Answers to the Replies of Aberdeen, Answer 12 – Answer 13
To the twelfth.
FIrst, Wee have ever preached according to our measure, and have given example of Reverence to Authoritie, and the LORDS Service; but wee neither acknowledge the usurped authoritie of Prelates, for lawfull Authoritie, nor the Service Booke, for the LORDS Service. And therefore, it was so much the more intolerable for the Prelates, without Authoritie from the Kirke, or Parliament, to bring in the Service booke into GOD'S owne House, upon the LORD'S owne Day. Which maketh it nothing strange, that people zealous of the Trueth, and of the Service of GOD, were stirred up to oppose: and wee are verie confident that those that have opposed, doe beare as loyall respect to the Kings Majestie, and will bee as loath to provoke him to just wrath, as their Opposites are. In the meane tyme, why doe yee not acknowledge, that the children were higher provoked to wrath, by the Prelates, whom yee account Reverend and holie Fathers? 2. As the preservation of our owne private Possession, from invasion of others, belongeth to our selves, under the Kings protection; so the keeping of GODS House, from pollution and Superstition, belongeth to Authoritie, to the Communitie of the Faithfull, and to everie one in his owne Place and Order. 3. We told you before, That wee did no more allow Violence of that kind, nor wee did allow the foule Aspersions of Rebellion, …eresie, Schisme & Perjurie, put upon the Noble-men, and remnant Covenanters. And where yee aske of us, Why these tumults are not publickly by us condemned, and rebuked? Wee aske againe of you, why yee did not condemne and rebuke such dealing, since that it is no lesse Transgression, both against the sixth, and nynt Command, than the other is against the sixt? And whereas yee are now so peremptorie, in drawing a Declaration from us, answerable to that which yee have given concerning the foresayd aspersions and Calumnies, wee having no Commission, to declare the mindes of others in this point, or to give Documents, for our own private judgement, doe heartilie disallow everie Wrong of that kynd. As for the Apologie of Doctour Iohn Forbes of Corse, seeing the Wrong hath beene done not unto some few particulare persons, such as ye say have been wronged by some of the people; but unto the bodie of the Kingdome, consisting of Noble-men, Barons, &c. who are highlie offended thereby, it were in us Presumption, and without the bounds of our Calling, to take upon us, to receive any Declaration of that kynd, especiallie wherein so manie things are reprooveable; as first, That his bitter speaches were occasioned by some printed bookes, affirming, that Episcopacie and Perth Articles, were antichristian and abominable. Supposing it were true, did he think the Noble-men and whole Covenanters, to be the Authors of those Bookes? And was this dealing agreeable to that Christian meeknesse so much requyred of us before? The Wryters of those printed Bookes, are not the first who have spoken so. For Master Knox spared not, (in a Letter of his) to call this Kneeling, A Diabolicall invention. Secoudly; The swearing of forbearance of the practise of Perth articles & the cōfirmation of the said doctrine which wee neither deny, nor affirme, to bee imported in the olde Covenant, but onelie in the interpretation thereof, wee de clare. That Promise is onelyonly made, to forbeare for a tyms doth not deserve so bitter a censure, as this Apologie beareth upon us. 3. If the King's Majestie, Councell, or the subjects of Scotland, had asked his opinion and advice, hee he might have used the greater libertie. 4. It is ill apologized, to call it an holy indignation; & worse defended; since it is such a wrath as worketh not the righteousnesse of GOD. 5. Whereas hee desireth to be accounted in the number of these, qui proficiendo scribunt & scribendo proficium, wee could wish that hee had profited better by writing, than hee hath done by wryting his Irenicum first, & now this his Warning, after his Irenicum; for which if hee make no better Apologie, than confessing asperitis of wordes, proceeding from an holy indignation, it will come to passe of his Apologie, as it fared with his Irenicum, unto which was applyed fitly, what was spoken in the lyke case,
Aut fabrum forceps, aut ars ignara fefellit.
foreign voluit cudere cudit foreign.
6. Whereas yee desire us, to doe the lyke, if yee meane of us personallie, wee have declared our judgement, and shall bee carefull to approve our selves to GOD, and the consciences of all men, in everie such duetie: and if yee meane us, and those that sent us, wee shall not faile to to report unto them, what yee desire, altho our Commission from you had beene more acceptable, if yee had spoken more reverently of our Confession and Covenant, than yee have beene pleased to doe, in the wordes of your desire, and had put your hand unto the Covenant; which would presently have joyned us in a greater Affection, and made way for union in judgement, and perfect peace, which is the desire of our Soules.
To the thirteenth.
YEe pretended a threefolde Scandall, which should follow upon your Subscription. 1. The scandall of dissenting from other reformed Kirkes, and famous Divines. 2. The scandall of dissenting from Anthoritie. 3. The Scandall of Perjurie,. Wee answered, That the controverted words of the Covenant being rightly conceived, & interpreted according to their true meaning, & not after the glosse which yee have put upon them, doe put you out of danger of all the three Scandalls, which yee seeme to acknowledge of the first two, and maye by the lyke reason acknowledge of the third, of Perjurie. We dispute not of the lawfulnesse of the Oath given at your Admission, by what Authoritie it was exacted, with what conscience it was given, nor how yee can answere for the scandall risen thereupon: but conceaving it according to your owne grounds, none of you will saye, that yee have sworne the perpetuall Approbation and Practise of those things which yee esteeme to bee indifferent, what-soever bad consequent of Poperie, Idolatrie, Superstition, or scandall should follow thereupon: wee speake heere onelyonly of thinges Indifferent, in your owne judgement; for yee have declared before. that yee thinke the Ministration of the Sacraments in piivate places, no more indifferent: and therefore, cannot forbeare the practise of these, altho your Ordinarie, and other lawfull Superiours, should will you to doe soe; wherein Pearths Assembly for which you stand, is wronged by you two wayes: 1. That yee differ in judgement from them, about the indifferenc…e of the five Articles; and next, that at the will of your Ordinarie, and wee knowe not what other lawfull Superiours, yee are readie to forbeare the practise of these thinges which the Assembly hath appointed to bee observed. What Oathes you have given at your admission, wee know not, because their is no ordinance made, Civil or Ecclesiasticke, appointing any such oath, and because the Prelates, who arrogated that power, presented to the intrants diverse models of Articles, to bee subscribed, dealing with some more hardlie, and with others more favourably, according to their owne diverse motives, and considerations.
For some immediately after P…rth Assembly, without anye warrant from the Kirke or Parliament, were made to sweare at their admission, that they should both in private and publicke maintaine Episcopall Iurisdiction, and in their private and publicke prayers, commend the Prelats to Gods mercifull Protection; that they should subject themselves to the Orders that presently were in the Kirk, or by the consent of the said Kirke, should bee lawfullie established, The word lawfullie; was not in the Principal first subscribed, (as wee have learned) and if it had beene exprest, it is all one, for the Superiors were Iudges to this lawfulnesse and vnlawfulnesse. Wee will not labour to reconcile everie Oath given by Ministers, at their entry with the present Covenant; but wish, and exhort rather, that they may bee recalled, and repented of, as thinges for which they cannot answere before a generall Assembly,