Answers to the Replies of Aberdeen, Answer 5 – Answer 8
To the fifth.
TO the first Exception, wee have even now answered, and need to adde no farther, concerning private Baptisme and Communion. 2. Wee looked that your argument, ad hominem, had beene closed in the fourth reply & wish, what yee had to say against the Dispute of Popish English Ceremonies, or any other Treàtise: of that kynd, or any of us in particular, had beene kept to another time: for, wold any of us, refuse to sweare the short Confession, because yee …ave expounded some articles thereof, contrarie to our mynd? Our desire is, that ye keepe your owne meaning of the negative Confession, and we keepe ours, according to our diverse measures of light: and, that both sides promise forbearance, as is required in the Covenant, which may verie well stand both with your meaning, and ours: of ours, there is no question: and of yours, there needeth none to bee moved by you, since ye thinke them indifferent and therefore, in such a case, may promise, to forbeare them. From this ground, and from the different use of the word Discipline, and Policie, it is easie to answere, both your Sorites and Dilemma: for the late Covenant, bindeth you to keepe the forme…, according to the common meaning of the Subscribers, and not according to your interpretation or ours, in particulare: and the horues of your Dilemma, maye be turned against your selves: for wee aske of you, VntoUnto which of the members of the Distinction doe you referre Episcopacie, and the Articles of Perth? if they were abjured for ever, before Perths Assembly, how is it that yee have admitted and practised them, since that tyme; for this was perjurie? And if they were not abjured, but by the short Confession were left indifferent, why may yee not, for any impediment yee have from that Confession, forbeare now the practise of them? Wee looked not for velitations of this sort, which the change of Commissioners sent unto you mighthave prevented, but for some solide and grave reasons, why yee could notsubscribe the Covenant, whether presented from our hands, or the handes of others, our Learned and Reverend Brethren, of your practise and judgment, who might have beene sent unto you in our place. In the meane time, because manie are intangled with the word of Discipline, and Policie, we desire the Reader to remember, that sometime the word is taken for the Rule of Givernement of the Kirke, and censure of Manners, by Office-bearers appointed by Christ; and thus it was unchangeable: sometimes for the Constitution of Councells and Acts of Parliament, about matters of Religion, and thus it is alterable or constant according to the nature of particular Objects: and thirdly, it is taken for the ordering of the circumstances, to bee observed in all actions Divine, and Humane: and thus it is variable. Wee appeale with you, to the indifferent Reader, who is judicious, whether it bee necessarie for your Subscription, to knowe our Opinion of such Rites & Ceremonies, as are not of divine institution. Wee have reason, (for any thing that, ever wee heard to the contrarie, these 20 yeers past) to eleave unto the wordes of the Covenant, concerning such Rites as are broght into the Kirke, without or against the word of GOD. The blessing of Marriage (now the second time instanced) wee conceive neither to bee circumstance, it beeing neither time, place, order of doing, nor anye such thing, nor a Ceremonie properly so called, more than the blessing of the people, commanded in the Law, & practised before the Law, or praying for a Blessing upon the Ordinance of God that it may bee sanctified unto His people: wee neither exalt Marriage so high, as with the Papists to thinke it a Sacrament; nor doe wee abase it so lowe, as to think it a paction or Contract, meerly civill, it beeing the Couenant of God, which cannot be dissolved by consent of the parties, as other civill Contracts maye bee: and therefore, as wee will not use it superstitiously, according to the praescript of the Service booke, so will wee not for the abuse of Poperie, although it were a Paction meerly civill, it beeing so important, with-hold Ecclesiastick Benediction from it.
To the sixth.
SIlence carrieth sometimes the appearance of Consent, sometime it is from weaknesse; and sinee you knowe also, that it maye at sometimes come from wisedome, and moderation; why doe yee not rather keepe silence your selves, than make such an interpretation of ours? We denye not, but Diuines both ancient, and moderne, are against us, concerning the lawfulnesse of the thinges contraverted: but wee withall affirme, first, That Divines both ancient and moderne, are against you also, and both may bee true, for both are Propositions indefinite, in a matter contingent. 2. That almost all Divines universally are for us, and for the forbearance of things indifferent, in such a case, which is the point urged by us, and cleared before. Secondly, wee deny not, but the Oath containeth manie other Articles: but concerning that of the Novations alreadie introduced, if you could have believed us, & so many thousands as have subscribed, it containeth no more, but the forbearance of them, for a time, neither can any farther bee extorted from the tenor of the Covenant it self, according to your grounds. If you will interprete it according to the meaning which yee thought it hadde the last yeare, and which we urge you not to change: & to promise forbearance, can neither bee contrarie to that duetie which yeow to your flock, nor be disobedience to Authority, but a means to edifie God's people, and obedience to God.
To the seaventh.
FIrst, The Reason propounded in the 7. Demand, for refusing your Subscription, because yee supposed Perth Articles to have beene abjured, as Popish, is answered to the full, and the impediment put out of your way. This other that ye propound concerning our conception and meaning of the short Confession, may bee as easilie removed, if yee will once believe; that wee urge not upon you our meaning, but leave you to your owne, till the matter be examined in an Assembly. 2. Ye call some of those novations, necessarie: but without warrant of that Assembly, which concluded them, as indifferent, & all the rest ye will have to bee laudable: thus by progresse of time, things formerly indifferent, become necessarie: and what was but lawfull before, and had much adoe to gaine that reputation, is now become laudable: where yee plainely discover the cause of your unwillingnesse to subscribe, not so much to bee the commandement of Authoritie, as the necessitie and excellencie of the things commanded. Till yee, therfore, change this opinion, ye cannot promise forbearance neither upon our dealing, nor at the commandement of Authoritie, altho forbearance should serve for the peace of the Kirk, & Kingdome.
To the eight.
FIrst, Wee remit the Reader to our Answere, and your Reply, which, we hope, shall be fouud no Confutation. 2. We observe. That ye have not answered our argument, for our swearing the Defence of the King and his Authoritie, with a specification, which yee call a limitation, wherin we have followed the Confession of Faith, ratified in Parliament, the King's Confession, and Act of Parliament, upon which yeewill not doe well, to fasten so foule imputations, and put so hard Constructions, as yee doe upon us, for inserting in our Covenant, what they have said before us. If our specification be right, why censure you it? If it bee wrong, why fasten you not your censures upon the Fountaine from which it is derived? The Loyaltie of our intentions to maintaine the Kings person, and honour, is fully expressed, that it hath given content to those who are nearest his Majestie: and wee should wrong, not onelyonly them, but also the Covenant, and the Subscribers thereof, if wee should make new Declarations to others of greater distance, who wrong both the King, and them-selves, in craving them.
3. To doe with a doubting Conscience, is a grievous sinne but to make and multiplie doubtes, for hindering a good worke, and to oppose against a shyning Light, is no lesse grievous. Ye spake before of a limitation, & now ye have added Precislie, as if the naming of our Duetie, were the excluding of all other Dueties. We all by our Oath of Alleadgeance, by his Majesties Lawes and by other Obligations acknowledge, that wee owe many other dueties to the King, which were verie impertinent to expresse in this Covenant. 4. What kynd of Conference yee meane; whether by word or writ: we know not, but while we were amongst you; yee know what notice yee were pleased to to take of us, and wee have no delight, to resent it.