were present both to sanctifie themselues by prayer to cōmend the successe of the affairs vnto God his blessing The same was repeated in the second exercise made by the Archbishop of Saint Andrewes and nothing omitted on our parts that was required to bring men to a due regard thereof But the Libeller excepts against the second Sermon First that although the Text was pertinent the Preacher ranne quickly from it Next that in his Discourse of Ceremonies the fiue Articles proponed his best Arguments were testimonies cited out of Caluine Martyr and Beza all peruerted How the first can bee made good I see not seeing if the Text was pertinent as he confessed to the time and matters there to bee entreated it is as cleere that in all his Discourse hee did so strictly keep himself to the purpose as there was not so much as one digression made from it And whether hee brought no Arguments for proofe or peruerted the testimonies of these learned men Let the Reader iudge by the Sermon it selfe which wee haue made here to bee inserted word for word as the same was then deliuered The Sermon preached by the Right Reuerend Father in GOD the Archbishop of Saint ANDREWES to the generall Assembly holden at PERTH the 25. of August 1618. 1. COR. 11.16 But if any man seeme to bee contentious wee haue no such custome neither the Churches of God MY Lords and Brethren the businesse for which we meete heere is knowne to you all namely to take some resolution in these Articles which we are required to admit in our Church by that power vnto which wee bee all subiect Of the indifferency of these Articles I thinke there is little or no question amongst vs The conueniencie of them for our Church is doubted of by many but not without cause They are new and vncouth such things as we haue not beene accustomed with and nouations in a Church euen in the smallest things are dangerous Etiam quae vtilitate adiuuant nouitate perturbant Aug. Epist 118. Saint Augustine spake it long since and wee haue tryed it to bee true this yeare past I beseech God we feele no more of it hereafter Had it beene in our power to haue disswaded or declined them most certainly wee would and if any of you thinke otherwise yee are greatly mistaken but now being brought to a necessitie I am sorry to speake more sorry to thinke of the * * This was the protestation that should haue beene presented to the last Parliament meanes that wrought the same either of yeelding or disobeying him whom for my selfe I hold it Religion to offend I must tell you that the euill of nouations especially in matters of Rite Ceremonie is nothing so great as the euill of disobedience That which is new this day with a little vse will become familiar and old yee know the prouerbe A wonder lasts but nine nights in a Towne But how farre disobedience may goe what euills it may produce God knowes As the Apostle speakes here of Contention so I say of Disobedience we haue no such custome nor the Churches of God We leaue that to Papists and Anabaptists that carry no regard to authoritie Our Religion teaches vs to obey our Superiours in all things that are not contrarie to the Word of God So our Confession speakes which is printed in the beginning of your Psalme bookes Psal Booke pag. 6. So haue wee taught the people in former times and God forbid wee should now come in the contrarie Our case as I thinke at this time is not farre different from that of the Corinthians at the writing of this Epistle The question was amongst them of the behauiour of men and women in holy Assemblies What was most decent and beseeming men to be vncouered women to haue their heads couered or by the contrarie Saint Paul after that hee had shewed his owne minde in the matter and giuen some reasons for it as hee doth in the Verses preceding concludes now with this protestation If any man seeme to bee contentious wee haue no such custome neither the Churches of God As though hee would say I haue said so much as may content calme and moderate spirits as for contentious men I trouble not my selfe with them They will still be disputing and say what yee will they shall still finde a reply for they are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 louers of Victorie not of Veritie men that seeketh not the Churches weale but their owne wills and make it their credit to bee alwayes stirring that is not my custome saith the Apostle he might speake it well for hee neuer cared for himselfe or how he was counted of so as he might be profitable to the Church and an instrument of sauing soules And as it is not my custome no more is it the custome of the Churches of God for they fauour not contention but follow the things which concerne peace wherewith one may edifie and make better another Some of the Interpreters refer these words to the question in hand and thinke that the Apostle is here opposing the custome of the Churches to these that contended for men couering their heads in publike meetings but the better sort take this to bee spoken against the studie of contention and thinke the Apostle his meaning here is onely to shew that it is not his fashion nor the fashion of the Churches of God to bee contentious for matters of such indifferency as those were of This is Caluines interpretation amongst others for he writing vpon this place after he had said that contention in a Church is of all euills the most pernicious addes by way of admonition these words Diligenter notemus locum istum ne abripi nos super vacuis disputationibus sinamus Let vs carefully obserue this place saith hee that wee suffer not our selues to bee carryed away with vnnecessary disputings Now these are vnnecessary disputings which are made De rebus non magnis of matters of light moment Vel de rebus non ambiguis that is of matters in themselues cleare and euident Atqui tales sunt importuni quidam disputatores qui artis esse putant omnia in dubium vocare Some there are that can finde probabilities against the clearest Truth and are still disputing about the lightest matters Such are very troublers and dangerous heads in a Church of whom wee should be wary Brethren to contend is not a fault if so it bee for a weightie matter but to bee contentious in a light businesse this is faultie and reprooued here by the Apostle Wee ought to contend alwayes for the Faith and that earnestly as Saint Iude teacheth Iude 3. not yeelding to the Aduersarie in the substance of Religion one jot There should our courage and spirituall zeale kindle it selfe but for matters of circumstance and ceremonie to make businesse and as much adoe as if some mayne point of Religion were questioned it is to iniurie the Truth
the motions of some What they call better times I know not but our fathers saw neuer so good times nor is it to be hoped that our posteritie shall see the like Continuance detracts from the worth of things at least in our conceits wee haue enioyed peace and libertie so long that we little know how precious they are But had we beene in the coates of our fathers or could wee remember the straits our first Reformers stood in and were brought vnto in the same Citie when that good Earle Alexander came to their reliefe wee would thinke it no small blessing to haue our Profession countenanced by Authoritie As to that which they desire that his Maiestie should inioyn these things by Authoritie I leaue it to you to iudge how dangerous the same may proue to the Church If cōformity be enioyned be sure it wil not be in these matters only but in others that yee hate more But I feare it be the purpose of many to rubbe this way vpon his Maiesty the imputation of tyrannie for what Christian King did euer determine in Ecclesiasticall matters any thing without aduice of his Clergie And to impose Lawes vpon the Church without their consent were as much as to say the King imposes things vnlawfull for if they be lawfull Why will wee be dissenting Brethren his Maiestie is styled Defender of the Faith and hath it by desert aswell as by inheritance It were a peruerse course for vs to make it seeme otherwayes When Iesuites and Papists of all sorts are by their infamous writings belying his Maiestie and traducing his Highnesse fame onely because he opposes them for the defence of the common Faith if wee should furnish them matter of new obloquie by our rebellion we could neuer be excused of vile ingratitude Rests but one obiection that I haue heard which I will not omit They say the English Church hath beene seeking of old times to haue vs wonder their gouernment and vpon this some haue called our yeelding vnto a conformitie in these points with them a betraying of the libertie of our Church and Kingdome This reason is so euill grounded that though we should conforme with them in euery outward Rite obserued not onely by them but by the whole Church of Christ long before it was so infected with Poperie it would not inferre the dependance of our Church vpon theirs but that there is that harmony and conformitie amongst vs which ought to bee amongst all the reformed Churches both in Doctrine and Discipline And for our part in maintayning our right yee may remember not long since when that Noble man was absolued in England who was excommunicate by vs wee ceassed not to complaine vntill a new command was giuen that hee should receiue from vs a new absolution If matters should come thus to be contested for which is not to bee expected wee should not bee found neglectful either of our Church or Country But what is this we are iealous of We lius vnder a King that loues the kingdomes honour more then we all there offers not one occasion wherein his Maiestie failes to expresse his naturall affection towards his country Euen now that Mischant sometimes one of your number and vnworthy to be named did vomit forth his spite and vnnatural malice against the whole Nation And how did his Maiestie resent it As I haue beene aduertised he did solemnely declare That albeit much had beene said against his Maiesties owne person and nothing omitted in that kinde which the Deuill could inuent yet all that did not so much grieue him as that Mischants taxing of his Country and Nation He is not worthy the name I will not say of a Christian but of a Scottish man that will not if need be lay downe his life to meet his Maiesties affection I know yee are ready enough to make your protestations this way but beleeue me he shall neuer hazard willingly his life for his Prince who stands against his pleasure in so iust demands I will say no more for I haue wearied both you and my selfe out of a desire to giue satisfaction to you all How freely and plainly I haue spoken ye are my witnesses with what an affection towards the Churches good God hee knowes Brethren wee haue made too much businesse about these matters The Kingdome of God consists not in them but in righteousnesse and peace and ioy of the holy Ghost Away with fruitlesse and contentious disputings Remember the worke wee are sent for is to build the Church of God and not to destroy it to call men to Faith and Repentance to stirre them vp to the works of true pietie and loue and not to make them thinke they haue Religion enough when they haue talked against Bishops and Ceremonies If wee shall goe about this carefully and all of vs striue in our places by fruitfull preaching honest liuing and a wise gouerning to approue our selues vnto the consciences of our people wee shall shortly finde matters in a better estate then wee haue seene and be all of vs an acceptable people to the Lord our God which that it may bee God for his Christs sake grant to vs all Amen THe Sermon ended the Archbishop of Saint Andrewes came to the Table at which his Maiesties Commissioners Noble men and other members of the Assembly were sitting and calling for the ordinarie Clerke of the Assembly was answered That Master Thomas Nicholson who formerly serued the Church in that place had dimitted his office in fauour of Master Iames Sandelands Aduocate This he notified to the Assembly as that which hee had vnderstood before and shewed that the said Master Iames was a man sufficiently qualified for the place of good report and one that by his aduocation and pleading might further the particular businesse of Ministers before the Session He desired the Assembly to consider what was fittest to bee done and aduise whether they would receiue the said Master Iames in the others place or not The voyces of his Maiesties Commissioners the Noble men Bishops and diuers of the Ministers being asked they all without exception agreed to his receiuing And the said Master Iames being recalled for while the voyces were asked he was remoued had an oath ministred vnto him for his diligent and faithfull discharge of that seruice The Libeller obserues here first That seates being appointed for Noble men Barons Burgesses and Bishops with the Doctors the Ministers were left to stand behinde them as if their part had onely beene to behold Then sayes that the choosing of Master Iames Sandelands to be Clerke was done without formall voting or lite But to that first although it might bee replyed in a word that the care of placing seates was onely in the Magistrates hands of the Burghe where the said Assembly was kept and that the neglect thereof if any was cannot be thought purposely done yet because no diligence was omitted on the part of the Magistrates and the seates
the examination of yong children by the Bishop in his Visitation are things simply vnlawfull without expresse or necessary warrant of Gods Word are contrary to doctrine according to the declaration and iudgement of our Church set downe in the first booke of Discipline as is aboue expressed and by Saint Paul Coloss 2. is condemned for a doctrine of will-worship in these wordes Touch not taste not handle not Vers 21. Thus the imposing either of negatiue or affirmatiue positions touching points of Religion without warrant of the Word on the conscience of men is will-worship which you doe wilfully maintayne and vrge throughout the whole Pamphlet The eleuenth Article PP The Commissioners of Presbyteries haue conuened sufficiently vnderstand that neither the Presbyteries from whom they haue their Cōmissions nor the particular Churches of this Realme either require are willing or consent to admit these nouations Confitentur Theologi nihil esse per Synodos Ecclesijs inuitis obtrudendum The Diuines confesse that nothing should bee obtruded vpon Churches against their will ANS The Commissioners of Presbyteries were not astricted to the present opinions of the Presbyteries particular Churches of the Realme but receiued a free and voluntary Commission to vote as they should bee mooued and perswaded by the motiues and reasons proponed at the Assembly otherwise they had met with preiudice And therefore what they concluded according to their Commission was not obtruded vpon the Churches against their will but according to their wills contayned in the Commission The twelfth Atticle PP The Commissioners of Presbyteries here assembled vnderstanding the alienation of them from whom they receiued commission from these Articles can by no warrant oblige their vnwilling Presbyteries and Congregations to their votes Ecclesiam dissentientem inuitam obligare quis potest Who can binde a Church dis-assenting and vnwilling ANS If the Commissioners had come to the Assembly without a free and vnbounded Commission to reason vote and conclude in their names they could not by their votes and conclusions haue bound the Churches and Presbyteries from whom they come if they had after dis-assented But the generall and vnlimited Commission giuen to the Commissioners to reason vote and conclude with this expresse clause Firme and stable holding and for to hold whatsoeuer their Coommissioners should conclude in their names obliged the Presbyteries and Congregations by whom the Commission was giuen And here I marke a contradiction betwixt this Article and that which ye affirme in discussing of the Oath pa. 30. Namely that the Oath of the Church representatiue giuen An. 1596. did oblige them all who were liuing to the maintenance of the puritie of Religion in Doctrine and Discipline Heere yee acknowledge that the Church representatiue hath power to oblige all liuing within the iurisdiction therefore yee cannot allow of this Article according to your grounds The thirteenth Article PP There stand in force diuers Acts of Parliament in fauours of our present order Iacob 6 Parl. 1 cap. 8. Iames 6. Parl. 8. cap. 68. cap. 69. Item in the first Act of Parliament Anno 1592. ANS None of the Acts of Parliament here cited is contrary to the alteration The fourteenth Article PP The Ministers of this Church by order of the same printed and inserted before the Psalme Booke at their admissions respectiue promise in the presence of God and of his Congregation assembled to abhorre and vterly refuse all Doctrine alledged necessary to saluation that is not expresly contayned in the olde and new Testament c. Item to submit themselues to all admonitions secretly or publikely giuen ANS Against this promise nothing was concluded by the Assembly at Perth but how this promise is performed by these who disobey the Ordinances thereof let them aduise with their owne conscience The fifteenth Article PP The Subscribers of the Confession of Faith by their oath therein contained promise and sweare to continue in the obedience of the doctrine discipline of this Church to defend the same according to their vocation and power all the dayes of their liues c. And to abhor and detest all contrary religions but chiefly all kind of Papistry in generall euen as they are now damned by the Church of Scotland but in special the Popes fiue bastard Sacraments whereof Confirmation is one with all Rites and Ceremonies and false doctrines added to the Sacraments without the Word of God his absolute necessity of Baptisme c. which Confession is come to the eyes of the World in print and solemnly renued in the Couenant celebrated in the generall and prouincial Assemblies Presbyteries and Church Sessions in the yeere of God 1596. and how shal any man be heard to speak against that whereunto he hath formerly sworne and subscribed For the better vnderstanding of this last Article I will set downe a short discussion of the Oath ANS There is nothing that the Subscribers of the Confession of faith did by their oath oblige themselues to obserue and defend that is contrary to any of the Articles concluded at Perth and no man should bee heard to speake contrary to that whereunto hee hath formerly sworne subscribed And therefore they who haue sworne subscribed in the 21. Article of the Confession of faith confirmed in Parliament Anno 1567. That no policie and order in Ceremonies can bee appointed for all ages times and places but that they may ought to be changed when necessity requireth should not now bee heard affirming the contrary in this Pamphlet that they may not bee changed wherein ye contradict your oath and perswade others to doe the same Of the which oath the discussion set downe by you is a glosse that destroyeth the Text as shall by Gods grace bee made manifest by the examination thereof which followeth The Examination of the Oath discussed BEfore the Penner of this Pamphlet begins to discusse the oath he sets downe the articles controuerted then fiue seuerall obligations whereby as he alledgeth our Church is obliged to exclude and abhorre the particular actes concluded at Perth Thirdly he considers the Oath which is the chiefe of the flue obligations Keeping his order wee shall seuerally examine his sayings concerning them And first touching the articles controuerted he sayes thus Pp. The Religion Doctrine and Discipline receiued beleeued and defended by the Church of Scotland namely the publike ministration of Baptisme and the Lords Supper sitting at the Table in the act of receiuing the bread and the wine of that Sacrament The obseruation of the Lords day and the examination of Children for the first time at the ninth yeare of their age for the second at the twelfth for the third at the fourteenth excluding and abhorring priuate Baptisme priuate Communion kneeling in the act of receiuing the Supper Holy dayes or Feasts of Christmas Passion Resurrection Ascension and sending downe of the Holy Ghost were brought in at the resormation of Religion and enioyed ener since in
did sweare The next thing yee consider is the matter whereunto they did binde themselues by their oath which yee set downe as followeth PP The matter whereunto they binde themselues by oath is the Religion Doctrine and Discipline receiued beleeued and defended by the Church of Scotland in respect of this matter the Oath is partly assertorie and partly promissorie as yee say ANS By that which alreadie hath been said it is manifest that albeit our Church had sworne to all the heads and ordinances aboue specified set downe in the bookes of Discipline yet there is nothing committed contrarie to this Oath by the actes made at Perth But now since yee are come to the matter of the Oath let vs see if the points in controuersie be any part of that matter The matter as yee affirme is the Religion Doctrine and Discipline receiued beleeued and defended by the Church of Scotland This definition or description of the matter is not so full and particular as is set downe in the Oath it selfe neither haue yee in reciting the words been so faithfull as yee are feruent for the cause yee maintaine For yee haue pretermitted diuers things belonging to the limitation of the matter by which all the particulars in question are clearely excluded The words cited by you are these We beleeue with our hearts confesse with our mouthes subscribe with our hands and constantly affirme before God and the world That the Faith and Religion receiued beleeued and defended by the Church of Scotland the Kings Maiestie and three Estates of this Realme c. is onely the true Christian Faith and Religion pleasing God and bringing saluation to man Heere yee omit many things that concerneth the limitation of the matter which at that time were knowne to such as sware the same and now must be expounded vnto the Reader that is to iudge and consider our Controuersie Therefore I shall set downe heere the words of the Oathe as it was published in print by Robert Waldgraue anno 1590. We beleeue with our hearts c. That this onely is the true Christian Faith and Religion pleasing God and bringing saluation to man which is now by the mercy of God reuealed to the world by the preaching of the blessed Euangell and receiued beleeued defended by many sundry notable Churches Realmes and chiefely by the Church of Scotland c. In these words we haue two limitations pretermitted by you The first is that the matter of the Oath is the Doctrine and Discipline reuealed to the world by the Gospell This limitation excludeth all Ecclesiasticall determinations and constitutions which are not expresly or by a necessary consequence contained in the written Word The next is That the matter of the Oath is the Doctrine and Discipline which is receiued beleeued and defended by many notable Churches and Realmes and chiefely by the Church of Scotland This limitation excludeth all these things wherein the Church of Scotland hath not the consent of many notable Churches and Realmes who with her hath receiued beleeued and defended the same By these two are all the points in controuersie excluded and cut off from being any part of the matter whereunto the Swearers by their oath did oblige themselues And vnto these two if we adde the third limitation there can remaine no more any doubt touching the matter of the Oath This is that the Doctrine and Discipline whereunto they sweare is particularly expressed in the Confession of Faith established and publikely confirmed by sundry actes of Parliament This Confession is registred in the bookes of Parliament at the yeare 1567. and is inserted amongst the Confessions of the Reformed Churches in the booke called Syntagma Confessionum But so it is that in the Confession of our Faith established by Parliament there is no mention made of the Articles controuerted neither hath many notable Churches and Realmes receiued beleeued or defended the same neither are they expresly or by necessary consequence contained in the Gospell And therefore they cannot by any point of our Religion or part of the Doctrine and Discipline whereunto the Swearers did oblige themselues by their assertory and promissory Oath By the Gospell it is not certaine That our Sauiour and the Apostles did sit at the Supper and albeit he had sitten yet sitting is no more commanded to be obserued in that sacred action then the vpper chamber where he sate or the night season when the Supper was celebrated or the sex and number of the Communicants who were twelue men and no women or the qualitie of the element which was vnleauened bread or the order finally after Supper All these howbeit they be certaine yet none of them are esteemed exemplary far lesse can sitting which is vncertaine be esteemed such And for the rest of the points Neither kneeling at the Communion nor the administration of the Sacraments in priuate houses when necessitie requires nor the commemoration of Christs inestimable benefits on certaine set times of the yeare nor the triall of yong childrens education by the Bishop at his Visitation none of these I say are either expresly or by necessary consequence forbidden in the Gospell nor are heâ—y condemned by many notable Churches and Realmes nor abiured in the Confession of our Faith confirmed by actes of Parliament and so cannot be counted the matter of this Oath But to remooue all scruple that may arise touching the matter of this Oath It is true That in the promissorie Oath the Swearers thereof binde themselues to continue in the Doctrine and Discipliue of the Church of Scotland and to defend the same according to their vocation and power all the dayes of their liues vnder the paines contained in the Law and danger both of body and soule in the day of the Lords fearefull iudgement Heere touching the Doctrine praised be God there is no controuersie amongst vs all the doubt concerneth Discipline and that is remoued also if it be taken only for that which is reuealed in the Gospell or receiued beleeued and defended by many notable Churches and Realmes or that which is set downe in the Confession of Faith as is already declared But because the Discipline of the Church may be extended beyond these limits and made to comprehend all Ecclesiasticall constitutions and determinations of generall circumstances formes and ceremonies belonging to the worship of God and the decent ordering of his house let vs consider this point more particularly If by the Discipline of the Church in the words of the Oath A consideration of the Discipline whereunto the Swearers did oblige themselues that part of Ecclesiasticall policie bee meant which concernes the censuring of manners in which sense it is taken in the order set downe before our Psalme bookes and in the seuenth head of the first booke of Discipline intituled of Ecclesiasticall Discipline and in the second booke wheresoeuer it is mentioned and by all Ecclesiasticall writers most frequently Then it is certaine
be baptised For these sate amongst the Catechumenists while they were sufficiently instructed in the mysteries of Religion and were able to giue a confession of their Faith before the Bishop and the People But such as were baptised in their infancy because they had not giuen a confession of their Faith vnto the Church about the end of their childhood they were presented by their Parents of new and examined by the Bishop according to a certayne common forme of Catechisme which they had in these times And to the end this action that was in it selfe graue and holy might haue the greater reuerence and dignitie the ceremonie of imposition of hands was also vsed Thus the child after approbation of his Faith was dimitted with a blessing c. Such an imposition of hands which is vsed for a simple blessing I commend doe and wish the sincere vse thereof were restored Et Sect. 13. Vtinam verò morem retineremus quem apud Veteres fuisse admonui priusquam abortiua haec Sacramenti larua nasceretur non enimesset Confirmatio talis qualem isti fingunt quae sine Baptismi iniuria nec nominari potest sed catechesis qua pueri aut adolescentiae proximi fidei suae rationem coram Ecclesia exponerent Esset autem optima catechizandi ratio si formula in hunc vsum conscripta esset summam continens familiariter explicans omnium fere religionis nostra capitum in qua vniuersa fidelium Ecclesia consentire sine controuersia debet Puer decennis Ecclesia se offerret ad edendam fidei confessionem regaretur de singulis capitibus ad singula responderet si quid ignoraret aut minus intelligeret doceretur ita vnicam veram synceram Fidem qua vnanimiter Deum vnum colit fidelium populus teste spectante Ecclesia profiteratur Hac disciplina si hodiè valeret profectò parentum quorundam ignauia acueretur qui liberorum institutionem quasi rem ad so nihil pertinentem securè negligunt quam tunc sine publice dedecore omistere non possent maior esset in populo Christiano fidei cousonsus nec tanta multoruminscitia ruditas non adeò temerè quidam nouis peregrinis dogmatibus abripereutur omnibus denique esset quaedam velut methodus doctrinae Christianae that is Would to God we did obserue the custome which I shew the Ancients vsed For then Confirmation should not be such as the Papists fancie which cannot be once named without the injurie of Baptisme but it should be a catechizing of children whereby they should giue account of their Faith before the Church And the best manner of catechizing were this That a forme should be penned for that vse contayning the summe of all the heads of our Religion and expounding them familiarly vnto which Faith and Religion the vniuersall Church of the faithfull should agree that the child being ten yeares old should present himselfe to the Church to giue a confession of his Faith bee demanded vpon euery Article and made to answere seuerally to euery one and if hee were ignorant of any point or did not well vnderstand the same he should be instructed Thus he should in presence of the Church and vnder the testimonie thereof make profession of that onely true and sincere Faith wherewith the Congregation of the faithfull worships God If this discipline were in vigour at this time the slouth of some Parents should bee corrected that securely neglect the instruction of their children as a thing not appertayning vnto to them which then without a publike shame they could not leaue vndone a greater consent should bee amongst Christian people in Religion and the ignorance of many should be nothing so great some would not bee so hastily carried away with new and strange opinions and in a word all should haue a methode of Christian Doctrine This was the minde of the most learned and worthy Diuine that hath liued in this last age wherewith let the Reader iudge if the Ordinance of Perth bee not agreeing An answer to the last head intituled Of the Administration of the Sacraments in priuate places TO the end the last Controuersie touching the administration of Baptisme and the Supper of the Lord in priuate houses may bee the better discussed wee shall premit some few grounds for cleering the question First The publike actions of Christian Religion are not tyed to any certayne time or place by diuine Institution but may bee lawfully performed at any time and in any place when necessity requires Secondly That the publike actions may be lawfully performed a publike Minister a lawfull Assembly and the forme prescribed in the Word must necessarily be kept Thirdly Howbeit some hold that Baptisme ministred by a priuate person is valide and effectuall yet no man can hold truely that it is lawfully ministred by such a person Fourthly Although the Communion Elements bee duly consecrated by a publike Minister in a most solemne and lawfull Assembly yet if he apply them only to his owne priuate vse or to so me other particular person making no distribution according to the Institution the action is not lawfully performed Fiftly The lawfull Assemblies wherein the publike actions may be performed are eyther ordinary or not ordinarie The ordinary are not defined in the word particularly but are left to bee determined by the Church which according to the generall Rules of Christian Policie hath deuided the Christian people in sundry Congregations called Parishes whose meeting in the ordinary times and places appointed are the ordinary Assemblies wherein the puolike actions of Religion should be performed ordinarily Sixtly The Assemblies that are lawfull but not ordinary are the meetings of two or three at least in the Name of Iesus Christ wherein he hath promised his presence to heare their Prayers and approue their lawfull actions of piety In such Assemblies the Word hath beene preached and Baptisme ministred as in the 16. of the Acts the Master of the Prison and his Family were baptized by Paul The Husband the Wife and a Seruant make a Family where there be no more The Family of Priscilla and Aquila are called a Church This Pamphleter affirmes with Saint Augustine Paulinus Esychius Theophylactus and others That our Sauiour at Emaus did celebrate the Sacrament to the two Disciples with whom he communed in the way There the whole Assembly were but three whether the Sacrament was ministred or not at that time this is certaine as many as hold that the same was celebrated must also hold that three make the bodie of a Church wherein the Eucharist may be lawfully ministred and if the Eucharist much more Baptisme which was ministred by Philip to the Eunuch where there was no Christian Assembly conuened Yet doubtlesse he was baptised in presence of his Seruants who were witnesses to the action For Baptisme would be ministred in presence of some witnesses and the Eucharist cannot be lawfully ministred without some communicants
Although a Temple bee not necessary at Caluine sayes in the 185. Epistle yet the Insant should be baptized in coetu aliquo Si enim infans clam baptizetur nullis adhibitis testibus illud neque respondet ordini à Dominoposito neque Apostolorum exemplo Likewise that there may bee a Communion conueniat coetus aliquis ex cognatis familiaribus vicinis saies Caluine These grounds being warranted by Scripture and by the Ancients first wee shall set downe the Acts of the Assembly which yee labour to resute next your Refutation and Answere thereto The Acts concluded at Perth touching priuate Baptisme and Communion THe Minister shall often admonish the people that they deferre not the baptizing of Infants any longer then the nexts Lords Day after the Childe bee borne vnlesse vpon a great and reasonable cause declared to the Minister and by him approued As also they shall warne them that without great cause they procure not their Children to be baptized at home in their houses but when great need shall compell them to baptise in priuate houses in which case the Minister shall not refuse to doe it vpon the knowledge of the great need and being timely required thereto then Baptisme shall be administred after the same forme as it should haue beene in the Congregation And the Minister shall the next Lords Day after any such priuate Baptisme declare in the Church that the Infant was so baptized and therefore ought to bee receiued as one of the true Flocke of Christs Fold Item If any good Christian visited with long sicknesse and knowne to the Pastor by reason of his present infirmity vnable to resort to the Church for receiuing of the holy Communion or being sick stall declare to the Pastor vpon his cōscience that he thinks his sicknes to be deadly and shall earnestly desire to receiue the same in his house The Minister shall not deny to him so great a comfort lawfull warning being giuen to him vpon the night before and that there be three or foure of good Religion and conuersation free of lawfull impediments present with the sicke person to communicate with him who must also prouide a conuenient place in his house all things necessary for the reuerend administration thereof according to the order prescribed in the Church PP In the ninth head of the first Booke of Discipline it was thought expedient that Baptisme should be ministred vpon the ordinary dayes of preaching not that it is vnlawfull to baptise whensoeuer the Word is preached but to remoue a grosse errour wherewith many are deceiued thinking that Children bee damned if they dye without Baptisme c. In the order of Baptisme set downe before the Psalmes in metre it is said that the Sacraments are not ordayned of God to bee vsed in priuate corners as Charmes or Sorceries c. And in the Assembly holden 1581. it was ordayned that the Sacraments should not bee ministred in priuate houses c. This laudable order hitherto obserued was altered c. ANS Cases of necessitie are not subiect to ordinarie rules Therfore the Acts made at Perth concerning necessary and extraordinarie cases alters not the laudable order hitherto obserued As it is an errour to esteeme Baptisme absolutely necessary that is a middest without which there is no saluation so it is as great an errour not to thinke it necessary as an ordinary meane whereby the Grace of God is communicate and without the which if it may be had and be either contemned or neglected there is no certainty that God will conferre his grace Therefore to astrict the ministration of Baptisme to a humane order touching time and place which by the Word of God may be lawfully vsed at other times and in other places is great temeritie importing to the Childe no small danger of the losse of grace and bringing vpon the Parent and Pastor the guilt of his bloud for contemning at lest neglecting the ordinary meane of saluation PP A Sacrament is a publike action to bee performed publikely by publike Ministers Neyther can any necessitie or sufficient cause be alleadged wherefore any sacred and publike action should passe in priuate because Gods Ordinance is to vs a supreme Law and necessitie which we ought to obey rather then foster popular ignorance and infirmitie These are Tilenus words ANS These words are not vttered by Tilenus against the administration of Baptisme at extraordinary times and in extraordinary places but only against the administration of Baptisme by women and priuate persons which is the second Controuersie in Baptisme which hee handles beginning at the twelfth position with these words Altera Controuersia de Ministro Baptismi and ending at the eighteenth These Where there is not so much as a syllable of the time and place when and where Baptisme may be ministred all his positions concerning only the persons by whom So in this yee are like your selfe peruerting and abusing the speeches of learned men against their owne minde And it is to bee obserued heere that yee peruersly interpret his words for where he sayes Nullaque necessitas velidonea causa afferri potest cur actio sacra publica transeat in priuatam yee to make the Reader beleeue that Tilenus speakes of a priuate place whiles he is speaking of a priuate action translate it passe in priuate as if a publike action could not be lawfully performed when it is done by a publike person and in presence of such a number as by the Ordinance of God are sufficient PP The Sacraments are testimonies of our pietie thankfulnesse profession and protestations of our faith therefore they ought to be conspicuous and publike ANS It is most expedient that they bee both conspicuous and publike but in cases of necessity it suffices that they bee publike PP We haue no externall fellowship with the whole Church militant in the publike exercise of Religion but a mediate Communion with a particular Congregation This Communion ought not to be violated ANS This Communion is not violated when in cases of necessitie men cannot resort to the Parish Church If we communicate in these exercises of Religion with two or three conuened in the Name of Christ where a greater Assembly cannot be had our Communion with the Church is not violated for they are a particular Church and a part of the vniuersall aswell as the Parishioners although they be lesse PP The Sacraments should be ministred with consent and in presence of the Church seeing they are workes of publike nature and of publike fruit belonging to all ANS Such workes of publike nature and publike fruit ought ordinarily to be ministred solemnely but in cases of necessitie it suffices that they bee lawfully ministred in caetu aliquo fidelium as Caluine speakes Epist 185. PP The Sacraments ministred in priuate houses make the Sacraments to be contemned and neglected Heretickes take occasion to corrupt the pure administration of them by these priuie practises The imperiall
to celebrate that holy action vpon the day of the Natiuitie which wee call Yule and vpon Easter day which we call Pasche The ground of this power is first the abolishing of the New-moones Festiual daies and Sabbaths by the coming of our Sauiour in whom the body of all these shadows is and next the libertie giuen by God to the Christian Church mentioned by Isaiah as ye heard before For as by the first we are freed from the bondage of the Law and the obseruation of the set times therein prescribed so by the second all times are sanctified to the worship of God in so farre that the Christian Church may make choyce of any time in the weeke any day in the moneth or yeere for their publique meetings to his worship And as for the Lords Day which hath succeeded to the Iewish Sabbath albeit God hath cōmanded to sanctifie it by the publike exercise of religiō yet neither is the whole pub like worship nor any part of it appropriated to that time but lawfully the same may be performed vpō any other conuenient day of the weeke of the Moneth or of the yere as the Church shall think expedient Vpon this ground Zanchius affirmed Ecclesiae Christi liberū esse quos velit praeter dominic dies sibi sāctificādos deligere And by this warrant did the primitiue Church sanctifie these fiue anniuersarie dayes of Christs Natiuitie Passion Resurrection Ascension and the Descent of the Holy Ghost Where it is obiected that it is onely proper to God to make holidayes I answer That it is onely proper to God to make times and places holy by appropriating to them a diuine worship which may not bee performed lawfully but in these places and on these times such as the Tabernacle and Temple and the Iewish Festiuities vnder the Law were for vnto them was appropriated by God a worship which might not be performed on another day and so these dayes did not only belong to the worship as meere circumstances but were proper parts or points thereof and could not bee omitted without marring of the whole action In which respect these dayes were holier then other dayes because a part of Gods worship consisted in obseruation of them Such holy dayes the Church cannot make But to make times and places holy by consecration of them to an holy vse the Church hath power for the dayes that she appoints are obserued only for order and policie and haue no relation to the worship performed on them as any Rite or religious Ceremonie belonging necessarily to the integritie thereof The Natiuitie of our Sauiour may bee remembred and publike thankes giuen to God therefore vpon any other time as well as vpon the twentie fiue of December likewise the Passion Ascension and the rest of these benefits yet wee remember them at certaine set times not because the times require such a worship or the worship such a time to the integritie and lawfulnesse thereof but to the end the worship may be performed orderly once euery yeare in euery place vpon one day that all people wheresoeuer they be at home or abroad may bee instructed and admonished to prayse and magnifie the grace of God and goodnesse of their Sauiour Herein the reformed Churches differ from the Papists who Iudaize in obseruation of those Festiuities because they professe to obserue them not for order only but esteeme them to be sacratiores sanctiores alijs diebus Bellar. de cultu sanctorum lib. 3. cap. 10. pars diuini cultus which we doe not For the Lords Day it hath succeeded to the Sabbath and is holy by diuine Institution hauing for euidence and confirmation thereof both a morall Precept and the exemplarie practice of Christ and his Apostles in Scripture In the forth command after the labour of six dayes the seuenth is appointed to bee sanctified in memoriall of Gods rest from his six dayes worke and the particular day not being expressed in the command was notified to the people either by the exemplary practice of Moses and the Church in the Wildernesse or by tradition of the Fathers going before if so it be that from the Creation that day was obserued Now after the legall shaddowes are abolished whereof the Iewish Sabbath was one if any will demand what day must bee obserued in the Christian Church wee answere that questionlesse for the quotient of the number the day cannot bee altered which by the Law is appointed Heauen and Earth shall perish but one iot of the Law shall not perish Our Sauiour came not to dissolue the Law but to fulfill it In the Law wee heare that God rested the seuenth Day that he blessed and sanctified it and there is a libertie giuen to labour six dayes but the seuenth is commanded to be kept holy so howbeit the Iewish Sabbath which was the shaddow be materially abolished as touching the particular Day yet the Day commanded in the Law formally must remayne and euer be the seuenth after six dayes worke But if yee will aske seeing the seuenth Day in particular is not expressed in the Law and that day which the Iewes obserued is abolished by Christ as the shaddow by the body how the particular and materiall Day may bee knowne that the Christian Church should obserue Vnto this we answere that the particular Day was demonstrated by our Sauiours Resurrection and his Apparitions made thereon by the Apostolicall practice and the perpetuall obseruation of the Church euer since that time of the Day which in Scripture is called the Lords Day as that which the Iewes obserued was called the Lords Sabbath because as the one was appointed by the Lord for a memoriall of his rest after the Creation so the other was inflituted by the Lord for a memoriall of his Resurrection after the Redemption For this wee must hold as a sure ground whatsoeuer the Catholike Church hath obserued in all Ages and is found in Scripture expresly to haue beene practised by Christ and the Apostles such as the sanctification of the Lords Day the same most certainly was instituted by the Lord to bee obserued and his practice in that is exemplar and hath the strength of a particular precept Hereby it is manifest that the sanctification of the Lords Day is of diuine Institution as well by reason of the diuine Precept commanding the seuenth Day in generall to bee obserued as of the diuine practice of Christ and the Apostles their specifying the Day which hath the force of a particular diuine Precept In respect whereof the obseruation of this Day is a point of diuine Worship and is holy not by Ecclesiasticall Constitution but by diuine Institution Moreouer this Day is holy by appropriation of it to a certaine religious vse whereunto no other Day can be applyed namely to bee a memoriall of the Lords rest after the Creation and of his Resurrection after the Redemption As also to be a signe of our sanctification here and of
our glorification hereafter as is manifest by the words of the holy Ghost Exod. 31.13 It shall be a signe betweene me and you that I the Lord doe sanctifie you and that of the fourth to the Hebrewes A rest is left to the people of God wherein we should studie to enter For this wee must hold that whatsoeuer vse vnder the Law was proper to the Iewes Sabbath wherein now vnder the Gospell both Iew and Gentile haue interest remaynes yet proper to the Lords Day that succeeded thereto And in that respect this Day differs from all other Dayes being obserued not for policie and order only but for diuine institution and the religious vse whereunto it is appropriate that is to bee a memoriall First of the Creation as hath beene said because after our sixe dayes worke we rest on it being the seuenth as God did from the workes of the Creation Secondly of the Redemption because on it the Lord arose and perfected that worke and thirdly to be a signe of our sanctification namely that God who hath chosen and sanctified vs to be his people and whom we worship is God the Creator who in sixe dayes created the World and rested the seuenth and God the Redeemer who rose on this Day and hauing abolished sinne and death did bring in righteousnesse and life and God the holy Ghost by whose power hee did rise and by whose power we hope also to be raised againe Vnto this holy and religious vse this Day is appropriated whereunto no other Day besides can bee applyed That to conclude the Church hath power to appoint times for the publike worship of God and to appoint such a kind of worship as shee thinketh most expedient to bee vsed on these times for edification although shee hath no power to make the obseruation of any time a point of Gods worship or to appropriate thereto any part of his worship Finally to end this point of the power of the Church when the people are conuened in the ordinarie place and at the times appointed the Scripture hath not set downe whereat the Pastour should beginne how hee should proceed and wherewith hee should close vp this Seruice as whether hee should beginne with singing of Psalmes or praying or reading or preaching and when hee prayes with what petition he shall beginne what he shall subioyne next and so forth what order he shall obserue in baptizing and celebration of the Supper in Marriage in censuring of notorious offenders by Excommunication in Absolution and to bee short in all such other points of Doctrine Discipline and Diuine Seruice there is nothing particularly prescribed Although the substance of all be in the Word yet the order disposition forme and manner are left to be determined by the Church Many of which points are of farre greater moment then any of the Articles concluded at Perth Thus much for the power of the Church We come now to the extent of this power It is certaine that this power cannot reach to any thing essentiall or materiall in the worship of God but to the decencie The Church hath power to determine generall circumstances necessary for Gods worship and order only which is to bee obserued for edification in the circumstances aboue specified Let all things bee done decently and in order saith the Apostle The things themselues that are to be done are partly specified in that same Chapter where this rule is giuen and in the word else-where they are fully and particularly expressed and not left to be prescribed according to the will and iudgement of the Church but by this Precept a power is giuen only to the Church to prescribe the decent manner forme and order how they should be done And so to determine the circumstances which are in the generall necessary to bee vsed in diuine worship but not particularly defined in the Word So by warrant of this Precept the Church hath no power to forme new Articles of Faith new Precepts of Obedience new Petitions of Prayer new Sacraments or new Rites and Ceremonies such as Salt Oyle Spittle Chrisme Ashes holy Water Lights and innumerable such other things which cannot be reduced to any circumstances that in the generall are of necessary vse wherein the Church of Rome abusing her libertie hath laid vpon the Christian Church a burthen of Rites no lesse intollerable then the Legall Ceremonies yea and haue imposed them to bee obserued not onely as things belonging to policie and order but as parts of diuine worship which we of the reformed Church reiect esteeming all that to bee will worship which men impose to be obserued as necessarie points of the seruice of God which himselfe hath ordayned in his Word Further The Lawes that the Church makes in their matters are alterable because the Ceremonies and circumstances left to the determination of the Church cannot alwayes be one and the same by reason of the diuersity of Ages Times People and Nations touching them no constant Law can bee set downe as is acknowledged in the one and twentieth Article of the Confession of our Faith confirmed by Parliament but altered they may be and altered they should be when necessitie requires In which case Charitie sayes Caluine can best iudge what is most expedient Hanc si moderatricem patiemur salua erunt omnia The power of the Church being thus limited The obedience due to the Ordinances of the Church it is without controuersie that the Canons made by her touching the circumstances that in the generall are necessary for the worship of God ought to bee obeyed so long as they stand vnchanged or abrogated not because they contayne in them any substantiall or materiall part of Religion or that they haue in them any diuine Authoritie as the Commandements of God which in conscience bind to obedience but because in them an order is established tending to vnitie and peace whereby confusion scandall and Schisme is eschewed and because the power of the Church whereby these Lawes are made is the Ordinance of God and confirmed by the authoritie of his Word commanding vs to obey them that are set ouer vs in the Lord the Canons of the Church must be obeyed for reuerence of the Ordinance and Commandement of God which is the onely direct and immediate obiect of our conscience and the religious band that tyes vs to the obedience of euery humane ordinance for conscience sake But because many excuse their disobedience with a pretext of conscience I will shortly set downe the rules of conscience that by the Word of God we are obliged to follow in our actions The first is whatsoeuer is commanded The rules of Conscience or forbidden in the Word expresly or by necessary consequence ought to be obeyed The next is whatsoeuer is commanded or forbidden by the Lawes and Ordinances of our Superiours Ciuill or Ecclesiastique the same if it be not contrarie to Gods Word should be obeyed by reason of his expresse
is set downe if wee make not the Law the rule of our obedience and conscience but our owne priuate opinions and conceits then must we with the Anabaptists disproue and condemne all sorts of Gouernment and liue like lawlesse Libertines euery man following his owne conceite whereunto it is certaine the peruersenesse of our nature carryes vs that is alwayes prone to rebellion and therefore easily drawne thereto with any shew of reason pretext of conscience and religion which the Penner of this pestilent Pamphlet considering intends with Lyes Calumnies Falshoods craftie Cauillations Threatnings and Terrours of Oathes Promises and Subscriptions to deceiue the simple stirre vp the Seditious confirme the Rebellious to beare down the Truth his Maiesties Authority the Power of the Church and all that loue Order follow after peace To obuiate this his seditious and malicious purpose it was not onely expedient but necessary that this answere should bee made which by the grace of God shall giue such satisfaction to all good and vpright hearted men as they shall preferre the iudgement determination and lawfull Constitutions of the Church to the singularitie of their owne and other priuate mens opinions order to confusion peace to contention and vnitie to schisme aswell for the feare of God who hath giuen power to his Church to set downe Lawes for order and decencie and hath commanded vs to submit our selues thereto as for obedience to the sacred will of our most gracious Souereigne at whose instant and earnest desire these Articles being found lawfull were concluded and are now commanded to bee practised When Dauid would haue gone out against Absalon hee was stayed by the people who esteemed his life more worth then a thousand of theirs So should euery good Christian esteeme of the loue and fauour of the Prince towards the Church Salomon sayes that the wrath of a King is the Messenger of Death and like to the roring of a Lion which a Wiseman will pacifie and not prouoke and that his fauour is as the cloud of the latter raine and as the dew vpon the grasse The truth of this is manifest in the Stories of the Church what comfort the fauour of Constantine the Great did giue to the Christian Church may be seene by the barbarous and cruell persecutions of the Emperours that went before The euils troubles and calamities that the Church of England endured in the dayes of Queene Marie declared what benefit they enioyed by King Edward her Predecessor and Queene Elizabeth her Successor The beastly crueltie and massacres vsed in France vnder the Gouernment of the Predecessors of Henrie the Great hath made manifest to the World what wracke and misery the discontentment and offence of Princes and how great blessing and felicity their loue and fauour produces to the Church of God within their Dominions What need wee to goe further then the Scriptures for examples to this purpose therein wee see that as the Church decayed vnder wicked and idolatrous Gouernours so did it euer reuiue and flourish vnder religious and godly Kings We stand much vpon the offence of people and esteeme greatly of their fauour wherein I will not say we doe euill but should wee put their fauour and offence in ballance with the fauour and offence of him whom God hath annointed and appointed to be the nursing Father of this Church In whose loue we haue found by experience and daily findes greater benefite and good for the aduancement of true Religion then can bee expected from many thousands of our best Professors let be at their hands who in Religion like nothing well but contention whereby they make their aduantage one way or other as they are inclined delighting to fish as the Prouerbe is in troubled waters It is often obiected that the chiefe cause of our yeelding at Perth to the fiue Articles was the respect we had to the fauour of the Prince and the feare of his wrath against my selfe in particular it is falsly obiected by the penner of this Pamphlet that I confessed we had neither Reason Scripture nor Antiquitie for them yet to diuert the Kings wrath from the Church yeelding was best The truth is at that time I spake only of kneeling at the receiuing of the Communion and said no more then I haue set downe in print in that Treatise which I published for kneeling in the last words of the first Section of the first Chapter and in the first Section of the second Chapter at the beginning this was That neither Scripture Antiquitie nor Reason doe enforce any necessitie either for lying sitting standing or kneeling at the Sacrament and that all these gestures being indifferent I held it most expedient to yeeld and not to striue with our gracious Souereigne for a matter of that nature repeating this Verse Cedere maiori virtutis fama secunda est Illa grauis palma est quam minor hostis habet This I said at that time and so yet I thinke that to eschue the Prince his offence and to keep confirme and increase his loue and fauour towards the Gospell and the Church was a respect and cause great enough wherefore we should haue yeelded vnto his Maiesties desire in matters indifferent against the lawfulnesse whereof nothing hath beene or can bee obiected which is not and may not be easily answered Against the expediencie the feare of scandall was and is all that could be pretended which if wee were peaceably disposed might haue beene and yet may be very easily remoued and therefore such a seare ought neither to haue impedite our yeelding at that time nor our obedience now We are exhorted by the holy Ghost to feare God and obey the King Where obedience to the Prince may stand with Gods feare it ought to bee preferred by euery good Christian to all other respects and especially by the Pastors of the Church who should as lights goe before others both in doctrine and example chiefly when peace and vnitie may bee procured and preserued in Gods house by our obedience For vnitie wee should bee ready to lay downe our liues as well as for veritie which Dionysius Bishop of Alexandria writing to Nouatus affirmed saying Oportuerit etiam pati omnia ne scinderetur Ecclesia Dei Euseb Hist Eccles lib. 6. cap. 34. erat non inferior gloria sustinere martyrium pro eo ne scindatur Ecclesia quà m est illa ne idolis immoletur Immo secundum meam sententiam maius hoc put◠esse martyrium ibi enim vnusquisque pro sua tantùm anima in hoc verò pro omni Ecclesia martyrium sustinet That is to say It behoued thee to haue suffered all things that the Church of God should not haue been rent it had bin no lesse glorie to haue sustained martyrdome for this that the Churches vnitie might haue beene preserued then for refusing to sacrifice vnto Idols Yea in my minde this is a greater martyrdome for in that euerie man suffereth
with some limitations which his Maiesty disliked The mind that is offended hardly interprets any thing well so fared it in this matter The delay of our answere to the rest of the Articles mooued his Maiestie to call our grant of this Article scornfull and ridiculous I was bold in a priuate Letter to shew there was a mistaking and iustifie that which was done neither should I speake any more of it but that it hath beene complayned that some of our Ministerie beeing earnestly entreated by certaine sicke persons for the comfort of that Sacrament since that time haue deuyed the same To iustifie therefore that which then was inacted I say shortly that by our calling wee are directly bound to minister vnto men in the last houre all the helpes and comforts wee possibly can the naturall terrours of death and fearefull doubts of conscience which at that time commonly perplexe men require this at our hands therefore Visitation of the sicke is earnestly commended to Ministers in their admission that they bee readie to attend the sicke person and as his estate craues minister comfort vnto him by preaching the promises of grace and mercie to all penitent sinners Why this Sacrament that is the seale of Gods promises and a speciall meane of binding vp our Communion with Christ should bee denyed to such as desire the same in that time there can be no reason Howbeit saluation depends not vpon the Sacrament and that they vse it superstitiously that giues it for a viaticum to the dying the end of a man cannot but be the more comfortable and his death accompanyed with the greater contentment and tranquilitie of minde when his desire is satisfied in this point For this is to bee considered that it is not to all that die nor to all that are sicke but to such onely whose recouery is desperate and vrgently desire the comfort of this Sacrament that the same is appointed to bee ministred Of which purpose Caluin deliuers his opinion in his 52. Epistle in these words De Coenae administratione conseo libenter admittendum esse hunc morem vt apud aegrotos celebretur communio quum ita res opportunitas feret Nec magnopere repugnandum esse quin maleficis detur qui plectendi sunt si quidem postulent ad receptionem satis comparatos esse appareat hac tamen lege vt sit vnà communio hoc est vt panis in coetu aliquo fidelium frangatur And in his 361. Epistle answering some one that had moued him in this matter he beginnes on this manner Cur coenam aegrotis negandam esse non arbitror multae graues causae me impellunt as you may see in the place Bucer Bullinger and Zepperus are of the same iudgement and the last of these three putting the case that none is by this sicke man disposed to communicate sayes Quod ne sic quidem priuandus est communione aegrotus You may see his reasons in the twelft Chapter of his first Booke De Politia Ecclesiastica Our owne Church hath practised the same in former times as was qualified in diuers particulars at the last Assembly So where the reformed Churches haue approued it and wee our selues by our owne practice now to stand against it when by a speciall Canon it is appointed to bee done cannot but bee thought obstinate disobedience I come to the Article of Baptisme This craues that in the case of necessitie when a child without hazard may not bee brought out of doores it bee lawfull to the Minister to baptise in a priuate house It was not long since a custome amongst vs that no Minister would baptise except vpon the ordinarie day of teaching this same being complayned of in the Assembly that was kept at Holy Rood-house in the yeare 1602. an Ordinance was made that whensoeuer a Parent should require baptisme to his child the Minister should not deny it without delaying to the ordinarie day of preaching The question was then of the Time now it is of the Place Whereabout this you all know that in the institution of Baptisme the Lord Iesus hath not tyed vs to any place but his command binds all men to bee baptized And wee that are Ministers by our calling are obliged to baptise howsoeuer wee doe not thinke Baptisme absolutely necessary vnto saluation and the child that wants it vpon a necessitie ineuitable nothing preiudiced that way yet if the occasion present there is no doubt but the Minister hath a necessitie lying vpon him to baptize although time place and other circumstances required for the due and solemne administration be not concurring But this yee will say fosters the Popish opinion of the necessitie of Baptisme Let Bucer answer it To with-hold Baptisme for want of the due solemnities sayes hee opens a doore to the Deuill to bring in the contempt of Christs Ordinance and our whole redemption by him We haue a Commandement to baptize and this to vs is a necessary duety which we may not leaue vndone As for inconueniences we must meet them as wisely as we may by doctrine and diligent catechizing but in no sort neglect the Commandement that is giuen Yee shall haue Caluin his iudgement also in this matter being asked Vbinam baptismus recte administrari possit He answers Fas non est administrare baptismum nisi in coetu fidelium non quidem vt templum requiratur sed vt vbiuis numerus aliquis fidelium conueniat qui Ecclesiae corpus efficiat Yee haue this in his 185. Epistle And thus much for Baptisme The third Article is of Confirmation to be giuen to children when they are come to the yeares of discretion and that is one of the most ancient customes of the Christian Church from the dayes of the Apostles it hath continued and with them it began Neither is there any thing more profitable for it helps children to bee seasoned with the principles of true Religion layes a good foundation for the better direction of their whole life preserues the seede of the Church sound makes children more diligent to learne and Pastors and Parents more carefull to instruct them The neglect of this dutie hath done much harme in the Church and the restitution of that good custome which Caluin in the fourth Booke of his Institutions earnestly wishes could not but bring with it an exceeding great benefit It was in substance agreed vnto in the Assembly at Abirdene but two things his Maiestie found deficient in the Act One that there was no mention of laying on of hands vpon the child confirmed Another was that the performance of it was not restricted to the Bishops care And for this last it is cleare by all Antiquitie that the power of Confirming appertayned euer to Bishops Not that Confirmation is a Sacrament of greater dignitie then Baptisme as the Papists teach these were the thoughts of ignorance but as S. Hierome speakes The Church thought fit that seeing Baptisme is giuen by
conueniently enough placed according as the house could beare wherein the said meeting was kept wee must thinke this complaint proceeds of too much pride and sawcinesse The man cannot abide to heare of degrees in the Church and places according to degrees but he must haue patience Presbyters must now content to sit and stand behind the Bishops according to the degrees of the old Christian Councels for the time of confusion is expired and Church men must learne now to liue orderly That there was not a lite for election of the Clerke hee must remember that the dimission made by the former was in fauour of Master Iames onely and that the Assembly had not so much adoe to choose a Clerke as to aduise if they would accept him in whose fauour the dimission was made Concerning which point the voyces of the most that could bee obserued 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 Asiembly 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 thoughr meete here also to insert His Maiesties Letter to the ASSEMBLY IAMES Rex RIght reuerend Fathers in GOD Right trustie Cousins and Coumsellos 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 Gods 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 ealled 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
iudgement incline hee must render himselfe obedient to the Constitutions of the Church in which he liues And there is a great difference betweene decerning and discerning though eyther yee or your Printer hath mistaken it for it belongeth to the Iudge to decerne and Christians as ye say euen in their priuate callings may discerne but this their discerning will neuer free them from the subiection of Lawes imposed especially in matters of this nature for wee are now vpon order and policie onely And except ye could shew some euident place out of the Word or bring a necessarie demonstration to warrant your contrarie iudgement your disobedience will euer be faultie The authoritie of the Church must yeeld to the written Word but the iudgements of priuate men to the authoritie of the Church Otherwise we should open a doore to all confusion neyther could there be order in a Church if euery man should bee permitted to follow his owne conceit and doe as his priuie iudgment did leade him This our Church wisely foreseeing in an Assembly kept at Edinburghe anno 1583. 10. Octob. statuted and ordained That no Act concluded by a generall Assembly should bee called in question by any particular brother nay not in another generall Assembly except some iust cause might be seene for the change thereof And if it be not lawfull to call any of the constitutions of the Church in question much lesse to impugne by writ and print the same so maliciously as you haue done I omit the vnseemely match which yee make of English ceremonies and Lutheranisme with Papistrie for this is your malice against the English Church which it becomes you to reuerence and of whom if ye did loue the truth of God ye would haue spoken more honorably PP If the Parliament by acts authorize matters effected with such informalities and nullities matters of themselues so contrarious to our profession their ratification of a vicious thing cannot be a rule to a christian mans conscience But it is to be hoped that the Lord shall so dispose the hearts of Statesmen to the loue of the truth quietnesse of the Church and Country and peace of mens consciences that no vnreason able butthen shall be knit vpon the members of Christs Body by any deed of theirs vnder the name of a benefit to the Church Inuito beneficium non datur ANS Since the time that Kings and Princes became Christian it hath alwayes beene the custome that Synodicall Decrees were authorized by their Lawes not that the allowance or authoritie of Ciuill Lawes is made a rule to a Christians Conscience but that the externall man might thereby bee tyed to the obedience of these things which the Church hath found to be agreeable to the Word of God that is the only rule of conscience and it is to bee hoped that God shall so dispose the hearts of the whole Estate to the loue of his Truth and the Peace and quietnesse of his Church that refractarie and turbulent persons such as ye are shall bee restrayned of your vnbridled licentiousnesse and kept vnder the obedience of the Church and the Orders by her lawfully established which howsoeuer ye that loue to liue after your owne mindes call an vnreasonable burthen all true and peaceable Christians will esteeme a benefite to the Church and bee thankfull vnto God for the same PP Consider three things first the Nullity of this Assembly Secondly thy owne Oath and Subscription how it admits or abhorres this change suppose the Assembly had bin lawfull Thirdly if the particulars offered can be made lawfull or expedient by any Assembly whatsoeuer ANS We haue considered all these three as ye desire and finde the reasons proponed by you for the Nullitie of this Assembly to be Nullities in themselues Next that the Oath and Subscription by you mentioned admits the change concluded and does not abhorre it the same change being a part of the Oath which we all gaue as in discussing of the Oath shall be cleered Thirdly that the particulars concluded are things lawfull of their owne nature indifferent and most conuenient for this time in regard the generall Church who hath the place and power of determining the expediencie of Rites and Ceremonies hath interposed their authority to the same which in the estimation of Wisemen is sufficient to make them bee compted such An answere to the Articles presented to the Assembly AVGVST 27. and quotations added by the Pamphleter for confirmation PP FOr so much as we haue beene debarred of accesse and from hearing the proceedings of the Conference their Reasonings Consultations and Aduisements about the Articles proponed to this generall Assembly whereof all and euery one of them so nearely touches vs in our Christian resolution and offices of our Ministry in most humble manner wee present to your consideration the particulars hereafter specified in the feare of God intreating your fauourable answere to the same ANS Neither he who presented the Articles nor they who penned them can affirme truely that they were absent from the Conference and none were debarred who were desirous to be present The truth is after long and modest reasoning and graue deliberation when all had beene heard both in priuate at the Conference and in publique before the Assembly and all doubts and obiections had beene proponed answered and satisfied these or the like Articles were presented not for resolution of those by whom they were proponed who were already setled in this resolution not to be resolued but to perturbe the mindes of these who were prepared to vote and conclude and so to bring all in question againe that before had beene discussed and therefore were iustly reiected by the Moderator as malicious and crafty delatorie exceptions as shall bee manifest by the answeres following made to them not as they were presented to the Assembly but as they are proponed here with your Additions Quotations and Confirmations The first Article PP THe Articles proponed if they be concluded they doe innouate and bring vnder the slander of change the estate of this Church so aduisedly established by Ecclesiasticall Constitutions Acts of Parliament approbation of other Churches and good liking of the best reformed Christians without and within this Kingdome and so euidently blessed with happy successe and sensible experience of Gods greatest benefits by the space of fiftie eight yeares and aboue so that wee may boldly say to the praise of God That no Church hath enioyed the truth and puritie of Religion in larger libertie And vpon some such considerations it pleased his gracious Maiestie to continue the Church of England in her established estate as may bee seene in the Conference at Hampton Court and Thomas Sparke his booke written thereupon Ipsa quippe mutatio etiam quae adiuuat vtilitate nouitate perturbat quapropter quae vtilis non est perturbatione infructuosa consequenter noxia est saith Augustine Epist. 118. that is Euen a change that is helpefull for vtilitie perturbeth
manner and forme as followeth Answ The Libeller hath forgotten to exclude Confirmation but since it is vnderstood wee answere to the rest First That the solemne ministration of the Sacraments appointed by the Church especially the act of the assembly holden at Edinburgh Anno 1581. which forbiddeth the ministration thereof in priuate houses excludes not the ministration thereof in priuate places when as necessitie vrges cases of necessitie being euer esteemed as excepted from all ordinarie rules of policie in which the same is not expressed Secondly The obseruation of the Lords day was so appointed as it did not exclude any of the Holy dayes now concluded to be obserued except Christmas only and this our Church excluded not simply but only so farre as it was imposed vpon the consciences of men to bee obserued as a part of diuine worship without warrant of the Word as it is expresly declared in the first booke of Discipline penned by Master Iohn Knox anno 1560. both in the explication of the first head touching doctrine and the second touching the Sacraments Thirdly Sitting at the Table in the act of receiuing the Sacrament was neuer esteemed by our Church either as a necessary point of doctrine or discipline which might not be altered but onely in the iudgement of our Reformers held to be most conuenient Neither was kneeling euer excluded except by way of consequence where sitting is ordained to bee vsed in stead thereof as it is in the first booke of Discipline But neither in that booke nor in the second which was approued by the generall Assembly holden anno 1581. nor by any Ciuill Law or Ecclesiasticall Canon was kneeling condemned or excluded as vnlawfull in the act of receiuing the holy Sacrament This shall suffice for the Articles in generall Now we come to the fiue Obligations whereby our Church as yee alledge is bound The summe of that which yee say is shortly and truely this PP The Obligatious whereby wee are bound to exclude the Conclusions of the Assembly at Perth and to obey defend and maintaine the contrary are first The vniforme iudgement of the Church condemning the one and allowing the other Secondly Ecclesiasticall Canons publike confessions and solemne protestations of lawful assemblies Thirdly actes of Parliament ratifying the Constitutions of the Cnurch Fourthly The prescription of 59. yeares and fiftly the Oath and subscriptions of the whole Estates of the Realme By all these bands the Church in generall and euery member thereof in particular are obliged to sit at the Communion and to reiect kneeling with the obseruation of the fiue Holy dayes and other things concluded in the Assembly at Perth ANS Yee are n̄ot able to produce any warrant for the vniforme iudgement of the Church nor Canon of Assembly nor act of Parliament nor confession of faith nor publike protestation which either condemnes the points concluded at Perth as vnlawfull to bee vsed in the worship of God or establisheth the contrary as things necessary that cannot be altered in no time succeeding And as for your 59. yeares practise it cannot change the uature of things indifferent and make these formes and circumstances which are of themselues alterable become necessary and vnchangeable yea by the contrary the prescription of a long time giues iust cause often of alteration because either the things practised which at the beginning were profitable become hurtfull or that which was conuenient in the time preceding becommeth inconuenient or because the same things are abused to superslition and prophanenesse or because an opinion is bred by long custome of necessitie This I make manifest by the one and twentieth article of the Coufession of our faith confirmed in the first Parliament holden by his Maiesty anno 1567. Decemb. 15. which ye affirme your selfe to haue sworne and subscribed The words of the article are these about the end thereof The other end of generall Councels was for good policie to bee constituted and obserued in the Church whereas in the house of God it becommeth all things to be done decently and in order not that wee thinke that any policie and order in ceremonies can be appointed for all ages times and places for as Ceremonies such as men haue deuised are but temporall so may and ought they to bee changed when they rather foster superstition then that they edisie the Church vsing the same Likewise in the seuenth chapter of the second booke of Discipline registred amongst the acts of the generall Assembly anno 1581. we haue two conclusions to the same purpose set downe in these words The finall end of all Assemblies is first to keepe the Religion and Doctrine in puritie without error and corruption Next to keepe comlinesse and good order in the Church For this orders cause they may make cortaine rules and constitutions pertaining to the good behaniour of all the members of the Church in their vocation Secondly they haue power also to abrogate and abolish all statutes and ordinances concerning Ecclesiasticall matters that are found noysome or vnprofitable or agree not with the time or are abused by the people Hereby it is euident that seeing the matters controuerted are but matters of circumstance forme and ceremony as afterwards shall be proued that neither the Church in generall nor any member thereof in particular did or might lawfully binde themselues by oath subseription or any other obligation not to change or alter their practise and customes touching these things for all they that subscribe the Consession of faith and the second booke of Discipline did sweare that they thought these things should and might be altered when necessitie required This answere being made to the first foure Obligations we come to the Oath about which yee spend many words and before yee begin moue the question following PP Quaritur if one or moe Preachers or Professours in the Church of Scotland standing to the Churches former iudgement and able to defend the same by good reason at least seeing no warrant in the contrary may dispense with the said Oath and follow the pluralitie of Preachers and Professors dispensing with the same in the Assembly Or what power may compell the alteration of iudgement and loose the said Oath in any case aforesaid ANS The former iudgement of our Church whereunto wee did binde our selues by our oathes was that no policie nor order in ceremonies could be appointed for all ages times and places and that the same might and ought to bee changed vpon great causes and weightie reasons as is euident by the former answere To this iudgement of the Church the Assembly at Perth adhered and according thereto altered some customes touching circumstantiall ceremonies formerly vsed in the Church vpon good and great reasons neither did that Assembly loose the said Oath or dispense with it in any sort but hath confirmed it by their owne practise Wherefore I answere That euery Preacher and Professor in our Church should stand to the former iudgement thereof whereunto
yee should know that these are but things accessory to the essentiall forme of Gods worship whereunto his Maiesty did sweare at his Coronation which to this day constantly he hath maintained and will by the grace of God for many yeares after yea euen vntill that temporall Crowne bee changed with that eternall Another defence ye alledge is vsed by the Pastors and Professors that liue obedient to the Laws of the Church They haue not violated their Oath they say because the substance of Religion is kept and onely some indifferent points altered And to this yee make three replyes First saying That we sware to keepe the same forme of worship that was vsed in the Church of Scotland and specially in the vse of the Sacraments Secondly That the Oath was in a matter of Religion which is not changeable as are the Statutes of Republiques and Corporations Thirdly Put the case yee say the points innouated were matters indifferent yet seeing they were once abiured for their abuse they may not be receiued againe except either we could prooue that our oath in the beginning was vnlawfull or that our former formes are become vnlawfull not expedient for edification of the Church or lesse edificatiue then the ceremonies presently vrged I answere to the first That the forme of worship vsed in the Church of Scotland is not altered for still we hold that forme of worship which is prescribed to vs in the Word defended receiued by many notable Churches and Realmes and particularly contained in the Confession of our Faith As for the gesture and kneeling and those other circumstances of times and places where the Sacraments may be ministred in cases of extremity there is no man being in his right wits that will thinke the forme of Gods worship consisteth in such things or that they are any part thereof Your second reply we admit and affirme according thereto That the matter of Religion whereto we sware is not alterable nor can it bee changed And that the points questioned being of their owne nature indifferent are excluded from the Oath and are no part of the matter thereof To your third reply I answere That wee haue not receiued any thing againe in our Church which euer was damned and abiured for their abuse for in the negatiue part of our oath wherein Papistrie is abiured there is no mention of kneeling nor of the commemoration of Christs benefits vpon the fiue anniuersary dayes nor is any of the other three Articles euer touched It is true that Popish dedication of dayes to other Creatures and the obseruation of them with an opinion of necessitie or that they were any part of Gods worship are abiured in that Confession and that also wee haue condemned in the Acte made at Perth concerning the obseruation of these times but to make commemoration of the benefits that our Sauiour by his Birth Passion Resurrection and Ascension hath brought vnto vs we neuer held it vnlawfull nor did count it a matter of abuse Therefore it is not necessary that either our oath be proued vnlawful or our former formes it sufficeth that they bee prooued lesse edificatiue or not so expedient for the time because they are abused by the people to superstition and prophanenesse as afterwards we will make cleare in their owne place Where yee say That it was confessed in the Assembly that they were not expedient for our Church and that the same were yeelded vnto for holding of some externall inconueniences a matter now denied yee say as importing tyrannie because you confesse you haue this only by report and it is the nature of all your sort to be too credulous we passe it In the meane time wee will not deny that to some they appeared very inexpedient for diuers respects of the which the chiefe were the discredit they feared to icurre with their people that did esteeme the condemning of the abuse of these ceremonies to haue been an absolute reiecting of them as ceremonies idolatrous which neuer was done by any prudent or wise Pastor another respect was because simple ones that had not learned to make distinction betweene circumstances and the substance of Religion might take occasion by the alteration of these externall things to thinke that wee began to change Religion in substance and a third respect was that by embracing these things we did seeme to symbolize with Papists and were turning backe againe to their superstition and idolatrie These were and are the chiefest respects for which they were not thought expedient to bee receiued in our Church To begin at the last whereof that is our conformitie with Papists It is needfull that our people bee taught that the disconformitie betweene them and vs is not so much in any externall vse of ceremonies as in the substance of the Seruice and object whereunto they are applied In kneeling at Prayer and receiuing of the Sacrament there is no disconformitie betweene them and vs but in the obïect whereunto our kneeling is directed for the Papists in prayer kneele to an Idoll and in the Sacrament they kneele to the signe wee kneele in our prayer to God and by the Sacrament to the thing signified So in our cessation from ordinary worke on the Lords day and on the Holy daies now appointed there is no disconformitie but the difference is in the employment of the time and in the exercise and worship for which the cessation is commanded For the simple ones It is most expedient to teach them to put distinction between the ceremonies and the substance of Religion betweene that which is necessary to be obserued as a part of Gods worship and that which is onely ordained for order and decencie for it is a kinde of superstition to esteeme indifferent ceremonies and circumstances of Diuine Seruice to bee essentiall parts thereof which may not be omitted or changed without breach of Gods institution This is to obserue things or abstaine from them with opinion of necessitie for conscience Religion towards God And seeing the Church ought to change and alter ceremonies when they are thus abused by people vnto superstition this is one pregnant reason wherefore the alteration should haue beene made As to that which they speake of the credite of Pastors the same ought not to be maintained by fostering an errour in the hearts of people namely that the Ministers taught that which they neuer taught or at least should not haue taught As by example that the obseruation of the fiue Holy dayes to the commemoration of Christs benefits is vnlawfull This I am assured was ne-neuer done by any well aduised Preacher for it had bin a condemning of the Primitiue Church and all the Reformed Churches now in the world Likewise to haue taught that kneeling in the acte of receiuing the Sacrament is vnlawfull were to haue contradicted the best and most learned Diuines we haue Beza saith of it Speciem habet piae ac Christianae venerationis ac proinde olim
potuit cum fructu vsurpari That is to say kneeling at the Sacrament hath a shew of holy and Christian worshippe and therefore of old might haue been fruitfully vsed Whereby yee see he condemneth not simply the ceremonie but witnesseth that there was a time when the same did edifie and profite Caluine before him called it Cultum legitimum that is a Lawfull adoration being vsed in the action of the Supper and directed to Christ Petrus Martyr saith Multi piè genua flectunt adorant that is Many in receiuing the Sacrament doe bow their knees religiously and adore Christs flesh Paraeus speaking of the same gesture esteemes it an indifferent ceremonie And that which so great and learned Diuines iudged to bee lawfull what are we to condemne Next I answere That the credite of the Pastours should not be maintained with the discredit of the Prince amongst his Subiects for if they who should be patternes of reuerence and obedience to others shall in their owne persons withstand the lawfull desires godly intention of a Christian Prince the same cannot but breed disobedience and a hard conceit of the Prince amongst his people which we haue already found and perceiued As for the inconueniences feared they are friuolous and should neuer fall out if Pastors were peaceable and prudent But when they are all put together that can bee alledged if they shall bee laid in a ballance there is one commoditie which the alteration imports that shall preponder them all to wit Our vnitie and conformitie with the Primitiue Church and with the greatest number and best Reformed Churches in Europe in points of policie that most assuredly tend to farre greater deuotion piety and edification then our formes vsed in former times This being his Maiesties principall designe in vrging these Articles giueth to the world an euident testimony of his Princely zeale to procure the peace and good of the Church so farre as is possible and therefore none will charge his Maiesty with the vniust imputation of tyranny but malicious and seditious spirits whom by this pestilent Pamphlet ye trauell to perswade for feare of periury to periure themselues as is manifest in the words yee subioyne PP Our assertory Oath is already past and wee become periured if we come in the contrary This is an high degree of periury when not onely we contrauene our oath by practise but make lawes in the contrary therafter inueigh against our oath as Puritanisme If sincere and constant professors shal be still pursued for their constancie in their Profession and the conscience they make of the Oath doe we not expone the whole Nation to a wofull vengeance and perpetuall ignominy ANS Our assertory Oath touching the Articles controuerted condemneth those onely in the guilt of periury who hold that policy and order in ceremonies may not be altered when necessity requireth and being altered ought not to bee obeyed And indeede it is a profound point of infernall policy not only by an exemplary practise of disobedience against the lawes of Ecclesiasticall Discipline to contrauene the Oath in your owne Person but also vnder pretext of constancy of Profession and conscience of the Oath to perswade others for feare of periury to periure themselues Whereby yee both expose your selues to the fearefull iudgement of Gods vengeance and drawe others with you to the same perdition Your sophisticke cauillations whereby yee intend seditiously to proue the vnlawfulnesse of the Articles concluded at Perth shall now bee answered and the truth cleared to the satisfaction of all men who are not contentious An answere to the arguments brought against kneeling in the act of receiuing of the holy Communion PP IT hath been the vniforme and constant order of this Church since the Reformation that the Communicants should receiue the Sacramentall elements of Bread and Wine sitting at the Table In the second head of the first booke of Discipline are set downe these words The Table of the Lord is then rightly ministred when it approacheth most neere to Christs owne action But plaine it is that at that Supper Christ Iesus sate with his Disciples and therefore we doe iudge that sitting at that Table is most conuenient to that holy action In the generall Assembly holden in Decemb. 1562 it was ordained That one vniforme order should be obserued in the ministration of the Sacraments according to the order of Geneua And in December 1564 It was ordained That Ministers in ministration of the Sacraments shall vse the order set downe in the Psalme bookes In the Assembly holden anno 1591 It was ordained that an Article should bee formed and presented to his Maiesty and the Estates crauing order to be taken with them who giue or receiue the Sacrament after the Papisticall manner In the Kings Confession of Faith subscribed and sworne by persons of all estates are contained these words We detest all the ceremonies of the Romane Antichrist added to the ministration of the Sacraments we detest all his Rites Signes and Traditions This laudable order was altered at the pretended Assembly holden last at Perth in August anno 1618. The tenor of the Act followeth as it was formed by some of the Bishops and their Followers a The Libeller cites the Acte of Perth most corruptly which the Reader shall mend by the notes in the margine Since wee are commanded by God himselfe that when wee come to worship him we fall downe and kneele before the Lordour Maker and considering withall that there is no part of Diuine worship more heauenly and spirituall then is the holy receiuing of the blessed body and blood of our Lord and Sauiour lesus Christ like as the most humble and reuerend gesture of the body in our meditation and lifting vp of our hearts best becommeth so diuine and sacred an action Therefore notwithstanding that our Church hath vsed since thereformation of Religion to celebrate the holy Communion to the people sitting by reason of the great abuse of kneeling b The Acte saith Vsed in the Idolatrous worship at the worshipping of the Sacrament by the Papists yet now seeing all memory of by-past superstition is past c These words yee haue added of your owne head to the Acte and no perill of the same againe is feared in reuerence d These words are to be read thus In reuerence of God and in due regard of so Diuine c. of so diuine a mystery and in remembrance of so mysticall an vnion as wee are made partakers of e The words in the Acte are not such but thus it is The Assembly thinkes good that that blessed Sacrament c. thereby doe ordaine that that blessed Sacrament be celebrated hereafter weekely and reuerently vpon their knees This alteration is to vs vnlawfull for that which hath bin established by so many lawes Ciuill and Ecclesiasticall by so long custome and prescription of time confirmed by our oathes and subscriptions we may not lawfully alter But
it is not certaine that they sate at the Receiuing If yee reply it is not written that they did alter the gesture of sitting to that I answere before and it is the Papists argument against the giuing of the Cup to the Layickes it is not written say they that the Cup was giuen in this place Therefore c. Also yee know that the time of Christ his sitting heere with his Disciples at Emmaus was the night season the place a priuate Inne that the breaking and giuing of that bread was before or after another ordinary supper and that onely men were there present and not women all which points being certaine according to your first reason whereby yee intended to proue sitting to haue been instituted it will follow that all these circumstances and things were instituted to be obserued as well as sitting because our Sauiour retained all these things hauing no necessity at this time to celebrate the Sacrament Thirdly I say if the Sacrament was here ministred we haue an expresse warrant for priuate Communion which yee impugue for Iesus heere ministred vnto two onely and yee will not content to haue it ministred to three Lastly it is the iudgement of the learned Caluine That there was no celebration of the Sacrament at that time and that Christ was knowne to these Disclples by an ordinary prayer which he vsed in blessing of the Table and not by the celebration of the Sacrament which opinion he saith although it seeme plausible is no more then a coniecture which leanes to no probable reason Then yee see that it is vncertaine whether Christ gaue this Sacrament at Emmaus and if he did that there sitting at the Receiuing is also vncertaine And therby your argument is nought and serueth only to establish priuate Communion Thus haue you gained nothing by this testimony but lost much PP Last of all after his Ascension and glorification in the heauens the Apostolike Church sate at Table The manner of the partaking of the table of Diuels was by formall sitting at table in the house of the Idoll Ionathan the Chaldee Paraphrast Amos 2.8 interpreteth the garments whereon the Vsurer sate beside euery Altar to haue been beds prepared in the houses of their gods to sit on when they feasted vpon things sacrificed to Idols The people of Israel sate downe to eate and drink at the jdolatrous feast of the golden Calfe The Apostle compareth the partaking of the Lords Table and the table of Diūels 1. Cor. 10.21 Next they sate at the Loue feasts we cannot thinke that they rose from the Tables to receiue the Sacrament ANS To proue that the Apostolike Church sate at Table you bring the comparison that the Apostle makes betweene the partaking of the Lords Table and the table of Diuels and the partaking of the table of Diuels you say was by a formall sitting at table in the house of the Idoll for which yee alledge Ionathan the Chaldee Paraphrast vpon the eight verse of the second chapter of Amos but neither the Text nor his interpretation proues the formall sitting yee speake of for the text saith they laid themselues downe vpon clothes by euery Altar and not that they sate And the Paraphrast as Mercerus expounds him saith That those clothes were Parapetasmata that is couerings or mattes whereupon they laid themselues downe and not sate by euery Altar and not in the Idols house And for the place of the Apostle Yee cannot be partakers of the Table of the Lord and of the table of Diuels there is no materiall or artificiall table vnderstood either by the one Table or the other and by participation formall sitting is not meant This is manifest by these words Yee cannot be partakers for certaine it is that they might haue sitten formally at table in the house of the Idoll and eaten of their sacrifices and might also haue sitten at the Lords Table formally and receiued the external elements But the Apostle saith That these two Tables and the participation of them are so opposed as they could not be partakers of both Therfore by the table of Diuels in that place we vnderstand the sacrifices offered to Diuels and by participation we vnderstand the eating of these sacrifices with a conscience toward the Idoll where euer it was done whether in the Idols Temple as 1. Cor. 8.10 or in the priuate houses of Idolaters as 1. Cor. 10.27.28 And by the Table of the Lord we vnderstand the body and blood of our Sauiour in the Sacrament and by the partaking of the Lords Table the spirituall eating and drinking of his flesh and bloud in the Sacrament by a true and liuely faith These two Tables and partakings could not stand together And so by the Table of the Lord the Apostle meanes not a material table at which the Communicants sate but the body of Christ in the Sacrament According to this Causabone in his Exercitations against Baronius 16.36 citing these words Non potestis mensae Dominiparticipes esse c. saith Hîc mensa Domini est ipsa Eucharistia quam exemplo Pauli Patresita saepè nominant That is The Table of the Lord in this place is the Eucharist it selfe which the Fathers often call by this name of the table following Saint Pauls example Now where yee adde that the people of Israel sate downe to eate and drinke at the feast of the golden Calfe I am assured yee thinke not that the Israelites had a materiall table at which they sate in that feast so as their sitting will make nothing for the formall sitting which yee would conclude And for that which yee tell vs of the Loue feasts that people sate at them and that yee cannot thinke they rose from the table to receiue the Sacrament yee must know that your thoughts are no probation and whatsoeuer yee thinke it is the Apostles expresse minde that they who discerne not the body of the Lord from that and all other carnall feasts are guilty of his body And if yee thinke these holy mysteries were worthily receiued if after the same manner and at the same time and table they receiued without making discretion between the one feast and the other yee thinke not according to the truth Nam hîc coena à mysterijs toto genere diuersa erat as Causabone speakes in the same booke of his Exercitations 16.31 Then to conclude neither haue yee proued that the Apostles or Apostolike Church receiued the Sacrament sitting formally at a table nor if they sate that their sitting was exemplary for Whatsoeuer is exemplary in Christ his actions or in the Apostles or in the Apostolike Churches is either morall and commanded in the Decalogue generally or then it is some action or circumstantiall ceremony of Religion enioyned by precept in the Gospell But sitting at the Sacrament is neither morall and so commanded in the Decalogue or is it an action or circumst antiall ceremony of Religion enioyned by precept in the Gospell Therefore sitting
of his grace and glory in the one and other this religious worship no man wil deny to be lawfully performed as well by the worthy receiuer of the Sacrament as by the reuerent hearer of the Word for as we bow not to the letters and syllables and sounds of the words of the Gospell but to him whose minde and will is declared therein So doe wee not bow to the elements of bread and wine in the Sacrament but to him whose body and bloud we receiue thereby But you to make the world beleeue that the Churches of Scotland and England kneele to the elements of bread and wine in the Sacrament at least haue ordained so to be done you alledge against the Church of England the Ministers of Lincolne their defence in the third part thereof referring the Reader to their proofes touching which part I only reply this that there be sufficient answeres made to these proofes by learned and reuerend men in that Church whereto also I remit the Reader Against our Church you lay a false imputation and frame thereupon all your discourse against kneeling as it is a breach of the second Commandement which we will now examine PP In the late act wee are ordained to kneele for reuerence of the diuine mysteries I see not wherein this differs from the Bishop of Rochesters argument that great and reuerend dreadfull mysteries must be receiued with great and dreadfull humilitie of soule and humiliation of body therfore in the act of receiuing we must kneele if this argument were good then the Sacraments and sacrifices of the old Law should haue been thus worshipped and if we will measure by the sight the Sacraments and sacrifices of the old Law were more dreadfull then are the Sacraments of the new for the slaughter of beasts and shedding of blood was more dreadful then the powring out of wine The Ancients held the sight of this Sacrament not only from Pagans but also from the Catechumenists this doing was not commendable it made the mysterie of this Sacrament both darke and dreadfull Augustine saith they may bee honoured as matters religious but wondered at as matters of maruell they cannot But to returne to the purpose to kneele for reuerence of the mysteries is nothing else but to worship the mysteries ANS Heere you set your selfe against three parties the Bishop of Rochester the Ancients and the Assembly at Perth For the Bishop of Rochester I answere shortly That he takes the mysteries with Chrysostome for the body and blood of Christ represented in the Sacrament by the elements of bread and wine In which sense they are truly called great and dreadfull and ought to bee receiued with great humility of soule and humiliation of body Non enim peccatur adorando carnem Christi sed peccatur non adorando We sinne not saith Saint Augustine in adoring Christs flesh but we sinne if wee adore it not in the Sacrament That which you blame in the Ancients of withholding the sight of the Sacraments not only from Pagans but also frō the Catechumenists Chrysostome iustifies with great reason Hom. 7. 1. Cor. on these words We speak the wisdome of God which is hid Alia videmus saith he alia credimus aliter afficior ego aliter infidelis Infidelis si lauacrum audiat aquam simpliciter cogitat c. ideo fidei arcana non sunt temerè apud indignos evulgāda We see one thing saith Chrysostom we beleeue another I who beleeue am otherwise affected then an Infidel is if an Infidel heare of washing in Baptisme he thinkes there is nothing there but water c. For this cause the mysteries of our faith ought not rashly to be divulgate to the vnworthy This iudgment of Chrysostomes is not crossed by S. Augustines testimony but confirmed rather for if the Sacraments should be honoured as matters religious then as Chrysostom saith Pretiosae margarita est à contemptu vindicanda that is a pretious jewel ought to be preserued from contempt Where you alledge against the Assembly at Perth that in the late act therof we are ordained to kneele for reuerence of the diuine mysteries you are guilty of manifest falshood for in reciting the words of the act you blot our some change others and thereby corrupt purposely the whole sense and meaning of the act You blot out these words of God and in due regard you change the word mystery in mysteries these you interpret to be the elements whereas in the act the word mystery signifies not the elements but the receiuing of the blessed body and blood of our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ But that your deceit may be manifested I will set downe the act as it is extracted forth of the Register of the Assembly vnder the hand of the Clerke thereof Since we are commanded by God himselfe that when we come to worship him we fall downe and kneele before the Lord our Maker and considering withall that there is no part of diuine worship more heauenly and spirituall then is the holy receiuing of the blessed body and blood of our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ like as the most humble and reuerent gesture of the body in our meditation and lifting vp of our hearts becommeth well so diuine and sacred an action Therefore notwithstanding our Church hath vsed since the reformation of Religion heere to celebrate the holy Communion to the people sitting by reason of the great abuse vsed in the idolatrous worship of Papists yet now since all memory of by-past superstition is blotted out of the hearts of the people praised be God in reuerence of God and in due regard of so diuine a mysterie and in remembrance of so mysticall an vnion as wee are made partakers of thereby the Assembly thinkes good that that blessed Sacrament bee celebrated hereafter to the people humbly and reuerently kneeling vpon their knees This is the true copie of the act differing in many things from that which you sette downe Pag. 34. in the narratiue thereof the reasons are set downe wherefore the people should kneele when they receiue the Sacrament which are repeated orderly in the conclusion as the causes of the same The first reason is Since we are commanded by God himselfe that when we come to worship him wee fall downe and kneele before the Lord our Maker Relatiue vnto this we haue in the conclusion Therefore in reuerence of God the Assembly thinkes good that the Sacrament be giuen to the people kneeling The second reason in the narratiue is And considering withall that there is no part of diuine worship more heauenly and spirituall then is the holy receiuing of the blessed bodie and blood of our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ Relatiue to this wee haue these words And in due recard of so diuine a mysterie Wee say not in regard of the diuine mysteries which you interpret the elements but Mysterie that is the holy receiuing of the body and blood of Iesus Christ mentioned
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 on t 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 Which that it may appeare I will set downe the Act it selfe as it was concluded The Act about Festiuities AS Wee abhorre the superstitious obseruation of festiuall dayes by the Papists and detest all licentious and profane abuse thereof by the common sort of Professors so Wee thinke that the inestimable benefits receiued from God by our Lord Iesus Christ his Birth Passion Resurrection Ascension and sending downe of the holy Ghost was commendably and godly remembred at certayne particular dayes and times by the whole Church of the world and may be also now Therefore the Assembly ordaynes that euery Minister shall vpon these dayes haue the Commemoration of the foresaid inestimable benefits and make choyce of seuerall and pertinent Texts of Scripture and frame their Doctrine and Exhortations thereto and rebuke all superstitious obseruation and licentious profanation thereof In the narratiue 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 superstitious obseruation and licencious profanation 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 quae non scripta sed tradita custodimus quae quiden toto terrarum orbe obsernantur dantur intelligi vel ab ipsis Apâ—stolâ—s vel à plenarijs Concilijs quorum est in Ecclesia saluberrima autoritas commendata atque statuta retinere sicuti quod Domini Passio Resurrectio Ascensio in coelum adâ—eâ—tus de coelo Spiritus Sancti anniuersaria solennuate 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 Church vniuersally keepes Similiter etiam si quid horum tota per orbem frequentat Ecclesia nam hoc quin ita faciendum sit disputare insolentissimae insaniae est This conclusion of the Church his Maiesties pleasure was to ratifie by Act of Councell and command cessation from labour vpon these fiue dayes to the end the holy Exercises appointed to be done thereon might be the better attended PP Piscator describes a festiuall day on this manner Festum propriè loquendo est publica solennis ceremonia mandata à Deo vt certo anni tempore cum singulari laetitia obeatur ad gratias agendum Deo pro certo aliquo beneficio in populum suum collato A feast in proper speech is a publique and solemne ceremonie commanded by God to bee celebrated a certayne time of the yeare with singular gladnesse to giue thankes to God for some certayne benefit bestowed on his people Hooker intreating this Argument entitules the subiect Festiuall dayes He makes festiuall solemnities to be nothing else but the due mixture as it were of these three elements Prayses set forth with chearfull alacritie of minde Delight expressed by charitable largenesse more then common bountie and sequestration from ordinary labours By these descriptions wee may see that the Sabbath day is not properly a festiuall day The ordinary Sabbath is weekely The festiuall is Anniuersary Wee may fast vpon the ordinary Sabbath but wee cannot fast and mourne vpon a festiuall day c. Vpon the ordinary Sabbath all the parts of Gods worship may bee performed Vpon festiuall dayes proper Texts Epistles Gospels Homilies and Sermons are framed for the mysterie of that day So that the ordinary Sabbath is morall and for the worship of God in generall the festiuall is mysticall Essentialia festi the essentiall parts of a festiuall day are cessation from worke hearing of the Word participation of the Sacraments commemoration of diuine mysleries may be performed vpon the ordinary Sabbath but to make vp a festiuall day Bellarmine requires a determination of day signification and representation of the mysteries wrought on such dayes ANS The description made by Piscator is proper onely to the festiuall
was not Anniuersary as first yee leaue it vncertaine yee thinke the same 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 Purim 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 thing ye haue said that holy dayes were and might bee lawfully kept vnder the Law without any particular warrant from God But put the case that the same might not haue beene done vnder the Law it followes not that the Christian Church hath not libertie to appoint dayes and times for religious exercises without particular direction For vnder the Law God not only set downe the substance of his worship but all the circumstances also as the persons in particular by whom the place where and the times when he should be worshipped so fully as little or nothing was left to the abitrement of the Iewish Church and as yee say these times were so ceremonious that the greatest part of the externall worship consisted in Ceremonies vnder the Gospell it is not so for in the Gospell the substance of these Ceremonies and of the worship of God is perfectly set downe but the circumstantiall Ceremonies of time place persons and formes which are no part of the worship but pertinences only are left to bee determined by the Church according to the generall Rules of Order and Decencie It is true because the Iewes had one place only appointed by God for his worship to wit the Temple and Tabernacle whereunto the people could not resort at all times therefore to their owne election was permitted the appointing of other commodious places for their Synagogues And now vnder the Gospell there is one onely Day of diuine Institution to wit the Lords Day whereunto to tye the worship of God is a Iudaicall Pedagogie against the Christian libertie and practice For the time is now come that from one new Moone to another and from one Sabbath to another all flesh shall come and worship before God Isa 66.23 According to the which Pro phesie the Apostolike and Primitiue Church did not only conuene on the Lords Day to worship God but on such other times as they thought commodious to obserue Saint Paul taught often on the Iewish Sabbath and at Ephesus daily for the space of two yeares in the Schoole of one Tyrannus Saint Augustine testifies that in some Churches they conuened daily not onely to preaching praying and Lectures but to the celebration of the Sacrament also Epiphanius in his Epitomie or Abridgement of Christian Faith affirmeth Apostolos instituisse synaxes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is The Apostles to haue instituted their holy meetings for diuine Seruice on Wednesday Friday and the Lords Day Socrates witnesses that on these dayes through the whole World for the greatest part the holy mysteries were celebrated Hereby it is manifest albeit the Church was tyed to worship God solemnly and publikely on the Lords Day that yet they were not tyed to that Day only but that all dayes were sanctified by Christ that the Church might choose and determine of them for the Seruice of God as she pleased So to conclude the Church vnder the Gospell hath power without any particular warrant of God keeping the general Rules of Pietie Charitie and Decencie to dedicate times and places and set downe formes and orders for the worship of God The Ceremonies in the Iewes Church were not only Circumstantiall but Mysticall for the greatest part and a part of diuine worship it selfe such as the Church vnder the Law and vnder the Gospell hath no power to institute but the Geremonies vnder the Gospell are meerely Circumstantiall for the greater part not Mysticall and a part of the worship it selfe but onely accessorie thereto these the Christian Church hath power to appoint And such are the fiue dayes of old obserued by the Primitiue Church and now restored againe in our Church and such were the dayes of Purim and the Feast of Dedication which were not obserued as a part of religion instituted by God but only for commemoration of Gods benefits bestowed vpon his people in these times PP The obseruation of Anniuersary dayes pertayned to the Ceremoniall Law The fourth Reason but so it is that the Ceremoniall Law is abolished Yet confirme the Antecedent by the reasons following First The Anniuersary Dayes were distinguished from the Morall Sabbath many were the preheminences of the ordinary Sabbath aboue the Anniuersary dayes Secondly The Apostle cals them weake beggerly rudiments Gal. 4.9.10 The elements of the world Col. 2.20 Shaddowes of things to come Col. 2.16 17. The Apostle sayes not the obseruation of Iudaicall dayes but simpliciter the obseruation of dayes serued to the people of God for a typicall vse and rudiment of Religion If the obseruation of some anniuersarie dayes was prescribed
whole lumpe was not formed till the Antichrist came to his full strength yet many particulars were entered before and like brookes came into the great riuer As the Antichrist was borne and did grow in yeares so did Papistrie ANS Here ye insinuate that the obseruation of the fiue Daies in the Primitiue Church was Papistrie or else this Discourse is idle But Papistrie it could not be before it was receiued and confirmed by the Pope so in these dayes it was not Papistrie formally And if it were not an errour of the Orthodoxe Church but a lawfull order as at length we haue proued it was neyther materially nor formally Papistrie The obseruation of these dayes with a superstitious and idolatrous worship is Papistrie Such was not the obseruation of the Primitiue Church and such is not the obseruation of the Reformed But as the lawfull obseruation vsed in the Primitiue Church was abolished by the introduction of a superstitious and idolatrous worship in Papistrie so is the superstitious and idolatrous obseruation in Papistrie abolished in reformed Churches by the restitution of the lawfull and religious obseruation vsed in the Primitiue Church which of all reformations is the most perfect and profitable Iehn abolished Idolatrie of the Heathen but he restored not the true worship of God therefore his reformation was imperfect But the reformation made by Ezechias and Iosias was perfect because Idolatrie was not onely abolished but the true worship of God established in place thereof This was not so sufficiently prouided for at our reformation in this poynt for the want of Pastours and is well supplied by the Act made at Perth PP As for the reformed churches except our neighbor Church they haue abandoned daies dedicated to Saints ANS Now yee come to the iudgement of the reformed Churches And here I wish the iudicious Reader to obserue whether ye bring either the iudgement of any reformed Church or of any learned Diuine that consents with you in opinion namely that the obseruation of the fiue anniuersarie dayes with the lawfull exercise of true Religion is a Iudaicall Pedagogie a rudimentarie instruction and a superstitious wil-worship And to the end all that ye say may be exposed to the view of the World I shall set all fully downe which yee bring to this purpose First where ye alledge that all the reformed Churches haue abandoned the dayes dedicated to Saints In this their practise is no way contrarie to the Act made at Perth for by it no day is ordained to be kept which is or was dedicate to any Saint except vnder the name of Saints yee reprehend him who is the most holy Next the exception ye make of our neighbour Church is calumnious and false It is a calumnie that they obserue any day dedicated to Saints All the dayes which they obserue are dedicated to the honour of God either for the inestimable benefits that by our Sauiour he hath bestowed vpon the World or in regard of the blessings that haue come to man by the Ministrie of his seruants and Saints And it is false that all the reformed Churches except they haue refused the obseruation of these dayes For Bullinger in his Commentary vpon the 14. to the Romans affirmes that the Church of Tigurie obserues the Feasts of the blessed Virgin of S. Iohn the Baptist of Magdalene of Stephen and of the Apostles PP Some admit dayes dedicated to Christ some two some fiue but not with the full consent and liking of the learned but either forced by the authoritie of the Magistrate or wilfulnesse of the people or because remaining in the middest of their enemies they are not permitted otherwise to doe ANS They in Geneua who obserue the day of Natiuitie and Easter approue the practise and order of the Church of Heluetia who obserue all the fiue and there is as great reason why on the other three dayes the Passion Ascension and sending downe of the holy Ghost should be remembred as the Natiuitie and Resurrection If by the learned ye vnderstand these whom ye doe afterwards name Farellus Viret and Caluine I am perswaded no man will thinke that either they or any other such Pastors of the Church would haue bin forced to practise that which was vnlawfull in it selfe and a superstitious will-worship either by Magistrate or People PP Farellus and Viret remooued all Holy-dayes out of the Church of Geneua as Caluine testifies The same decree which banished Farellus and Caluine out of Geneua brought in other Holy-dayes They were all againe abrogate except the Sabbath day Howsoeuer after came in the keeping of Pasche and the Natiuitie ANS The iudgement of Caluine touching the abolition of the Festiuall dayes in Geneua may be seene in his 118. Epistle where he professes that it was done se inscio ac ne optante quidem And a little after subioynes Ex quo sum reuocatus hoc temperamentum quaesiui vt Christi Natali◠celebraretur vestro more alijs autem diebus extraordinariae supplicationes tabernis mane clausis fierent à prandio ad suas operas res agendas quisque abiret And albeit in that place he confesses that the abrogation of the Festiuall dayes did not grieue him yet he protests as followes Hoc tamen testatum esse volo si mihi delata optio fuisset quod nunc constitutū est non fuisse pro sentētia dicturum If Caluine had thought as ye doe that December Christmas is a iust imitation of December Saturnall of the Ethnicke Romanes and that the obseruation of the rest of the Festiuall dayes had beene a superstitious kinde of Will-worship and a Iudaicall Pedagogie he would neuer haue consented to the keeping of the Natiuitie and would not only haue abolished the holy dayes by his suffrage if the same had beene in his option but also testified to the world his dislike of them by his Pen and writing But that all may see how different his iudgement is from yours he concludes with these words Nectamen est cur homines adeo exasperentur si libertate nostra vt Ecclesiae aedificatio postulat vtimur quemadmodum nec vicissim praeiudicio esse morem nostrum aequum est By these words it is manifest that in Caluines iudgement the obseruation and abrogation of these dayes consists in the power and libertie of the Church and that the obseruation of them in it selfe is not vnlawfull but a thing indifferent to be vsed and not vsed as the edification of the Church requires which iudgement wee imbrace and follow PP Caluine was so farre from liking of Holy dayes that hee was slandered of intention to abolish the Lords Day ANS His Doctrine shewes the last to bee a calumnie his practise and iudgement declares that hee did not mislike the obseruation of the dayes vsed in the Primitiue and other reformed Churches PP The Belgike Churches in their Synode holden at Dort Anno 1578. wished that only the Lords Day might be celebrated Luther
quod hisce in rebus minutilis videretur optimum ad pietatem commodissimum sequeretur that is Ye shall find in the Ancients specially in Eusebius and Saint Augustine certaine memorials instituted to some holy persons but farre different from the Papall forme and manner not vnlike the rite which we obserue in our Church of Tigurine in the celebration of the Natiuitie Circumcision Passion Ascension Resurrection of the Lord and the sending downe of the Holy Ghost of the Mother of God the Virgin of Iohn the Baptist Magdalene Stephen and the Apostles of the Lord. In the mean-time we condemne none of these that keepe no festiuall day but the Sabbath For when we looke ouer the Monuments of the Fathers wee find this hath euer beene in the liberty of the Church to doe that which seemed best and most commodious for the aduancing of Pietie in these matter of little moment PARAEVS cap. 14. ad Rom. hyp 4. FEria Dominicalis Natiuitatis Resurrectionis Ascensionis Domini Pentecostes rectè obseruantur à Christianis that is The Lords Day the Feast of the Natiuitie Resurrection Ascension of the Lord and Whitsonday are lawfully keeped by Christians Ibidem Vtile institutum primitiuae Ecclesiae ritè obseruatur tale hoc est vtile enim est praecipuas Dei patefactiones beneficia in Ecclesiam collata stato tempore publicè rep etere profiteri aduersus haereticos infideles populo inculcare vt sint notissima in perpetua memoria magis enim mouent haerent in memoria iuuentutis populi quae solenniter anniuersariè simul ab omnibus vno consensufiunt quà m quae aliâs ab alijs fiunt dicuntur that is A profitable Statute of the Primitiue Church is rightly obserued such is this of Holy dayes for it is profitable to remember and professe publikely on a set appointed time the chiefe manifestatiōs of God and his benefits bestowed vpon the Church against Heretickes and Infidels beating them in the eares of the people that they may be familiar vnto them and keeped in a perpetuall remembrance For these things moue more and stick faster in the memorie of youth and common people which are solemnely and yeerely done by all together and with one consent then these things which are done at other times by diuers persons seuerally TILENVS Praecep 4. Th. 17. PRaeter hunc Sabbatismum septimo quoque die recurrentem alio◠dies non ad 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sed ad peculiarem Dei beneficiorum commemorationem de communi consensu in Ecclesia Christiana instituere non arbitramur simpliter esse illicitum that is Besides this Sabbath which returneth euery seuenth day wee iudge it not simply vnlawfull by common consent of the Church to institute other dayes not for wil-worship but for a speciall remembrance of the benefites of God PERKINS on the fourth Chapter to the Galatians ECclesiasticall obseruation of time is when set dayes are obserued for orders sake that men might come together to worship God These dayes are eyther dayes of thankesgiuing or dayes of humiliation take the example of the Iewes Ester 9.26 Who obserued yeerely the Feast of Purim for a memory of their deliuerance In like manner they obserued the Feast of Dedication and it seemes that Christ was present at Ierusalem as an obseruer of this Feast Iohn 10.22 And thus for orders sake to obserue certayne dayes of Solemnity is not forbidden WILLET in his six-fold Commentarie vpon the fourteenth to the ROMANS THe Apostle reproues them for the superstitious obseruing of dayes such as then the Iewes practised and now the Papists but to obserue such Holy dayes as God hath appointed such as the Sabbath and others for order and policie not for Religions sake is not within the Apostles reprehension Item The Apostle speakes of the Iewes Festiuals wherein they did clogge their consciences and one iudged another not of the Lords Day which is of Christs appointing and of other Festiuals for Order and Policie and not for a part of the Seruice of God to bind the Conscience An answere to the dispute intituled OF CONFIRMATION and of Bishopping Wherein the Pamphlet penner pretends to impugne the third Article concluded in the Assembly at Perth touching the triall of young childrens education the tenor whereof followes FOr as much as one of the most speciall meanes for staying the encrease of Popery and setling of true Religion in the hearts of the people is that a speciall care be taken in triall of young children their education and how they are catechized which in time of the primitiue Church was most carefully attended as being most profitable to cause young children in their tender yeares drinke in the knowledge of God and his Religion but is now altogether neglected in respect of the great abuse and errors which crept into the Popish Church by making thereof a Sacrament of Confirmation Therefore that all superstitions built thereupon may be rescinded and that the matter it selfe being most necessary for the education of the youth may be reduced to the primitiue integritie it is thought good that the Minister in euery Parish shall catechize all young children of eight yeares of age and see that they haue the knowledge and bee able to make rehearsall of the Lords prayer Beliefe and ten Commandements with answers to the questions of the small Catechisme vsed in our Church And that euery Bishop in his Visitation shall censure the Minister who shall be found remisse therein And the said Bishops shall cause the said children to be presented before them and blesse them with prayer for the excrease of their knowledge and continuance of Gods heauenly graces with euery one of them In the narratiue of this Act the Sacrament of Confirmation is counted amongst the abuses errors and superstitions which crept into the Papistical Church in stead of the profitable catechizing that the primitiue Church vsed for the triall of young childrens education therefore the first part of the dispute wherein the Pamphleter intends to prooue that Confirmation is not a Sacrament contayning nothing that is contrary to the Act shall be passed by In the second part of the dispute intituled Bishopping he contends that the Sacrament of Confirmation and imposition of hands is not proper to Bishops but common to all Presbyters This contention is idle for the Sacrament of Confirmation and imposition of hands being refuted in the former dispute by himselfe and condemned by the Act why should hee striue to haue that common which neither he nor we esteeme to be lawfull But to the end all occasion of debate about this matter might be preuented the Assembly at Perth ordayned that the Bishop after examination should blesse the young children with prayer and purposely omitted the ceremonie of imposition of hands as a thing indifferent to bee vsed or not vsed as the Bishop should thinke most meet Albeit in the primitiue Church this blessing was alwayes giuen
constitution in Iustinian forbiddeth that holy things be ministred in priuate houses ANS The lawfull administration prescribed in the Act preserues them from contempt neglect and corruption And by the contrarie the omission of the Sacraments in the cases of necessitie make men to contemne and neglect them as vnnecessarie For Heretickes there is nothing so good at which they will not take occasion of euill yet the practise of good things must not therefore be omitted To Iustinians constitutions ye were wont to answere that the Lawes of the Code are not rules of Theologie O but this is a constitution of the Nouels that is true yet it fauours your nouelties no more then the Code This constitution forbiddes onely the ordinarie exercises of publique worship in priuate Oratories whereby the Temples were deserted as is manifest by the Preface but it is so farre from forbidding the celebration of the Sacraments in priuate houses in cases of necessitie that it reserueth priuiledge to the Patriarch of Constantinople and to the Bishops in the Prouince to giue licence that ordinarie seruice may be exercised in priuate Oratories according to the 31. Canon of the Trulliau Councell PP The Sacraments are not tyed to the materiall Churches made of dead stones but the Church made of liuely stones If therefore the congregation be in a wood a house or a caue the Sacraments may be ministred in a house a wood or a caue but then the Sacraments are not ministred in priuate but in publique because they are ministred in the sight of the whole Congregation ANS Yet here the whole Congregation is not an ordinarie Parishionall Church but an extraordinarie Conuention wherein we affirme with you that the Sacraments may and should be ministred In this we agree but in that which followes of the number which may make a Congregation we disagree PP Christ promise to be in the middest of two or three conuened in his name cannot be extended to the administration of the Sacraments for then where two onely are conuened the Communion might be ministred and so the priuat Masse defended Christ reasons onely from the lesse to the more If he wil heare the prayers and ratifie the censures of two or three farre more of the whole Church ANS If the lesse be true namely that Christ will ratifie the Censures of two or three conuened in his name then two or three conuened in his name must make a lawfull Church that hath power to censure and excommunicate such as are subiect to their iurisdiction otherwise Christ would not haue promised to ratifie their censure As to the Masse it is not a priuate Masse where distribution is made but where the Priest receiues alone otherwise ye must graunt that it was a priuate Masse that Christ celebrated at Emmaus where two onely did participate and receiue from our Sauiour In a word if in Christs promise the number bee not defined which at the least may make a Church wherein the publique actions of Religion ought to be performed since it is no where else defined in Scripture it must be left to the determination of the Church which hath power to define what the least number is that may make a lawfull extraordinarie conuention aswell as to diuide a Nationall Church in Diocesses and Diocesses in Parish Churches So the Assembly at Perth hauing defined that three or foure besides the Minister and the sicke person are a sufficient number to make a lawfull extraordinarie conuention wherein the Sacraments may be ministred in cases of necessitie we ought to stand at their iudgement and obey the ordinance against the which in the Word of God there is nothing PP Baptisme is a ceremonie initiatorie of our entrance into the bosome of some visible Congregation or as Caluine sayes It is a sacred and solemne introduction into the Church of God and is a testimonie of our heauenly Burgesship in which they are written vp whom hee adopteth to himselfe It ought therefore to be publique ANS Caluine in the Epistle which ye quote the 185. sayes not that therefore it ought to be in a Parishionall Church but that it behoues the Infant baptizari in coetu aliquo and expresly non quidem vt templum requiratur Sed vt vbiuis numerus aliquis fidelium conueniat qui Ecclesia corpus officiat Now if Baptisme may be ministred in any place where a number of the faithfull doe conueene then doubtlesse in a priuate house PP Baptisme is a signe of Christian Profession before the world it ought therefore to be publique ANS As it is impossible that it can be publike after such a manner as all the World may be witnesses thereto so it is not absolutely necessarie that it bee before the whole Parish when the Childe is in such extremitie that he cannot bee brought vnto the Church PP The Congregation should make fruit of the Ministration of Baptisme in remembring their owne Baptisme c. ANS Ordinarily it ought to be publique in presence of the Parishiones the extraordinarie ministration serues for their comfort who are present But if it were not ministred at all in time of necessitie as ye would haue it then all should bee depriued of that comfort and the childe of the benefit of the ordinarie meane of Saluation PP Not onely the Parents but the Church presents the Childe before God and concurs with the Minister in prayer for the saluation of the Infant ANS Such as are present conioyne their prayers with the Pastor And the presence of some number makes the action publique although lesse solemne PP Priuate Baptisme hath sprung of the opinion of the necessitie of Baptisme and doth still foster the same damnable opinion In the ancient Church two solemne times were appoynted for Baptisme c. ANS The opinion of absolute necessitie ratione medij that is of a middest without which the Infant cannot be saued is not to be allowed yet the opinion of necessitie ratione praecepti that is of an ordinarie meane commaunded by God to bee vsed when and where it may be had is sound And in that opinion the people ought to be confirmed and admonished as it is in the act Not to deferre the Baptisme of their Infants nor neglect it But to perswade the people that it is not necessarie as an ordinarie meane is as great an errour as any yee alledge hath sprung of the opinion of absolute necessitie These errours ought to be remoued not by refusing Baptisme when it is required which is a disobedience no lesse dangerous then the errours are but by the wholsome doctrine of the Word which is the onely powerfull meane to abolish all errours in Religion PP In priuate Baptisme the doctrine of Baptisme is omitted for haste to saue the soule of the Infant as is thought and so the Sacrament is not ministred according to the dignity of it and this hath bred a negligent ministration of Baptisme in publike The Trullian Synod decreed that