our hand to anie thing which concerneth our due obedience to our Prince As for that which heere agayne yee alleadge of his Majesties Commissioner and wyse States-men as having receaved satisfaction from you wee referre you as before to our Answere made thereto in our first DVPLYE 9. To your third Question wee answere our assertion concerning the vnlawfulnesse of Subjects their resisting the Authoritie of free Monarchies by force of Armes even altho they were enemies to the Trueth and persecutors of the professors there-of can not in the judgement of anie reasonable man import that we haue the least suspition of our King that eyther hee shall change his Religion or shall fall vpon his religious and loyall Subjects with force of Armes Wee haue often declared in these our Disputes that wee are fullie perswaded of our King's Majesties constancie in profession of the true Religion and equitable disposition in mtnistration of justice And in testification heere-of we rest satisfied with his Majesties Proclamation agaynst which yee haue protested 10. To your fourth Question wee answere because that wee doe esteeme Subscription to your Covenant neyther to bee warrandable by GOD'S word nor to bee a convenient meane for pacification wee holde it our duetie both to with-holde our handes from it and to dehort our people from it 11. To your fift Question wee answere 1. Wee holde it a wrong supposition which yee make that the Prelates and their followers are labouring to introduce Poperie and to make a faction 2. Wee know our gracious King to bee so just and so wyse and so rype in yeares and experience that hee will not suffer anie of his Subjects to abuse his Majesties name in the execution of anie injustice 3. To make resistance by force of Armes agaynst the King's publicke standing Lawes and agaynst his Majesties publicke Proclamations is not in our judgement a convenient or lawfull way for defending of the Religion of the Liberties and Lawes of the Kingdome and of the Kings Authoritie but on the contrarie it bringeth Scandall vpon our profession See our Reasons in our second DVPLYE 12. To your sixt Question wee answere that in all free Monarchies there is nothing left to Subjectes in the case of persecution by their owne Soveraygne Princes but patient suffering with Prayers and Teares to GOD or fleeing from their wrath as wee haue at length proved in our second DVPLYE This doctrine did the people of Alexandria learne of their holie Bishop Athanasius as is evident by their owne wordes in their Protestation subjoyned to the Epistle of Athanasius ad vitam solitariam agentes If say they it bee the commandement of the Emperour that wee bee persecuted wee all are readie to suffer Martyrdome 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Tom. 1. Oper. Athanas pag. 868 Edit Paris 1627. As for the nature of the Government of this Kingdome of SCOTLAND reade the Booke of KING IAMES THE SIXT of Blessed Memorie entituled The true Lawe of free Monarchies and the Praeface of the first Booke of REGIAM MAIESTATEM where it is expresslie sayde of the KING of SCOTLAND that Hee hath no Superiour but the Creator of Heaven and Earth Ruler of all thinges This our Aunswere neyther proceedeth from Flatterie neyther from anie intention to stirre vp Princes agaynst their loyall Subjectes nor from anie ayme at other worldlie endes as yee doe vncharitablie judge but from our due Fidelitie to our KING from our true Loue to our Countrey and from our vpright Desire to the GLORIE of GOD and the Comfort of our owne Soules in the Day of our Accompts THE X. DVPLY ALTHO wee take you to bee of the number of those who penned the Late Covenant yet pardon vs to call your Glosses of it in question so long as yee doe not satisfie our Argumentes which prooue them to bee contrarie to the verie wordes of your Covenant Wee haue showne in our Replyes and nowe agayne in our fourth Duplye that the wordes of the Covenant importe a perpetuall adherence to the whole externall Policie of the Church as it was Anno 1581 and the remooving of Pearth Articles and Episcopacie as of thinges contrarie to the Libertie and Puritie of the Gospell Whence wee still inferre that these who haue sworne the Covenant are tyed by their Oath to vote agaynst Pearth Articles and Episcopacie and consequentlie can not without praejudice eyther dispute or giue out a decisiue sentence concerning them in the intended Assemblie 2. Yee saye Yee will not judge so vncharitable of vs as to thinke vs so corrupt that in our opinion since the tyme designed by vs no-thing hath entered into the Church beside Episcopacie and the Articles of Pearth which can bee praejudiciall to the Libertie and Puritie of the Gospell Wee are glad that altho yee judge vncharitablie of vs yet yee judge not so vncharitablie and altho yee thinke vs corrupt yet yee thinke vs not so corrupt as not to bee sensible of these thinges Wee tolde you our mynde before in our fourth DVPLY concerning these Abuses which yee thinke to haue beene occasioned by Pearth Articles and no we wee tell you that if Pearth Articles and Episcopacie for these their alleadged Consequentes bee alltogether remooved the benefite which yee thinke our Church may receaue by remooving of them shall not in anie measure aequall Her Great Losses THE XI DVPLY WEE complayned in our DEMAND of the vncharitablenesse of your Followers who calumniate vs as if wee were Favourers of Poperie And to showe howe vnjust this Calumnie is wee declared that wee are readie to sweare and subscrybe our Nationall Confession of Fayth ratified and registrated in Parliament to which Declaration wee haue nowe added our Oath which wee did sweare when wee receaved the Degree of Doctorate in Theologie and haue solemnlie agayne renewed it PAG. 15.16 In your Answere to that Demand yee slighted our Complaynt and did not so much as once mention it which made vs in our Replye to complayne also of you who haue showne your selues so vnwilling to giue vs that Testimonie of our Sinceritie in professing the Trueth which all who knowe vs thinke to bee due to vs. Wee exspected that in your second Aunswere to that Demaund this fault should haue beene amended But contrarie to our expectation wee perceaue not onelie that yee are insensible of the grievous injurie done to vs by the calumnious reportes of others but also that yee haue busied your owne wittes to enquyre as yee saye in matters to search and to trye our wayes and to expiscate what yee could agaynst vs by the vnfriendlie testimonie of some who perhaps are displeased with vs as Achab was with Micajah for the freedome of our Admonitions Charitie yee knowe thinketh no evill 1. COR. 13.5 and covereth a multitude of transgressions PROV 10.12 1. PET. 4.8 But vncharitable Inquisition and prying into other mens doinges not onelie discovereth those infirmities vnto which God will haue everie one of vs subject for humbling of vs
Some tyme in-deede the omission of a thing praescrybed by an Affirmatiue Divine or Humane Lawe may bee faultlesse But it is never lawfull for Subjectes to transgresse the Negatiue parte of the Divine Praecept by resisting with force of Armes that Power where-vnto GOD hath subjected them and to which Hee hath forbidden them to make such resistance Neyther is it at anie tyme lawfull for Pastors and Teachers to teach erronious doctrine 17. Yee doe attribute to vs as a great absurditie that at the will of our Ordinarie and other lawfull Superioures wee are readie to forbeare the practise of these thinges which the Assemblie hath appoynted to bee observed And this yee inferre from the necessitie of Administration of the Sacramentes some tymes in private places according to our judgement Certaynlie yee will haue much a-doe to make good by right Logicke this your inference from such an Antecedent But to speake of the matter of the Consequent for satisfaction to the Reader wee finde no such absurditie in it as yee seeme to proclayme For if some Dueties appoynted by divyne Law giue place some-tymes to other weyghtie dueties such as is the keeping of publicke peace and good order as we haue alreadie showne much more may a thing notwithstanding of anie humane Lawe appoynting it to bee observed be for these respectes omitted at the will and direction of those Superioures to whom wee owe our obedience requyred by that humane Law and who haue power to dispence with our practise in that part THE XIV DVPLY IF the wordes of the Covenant bee playne say yee concerning the meere forbearance and speake nothing of the vnlawfulnesse no mans thoughts can make a change But wee haue given our reasons which justlie moue vs to requyre greater playnnesse neyther haue wee as yet receaved satisfaction concerning those reasons 2. In our 14 REPLYE wee sayde That your Band of Mutuall Defence agaynst all persons what-so-ever may drawe Subjects perhaps to take Armes agaynst their King which GOD avert and consequentlie from that loyaltie of Obedience which they owe to their Soveraygne and ours except yee declare and explayne your selues better than yee haue hitherto done To this yee answere that by this Replye wee doe a threefolde wrong One to our selues another to the Subscrybers the third to the Kings Majestie But yee haue not directlie answered to the poynt proponed by vs. 3. The wrong which yee say wee doe to our selues is in forging from the wordes of the Covenant impediments and drawing stumbling blockes in our owne way to hinder our Subscription This your wrongous asseveration wee justlie denye protesting as wee haue often done that wee doe walke sincerelie in this matter according to our light Not forging to our selues impedimentes nor drawing stumbling blockes in our owne way but clearlie showing the impedimentes and stumbling blockes which the Contryvers of the COVENANT haue layde in our way by their verie incommodious expression irreconciliable in our judgement with your exposition 4. Yee say wee wrong the Subscryvers in changing the state of the Question and in making a divorce betwixt Religion and the King's Authoritie which the Covenant joyneth together hand in hand Wee doe no-wayes wrong the Subscrybers when wee propone vprightlie our just Scruples as wee in our CONSCIENCES doe conceaue them where-by wee are moved to with-holde our handes from that COVENANT where-of one is the feare of vnlawfull resistance to Authoritie if wee should holde to that COVENANT howe so-ever yee will not suffer to heare patientlie this objection because in your Covenant yee doe professe the conjunction of Religion and the King's Authoritie which profession of yours doeth not sufficientlie serue for a full answere to our objection agaynst those other words of that same Covenant where-vpon our Scruple did aryse To cleare this we wish you to answere directlie to this our present Demaund whether or no in case of disagreement which GOD avert thinke yee that the Covenantors are obliedged by vertue of their Covenant to make open resistance by force of Armes If yee thinke they are obliedged to make resistance then wee desire your answere to the Reasons and Testimonies brought in our 2 Duplye proving the vnlawfulnesse of such resistance But if yee thinke that they bee not obliedged then declare it playnlie 5. But most of all yee say wee wrong the King's Majestie in bringing him vpon the Stâ—ge before his Subjectes in whose myndes wee would as yee doe vnjustlie alleadge beget and breede suspitions of opposing the Trueth of making Innovation in Religion and of dealing with the Subjects contrarie to his Lawes and Proclamations and contrarie to the Oath at his Coronation Wee answere wee haue not brought but haue found his Majestie vpon this vnpleasant Stage opposing himselfe openlie to your Covenant with solemne Protestations agaynst all suspitions of opposing the Trueth or making Innovation of Religion or dealing with the Subjectes contrarie to his Lawes and Proclamations or contrarie to the Oath at his Coronation This his Majesties declaration agaynst which yee haue protested wee haue willinglie receaved and doe truelie belieue it 6. What the most honourable Lords of his Majesties privie Counsell haue done concerning his Majesties last Proclamation and vpon what motiues their Honours themselues doe know and his Majesties High Commissioner hath publicklie declared in his printed MANIFESTO contrarie to some of your Asseverations concerning the proceeding of that Honourable Boord 7. Yee professe heere that It becommeth you to judge charitablie of his Majesties intentions altho yee disallow the Service-Booke and Canons as contayning a reall Innovation of Religion and doe affirme that the intention of the Prelates and their Associates the Authors and Contryvers of the Bookes is most justlie suspected by you Wee haue tolde you alreadie that concerning the matters contayned in those Bookes it is not now tyme to dispute the Bookes themselues being discharged by his Majesties Proclamation and a royall promise made that his Majestie will neyther now nor heere-after presse the practise of the fore-sayde Canons and Service-Booke nor anie thing of that nature but in such a fayre and legall way as shall satisfie all his Majesties loving Subjects and that his Majestie neyther intendeth Innovation in Religion or lawes As for the intentions of his sacred Majestie wee doe heartilie and thankfullie acknowledge them to bee truelie conforme to his Majesties gracious Declaration in that his last Proclamation And in-deede it becommeth both you and vs to thinke so of them Neyther doe wee take vpon vs to harbour in our breasts anie vncharitable suspition concerning the intentions of those others of whom yee speake seeing they stand or fall to their owne master and the thoughts of their hearts are vnknowne both to you and vs and in a matter vncertaine it is surest to judge charitablie Yea wee haue manie pregnant Arguments to perswade vs that those Reverende Prelates and their Associates had no such intention as yee judge 8. Yee make mention of
declaration in your favoures as yee alleadge Of OBEDIENCE due by Subjects to AVTHORITIE 5. The poynt touching Royall Authoritie is not so full of thornes and rockes as yee giue out if men would bee pleased vnpartiallie to holde the playne and patent way layde before vs by holie Scripture and by Orthodoxe Antiquitie and by manie Eminent Divynes in the reformed Church and learned Politickes which wee shall heere make manifest after the vindication of those three famous Theologues Whitaker Bilson and Rivet whom yee would haue the Reader to esteeme favourers of your opinion 6. Doctor Whitakers wordes agaynst William Raynold translated into English out of the Latine Edition at Oppenheme Anno 1612. Pag. 51. are these Hee relateth the tumults and troubles which were raysed for Religion in Germanie France and Boheme as if that one thing were sufficient to condemne them because once they did oppose themselues and resisted the violence offered to GOD'S Trueth and to themselues Where-as notwithstanding Fayth Oath and publicke Edicts and finallie the Lawes themselues gaue them warrand to doe the same I will not say more of this matter which is nowayes pertinent to the present purpose especiallie seeing not onlie their just Apologie but also the Edicts of the Princes themselues haue liberated them from the cryme of rebellion By these words of Doctor Whitaker which yee haue cited the Reader may easilie perceaue that hee doeth nowayes mayntayne or allowe taking of Armes by Subjects without warrand of the publicke Lawes and approbation of the Prince but excuseth what was done in those warres by the allowance of the Lawes and Edicts of Princes 7. So also Doctor Bilson in his Booke entituled The true difference betwixt Christian Subjection and vnchristian Rebellion printed at Oxford Anno 1585 Pag. 382. in the wordes cited by you declareth evidentlie that hee speaketh of such Republickes States as haue defences warranded by fundamentall Covenant in that Governement But what is that Doctors mynde concerning the duetie of Subjects in a free and absolute Monarchie is evident by his owne words in that same booke Pag. 380 where disputing agaynst a Jesuit hee sayeth Warre for the Catholicke Religion is both lawfull and honourable you say you must adde of the Subjectes agaynst their Prince or else you range cleane besides our question Wee stryue not what causes may leade Christian Princes to make Warre on their Neyghboures but whether it bee lawfull or tollerable for the Subject to beare Armes agaynst his naturall and absolute Prince You proue which is nothing to our purpose But Sir in this enterpryze the person must bee respected as well as the cause Bee the cause never so just if the person bee not authorized by GOD to draw the Sword they bee no just nor lawfull Warres Private men may not venter on Warres vnlesse they bee directly warranded by him that hath the Sword from GOD. And agayne in that same booke Pag. 502 Our Saviour for teaching his that they should bee brought before Kings and Rulers and put to death and hated of all men for His Name sake addeth not as you would haue it and hee that first rebelleth but hee that endureth to the ende shall bee saved and agayne Not with violence restrayne them but in patience possesse your owne soules This is the way for all Christian Subjects to conquer Tyrants and this is the remedie provyded in the New Testament agaynst all persecutions not to resist powers which GOD hath ordayned lest wee bee damned but with all meeknesse to suffer that wee may bee crowned And Pag. 513. hee showeth that manifolde formes of Common-Wealthes make diverse men speake diverslie of the Magistrates sword And Pag. 518. hee pleadeth that the Subjects in England haue not that lawfull warrand to draw the sword without consent of their Prince as the Germanes haue without consent of the Emperour and this discourse hee prosecuteth in some following pages 8. The same is the meaning of Doctor Rivet as wee take it in his Commentarie vpon the PSALME 68 where he distinguisheth betweene an absolute Principalitie and such a Principalitie as is onlie Conditionall Pactionall Conventionall Of this second sort are to bee vnderstood his words of just and necessarie defence But of the absolute Principalitie speaking in that same place hee recommendeth to Subjects rather suffering of Martyrdome And this to bee his meaning appeareth more clearlie by his last declaration concerning this question in his late Treatise entituled Jesuita Vapulans where beeing pressed by an adversarie hee handleth this question of purpose In the meane tyme wee wonder verie much that yee haue not directlie answered to these remarkeable wordes of Doctor Rivet alleadged by vs in our Replye wherein hee playnlie averreth that the doctrine of Buchanane Knox and Goodman concerning Subjects resisting their lawfull Princes is not approved by anie sound Protestant Wee expected from you a full and particular Answere and now agayne we would gladlie heare whether yee approue the judgement of Rivet concerning that doctrine of these wryters or not 9. Thus having vindicated these three divynes which yee alleadge for you wee come now to those Testimonies which wee promised for clearing of the playnnesse of the way touching Authoritie First it is evident by holie Scripture that it is vnlawfull for Subjects in a Monarchicall estate such as is this Kingdome of Scotland to take Armes for Religion or for anie other pretence without warrand and power from the Prince and Supreame Magistrate For the Scripture teacheth vs that the SWORD belongeth onlie to the KING and to them who are sent by him ROM 13. 1. PET. 2.13.14 That wee ought to keepe the King's commandement and that in regarde of the Oath of GOD ECCLES 8.2 And that wee should bee subject not onlie for wrath but also for conscience sake because the Powers that bee are ordayned of GOD Who-so-ever there-fore sayeth S. PAVL resisteth the Power resisteth the ordinance of GOD And they that resist shall receaue to themselues damnation ROM 13. In the wordes of the Apostle S. PAVL there is a remarkable opposition betwixt Subjection and Resistance 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 implying that all militarie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whether Defensiue or Offensiue if it bee agaynst the Superiour Power which GOD hath set over vs is forbidden In lyke manner we reade MATTHEW 26.52 that all they that take the Sword shall perish with the Sword Now certayne it is that in a Free Monarchie Subjects haue not the Sword from GOD except by the hand of the King to whom onlie GOD hath immediatelie given it And therefore who-so-ever taketh the Sword without his warrand hath just reason to feare the foresayde warning of our Saviour Manie other places of Scripture might bee adduced to this purpose which for brevitie wee omit and doe proceede in the next rowme to some testimonies of ancient Fathers other wryters 10. Tertullian in his Apologeticke Chap. 30. and 33. and 37.