An Answer to Forbes Peaceable Warning, Chapter 1
An answere to the first Chapter.
YOur historicall discourse upon the Con…ession of Faith. which you call, The short negative Confession, is unsufficient. For it was not only approved by the generall assemblyes holden in the yeare 1581; and then subscribed universallie, but also in the yeere 1590. by a charge from the secreet Counsell procured by the generall Assemblie. There was an Act made in the Assemblie holden in Iune 1587. that Students in Vnivrsities subscribe the Religion then established and professed by the merciemercy of God within this Realme, before they bee promoved to Degries. Whereupon, all such as have beene laureat in the Colledge of Edinburgh since that time to this present yeere to the number of 1500 or therabout have subscribed that Confession.
In the Assemblie holden in March 1589 some were appointed to seeke from the Clerk of Register a copie of the act made lately before concerning the new subscription of the Band, and the same Confession of Faith. Some were sent to petition the Counsell, that Commissions might bee given to such persons, as were agried upon before the holding of the Assembly, to receive de novo subscriptions to the Band of maintenance of Religion subscribed by his Majestie, and the same Confession of Faith, which was put in execution, and the Band was printed with the Confession. Whereby you may perceive, what is meant by Religion in the Band of maintainance.
As you have your selfe cited sundrie acts of Parliament for the first Confession, you might have added an act of approbation of this Confession also. In the 12 Parliament holden in Iune anno 1592. and act 123 it is declared, that no Subject shall injoy the benefite of the act of Pacification made in Februar 1572. of aboltion made in December 1585. or of both ratified in Iulie 1587. unlesse they professe the true Religon, as the same was then professed within this Realme, and acknowledge his Highnesse Authoritie. But the heads contained in that Confession were the points of Religion then professed within this Realme; was not universall subscription p…eceeding a signe of profession, Was any subscription accepted but to that Confession since it was first subscribed. The title of the Act sheweth, that by profession, is meant giving confession of their Faith. The conjoyning of the acknowledegment of the Kings authoritie with professing the true Religion, as it was then professed, leadeth …s to that Confession: For in the end of that act, there … a clause binding the subscribers to acknowledge K. Iames to bee their Soveraigne Lord, which agrieth not with any other Confession. No other Confession of Faith can bee meant in the acts of Parliament following.
Whereas you saye, it was called The Kings Confession, because it was set out in the Kings Name, Wee saye, it might have beene as well so called, because it was first subscribed by the King and Court. But there is no great matter, upon what ground it was so called by any. This is undoubted, that it was the Confession of the Kirk of Scotland that it was so taken by forraine Kirks, and therefore insert in the harmonie of the Confessions of the reformed Kirks, and there called in the superscription The Confession of the Faith of Scotland, which is a larger title, than to call it The Kings Confession. If that Confession which was universally subscribed by direction from Authoritie, and of the nationall assembly, may not justly bee called, The Confession of the Kirk, let any man judge.
You say, because it insisteth most in rejecting of errours, it is also called The negative Confession. It is so called by Papists, and such as look back to Poperie, but not justly. For it consisteth of an affirmative part, comprehending the first Confession as these words doe expressely beare. Wee believe with our hearts, confesse with our mouths, subscribe with our hands, and constantly affirme before God, and the World &c. and of rejection of errours, for which you call it often The negative Confession, taking the denomination from a part, from the lesser part, and from the negative part, rather than from the affirmative. Nay rather from the qualitie of the appendix to the old Confession, than of the Confession it selfe. For the rejection of errours is appended to the old Confession. This course to joyne the rejection of errours with positiue points of doctrine was followed at the Counsell at Dort. Your selfe confesse that many masked Papists subscribed the old Confession deceitfully, and therefore that this forme of consenting to the old, with a rejection of all contrarie Religion, and sundry popish errours particularly expressed, was drawne up to discover them. Was not that needfull, and the course lawfull? Whereas you say, a certaine reverend Brother, meaning Master Craig did it. Will any man thinke, that none did perceive the deceit of masked Papists, but hee alone? Or that hee presumed to draw up that forme without the consent of other reverend Brethren. finding this course to bee necessarie, or that it could passe without approbation of the generall Assembly. M. Alexander Anderson Principall, M. Andrew Galloway Sub-principall. M. Andrew Anderson, M. Duncan Norie, Regents of the Colledge of Aberdene, were called before the Earle of Murrey Regent, and the Lords of privie Counsel, who were present with him in Aberdene in Iulie 1569. and were requyred to approve by subscription the old Confession of Faith, with all other Acts made concerning Christian Religion in the Parliamenrs holden at Edinburgh in August 1560. and December 1567. They were deprived for their refusall of all honours, dignities, functions, preheminences, faculties, and priviledges within the said Colledge, and of libertie to instruct the youth in any part within this Realme. The Commissioner of the Kirk to the shirefdomes of Aberdene, & Bamfe, pronounced the like sentence, by the advice, counsell, and consent of the Ministers and Elders in these bounds. But so it is, that su… drie of these acts of Parliament, whereunto they were requyred to subscribe, were negative, as you use the terme or a rejection of popish errours, either in generall or particular, as the denyall of the Popes authoritie and jurisdiction, the annulling of all Acts made since K. Iames the first his time, not agrieing with the word of God, and contrarie to the confession of Faith, then published, the condemni…g of the Masse, baptising conforme to the manner of the popish Kirk, and the abrogating and annulling of all laws acts, and constit…tions, canons, civill, or municipall, contrarie to the said true Religion. So you see, that even then they thought it not enough to require subscription to the Confession, but also to abrenunce contrarie errours, specially popish. This Confession, which you call the negative, explaineth more particularly these acts. And therfore in the title before it was called, A generall Confession of the true Christian faith & Religion, according to GODS Word, and Acts of Parliaments. It were good that the like course were taken with you, and your fellowes in Aberdene to that which was taken with these before you, that is, to remove you, if you subscribe not that Confession, which you seeme to despyte so much. In the meane time, I would have you content to call it not the negative Confession, but the generall Confession; as the title beareth.