for all ages, times, and
places.' "

_Ans._ None of us denieth that article: we all stand to it. For that which
it pronounceth of ceremonies must be understood of alterable
circumstances, unto which the name of ceremonies is but generally and
improperly applied, as we have showed elsewhere;(1284) neither can we, for
professing ourselves bound by an oath ever to retain sitting at the
receiving of the sacrament in this national church of Scotland, be
therefore thought to transgress the said article.

For, 1. The article speaketh of ceremonies devised by men, whereof sitting
at the sacrament is none, being warranted (as hath been showed) by
Christ's own example, and not by man's device.

2. The article speaketh of such ceremonies as rather foster superstition
than edify the church using the same; whereas it is well known that
sitting at the communion did never yet foster superstition in this church;
so that the Bishop did very unadvisedly reckon sitting at the communion
among those ceremonies whereof the article speaketh.

_Sect._ 7. But the Bishop hath a further aim, and attempteth no less than
both to put the blot of perjury off himself and his fellows, and likewise
to rub it upon us, telling us,(1285) "That no man did by the oath oblige
himself to obey and defend that part of discipline which concerneth these
alterable things all the days of his life, but only that discipline which
is unchangeable and commanded in the word. Yea (saith he), we further
affirm, that every man who sware to the discipline of the church in
general, by virtue of the oath standeth obliged, not only to obey and
defend the constitution of the church that was in force at the time of
making his oath, but also to obey and defend whatsoever the church
thereafter hath ordained, or shall ordain, &c., whether thereby the former
constitution be established or altered," &c. The same answer doth Dr
Forbesse also return us.(1286)

_Ans._ 1. Here is a manifest contradiction; for the Bishop saith that
every man did, by this oath, oblige himself only to obey and defend that
discipline which is unchangeable and commanded in the word. And yet again
he seemeth to import (that which Dr Forbesse plainly avoucheth(1287)),
that every man obliged himself by the same oath to obey and defend all
that the church should afterwards ordain, though thereby the former
constitutions be altered. The Bishop doth, therefore, apparently
contradict himself; or, at the best, he