and not to be the head of that Society to which any is such Now to the Minor that the Prelats and their Curats have their power from and in its exercise are subjected to a supream Architectonick power is beyond disput clear from the act of restitution formerly mentioned and other acts to be mentioned afterwards and will be so to any that consideratly peruse the same of which we are to speak at more large under the last head but for the time we propose these three from these acts for making out of this argument 1. They are expresly made to have a dependance upon and subordination to the King as supream to them in their Church judicatories and administrations 2 The government of the Church in its ordering and disposeing is annexed to the crowne as one royal prerogative thereof which not only suppons the government to be in him as the fountaine thereof but to be exercised with that dominion that is suteable to his regality 3 The giving of Church power to Church officers is supponed to be the effect and deed of his lawes and acts without which all power in the Church is declared to be null and void Objec Although the Kings Majesty be supream governour in all causes and over all persons Ecclesiastical yet he is not head to and of the Church Ans If he be supream governour in such causes and over such persons in Linea directa no question he is the head political to the Church for GOVERNOUR HEAD are equipollent terms whosoever is supream Governour to any society in this sense is a proper political head to it it is needless to quarrel about words if the thing be granted And that this subordination or supremacy is direct or in Linea directa is we judge clear from the fore mentioned acts seing they not only make the King the fountaine of Church power but moreover in the act anent the the National Synod he is made the All of the same and without him it is nothing The like of these the sun never shined on except these made by King Henry the 8. of England which being scrupuled at by all sorts of persons at home abroad they were in Queen Elizabeths time forced to alleviat the mater by removeing the title head and some mitigating explications allowed and ordered to be given to the subjects at the taking of the oath of supremacy but no such explications allowed here Arg. 3. If the Ministers and Churches required by law to receive and submit to the Prelats and their Curats thus thrust in upon them were constitut and setled in Christs way as Pastors and flocks in the just possession and actual use of all ordinances conforme to the rules of the word then it is no sinful separation for Churches in adhering to their Ministers not to receive nor submit to the Prelates and their Curats But so it is that the Ministers and Churches required by law to receive and submit to the Prelats and their Curats thus thrust in upon them were constitut and setled in Christs way as Pastors and flocks in the just possession and actual exercise of all ordinâ—â—ces conforme to the rules of the word Therefore it is â—â—â—o sinful separation on their part not to receive and submit to the Prelats and their Curats in hearing and receiving of ordinances from them We suppose the consequence of the major proposition is evident and will not readily be denyed by any and if it shall happen to be we prove it thus If there be divine obligations on Ministers and their Churches to the performance of the mutual duties of Pastors and flocks then it can be no sinful separation for Churches in adhering to their Ministers not to receive nor submit to the Prelats and their Curats But so it is that the Ministers and Churches required by law to receive and submit to the Prelats and their Curats were under divine obligations to the performance of the mutual duties of Pastors and flocks Therefore it is no sinful separation for Churches not to receive nor submit to the Prelats and their Curats The consequence of the major proposition leaneth upon these two and is infallibly made out by them first that thâ—â—e is a divine relation of Pastor and flock betwixt Ministers and the Churches over whom they are set and secondly that they are bound by divine commands to do the mutual duties of such contained and prescribed in the word of God none that acknowledge the Ministery to be an ordinance of divine instution and the Scriptures to be the rule of religion and righteousness will be able to refuse these We conceive none even of our Antagonists will deny the Minor if they do will it not follow that the Church of Scotland before and at the Prelats introduction was no Ministerial political Church which is false as we undertake to prove when ever our opposites give their reasons to the contrare But we know the greatest debate will be about the Minor proposition of the first argument to wit that Ministers and Churches required by law to receive and submit to the. Prelats and their Curates were setled in Christs 〈◊〉 as Pastors and flocks in the just possession actual exercise of all ordinances of divine appointment This for mater of fact is beyond all denial for the Churches of Christ in Scotland before and at the Prelates late entry among us in the Year 1662. were for the generality of the furnished with Pastors and in the possession of all ordinances The debate then will run upon the jus of that constitution that was existent and in being at the Prelats introduction against which there is nothing that can with any colour of reason be objected but one of these three Obj. 1. Prelacy was wanting in that constitution which it should have had Ans 1. To the validity of this objection it must first be made out that Prelacy as it is established by law and in use and exercise among us at this day is of divine right or an office institute in the word of God which is not yet done and for any thing we have yet seen never will Let our adversaries in this great debait consider the reasons and exceptions we have given in against iâ— and answer them yea we undertake to prove that it is not only without but against the word of God 2 We ask at the Patrons of Prelacy whether they judge it essential to the constitution of the Ministerial political Church If they judge it essential doth it not necessarily follow that all the Reformed Churches of France Holland c. are no ministerial Political Churches and that all ordinances dispensed in them are Nullities yea that the Churches of the vallyes of Piemont called the Albigenses which by all historians have their original deduced from the Apostles were not such seing 〈◊〉 the confession of all they never had Prelacy from their begining of Christianity to this day which is contrare to
really exclude Magistrats from the Communion of the Church and the benefite of the ordinance of Church Government which in its designe and effects is for saving of the soul as well as all other ordinances Other Arguments might be adduced as the want of power in the Magistrat to alter and change the Government of the Church or to nullify its just sentences passed c. SECT VII The sinfulness of the Ecclesiastick Supreamacy manifested BUt judging these sufficient to the conviction oâ— the unprejudged we come to the other part of ouâ— task which is to shew that this visible intrinsick government of the Church is assumed by and given to our Rulers in the present standing laws of the Kingdom which we shall make out from the acts of Parliament particularly act of restitution Parl. 1. Sess 2. Act. 1. act anent the National Synod Parl. 1. Sess 3. Act. 4. act against Conventicles Parl. 2. Sess 5. act against Keepers of Conventicles and withdrawers c. Parl. 2. Sess 3. Act. 17. act against unlawful ordinations Parl. 2. Sess 3. with others of the like nature But before we enter on the probation of this it will be necessare for clearing our way to it to consider alittle two things in the beginning of the narrative of the act of restitution repeated in several acts where first the Government of the Church is called the external Government of the same the tearm EXTERNAL being Notourly ambiguous should have been explained all not left to guess at its meaning EXTERNAL is by some opposed to the internal invisible Government of Christ on the souls of his people and so by it they understand the visible intrinsick Government of the visible Church that this is meant by the tearm EXTERNAL GOVERNMENT in this and other acts the following Arguments undertake to make out but some others oppose the terme EXTERNAL GOVERNMENT to this intrinsick visible Government of the Church formerly described and asserted to be distinct from and independant on the Mastrat and by it they do understand these humane adjuncts and accidents that are civil in themselves and not made sacred by divine institution some plead this to be the sense of these terms in the acts of Parlt but how groundlesly let our subsequent reasons determine Secondly It is there said that the ordering and disposing of the external government of the Church belongs to the Crowne c. it is hard to sense this for ordering and disposing when done by persons in authority is a part of government in it self and if it be so the Phrase is equivalent to this the governing of the external government of the Church which is a strange sort of speach as if a government needed a government to governe it What if this were said of the government of the government of the State Would it not be reputed non sense But the truth is all governments do necessarily imply a power to dispose and order all things relating to it as a part of the same without which it were imperfect and it is without disput evident from the experience of the Church under heathenish Magistrats that the government of the Church had this which by this act is taken from her Next we ask whether this ordering and diposing be an act of the Ecclesiastick or civil government If it be of the Ecclesiastick it is againe non-sense at the best and is as much as if it had been said the Ecclesiastical governing of the Ecclesiastical government of the Church a perfect tautology But if it be an act of the civil government how comes it that in this and other acts of Parliament it is called the Kings Ecclesiastical Government in opposition to the civil Obj. It is only objectively so called Ans Then it is properly and formally civil the phrase objectively Ecclesiastical being CATACHRESTICAL and ABUSIVE a very improper speach yea as improper as if we should call Church power or Government in the hands of Church officers objectively civil or civil Thirdly In the last place we desire to know whether this ordering or disposing of the Government of the Church be necessary or not If it be not necessary why is the Church troubled with it If it be we ask againe when it was exercised by the Church whether it was an act of civil or Church Government It could not be of the civil for the Church had none under persecuting Magistrats if it was an act of the Ecclesiastical or Church Government then it was purely and formally such and not truely civil although exercised about things civil in their owne nature and seing it was so how comes it to be the Magistrats now To any considerat and unbyaffed reader it will be manifest that these words or expressions come from mindes designing the enhansing of the intrinsick visâ—â—le Government of the Church and withall labouring to cover it but all in vaine Now that the Ecclesiastical Government of the Church formally and intrinsically such is assumed by and given to the Magistrat in the present standing lawes will be apparent to any that consider these things in the forecited acts of Parliament 1. That Church officers in the exercise of Church government in their Church assemblies or judicatories are put in dependance upon and subordinated to the King as Supream to them therein this makes the King the fountaine of Church power the Church officers to derive and hold their power of him which makes our King the proper Head of the Church substituts him in Christs roome to her 2. The government of the Church thus subjected to dependant on the King as Supream is in the act of restitution extended to and made to take in ordination acts of discipline inflicting of Church censures yea to all causes and matters formally Ecclesiastical to all about which Church power is exerced he is made the supream 3. All Church power and jurisdiction as it was exercised in this Church before the late introduction of prelacy without this derivation from and subordination to the Magistrat is rescinded and annulled certainly in these times the Magistrat had and did exercise a power about Church matters as is to be seen in the laws then made in their behalf but this does not now content without this supremacy which imports another power acclamed by the Magistrat now that was not then 4. This supremacy and as it is called the Royal prerogative of the Crown is given for the maine reason of the change made in the Government of the Church in overturning and casting out of the true government that then was and bringing in another in its stead without the authority and concurrence of the Church a fair opened doore for bringing in the like alteration and change in doctrine and worship when there is access to it 5. Prelacy by this act is restored not only to the former height it was at and had attained by law and practice before its last ejection out of this Church
none wonder we take this ticklish subject into consideration and dar adventure to give an accompt of our thoughts of the same to the world for we solemnly professe that on the exactest enquiry and search that we have been able to make about this mater we finde it as diametrically opposite to our true Covenanted principles as Prelacy and in its effects we fear shall prove as destructive to the Church and work of Reformation as any thing that appeared on the field against it Times past and present speak much to this but the future will say more the storme that this Supremacy threatens to this Church and nation is such that it is the part of all that wish well to Zion to pray inflantly day and night that it may be graciously averted The truth is as we look upon it as an high corruption in it self tending to the subversion of the Churches concerns in doctrine worship and Government so it lies at the bottome of our non-conformity to the law in Church maters and is not only one but a maine reason why we cannot joyne in Church assemblies especially for Government which thereby in our apprehensions are made nullities That our procedour in speaking to this may be distinct and clear to all we shall observe this method 1. We shall consider speak to the Government of the Church and shew what it truly is 2 We shall prove its distinction from independency on the civil Government And3 Shew how far this Government of the Church is by law lodged in and exercised by our Rulers contrare to Scripture and the practice of the Church till these hundered years past For more light to the whole we shall premise these preliminary considerations or propositions which we think will not readily be denied by any 1. Propos it is out of our rode and inconsistent with our intended brevity to insist on the tearms GOVERNMENT CHURCH what is usually signified by them these we leave to the Criticks and all that write on this subject but all are agreed in this that GOVERNMENT is a tearme importing power and authority which is nothing els but a right to rule others and an obligation on these invested therewith to use the same for attaining the ends of Government So that Government makes its acts due bindes them to all these acts means wayes by which Government is enabled to reach its ends 2. Propos All created power authority is originall in God as the first cheif cause thereof derived from him as the universal Supreme Monarch and Governour of all in heaven or earth hence it necessarly followes that as the power that cannot prove its descent from God is not to be admited so all just powers are directly subordinat to him as the universal head of all 3. Propos that the Church of Christ not being founded in nature but on supernatural revelations her Government must wholly depend upon flow from it in these things where it differs from other Governments so that the All of this Government is by positive institution and warrant from God supernaturally revealed 4. Propos That Christ Jesus as Mediator being made the head of the Church under God and thereby her Government fountained in him all powers in the Church must be derived from and subordinat to him as the Supream 5. Propos Beside the invisible and internal Government that Christ Jesus exerciseth by his Spirit on the souls and consciences of his people that consists in the inward light and power of his Spirit guiding and enabling them to that obedience he requires of them in his word there is likwise a true visible Government of the Church institute by him and visibly exercised in her in his name as her Supream 6. Propos The Government of the Church as shall be proved afterwards is not properly and in linea directa subordinat to the Magistrat for 1. It hath its derivation from another fountaine Christ Jesus who being the Churches Supream head and governour all power in her must come from and depend on him 2 The Magistrat cannot take away nor change the Government of the Church which he may do in Governments and powers subordinat to him yea he cannot impede its exercise in these intrusted with it seing they are under obligations for it antecedent superiour to these of the Magistrat 7. Propos That the holy Scriptures being the word and law of Christ as King of his Church must be the instrument and rule of the Churches Government according to which she ought to be ruled not only in these acts of faith and obedience in the inner man but also in the outward 8. Propos Although powers specifically distinct be not subordinat to one another yet there may be and is a mutual subordination of persons invested with these powers so as the persons are in different respects superiour and inferiour to one another as Jesse was to David supposing him to live in his son Davids reigne which subordination of persons does not take away the destinction of these powers nor the mutual subjection the persons owe to one another hence we assert that as Magistracy does not destroy the Ministry nor loose the persons cloathed therewith from the subjection they owe as Christians to Ministers in the right exercise of their Ministery so neither does the Ministery destroy Magistracy nor untye Ministers as subjects from that subjection and obedience due to Magistrats from their subjects Ministers are bound to this as much as any 9. Propos As in all Governments there are somethings that is intrinsick although visible wherein its nature and specifick essence does consist and somethings accidental and separable from it that belongs not to its esse but BENE ESSE so there are in the visible Government of the Church somethings essential intrinsick of which afterward and somethings accidental and extrinsick without which it can subsist even in its exercise 10. Propos These things in and about which the Government of the Church is conversant are of diverse sorts some are purely spiritual as the Word Ministery Sacraments and all Ordinances of divine appointment Others are of a mixt nature partly spiritual partly civil as the necessary circumstances and mods of worship and Government which although civil in their own nature and common to other actions yet partly by reason of the general divine appointments impowering the Church to dispose and order these partly by reason of their necessary connection with things purely spiritual are truely Ecclesiastick and become a part of the object of the proper power of Church Government called by all Divines DIATACTICK Some are properly purely civil in their owne nature and immediat ends as Churches Stipends Manses Glybs c. which although they be by general precepts secured to the Church and belonging to her yet they are formally civil and come directly under the Magistrates power as other civil rights and proprieties do about which
but also to all that ever it was even in the times of popery which when considered in the constitution and priviledges it then had was an humane Office founded on the Supremacy of the Pope but now by this law on the Magistrat which sayes that although the persons be changed yet the Supremacy is the same 6. In the act anent the National Synod the nomination and election of persons by whoâ—n the government of the Church is to be exercised under the King is asserted to be the Kings by vertue of his royal prerogative and supremacy in causes Ecclesiastical so that the constitution of Church judicatories is made dependant upon him a thing never heard of nor practised in this or any other Church till of late 7. The right being and constitution of the National Synod of this Church is wholly dependant upon and derived from this law So as it is no Synod of this Church that is not gathered and constitute conforme to it although a Synod in this Church should have all that made Synods lawful and their acts obligatory in former times 8. The particular constitution of this National Synod as to its members which in this act are nominated and regulated thereby for all future times is determined for its ' times and places of meeting and put wholly in the Kings hand and asserted to be his right by vertue of his Supremacy over this Church It is no Synod that is not thus convocated 9. The maters to be handled debated and concluded in this Synod a thing alwayes judged intrinsick to the Church comes only from the King are to be proposed from him by the Arch-prelat of Saint Andrews and no other a fearful restraining of the divine liberty of the Ministers of the Gospel who may not speak of maters of doctrine manners although necessary for the times contrare to the freedome that is commanded them by their master anent these 10. The King 's or his Commissioners presence is made essential to the constitution and of binding force to this nationall Synod It is no Synod although constitute after the paterne of Church Synods in the primitive times if it want this 11. No mater debated and concluded by the Majority of this Synod is obligatory on this Church and its members if not approven and allowed by the King or his Commissioner This suspends the intrinsick obligation of Synods on the King so that no canon act or constitution do binde the members of the Church if he assent not As this secures the Couâ—t in their carnal liberties and sinful wayes so it shuts the door on all endeavours of reformation by the Church when Princes are vicious 12. In the act asserting the Kings Supremacy Ecclesiastick the King his successors are enabled and impowered to medle with all maters and meetings Ecclesiastick which brings the doctrine and worship within his verge and subjects the same to him as much as the government 13. They are impowered to enact and emit constitutions acts and orders anent maters and meetings Ecclesiastick as they please and think fit and are not in the making of these astricted to any rule but their pleasure O HORRENDUM 14. All these acts and orders they may statute independant on the Church Parliament or any other by their sole authority never granted to any of his predecessours before 15. These acts and constitutions insert in the book of Councel and duely published are declared and made to be of full force and obligation to this Church and her members No need of Synodâ— here which by this are wholly subverted 16. All former lawes acts and clauses of them contrare to and inconsistent with this are made void cassed annulled which takes away the Protestant Religion thâ— Word of God as the rule the concurrence of the Church in the assistance of the constitutions Ecclesiastical that was provided and secured by former acts of Parliament a wide door for Popery 17. In the act against unlawful Ordinations as they call them the Ordination of persons to the Ministry by Ministers of Christ Jesus that have not conformed to Prelacy which was held unquestionable valid for its substance by all till this late gang of Prelats arose in which they are degenerat from their predecessours is by the sole authority of the Magistrat made void and all Ministerial acts and Church benefites depending thereon declared to be nul An act that unchristians and condemns all the reformed Churches making their Churches no Ministerial political Churches and all Ordinances dispensed in them nullities which their practice at this time in England does confirme while Romish Priests turning Protestants are without ordination made capable and advanced to Church places and preferments of which the Protestant Ministers of other Churches conforming to Prelacy are dented till they be reordained Other mediums contained in other acts of Parliaments for fixing of the preceeding conclusions we passe having hinted at some of them above judging these sufficient for the conviction of the uninteressed unprejudged who through the power of lust and earthly interest have not cast off the light of the word but keeps in subjection to it We shall in the last place answer some objections in which we have to do with two sortes of persons first the high flowne Erastians of our times who will admit of no government in the Church but that which is in and from the Magistrat whose designe as is evident from the act asserting the Kings Supremacy is to take all Government out of the Churches hands and to put it on the King his Councel to be only exercised by them which throw the dislike of Prelacy is not sufficiently lamented laid to heart nor resisted by many as its dangerous consequences to all the concerns of the Church do require Besides these there are who upon what principle is not yet known think that the Supremacy as it is now asserted by law is not formally Ecclesiastical but only objectively so which is strange some of the objections of the first sort we have met with as we went along the former heads we know of no other besides these of any considerable strength but one Obj. That the Magistrat being the keeper of both tables of the law of the table of Religion as well as of the table of Righteousness ought to have a care of Religion and hath power given him to exercise it about the same Anâ—wer This being the Achilles of the Erastians and semi Erastians of VIDELIUS in particular We shall returne these answers to it and shew it cannot bear their conclusion 1. Whatever power the Christian Magistrat can clame by this the heathenish Magistrat hath the same he is by his Magistratical office constitute in actu primo a Keeper of both tables as is evident from Rom. 13 1 2. If he do not exercise it it comes not from any defect of power in his office or the institution of it but from his blindness and unbeleef
AN APOLOGY FOR OR VINDICATION OF THE Oppressed persecuted Ministers Professors of the Presbyterian Reformed Religion in the Church of Scotland emitted in the defence of them and the cause for which they suffer that for the information of ignorant the satisfaction and establishment of the doubtful the conviction if possible of the malicious the warning of our Rulers the strengthening comforting of the said sufferers under their present pressurs trials Being their Testimony to the Covenanted work of Reformation in this Church and against the present prevailing corruptions and course of desection therefrom PROV XXIII Vers 23. Buy the truth sell it not also wisdom instruction understanding I. PET. III. Vers 15. But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts be ready alwayes to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meeknes fear JUD Vers 3. It was needful for me to write unto you to exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints Prestat sero quà m nunquam sapere Printed in the Year 1677. To the most Noble and Honourable LORDS The Lords temporal of his Majesties Secret Council in the Kingdom of Scotland Most noble and honouralbe Lords CAsting our eyes about us to see under the wings of whose patrociny protection we should shelter the ensuing Apology or vindication we could not in our apprehensions fix upon any so fited for this as your Lo. who by the station office you bear under his Maj. in this Kingdom are constitute the protectors of the poor the Releevers of the oppressed the breakers of every unjust yoke the serious thoughts of which does aflord us this confidence that as our unjust oppressions make us objects fitted for your Lo. compassion and justice so your Lo. office and what it binds unto in the behalf of the oppressed before God and men will on the ingenuous plaine production of our reasons for the justice of our cause at length prevail for breaking of these yokes of oppression now on us and removing of their real causes We therefore cannot but in charity and reason expect that much humanity justice from your Lo. that was granted by heathen Rulers to Ministers Christians in the primitive times of the Christian Church of which we have in Scripture History memorable instances Was not Paul Act. 26 1 permited by King Agrippa to speak for himself who in vindication of his righteous cause deduced the grounds thereof and cleared the so to the conviction of his hearers that they judged him neither worthy of death nor of bonds Did not some of the Roman Emperours upon the reading of the Apologies of the Christians as of Justin Martyr Apollinaris Mileto Origen Tertullian and others declare their innocency and mitigat the rage of persecution that then prevailed against them May not we then who professe the same Protestant Religion with your Lo. entertaine ourselves with the hope of the same favour justice that was shewed by Rulers to the Lords people before us As our adversaries calumnies bitter reproaches with which they labour to render us odious to all especially to your Lo. are unjust and malitious being partly their evil and uncharitable deductions from our principles and actions and partly grosse notorious lies such as the heathens charged on the primitive Christians who finding no just mater for their accusations from their Profession and behaviour gave it out to the world that they worshiped the Sun an asses head and used promiscuous copulation at their assemblies So it is the Testimony of our consciences that as a brazen wal does sheild uphold our Spirits from sinking under those burdens with which they have aimed to keep us at under with your Lo. We know there is no new or strange thing happened unto us but what hath been the common lot of eminent saints yea of Christ Jesus our blessed Lord and Master the servant is not greater then the Master if they dealt so with him no mervail they deal so with us So great is the Testimony witness of our consciences as to all the greivous things they have and do charge upon us that we have hitherto possessed our souls in patience and not opened our just and true greivances as we might and should have done for fear of offending your Lo. But perceiving the truth of the Gospel the righteousness of our cause and the welfair of immortal souls are like to suffer thorow our too long silence we have adventured to disclose our thoughts and to give so far as we can a satisfieing account of the grounds of that faith and hope for which we suffer The God of Gods knowes Israel shall know we use this fredom and plainness of speech towards your Lo. and all others not from any contentious and ill affected humour but from the sense of the obligations laying on us for the conservation of the true interest of Religion and the hope of relief for these from your Lo. which we most humbly beg and exspect for the sake of truth and righteousness that are now fallen in the streets and fled into Corners if on an impartial examination of what we have said in the defence of our cause and of ourselves for its sake against the reproachs of our enemies it shall be found that it is not just but iniquous we ask no benefite from your Lo. clemency and justice let all severity be used But if the cause of our former and present sufferings be righteous in the confidence of which we have been bold to give to your Lo. and the Christian world this sober ensueing account we humbly entreat that protection and relief in its defence which your power and station in this Kingdome do enable and oblige your Lo. to Wherefore casting ourselves at your Lo. feet We doe in the behalfe of pure Religion undefiled the souls of all concerned therein beseech your Lo. First That our just well grounded exceptions against Prelacy Erastianisme may be taken into consideration laid to heart for if they hold good will not the future consequences of these evils to this land your Lo. families posterity be dreadful who thereby are laid pento the judgments denunced in the the Word of God against perjury and Covenant breaking We doe not lay the stresse of our cause on the Covenants Oaths taken by this nation against the foresaid evils or corruptions as the primary and chief Argument as will appear to all on the perusal of our subsequent Apology but on their opposition to the Word of the holy and true God for we grant Covenants and Oathes that are obligatory and binde to an observance suppone their matter to be antecedently just and do bring their primary obligation from it hence the things contained in engaged to by Covenants and Oaths must be proven and made out to be
act nor lead our antagonists Do not their opinions about Prelacy their Profession of all readiness to comply with the contrare if on foot their frequent changes into the interests and formes of all preceeding times how contrare soever to their once professed and sworn principles while true Presbyterians remained constant and immoveable thorow the times that went over their heads their covetous and licentious lives discover their want of conscience in the courses they now so furiously run Let not your Lo think that it is his Maj. interests as they pretend or any true consciencious regaird to these that moves them to such obseqiuous compliance with the present lawes Let the out ward interests of this world be separated from their way and it shall soon appear how void they are of true zeal for his Maj. and his lawes as is evident beyond all denial from their carriage behaviour in past present times As we have no external benefite to expect to engage us against conformity to the present lawes about Church Government so we are to look from our principles and practises conforme thereto no lesse then the ruine of our selves families in this world if conscience of duety towards God this Church according to the word did not determine and move us of all men we were the most foolish and miserable but seeing our hearts in the consideration of the justice of our cause of the sincerity of our intentions in acting conforme to it does not condemne us we have this confidence towards God that as we are acquit shall be justified before him so shall we be recompenced and rewarded to the aboundant compensation of all outward loses even for these things for which we are condemned of men so that that which is esteemed our folly sin and misery is and shall be reputed our righteousness wisdom and glory Albeit we have not the external advantages of power riches and wordly policy but the contrare to contend with and endure yet seing the Word of God in our hands doeth prosper and prevail to the gaining of immortal souls the restraining of impiety and the propagating of the savour of the true knowledge of Christ Jesus in all places where it comes notwithstanding of the opposition made unto us in this work it will on many accounts be your Lo. wisdome not to stand in contradictory tearmes thereto least your Lo. be found to fight against God in the persons of his servants and people for we are assured that this work and cause is of God partly for its conformity to his holy word partly for its undeniable fruit and successe in converting saving of souls from sin preserving and maintaining of its self against the opposition it meets with on all hands which we take for a signe of its being of God as the Christians did of old in their debates for the Christian Religion against its adversaries which under great opposition grew and prevailed exceedingly although stript of all the outward advantages of worldly power and policy If this cause be of God and approven by him as we nothing doubt it will not be in the power of the mightest to crush it Men may afflict and put us to great sufferings which to them will be a signe of perdition but to us of salvation but while this Church continues Protestant and hath God abiding in her their contradiction will be in vaine as is hitherto manifest And a thowsand to one but it resolve in their own ruine here here after The mater of difference betwixt us and our adversaries being in their owne confession a popular argument they much use with the people not foundamental but indifferent we humbly beg of your Lo that for preventing of further confusions in this Church attaining of the true peace of the same you will be pleased to consider whether it be better and safer for this Church that the Chistian Reformed Religion be totally ruined among us for satisfying of a few or a thing indifferent far removed from the vitals of Religion be taken away and not thus enforced by violence on so considerable a part of the subjects who for conscience sake cannot receive nor subject thereto And knowing that a serious and impartial examination of this one question if diligently pursued would quickly determine your Lo to courses quite opposite to these now prosecuted with so much heat against us we intreat your Lo not to give eare to these calumnies and undue representations of the present case of affaires in this Church made by our enemies the Prelates by which they labour to instigat to all this unjust and unseasonable violence that will Produce bitter and lamentable effects to this the succeeding generation if not prevented in time Most noble honourable Lords we cannot but take notice of that too common prejudice entertained against Presbyterian Government instilled with so much artifice by our opposits in the mind of many on which they have alas too much advantag through the love of sin natural enmity at the wholsome severity and power of the Christian Religion that is predominant in all unregenerat persons to wit the strictnes impartiality of Presbyterian Government in its exercise against all sorts of scandals in all degrees of Professours the great as well as the meane for we know that while Presbytery was up and in vigour amongst us the zeal and faithfulness of Ministers in reprehending all sorts of sins and exercising of discipline impartially conforme to the commands and ruls of the word without exception of persons is that which hath caused all this dislike of and rigour against Presbytery and conciliat that much respect to and love for Prelacy as to eject the one bring in the other We will not now enter on the debait whether this strictnes against sin be the native product of Presbyterian Government when exercised conforme to its principles or the contrare the genuine consequence of Prelacy that necessarly results from its constituent preserving causes Which were no great labour to make out But leaving this we humblie entreat your Lo. to have that patience towards us as to suffer us to say 1. In conformity to the principle of the Christian profession it must be in the confession of all Christians mater of sad regrait lamentation that in places where the Christian Religion is owned zealous faithfulness against soul destroying sins should be admited received as a prejudice against Ministers their Government which should commend cry it up yea that does endear it to all conscientious Christians that rightly understand their owne Profession Must it not be a terrible length this generation is gone in declineing from the power of Religion when that which is its excellency glory in the sight of God good men is become the occasion mater of its dislike reproach Can there be a fuller evidence and discovery of the predomining prevailing
suffer no small prejudice through our silence we have 〈◊〉 on a resolution to give to the Christian world an account of 〈◊〉 grounds of our practises for which we are this day 〈◊〉 â—uch reproached and persecuted And seing there is no 〈◊〉 in the ordinarie road to give a due and just information 〈…〉 â—ase to our Superioures by supplications petitions 〈…〉 â—â—â—onstrances allowed by scripture and natures 〈…〉 â—eason of the influence power of our adversaries 〈…〉 but expect that much justice from all as to excuse 〈…〉 doing of this in this way which the vindication 〈…〉 ourselvs for its sake in the present juncture 〈…〉 â—ecessary for finding in the present 〈…〉 that we cannot without betraying of the Gospel and of our immortal souls for which as Ministers and Christians we are called to contend on all highâ—â—â— paines keep any longer silence but that we 〈◊〉 give warning to all of the imminent dangers that threaten Religion in its purity and power we look upon it as our indispensible duty by clearing truths and practises 〈◊〉 much now condemned to endeavour the prevention and recovery of all from the snares they are in danger of and engaged into wherefore in all Christian sobriety and humility we crave leave to open our hearts and mindes to all as they are concerned in our case 1. Anent the cruel and iniquous procedour used against us 2 Our practise of preaching and hearing of the Gospel of Christ by Ministers and people yet adhering to the covenanted work of Reformation in opposition to Prelacy and Erastianisme 3 Our not approving nor allowing of the late indulgence although as to the preaching part of it it hath been by some of us in so far practised 4 and lastly anent the Supremacy Ecclesiastical as it is now established in his Majesties peâ—son and sensed by law SECT I. Of the act of Glasgow with raisons why submission could not be given to Prelacy WE love not to insist on the first and if it were 〈◊〉 connected with some other things that moâ—â—â— concearne the cause and touch upon it then any ouâ—ward interest of ours we would incline rather 〈…〉 it in perpetual oblivion then thus to talke the 〈…〉 of past and present actions the mentioning of 〈…〉 cannot but reflect on some whose 〈…〉 to us then they will readily admit themselves to beleeve But we must not decline what in the present case is necessarie for vindicating of our righteous cause struck at and wounded through our sides We shall only touch a few instances of many that might be produced and are yet fresh in the memories of this generation and we fear if Historians prove impartial will speak to the disgrace of these times in the succeeding ages As first That almost unparalleled Act of the Councel at Glasgow Octob. 1662. whereby at one stroke a number of Ministers above 300 without all legal precedour were violently cast out of their lively hoods and inhibited the exercise of their Ministery and thereby a great number of Congregations laid desolate And for any thing known to the Councel at their making and publishing of this Act all the Ministers of the Church of Scotland a very few excepted might have been throst out and ejected thereby and so the whole Church laid waste and dispossessed of the Gospel and it's ordinances in which condition shee might have continued long enough to such a hight of prejudice and loss which the moâ—â—â—-cryed-up good of Prelacy could never have 〈◊〉 â—â—â—ed sit in this or the following age Was it not eâ—â—â—ent from the astonishment that the disappointâ—ent of the designe of this Act had on our Rulers in 〈…〉 did not obey the law in subjecting to Prelacy 〈◊〉 â—â—â—mission that it was passed without mature deâ—â—◠〈…〉 ouâ— and was influenced by the impatient Zeal 〈…〉 instigation of the Prelats to the precipitation 〈…〉 which since hath been lamented not 〈…〉 by many of that party who have never 〈…〉 on â—ight methods wayes of cureing the distempers confusions caused by this act to the Church of God amongst 〈◊〉 We remember of none like to this but that of the Interim of Germany in the time oe Charl. the V. A precedent we think that should not have been imitated by any Christian protestant State considering it's wicked designe bad success to it's contrivers At the passing of this Act of Councel it was not unknown to all that the Ministers ejected by it were for the generality of them young men educated and indoctrinat in the Presbyterian principles neither could it in rational judgment be supposed that in such a sudden and unexpected revolution of affairs in Church and state persons of any conscience could so suddenly be moved to change the Principles they had received and so long been in the practice of without the least offer of any convincing reason to the contrary In this case to inflict so heavy a punishment on Ministers and Congregations without any endeavours previously used for their information looks to be a streach beyond the bounds of charity and justice which according to all laws Divine ecclesiastick and civil allows time and patience in dealing with persons erring in the matters of God for bringing them to the conviction of their errours before the passing inflicting of a sentence a piece of justice observed in the-darkest times of Popery and hottest persecutions on the Church of God as is evident from the records of these times 2. Besides in all executions of laws on persons found transgressing the same there useth to preceed the sentence and infliction of the penalty 〈◊〉 judicial trial and conviction of the transgression thâ— natural right and priviledge of all subjects observâ—â—â— all well governed States in the World whethâ—◠〈…〉 or heathenish For in the administration of justice to the subjects there ought to be an application of the law to persons supposed guilty of it's violation by a judicial sentence not only adjudging them to the penalty but declareing the guilt as the meritorious cause of such punishments which cannot be done without a judicial trial and conviction by confession or witnesses But in our case no such thing was observed no not so much as an hearing allowed us Moreover in this act the Ministers of the Gospel were under highest paines discharged and forbidden the exercise of their Ministery which they had received from the Lord and not from the State and this antecedent to any Church sentence or ecclesiastical conviction of guilt deserving so heavy a punishment an encroachment on Church power without a precedent in this Church and in all others â—â—cept that of the Interim of Germany condemned on â—hat very head both by Popish and Protestant writters 〈◊〉 a reatch beyond the Limits set to the Magistrats poâ—â—â—◠〈◊〉 the word of God Is there not here a Punishâ—â—â—â— formâ—â—ly ecclesiastick inflicted by the Magiâ—â—â—â—â— without owning of the Church to whom the 〈◊〉 of such punishments does properly belong 〈◊〉 by whom
〈◊〉 fulness of prelacy to the well but not to the being of the political Ministerial Church which they grant â—ay be such without it as most of the former opinion â—â—â—ld 3. Others that lean not to Scripture for the 〈◊〉 of prelacy in the Church found it upon Ecclesiaâ—â—◠〈◊〉 â—â—â—stitutioâ—s canons customes which they take to be the Interpreters of Scripture in this debate as Dounhame and others with him that make most use of antiquity 4. Others more moderat pious and more learned then the rest do so clip its wings that they bring it to a meer constant presidency in the meetings of presbyters for government making it a pure non-entity as to what is established by law amongst us and for which they bring no Scripture of which judgment was that godly and learned Bishop Usher who for knowledge in all the controversies of the Church especially in Antiquity was Nemini secundus 5. Some others argue for it as a matâ—er of indifferency that may be received or rejected as Churches and states see it fits their interests asserting that all its authority and goodness depends upon and flowes from the power that brings it in thus Stillingfleet 6. Some of that party have fallen on a new method for justifying its divine right being straitened as it seems with our arguments and the weakness of their owne alleadging that Presbyters were not institute in Scripturâ—-times by the Apostles that all Ministers mentioned in the Scriptures were Bishops in the sense controverted as Doctor Hammond but his evidence from Scripture and antiquity is so dimme that for any thing we know he hath gained few or none to follow him in this 7 These of the court party place all its goodness in the authority lawes establishing it granting it signifies nothing antecedently to these 8. If we shall consider prelacy and view it in its several parts as it is by law constitute and setled amongst us and bring them to the test and rule of the word of God that we may give judgment of them according to it how liteâ—â— of prelacy will be found to be of divine right 〈…〉 the confession of our adversaries of all that have appeared on the feild for its defence there is none that ever pleaded scriptural institutions precepts and instances for the Lordly titles eminencies and wordly dignities of the Prelats that are now annexed to their office nor yet for their civil places and power in the State nor for their several orders and degrees as Primats Metropolitans Archbishops c Or for the like among their dependents in their numerous and various distinctions of degrees of superiorities and subordinations as Vicars Chancelors Deans Arch deacons Subdeans Deacons Parsons c. whoever hitatherto did put pen to paper and contended for the divine right of prelacy never opened a mouth to plead either Scripture or antiquity for thesâ— except Doctor Hammond who argues for Archbishops and what is prelacy in its constitution amongst us without them The only thing debated betwixt us and our Antagonists anent it is the superiority of one Pastor over other Pastors and their respective congregations to the probation of which from scripture and pure Antiquity there are two things that must of necessity be made out from these first the sole power of Ordination and Jurisdiction and secondly Diocesan Churches made up of several â—esseâ— Churches and their respective Pastores and Officers in these does the essential difference lye in their owne confession betwixt Bishops Presbyters or ordinare Pastores none of which two hath been proven from scripture and antiquity And if that which differences prelats from other Pastores of the Church be â—or made to appear from scripture how will their office 〈◊〉 of divine right and how can it be expected from 〈◊〉 â—ho are under such strait divine engadgments against it that we should comply therewith and submit to the lawes injoining conformity thereto We complaine of the subdolous and uning enuous way of our opposites in this debate who always keep in generals and never condescend on the particular differences betwixt Prelates and Ordinate Pastores nor undertake to prove these and the truth is they cannot for they are forced to confesse that it is clear from antiquity that Presbyters have ordained sometimes in conjunction with Bishops and sometimes without them And for diocesan Churches with one fixed pastor over-feeing other Pastores and their flocks we cannot meet with the least probable evidence from scripture and pure antiquity we find no argument from our adversaries concluding this It is empty arguing to say there were Apostles there were Priests and Highpriests in the Old Testament there were seven Angels in the seven Churches of Asia therefore there must be Bishops now If they will from scripture make out the difference now assigned betwixt Prelats Presbveers in these instances of the Apostles Priests and Angels we shall yeeld the cause Let none therefore blame us in holding to this as a necessare consequence of our Antagonists succumbing in the probation of these things that a parity among the Ministers of the Gospel in point of power or office is of divine right for if in the institution of the Ministery there be alike power given to all called thereto there can be no superiority of one above another by divine right 9. It is a question much debated among the Popish school men and in which they are not agreed to this day whâ—â—ther their Prelacy be an order or office distinct from that of Presbyters or only a different degree of the same 〈◊〉 with Presbyters including no power formally distinct from theirs which last opinion asserts that all power acclaimed by the prelats is formally in Presbyters so that by office they are empowered to and may doe all that the prelats pretend to How hotly and stifly was this question tossed the Councel of Trent betwixt the Italian Gallican and Spanish divines which for this cause received no decision in this Councel but was left undetermined as before As is to be seen from the History of the said Councel 10. If any will consider our adversaries arguments for prelacy and compare them with the arguments of Papists especially Bellarmins for the Papacy they shall finde that they plead as strongly for the Pope or an Universal Bishop to the Catholick Church as for the Prelat or Bishop now controverted betwixt us as wil be made appear by a particular condescension if our intended brevity would suffer it We referre such as question this to the arguments of both and upon an impartial collation of the same we nothing doubt but it will be manifest Doth not the much courted and endeavoured reconciliation with Rome by the prelatical party in former and later times with their concessions to them for making way to this agreement speak this with full evidence As their denying the Pope to be the Antichrist their granting a primacy to him over the Catholick Church their purgeing
difficulties we then thought it our happines in being rid of and delivered from many a snare which no doubt made us give place more easily to the penal part of that act 4. We being at that time unacquainted with suffering and contending for the truth in opposition to prevailing corruptions in this way it is not to be expected in rational charity that we could come so suddenly to that hight of resolution and courage as to venture on the ut most of hazards that then did threaten the contraveeners of that act and the laws upon which it was founded Suffering for righteousness Phil. 1 v. last is imported to be a gift as far above the strength of nature in our sinful imperfect state as that of faith as all finde when it comes to be their case It is easy for onlookers to censure and condemne the failings of others in persecuting times but it is not so easy to suffer it requires the Spirit of power love and of a sound minde which is not quickly wine at by them whom Christ calls to take up and bear his crosse We grant this gives no discharge of guilt in not doing and suffering as God cals yet it cryes for compassion and forbearance from others who on this consideration should be spareing in their censurs knowing they are in the body and liable to the like snares and infirmities 5. As that deed was too much influenced with fear and other corrupt passions and affections botâ— in Ministers and People which did visibly predodomine at that time so there was a palpable desertion on the spirits of all that rendered all counsells dark and perplexed and in all deliberations inclined to that which was freest from suffering and positive compliance with Prelacy Altho this doeth not diminish fin nor warrant any sinful neglect nor give any true ground of excuse for it yet it cals for charitable constructions from others where sincerity is apparent in the maine as then it was to the conviction of all yea to the refuting of these hâ—rd unchristian and bitter censures of many who judged our former professions of Zeal for the work of reformation in preceeding times to have flowed from a corrupt byasâ—e to the world and the things of it discovered we grant in too many formerly seeming Zealots by their compliances at that time from whom they tooke their measures in judging of others 6. It is to be adverted and ought to be of great weight in the consideration of this busines that Ministers consulting their congregations especially the godly and judicious among them were advised to lye by for some time and the truth is they seemed as unwilling to venture on the hazards of suffering that threatned all as Ministers This we know was the reason that most determined not a few to that resolution and practice and what could Ministers do in this case especially in so suâ—den a revolution anent which they had the leading example of others in other parts of the Iland Notwithstanding of all these and much more that might be said for charitable constructions of Ministers and Congregationes practice in this at that time yet we judge it the infirmity and sin of Congregations and Ministers that they did not cleave to one another as Pastores and flocks We doe not plead for Ministers keeping to the accessories of the Ministery as kirks stipends manses glebs c. which was by divine precept their right but not in their power to hold but we assert it was sin that they continued not in the exercise of the Ministery pastoral over sight of the flocks keeping up the government of the Church we had been in the possession of and peoples not adhering to their Ministers in hearing and receiving of ordinances from them and not affording them all due incouragement and maintenance all which was done by Ministers and Churches in times of sorer persecution then ours If the rigour and severity that by this act and its full exccution with others that followed thereon for a considerable time which we forebear to mention had ceased and gone no furder we would have looked on all as little and laboured to have borne the same with that patience meekness and resolution that becomes Ministers Christians professing the name of Christ Jesus but the engines and devices that afterwards were set on foot as the High commission and several unchristian illegal practises with the over violent pressing of the people to a conformity in their capacity with such illegal and inhumane usages by military force which alone without any stated and formed designe gave the rise to that insurrection in the Year 1666. and the blood that followed thereon to the the full conviction of our Rulers who then searched unto the bottom of that affaire were straines so high that cannot be justified by the most extended rules of Christian moderation and equity that Rulers are bound to follow in the exercise of government although this heat of violence was for some time a little cooled with a shour of blood and other dangerous consequences like to ensue yet afterwards fuel being by the Prelats brought and administrat unto it it againe begins to take fire and to break forth into strange kinde of laws made as it seems to give a legal face to its proceedings which in its former height it wanted the the bounds of which it cannot yet keep but according to its genious over the hedge it leaps and gives a straine beyond these It would be tedious to take an exact view of all the particular lawes made against us by which the foundation of our past and present sufferings have bin laid and are like to be continued therefore we shall only give instance in a few from which we may take our measurs judging of the rest As first Parl. 2. Carol. 2. Session 2. Act. 5. intituled an act against conventicles As this act condemns all assemblies convocations and meetings of the subjects not expresly warranted of his majesty which will make many meetings and convocations of the subjects now in use illegal and unlawful so by consequence reflects on the meetings and assemâ—blies that Christ Jesus while here his Apostles Ministers and Christians held in the primitive times who not only keeped their meetings without but against the acts and edicts of the magistrat in these times for if it be laid downe for a foundation in government that the only right of convocating the subjects is proper to the Magistrat what ever be the causes occasions and ends of them then the Apostles Ministers and professours will be found transgressors and enemies to government who although inhibited and discharged from meeting yet did not forbear to assemble themâ—eâ—â—s for worship and gâ—vernment What a miserable strait are we brought to thâ—t the meâ—â—ingâ— of the Lords people now called Conventicles cannot be condemned but on the same grounds the assemblies of the Church in persecuting times must be judged dangerous unlawful seditious
for all that is dear to us in this world comply with what is required of us nor desist from serving of God in the Gospel of his Son for 1. If the former reasons for our non-obedience do hold and prove concludent would not our obedience to what is enjoyned us confirme the unjust usurpations made on the Church and wreath the yoke of bondage about her neck to the enslaveing of the consciences of all and the losse of her just rights and priviledges purchased for and granted to her by Jesus Christ As our complyance would have made us accessorie to the Magistrats sin and brought us under the guilt of all the sin and wickeduesse that hath ensued on the same so we should not only have been cruel to the Church of God and the souls of professors therein but we should have brought the ruine of the Church on our own heads for not only he that is active in and concurres with the causes of evils is accessorie to all the bad and evil consequences of them but also he that labours not in his capacitie and station to hinder them when it is in his power to do having therefore nothing left us and within our reach to with stand these usurpations and corruptions under which the Church now groans and by which she is in hazard to be destroyed but the Gospel of Christ that we find yet commited to us we dar not give over preaching and hearing of the same which the Church in all ages hath found to be the power of God to her preservation and recovery in evil time 2. While we think on the following ages and the obligations that are on us for transmiting the Gospel to them in its purity and power as our worthy predecessours did before us what are the means and wayes prescribed to us in the word for effecting of this great good and with what successe these have been essayed in the former generations of the Church to the benefite of succeeding times we finde ourself straitly tyed both against positive complyance with what is required of us and the oâ—ission of that which God hath commanded and put within our power for resisting of these evils which if yeelded to and not withstood would bring our children and theirs after them into the darkness of ignorance Idolatrie superstition and prophanness from which â—od in a great measure delivered us We dar have no hand in the blood of our children or those that are comeing after us which we know the neglect of these means that are appointed for propagating the Gospel would bring upon us and make us accessorie to It is not unknown what advance and progresse these times have made in the foresaid evils since Prelacy reentered amongst us and what furder length they would have gone if it had not been for the obstruction they have met with from the Gospel preached by 2 persecuted and despised hand full in whom the foo lishnes of preaching hath been the wisdom and the power of God to the salvation of this Church 3. Although the solemne tyes and obligations of the Covenants under which these nations once came be decryed and all endeavours used that are within the reach of these Lands to disannul disgrace and make them void yet finding on the exactest search we have made that they remaine in â—orce on us and this Church either to the duties contained in them or els to the Judgments and plagues denunced in the Word of God against Covenant breakers we cannot to any thing that will bring us under so hainous and land-destroying sins as Covenant breaking and perjurie which we cannot evite if either we comply with the corruptions ejected by these Covenants out of this Church on do not in our stations and capacities according 〈◊〉 our power actively withstand and oppose the same and labour not for the preservation and advancement of the doctrine worship and government of this Church as it was at our taking on of these obligations which binde us not only to Negatives or non-complyances with the ejected corruptions but to endeavour the preservation of these concerns in our capacities according to our power Albeit this seem light to others yet it is not so to us for till the mater of these Covenants be disproved from the Word of God and made to appear to be unrighteous antecedent to the Lawes of men which none hath yet done we must judge our selves bound by them to the observation of all they containe in this present case of the Church We may not so far as our knowledge leads us have any hand in furdering and advanceing of the ejected corruptions whether in doctrine worship or government but must of necessitie set ourselves in our stations against them lest we be partakers of other mens sins and consequently of the plagues that God hath threatned 〈◊〉 word against them We shall to â—onider next some of these exceptions most conâ—â—â—nly used against us with which we are publickly and privately branded and stigmatized 〈◊〉 rendering us odious and hateful to all Excepâ—â—â—â—â—â— I That we refuse to give that obedience to 〈◊〉 â—â—gistrat his lawes and commands that unâ—â—â— the â—â—ine of damnation is enjoyned to all subâ—â—â— in the Word of God Answer Because this 〈◊〉 the constant cry of our opposers and given for the â—â—ounâ— of thes repâ—oâ—ches of dissoyalty rebellion 〈◊〉 â—edition so unjustly cast upon us we therefore most earnestly beg of all they 'l weigh impartially the following Answers in the ballances of truth and Justice First As we chearfullie grant Magistracy to be the Ordinance of God and by divine institution to be immediatly derived from him by vertue of which all especially Christians are bound to subject themselvs to those cloathed therewith and to obey them in all their lawful and just commands so we complean of no little injustice done to us by our adversaries who for our non-obedience to the present lawes about prelacy do charge us with being enemies to Magistracy and disloyal to them that are now invested there with contrare to our known doctrine anent this mater presented to the world in our publict Confessions of faith yet extant amongst us and our constant practise conforme thereto If simple non-obedience in some particulars that greive the conscience be a sufficient ground for this charge will not the Confessors and Martyrs in all ages of the Church be held guilty of disloyaltie and sedition who for not obeying of Magistrats in their sinful commands have suffered greivous and hard things None can on this ground condemne us but they will be found to justify the persecutors of the Saints and to condemne them if our reasons for non-obedience in our case were taken from the unlawfulness of authority and our Rulers clame thereto the charge were most just but seing they are brought from the sinfulness of the mater commanded while we acknowledge the authoritie and grant obedience thereto in all other things how malicious and unjust
cavilier party then in the Presbyterian finding them more truely averse from and contrare to their designes and ways then the other But some alledge that we did raise put them in a capacity to do what they did O how weak is this argueing If it hold the holy and righteous God will not escape the censures and imputations of thiâ— men all the wickedness and mischief done in this world will by this medium come upon him as the cause and author of it from whom they receive all that power strength and capacity that enables them to do wickedly Shall those that do good to others in educating supplying affording them all necessaries abused by them to sin and ryotous living be judged the authors of their wickedness O folly If our intended brevity could suffer it we would make it out from undeniable instances that the government had not such sure stedfast friends as the Presbyterians who were truely such and acted according to their professed principles who stood to it when others who are now the only favorits turned their backs upon it in going all the length of compliance with the Usurpers that was required while the generality of true Presbyterians refused for which they were discountenanced and looked upon as a party that was to be supprest If persons that speak thus at randome against us could by clear mediums knit the practises they charge upon us to our professed designs â—nd principles how would they triumph but none 〈◊〉 these have we yet seen and heard We know the late wars are fathered on our party as the first causers and beginners of it But groundlesly as will appear to any that will be at the paines to search out the true causes and grounds of them we are confident that as any who is truely unbyassed comes to the through knowledge of these they will find our adversaries in the blame and not our party who for Religion liberties and self preservation for all was at the stake were then forced to armes throw the insatiable pride and tyranny of the then Prelats but too much of this Only we must say if things now hold on in their present channel in which they have run these few years past we doubt not but many will justify and allow what once they condemned Exception 3. It is with no little considence asserted by some that although the Ministerial power be immediatly from Christ by divine institution yet the exercise thereof is from the Magistrat so that Ministers may not convocat the subjects preach and dispense ordinances without lâ—berty from him Ans 1. We desire to know whence our adversaries have learned this distinction Suâ—e not from the word there is not the least footing for it there if it be let it be produced We know its original from whence it came that man of sin the Pope of Rome from whose Arsenal the All of the Hierarchy hath been brought and this among the rest who for gaine and fixing of an universal absolute dependance of all upon hâ—m invented this distinction that was unknown to the Christian world before he arose But 2. We assert that the exercise of the Ministerial power is as much immediatly from Christ and independant on the Magistrat as the power it self First because we finde this power was exercised in the Church in the primitive times and afterwards without any dependance on and acknowledgment of the Magistrat anent the same this none will get refused We desire then to know what it is that now suspends the exercise of the Ministerial power on the Magistrat that was not then Christianity adds no new power or right to the Magâ—strat it only qualifies and disposes him to use his power aright but gives none that he had not before for if a heathenish Magistrat should exercise all that power about the Church and her pastours that is by Scripture allowed to the Christian Magistrat he should not exceed nor go beyond the limits of the Magistratical power As we finde several heathenish magistrats in the Scriptures doing a great part of the work ascribed to the Christian magistrat as Cyrus Darius Artaxerxes c. so they are commended for it It is to us ridiculous to say that the heathenish magistrats power is not intensive habitualiter as great as the Christian magistrats 2. All moral power does necessarly include and hath flowing from it an obligation to its exercise if moral and Physical impediments hinder not it not only gives right to such and such acts and makes them valide but it binds the persons cloathed therewith to such acts so that the omission of them in their season is their sin for the end of the power tyes the person that hath it to intend and seek its accomplishment in such and such wayes as is proper to the nature of â—he power as might be instanced but in a mater so â—â—â—ar we forbear Thirdly How comes this distinction to be given and made use of anent the ministerial power and not anent others about which the Magistrat may exercise his power also may not Fathers Husbands c. do the duties proper to their relations without leave from the Magistrat if they may give us a reason why Ministers may not do the duties proper and specifick to their function without the magistrat their power is as immediatly from Christ and is as little dependent on the magistrat yea and lesse then theirs never one hath undertaken this task but they who make the magistrat the fountaine of all power which is most absurd seing the magistrat did finde other powers existing and in being before he was Fourthly As the power of ministers is from Christ by divine institution so they are under an obligation for its exercise by divine commands which the magistrat hath no power to imped as hath been said They that are cloathed with the ministerial office are commanded to exercise it who in no place of Scripture are directed to the magistrat for his license If they be let us see it no doubt we had heard of it ere this time if any such thing were Exception 4. There is one exeption used against us among others and urged with no little vehemency in the matter of our loyaltie and obedience to Authoritie to wit our non-appearance before the Councel on summonds given out against some of our number at several occasions which is held forth to be and strongly aggravated for a high evidence of our contempt of our Rulers and the authoritie wherewith they are cloathed for which up wards of 80. of Gentlemen Ladyes Ministers and yeomens are intercommuned and the subjects under the same penaltyes due to such inhibited all manner of assistance to and converse with them Ans Not likeing to dip into and discusse the severitie of this sentence of intercommuning passed with such solemnity against us nor yet to canvasse the legality or illegalitie of it but leaving it to others better versed in and acquainted with
it be one with the same why may not Presbyters consecrat and if they may ordaine as we undertake to make out from Scripture and Antiquitie what necessitie was there for going to England for it seing it might have been done by the Presbyters of this Church If consecration differ from ordination sure it is a humane custome and invention for which we have nothing in the Scriptures and pure Antiquity that only speaks of ordination the only way in which all Pastors entered into the pastoral office 3. The truth is as a Church Ministerial and politick constitute according to the Word of God with all officers of divine appointment hath the full power of the keys of the kingdome of God so there is no sort of officer necessare by divine institution to her edification but she is enabled to furnish her self with such without a necessitie of seeking to other Churches for them and if it be so the Presbyters of this Chruch being her representatives their consent should have been had Although we had no just exception against the office of the Prolates as it is constitute and declared by law as we have but their violent intrusion in this Church it puts a sufficient bar on our subjection to them so that we may not yea cannot owne them as the lawful pastors of this Church Obj. 3. The Magistrat consented to and procured their consecration Ans If any will make it appear that the Magistrat is the Church as Erastus does insolently assert without all probation yea a member of it as such or hath the power of mission we shall yeeld the cause and quietly submit but when we search into the Scripture we find the Magistrat as a Professor of Christianity a member of the Church without all Church power â—et be to be the fountaine of it and subjected as such to the care and oversight of Church Officers in the exercise of their ministerial authority and power We grant it is his part to put the Ministers of the Church when negligent in furnishing of her with officers to their duty anent it but not to thrust in officers upon her of himself without her consent Obj. 4. But the Curats have entered by the Church Ans 1. This we deny the contrare is clear from constant practice for the Curats come in upon congregations only by the Bishop and Patron who are not the Church nor have any power from her for what they do in this all their right and power is founded upon and derived from the supremacy and acts of Parliament and not from the Church in which the Bishop acts as the Kings delegat and substitute only impowered thereto by his law so that the Curats having and deriving all their power from the Prelates cannot have the same from the Church none gives what he hath not But. 2. The prelates not being the lawful governing Church any that enter congregations by them cannot be said to enter by the Church no more then if a Minister should enter into a congregation of this Church by a Minister or Ministers of the Church of France or Holland without the Ministers of this Church can be said to enter by the Church here for the Ministers of other Churches are not the governing Church of this Church The antecedent is to us clear for as the Prelates have entered without the Church so the lawful Ministerial ruling Church although scattered and persecuted is yet existent and in being who by the unjust and violent intrusion of others have not lost their right of ruleing this Church but in point of right and obligation do continue to be her lawful pastours for violence persecution and intrusion do not dissolve the relation betwixt the Church and her Pastours either general or particular there being nothing in our case that can justly do it other wayes it should be in the power of the Magistrat to undo and destroy the political Ministerial Church both formally and effectively which is abâ—ord We ask at any who think persecution and intrusion do in our case annul the pastoral relation betwixt Ministers and Churches whether the Magistrats violent ejecting of Ministers and puting of Mahumâ—tan or Popish Priests in their roomes will discharge Ministers and Congregations of their obligations to one another if they think not then how can these untye their obligations in our case We ask a reason If they judge persecution and intrusion by the Magistrat in â—his case to have this effect then it will inevitably follow that the Magistrat can destroy divine commands flowing there from contrare to the practice of divine relations obligations to the obedience of the Church in the primitive times who notwithstanding of the Magistrats Edicts threatnings much actual violence performed the mutual duties of pastours and flocks Arg. 2. All power of the Prelates and their creaturs in the Church is by law fountained in and derived from the Magistrat and in its exercise subordinated to him as is evident from the act of restitution Parl. Carol. 2. 1. Ses 2. Act. 1. which derivation and subordination they owne and homologat by their compliance with what the law does require in order to it therefore such we cannot we may noâ— owne receive and subject to as our ministers under seing they acknowledge subject themselves in their ministery to another head then Christ Jesus which by law is set in and over this Church That the force of this Argument may be more perspicuous and clear we shall put it into forme thus Those that receive and derive their Church power from and are subordinat in its exercise to another head then Christ Jesus should not be received and subjected to as the ministers of Christ in his Church But the Prelats and their Curats do receive and derive their Church power from and are subordinat in its exercise to another head then Christ Jesus therefore they ought not to be received and subjected to as the ministers of Christ in his Church We suppose the first proposition will not be denyed all the debate will be in the Second Which we prove thus These officers in the Church professing themselves such that derive their Church power from and are subordinat in its exercise to a power truely Architectonick and supream in the Church beside Christ doe derive their power from and are subornat in its exercise to another head then Christ Jesus But so it is that the Prelates and their creaturs do derive their Church power from and are subordinat in its exercise to a power truely Architectonick and supream in the Church beside Christ therefore the Prelates and their Curates do derive their power from and are subordinat in its exercise to another head then Christ The major proposition is evident for whoever hath a supream Architectonick power in and over the Church must be an head to the same and the fountaine of all Church power it is a repugnancy to be supream have an Architectonick power
sake although differing from us in some other things 5 It is thought sufficient ground for this charge that some yea many of the persons that come to and haunt our meetings are found not to be conscientious and Christian in their walk but flagitious or in many of their practises scandalous We cannot think our adversaries are serious in this do beleeve as they speak seing 1 This does fall as heavy and will to onlookers reflect as much and more on the objectors themselves as on us whose meetings for worship are found to be the sinck of all debauched and profaine persons thorow the Land can they refuse this It is like the foresight of this forced them to say in their lybel of greivances against us that the abominations mentioned in one Article were commited at our meetings and not by persons present at them otherwise their assemblies for worship should have been as chargeabâ—â— therewith as ours but in this our Antagonists 〈◊〉 like to the persecutours of the Christians in the prâ—â—mitive times who charged them for having these 〈◊〉 the like abominations commited at their assemblies as is to be seen in Church Histories The Lord deliver us from and rebuke the lying Spirit that is entered into and possesseth many 2. But if the presence of wicked and scandalous persons at the assemblies of Christians for hearing of the word and performing of other acts of worship be sufficient ground for chargeing the wickednesse and impieties of such on them as the cause inductive to scandals will not the assemblies that Christ his Apostles Ministers and Christians keeped in all ages be as lyable to this charge as we who excluded none but admited all to the hearing of the word and some other acts of worship as is manifest from Scripture and History whatever our adversaries will say for clearing of Christ Iesus his Apostles c. will acquit us 3. Do not men know that in preaching of the Gospel to sinners we should designe and labour their conversion as much as the edification of the converted Is not the Gospel with which Ministers are intrusted the mean and power of God to the one as well as to the other And seing this is our designe as it hath been our practice so it is our resolution not to exclude any from our assemblies how wicked soever they have been or are Truth is to charge us and our meetings with the sinnes and scandals of those that frequent the same is to reproach the Gospel of Christ and to Father all the wickednesse of its hearers on it contrare to its grand designe which is to save sinners from sin and all the miseries that follow upon it SECT V. Some Reasons why the Indulgence was not accepted IN the next place we come to the head of the Indulgence the not allowing of which hath been represented as a full evidence of our pivish wilful and stiff disposition to unpeacableness and distoyalty but we hope when our carriage in this mater is seriously thought upon and the reasons that determined us to this refusal are weighted in the ballances of the sanctuarie this charge will be found light and we are confident that upon trial it will appear we are not against but with all expressions of thankfulnes shall be ready to intertaine and receive any libertie for the Gospel its true interest and our selves that is consistent with our known principles that the Magistrat shall be pleased to grant us We look upon it as an unjust state of the question in this mater which hath been offered by some whether the Magistrat jure may or have it within the compass of his Magistratical power to give liberty to Ministers and people for serving and worshiping of God in his Son Christ Iesus according to his word this we do not deny but chearfully grant that although the exercise of Church power that is properly such be independent on the Magistrat yet the peacable exercise of it is truely from him it belongs to him no doubt to encourage countenance and protect the Church against all enemies and to relieve her of oppression when under it to this he is impowered and oblidged both as a Magistrat and as a Christian Neither is it with us a question whether the Magistrat may command Ministers to the duties of then function nor whether he may exeem them from the hazard of suffering to which they are obnoxious by law for their non-conformity nor yet whether he may confine Ministers simply and abstractedly considered from our present case which is only proper to the Magistrat and not all to the Church All these and much more we yeeld to the Magistrat about persones and maters Ecclesiastical according to the Word But the true state of the question to us is whether the Magistrat Jure Magistratico may of himself and immediatly without the Church the previous election of the people assigne and send Ministers to particular Churches to take the fixed and pastoral over sight of them prescribe rules and directions to them for the exercise of their Ministery and confine them to the said congregations The question thus stated being complex and consisting of several branches conform to the acts of Councel anent the indulgence we must of necessity for giving a just accompt of the grounds of our dissatisfaction therewith speak to them severally in some assertions with the reasons subjoyned Assertion First The Magistrat by vertue of his Magistratical power cannot of himself and immediatly assigne or send Ministers to particular congregations to take the pastoral charge and oversight of them For 1. We finde not in all the Word of God any such power given to or exercised by the Magistrat in the Church none hath yet given any instances of this If there be let them be produced and we shall acquiesce All acknowledge the Church not to be founded on the law of nature but on positive institution and supernatural revelation and therfore not to be governed in wayes and methods of Mens invention but in these that are revealed by the Holy Scriptures without which there cannot be a Church so that she owning her being constitution and all to them there must be some evident proof produced from these before we can yeeld to any such power in the Magistrat how long shall we exspect this 2. Also we finde the Church in the possession and exercise of this power from the times of the Apostles to the breaking up of the reformation by Luther and others in Germany as is manifest from Scripture and History We grant there was for some time a considerable debate betwixt the Pope and the Emperour of Germany about the investiture of Bishops which gave the rise to other Princes claming of the same seasing upon it but what says this to the mission of Ministers application of their Ministery to particular congregations For as Prelacy was the invention of men and the cause of horrid contentions in Churches and States so
neither it nor the practices occasioned thereby can be any regulating precedent for us besides in all these contests about investiturs betwixt the Pope and Princes the mission of Ministers was never questioned but alwayes acknowledged as proper to the Church and not to the Magistrat which will be clear to any that will be at paines to read Church History 3. The sending of Ministers to particular congregations is an act of government purly and formally Ecclesiastical and not Civil and therefore incompetent to the Magistrat Let any consider it in its causes mater object and ends and they shall finde it so for the persons sent are Ministers the work they are sent on is to preach the Gospel and dispense its ordinances these they are sent to are the Churches of Christ the end for which they are sent to such is to gather in and perfect the body of Christ this is finis operis We know of nothing that can besaid against this But that it is not purely Ecclesiastick in the efficient cause Ans To this we reply First That all use in morals to sustaine the validity of the Arguments taken from the nature of the act to the undueness of it to such and such causes for it is by the respect of such acts in morals to their mater objects and ends that the bounds are determined and set to them in their efficient causes for instance if the mater object ends of an act be properly civil it is granted by all to be undue or incompetent to a Minister of the Gospel so of other acts in their moral specifical distinction by which in the law of God they are assigned made due to such and such efficients But Next Upon this reason it shall be as lawful for the Magistrat to ordaine and send persons without ordination to preach the Gospel which is every way absurd 4. The sending of Ministers to preach the Gospel and to oversee Churches is an act of the potestative mission one part of the keyes of the kingdom of God granted by Christ to his Church and never to the Magistrat from no part of the word can it be made appear that Christ hath given this power to the Magistrat we finde it given to the Ministers of the Gospel Matth. 16 19. with several other places of Scripture But as to the Magistrat there is altum silentium But that this sending of Ministers is an act of potestative mission we hope will not readily be denied of any do we ask whether Ministers go to such congregations on a special delegation from Christ more then to others If they do then it must flow from this power of mist on in the Church If they go not on this special delegation then they run unsent and are not the Pastours of these flocks more then of others and consequently they have no obligations upon them to feed these more then any other congregation which is absurd For beside the power of preaching and dispensing of ordinances there is alwayes a special delegation of the person to such and such a people by which he becometh the Ambassadour messenger of Christ Jesus whom they are bound to hear and submit to as such 5. This act of sending Ministers to congregations suppons several things that are beyond the line and cognition of the Magistrat as such as the trial of Ministers gifts the knowledge of the spiritual State of the congregation the sutablness or unsurablness of Ministers gifts to such and such a people ability to judge and cognosce in these as the mater and ends of this work require with many other things which not being granted to the Magistrat as such the work to which these are necessarily requisite cannot belong to him for every work to which God calls any hath its proper furniture of gifts and abilities without which none is to look upon themselves as called thereto 6. Some of the great Patrons and zealous Promoters of the Magistrats power in this and other things belonging to the Church yeeld that this power is in and returns to the Church when the Magistrat is either heathenish or heretical as Vedelius yea all are constrained to grant it How rational this is and how consistent with their arguments the force of which is thereby utterly broken let any judge we ask when this power is granted to be in the Church whether it comes from Christ Iesus or the Magistrat For a derive power it must be It cannot be from the Magistrat who does not willingly part with any of his power neither does religion robe the Magistrat of his power nor depose him from his regality and the prerogative thereof as Protestants maintaine against the Papists if it be derived and come from Christ as it does we desire to know what way it is conveyed to her in this case and not in the other when the Magistrat is Christian As we finde no difference of cases anent this mater given in the word so we finde the same institutions precepts and examples therein by which the Church is impowered and oblidged to exercise this government without the Magistrat to continue not only without any restrictions to times cases but without any repail We hear nothing from our adversaries to answer this but ineptia foolish rovings The truth is their Arguments conclude with as great force against all power of government in the Church under persecuting Magistrats as Christian for is there not in this case the erecting of an Empire in an Empire which our enemies accoundt 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 anddo not Ministers and Christians owe as much subjection to the Magistrat in the one case as in the other Assertion 2. That the right and power of Election and calling of Ministers to particular congregations is in the congregations themselves to whom they are sent by divine right and not in the Magistrat and therefore should not have been assumed by the Magistrat and taken thus from them That this power of election of Ministers is not in the Magistrat either by divine humane or Ecclesiastical laws needs not to be much insisted on seing Scripture and antiquity for a thousand years after Christ gives not the least ground for it We desire to know from our Antagonists Prelats and Erastians from whence came this power or who were the givers of it to the Magistrat When they have condescended on the orginal derivation of this power and made it out to be just then we shall consider it which by none of these parties hath been yet done except by Vedelius but on such grounds as give every particular member of the Church as good clame thereto as he as will be evident to any that considers his Arguments for Scripture and antiquity they have none The first part of the proposition is that which is most stuck at The peoples right and power of election which is denyed by our adversaries but we thus make it out as our Divines have done
of the times in which they live as for instance when heresies are abounding and Professors taken with the infection of that leaven he may put them on the preaching of doctrines not apposite to the present case and discharge them from medling with doctrines contrare to the present errours as our Magistrats have done anent some doctrines in these times he may likewise forbid them preaching against or censuring of these sinnes that are reigning in the place and time in obeying of which Ministers shall cross the commands of Christ to them in his word and bring themselves under the guilt of the blood of soules If Churches and Ministers be not in the commands precepts and institutions of God exeemed from the power and impositions of men what a sad case will they be in 4. The Church had and exercised this power from Scripture times in all ages till within these hundereth years We grant the Magistrat exercised a power about or anent the Church but never came this length when they did reforme gave any redress of corruptions creept into the administrations of holy things they did it by the Church whom in her officers they did convocat and require to consider the mater and to make constitutions about it but never essayed to do it immediatly and by themselves as Church Histories make evident beyond all contradiction 5. It is the natural right of all moral power to order and dispose its owne exercise in and about the Maters that are proper to it as might be made to appear by instances of these of the Parental Marital Powers c and the reason is partly because the objects and other circumstances are so many and various that it is not possible to prescribe rules comprehensive of all particular emergents relating to their excercise but must be lest to the prudence of those invested with them to do therein as they see fit and expedient in the cases that are before them and partly such are fitest as having more knowledge and experience about such things that belongs to their power then any others We see this yeelded to others and why then not to Ministers who may in rational judgment be presumed to have more solide knowledge and experience in and about the maters of God as any 6. All divines except those called Erastian who are but of a late edition in the Church yea the Prelatical ones doe grant a diatactik power to the Ministery of the Gospel about the worship and government of the Church and the exercise of their Ministry relating thereto and till ERASTUS the phistrian arose it was beyond controversie among all Church writers whether Historical or Polemick even those who contended for the Magistrats power against the usurpations of the Popes as is to be seen in their Tractats from which we might adduce citations not a few but fearing they wold prove too tedions if insetted here We forbeare Assertion 4. Albeit we grant the power of confinement be proper to the Magistrat and not at all to the Church for to him only is the sword gâ—â—ven to be used against evil doers yet in the complex case which we had before us we durst not approve of the indâ—lgence with such a clause seing we had not as may be clear to any from what is said above any other thing in this mater to ingadge us to an acceptance thereof For the act of indulgence confines the Ministers of the whole party if it had been but some few that this confinment reach'd we would not have said much to it although the sentence had been unjust But while we considered the present universal necessity of the Church and the obligations on us to use our Ministery for answering the same we could not with quietness to our consciences justifie nor allow of it as a favour with such a restraint on our Ministry If the confinment had only touched our persons and personal concerns we had with all patience and submission yeelded thereto but a restraint being put on the exercise of our Ministery in this necessitous condition of the Church when Papists Quakers and other subverters of truth and godliness do multiply and abound without all crub we could not close with this indulgence which by vertue of the confinment puts us out of capacitie for affording that relief to the Church and immortal souls which our office binds us to 2. As there are many duties and parts of our Ministerial function which we cannot performe and exercise but in a conjunction with others so this indulgence cuts off from all accesse to the same and leaves us in much worse case then we were in before Have we not the Gospel of Christ to maintaine against its present adversaries Are we not bound to propagat the same in the present and succeeding ages Do not scandals of all forts abound to the overthrow of truth and piety and does not the care and burdine of seeing to and providing against the evil that in these times threaten the ruine of the Church lye upon us in our ministerial capacity And we cannot singly and apart doe what is necessare in this case but in a conjunction with one another no doubt our subjecting to this confinment would render us accessory to and bring us under the guilt of all these evil and their consequences to this and the following generations Posterity no question should have all cause to curse and charge their blood upon us which is trembling to think upon 3. If we may guesse at and be ascertained of the ends and designes of mens actions by the native effects and consequences of them it is to us apparent and beyond denyal that the project and intention of this contrivance was quietly to ruine and bury our cause seing by this confinment and other things in this indulgence all endeavours towards the succession of a faithful ministery are cut off and we brought unto an immediat dependance on the Magistrat in the maters of God and hindered to propagat the truth in opposition to its adversaries in other parts of the land being thus shut up into a litle corner of the same cast by two's three's and fours into congregations where for the most part there is little or no use for us If the Apostles and other Ministers of Christ in Scripture times had been thus dealt with and in policy confined as we are do any think they would have submitted to and obeyed such a confinment which would have frustrated the ends of their office and work and made them guilty of disobedience to their Master from whom they received commands inconsistent with such a sentence And shall we subject and be consentient to a deed that in the designe and effects thereof will infallibly destroy the cause which by all sorts of obligations we are engadged to maintaine and advance to the utmost of our power God forbid We are not ignorant that the confinment with a permission to preach and exercise other parts
c. Therefore Ministers may not doe it For although the Magistrat have an imperative power over all yet it is not privative of any power in others that is proper to their station and office 2. As for the determining of the circumstances in Government we reply there are two sorts of circumstances relateing to these first some extrinsick and not in themselves simply necessare although convenient as Churches of such and such formes pulpets ornaments c. These being in their natural use civil belong to the Magistrat and are directly under his power to order and dispose Next 2. There are some circumstances intrinsick to the actions of worship and Government and so connected therewith in that degree of necessity that they cannot be performed without them and come within the compass of divine commands on which the morality of individual actions as to their goodnes and evil pro hic nunc does depend as such and such persons doctrines times places helps c. which all moralists and divines make to specify all humane actions as to their morality in individuo Of these we assert that the determination of them as they respect worship and Government and are connected with them belongs to the Officers of the Church and not to the Magistrat we have given some reasons for this before as 1. we see commands given to the Church about them and not to the Magistrat 1. Cor. 14.2 If the determination of these were in the Magistrats power it should be likewise in his power to hinder impede and obstruct all right worship and Government in its exercise at his pleasure for whoever hath these things in his power without which the actions of worship and Government cannot be performed hath the actions in his power to hinder or not 3 The consequences of granting this to the Magistrat are mischeivous for by this if he do not wholly hinder the exercise of the Ministerial office and power yet he may restrict and limit it so as to bring them under dreadful unfaithfulness in their Ministry or office he may binde them up from preaching such and such doctrines that at such and such times and in such cases God calleth them to preach As for the 3. Instance for indicting of dayes for solemne fasting and humiliation or of thanksgiving we say that we reckon it among these common duties of Religion that every Chirstian in his station is bound by the command of God to observe and according to the extent of their power to see them observed by others under them when the dispensations of mercy and judgment cals them to these as is clear from the precepts and examples we have in the word so that all Christians in their several capacities offices powers and extent of the same have the power of indicting and keeping of such times and dayes as Masters in families pastours in congregations or in their associations and Magistrats c. From this it will not follow that Magistrats Masters of Families c. their indicting of such dayes for divine exercises is an act of Church power although it be such in the Officers of the Church and as it comes from them no more then others rebuking exhorting c. is an act of Church authority and power although it be so from them 2. That it only belongs to the Magistrat to indict dayes of publict fastings or of thanksgiving not to the pastours of the Church where hath our antagonists learned this We grant the Magistrat participats with others in this power but the nature of these duties the precepts and examples of the word impowers others in their capacities as much as him it were easy to make this out We acknowledge for the more harmony in this publict work and convenient following of it with benefite and advantage to Church and State it were expedient that Magistrats and Ministers did previously consult and agree about publict fasts and thanksgiving but to affirme this to the privation of the power and obligations laid on others anent it is not only an encroachment on the divine rights of others but a loosing of these bonds with which God hath tyed them and what is this but to fight against God in the persones of his Creaturs Obj. 4. Seing Ministers are bound to give an accompt to the Magistrat when required of what they do in the Government of the Church will it not follow they are subordinat to him in so far in its exercise Ans No wayes for 1. They stand oblidged to do the like to all others over whom they are set and do rule when their carriage in the Ministry is stumbling and offensive to them to which they are oblidged both by general and particular precepts and yet it will not follow that in their Ministry they are subordinat to such 2. The Magistrat by vertue of his professed subjection to Christ is bound to give an accompt of his actings in his Government to Ministers and others when he proveth scandalous and offensive which many of them have done To this they are obliedged both on the accompt of their promised subjection to the word its ordinances and Christs servants dispensing the same and likewise on the accompt of Charity and love that binds all not only to endeavour the preventing but removing of offences when given to which the Magistrat is as incident in his capacity as others as alas sad experience puts beyond debate Obj. 5. But as the Government of the Church and its exercise is the object of the Magistrats power and its acts does he not act about those imperially and Architectonice And if it be so is he not Supream to above the Ministers of the Church and they subordinat to him Ans This is the objection of the greatest seeming strength but on a serious consideration of it its weakness will soon appear We yeeld without any advantage to our enemies cause that what the Magistrat does as such about Church maters and officers he does it imperially and with dominion and as they use to speak Architectonice but what then It proves the persons to be subordinat to the Magistrat in these his acts but not the power in its exercise nor the maters about which it is exercised for 1. The Magistrat when he by his irreligious and unjust carriage in his office or other wayes becomes notoriously scandalous to the Church is lyable to Ministerial admonitions rebukes seclusions from the Sacraments c. And is thereby subordinat to Church power or the Ministers of Christ in exercing it about him and yet the Magistratical power and its exercise is not subject to them whatever resistence our opposits make to this mutual subordination of the persons of Magistrats and Ministers yet they must either deny the Christian Magistrats the benefits of the Gospel its ordinances dispensed by Ministers or els yeeld this truth Is it not clear in other powers or relations as suppone one is both a Magistrat and a Son
is there not here a reciprocal subordination and superiority of persons with a coordination of powers as is hinted above We plead no more for the Ministers of the Gospel and the Government of the Church commited to them We grant a great difference in other respects betwixt the Magistrat and Ministers they act as meer servants without all dominion in them He with dominion and Magistratical authority over the persons of Ministers yet for all this the powers are coordinat and in their exercise not directly subject to one another 2. These powers their exercise and respective objects becoming reciprocally the object of one another as the Ministry and its objects being one part of the Magistrats power the Magistrat and the objects of his power being likewise a part of the object about which Ministers exercise their power under different formalities and specifications there arises or results not only a sweet harmony and a mutual subserviency to one another in advancing of their respective ends but likewise an indirect subordination to one another in the exercise of their powers without any dependance of these powers upon one another But this subordination is only of the persons and not of the powers which by being the mutual objects of one anothers powers does not subject the power and its exercise but only the persons for any thing or power becoming the object of another does not subordinat it to that power the Word Ordinances c. are not by being the object either of the Ministerial or the Magistratical power subordinated or subject thereto so that the Ministerial power its exercise and the maters about which it converses are not by being the object of the Magistrats power subordinated to it This breaks the force of our adversaries Argument which lyes mainly in this Obj. 6. It is only this sort of Supremacy and subordination that the act of restitution does mean Ans It is not so as is clear from the words and frame of the acts for it is the Church assemblies their proper maters their constitution the intrinsick obligation of their conclusions that are subordinated to the Magistrat so that all is nothing without him Obj. 7. All Divines even the Presbyterians and independents in the Church of England grant the Magistrat to be Supream in all causes and over all persons Ecclesiastical none of them scruple to take the oath of Supremacy as it is established by law in that Kingdom Ans All Divines do not grant this as is to be seen in the writings of many and for any thing we know it is not yeelded by the Presbyterian and Independants in the sense controverted among us neither can it seing it quyt overthrows all Church Government in its distinction from and independency on the civil Government of the Magistrat which is contrare to the known principles both of Presbyterians and Independants and if the Prelats themselves durst speak their minde conforme to their owne principles they would not in this differ from us as Thorndike more free and engenuous then the rest of his party does declame and cry out against the oath of Supremacy as the great crying sin of the Church of England but to an excesse would assert all and much more then we do in this mater were it not for fear of offending the Magistrat on whom now they wholly depend and whose Creaturs they only areâ— which hath in our times reconciled the Prelatical and Erastian principles at least in appearance that are most contrare to and distant from one another yea more then theirs and ours And although the Presbyterians and Independants in the Church of England do take the oath of Supremacy yet it is with such explications allowed assented to by the Magistrat that give it a sound sense which was stumbled and scrupled at both in Queen Elizabeth and King James times till its sense was explicat and allowed as is to be seen in the instructions given to justices of the peace by Queen Elizabeth for administrating the said oath Bishop Ushers explanation of it approven by King James In which sense it is understood taken to this day among them But to understand this mater aright and to avoid the labyrinth of generalities ambiguities with which some divines perplex intricat it it would be considered 1. That there is a two fold proper supremacy one civil and another Ecclesiastical about Church power meetings and maters 2 There are two Kinds of Causes of those they call Ecclesiastical some that are only extrinsically such but in their nature immediat ends and use civil that for their more remote ends and respects to things truely and properly sacred are called Ecclesiastical as lawes made for the Church her concerns outward liberty and peace external rewards and punishments c. Againe some causes Ecclesiastical are intrinsically and formally such as who shall preach the Gospel be invested with the Ministery or who shall be deposed from it who shall be rebuked admonished and excommunicated or received and admitted into the Church c. 3 The terme CAUSES is not here to be understood in a physical but moral and juridical sense that is for questions to be decided by those who are impowered either by God or men to this work 4 Causes or questions as they are the object of power its exercise are either proper and immediat or els improper and remote Hence we say 1. That the Magistrat is Supream Governour in all things or causes properly civil relating to causes and persons Ecclesiastical the judicial cognition and definitive judgment of these belong to him and not to the Church in this sense we admit the oath of Supremacy declared ourselves willing to take it which was refused us 2 That the Magistrat is not the supreme Governour in Causes and over persons formally Ecclesiastical This we assert belongs to Christ Jesus only and not to the Magistrat as hath been proven above This is the supremacy we deny to the Magistrat and for which we have declined to take the oath anent it that is now established law being perswaded for the reasons formerly given that this is the supremacy granted by law and understood in this oath But3 That causes and persons formally Ecclesiastical are not the proper and immediat object of the Magistrats power but only improper and remote and the reason is becaus in the execution of Christs law given to the Church the judicial cognition and definitive judgment about these belongs not to the Magistrat but to the Ministers of the word as for instance it is not the Magistrats part to cognosce and determine who is to be received into the Church and who not this is proper to the Ministers of the Gospel and so of other causes and questions of the like nature Obj. Then the Magistrat in protecting countenancing and furthering of the Churches acts and sentences by the sword must be a blinde executer of them Ans This must be said