ye have his Princely Promise that no further shall be urged upon us but by such a faire and Legall way as may fatisfie all his Subjects 6. As for that which your Covenant by your own Confession requireth of us to wiâ— The forbearance and abstinence for a time from the practising the Articles of PEARTH We professe sincerelie and in the sight of GOD that our Conscience will not suffer us to subscrive that part of your Covenant and that because Lawes being standing for them and our lawfull Superioures requyring Obedience from us by practising them to sweare Forbearance of the practise of them is to sweare Disobedience and to wrong their Authority 7. How can we with a good Conscience abstaine presenly from private Baptisme and private Communion being reqâ—yred thereunto by sicke persons and those Parents whose Children cannot be carried to the Church commodiouslie with their lives seeing we thinke it a thing very unlawfull in such cases to refuse to administrate those Sacraments in private houses Noâ— that we thinke that GOD hath tyed Himself or His Grace to the Sacraments but because He hath tyed us unto them by His Precept and not to use the means appoynted by GOD when our People or their Children stand in need of them is a contempt of the meanes and a tempting of GOD. The Fifth Demand Whether or no we can sincerely and with a good Conscience subscrive the Negative Confession as it is expounded and interpreted by the Contryvers or Authors of the late Covenant seeing it maketh a perpetuall Law concerning the externall Rites of the Church which GOD hath not made as if these Rites were unchangeable And how they who both sweare the positive Confession and the negative thus interpreted can eschew contradiction seeing the positive Confession Chap. 21. evidently declareth that these Rites are changable according to the exigencie of time and consequently that no perpetuall Law may or ought to be made concerning them Likewise we would know how it can stand with trueth to abjure all these Rites as Popish which are used in the Church without divyne institution expressed in GOD'S Word seeing even these who urge the Covenant practise some Ceremonies which are not mentioned in GOD'S Word as the Celebration of Marriage before the Church in the beginning or at the end of divyne Service with all the particulars of it and the stipulation of Fathers and God-fathers for the Childe in Baptisme which are not meere circumstances as they use to distinguish but also Ceremonies properlie so called ANSWERE The late Covenant maketh not a perpetuall Law concerning the externall Rites of the Kirke as if they were unchangable but as we have sayde before onlie bindeth us for a tyme to forbeare the practise of Innovations already introduced and doth not determine whether they ought to be changed or not 2. According to this true Interpretation all appearance of contradiction betwixt the Confession of Faith insert in the Act of Parliament and the latter Confession is removed beside that the Article 21 of the Confession of Faith giveth power to the Kirke in matters of externall Policie and order of the Worship of GOD is expounded in the first Booke of Discipline distinguishing betweene thinges necessarie to be observed in every Kirke and thinges variable in particular Congregations 3. We declare againe that the Covenant doeth not abjure Pearth Articles as Popish and thinketh not tyme now to dispute of significant Ceremonies or other holy Rites and whether the two particulars named be Ceremonies or not since the Confession condescended upon on both sides abjureth Rites which are added without the Word of GOD. Replye First we have already told you that we can not subscrive your Oath of Forbearance of the practise of the Articles already introduced without violation of Authority and of wronging our own Consciences who thinke private Baptisme and Communion not to be indifferent but also necessarie in some cases not indeed necessitate medii as if GOD'S Grace were tyed to the externall means but as we say in the Schooles necessitate praecepti because we are commanded to use these means 2. This late Covenant leadeth and bindeth us to the old Covenant made 1581 and that old Covenant bindeth us perpetually to that Discipline which was then that is as ye alleadge to the whole Policie of the Church comprehending all the externall Rites of it and so à primo ad ultimum this late Covenant bindeth us to the whole Policie of the Church which was then and consequentlie maketh a perpetuall Law concerning externall Rites of the Church as if they were unchangable All partes of this Argument are sure for by your late Covenant you professe your selves bound to keepe the foresaid Nationall Oath as you call it inviolable and that Oath or Covenant bindeth us to continue In the obedience not only of the Doctrine but also of the Discipline of this Kirke Where by the Discipline of the Kirke ye understand as ye have in all your wrytings professed especialie of late in your Booke entiâ—uled A dispute against the English Popish Ceremonies Part. 4. Cap. 8. Sect. 6. the whole externall Policie of the Church as it was at that tyme to wit Anno 1581. Yea you confesse that no other thing can be understood by The Discipline of the Kirke but that which we have said already and consequently we shall be tyed by that Oath which you requyre of us to admit and practise no other Rites and Ceremonies but such as were then received in our Church We can no wayes passe by this seeing ever since the Assemblie of Pearth in your publicke Sermons and printed Bookes ye have most vehemently accused us of Perjury as violating the Oath or Covenant made Anno 1581. and that in respect we have admitted into the Church some Rites or Ceremonies which were not in it the foresaid yeare of GOD. Is not this to make a perpetuall Law concerning the externall Rites of the Church as if they were unchangeable and to abjure the practise of all Rites introduced in the Church since that time and consequently the practise of the Articles of Pearth and that not for a time onelie but for ever 3. Seeing the Negative Confession according to your minde and conception of it maketh the whole externall Policie of the Church as it was Anno 1581. to be unchangable and on the contrarie the Confession insert into the Acts of Parliament declareth that the Rites belonging to the externall Policie of the Church are changable how can you escape a Contradiction if ye receive both these Confessions 4. Whereas by that distinction mentioned in your Answere of things necessary to be observed and of things variable in particular Congregations ye insinuate that by the Keeping of the Discipline of the Kirke as it was then to which we are bound in the old Covenant ye understand the observation of those things which are necessary to be observed in every Kirke and not
that your Answere to our first exception taken from the obedience due to Authority and from our judgement concerning the administration of Baptism and the LORDS Supper to dying persons in private places hath not given satisfaction 2. We asked of you in our fift Demand how we can subscrive the negative Confession as it is propounded by you without contradicting the positive Confession approved by Parliament holden Aâ—no 1567 since the positive Confession chap. 21. declareth that Rites are changeable according to the exâ—gency of time and consequenâ—ly that no perpetuall Law may or ought to be made of them and the negative Confession maketh a perpetuall Law concerning the externall Râ—â—es of the Church at least according to your judgement who urge the subsâ—riving of this Covenant and Confession upon us we urged fâ—râ—her in our Reply that the late Covenant bindeth us to the old Covenant made Anno 1581 for by your late Covenant ye professe your selves bound to keep the foreâ—aid nationall Oath as ye call it inviolable and that old Covenant or Oath bindeth us to the discipline which was then and that discipline comprehendeth all the externall Rites of it as ye have in all your writings professed especially in that late Book entituled The dispute against the English Popish Ceremonies whence in your Sermons and printed Books since the Assembly of Pearth ye have been still accusing us of Perjury So from the first to the last the laâ—e Covenant bindeth us to the policy which was then and consequently maketh a perpetuall Law concerning the Rites of the Church as if they were unchangeable 3. Your Answere to this Argument is not sufficient nor to the purpose 1. Ye put off without any Answere that which we alleadge out of a Dispute against the English Popish Ceremonies and in stead of answering wish that what we have thence or from any other Treatise of that kind were keeped to another time Pardon us that we wish greater ingenuity and a more direct Answere Consider the words of that Treatise before cited Part. 4. Cap. 8. Sect. 8. No man amongst us can certainly know that the Discipline meaned and spoken of in the Oath by those that swear it comprehendeth not under it those points of Discipline for which we now contend and which this Church had in use at the swearing of the Oath Shall we then put the breach of the Oath in a fair hazard GOD forbid The same we find to be the judgement of others also who have opposed the Articles of Pearth and Episcopall Government Since therefore we desire to be resolved concerning the right meaning of the negative Confession lest by it we condradict the positive Confession approved in Parliament Had we not reason to propone this difficulty to you who require our subscription and came hither to resolve our Scruples If ye condemn the judgement of these your Brethren who were Authors of these Treatises why doe ye not openly profess that ye and the rest of the Authors of the late Covenant disallow it If ye doe approve it as we have great reason to think ye doe since ye have still opposed the Articles of Pearth and Episcopacy and doe expresly referre us to those Treatises in your ninth Answere How doe ye not see that with a good conscience ye can not require us to swear and subscrive that which ye know to be contrary to our minde Remember we pray you the words of the former Treatise in the place before cited put the case it were doubtfull and questionable what is meaned by the word Discipline in the Oath yet pars tutior the safer way were to be chosen which is affirmed there to be this that the points practised by us are abjured in the negative Confession 4. Secondly whereas ye say That none of you would refuse to swear the short Confession because we have expounded some Articles of it contrary to your minde we reply that this answere satisfieth not for you swearing the negative Confession notwithstanding of the contrary Interpretation of them who differ in judgement from you showeth not how the apparent contradiction betwixt it and the positive Confession objected by us is reconciled by you the propounders and urgers of it Moreover if we did urge you to subscrive the negative Confession when in the mean time we were perswaded that our interpretation of the Articles thereof were contrary to your judgement we were bound to labour to informe your judgement before we did exact your Oath and consequently by the law of Charity and Equity ye are obliedged not to require our Oath till first ye doe that which is sufficient to make our judgement conforme to yours which as yet ye have not done 5. Thirdly ye say your desire is that both of us keep our meaning of the negative Confession according to our diverse measures of light and only promise forbearance which ye say we may doe because that we think the points controverted to be indifferent we answere that ye still flee the point in question for it is another thing for us to keep our meanings and another thing for us to swear a Covenant when we are not perswaded of the trueth thereof Ye might and may still enjoy your meaning for us but how we can keep our meaning and subscrive your Covenant we see not since we think the one repugnant to the other Neither is it forbearance only that is required as we have shown before nor yet can we swear forbearance the Law standing still in vigour and Authority requyring obedience Lastly we think not all the points contraverted to be indifferent as was before declared 6. Thus it may appear how ye have dealt with our Sorites as ye call it The like dealing we find anent our Dilemma the hornes whereof as ye speak ye labour to turn against our selves by asking To which of the members of the distinction we referre Pearth Articles and Episcopacy If say ye they were abjured in the negative Confession we are perjured for the practising of them and if left indifferent by that Confession we may notwithstanding of that Confession forbear the practise of them First Your Question is not pertinent For the distinction is not ours but yours And to what purpose is it to you to know to what member of your distinction we referre the Articles of Pearth and Episcopacy Secondly There is no strength in either of the Hornes of your Dilemma For by turning it wrong you have made it your own The one horne is That if the Articles of Pearth and Episcopacy be left indifferent by the short Confession we may forbear the practise of them First This meeteth not the horne of our Dilemma which was if we be not tyed by the negative Confession to the ommission of these things then why have ye in all your writings against us exprobrated to us Perjury for violating of the Oath contained in that Confession To this no word by you is answered here Secondly Suppone these
practise of indifferent things but knowing these things in themselves to be approvable we did swear obedience to the publick Laws requyring our practise in these thinges so long as the Law standeth in vigour and our obedience thereto is required by our lawfull Superioures 4. This course we hold to be more agreable to our duety then upon private conceptions of scandalls unnecessarily taken to break off our due obedience to that Authority which GOD hath set over us 6. Out of our assertion Reply 4. concerning the administration of the Sacraments in private places to sick persons in case of necessity ye doe collect that we cannot forbear the practise of these although our ordinary and other lawfull superiours should will us to doe so And hence ye infer that herein Pearth Assembly for which we stand is wronged by us two wayes 1. That we differ in judgement from them about the indifferency of the five Articles and next that at the will of our ordinary and ye know not what other lawfull superioures we are ready to forbear the practise of these things which the Assembly hath appointed to be observed 7. As for your maine Question Whether a duety necessary by divyne Law may be or may not be omitted in case our ordinary other lawfull superioures should will us to omit it before we answer to it we must expound what we mean by our other lawfull superiours because of your jesting pretence of ignorance hereof We mean hereby the Kings Majesty the Parliament the secret Counsell and other Magistrates and ecclesiasticall Assemblies whereunto we owe obedience in our practise required by them according to publick Lawes 8. The Question it self ye doe express more clearly in your Answer to our 4. Reply wher ye alleadge that we find some of the Pearth Articles so necessary that although the generall Assembly of the Church should discharge them yet we behoved still for conscience of the commandement of GOD to practise them Thus are we brought to this generall Question Whether or no any thing necessary or commanded by divine Law may in any case without sin be omitted when publick humane Authority dischargeth the practise therof For resolving of this question we desire the Reader to take notice of these Theological Maximes received in the schools grounded upon holy Scriptur 9. Affirmative preceptes doe binde at all times but not to all times but only as place and time require that is when opportunity occurreth Praecepta affirmativa obligant semper sed non ad semper nisi pro loco tempore id est quando opportunitas occurrit But negative Precepts doe binde at all times and to all times Praecepta negativa obligant semper ad semper As for example A man is not obliedged to speak the trueth at all times for he may be some time lawfully silent but he may never lawfully lie 10 Of Affirmative necessary dueties some are the weightier matters of the Law 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Judgement Mercy and Faith Matth. 23. 23. Others lesse weighty such as are those of the Pearth Articles which we call necessary and ye doe reject 11. The exercise of some affirmative necessary dueties may be some times omitted by Authority without sin for the publick peace or some pressing necessity Thus Moses permitted repudiation of a mans married wife not fallen into adultery neither did he urge strictly the affirmative duety of adherence and that for the hardnesse of their heart Wherein Moses had respect to the peace and unity of the Tribs of Israell as Alexander Alensis observeth in his Summe of Theologie Part. 3. Qu. 46. Membro 1. Art 1. Art 2. David did not execute in his own time judgment against Ioab for his murthering of Abner and Amasa because the sonnes of Zeruiah were too hard for him Circumcision was omitted because of the uncertainty of their abode in one place when the people were with Moses in the Wildernesse 12. Exercise of ecclesiasticall Discipline against open obstinate offenders is an affirmative duety incumbent by divyne Law upon the Pastors towards those who are committed to their charge Yet it may and ought to be forborn when it can not be used without an open rupture and unavoidable Schism Because in such a case the publick peace is rather to be looked to lest in our inconsiderate zeal to seperate the Tares we pluck up also the Wheat And what we can not get corrected by censure we can doe no more but mourn for it and patiently wait till GOD amend it as Augustin proveth at length Lib. 3. contra Epistolam Parmeniani Cap. 1. Cap. 2. Lib. de fide operibus Cap. 5. For in this time sayeth Gregory the holy Church doeth correct something by fervour something she tolerateth by mecknes some things by consideration she dissembleth beareth so that often by bearing dissembling she compesceth or putteth away that evill which she hateth And Prosp. saith for this cause therfor they most with gentle piety be borne with who for their infirmity may not be rebuked 13. When a doctrinall error not being fundamentall prevaileth by publick authority in any Church a private Pastor or Doctor espying it may lawfully and laudably sorbear publick striving against it when he evidently perceiveth that unavoydable Schism would follow thereupon In such a case he should content himself to seed his hearers with that wholesome Milk of the Word which they may receive and delay the giving of stronger Food unto them because of their infirmity Considering that more necessary and weightier duetie which he oweth for preservation of order and peace and labouring in a milde and peaceable manner to cure them To this purpose belongeth that saying of Gregorie Nazianzen Let no man therefore be more wise then is convenient neither more legall then the Law neither more bright then the Light neither more straight then the Rule neither higher then the Commandement But how shall this be If we take knowledge of decencie and commende the lawe of nature and follow reason and despise not good order 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And that of the ancient Church of Lions in France near eight hundreth years agoe Who doeth not calmlie and peaceablie moderate that which he thinketh but is readie incontinent to contentions dissentions and scandalls although he have not an hereticall sense most certainlie he hath an hereticall minde 14. Divine Institution by the Ministery of the Apostles craveth Deacons ordained by imposition of hands for all their life time Acts 6. Yet in our reformed Church of Scotland we have no such Deacons Which oecomenicall defect necessitated by detention of Church mantenance necessary for their sustentation we hope shall not be imputed to our Church as sin so long as she despiseth not that Institution and acknowledgeth and lamenteth this deficiencie and endeavoureth by peaceable lawfull means to have it â—emedied 15. Although some affirmative Dueties necessary by divine precept doe
with-holde his Subscription from the Covenant because it doth not as it intendeth not to expresse everâ—â— duetie we owe to the Kings Majestie as if the not naming were a denying of the duetie Reply What ye have replyed in your Answere to our first Demand we have examined in our Confutation of your Answere 2. If ye consider well all the Circumstances of the making of your Covenant ye will finde that it had not been amisse at this time to have expressed more fullie the Loyaltie of your Intentions to maintaine the KINGS Person and Honour Next it is necessarie to expresse it yet more fully for our cause whom ye require to sweare subscrive your Covenant lest we doe any thing in this matter with a doubting Conscience which is a grievous sinne that is Doubting whether or no we are tyed by our Oath to maintain the KINGS Authority onelie in so farre as it is imployed in the Defence of the foresaid true Religion or at lest as it is not imployed against it For it seemeth to us unlawfull to sweare the maintenance of the KINGS Authority with this limitation precisely And if ye be of a contrary mynde we are most willing to confere with you of this point The ninth Demand VVhethere or no we can sincerely sweare to maintaine the Authority truelie and properlie Monarchicall of the King and withall sweare also disobedience to these Articles which are authorized by his standing Lawes and to maintaine the meanest of his Subjectes against him in their disobedience of his Lawes as yet standing in vigour concerning these thinges ANSWERE 1. The Answere to the first Demand is usefull here also 2. Forbearance of Practise for a time in such a case is rather Obedience then Disobedience for example Kneelling was thought convenient because all memorie of Superstition was past should it not therefore be forborne because Superstition is now revived and flagrant They who practise keep the letter of the Law but they who forbeare keep the life and reason thereof Replye Your Covenant requireth more of us then the forbearance of the practise of Pearth Articles as we have often times declared 2. We have also showne that the forbearance of Obedience to standing Lawes without licience of Superiours and contrarie to their commandement especially if it be done by deliberation and if men tye themselves by an Oath to do so is manifest Disobedience 3. The Article of Pearth anent Kneeling was not grounded onelie nor yet principally upon that Narrative which ye mention but rather upon the conveniencie and decencie of the gesture of Kneeling in the receiving of the holie SACRAMENT which reason doeth yet continue as also the other reason which ye mention holdeth yet for the bodie of the People of this Church were never Papists and consequently have no memorie of Popish Superstition as those who lived in time of Reformation 4. We can not see nor conceive how a Vow and Band of maintaining the meanest Subject of this Kingdom against all persons whatsoever and consequently against the KING himself as we have showne in our second Replye in disobedience of his Lawes can consist with that love reverence and subjection which we owe to our KING Neither have ye brought any thing in your Answere to satisfie us in this point And because ye alleadge as we heare that ye are mistaken in this point and doe vindicate your selves by those words of the Covenant wherein ye promise to maintain the KINGS Authority we pray you to expresse your minde more fully concerning it and to showe us 1. What ye meane by mantaining the KINGS Authority in that part of your Covenant wherein ye expresse your loyall Intention To maintain the KINGS Person and Authority and in speciall Whether or no the maintaining of the KINGS Authoritie be taken by you as it excludeth all resisting of his Authority by force of Armes even although he should command thinges unlawfull and contrarie to the Trueth For so we thinke it should be taken and that it should be so taken we are ready to demonstrate Neither can we sweare it in anie other sense 2. Whether your promise of mutuall defence In the same cause of maintayning the true Religion and his Majesties Authority c. ought to be understood of the maintaining the Kings Authority absoluâ—elie that is Whether he maintaine the true Religion or no Or on the contrarie if it ought to be understood of the maintaining the Kings Authority conditionally in so farre as he maintaineth the true Religion and not any other wayes If you say that it is to be understoode the first way we assent to that part of your Covenant and have no more scruple anent it except that one which we mentioned in our Reply to your second Answere to wit that the words of your Protestation seeme to import more and that your Paction or Covenant is made without the Kings privitie and consent If ye say that it is to be understood the second way then we continue urging our foresaid Demand to wit how a man can maintaine the Kings Authority and withall maintaine the meanest of His Subjects in resisting His Authority And how we can be said to stand for the Kings Honour when we vowe and promise to doe that which hee himselfe professeth to be against his Honour and which in the common judgement of men is thought to be so The determination of this point is more then necessary at this tyme and therefore let us in sinceritie and Brotherly love conferre of it that the Consciences of others who doubt of this may receive satisfaction The Tenth Demand Whether or no we ought to sweare to such a Covenant which taketh away from us all hope of a free Assemblie or Parliament to judge of the matteres presently debated for how can these vote freely of any matter propounded to the decision and deliberation of the Church and Estate who have already sworne to adheere to one part of the Question and how can those who dissent from them submit themselves to their judgement chiefly seeing they are Possessoures and have Lawes Civill and Ecclesiastick standing as yet for them ANSWERE We perceive that this tenth Demand is made of the Articles of Pearth therefore we answere as before That we promise onely forbearance which can prejudge no mans liberty in a Generall Assembly Replye We have showne that your Covenant and Oath importeth a manifest Abjuration of the Articles of Pearth and therefore the swearing of it doeth manifestly prejudge the liberty of Voting in a Nationall Assembly For how can they freely either reason in an Assembly concerning Episcopacy and the Articles of Pearth or else give their judgement without prejudice concerning them who have already promised sworne and vowed first To adheere to the Discipline of the Kirke that is according to your Interpretation to the whole externall policie of the Church as it was 1581. 2. To labour by all meanes lawfull to remove and expell all those Rites and
Ordinances which have come into the Church since the foresaid Year of GOD that the Church may be restored to the Liberty and Purity which it then had Whereby ye declare that the foresaid Articles and Episcopacy are contrary to the Liberty and Purity of the Church and consequently ye are tyed by your Oath to vote against them if ye be called to the intended ASSEMBLIE The eleventh Demand Whether our subscriving together with our People to the Confession of this Nation which is ratified and registrated in ParliameÌ„t Ann. 1567. may give full satisfaction to all who doubt of the sincerity of our Profession if so be they have no farther aime but only to know and see our willingnesse and constant resolution to adheere to the Religion presently professed and to oppose all Erroures contrary to it to our lives end Now seeing we are willing to doe this as we take GOD to witnesse we are how are we hated maligned and traduced as Enemies of the Trueth only because our Consciences doe not suffer us to subscrive to that Interpretation of the Negative Confession insert in the Covenant concerning which we can see no warrand of the trueth of it nor lawfull Authority binding us to it and to the Politicke or rather Military part of that Covenant which is a thing without the compasse of our Calling and not belonging to that contending for the faith once delivered to the Saints of which S. Iude speaketh in his Epistle ANSWERE Since no other meane could be found so effectuall for holding out of Poperie and forbearing of dangerous Novations in Religion such as the Service Booke and Canons which as yet are onelie discharged till in a faire and legall way they may be introduced and are by no word of the late Proclamation disallowed although the Service Book by the Proclamation February 19. be highlie praised as serving to edification and to beat out all Superstition and nothing in this Application is abjured but what was abjured in the former why shall we fobeare to use a meane so just and so powerfull for the preservation of the puritie of Religion Replye Here ye doe not particularlie answere to our Demand and seem unwilling to give that Testimony of us Your Brethren concerning our sincerity in professing of the Trueth which all who know and judge unpartially of us doe thinke to be due to us It is sufficientlie knowne what paines we take in disputing and writing against Papists in confuting their Erroures in our Pulpits in leading processe against them according to the Order of the Church and in doing all thinges against Romish erroures which can be expected from the most zealous Professoures of the trueth If ye or anie other of our reverend Brethren doubt of the sincerity of our Profession then pose us concerning any Article contraverted and we shall be most ready to declare our minde concerning it before all men and give a sufficient proofe to the worlde that we have pryed as narrowlie into the misteries of Romish Erroures for refutation of them as any of those who impiously and uncharitablie traduce us as favourers of Poperie 2. We have other means more effectuall and lawfull whereas we thinke this your Meane to be unlawfull for holding out of Poperie and in which we ought to conside more then in all the promises and vowes of men yea also more then in all the United Forces of all the Subjects of this Land to wit diligent preaching and teaching of the Word frequent Prayer to GOD humbling of our selvs before him amendement of our lives and conversations and arming our selves against our Adversaries by diligent searching of the Scriptures and using all other Means whereby we may encrease in the knowledge of the Trueth and in ability to defend it against the enemies of it 3. The Subjects of this Kingdom at least a great part of them either by their own inclination or by the perswasion of others have such an hard conceit of the Service Booke and Canons that if his Majestie use a faire and legall way of bringing them into this Church especially such a way as may give satisfaction to all his Subjects in all appearaÌ„ce we need not to fear the in bringing of them The Twelfth Demand Whereas we heare of diverse Disorders and violent miscariages of those who have subscrived the Covenant against our Brethren of the holie Ministrie who continue in their obedience to the Lawes of the Church and Kingdome which miscariages being done without all form of Justice or legall proceeding are an exercising of Revenge by private Authority and consequently are forbidden in the sixt commandement which is one of the reasons which moveth us not to joyne our selves unto their societie we would gladely therefore know of our reverend Brethren who have come hither to recommend the late Covenant unto us first whether or no they doe allowe these disorders 2. If they allowe them what reason have they so to doe and if they allow them not how is it that these Disorders and miscarriages are not publickly by them and other Pastors of their Confederacie condemned and sharplie rebuked in their Pulpits Why are the Actors of them not tryed and censured And why doe they delay to give out some publicke Declaration either in Print or writ to this effect being long since exhorted to doe so ANSWERE 1. Hardlie can a zealous people assembled in a Kirke for the Worship of GOD be kept from tumult when Bookes and a Worship which they either know or conceive to be Popish are suddenlie and imperiousâ—ie obtruded upon them by the Leaders and how farre the keeping of the materiall Kirkes from the pollution of Worship belongeth to the People and communitie of he Faithfull should be considered 2. Violence done in other places and upon other occasions we no more allow then we doe approve the aspersions of Perjurie Rebellion c. which some men doe put upon us Replye It belongeth not to the People or community of the Faithfull to contemne Authority and the LORDS Service done in his owne house on his owne Day so farre as to put violent hands in Praelates and Pastors in time of Divyne Worship while they are practising those things which are enjoined by the King and his Counsell Such Disorders and contemptuous carriages doe not beseem those whom CHRIST inviteth to come to him and to learn of him meeknesse and lowlinesse of heart chiefly seeing there are many other wayes whereby People may testifie their aversation of those Bookes and Worship which they conceive to be Popish If it be a sinne in Parents to provoke their Children to wrath much more is it a sinne in Children to provoke their Parents especially Patrem Patriae the common Father of the Countrey so to wrath 2. The keeping of GODS house from the pollution of Worship belongeth to those who are cloathed with lawfull Authority 3. We not onely asked of you Whether or no ye did allowe the Miscarriages towards our
better then ye have hither-to done 3. What the most honourable Lords of His Majesties Privy Counsell have done concerning the Kings Majesties last Proclamation is not sufficiently known to us and farre lesse upon what Grounds and Motives they have as you say rescinded their Approbation of the late Proclamation 4. His Majesties Religious and Righteous Disposition hath been to us and is a maine ground wherefore we rest and relye upon his gracious Proclamation perswading our selves that he intendeth not nor never intended any Innovation in Religion 5. We shall labour by all meanes to eschew every thing which in the least degree may wrong you our Reverend and worthy Brethren As for the Wrongs already done by us to you as yee pretend when-so-ever it shall please you to specifie them we hope to give you full satisfaction and to cleare our selves of that Imputation 6. The worke of GOD towards any Nation how strange and wonderfull so-ever it seem to be is never contrary to his Word and therefore we feare not to be found fighting against GODS Worke so long as we fight not against his Trueth revealed in his Word That all-seeing LORD knoweth that we mentaine his Trueth according to the light of our Consciences and are ready to joyne Heart and Hand with you for the Purity and Peace of this Church in every lawfull way course as sincere lovers of Trueth and Peace And now Brethren before we conclude againe we entreat you and all others our deare Countrey-men especially our reverend Bretheren of the holy Ministrie to judge charitablie of us and of our proceedings at this time and in particular of these our Demandes and Replyes which GOD is our witnesse neither hatred of any mans person nor love of Contention nor any worldly respect but only the Conscience of our Calling hath drawn from us And as for our Arguments for not Subscriving which are taken from our due subjection and obedience to our Soveraigne and his Lawes we protest and declare that they ought not to be so interpreted as if we intended to accuse you or others our dear Countrey-men of Disloyaltie towards our most Gracious KING or as if our purpose were to lay any such Imputation upon you for they are only used by us to show what the wordes of the Covenant seem to us to import and how we conceive of them as also what maketh us so to conceive of them We doubt not reverend Brethren but ye know that as we owe to you and to your Proceedings the favourable judgment of Charitie so we ought to judge of those thinges which we are to sweare and subscrive with the strict and inquisitive judgement of Veritie and consequently we ought to ponder duely and to propound particularly and fully to others especially to those who requyre our Oath and Subscription and undertake to satisfie our Consciences there-anent all the doubts and reasons which make us unwilling or afrayde to give our Subscription thereunto IOHN FORBES OF CORSE Doctor and Professor of Divinitie in ABERDENE ALEXANDER SCROGIE Minister at Old ABERDENE D. D. WILLIAM LESLIE D. D. and Principall of the KINGS Colledge in Old ABERDENE ROBERT BARON Doctor and Professor of Divinitie and Minister at ABERDENE IAMES SIBBALD Doctor of Divinitie and Minister at ABERDENE ALEXANDER ROSS Doctor of Divinitie and Minister at ABERDENE THE ANSVVERES OF SOME BRETHREN OF THE MINISTERIE TO THE REPLYES Of the Ministers and Professoures of DIVINITY in ABERDENE CONCERNING THE LATE COVENANT 2. CHRON. 15. 15. And all Juda rejoyced at the Oath For they had sworne with all their heart and sought Him with their whole desire and He was found of them To the Christian READER THat you may know our Proceedings how we are brought upon the Stage and contrary to our expectation are put in Print Comming to ABERDENE on Fryday the after-noon we received the Demands of our reverend Brethren that night late and for the greater expedition without delay we returned our summarie Answeres on Saturnday at night On the LORDS Day following we desired to expresse our selves to the People in presence of the Ministerie but the Pulpits and Kirks were altogether refused and therefore in the most convenient place we could have sub dio and at such houres as were vacant from the ordinary exercises of publicke Worship we delivered our Message in the audience of many After our last Sermon towards Evening we found that our labour was not in vain in the LORD for dyverse persones of speciall note both for place and wisdome with willing heart and great readinesse of minde did publicklie put their hands to the Covenant Having the weeke following seene some parts of the Countrey where besides the Presbyteries Alforde and Deere who had subscrived before the Moderator and dyverse of the Presbyterie of ABERDENE the Presbyterie and People of Turreff after they were satisfied in some scruples did also subscrive we returned the next Saturnday to ABERDENE where finding that some others had subscrived that weeke we resolved to preach upon the morne That night we received a Replye unto which before our returne home we have made an Answere All these we desire may be unpartially considered if it shall please the LORD that any light shall come from our Labour unto thy Minde let it bee asâ—ryved not unto us who neither had time nor helps for such a taske but to the brightnesse of the Trueth and Cause it selfe and to the Father of Lights to whome be all Glorie To our Reverend Brethren The Doctors and Ministers of Aberdene THat our Answeres reverend and beloved Brethren have not given you full satisfaction as it may be imputed to our weaknesse in the defence of so good a cause so it may proceed also from your own prejudice against what could be said by us which we have some reason to suspect for two causes one is that your Demands which we conceived to have been intended meerly for us and were sent unto us from you in write were published before our comming in Print like as ye have now printed and published your Replies before ye had seen our Answeres unto that which we received from you last in write we having promised to the bearer to returne an Answere shortly ere we departed the Countrey This may seem rather to be a seeking of victory from prejudice then a search of veritie for satisfaction The other cause of our suspicion is that the groundes of our Answeres to you have proven satisfactorie to others who for Age and gifts of Learning and Understanding are pryme men in this Kirke and Kingdome and to whom modestly will not suffer you to preferre your selves But whether our weaknesse or your prejudice be the cause must be now judged by others to whose view ye have brought us whom therefore we with you heartilie desire unpartially to consider our first and second Answeres wishing and hoping that partiality prejudice and all worldly respects and feares laide aside the naked Trueth shall
thereto by prejudice then at satisfaction by searching of the Trueth This reason is grounded upon a mistaking for although our Demands at the first were intended for you onely yet afterwards we resolved to Print them as also our REPLYES the Printing whereof did nowayes depend upon your second Answeres not for love of contention nor desire of victâ—ry GOD knoweth but for such reasons as we have expressed in our Preface to the unpartiall Reader whom we hope we have satisfied in this point Your other reason is that the grounds of your Answers to us have proven satisfactory to others who for Age and Learning are prime men of this Kingdom and to whome our modestie will not suffer us to preferre our selves Farre be it from us to be so presumptuous as to preferre our selves to so many Learned and worthy Divines and as farre be it from us to measure the soliditie and sufficiencie of your Answeres by the Habilities or Induments of these who have acquiesced in them If this your reason were good the Papists might more probablie accuse us of prejudice as indeed they unjustlie doe because their Answeres to our Arguments have proven satisfactorie to many thousands of those who for profunditie and subtilitie of wit are inferiour to none of the World but we regarde not this slender motive remembring these words of our Saviour I thanke Thee O Father Lord of Heaven and Earth because Thou hast hid these things from the Wise and Prudent and hast revealed them unto Babes even so O Father for so it seemed good in Thy sight Besides if ye compare the Divines Ancient and Moderne who are of our judgement with these who favour your opinion either in number or in the excellency of their gifts ye shall finde that in this the advantage is greatlie ours In the meane time ye shall know that we can bring far better reasons to free our selves of prejudice then these which ye have brought against us to wit the soliditie of our Arguments which have put you to such straits pardon us to say that which every one who have eyes may see that oft times ye doe not so much as attempt to answere them being glad to passe them by with the show of an Argument in contrarium or some other like shift our humble earnest attestations in calling GOD the onelie competent Iudge as witnesse of our sincerity in the inmost thoughts of our soul our seriously professed Resolution to concurre with you if we should get satisfaction from you the modestie ingenuitie and peaceablenesse of our writings to you and on the contrarie your too great disdainfulnesse and asperitie in your second Answeres bewraying not onelie the weaknesse of your mindes farre by our expectation but also the weaknesse of your cause to unpartiall Readers who ascrive this to the pungent force of our Arguments judging that they have made you somewhat more cholerike then you were before To this wee will adde the great reluctance which some of the most Iudicious Subscribents did finde in their Consciences before they subscrived your Covenant together with the Limitations and Reservations wherewith they subscrived it evidently arguing their strong apprehension of the dangerous ambiguitie and haske sounding of the words of the late Covenant so that even these who are now joined with you have been much affrighted with those things which terrifie us As for your Protestation in the end of your Epistle that ye can no more be brought to our minde then ye can be drawn from the profession of our Religion as it hath been reformed sworne c. Although this importeth no small prejudice possessing and over-ruling your minds yet looking to the invincible force of that Trueth which we mantaine we even yet hope that at last it shall prevaile with you espeâ—iallie considering that our conâ—roversie is not concerning the Reformed Religion whereunto we as sincerelie adheare as any whatsoever but concerning the equitie of that forme of Covenant which ye lateliâ— made Wishing you and all others to adheare truelie and sincerelie to the same true Religion and to all the dueties which in it are recommended to you we most humblie and earnestlie pray the Almightie GOD to pitie his Church in this Kingdom and to unite all our hearts in Trueth and Peace in these most dangerous dayes which although they be to you dayes of gladnesse as ye professe yet to those who love the peace of Sion and the tranquilitie of this Kingdome they are sad and melancholious dayes in respect of the blacke clowdes of GODS wrath hanging over our heads and threatning us with stormes of fearfull Calamities which we pray the Almightie GOD to avert THE FIRST DUPLY. IN our Disputes against the Papists which have been frequent and by GODS grace not unfruitfull as we have learned that to multiply objections against the Trueth is a thing easie as ye say but fruitlesse and vain so also we have learned that to multiply Evasions against solide Arguments brought for the Trueth is a thing no lesse easie but altogether unprofitable which we pray you take heed to How forcible are right words but what doth your arguing reprove JOB 6. 25. 2. Ye say that our objection against your calling and the warrand of your comming to us was framed and published in Print before it was proponed unto you and ere your Answere could be had Indeed our Demands were at the Presse at your comming that they might be in readinesse but were not published before your selves in your Sermons did publickly read them and dispute against them in audience of such of our People as were there present for the time albeit that written copie of them was delivered to you onely and not at that time communicated by us to any other 3. Your Authority which ye acclaim is neither from his Majestie nor warranded by Act of Parliâ—ment nor by the Lords of his Majesties Counsell nor by any Nationall Synode of this Kingdom nor by any Judicatory established in it And both in your first Answere as also now again ye professe that ye came not hither to usâ—rpe the Authority of any Civill or Spirituall Judicatorie As for your multitude which ye call almost the whole Kirke and Kingdom it being destitute of Authority foresaid maketh no warrand of ordinary calling Therfore ye seeme to pretend an extraordinary calling from GOD alleadging an extraordinary necessitie at this time which truely we see not in any such degree as may deserve and warrand so great a change from the received order which is publickly by Lawes established in this Kirke and Kingdom That saying of the Apostle Let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good workes which ye alleadge for your extraordinary imployment importeth not an extraordinary calling but an ordinary duety to be performed by all Christians according to their Callings 4. The Word of GOD and the Canons of Counsells doe so permit to Pastors the care of the whole Kirke as they must
the warrand which the old Covenant had from KING Counsell and Assembly remaineth virtually and was never yet discharged we answere it remaineth not and that because KING Iames of blessed Memory disalowed that little Confession in respect of the inconveniency of the multitude of Negatives as is cleare by his Majesties words published in the printed summe of the conference holden at Hampton Court Anno 1603. And no former Act of Counsell made in the time of any former King doeth sufficiently warrand our Consciences to subscrive any Oath now which seemeth to us to be disagreable to the Act of Parliament and which our present Dread Soveraigne LORD the KINGS Maâ—esty by his publick Proclamations and other Intimations of his Royall pleasure forbiddeth us to subscrive And as for the Acts of these two Assemblies which did enjoine subscription to the said little Confession they were relative to the KINGS Mandate which is now expired by his own Declaration and with his Royall breath according to that coÌ„mon Maxime Morte mandatoris expirat mandatum Extra Dâ— officio potestate judicis delegati Cap. 19. relatum est in glossa For the injunction was given for that time onely as we conceive being warranded by the words of these Assemblyes 11. These that were suspect of Papistrie amongst us have not been urged by us to subscrive that negative Confession but onely some Articles relative to the Nationall Confession And as â—or such as receive degrees in Philosophie in our Colledges they doe sweare onely to the true reformed Religion as it is publickly professed and preached according to GODS word in this Kirke of Scotland and established by publicke Authority with a generall abjuration of all both Popish and other Heresies contrary thereto And those who receive degrees of Divinity doe more expresly sweare to the Orthodox determinations of the ancient Catholicke Kirke as is evident by the words of the Oath whereof the tenor followeth E Go A. B. sancte ex animo coram omniscio omnipotente Deo consiteor profiteo sidem eam quae de sancta Trinitate Mediatore Emmanuele à sanctis Patribus in sex primis OEcumenicis conciliis contra Pauli Samosateni Sabellii Arii Macedonii Apollinaris Nestoriâ— Euâ—â—chetis Mon thelitarum haereses proposita explicata defensa est esse vere Christianam orthodoxam Catholicam ex sacris Canonicis scripturis haâ—stam Symbolum quoque sancti A hanasii ut similiter orthodoxum me recipere Item me ex animo deâ—estari haeresin Pelaginam ejusque reliquias Semipelagianas eas haereses quae Imaginibus aut ulli merae creaturae religiosam concedunt adâ—rationem Item me monarchiam Papae Romani in universam Ecclesiam ejus cùm in spiritualibus tùm in temporalibus primatum judicii Papalis in religionis controversiis infallibilitatem tanquam antichristiana deliramenta rejiceâ—e Omnes etiam alias haereses tum olâ—m invectas tum recens sub Romani Pontificis tyranmde natas anathematizo Agnosco Spiritum sanctum in Canonicis V. N. Testamenti scripturis per Prophetas Evangelistas Apostolos loquentem esse nobis unicum supremuâ— infallibilem ordinarium omnium de fide vitaque Christiana contraversiarum Iudicem Et S. scripturam Canonicis V. aâ— N. Testamenti libris comprehensam esse unicam certam stabilem perfectam totalem regulam fidei vitaeque Christianae tum quoad textum tum quoad interpretationem authenticam seu divinae authoritatis hanc quae hodie in Ecclesia Scoticana palam publica authoritate ex sacro D E I verbo proponitur decredendis sperandis amandis doctrinam esse orthodoxam Catholicam Et ipsam hanc Ecclesiae Scoticanae doctrinam â—e ad extremum usque vitae meae haliâ—um constanter per D E I gratiam professurum pro â—â—â— vocatione defensurum sancte promitto juro Insuper almae hâ—iâ— Universitati câ—i hunc scholasticum docturae Theologicae honoreâ—â— dâ—â—ebo me nunquam ingratum futurum sed semper ei ex animo faâ—turum ejusque commoda pie serio sedulo fideliter promoturum sanctâ— etiam â—oram eodem omniscio omnipoâ—ente D E O promitto juro We who were graduated here did sweare this Oath and now for satisfaction of others we all doe sincerly attest GOD that we doe and shall adhâ—are to it constantly all the dayes of our life 12. Ye doe againe object to us that we have presumed to disallow your explâ—nation of the late Covenant which hath beene publickly allowed by his Majesties Commissioner adding thereto that we will have the Kingdome guiltie of combination against Authority that we will not have the KING to be satisfied whence ye â—nferre that our dealing is more sutable to Papists and such incendiaries then for us who desire to prove good Patriots in using all meanes of pacification But certainly ye wrong us â—or what was done by his Majesties Commissioner anent your Declaration and explanation of your Covenant is evident by his Grace own letter lately written to us of that matter whereby his Grace hath declared that he was no wayes contented therewith and that his Majesty hath not received any satisfaction thereby The same is evident also by his Grace own Manifesto prefixed to our Demands your first Answeres and our first Replies reprinted at Edinburgh by his Gr. speciall command To the which Manifesto or Declaration of his Majesties high Commissioner we remit the Reader for his full satisfaction in this and some other points of your Answeres 13. We intend not to beare upon you and your associates who take to your selves the name of the Kingdom here in this your Answere guiltinesse of combination against Authority as we have protested and declared in the end of our â—romer Replyes but in the tendernesse of our Consciences we doe uprightly â—ignifie to you our scruples which hinder us from approving or subscâ—iving your Covenant And we are so free of that odious imputation of taking part with any Incendiaries or imitating any proceedings of that kinde as we heartily wish and shall endeavour to prove good Patriots aâ—d Christians in such evident love of trueth and peace as it shall be manifest that we neither have beene nor shall be Authors or Fomenâ—ers oâ— this miserable combustion 14. Ye are sory ye say that we should account your Covenant to be a Confederacie against the trueth and ye affirme that ye labour with men to joine with you in sincerity and not through humane feares Now reverend Brethren in the feare of GOD laying aside all humane feare we doe sincerely declare that if we thought your Covenant in all points agreable to the â—rueâ—h we should make no opposition thereâ—o And we doe heartily wish that according as ye doe here professe â—o indeed no man be threatned wiâ—h worldly terroures to goe your way We aimâ— indeed at the same end which ye professe to wit at the Trueth and purity of Religion and peace of Church and Kingdom But we
are not as yet perswaded that your way is lawfull and convenient for attaining to this end The II. DUPLY. VVE desire al troubles to be prevented by allowable means but are not perswaded to reckon in that number this your covenanting and conventions which we esteeme to have been the occasion of much trouble As concerning your question whereunto ye so earnestly require our Answere to wit whether we would have received the Bâ—okes of Service and Canons or used such meanes as ye have used for avoiding them ye shall know that if we had been of your judgement concerning those Bookes we would neither have received them nor yet used any meanes unlawfull for opposing of them such we thinke your Covenant and conventions prohibited by Authority to be untill we be better informed but would have used humble supplication to his majestie for removing those evills and if we had found no remeed thereby would have resolved according to the practise of ancient Christians either to â—â—ee his Majesties dominions or else patiently to suffer whatâ—oever punishment it should have pleased him to insâ—ict In the meane time concerning those Bookes of Service and Canons we rest content with his Majesties gracious Proclamation and if hereafter our opinion of them shall be asked by Authority we shall sincerely and unpartially deciare it 2. Your urging of us again with the saying of KING Iames forâ—eth us to manifest his meaning by his own words perhaps contrary to your wish or expectation That most wise and religioâ—s KING neare the beginning of his Booke concerning the Powder Treason writeth expresly that such a rising up of the bodie pro aris focis pro patre patriae ought to be according to every ones calling and facultie Which words at least doe import that the moving of the Politick body in whole or in parâ— ought not to be against the will direction of the head This is cleare by that which the same KING hath written in his Booke entituled The true Law of free Monarchies whereby many strong Arguments he doeth aâ— length demonstrate that in a free Monarchie such he proveth this his ancient Kingdom of Scotland to be the Subjects for no occasion or pretext whatsoever may take Armes without power from the KING and much lesse against him whether he be a good KING or an oppressour whether godlie or ungodlie although the People have might and strength humane And comprehendeth the sum of all his discourse concerning this matter in these words following Shortlie then to take up in two or three sentences grounded upon all these Arguments out of the Law of GOD the duety and alleadgeâ—nce of the People to their lawfull KING their obedience I say ought to be to him as to GODS Lievtenant in Earth obeying his commands in all things except directly against GOD as the commands of GODS Minister acknowledging him a judge set by GOD over them having power to judge them but to be judged onely by GOD whome to onely he must give count of his judgement Fearing him as their judge loving him as their Father praying for him as their Protector for his continuance if he be good for his amendement if he be wicked following and obeying his lawfull commands eschewing and fleeing his furie in his unlawfull without resistance but by sobbes and teares to GOD according to that sentence used in the primitive Church in the time of the persecution Preces lachrymae sunt arma Ecclesia that is Prayers and Tears are the armes of the Church 3. Ye told us before and now againe doe repeat it that the first parâ— of the Act of Parliament 1585 is relative to another Act in Queen Maries time forbidding Bands of Manrent We knew that sufficiently before ye told it and passed by that part of your Answere as not percinent for our Argument so that ye needed not now againe to put us in minde of it But we may justly challenge you for not answering that which we objected concerning the second part of that Act for it reacheth farther then that Act made in Queen Maries time and of new statuteth and ordaineth That in time comming no Leagues or Bands be made amongst his Majesties Subjects of any degree upon whatsoever colour or preâ—ence without his Highnesse or his successoures privity and consent had and obtained thereto under the paiâ—e to be holden and exeâ—ute as movers of sedition and unquyetnesse c. Whereunto also is consonant the 131. Act made in the 8 Parliament of King JAMES the sixt Anno 1584 where it is â—â—atuted and ordained by the KING and his three estates that none of his Highnesse Subjects of whatsoever quality estate or function they be of spirituall or temporall presume or take upon hand to convocate conveane or assemble themselves together for holding of Councells Conventions or Assemblyes to treat consult and determinate in any matter of estate Civill or Ecclesiasticall except in the ordinary judgements without his Majesties speciall commandement or expres licence had and obtained to that effect under the paiâ—es ordained by the Lawes and Acts of Parliament against such as unlawfully convocate the KINGS Liedges And whereas ye finde fault that we dispute from the Act of Parliament and that we doe precisely adheare to the letter of the Law we pray you to consider that the nature of this question leadeth us to the Act of Parliament Beside it seemeth strange that ye should challenge us in this kinde since for justifying of your union as ye call it ye have amassed a great number of Acts oâ— Parliament and inserted them in the booke of your Covenant We omit the misapplying of these Acts which were made against Popery and not against all these things which ye doe now resist as Popish Neither can we perceive how these Acts of Parliament adduced by you to justisie your union prove that point Moreover some of these Acts cited by you as namely the 114 Act made in Parliament Anno 1592 in so farre as it is against Episcopall Government and all other of that sort are expresly rescinded by a posteâ—ior Act made in Parliament Anno 1612. How could ye in a legall dispute for justifying your union produce rescinded Acts as if they were standing Lawes and passe by the posterior Acts which are yet Lawes standing in vigour whereby these other Acts are rescinded 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. Constitutiones tempore posteriores poâ—â—ores sunt his quâ— ipsas praecesserunt â—â— de constitutionibus Principum L. 4. 4. We doe adheare in our former Replye not onely to the Letter but also according to our conception without prejudice of better information to the very reason and life of the Law The sentence cited by you to wit Salus Reipub. suprema lex esto or the safety of the Common-Wealth should be the chiefe Law serveth for a good direction to Rulers in making or changing of Lawes or in judging according to them whence in the Lawes of
uniformity of divyne service throughout this Nationall Kirk and a more perfect forme then we yet have that the publick Service were not permitted to the severall judgements and private choise of every Minister and Reader Which also was thought convenient by the Nationall Assembly of the Kirk of Scotland holden at ABERDENE Anno 1616. 2. Whether that Service Book now discharged containeth any Innovation of Religion or any thing contrary to the Protestant Religion as ye alleadge we doe not dispute now But we doe assuredly believe the piety and sincerity of His Majesties intention ever to have been and still constantly to be as it is graciously declared by His Majesties late Proclamation And we are certainly perswaded that His Majesty hath given order to discharge all the Acts of Counsell made anent the Canons and Service Book and are credibly informed that they are discharged by Act of Counsell at Holy-Rood-House the fifth of Iullie last according to the order given by His Majesty Also we see no such just cause of Fear as may import your alleadged necessity of Covenanting seeing His Majesty will not presse any thing of that nature but in such a faire and legall way as shall satisfie all his loving Subjects that he neither intendeth innovations in Religion nor Lawes as we declare in our former Replye to which ye have not sufficiently answered Neither was it necessary for removing of any just Feares that his sacred Majesty should disallowe that Service Book as ye require but it was sufficient to discharge it in manner foresaid 3. Ye doe conclude your Answere unto our third Replye with an uncouth and incredible Position whereof ye bring no proofe at all but onely this bare Assertion Whosoever professe themselves to bee perfectly satisfied with the Proclamation doe proclaime in the ears of all the Kingdom that they are better pleased with the Service Book and Canons then with the Religion as it hath been professed in this Land since the Reformation This your Thesis is so evidently weak that we need no more for the over-throw thereof but to oppose thereunto this our playn and undenyable Antithesis Who professe themselves to be perfectly satisfied with that Proclamation whereby the Service Book and Canons are discharged and the Religion professed in this Land since the Reformation is established doe proclaime in the ears of all the Kingdom that they are better pleased with the Religion professed in this Land since the Reformation then with the Service Book and Canons The IV. DUPLY. YEâ— alleadged before and now again doe affirme that we have mistaken your Interpretation of the old Covenant as if it had been given out judicially by you and as if ye had intended to enforce it upon others To free your selves of this imputation ye said in your first Answere that ye intended onely To make knowne your own meaning according to the mynde our Reformers and in charity to recommend it to others Hence we inferred in our Replye that ye ought nor to obtrude your Interpretation upon us nor molest any man for not receiving the same To this now ye say in your second Answere Although you neither use threatnings nor obtrude your Interpretation upon us yet we must pardon you if ye match us not with the greatest part of this Kingdom in whose name by all fair meanes ye recommend it to us Truely Brethren we are not offended with you for preferring the judgement of so many to our judgement who are but few in number neither need ye to crave pardon of us for this But concerning these faire meanes and that force of reason whereby ye say ye recommend your Interpretation of the old Covenant to us pardon us if the experience we have both of your writings and proceedings make us to oppose this your assertion For in your writings we expected indeed but have not found that force of reason whereof ye speake and as for the proceedings of those who have subscrived your Covenant we of all men have least reason to believe that they use no threatnings seeing we hear daylie so much their threatnings against our selves 2. Whereas for clearing of that which ye said before concerning the minde of our reformers ye affirme that The authoritative judgement of our reformers is evident not only by the confession of Faith ratified in Parliament but also by the books of Discipline Acts of Generall Assemblies and by their own writes First we marvell how ye can say that the private writings of Master Knox and others who with him were instruments of that great worke of Reformation have publicke Authority to obliedge the Subjects of this Kingdom The legislative and obligatory power of the Church is only in Synods or conventions of Bishops and Presbyters and not in particular persons expressing their minds apart Next this Church in the former age by abrogating the office of Superintendants established in the first book of Discipline hath declared that the statuts and ordinances contained in those books are not of an authority perpetually obligatory but may be altered or abrogated by the Church according to the exigencie of tyme. The same likewise is manifest by the abrogation of summary excomunication which this Church did abolish although it was established in Generall Assemblies wherein Master Knox and other Reformers were present We need not to insist much in this seeing so many of you who are Subscribents mis-regard the ordinances of our Reformers prefixed to the Psalm Book concerning the office of Superintendants or Bishops Funerall Sermons and set formes of Prayer which they appointed to be publickly read in the Church Hence the Reader may perceive that ye have no warrand for your Interpretation of the old Covenant from the authoritative and obligatory judgement of the Reformers feeing ye can not ground it upon the Confession of Faith ratified in Parliament As for those other meanes mentioned by us to wit Scripture Antiquitie and consent of the reâ—ormed Churches that they truly make for us and against you the unpartiall Reader may perceive by these our Disputs Whether or not Episcopacie and Pearth Articles be abjured in the late Covenant 3. As for the second mistaking mentioned by you in your Answere we did show in our Replye that in your Covenant Pearth Articles and Episcopacy are abjured And for proving of this we asked of you what ye meaned by the recovery and liberty of the Gospell as it was established and professed before the foresaid Novations and what is that period of tyme to which your words there have reference that is Whether it be that period of time when the Service Book and Book of Canons were urged upon you or if it be the time when Pearth Articles and Episcopacy were received in this Church But truely your Answere to this is nowise satisfactory nor hath so much as a show of satisfaction For ye are afraid to expresse that period of time lest ye beforced to grant that which we before objected And yet your
hominem had beene anticipated because it would not have been pertinent for them But ye are deceived for we have ever looked principally to these who were the first contryvers of the late Covenant or had speciall hand in it that is to your selves and to others who these many years bygone have opposed Pearth Articles and Episcopacie as Popish corruptions abjured in the old Covenant and consequently have in this late Covenant in the which that former Covenant is renewed by your own personall Oath abjured Pearth Articles and Episcopacie If then that other sort of Commissioners had come unto us we would have said to them that we can not swear the late Covenant because Pearth Articles and Episcopacie are in it abjured And this we would have proved by the like Argument ad hominem that is by an Argument grounded upon the judgement of the contrivers of the late Covenant as ye may easily perceive 20. Thirdly ye say that we have perceived the insufficiencie of our Argument because we objected this to our selves that seeing we think Pearth Articles and Episcopacie not to be abjured in the old Covenant we may subscrive the new Covenant in the which that old Covenant is reuewed Truely ye might have alleadged this if we had propounded that objection and had left it unanswered But we answered it and brought some reasons which ye wisely did passe by perceiving the force of them to show that we can not conveniently subscrive your late Covenant notwithstanding of our judgement of rather opinion of the meaning of the old Covenant We say opinion for to speak truely what we thinke we doubt and so doe others with us concerning the meaning of some parts of the old Covenant touching matters of Ecclesiasticall policy and have not so full a perswasion in our mindes concerning those parts as may be to us a warrand of our Oath 21. Fourthly whereas ye say that it was not for us to inquire in your private opinion concerning the meaning of the late Covenant in that part of it where it tyeth us to the inviolable observation of the old Covenant no◠was it necessary for you to make it known to us We answere that we inquired not your private opinion but the common judgement of all those who with you these twenty years bypast have accused us of Perjury for the alleadged violation of the old Covenant sworne by our Predecessours And truely we had more then reason to doe so because we most justly feared that ye who have so oft accused us of Perjury for practising Rites and Ceremonies abjured as ye alleadge in the old Covenant sworn by our Predecessours would much more vehemently yea also with a greater show of probability accuse us of Perjury for violation of the old Covenant sworn and ratified by our selves in this late Covenant if we should stand to the defence of Pearth Articles in time to come It became us therefore for eschewing of this inconvenient to inquire of you and you also sincerely and plainly to declare to us whether or not we may subscrive and sweare the new Covenant as it includeth and ratifieth the old and yet be really free from all abjuration or condemning of Pearth Articles and Episcopacie And likewise whether or not ye and all others who are of your minde will hold and esteem us free from abjuration of them notwithstanding of our subscriving of your Covenant These Questions require a punctuall Answere For if our subscriving of your Covenant may either import a real abjuratiō of Pearth Articles or if it may make you to think that by vertue of our subscription we are really and indeed bound to reject them for ever neither can we with a good conscience subscrive your Covenant neither can ye with a good conscience require it of us 22. Fiftly from our refusing to subscrive the late Covenant in so far as it reneweth the old Covenant or little Confession because that Confessi◠according to your Interpretation or conception of it importeth an abjuration of Pearth Articles ye collect first that upon this ground we would not have subscrived the late Confession any time bypast Secondly that we can not sweat the Confession of any Church no not the Articles of the CREED Petitions of the LORDS PRAYER nor Precepts of the ten COMMANDEMENTS in respect of the diverse Interpretations which men give of them We answere first that since the little Confession is not of Divine Authority and since the Humane Authority which it had hath these many years bygone ceassed as The Peaceable Warning lately given to the Subjects in Scotland proveth we would have refused our Subscription unto it ever since we heard that it importeth an Abjuration of all Rites and Ceremonies which were not received in our Church in the year 1681 except we had gotten some evidence to the contrary sufficiently satisfying our minds Secondly As for the Creed LORDS Prayer and ten Commandements your Argument taken from the varietie of mens Expositions of them is far from the purpose For since we are perswaded that the Author or Pen-men of them neither intended nor yet delivered any thing in them but Trueth and that their expression is authentick we are bound to embrace and receive them notwithstanding of the varietie of Interpretations which men give of them neither is it lawfull to us to refuse our Subscription or assent to them whatsoever be the judgement or assent of those who require it of us being alwise bound to acknowledge the infallible Authority of them even when we doubt of the true meaning of them Thirdly As for any of these later Confessions of Churches if the case be such as now it is in this particular of this late Covenant that is if we be not bound by any standing Law to subscrive it and if it be so lyable to the variety of Interpretatiōs that it may probablie import that which we think to be contrary to the Trueth and if these who require our Subscription be in our judgement Opposers of the Trueth in any point contained in that Confession and may make advantage of our Subscription alleadgeing that we are tyed by it to consent to their Doctrines or Practises we may justly in such a case deny our subscription to that Confession for the ambiguitie of it and much more may desire those who urge us to subscrive it to declare unto us before we give our Subscription Whether or not that Confession in their judgement will tye us to their Doctrines and Practises 23. Last of all In modestie as ye say but with a jesting complement ye present unto us a Dish of our own dressing ye mean the lyke Argument Ad hominem which is this The Rites and Ceremonies which are not abjured in the negative Confession are not abjured in this late Covenant But the Rites and Ceremonies which were concluded in Pearth Assembly are not abjured as ye say in the negative Confession made Ann 1581 therefore they are not abjured in this
late Covenant The first Proposition as ye say is evident because in the late Covenant we are bound no farther concerning the negative Confession but to keep it inviolable And therefore what Rites are not abjured there are not abjured here Likewise ye say that the second Proposition can no be denyed by us in respect these twenty years bygone we have thought our selves free of Perjurie notwithstanding the of Oath made 1581 and of our conforming our selves to the Ordinance of Pearth Good Brethren ye have retorted this Argument very weakly upon us For first we flatly denye the Major of your Syllogisme and withall doe repell the confirmation of it For although Pearth Articles were not abjured in the late Covenant in so far as it reneweth the negative Confession yet they may be and as it is already proven they are abjured in that other part of your late Covenant where ye vow and promise To recover the Liberty and Purity of the Gospell as it was established and professed before the foresaid Novations Next as for your Minor or Second Proposition wee suspend our Judgement of it untill wee bee better informed and advised doubting as we said before concerning the meaning of those parts of the old Covenant which concerne matters of Rite or Ceremonie Neither doeth the confirmation of your minor trouble us for we have thought our selves free of Perjury these twenty years bygone not for any certain perswasion which we had that Pearth Articles are not abjured in the old Covenant but because we did not personally swear that Covenant and are not tyed to it by the Oath of those who did subscrive it which we are ready to demonstrate by irrefragable Arguments Ye see then your Argument retorted upon us pearceth us not at all and the Reader may perceive that our argument hath been so forcibly thrown upon you that ye have not taken upon you to answere any part of it If ye had had evidence of the trueth for you ye would not only have retorted our Argument but also by answering it punctually shown that it straiteth not you and if ye had been exact Resolvers ye would not have gone about to have satisfied us with a naked Argument in contrarium 24. Before we leave this point that it may be known to all what reason we have to insist in this our Argument ad hominem and that we have proponed it not to catch advantage of you but to get satisfaction to our own mindes concerning the Covenant and your sincerity in urging us to subscrive it we will collect out of that which hath beene already said some interrogatories which we pray you to answer punctually if ye intend to give us satisfaction The first is whether or not your declaration of the extent of the late Covenant to wit that it extendeth not it self to the abjuration of Pearth Articles be not only vera true in it self but also verax that is consonant to your minde and to the minde of the chief contrivers of it The reason wherefore we propone this question ye will perceive by these that follow Secondly seeing ye and others the chief recommenders of the old Covenant have been ever of this minde that Pearth Articles and Episcopacy are abjured in it we aske whether ye all tying your selves by this late Covenant to the inviolable observation of the old Covenant have tyed your selves to it in all the particular points which ye conceived to be contained in it or only in some of them did ye by mentall reservation except any part of that old Covenant or in particular did ye except that part of it in the which perpetuall continuance in the doctrine and discipline of this Church is promised Or if that part was not excepted did ye put any new glosse upon it which it had not before And if ye did not whether or not ye renewing the Oath of perpetuall observation of the doctrine and discipline of this Church as it was Anno 1581 have not only really but also according to your own conception of that part of the old Covenant abjured all Rites and Ceremonies added to the discipline of this Church since the foresaid year and consequently the Articles of Pearth and Episcopacie Thirdly seeing ye so confidently averre that Pearth Articles are abjured in the old Covenant how can ye deny them to be abjured in the new Covenant except ye acknowledge a substantiall difference betwixt the old and new Covenant Fourthly if ye grant that they are really and indeed abjured in the late Covenant how can ye faithfully and sincerely say to us or to any other that they are not abjured in it Fiftly how can ye and all others who with you have really and also according to your own conception of the old Covenant abjured Pearth Articles and Episcopacie by renewing of it voice freely in the intended Assembly concerning these things seeing ye are tyed by your Oath to condemn and abrogate them Sixtly How can we concurre with you in an Oath wherein we are infallibly perswaded that ye have abjured Pearth Articles and Episcopacie Seventhly If we concurre with you in that Oath will ye not as we objected in our Reply but ye have not answered it think us bound by our Oath to condemn Pearth Articles and Episcopacie and will not ye thinke your selves bound in conscience to tell us and all others that which ye think to be trueth and may make much for your cause to wit that the words of the Covenant have but one sense and that in that one sense Pearth Articles are abjured 25. Ye and all others may now see how injustly ye said that we would have the Covenanters against their intention and whether they will or not to disallow and condemn Pearth Articles and Episcopall Government lest they be tryed in a free Assembly GOD knoweth how far we detest all such dealing and this vindication of our two Arguments we added also a third but ye have swallowed it brought by us to prove that Pearth Articles and Episcopacie are abjured in your late Covenant will sufficiently cleare us of this imputation to all unpartiall Readers 26. We did not only alleadge as ye say that your supplications to his Majesty were fully satisfied by the last Proclamation but grounding an Argument upon your Answere to our fourth Demand we reasoned thus If in all your supplications ye have only sought the removing of the Service Book book of Canons and new high Commission not complaining of any other Novations already introduced and seeing his Majesty hath granted this unto you what reason have ye to say that his Majesty hath not satisfied your supplications this our Argument ye have turned to a meere alleadgeance lest ye should have troubled your selves with answering it Whether or not we may forbeare the practise of Pearth Articles untill they be tryed in a free Assembly 27. We come now to the consideration of that which your Covenant by your own confession tyeth us to