Balcanquell asked libertie to speake, seeing he was not a Member of the Assembly; pleading so farre, of the caice of the remonstrances and our bishops was different in two maine respects—therefore the same answer could not serve the bishops declinatour, which was most valide agᵗ the remonstrances:—first, becaus the matter of the remonstrances accusations was anent points fundamentall, such as election upon foirseene faith,—universalitie of Christs death, and co-operation of Gods Grace with our will—resistabilitie of Grace,—the finall apostacie of the saintes: in which pointes, and uthers of that nature, are all bound, under the paine of damnation, to betake them to the one syde; and therefore the remonstrances could not justlie declyne the Church of the Low Countries in questions of that nature, though they had before that Synod, cleared themselves to the contrarie; for if any such exceptions are of force to declyne a Nationall Assembly, of necessitie they behoved to be referred to the judgement of strangers; but the questiones in the Church of Scotland were not anent fundamental poynts of religion, which, by our Confession, are declaired to be eternal and unchangeable, but anent matters of policie and order, which the twenty first article of our Confession shawes to be alterable. Secondly, he excepted that the Kirke of the Low Countries had not before that Synod, bund themselves by oath and subscriptioun, against the doctrine of the remonstrances, as we in the Kirke of Scotland had done against the bishops, and the causes depending betwixt us and them.
The Moderatour said that it was a questione of great difficultie, to decerne what pointes are fundamentall and what not; and, if this whole Assembly were sett to it, it would take them to the morrow at this tyme. Secondly, That Synod of Dort did not pronounce these pointes controverted betwixt them and the remonstrances to be hereticall, but only to be erroneous. Thirdly, Doctor Feild, and uthers, distinguishes errours in two fundamentall poynts about the foundations of these that are more remote, and preter fundamenta. In the first sort, meir ignorance was damnable, but, in the third, obstinacie, as Doctor Feild instances Pauls cloake, what became of it, or whether Onesimus was Pauls Servand now. Now the Moderatour assumed that Dr Balcanquell would not affirme that sinne ignorance of these pointes of Arminianisme was of the selfe damnable. Fourthlie, Our Church holds, that all the maine poyntes of her discipline ordour, were warrantable by the word of God; and that, be God’s grace, we are able to prove it to be so; for the second article of our Confession, declareing Ceremonies to be alterable, it is to be exponed only of the circumstances of the tyme and place.
Mr David Dalgleish addit two answers farder:—1, Antient Counsell had proceedit, and finds themselfes competent judges, even when matters of inferior degree are questioned, as in the questions of Novatus and Danatus. 2, That the Bishops wer indytit for poyntes of heresie, such as the Doctor acknowledged to be fundamentall poynts—to witt, poynts of Poperie and Arminianisme.
Then the Moderatour said—Seeing, in Gods providence, this Contestation is tymeouslie fallen in, it is fitt that this Assembly should voice, whether they find themselves competent judges to the pretendit Bishops, notwithstanding of the Declinatour and Protestation?
The Commissioner said—I find in myselfe a great contrarietie—causes of joy, but greater causes of grieff; causes of joy, that I am able, before God and all that heares me, to make good all the whole offeris his Majestie hes made to this Kingdome, be severall proclamations and declarations, and more also. But I have sorrow that I cannot goe on so as to bring matters in hand to such ane peaceable end as I would; therefore, before ye proceid further, I will renew all my protestations, made in name of my Master, and Lords of Clergie, here. I will present unto yow his Majesties gracious pleasure, signed with my owne hand by his warrand.
Then the Clerk tooke and red it, and it containes a discharging of the Service Booke, Booke of Cannons, High Commission; ordaines the 5 articles of Perth to be no more urged, and gives libertie to the present Assembly to represent their judgment of these articles to the next ensueing Parliament; and that no oath be taken of ministers but that which is insert in the Act of Parliament. It promises Generall Assemblies to be indicted als oft as shall be found expedient. It showes that his Majestie is content that the bishops be censured be the Generall Assembly, and that he intends no change of Religion. It hath a command to subscryve the Covenant and band made 1580 and repeited 1589. After the reading of it,
The Commissioner said—Now, I hope all these to all aspersions, anent change of religion, are declared to be unjust; so, if any change of religion had bein intendit, this Assembly had never been granted, nor yet these offers made unto yow. I am entrusted with a full commission for the preservation of religion, punishing of vyce, and to consider of all the just exceptions against the Bishops and Episcopacie, and have power to rectifie all the abuses of that office, so farr as that sort of government may still remaine in the Kirk, as government not contrare to the word of God; and anent the practice of this and uther churches, I have power to limite it so, that it shall not be able to wrong the church; and, if they wrong it, they shall be punished: yet, my commission is more ample than I will expresse. But, seeing I have not found that respect dew to ane Commissioner, and know what prejudicat opinion these here hes of me present, and, when I consider what directions were sent from the Tables of Conveiners of Meetings at Edinburgh to presbitries, be noblemen, gentlemen, ministers, and uthers, it gives me just occasion to declair, that I can give no consent to any thing that is heir done; and to cleare what I have said, I present heir two uther papers, ane sent from the Table at Edinburgh to presbitries, the uther from persons to their friends, and I desyre they may be red. I cannot designe the men who sent these papers; but sure I am these papers are sent, dispersed through the kingdome, and that mens proceedings are according to the directions of these papers; for there is not a Commissioner chosen but Covenanters, or, if any uther be, there is a protestation against him, or else they are chosen becaus none other could be found. I find, also, ane absolut resolution to mentaine the lawfulnes of the election of ley Elders, to voit here, and the election of ministers by ley Elders, and everie thing in this Assembly going on contrare to the practice of all former tymes and positive lawes of this kingdome: Therefore, I can acknowledge nothing to be heir done by the voit of such men. In the meane tyme, I desyre that this declaration of the Kings will, may be insert in the Bookes of the Assembly, as ane testimonie of his Majesties sinceritie in religion, and that he hath no intention of any change in Religion, and is readie to perform all that is here promised, and what further may conduce for the peace of the land, and especiallie, that Assemblies shall be indicted als oft as the affares of the Church shall requyre.
The Moderatour his Speach to the Commissioner his Grace.
It weell beseemeth us, his Majesties Subjects, conveened in this honorable Assembly, with all thankfullnes, to receave so ample a testimonie of his Majesties goodnes, and not to disesteeme of the smallest crumbes of comfort that falles unto us of his Majesties liberalitie. With our hearts doe we acknowledge before God, and with our mouth do we desyre to testifie to the world, how farr we think ourselves obleist to our dread Soveraigne; wishing that the secrete thoughts of our hearts, and the way wherein we have walked this tyme past, wer made manifest. It hath bein the glorie of the reformed Churches, and we accompt it our glorie after a speciall maner, to give unto Kings and Christian Magistrats, what belongs unto their places; and as we know the fifth command of the law to be a precept of the second table, so doe we acknowledge it to be the first of that kynd; and that nixt to pietie towards God, we are obleist unto loyaltie and obedience to our King. There is nothing due unto Kings and Princes, in matters ecclesiasticall, which, I trust, by this Assembly, shall be denyed unto our King: ffor, beside auctoritie and power in matters civill, to a Christian King belongeth, first, inspection over the affaires of the Kirk, et debet invigilare not only super ecclesiasticis sed super ecclesiastica: He watcheth not only over Kirkmen, but over Kirk matters. Secondly, The vindication of Religion doth also belong unto the King, for whom it is most propper, be his Majestie, to vindicat Religion from contempt and all abuses, he being keiper also of the first table of the law. Thirdlie, The functions, also, are in his Majesties hand, to confirme, be his royall auctoritie, the Constitutions of the Kirke, and to give them the strenth of a law. Fourth, His Majestie also hath the power of Correction: he both may and aught compell Kirkemen in the performance of their dueties which God requires of them. Fifthly, The Correction, also, must be from the Prince, who hath power from God to coerce and restraine them to his terrour and auctoritie, from what beseemeth not their places and callings. Sixth, The Christian Magistrat, also, hath power to convocat Assemblies, when they find that the urgent affaires of the Kirk doe call for them: and in Assemblies when [they] are conveened, his power is great, and his power aught to be heard—first, as he is a Christian, having the judgment of discretion in all matters debateable and contraverted; next, as he is King or Magistrat, he must have the judgment of his eminent place and high vocation, to discerne what concernes the Spirituall weill and Salvation of his Subjects: and, third, as a Magistrat singularlie gifted with more then ordinarlie, gifts of knowledge and auctoritie; and we heartilie acknowledge that your Grace, as his Majesties high Commissioner, and representing his Majesties Royall persone, hes a cheefe place in this reverend and honorable Assemblie—first, as a good Christian; next, as ye are his Majesties great Commissioner, and third, as ane endued with singular graces, and after a speciall manner, fittest for this employment. Far be it from us to deny any thing that is done to these who are in supreme auctoritie, or to such as are subordinat unto them and delegat be them. When Alexʳ the Great came to Jerusalem, he desyred that [an] Image might be sett up in the temple, which the Jewis modestlie refuised as inconsistent with the law, which was the law of God, but libertie offered in their power, and more honourable for the King, that they would begin the reckonings of the tymes from his coming to Jerusalem, and would call all the first borne sons be his name. What is Cæsars or what is ours, let it be given to Cæsar, but [let] the God by whom Kings reigne, have his owne place and prerogative—be whose grace our King reigneth and we pray may long and prosperouslie reigne over us.
The Commissioner said—Sir, ye have spoken as a good Christian and duetifull subject.