged the chiefe place kept not priestly moderation and would not suffer the Synodall Letters of the west to be read In all free and lawfull Assemblies good aduisements haue been heard and followed but in this Assembly some difficulties presented in writing to be considered and remoued before the voting were peremptorily reiected ANS That this reiection of these difficulties is a iust exception against the lawfulnesse of this Assembly yee proue it by the example of Pope Leo who excepted against the second Councell of Ephesus called Praedatorie because Dioscorus who was President there would not suffer the Synodal Letters of the West to be read in the Councell I will answere first to your proofe and then to the matter it selfe The reason yee vse is captious for yee reason from a partiall cause to a totall rejection The Councell of Ephesus was iustly reiected for diuers errours committed both in matter and forme yet yee choose onely one of the smallest and applie it falsly to this Assembly The errours in matter were That first it did approue hereticall doctrine peruerting the grounds of our Faith Next it restored pernicious Heretickes alreadie condemned in a Councel at Constantinople as Eutyches and his followers and condemned reuerend Fathers for maintenance of the true doctrine as Flautanus Archbishop of Constantinople and others The errours in the manner of proceeding were first The Orthodoxe Bishops beaten by the souldiers whom Dioscorus had brought into the Councell fustibus gladijs with swordes and staues whereby some dyed of their wounds receiued others were bound with chaines and others presently carried to prison Secondly the rest that remained were forced to subscribe a blanke paper wherein Dioscorus wrote whatsoeuer pleased him these were the causes why this Councell was called Praedatoria Synodus It is true The Pope of Rome alledged some other reasons for the nullitie thereof wherewith he was more offended because the same seemed derogatiue to his authoritie as that the Synode was not conuocate by him but by the Emperours commaund His Legats were not admitted Moderators therein And his Letters contayning his sentence and opinion were not publiquely
Assembly the affirmatiue voters confessed that they assented not simpliciter to the Articles proponed as knowne truths but onely to auert the wrath of authoritie standing in their owne iudgement against them and not for them in respect of the estate of this Church Hence it may be cleerly seene that their votes were only affirmatiue in respect of their feare but negatiue in respect of their iudgement and dutifull affection to this Church ANS None of the affirmatiue voters approued the Articles for knowne verities for when wee speake of knowne verities we vnderstand the verities defined in Scripture such as are the points of our faith which no man ought to call in question but that any man did giue his voice otherwise then his iudgement led him yee will hardly perswade vs much lesse that any man would openly professe this for that had beene little better then the resolution of Medea in the Tragedie Video meliora proboque deteriora sequor As to the feare yee so oft mention it was a feare not contrarie to the dutifull affection we owe to the Church nor repugnant to the iudgement which they had that were moued therewith but a feare commendable flowing both from their affection and iudgement for they feared no particular hurt to their owne persons or punishment to haue beene inflicted vpon themselues but to irritate so gracious a King and a Prince so carefull of the good of the Church and to bring the Church into an vnnecessary trouble by the obstinate refusing of lawfull Articles this wee hope all good men feared and still feare And certainly whosoeuer lackes this feare are not fit to serue in a Church and more vnfit to determine of Church-matters PP Other informalities may be obserued but these are sufficient to prooue the nullity of this pretended Assembly whereby the established estate of this Church is so far preiudged or rather simple people for their facility indangered if they vpon the pretended authority of this Assembly shall aduenture to make defection from their former profession confirmed by so many and well aduised Assemblies and blessed by the experience of Gods great loue in his best benefits or to violate their solemne Oath and Subscription The pretender may as safely professe that hee will alter his profession or violate his Oath and Subscription suppose there had beene no Assembly at all But to detayne simple people in their begunne reuolt it will be cryed out and inculcate that some few persons and to make them odious they will be called Mal-contents Troublers of the Estate Seditious persons and what not for the which contumelies and reproches account must be made one day that they may not nor should not iudge vpon the nullity of the Assemblies It is true by way of Iurisdiction or Superordination as they call it no priuate man should presume so to doe for that iudgement belongs to another free and lawfull Assembly but by the iudgement of discretion euery Christian man ought to iudge how matters of Religion are imposed vpon him and by what authoritie If thou mayest not discerne as a Iudge thou mayest discerne as a Christian. If yee shall admit indifferently whatsoeuer is concluded vnder the glorious name of an Assembly then may wee be brought to admit not only the English Ceremonies but also Lutheranisme and Papistrie If Ministers giue way to their Parochiners to practise the obtruded Ceremonies at their pleasures If sworne Professors intangle themselues againe with the superfluities whereof the Lord hath made them free let the one and the other take heed how they defend themselues from the iust challenge of back-sliding and the rest of the inconueniences that may ensue on their change ANS This Libeller being now to conclude the Nullity which he intended to proue paines himselfe to mooue the People Ministers Professors and all to disobedience of the Acts concluded and where the authority of the Assembly might draw men to condescend hee labours to shew them that euen the iudgement of the lawfulnesse of Assemblies in some sort doth belong to euery Christian which if it should not he laies downe certaine inconueniences that thereby might grow vpon them all to which I answere that this Assembly being conuocated in the Name of God assisted in the proceedings thereof by his blessed Spirit and all the Informalities obiected being now sufficiently cleered we are perswaded euery true Christian whether he be Minister or Professor will submit his iudgement and affections both to the conclusions taken therein And if any will still oppose thēselues thereto we doubt not to cal them troublers of the Estate seditious Persons Schismatickes louers of Diuision and direct Enemies to the Weale and peace both of the Church and Kingdome That ye would bee called such men ye might well prophesie seeing ye be priuy to your owne intentions but where ye adiect that account must be made one day of such contumelies and reproches I would but aske you whether yee doe thinke to passe free in the Day of that account and not be brought to your answere for calling the Seruants of Christ mercenarie men and thereby implying his Maiestie your Souereigne to be another Balak in giuing the wages of iniquitie to hirelings for condemning all that are obedient to the voyce of the Church in these matters as men periured and without all conscience and diuers others your malicious speeches vttered in this Pamphlet or if you thinke it no fault to make a rent in the body of Christ which is his Church which it appeares euidently ye are only about The answeres following will cleere to all men that the estate of our Church is no way preiudged by any Act concluded in the Assembly at Perth and that the obedience thereof will not inferre a defection from our former profession But that distinction of two-fold iudgement serues little to this purpose for howbeit lawfully euery man may inquire of things concluded and for his owne information seeke out the grounds and warrants thereof yet whithersoeuer his 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
despise the Lords Sabbath and instead thereof appoint some other as the Machomet hath done it were a presumptuous sinne But this wee are farre from acknowledging the Lords Day to bee holy by his institution and appointing the rest to bee kept only for his worship PP We come from priuiledge to fact as de iure none may so de facto none did appoint holy dayes vnder the Law but God and that eyther by himselfe or by some extraordinary direction Therefore none can bee allowed vnder the Gospell without the like warrant Seeing the times vnder the Gospell are not so ceremonious as the times vnder the Law ANS I answered before that if holy dayes bee taken for times whereunto God did appropriate the exercise of some particular forme of worship or for times clothed with some relatiue and respectiue holinesse as to bee signes or types of things to come God only may make dayes holy but if by holy dayes wee vnderstand times dedicated to Gods worship and the commemoration of his benefits as meete circumstances for Discipline Order and Policie such as our Diuines hold the holy dayes vnder the Gospell to bee I denie that either they might not or did not lawfully appoint such dayes vnder the Law or yet may not be appointed vnder the Gospell The answeres which you make to the dayes of Purim instituted by Queene Estther and Mordecai and the Feast of Dedication instituted by Iudas Mâ—cchaâ—aeus are not solid First where ye say that the obseruation was ciuill because Hospinian sayes they might haue wrought vpon the dayes of Purim his opinion in that is not probable seeing these dayes were instituted to bee dayes of feasting and ioy and sending of portions one to another and giftâ— to the poore because on them God had giuen rest to his people froâ— their enemies It is not probable when â—â—ch and 〈◊〉 did feast in remembrance of the rest that God had 〈◊〉 â—hem from their enemies that they did not rest and 〈◊〉 tâ—e dayes according to the Institution for the Text sayes exprâ—sly Est. 9.17 That they rested and kept a day of feastâ—ng and gladnesse with the which seruile labour sorts not Neiâ—hâ—r will it follow that these dayes were not kept for holy Festiuities albeit in them they might haue wrought some kind of labour for on the sixe dayes of the Passeouer and on the sixe dayes of the Feast of Tabernacles seruile worke was not vtterly prohibited but on the first and eight only yet all these dayes are called Festiuall and holy Finally dayes instituted for Documents and Memorials of holy things as of their Fasting and Prayers by which they obtayned deliuerance such as yee affirme these to haue beene cannot bee called nor counted Ciuill And Willet compares them not euill with the fift dayes of August and Nouember but hee does not say this as counting them Ciuill but because they were not diuinae sed Ecclesiasticae institutionis non mysterij sed politiâ—s and if ye thinke the fift of August and Nouember to be ciuill dayes in so farre as vpon them Commemoration is made of his Maiesties Deliuerances with Preaching Thankesgiuing and Prayer you are in a manifest errour for a day which is dedicated to diuine Seruice and the honour of God not to a ciuill vse cannot be esteemed ciuill but sacred and holy Againe where yee say that these dayes had more then humane warrant because it is thought that Mordecai was the Penman of the Booke of Esther and consequently a Prophet and that it appeares that these dayes might not haue beene altered by the Iewish Church which if they had bin of Ecclesiasticke Constitution might haue bin done thoughts and appearances are not sure probations to conclude a certaintie as yee doe of a more then humane warrant And if they had receiued from God any particular direction concerning them the Prophet of God would not haue omitted the same in the Historie A generall warrant they had such as the Church must haue for the determination of circumstances in the worship of God as that of the hundred and fifth Psalme Giue thankes to the Lord call on his Name make knowne his deeds amongst the people Sing vnto him sing Psalmes vnto him talke of all his wondrous workes that he hath done But to say that they had any particular warrant is to be wise aboue that which is written As to the Feast of Dedication yee answere first that if it were Anniuersary in Salomon and Zorobabels time Iudas Macchabaeus followed the example of these who had Propheticall direction and if it was not Anniuersary as first yee leaue it vncertaine yee thinke the saâ—e was an addition of the Pharisies who inlarged the glory of this Feast as they did their Phylacteries but this is a friuolous coniecture and the interpretation of Iunius words out of the Talmude is no better to wit that the Wisemen who decreed that the eighth dayes of that Feast should bee yeerely dayes of ioy were the Pharisies because they are called Sapientes Israelis for it behoued these that appointed the Festiuities not onely to bee Wisemen but men of Authoritie also And therefore it is more probable that the Wisemen in the Talmude were the Masters of the great Synagogue that had power to appoint such Festiuities But how would our Sauiour who censured the Pharisies for inlarging their Phylacteries and corrected the abuses of the Law brought in by them haue omitted such a grosse Errour and Superstition as the Institution and keeping of these holy dayes vnrebuked if it had beene a Pharisaicall Addition and not a lawfull Constitution Then yee teach your Reader a great cunning to play fast and loose in answering all the instances brought from the Iewish Church and that is whether hee grant or denie them to bee lawfull yet to eschew the dint of the Argument for if hee grant them to bee lawfull then he may flye to this refuge that the Iewes had extraordinarie directions which wee want as Prophets who were only Prophets by the Spirit vnto the dayes of Malachie Vrim and Thummim vnder the first Temple and in place thereof vnder the second a slender voyce sounding from Heauen called Bathcoll But if hee denie the same to haue beene lawfull then to alleadge that they were Pharisaicall Additions and that wee should not imitate the Pharisies and fond Iewes I assure my selfe that no honest-hearted man will either follow the Pharisies in their Superstition nor you in vsing such sophisticall euasions of which none will serue against the instances alledged for if yee say that the obseruation of the dayes of Purâ—m or Dedication were Pharisaicall Additions the exact diligence of our Sauiour in rebuking and correcting all such abuses and superstitious Nouations as were brought into the worship of God by the Pharisies will controll you And if ye say that they had extraordinarie directions yee speake without warrant of Scripture which is presumption in you to doe So it remaines for any
aboue the Church Neither are they obserued in the reformed Churches or ordayned to be obserued in ours according to the intention of the Papall dedication of dayes that is as Bellarmine sayes tanquam sanctiores sacratiores alijs diebus tanquam pars diuini cultus as more holy and sacred then other dayes and a part of diuine worship but onely as fit circumstances for the worship of God appointed to be done vpon them ordinis politias causa for order and policie Further by the words of the Confession and by the Article formed Anno 1581. it is manifest that the dayes abiured are the dayes dedicated to creatures but our dayes are dedicated to Christ and therefore not abiured PP In the Assembly holden in February Anno 1587. it was humbly moued to his Maiestie that Pasche and Zule were superstitiously obserued in Fife and about Drumfreis ANS So would we complaine if any of these dayes were superstitiously obserued for by the act of Perth it is ordayned that Pastors in their Sermons vpon these dayes should rebuke the superstitious obseruation and licentious profanation thereof PP In the Assembly holden 1590. his Maistie in open audience of the Assembly praised God for that he was borne to bee a King in the syncerest Church in the World syncerer then our neighbour Church of England syncerer then Geneua it selfe for they obserued Pasche and Zule ANS His Maiestie from his youth vp hath euer kept these solemne times and wished the same to be kept by all his Subiects without abuse So who will beleeue you that such a speech was vâ—â—ered in that assembly for at that time neither were yee present your selfe not hauing passed aâ— that time your degrees in the Schooles noâ— does it appeare by the matters intreateâ— in that meeâ—ing that the occasion of any such speech was offereâ— And put the case such a saying had beene 〈◊〉 by his 〈◊〉 at that time a young King and of â—â—sse experience in matters 〈◊〉 â—ame should not controll the iudgment of an old wise Monâ—râ—a whom a long time and great experience 〈◊〉 â—aught â—â—comparable prudence You may remember that of the Apostle When I was a child I 〈…〉 and it is a true speec◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the latesâ— cogiâ—ationâ— are wisest PP In the Parliament holden Annâ— 1592. The act of King Iameâ— the third about the Saturday and other vigils to bee kept holy from Euen-song to Euen-song was anulled Item the act made by Queene Regent granting licence to keepe Zule and Pasche ANS The licence granted by the Queene Regent did authorise the Papisticall that is the superstitâ—ous obseruation of Zule and Pasche therefore it was rightly annulled But to what purpose alleadge ye the Act of vigils PP In the Assembly holden Anno 1596. when the couenant was renued superstition and idoâ—atrie breaking forth in keeping of festiuall dayes setting out of Bone-fires and singing of Carrols are reckoned amongst the corruptions which were to be amended The Pulpits haue sounded continually against all festiuall dayes The censures of the Church haue beene put in execution in all due forme against the obseruers ANS Yet the commemoration of the inestimable benefits of our redemption vpon these fiue dayes was not reckoned amongst the corruptions to be amended Neither did Pulpits sound nor were censures put in execution against preaching prayers and other holy exercises in these dayes for at that time the Preachers gaue all obedience to the acts of the Church made concerning these things But doe yee not see by the regraite made at this Assembly and by the acts complaints and ordinances by your selfe rehearsed that the abstayning from preaching and reading at these times hath not remoued from people their superstitious opinions of the times nor yet abolished the enormities and abuses committed in them Certainly nothing is so powerfull to abolish prophanenesse and roote out superstition of mens hearts as the exercise of diuine worship in preaching praying and thanksgiuing chiefly then when the superstitious conceits of merit and necessitie are most pregnant in the heads of people as doubtlesse they are when the set times of these solemnities returne for then it is meetest to lance the oposteme when it is ripe Vpon these and such other reasons it pleased his Maiestie to require and our Church to condescend that commemoration of the benefits purchased to vs by the Natiuitie Death Resurrection and Ascension of our Sauiour should be made solemnely on these dayes according to the practise of all other reformed Churches And there is no question the errours of the multitude shall hereby bee farre more easily remoued then by any prohibition that can be made to the contrary and therewithall the people better instructed in the principall grounds of Religion then they could by occasionall Doctrine as also the honour of God more highly aduanced for wee know that ordinary seruices are performed with lesse regard and more coldly then these which come more rarely to bee celebrated Of all these the hope is the greater that now wee owe it to our King vnder God the Churches are planted with able and sufficient Pastors meete to discharge these duties So by the Assembly at Perth there is nothing concluded either contrarious to any former constitution of the Church or to any sound Doctrine deliuered from Pulpits in former times 〈…〉 The Act about Festiuities In the 〈◊〉 of this Act the Assembly professes to abhorre all that was condemned by any Ecclesiasticall Constitution touching the obseruation of these dayes It is therefore consonant to former Acts. In the Conclusion the Pastors are appointed to rebuke all supersâ—â—tious obseruation and liceâ—cious profâ—â—â—tion thereof This agrees with all the sound Doctrine deliuered from Pulpits concerning this point That which is interlaced in the Canon Saint Augustine affirmes to bee Apostolique Epist. 118. ad Ianuarium Illa autem qua non scripta sed traditâ— custodimus quae quidem toto terrarum orbe obseruantur dantur intelligi vel ab ipsis Apostolis vel à plenarijs Concilijs quorum est in Ecclesia saluberrima autoritas commendata atque statuta retinere sicuti quod Domini Passio Resurrectio Ascensio in coelum aduentus de coelo Spiritus Sancti anniuersaria solennitate celebrantur si quid aliud tale occurreret quod seruatur ab vniuersa quacunque se diffundit Ecclesia that is Whatsoeuer things are not written but by Tradition obserued through the whole world must be thought to haue beene prescribed by the Apostles themselues or then to haue beene ordayned by generall Councells whose authoritie hath euer beene great in the Church as namely The anniuersary celebration of the Passion Resurrection and Ascension of our Lord with the descending of the holy Ghost or any such like thing that is obserued by the whole Church diffused through the world And in the same Epistle hee affirmes that it is most insolent madnesse to doubt if that should bee obserued which the